the conflict-第42节
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ying elections； had become a matter of skill in keeping the people more or less evenly divided between the two ‘‘regular'' parties； with an occasional fake third party to discourage and bring into contempt reform movers and to make the people say； ‘‘Well； bad as they are； at least the regulars aren't addle…headed； damn fools doing nothing except to make business bad。'' Both Kelly and House were supported and enriched by the corporations and by big public contracting companies and by real estate deals。 Kelly still appropriated a large part of the ‘‘campaign fund。'' House； in addition； took a share of the money raised by the police from dives。 But these sums were but a small part of their income； were merely pin money for their wives and children。
Yetat heart and in all sincerity Kelly was an ardent Republican and House was a ferocious Democrat。 If you had asked either what Republican and Democrat meant he would have been as vague and unsatisfactory in his reply as would have been any of his followers bearing torch and oilcloth cape in political processions； with no hope of gainbeyond the exquisite pleasure of making a shouting ass of himself in the most public manner。 But for all that； Kelly was a Republican and House a Democrat。 It is not a strange； though it is a profoundly mysterious； phenomenon； that of the priest who arranges the trick mechanism of the god； yet being a devout believer； ready to die for his ‘‘faith。''
Difficult though the task was of showing the average Remsen City man that Republican and Democrat； Kelly and House； were one and the same thing； and that thing a blood…sucking； blood…heavy leech upon his veinsdifficult though this task was； Victor Dorn knew that he had about accomplished it； when David Hull appeared。 A new personality； a plausible personality； deceptive because self…deceivingyet not so thoroughly self…deceived that it was in danger of hindering its own ambition。 David Hulljust the kind of respectable； popular figurehead and cloak the desperate Kelly… House conspiracy needed。
How far had the ‘‘army of education'' prepared the people for seeing through this clever new fraud upon them？ Victor Dorn could not judge。 He hoped for the best； he was prepared for the worst。
The better to think out the various problems of the new situation； complicated by his apparent debt of gratitude to Davy； Victor went forth into the woods very early the next morning。 He wandered far； but ten o'clock found him walking in the path in the strip of woods near the high road along the upper side of the park。 And when Jane Hastings appeared； he was standing looking in the direction from which she would have to come。 It was significant of her state of mind that she had given small attention to her dress that morning。 Nor was she looking her best in expression or in color。 Her eyes and her skin suggested an almost sleepless night。
He did not advance。 She came rapidly as if eager to get over that embarrassing space in which each could see the other； yet neither could speak without raising the voice。 When she was near she said：
‘‘You think you owe something to Davy Hull for what he did？''
‘‘The people think so；'' said he。 ‘‘And that's the important thing。''
‘‘Wellyou owe him nothing；'' pursued she。
‘‘Nothing that would interfere with the cause；'' replied he。 ‘‘And that would be true； no matter what he had done。''
‘‘I mean he did nothing for you；'' she explained。 ‘‘I forgot to tell you yesterday。 The whole thing was simply a move to further his ambition。 I happened to be there when he talked with father and enlisted him。''
Victor laughed。 ‘‘It was your father who put it through。 I might have known！''
‘‘At first I tried to interpose。 ThenI stopped。'' She stood before him with eyes down。 ‘‘It came to me that for my own sake it would be better that you should lose this fall。 It seemed to me that if you won you would be farther out of my reach。'' She paused； went steadily on： ‘‘It was a bad feeling I had that you must not get anything except with my help。 Do you understand？''
‘‘Perfectly；'' said he cheerfully。 ‘‘You are your father's own daughter。''
‘‘I love power；'' said she。 ‘‘And so do you。 Only； being a woman； I'd stoop to things to get it； that a manat least your sort of manwould scorn。 Do you despise me for that？ You oughtn't to。 And you will teach me better。 You can make of me what you please； as I told you yesterday。 I only half meant it then。 Nowit's true； through and through。''
Victor glanced round； saw near at hand the bench he was seeking。 ‘‘Let's sit down here；'' said he。 ‘‘I'm rather tired。 I slept little and I've been walking all morning。 And you look tired； also。''
‘‘After yesterday afternoon I couldn't sleep；'' said she。
When they were seated he looked at her with an expression that seemed to say： ‘‘I have thrown open the windows of my soul。 Throw open yours； and let us look at each other as we are； and speak of things as they are。'' She suddenly flung herself against his breast and as he clasped her she said：
‘‘Nono！ Let's not reason coldly about things； Victor。 Let's feellet's LIVE！''
It was several minutesand not until they had kissed many timesbefore he regained enough self… control to say： ‘‘This simply will not do； Jane。 How can we discuss things calmly？ You sit there''he pushed her gently to one end of the bench‘‘and I'll sit at this end。 Now！''
‘‘I love you； Victor！ With your arms round me I am happyand SO strong！''
‘‘With my arms round you I'm happy； I'll admit；'' said he。 ‘‘Butoh； so weak！ I have the sense that I am doing wrongthat we are both doing wrong。''
‘‘Why？ Aren't you free？''
‘‘No； I am not free。 As I've told you； I belong to a causeto a career。''
‘‘But I won't hinder you there。 I'll help you。''
‘‘Why go over that again？ You know betterI know better。'' Abruptly； ‘‘Your fatherwhat time does he get home for dinner？''
‘‘He didn't go down town to…day；'' replied Jane。 ‘‘He's not wellnot at all well。''
Victor looked baffled。 ‘‘I was about to propose that we go straight to him。''
If he had been looking at Jane； he might have seen the fleeting flash of an expression that betrayed that she had suspected the object of his inquiry。
‘‘You will not go with me to your father？''
‘‘Not when he is ill；'' said she。 ‘‘If we told him； it might kill him。 He has ambitionswhat he regards as ambitionsfor me。 He admires you； buthe doesn't admire your ideas。''
‘‘Then；'' said Victor； following his own train of thought； ‘‘we must fight this out between ourselves。 I was hoping I'd have your father to help me。 I'm sure； as soon as you faced him with me； you'd realize that your feeling about me is largely a delusion。''
‘‘And you？'' said Jane softly。 ‘‘Your feeling about methe feeling that made you kiss mewas that delusion？''
‘‘It wasjust what you saw；'' replied he； ‘‘and nothing more。 The idea of marrying youof living my life with you doesn't attract me in the least。 I can't see you as my wife。'' He looked at her impatiently。 ‘‘Have you no imagination？ Can't you see that you could not change； and become what you'd have to be if you lived with me？''
‘‘You can make of me what you please；'' repeated she with loving obstinacy。
‘‘That is not sincere！'' cried he。 ‘‘You may think it is； but it isn't。 Look at me； Jane。''
‘‘I haven't been doing anything else since we met；'' laughed she。
‘‘That's better；'' said he。 ‘‘Let's not be solemn。 Solemnity is pose； and when people are posing they get nowhere。 You say I can make of you what I please。 Do you mean that you are willing to become a woman of my classto be that all your lifeto bring up your children in that wayto give up your fashionable friendsand maidand carriagesand Paris clothesto be a woman who would not make my associates and their families uncomfortable and shy？''
She was silent。 She tried to speak； but lifting her eyes before she began her glance encountered his and her words died upon her lips。
‘‘You know you did not mean that；'' pursued he。 ‘‘Now； I'll tell you what you did mean。 You meant that after you and I were marriedor engagedperhaps you did not intend to go quite so far as marriage just yet。''
The color crept into her averted face。
‘‘Look at me！'' he commanded laughingly。
With an effort she forced her eyes to meet his。
‘‘Nowsmile； Jane！''
His smile was contagious。 The curve of her lips changed； her eyes gleamed。
‘‘Am I not reading your thoughts？'' said he。
‘‘You are very clever； Victor；'' admitted she。
‘‘Good。 We are getting on。 You believed that； once we were engaged； I would gradually begin to yield； to come round to your way of thinking。 You had planned for me a career something like Davy Hull'sonly freer and bolder。 I would become a member of your class； but would pose as a representative of the class I had personally abandoned。 Am I right？''
‘‘Go on； Victor；'' she said。
‘‘That's about all。 Now； there are just two objections to your plan。 The first is； it wouldn't work。 My associates would be ‘on to' me in a very short time。 They are shrewd； practical； practically educated men not at all the sort that follow Davy Hull or are wearing Kelly's
