the conflict-第23节

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　class　toward　mine。''

‘‘They　look　up　to　us；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘You　can't　blame　us　for　allowing　itfor　becoming　pleased　with　ourselves。''

‘‘That's　the　worst　of　itwe　do　look　up　to　you；''　admitted　he。　　‘‘Butwe're　learning　better。''

‘‘YOU'VE　already　learned　betteryou　personally；　I　mean。　　I　think　that　when　you　compare　me；　for　instance；　with　a　girl　like　Selma　Gordon；　you　look　down　on　me。''

‘‘Don't　you；　yourself；　feel　that　any　woman　who　is　self…supporting　and　free　is　your　superior？''

‘‘In　some　moods；　I　do；''　replied　Jane。　　‘‘In　other　moods；　I　feel　as　I　was　brought　up　to　feel。''

They　talked　on　and　on；　she　detaining　him　without　seeming　to　do　so。　　She　felt　proud　of　her　adroitness。　　But　the　truth　was　that　his　stopping　on　for　nearly　two　hours　was　almost　altogether　a　tribute　to　her　physical　charmthough　Victor　was　unconscious　of　it。　　When　the　afternoon　was　drawing　on　toward　the　time　for　her　father　to　come；　she　reluctantly　let　him　go。　　She　said：

‘‘But　you'll　come　again？''

‘‘I　can't　do　that；''　replied　he　regretfully。　　‘‘I　could　not　come　to　your　father's　house　and　continue　free。　　I　must　be　able　to　say　what　I　honestly　think；　without　any　restraint。''

‘‘I　understand；''　said　she。　　‘‘And　I　want　you　to　say　and　to　write　what　you　believe　to　be　true　and　right。　　Butwe'll　see　each　other　again。　　I'm　sure　we　are　going　to　be　friends。''

His　expression　as　he　bade　her　good…by　told　her　that　she　had　won　his　respect　and　his　liking。　　She　had　a　suspicion　that　she　did　not　deserve　either；　but　she　was　full　of　good　resolutions；　and　assured　herself　she　soon　would　be　what　she　had　pretendedthat　her　pretenses　were　not　exactly　false；　only　somewhat　premature。

At　dinner　that　evening　she　said　to　her　father：

‘‘I　think　I　ought　to　do　something　beside　enjoy　myself。　　I've　decided　to　go　down　among　the　poor　people　and　see　whether　I　can't　help　them　in　some　way。''

‘‘You'd　better　keep　away　from　that　part　of　town；''　advised　her　father。　　‘‘They　live　awful　dirty；　and　you　might　catch　some　disease。　　If　you　want　to　do　anything　for　the　poor；　send　a　check　to　our　minister　or　to　the　charity　society。　　There's　two　kinds　of　poorthose　that　are　working　hard　and　saving　their　money　and　getting　up　out　of　the　dirt；　and　those　that　haven't　got　no　spunk　or　get…up。　　The　first　kind　don't　need　help；　and　the　second　don't　deserve　it。''

‘‘But　there　are　the　children；　popsy；''　urged　Jane。　　‘‘The　children　of　the　no…account　poor　ought　to　have　a　chance。''

‘‘I　don't　reckon　there　ever　was　a　more　shiftless；　do…easy　pair　than　my　father　and　mother；''　rejoined　Martin　Hastings。　　‘‘They　were　what　set　me　to　jumping。''

She　saw　that　his　view　was　hopelessly　narrowthat；　while　he　regarded　himself　justly　as　an　extraordinary　man；　he　also；　for　purposes　of　prejudice　and　selfishness；　regarded　his　own　achievements　in　overcoming　what　would　have　been　hopeless　handicaps　to　any　but　a　giant　in　character　and　in　physical　endurance　as　an　instance　of　what　any　one　could　do　if　he　would　but　work。　　She　never　argued　with　him　when　she　wished　to　carry　her　point。　　She　now　said：

‘‘It　seems　to　me　that；　in　our　own　interest；　we　ought　to　do　what　we　can　to　make　the　poor　live　better。　　As　you　say；　it's　positively　dangerous　to　go　about　in　the　tenement　part　of　townand　those　people　are　always　coming　among　us。　　For　instance；　our　servants　have　relatives　living　in　Cooper　Street；　where　there's　a　pest　of　consumption。''

Old　Hastings　nodded。　　‘‘That's　part　of　Davy　Hull's　reform　programme；''　said　he。　　‘‘And　I'm　in　favor　of　it。　　The　city　government　ought　to　make　them　people　clean　up。''

‘‘Victor　Dorn　wants　that　done；　toodoesn't　he？''　said　Jane。

‘‘No；''　replied　the　old　man　sourly。　　‘‘He　says　it's　no　use　to　clean　up　the　slums　unless　you　raise　wagesand　that　then　the　slum　people'd　clean　themselves　up。　　The　idea　of　giving　those　worthless　trash　more　money　to　spend　for　beer　and　whisky　and　finery　for　their　fool　daughters。　　Why；　they　don't　earn　what　we　give　'em　now。''

Jane　couldn't　resist　the　temptation　to　say；　‘‘I　guess　the　laziest　of　them　earn　more　than　Davy　Hull　or　I。''

‘‘Because　some　gets　more　than　they　earn　ain't　a　reason　why　others　should。''　　He　grinned。　　‘‘Maybe　you　and　Davy　ought　to　have　less；　but　Victor　Dorn　and　his　riff…raff　oughtn't　to　be　pampered。　。　。　。　　Do　you　want　me　to　cut　your　allowance　down？''

She　was　ready　for　him。　　‘‘If　you　can　get　as　satisfactory　a　housekeeper　for　less；　you're　a　fool　to　overpay　the　one　you　have。''

The　old　man　was　delighted。　　‘‘I've　been　cheating　you；''　said　he。　　‘‘I'll　double　your　pay。''

‘‘You're　doing　it　just　in　time　to　stop　a　strike；''　laughed　the　girl。

After　a　not　unknown　fashion　she　was　most　obedient　to　her　father　when　his　commands　happened　to　coincide　with　her　own　inclinations。

Her　ardor　for　an　excursion　into　the　slums　and　the　tenements　died　almost　with　Victor　Dorn's　departure。　　Her　father's　reasons　for　forbidding　her　to　go　did　not　impress　her　as　convincing；　but　she　felt　that　she　owed　it　to　him　to　respect　his　wishes。　　Anyhow；　what　could　she　find　out　that　she　did　not　know　already？　　Yes；　Dorn　and　her　father　were　right　in　the　conclusion　each　reached　by　a　different　road。　　She　would　do　well　not　to　meddle　where　she　could　not　possibly　accomplish　any　good。　　She　could　question　the　servants　and　could　get　from　them　all　the　facts　she　needed　for　urging　her　father　at　least　to　cut　down　the　hours　of　labor。

The　more　she　thought　about　Victor　Dorn　the　more　uneasy　she　became。　　She　had　made　more　progress　with　him　than　she　had　hoped　to　make　in　so　short　a　time。　　But　she　had　made　it　at　an　unexpected　cost。　　If　she　had　softened　him；　he　had　established　a　disquieting　influence　over　her。　　She　was　not　sure；　but　she　was　afraid；　that　he　was　stronger　than　shethat；　if　she　persisted　in　her　whim；　she　would　soon　be　liking　him　entirely　too　well　for　her　own　comfort。　　Except　as　a　pastime；　Victor　Dorn　did　not　fit　into　her　scheme　of　life。　　If　she　continued　to　see　him；　to　yield　to　the　delight　of　his　magnetic　voice；　of　his　fresh　and　original　mind；　of　his　energetic　and　dominating　personality；　might　he　not　become　arousedbegin　to　assert　power　over　her；　compel　her　totoshe　could　not　imagine　what；　only；　it　was　foolish　to　deny　that　he　was　a　dangerous　man。　　‘‘If　I've　got　good　sense；''　decided　she；　‘‘I'll　let　him　alone。　　I've　nothing　to　gain　and　everything　to　lose。''

Her　motorthe　one　her　father　had　ordered　as　a　birthday　presentcame　the　next　day；　and　on　the　following　　day　two　girl　friends　from　Cincinnati　arrived　for　a　long　visit。　　So；　Jane　Hastings　had　the　help　she　felt　she　perhaps　needed　in　resisting　the　temptings　of　her　whim。

To　aid　her　in　giving　her　friends　a　good　time　she　impressed　Davy　Hull；　in　spite　of　his　protests　that　his　political　work　made　social　fooling　about　impossible。　　The　truth　was　that　the　reform　movement；　of　which　he　was　one　of　the　figureheads；　was　being　organized　by　far　more　skillful　and　expert　hands　than　hisand　for　purposes　of　which　he　had　no　notion。　　So；　he　really　had　all　the　time　in　the　world　to　look　after　Ellen　Clearwater　and　Josie　Arthur；　and　to　pose　as　a　serious　man　bent　upon　doing　his　duty　as　an　upper　class　person　of　leisure。　　All　that　the　reform　machine　wished　of　him　was　to　talk　and　to　poseand　to　ride　on　the　show　seat　of　the　pretty；　new　political　wagon。

The　new　movement　had　not　yet　been　‘‘sprung''　upon　the　public。　　It　was　still　an　open　secret　among　the　young　men　of　the　‘‘better　element''　in　the　Lincoln；　the　Jefferson　and　the　University　clubs。

Money　was　being　subscribed　liberally　by　persons　of　good　family　who　hoped　for　political　preferment　and　could　not　get　it　from　the　old　parties；　and　by　corporations　tired　of　being　‘‘blackmailed''　by　Kelly　and　House；　and　desirous　of　getting　into　office　men　who　would　give　them　what　they　wanted　because　it　was　for　the　public　good　that　they　should　not　be　hampered　in　any　way。　　With　plenty　of　money　an　excellent　machine　could　be　built　and　set　to　running。　　Also；　there　was　talk　of　a　fusion　with　the　Democratic　machine；　House　to　order　the　wholesale　indorsement　of　the　reform　ticket　in　exchange　for　a　few　minor　places。

When　the　excitement　among　the　young　gentlemen　over　the　approaching　moral　regeneration　of　Remsen　City　politics　was　at　the　boiling　point　Victor　Dorn　sent　for　David　Hullasked　him　to　come　to　the　Baker　Avenue　cafe'；　which　was　the　social　headquarters　of　Dorn's　Workingmen's　League。　　As　Hull　was　rather　counting　on　Dorn's　support；　or　at　least　neutrality；　in　the　approaching　contest；　he　accepted　promptly。　　As　he　entered　the　cafe'　he　saw　Dorn　seated　at　a　table　in　a　far　corner　listening　calmly　to　a　man　who　was　obviously　angrily　in　earnest。　　At　second　glance　he　recognized　Tony　Rivers；　one　of　Dick　Kelly's　shrewdest　lieutenants　and　a　labor　leader　of　great　influence　in　the　unions　of　factory　workers。　　Among　those　in　‘‘the　know''　it　was　understood　that　Rivers　could　come　nearer　to　delivering　the　labor　vote　than　any　man　in　Remsen　City。　　He　knew　whom　to　corrupt　with　bribes　and　whom　to　entrap　by　subtle　appeals　to　ignorant　prejudice。　　As　a　large　part　of　his　herd　was　intensely　Catholic；　Rivers　was　a　devout　Catholic。　　To　quote　his　own　phrase；　used　in　a　company　on　whose　discretion　he　could　count；　‘‘Many's　the　pair　of　pants　I've　worn　out　doing　the　stations　of　the　Cross。''　　In　fact；　Rivers　had　been　brought　up　a　Presbyterian；　and　under　the　name　of　Blakehis　correct　namehad　‘‘done　a　str