a far country-第36节

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don't　wake　up　in　time。〃

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

〃I've　no　doubt　it　may　appear　so；　but　take　the　proceedings　in　this
legislature。　　I've　no　doubt　you　know　something　about　them；　and　that　you
would　maintain　they　are　justified　on　account　of　the　indifference　of　the
public；　and　of　other　reasons；　but　I　can　cite　an　instance　that　is　simply
legalized　thieving。〃　　For　the　first　time　a　note　of　indignation　crept　into
Krebs's　voice。　　〃Last　night　I　discovered　by　a　mere　accident；　in　talking
to　a　man　who　came　in　on　a　late　train；　that　a　bill　introduced　yesterday；
which　is　being　rushed　through　the　Judiciary　Committee　of　the　Housean
apparently　innocent　little　billwill　enable；　if　it　becomes　a　law；　the
Boyne　Iron　Works；　of　your　city；　to　take　possession　of　the　Ribblevale
Steel　Company；　lock；　stock；　and　barrel。　　And　I　am　told　it　was　conceived
by　a　lawyer　who　claims　to　be　a　respectable　member　of　his　profession；　and
who　has　extraordinary　ability；　Theodore　Watling。〃

Krebs　put　his　hand　in　his　pocket　and　drew　out　a　paper。　　〃Here's　a　copy　of
it；House　Bill　709。〃　　His　expression　suddenly　changed。　　〃Perhaps　Mr。
Watling　is　a　friend　of　yours。〃

〃I'm　with　his　firm；〃　I　replied。。。。

Krebs's　fingers　closed　over　the　paper；　crumpling　it。

〃Oh；　then；　you　know　about　this；〃　he　said。　　He　was　putting　the　paper　back
into　his　pocket　when　I　took　it　from　him。　　But　my　adroitness；　so　carefully
schooled；　seemed　momentarily　to　have　deserted　me。　　What　should　I　say？　　It
was　necessary　to　decide　quickly。

〃Don't　you　take　rather　aprejudiced　view　of　this；　Krebs？〃　I　said。　　〃Upon
my　word；　I　can't　see　why　you　should　accept　a　rumour　running　around　the
lobbies　that　Mr。　Watling　drafted　this　bill　for　a　particular　purpose。〃

He　was　silent。　　But　his　eyes　did　not　leave　my　face。

〃Why　should　any　sensible　man；　a　member　of　the　legislature；　take　stock　in
that　kind　of　gossip？〃　I　insisted。　　〃Why　not　judge　this　bill　by　its　face；
without　heeding　a　cock　and　bull　story　as　to　how　it　may　have　originated？
It　is　a　good　bill；　or　a　bad　bill？　　Let's　see　what　it　says。〃

I　read　it。

〃So　far　as　I　can　see；　it　is　legislation　which　we　ought　to　have　had　long
ago；　and　tends　to　compel　a　publicity　in　corporation　affairs　that　is　much
needed；　to　put　a　stop　to　practices　which　every　decent　citizen　deplores。〃

He　drew　the　paper　out　of　my　hand。

〃You　needn't　go　on；　Paret；〃　he　told　me。　　〃It's　no　use。〃

〃Well；　I'm　sorry　we　don't　agree；〃　I　said；　and　got　up。　　I　left　him
twisting　the　paper　in　his　fingers。

Beside　the　clerk's　desk　in　the　Potts　House；　relating　one　of　his
anecdotes；　I　spied　Colonel　Varney；　and　managed　presently　to　draw　him
upstairs　to　his　room。　　〃What's　the　matter？〃　he　asked。

〃Do　you　know　a　man　named　Krebs　in　the　House？〃　I　said。

〃From　Elkington？　　Why；　that's　the　man　the　Hutchinses　let　slip　through；
the　Hutchinses；　who　own　the　mills　over　there。　　The　agitators　put　up　a　job
on　them。〃　　The　Colonel　was　no　longer　the　genial　and　social　purveyor　of
anecdotes。　　He　had　become　tense；　alert；　suspicious。　　〃What's　he　up　to？〃

〃He's　found　out　about　this　bill；〃　I　replied。

〃How？〃

〃I　don't　know。　　But　someone　told　him　that　it　originated　in　our　office；
and　that　we　were　going　to　use　it　in　our　suit　against　the　Ribblevale。〃

I　related　the　circumstances　of　my　running　across　Krebs；　speaking　of
having　known　him　at　Harvard。　　Colonel　Varney　uttered　an　oath；　and　strode
across　to　the　window；　where　he　stood　looking　down　into　the　street　from
between　the　lace　curtains。

〃We'll　have　to　attend　to　him；　right　off；〃　he　said。

I　was　surprised　to　find　myself　resenting　the　imputation；　and　deeply。
〃I'm　afraid　he's　one　of　those　who　can't　be　‘attended　to；'〃　I　answered。

〃You　mean　that　he's　in　the　employ　of　the　Ribblevale　people？〃　　the　Colonel
inquired。

〃I　don't　mean　anything　of　the　kind；〃　I　retorted；　with　more　heat；　perhaps；
than　I　realized。　　The　Colonel　looked　at　me　queerly。

〃That's　all　right；　Mr。　Paret。　　Of　course　I　don't　want　to　question　your
judgment；　sir。　　And　you　say　he's　a　friend　of　yours。〃

〃I　said　I　knew　him　at　college。〃

〃But　you　will　pardon　me；〃　the　Colonel　went　on；　〃when　I　tell　you　that　I've
had　some　experience　with　that　breed；　and　I　have　yet　to　see　one　of　'em　you
couldn't　come　to　terms　with　in　some　wayin　some　way；〃　he　added；
significantly。　　I　did　not　pause　to　reflect　that　the　Colonel's　attitude；
from　his　point　of　view　（yes；　and　from　mine；had　I　not　adopted　it？）　was
the　logical　one。　　In　that　philosophy　every　man　had　his　price；　or　his
weakness。　　Yet；　such　is　the　inconsistency　of　human　nature；　I　was　now
unable　to　contemplate　this　attitude　with　calmness。

〃Mr。　Krebs　is　a　lawyer。　　Has　he　accepted　a　pass　from　the　Railroad？〃　I
demanded；　knowing　the　custom　of　that　corporation　of　conferring　this
delicate　favour　on　the　promising　young　talent　in　my　profession。

〃I　reckon　he's　never　had　the　chance；〃　said　Mr。　Varney。

〃Well；　has　he　taken　a　pass　as　a　member　of　the　legislature？〃

〃No；I　remember　looking　that　up　when　he　first　came　down。　　Sent　that
back；　if　I　recall　the　matter　correctly。〃　　Colonel　Varney　went　to　a　desk
in　the　corner　of　the　room；　unlocked　it；　drew　forth　a　black　book；　and
running　his　fingers　through　the　pages　stopped　at　the　letter　K。　　〃Yes；
sent　back　his　legislative　pass；　but　I've　known　'em　to　do　that　when　they
were　holding　out　for　something　more。　　There　must　be　somebody　who　can　get
close　to　him。〃

The　Colonel　ruminated　awhile。　　Then　he　strode　to　the　door　and　called　out
to　the　group　of　men　who　were　always　lounging　in　the　hall。

〃Tell　Alf　Young　I　want　to　see　him；　Fred。〃

I　waited；　by　no　means　free　from　uneasiness　and　anxiety；　from　a　certain
lack　of　self…respect　that　was　unfamiliar。　　Mr。　Young；　the　Colonel
explained；　was　a　legal　light　in　Galesburg；　near　Elkington；the　Railroad
lawyer　there。　　And　when　at　last　Mr。　Young　appeared　he　proved　to　be　an
oily　gentleman　of　about　forty；　inclining　to　stoutness；　with　one　of　those
〃blue；〃　shaven　faces。

〃Want　me；　Colonel？〃　he　inquired　blithely；　when　the　door　had　closed　behind
him；　and　added　obsequiously；　when　introduced　to　me；　〃Glad　to　meet　you；
Mr。　Paret。　　My　regards　to　Mr。　Watling；　when　you　go　back。

〃Alf；〃　demanded　the　Colonel；　〃what　do　you　know　of　this　fellow　Krebs？〃

Mr。　Young　laughed。　　Krebs　was　〃nutty；〃　he　declaredthat　was　all　there
was　to　it。

〃Won't　helisten　to　reason？〃

〃It's　been　tried；　Colonel。　　Say；　he　wouldn't　know　a　hundred…dollar　bill
if　you　showed　him　one。〃

〃What　does　he　want？〃

〃Oh；　something；that's　sure；　they　all　want　something。〃　　Mr。　Young
shrugged　his　shoulder　expressively；　and　by　a　skillful　manipulation　of　his
lips　shifted　his　cigar　from　one　side　of　his　mouth　to　the　other　without
raising　his　hands。　　〃But　it　ain't　money。　　I　guess　he's　got　a　notion　that
later　on　the　labour　unions'll　send　him　to　the　United　States　Senate　some
day。　　He's　no　slouch；　either；　when　it　comes　to　law。　　I　can　tell　you
that。〃

〃Nono　flaw　in　hisrecord？〃　Colonel　Varney's　agate　eyes　sought　those　of
Mr。　Young；　meaningly。

〃That's　been　tried；　too；〃　declared　the　Galesburg　attorney。　　〃Say；　you　can
believe　it　or　not；　but　we've　never　dug　anything　up　so　far。　　He's　been　too
slick　for　us；　I　guess。〃

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　the　Colonel；　at　length；　〃let　him　squeal　and　be　dd！
He　can't　do　any　more　than　make　a　noise。　　Only　I　hoped　we'd　be　able　to
grease　this　thing　along　and　slide　it　through　the　Senate　this　afternoon；
before　they　got　wind　of　it。〃

〃He'll　squeal；　all　right；　until　you　smother　him；〃　Mr。　Young　observed。

〃We'll　smother　him　some　day！〃　replied　the　Colonel；　savagely。

Mr。　Young　laughed。

But　as　I　made　my　way　toward　the　State　House　I　was　conscious　of　a　feeling
of　relief。　　I　had　no　sooner　gained　a　front　seat　in　the　gallery　of　the
House　of　Representatives　when　the　members　rose；　the　Senate　marched
gravely　in；　the　Speaker　stopped　jesting　with　the　Chaplain；　and　over　the
Chaplain's　face　came　suddenly　an　agonized　expression。　　Folding　his　hands
across　his　stomach　he　began　to　call　on　God　with　terrific　fervour；　in　an
intense　and　resounding　voice。　　I　was　struck　suddenly　by　the　irony　of　it
all。　　Why　have　a　legislature　when　Colonel　Paul　Varney　was　so　efficient！
The　legislature　was　a　mere　sop　to　democratic　prejudice；　to　pray　over　it
heightened　the　travesty。　　Suppose　there　were　a　God　after　all？　　not
necessarily　the　magnified　monarch　to　whom　these　pseudo…democrats　prayed；
but　an　Intelligent　Force　that　makes　for　righteousness。　　How　did　He；　or
It；　like　to　be　trifled　with　in　this　way？　　And；　if　He　existed；　would　not
His　disgust　be　immeasurable　as　He　contemplated　that　unctuous　figure　in
the　〃Prince　Albert〃　coat；　who　pretended　to　represent　Him？

As　the　routine　business　began　I　searched　for　Krebs；　to　find　him　presently
at　a　desk　beside　a　window　in　the　rear　of　the　hall　making　notes　on　a
paper；　there　was；　confessedly；　little　satisfaction　in　the　thought　that
the　man　whose　gaunt　features　I　contemplated　was　merely　one　of　those
impractical　idealists　who　beat　themselves　to　pieces　against　the　forces
that　sway　the　world　and　must　forever　sway　it。　　I　should　be　compelled　to
admit　that　he　represented　something　unique　in　that　assembly　if　he　had　the
courage　to　get　up　and　oppose　House　Bill　709。　　I　watched　him　narrowly；　the
suggestion　intruded　itselfperhaps　he　had