a far country-第42节

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him　in　good　stead；　and　kept；　besides；　an　indexed　note…book　into　which　he
put　various　bits　of　interesting　information　concerning　each。　　Though　not
immediately　lucrative；　it　was　all；　no　doubt；　part　of　a　lawyer's　education。

During　the　summer　and　the　following　winter　Colonel　Paul　Varney　came　often
to　town　and　spent　much　of　his　time　in　Mr。　Paret's　office　smoking　Mr。
Watling's　cigars　and　discussing　the　coming　campaign；　in　which　he　took　a
whole…souled　interest。

〃Say；　Hugh；　this　is　goin'　slick！〃　he　would　exclaim；　his　eyes　glittering
like　round　buttons　of　jet。　　〃I　never　saw　a　campaign　where　they　fell　in
the　way　they're　doing　now。　　If　it　was　anybody　else　but　Theodore　Watling；
it　would　scare　me。　　You　ought　to　have　been　in　Jim　Broadhurst's　campaign；〃
he　added；　referring　to　the　junior　senator；　〃they　wouldn't　wood　up　at　all；
they　was　just　listless。　　But　Gorse　and　Barbour　and　the　rest　wanted　him；
and　we　had　to　put　him　over。　　I　reckon　he　is　useful　down　there　in
Washington；　but　say；　do　you　know　what　he　always　reminded　me　of？　One　of
those　mud…turtles　I　used　to　play　with　as　a　boy　up　in　Columbia　County；
shuts　up　tight　soon　as　he　sees　you　coming。　　Now　Theodore　Watling　ain't
like　that；　any　way　of　speaking。　　We　can　get　up　some　enthusiasm　for　a　man
of　his　sort。　　He's　liberal　and　big。　　He's　made　his　pile；　and　he　don't
begrudge　some　of　it　to　the　fellows　who　do　the　work。　　Mark　my　words；　when
you　see　a　man　who　wants　a　big　office　cheap；　look　out　for　him。〃

This；　and　much　more　wisdom　I　imbibed　while　assenting　to　my　chief's
greatness。　　For　Mr。　Varney　was　right；one　could　feel　enthusiasm　for
Theodore　Watling；　and　my　growing　intimacy　with　him；　the　sense　that　I　was
having　a　part　in　his　career；　a　share　in　his　success；　became　for　the
moment　the　passion　of　my　life。　　As　the　campaign　progressed　I　gave　more
and　more　time　to　it；　and　made　frequent　trips　of　a　confidential　nature　to
the　different　counties　of　the　state。　　The　whole　of　my　being　was
energized。　　The　national　fever　had　thoroughly　pervaded　my　bloodthe
national　fever　to　win。　　Prosperitywrit　largedemanded　it；　and　Theodore
Watling　personified；　incarnated　the　cause。　　I　had　neither　the　time　nor
the　desire　to　philosophize　on　this　national　fever；　which　animated　all　my
associates：　animated；　I　might　say；　the　nation；　which　was　beginning　to　get
into　a　fever　about　games。　　If　I　remember　rightly；　it　was　about　this　time
that　golf　was　introduced；　tennis　had　become　a　commonplace；　professional
baseball　was　in　full　swing；　Ham　Durrett　had　even　organized　a　local　polo
team。。。。　　The　man　who　failed　to　win　something　tangible　in　sport　or　law　or
business　or　politics　was　counted　out。　　Such　was　the　spirit　of　America；　in
the　closing　years　of　the　nineteenth　century。

And　yet；　when　one　has　said　this；　one　has　failed　to　express　the　national
Geist　in　all　its　subtlety。　　In　brief；　the　great　American　sport　was　not　so
much　to　win　the　game　as　to　beat　it；　the　evasion　of　rules　challenged　our
ingenuity；　and　having　won；　we　set　about　devising　methods　whereby　it　would
be　less　and　less　possible　for　us　winners　to　lose　in　the　future。　　No
better　illustration　of　this　tendency　could　be　given　than　the　development
which　had　recently　taken　place　in　the　field　of　our　city　politics；
hitherto　the　battle…ground　of　Irish　politicians　who　had　fought　one
another　for　supremacy。　　Individualism　had　been　rampant；　competition　the
custom；　you　bought　an　alderman；　or　a　boss　who　owned　four　or　five
aldermen；　and　then　you　never　could　be　sure　you　were　to　get　what　you
wanted；　or　that　the　aldermen　and　the　bosses　would　〃stay　bought。〃　　But　now
a　genius　had　appeared；　an　American　genius　who　had　arisen　swiftly　and
almost　silently；　who　appealed　to　the　imagination；　and　whose　name　was
often　mentioned　in　a　whisper；the　Hon。　Judd　Jason；　sometimes　known　as
the　Spider；　who　organized　the　City　Hall　and　capitalized　it；　an　ultimate
and　logical　effectif　one　had　considered　itof　the　Manchester　school　of
economics。　　Enlightened　self…interest；　stripped　of　sentiment；　ends　on
Judd　Jasons。　　He　ran　the　city　even　as　Mr。　Sherrill　ran　his　department
store；　you　paid　your　price。　　It　was　very　convenient。　　Being　a　genius；　Mr。
Jason　did　not　wholly　break　with　tradition；　but　retained　those　elements　of
the　old　muddled　system　that　had　their　value；　chartering　steamboats　for
outings　on　the　river；　giving　colossal　picnics　in　Lowry　Park。　　The　poor
and　the　wanderer　and　the　criminal　（of　the　male　sex　at　least）　were　cared
for。　　But　he　was　not　loved；　as　the　rough…and…tumble　Irishmen　had　been
loved；　he　did　not　make　himself　common；　he　was　surrounded　by　an　aura　of
mystery　which　I　confess　had　not　failed　of　effect　on　me。　　Once；　and　only
once　during　my　legal　apprenticeship；　he　had　been　pointed　out　to　me　on　the
street；　where　he　rarely　ventured。　　His　appearance　was　not　impressive。。。。

Mr。　Jason　could　not；　of　course；　prevent　Mr。　Watling's　election；　even　did
he　so　desire；　but　he　did　command　the　allegiance　of　several　city
candidatesboth　democratic　and　republicanfor　the　state　legislature；
who　had　as　yet　failed　to　announce　their　preferences　for　United　States
Senator。　　It　was　important　that　Mr。　Watling's　vote　should　be　large；　as
indicative　of　a　public　reaction　and　repudiation　of　Democratic　national
folly。　　This　matter　among　others　was　the　subject　of　discussion　one　July
morning　when　the　Republican　State　Chairman　was　in　the　city；　Mr。　Grunewald
expressed　anxiety　over　Mr。　Jason's　continued　silence。　　It　was　expedient
that　somebody　should　〃see〃　the　boss。

〃Why　not　Paret？〃　suggested　Leonard　Dickinson。　　Mr。　Watling　was　not
present　at　this　conference。　　〃Paret　seems　to　be　running　Watling's
campaign；　anyway。〃

It　was　settled　that　I　should　be　the　emissary。　　With　lively　sensations　of
curiosity　and　excitement；　tempered　by　a　certain　anxiety　as　to　my　ability
to　match　wits　with　the　Spider；　I　made　my　way　to　his　〃lair〃　over　Monahan's
saloon；　situated　in　a　district　that　was　anything　but　respectable。　　The
saloon；　on　the　ground　floor；　had　two　apartments；　the　bar…room　proper
where　Mike　Monahan；　chamberlain　of　the　establishment；　was　wont　to　stand；
red　faced　and　smiling；　to　greet　the　courtiers；　big　and　little；　the　party
workers；　the　district　leaders；　the　hangers…on　ready　to　be　hired；　the　city
officials；　the　police　judges；yes；　and　the　dignified　members　of　state
courts　whose　elections　depended　on　Mr。　Jason's　favour：　even　Judge　Bering；
whose　acquaintance　I　had　made　the　day　I　had　come；　as　a　law　student；　to
Mr。　Watling's　office；　unbent　from　time　to　time　sufficiently　to　call　there
for　a　small　glass　of　rye　and　water；　and　to　relate；　with　his　owl…like
gravity；　an　anecdote　to　the　〃boys。〃　　The　saloon　represented　Democracy；　so
dear　to　the　American　public。　　Here　all　were　welcome；　even　the　light…
fingered　gentlemen　who　enjoyed　the　privilege　of　police　protection；　and
who　sometimes；　through　fortuitous　circumstances；　were　hauled　before　the
very　magistrates　with　whom　they　had　rubbed　elbows　on　the　polished　rail。
Behind　the　bar…room；　and　separated　from　it　by　swinging　doors　only　the
elite　ventured　to　thrust　apart；　was　an　audience　chamber　whither　Mr。　Jason
occasionally　descended。　　Anecdote　and　political　reminiscence　gave　place
here　to　matters　of　high　policy。

I　had　several　times　come　to　the　saloon　in　the　days　of　my　apprenticeship
in　search　of　some　judge　or　official；　and　once　I　had　run　down　here　the
city　auditor　himself。　　Mike　Monahan；　whose　affair　it　was　to　know
everyone；　recognized　me。　　It　was　part　of　his　business；　also；　to
understand　that　I　was　now　a　member　of　the　firm　of　Watling；　Fowndes　and
Ripon。

〃Good　morning　to　you；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　said　suavely。　　We　held　a　colloquy　in
undertones　over　the　bar；　eyed　by　the　two　or　three　customers　who　were
present。　　Mr。　Monahan　disappeared；　but　presently　returned　to　whisper：
〃Sure；　he'll　see　you；〃　to　lead　the　way　through　the　swinging　doors　and　up
a　dark　stairway。　　I　came　suddenly　on　a　room　in　the　greatest　disorder；　its
tables　and　chairs　piled　high　with　newspapers　and　letters；　its　windows
streaked　with　soot。　　From　an　open　door　on　its　farther　side　issued　a
voice。

〃Is　that　you；　Mr。　Paret？　　Come　in　here。〃

It　was　little　less　than　a　command。

〃Heard　of　you；　Mr。　Paret。　　Glad　to　know　you。　　Sit　down；　won't　you？〃

The　inner　room　was　almost　dark。　　I　made　out　a　bed　in　the　corner；　and
propped　up　in　the　bed　a　man；　but　for　the　moment　I　was　most　aware　of　a
pair　of　eyes　that　flared　up　when　the　man　spoke；　and　died　down　again　when
he　became　silent。　　They　reminded　me　of　those　insects　which　in　my
childhood　days　we　called　〃lightning　bugs。〃　　Mr。　Jason　gave　me　a　hand　like
a　woman's。　　I　expressed　my　pleasure　at　meeting　him；　and　took　a　chair
beside　the　bed。

〃I　believe　you're　a　partner　of　Theodore　Watling's　now　aren't　you？　　Smart
man；　Watling。〃

〃He'll　make　a　good　senator；〃　I　replied；　accepting　the　opening。

〃You　think　he'll　get　electeddo　you？〃　Mr。　Jason　inquired。

I　laughed。

〃Well；　there　isn't　much　doubt　about　that；　I　imagine。〃

〃Don't　knowdon't　know。　　Seen　some　dead…sure　things　go　wrong　in　my
time。〃

〃What's　going　to　defeat　him？〃　I　asked　pleasantly。

〃I　don't　say　anything；〃　Mr。　Jason　replied。　　〃But　I've　known　funny　things
to　happennever　does　to　be　dead　sure。〃

〃Oh；　well；　we're　as　sure　as　it's　humanly　possible　to　be；〃　I　declared。
T