a far country-第35节

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him　on　his　management　of　the　affair；so　far。　　He　appeared　pleased；　and
squeezed　my　hand。

〃Well；　sir；　it　did　require　a　little　delicacy　of　touch。　　And　if　I　do　say
it　myself；　it　hasn't　been　botched；〃　he　admitted。　　〃There　ain't　an
outsider；　as　far　as　I　can　learn；　who　has　caught　on　to　the　nigger　in　the
wood…pile。　　That's　the　great　thing；　to　keep　'em　ignorant　as　long　as
possible。　　You　understand。　　They　yell　bloody　murder　when　they　do　find
out；　but　generally　it's　too　late；　if　a　bill's　been　handled　right。〃

I　found　myself　speculating　as　to　who　the　〃outsiders〃　might　be。　　No
Ribblevale　attorneys　were　on　the　spot　as　yet；of　that　I　was　satisfied。
In　the　absence　of　these；　who　were　the　opposition？　　It　seemed　to　me　as
though　I　had　interviewed　that　day　every　man　in　the　legislature。

I　was　very　tired。　　But　when　I　got　into　bed；　it　was　impossible　to　sleep。
My　eyes　smarted　from　the　tobacco　smoke；　and　the　events　of　the　day；　in
disorderly　manner；　kept　running　through　my　head。　　The　tide　of　my
exhilaration　had　ebbed；　and　I　found　myself　struggling　against　a　revulsion
caused；　apparently；　by　the　contemplation　of　Colonel　Varney　and　his
associates；　the　instruments；　in　brief；　by　which　our　triumph　over　our
opponents　was　to　be　effected。　　And　that　same　idea　which；　when　launched
amidst　the　surroundings　of　the　Boyne　Club；　had　seemed　so　brilliant；　now
took　on　an　aspect　of　tawdriness。　　Another　thought　intruded　itself；that
of　Mr。　Pugh；　the　president　of　the　Ribblevale　Company。　　My　father　had
known　him；　and　some　years　before　I　had　traveled　halfway　across　the　state
in　his　company；　his　kindliness　had　impressed　me。　　He　had　spent　a　large
part　of　his　business　life；　I　knew；　in　building　up　the　Ribblevale；　and　now
it　was　to　be　wrested　from　him；　he　was　to　be　set　aside；　perhaps　forced　to
start　all　over　again　when　old　age　was　coming　on！　　In　vain　I　accused
myself　of　sentimentality；　and　summoned　all　my　arguments　to　prove　that　in
commerce　efficiency　must　be　the　only　test。　　The　image　of　Mr。　Pugh　would
not　down。

I　got　up　and　turned　on　the　light；　and　took　refuge　in　a　novel　I　had　in　my
bag。　　Presently　I　grew　calmer。　　I　had　chosen。　　I　had　succeeded。　　And　now
that　I　had　my　finger　at　last　on　the　nerve　of　power；　it　was　no　time　to
weaken。

It　was　half…past　six　when　I　awoke　and　went　to　the　window；　relieved　to
find　that　the　sun　had　scattered　my　morbid　fancies
with　the　darkness；　and　I　speculated；　as　I　dressed；　whether　the　thing
called　conscience　were　not；　after　all；　a　matter　of　nerves。　　I　went
downstairs　through　the　tobacco…stale　atmosphere　of　the　lobby　into　the
fresh　air　and　sparkly　sunlight　of　the　mild　February　morning；　and　leaving
the　business　district　I　reached　the　residence　portion　of　the　little　town。
The　front　steps　of　some　of　the　comfortable　houses　were　being　swept　by
industrious　servant　girls；　and　out　of　the　chimneys　twisted；
fantastically；　rich　blue　smoke；　the　bare　branches　of　the　trees　were
silver…grey　against　the　sky；　gaining　at　last　an　old…fashioned；　wooden
bridge；　I　stood　for　awhile　gazing　at　the　river；　over　the　shallows　of
which　the　spendthrift　hand　of　nature　had　flung　a　shower　of　diamonds。　　And
I　reflected　that　the　world　was　for　the　strong；　for　him　who　dared　reach
out　his　hand　and　take　what　it　offered。　　It　was　not　money　we　coveted；　we
Americans；　but　power；　the　self…expression　conferred　by　power。　　A　single
experience　such　as　I　had　had　the　night　before　would　since　to　convince　any
sane　man　that　democracy　was　a　failure；　that　the　world…old　principle　of
aristocracy　would　assert　itself；　that　the　attempt　of　our　ancestors　to
curtail　political　power　had　merely　resulted　in　the　growth　of　another　and
greater　economic　power　that　bade　fair　to　be　limitless。　　As　I　walked
slowly　back　into　town　I　felt　a　reluctance　to　return　to　the　noisy　hotel；
and　finding　myself　in　front　of　a　little　restaurant　on　a　side　street；　I
entered　it。　　There　was　but　one　other　customer　in　the　place；　and　he　was
seated　on　the　far　side　of　the　counter；　with　a　newspaper　in　front　of　him；
and　while　I　was　ordering　my　breakfast　I　was　vaguely　aware　that　the
newspaper　had　dropped；　and　that　he　was　looking　at　me。　　In　the　slight
interval　that　elapsed　before　my　brain　could　register　his　identity　I
experienced　a　distinct　shock　of　resentment；　a　sense　of　the　reintrusion　of
an　antagonistic　value　at　a　moment　when　it　was　most　unwelcome。。。。

The　man　had　risen　and　was　coming　around　the　counter。　　He　was　Hermann
Krebs。

〃Paret！〃　　I　heard　him　say。

〃You　here？〃　I　exclaimed。

He　did　not　seem　to　notice　the　lack　of　cordiality　in　my　tone。　　He　appeared
so　genuinely　glad　to　see　me　again　that　I　instantly　became　rather　ashamed
of　my　ill　nature。

〃Yes；　I'm　herein　the　legislature；〃　he　informed　me。

〃A　Solon！〃

〃Exactly。〃　　He　smiled。　　〃And　you？〃　he　inquired。

〃Oh；　I'm　only　a　spectator。　　Down　here　for　a　day　or　two。〃

He　was　still　lanky；　his　clothes　gave　no　evidence　of　an　increased
prosperity；　but　his　complexion　was　good；　his　skin　had　cleared。　　I　was
more　than　ever　baked　by　a　resolute　good　humour；　a　simplicity　that　was　not
innocence；　a　whimsical　touch　seemingly　indicative　of　a　state　of　mind　that
refused　to　take　too　seriously　certain　things　on　which　I　set　store。　　What
right　had　he　to　be　contented　with　life？

〃Well；　I　too　am　only　a　spectator　here；〃　he　laughed。　　〃I'm　neither　fish；
flesh　nor　fowl；　nor　good　red　herring。〃

〃You　were　going　into　the　law；　weren't　you？〃　I　asked。　　〃I　remember　you
said　something　about　it　that　day　we　met　at　Beverly　Farms。〃

〃Yes；　I　managed　it；　after　all。　　Then　I　went　back　home　to　Elkington　to　try
to　make　a　living。〃

〃But　somehow　I　have　never　thought　of　you　as　being　likely　to　develop
political　aspirations；　Krebs；〃　I　said。

〃I　should　say　not！　he　exclaimed。

〃Yet　here　you　are；　launched　upon　a　political　career！　　How　did　it　happen？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　not　worrying　about　the　career；〃　he　assured　me。　　〃I　got　here　by
accident；　and　I'm　afraid　it　won't　happen　again　in　a　hurry。　　You　see；　the
hands　in　those　big　mills　we　have　in　Elkington　sprang　a　surprise　on　the
machine；　and　the　first　thing　I　knew　I　was　nominated　for　the　legislature。
A　committee　came　to　my　boarding…house　and　told　me；　and　there　was　the
deuce　to　pay；　right　off。　　The　Railroad　politicians　turned　in　and　worked
for　the　Democratic　candidate；　of　course；　and　the　Hutchinses；　who　own　the
mills；　tried　through　emissaries　to　intimidate　their　operatives。〃

〃And　then？〃　I　asked。

〃Well；I'm　here；〃　he　said。

〃Wouldn't　you　be　accomplishing　more；〃　I　inquired；　〃if　you　hadn't
antagonized　the　Hutchinses？〃

〃It　depends　upon　what　you　mean　by　accomplishment；〃　he　answered；　so　mildly
that　I　felt　more　rued　than　ever。

〃Well；　from　what　you　say；　I　suppose　you're　going　in　for　reform；　that
these　workmen　up　at　Elkington　are　not　satisfied　with　their　conditions　and
imagine　you　can　help　to　better　them。　　Now；　provided　the　conditions　are
not　as　good　as　they　might　be；　how　are　you　going　to　improve　them　if　you
find　yourself　isolated　here；　as　you　say？〃

〃In　other　words；　I　should　cooperate　with　Colonel　Varney　and　other
disinterested　philanthropists；〃　he　supplied；　and　I　realized　that　I　was
losing　my　temper。

〃Well；　what　can　you　do？〃　I　inquired　defiantly。

〃I　can　find　out　what's　going　on；〃　he　said。　　〃I　have　already　learned
something；　by　the　way。〃

〃And　then？〃　I　asked；　wondering　whether　the　implication　were　personal。

〃Then　I　can　helpdisseminate　the　knowledge。　　I　may　be　wrong；　but　I　have
an　idea　that　when　the　people　of　this　country　learn　how　their　legislatures
are　conducted　they　will　want　to　change　things。〃

〃That's　right！〃　echoed　the　waiter；　who　had　come　up　with　my　griddle…cakes。
〃And　you're　the　man　to　tell　'em；　Mr。　Krebs。〃

〃It　will　need　several　thousand　of　us　to　do　that；　I'm　afraid；〃　said　Krebs；
returning　his　smile。

My　distaste　for　the　situation　became　more　acute；　but　I　felt　that　I　was
thrown　on　the　defensive。　　I　could　not　retreat；　now。

〃I　think　you　are　wrong；〃　I　declared；　when　the　waiter　had　departed　to
attend　to　another　customer。　　〃The　people　the　great　majority　of　them；　at
least　are　indifferent；　they　don't　want　to　be　bothered　with　politics。
There　will　always　be　labour　agitation；　of　course；the　more　wages　those
fellows　get；　the　more　they　want。　　We　pay　the　highest　wages　in　the　world
to…day；　and　the　standard　of　living　is　higher　in　this　country　than
anywhere　else。　　They'd　ruin　our　prosperity；　if　we'd　let　'em。〃

〃How　about　the　thousands　of　families　who　don't　earn　enough　to　live
decently　even　in　times　of　prosperity？〃　inquired　Krebs。

〃It's　hard；　I'll　admit；　but　the　inefficient　and　the　shiftless　are　bound
to　suffer；　no　matter　what　form　of　government　you　adopt。〃

〃You　talk　about　standards　of　living；I　could　show　you　some　examples　of
standards　to　make　your　heart　sick；〃　he　said。　　〃What　you　don't　realize；
perhaps；　is　that　low　standards　help　to　increase　the　inefficient　of　whom
you　complain。〃

He　smiled　rather　sadly。　　〃The　prosperity　you　are　advocating；〃　he　added；
after　a　moment；　〃is　a　mere　fiction；　it　is　gorging　the　few　at　the　expense
of　the　many。　　And　what　is　being　done　in　this　country　is　to　store　up　an
explosive　gas　that　some　day　will　blow　your　superstructure　to　atoms　if　you
don't　wake　up　in　time。〃

〃Isn't　that　a　rather　one…sided　view；　too？〃　I　suggested。

〃I've　no　doubt　it　may