a far country-第38节

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was　impossible　to　say。　　But　he　contented　himself　with　a　brief　defiance。
If　the　bill　passed；　he　declared；　the　men　who　voted　for　it；　the　men　who
were　behind　it；　would　ultimately　be　driven　from　political　life　by　an
indignant　public。　　He　had　a　higher　opinion　of　the　voters　of　the　state
than　those　who　accused　him　of　slandering　it；　than　those　who　sat　silent
and　had　not　lifted　their　voices　against　this　crime。

When　the　bill　was　put　to　a　vote　he　demanded　a　roll　call。
Ten　members　besides　himself　were　recorded　against　House　Bill　No。　709！

In　spite　of　this　overwhelming　triumph　my　feelings　were　not　wholly　those
of　satisfaction　when　I　returned　to　the　hotel　and　listened　to　the
exultations　and　denunciations　of　such　politicians　as　Letchworth；　Young；
and　Colonel　Varney。　　Perhaps　an　image　suggesting　Hermann　Krebs　as　some
splendid　animal　at　bay；　dragged　down　by　the　hounds；　is　too　strong：　he　had
been　ingloriously　crushed；　and　defeat；　even　for　the　sake　of　conviction；
was　not　an　inspiring　spectacle。。。。　　As　the　chase　swept　on　over　his
prostrate　figure　I　rapidly　regained　poise　and　a　sense　of　proportion；　a
〃master　of　life〃　could　not　permit　himself　to　be　tossed　about　by
sentimentality；　and　gradually　I　grew　ashamed　of　my　bad　quarter　of　an　hour
in　the　gallery　of　the　House；　and　of　the　effect　of　itwhich　lingered
awhileas　of　a　weakness　suddenly　revealed；　which　must　at　all　costs　be
overcome。　　I　began　to　see　something　dramatic　and　sensational　in　Krebs's
performance。。。。

The　Ribblevale　Steel　Company　was　the　real　quarry；　after　all。　　And　such
had　been　the　expedition；　the　skill　and　secrecy；　with　which　our　affair　was
conducted；　that　before　the　Ribblevale　lawyers　could　arrive；　alarmed　and
breathless；　the　bill　had　passed　the　House；　and　their　only　real　chance　of
halting　it　had　been　lost。　　For　the　Railroad　controlled　the　House；　not　by
owning　the　individuals　composing　it；　but　through　the　leaders　who
dominated　it；men　like　Letchworth　and　Truesdale。　　These；　and　Colonel
Varney；　had　seen　to　it　that　men　who　had　any　parliamentary　ability　had
been　attended　to；　all　save　Krebs；　who　had　proved　a　surprise。　　There　were
indeed　certain　members　who；　although　they　had　railroad　passes　in　their
pockets　（which　were　regarded　as　just　perquisites；the　Railroad　being　so
rich！）；　would　have　opposed　the　bill　if　they　had　felt　sufficiently　sure　of
themselves　to　cope　with　such　veterans　as　Letchworth。　　Many　of　these　had
allowed　themselves　to　be　won　over　or　cowed　by　the　oratory　which　had
crushed　Krebs。

Nor　did　the　Ribblevale　peoplebe　it　recordedscruple　to　fight　fire　with
fire。　　Their　existence；　of　course；　was　at　stake；　and　there　was　no　public
to　appeal　to。　　A　part　of　the　legal　army　that　rushed　to　the　aid　of　our
adversaries　spent　the　afternoon　and　most　of　the　night　organizing　all
those　who　could　be　induced　by　one　means　or　another　to　reverse　their
sentiments；　and　in　searching　for　the　few　who　had　grievances　against　the
existing　power。　　The　following　morning　a　motion　was　introduced　to
reconsider；　and　in　the　debate　that　followed；　Krebs；　still　defiant；　took
an　active　part。　　But　the　resolution　required　a　two…thirds　vote；　and　was
lost。

When　the　battle　was　shifted　to　the　Senate　it　was　as　good　as　lost。　　The
Judiciary　Committee　of　the　august　body　did　indeed　condescend　to　give
hearings；　at　which　the　Ribblevale　lawyers　exhausted　their　energy　and
ingenuity　without　result　with　only　two　dissenting　votes　the　bill　was
calmly　passed。　　In　vain　was　the　Governor　besieged；　entreated；
threatened；it　was　said；　Mr。　Trulease　had　informed　protestersso
Colonel　Varney　gleefully　reportedthat　he　had　〃become　fully　convinced　of
the　inherent　justice　of　the　measure。〃　　On　Saturday　morning　he　signed　it；
and　it　became　a　law。。。。

Colonel　Varney；　as　he　accompanied　me　to　the　train；　did　not　conceal　his
jubilation。

〃Perhaps　I　ought　not　to　say　it；　Mr。　Paret；　but　it　couldn't　have　been　done
neater。　　That's　the　art　in　these　little　affairs；　to　get　'em　runnin'　fast；
to　get　momentum　on　'em　before　the　other　party　wakes　up；　and　then　he　can't
stop　'em。〃　　As　he　shook　hands　in　farewell　he　added；　with　more　gravity：
〃We'll　see　each　other　often；　sir；　I　guess。　　My　very　best　regards　to　Mr。
Watling。〃

Needless　to　say；　I　had　not　confided　to　him　the　part　I　had　played　in
originating　House　Bill　No。　709；　now　a　law　of　the　state。　　But　as　the　train
rolled　on　through　the　sunny　winter　landscape　a　sense　of　well…being；　of
importance　and　power　began　to　steal　through　me。　　I　was　victoriously
bearing　home　my　first　scalp；one　which　was　by　no　means　to　be
despised。。。。　　It　was　not　until　we　reached　Rossiter；　about　five　o'clock；
that　I　was　able　to　get　the　evening　newspapers。　　Such　was　the　perfection
of　the　organization　of　which　I　might　now　call　myself　an　integral　part
that　the　〃best〃　publications　contained　only　the　barest　mention；and　that
in　the　legislative　news；of　the　signing　of　the　bill。　　I　read　with
complacency　and　even　with　amusement　the　flaring　headlines　I　had
anticipated　in　Mr。　Lawler's　'Pilot。'

〃The　Governor　Signs　It！〃

〃Special　legislation；　forced　through　by　the　Railroad　Lobby；　which　will
drive　honest　corporations　from　this　state。〃

〃Ribblevale　Steel　Company　the　Victim。〃

It　was　common　talk　in　the　capital；　the　article　went　on　to　say；　that
Theodore　Watling　himself　had　drawn　up　the　measure。。。。　　Perusing　the
editorial　page　my　eye　fell　on　the　name；　Krebs。　　One　member　of　the
legislature　above　all　deserved　the　gratitude　of　the　people　of　the　state；…
…the　member　from　Elkington。　　〃An　unknown　man；　elected　in　spite　of　the
opposition　of　the　machine；　he　had　dared　to　raise　his　voice　against　this
iniquity；〃　etc。；　etc。

We　had　won。　　That　was　the　essential　thing。　　And　my　legal　experience　had
taught　me　that　victory　counts；　defeat　is　soon　forgotten。　　Even　the
discontented；　half…baked　and　heterogeneous　element　from　which　the　Pilot
got　its　circulation　had　short　memories。




XI。

The　next　morning；　which　was　Sunday；　I　went　to　Mr。　Watling's　house　in；
Fillmore　Streeta　new　residence　at　that　time；　being　admired　as　the
dernier　cri　in　architecture。　　It　had　a　mediaeval　look；　queer　dormers　in　a
steep　roof　of　red　tiles；　leaded　windows　buried　deep　in　walls　of　rough
stone。　　Emerging　from　the　recessed　vestibule　on　a　level　with　the　street
were　the　Watling　twins；　aglow　with　health；　dressed　in　identical　costumes
of　blue。　　They　had　made　their　bow　to　society　that　winter。

〃Why；　here's　Hugh！〃　said　Frances。　　〃Doesn't　he　look　pleased　with
himself？〃

〃He's　come　to　take　us　to　church；〃　said　Janet。

〃Oh；　he's　much　too　important；〃　said　Frances。　　〃He's　made　a　killing　of
some　sort；haven't　you；　Hugh？〃。。。

I　rang　the　bell　and　stood　watching　them　as　they　departed；　reflecting　that
I　was　thirty…two　years　of　age　and　unmarried。　　Mr。　Watling；　surrounded
with　newspapers　and　seated　before　his　library　fire；　glanced　up　at　me　with
a　welcoming　smile：　how　had　I　borne　the　legislative　baptism　of　fire？
Such；　I　knew；　was　its　implication。

〃Everything　went　through　according　to　schedule；　eh？　　Well；　I　congratulate
you；　Hugh；〃　he　said。

〃Oh；　I　didn't　have　much　to　do　with　it；〃　I　answered；　smiling　back　at　him。
〃I　kept　out　of　sight。〃

〃That's　an　art　in　itself。〃

〃I　had　an　opportunity；　at　close　range；　to　study　the　methods　of　our
lawmakers。〃

〃They're　not　particularly　edifying；〃　Mr。　Watling　replied。　　〃But　they
seem；　unfortunately；　to　be　necessary。〃

Such　had　been　my　own　thought。

〃Who　is　this　man　Krebs？〃　he　inquired　suddenly。　　〃And　why　didn't　Varney
get　hold　of　him　and　make　him　listen　to　reason？〃

〃I'm　afraid　it　wouldn't　have　been　any　use；〃　I　replied。　　〃He　was　in　my
class　at　Harvard。　　I　knew　himslightly。　　He　worked　his　way　through；　and
had　a　pretty　hard　time　of　it。　　I　imagine　it　affected　his　ideas。〃

〃What　is　he；　a　Socialist？〃

〃Something　of　the　sort。〃　　In　Theodore　Watling's　vigorous；　sanity…exhaling
presence　Krebs's　act　appeared　fantastic；　ridiculous。　　〃He　has　queer
notions　about　a　new　kind　of　democracy　which　he　says　is　coming。　　I　think
he　is　the　kind　of　man　who　would　be　willing　to　die　for　it。〃

〃What；　in　these　days！〃　Mr。　Watling　looked　at　me　incredulously。　　〃If
that's　so；　we　must　keep　an　eye　on　him；　a　sincere　fanatic　is　a　good　deal
more　dangerous　than　a　reformer　who　wants　something。　　There　are　such　men；〃
he　added；　〃but　they　are　rare。　　How　was　the　Governor；　Trulease？〃　he　asked
suddenly。　　〃Tractable？〃

〃Behaved　like　a　lamb；　although　he　insisted　upon　going　through　with　his
little　humbug；〃　I　said。

Mr。　Watling　laughed。　　〃They　always　do；〃　he　observed；　〃and　waste　a　lot　of
valuable　time。　　You'll　find　some　light　cigars　in　the　corner；　Hugh。〃

I　sat　down　beside　him　and　we　spent　the　morning　going　over　the　details　of
the　Ribblevale　suit；　Mr。　Watling　delegating　to　me　certain　matters
connected　with　it　of　a　kind　with　which　I　had　not　hitherto　been　entrusted；
and　he　spoke　again；　before　I　left；　of　his　intention　of　taking　me　into　the
firm　as　soon　as　the　affair　could　be　arranged。　　Walking　homeward；　with　my
mind　intent　upon　things　to　come；　I　met　my　mother　at　the　corner　of　Lyme
Street　coming　from　church。　　Her　face　lighted　up　at　sight　of　me。

〃Have　you　been　working　to…day；　Hugh？〃　she　asked。

I　explained　that　I　had　spent　the　morning　with　Mr。　Watling。

〃I'll　tell　you　a　secret；　mother。　　I'm　going　to　be