a far country-第44节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



I　gave　him　Mr。　Grunewald's　estimated　majority。

〃What　do　you　think？〃　he　demanded；　a　shrewd；　humorous　look　in　his　blue
eyes。

〃Well；　I　think　we'll　carry　the　state。　　I　haven't　had　Grunewald's
experience　in　estimating。〃

Ezra　Hutchins　smiled　appreciatively。

〃What　does　Watling　think？〃

〃He　doesn't　seem　to　be　worrying　much。〃

〃Ever　been　in　Elkington　before？〃

I　said　I　hadn't。

〃Well；　a　drive　will　do　you　good。〃

It　was　about　four　o'clock　on　a　mild　October　afternoon。　　The　little　town；
of　fifteen　thousand　inhabitants　or　so；　had
a　wonderful　setting　in　the　widening　valley　of　the　Scopanong；　whose
swiftly　running　waters　furnished　the　power　for　the　mills。　　We　drove　to
these　through　a　gateway　over　which　the　words　〃No　Admittance〃　were
conspicuously　painted；　past　long　brick　buildings　that　bordered　the
canals；　and　in　the　windows　I　caught　sight　of　drab　figures　of　men　and
women　bending　over　the　machines。　　Half　of　the　buildings；　as　Mr。　Hutchins
pointed　out；　were　closed；mute　witnesses　of　tariff…tinkering　madness。
Even　more　eloquent　of　democratic　folly　was　that　part　of　the　town　through
which　we　presently　passed；　streets　lined　with　rows　of　dreary　houses　where
the　workers　lived。　　Children　were　playing　on　the　sidewalks；　but　theirs
seemed　a　listless　play；　listless；　too；　were　the　men　and　women　who　sat　on
the　steps；listless；　and　somewhat　sullen；　as　they　watched　us　passing。
Ezra　Hutchins　seemed　to　read　my　thought。

〃Since　the　unions　got　in　here　I've　had　nothing　but　trouble；〃　he　said。
〃I've　tried　to　do　my　duty　by　my　people；　God　knows。　　But　they　won't　see
which　side　their　bread's　buttered　on。　　They　oppose　me　at　every　step；　they
vote　against　their　own　interests。　　Some　years　ago　they　put　up　a　job　on
us；　and　sent　a　scatter…brained　radical　to　the　legislature。〃

〃Krebs。〃

〃Do　you　know　him？〃

〃Slightly。　　He　was　in　my　class　at　Harvard。。。。　　Is　he　still　here？〃　I
asked；　after　a　pause。

〃Oh；　yes。　　But　he　hasn't　gone　to　the　legislature　this　time；　we've　seen　to
that。　　His　father　was　a　respectable　old　German　who　had　a　little　shop　and
made　eye…glasses。　　The　son　is　an　example　of　too　much　education。　　He's　a
notoriety　seeker。　　Oh；　he's　clever；　in　a　way。　　He's　given　us　a　good　deal
of　trouble；　too；　in　the　courts　with　damage　cases。〃。。。

We　came　to　a　brighter；　more　spacious；　well…to…do　portion　of　the　town；
where　the　residences　faced　the　river。　　In　a　little　while　the　waters
widened　into　a　lake；　which　was　surrounded　by　a　park；　a　gift　to　the　city
of　the　Hutchins　family。　　Facing　it；　on　one　side；　was　the　Hutchins
Library；　on　the　other；　across　a　wide　street；　where　the　maples　were
turning；　were　the　Hutchinses'　residences　of　various　dates　of
construction；　from　that　of　the　younger　George；　who　had　lately　married　a
wife；　and　built　in　bright　yellow　brick；　to　the　old…fashioned　mansion　of
Ezra　himself。　　This；　he　told　me；　had　been　good　enough　for　his　father；　and
was　good　enough　for　him。　　The　picture　of　it　comes　back　to　me；　now；　with
singular　attractiveness。　　It　was　of　brick；　and　I　suppose　a　modification
of　the　Georgian；　the　kind　of　house　one　still　sees　in　out…of…the　way
corners　of　London；　with　a　sort　of　Dickensy　flavour；　high　and　square　and
uncompromising；　with　small…paned　windows；　with　a　flat　roof　surrounded　by
a　low　balustrade；　and　many　substantial　chimneys。　　The　third　storey　was
lower　than　the　others；　separated　from　them　by　a　distinct　line。　　On　one
side　was　a　wide　porch。　　Yellow　and　red　leaves；　the　day's　fall；　scattered
the　well…kept　lawn。　　Standing　in　the　doorway　of　the　house　was　a　girl　in
white；　and　as　we　descended　from　the　surrey　she　came　down　the　walk　to　meet
us。　　She　was　young；　about　twenty。　　Her　hair　was　the　colour　of　the　russet
maple　leaves。

〃This　is　Mr。　Paret；　Maude。〃　　Mr。　Hutchins　looked　at　his　watch　as　does　a
man　accustomed　to　live　by　it。　　〃If　you'll　excuse　me；　Mr。　Paret；　I　have
something　important　to　attend　to。　　Perhaps　Mr。　Paret　would　like　to　look
about　the　grounds？〃　　He　addressed　his　daughter。

I　said　I　should　be　delighted；　though　I　had　no　idea　what　grounds　were
meant。　　As　I　followed　Maude　around　the　house　she　explained　that　all　the
Hutchins　connection　had　a　common　back　yard；　as　she　expressed　it。　　In
reality；　there　were　about　two　blocks　of　the　property；　extending　behind
all　the　houses。　　There　were　great　trees　with　swings；　groves；　orchards
where　the　late　apples　glistened　between　the　leaves；　an　old…fashioned
flower　garden　loath　to　relinquish　its　blooming。　　In　the　distance　the
shadowed　western　ridge　hung　like　a　curtain　of　deep　blue　velvet　against
the　sunset。

〃What　a　wonderful　spot！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes；　it　is　nice；〃　she　agreed；　〃we　were　all　brought　up　hereI　mean　my
cousins　and　myself。　　There　are　dozens　of　us。　　And　dozens　left；〃　she
added；　as　the　shouts　and　laughter　of　children　broke　the　stillness。

A　boy　came　running　around　the　corner　of　the　path。　　He　struck　out　at
Maude。　　With　a　remarkably　swift　movement　she　retaliated。

〃Ouch！〃　he　exclaimed。

〃You　got　him　that　time；〃　I　laughed；　and；　being　detected；　she　suddenly
blushed。　　It　was　this　act　that　drew　my　attention　to　her；　that　defined　her
as　an　individual。　　Before　that　I　had　regarded　her　merely　as　a　shy　and
provincial　girl。　　Now　she　was　brimming　with　an　unsuspected　vitality。　　A
certain　interest　was　aroused；　although　her　shyness　towards　me　was　not
altered。　　I　found　it　rather　a　flattering　shyness。

〃It's　Hugh；〃　she　explained；　〃he's　always　trying　to　be　funny。　　Speak　to
Mr。　Paret；　Hugh。〃

〃Why；　that's　my　name；　too；〃　I　said。

〃Is　it？〃

〃She　knocked　my　hat　off　a　little　while　ago；〃　said　Hugh。　　〃I　was　only
getting　square。〃

〃Well；　you　didn't　get　square；　did　you？〃　I　asked。

〃Are　you　going　to　speak　in　the　tows　hall　to…night？〃　the　boy　demanded。　　I
admitted　it。　　He　went　off；　pausing　once　to　stare　back　at　me。。。。　　Maude
and　I　walked　on。

〃It　must　be　exciting　to　speak　before　a　large　audience；〃　she　said。　　〃If　I
were　a　man；　I　think　I　should　like　to　be　in　politics。〃

〃I　cannot　imagine　you　in　politics；〃　I　answered。

She　laughed。

〃I　said；　if　I　were　a　man。〃

〃Are　you　going　to　the　meeting？〃

〃Oh；　yes。　　Father　promised　to　take　me。　　He　has　a　box。〃

I　thought　it　would　be　pleasant　to　have　her　there。

〃I'm　afraid　you'll　find　what　I　have　to　say　rather　dry；〃　I　said。

〃A　woman　can't　expect　to　understand　everything；〃　she　answered　quickly。

This　remark　struck　me　favourably。　　I　glanced　at　her　sideways。　　She　was
not　a　beauty；　but　she　was　distinctly　well…formed　and　strong。　　Her　face
was　oval；　her　features　not　quite　regular；giving　them　a　certain　charm；
her　colour　was　fresh；　her　eyes　blue；　the　lighter　blue　one　sees　on　Chinese
ware：　not　a　poetic　comparison；　but　so　I　thought　of　them。　　She　was
apparently　not　sophisticated；　as　were　most　of　the　young　women　at　home
whom　I　knew　intimately　（as　were　the　Watling　twins；　for　example；　with　one
of　whom；　Frances；　I　had　had；　by　the　way；　rather　a　lively　flirtation　the
spring　before）；　she　seemed　refreshingly　original；　impressionable　and
plastic。。。。

We　walked　slowly　back　to　the　house；　and　in　the　hallway　I　met　Mrs。
Hutchins；　a　bustling；　housewifely　lady；　inclined　to　stoutness；　whose
creased　and　kindly　face　bore　witness　to　long　acquiescence　in　the
discipline　of　matrimony；　to　the　contentment　that　results　from　an
essentially　circumscribed　and　comfortable　life。　　She　was；　I　learned
later；　the　second　Mrs。　Hutchins；　and　Maude　their　only　child。　　The
children　of　the　first　marriage；　all　girls；　had　married　and　scattered。

Supper　was　a　decorous　but　heterogeneous　meal　of　the　old…fashioned　sort
that　gives　one　the　choice　between　tea　and　cocoa。　　It　was　something　of　an
occasion；　I　suspected。　　The　minister　was　there；　the　Reverend　Mr。
Doddridge；　who　would　have　made；　in　appearance　at　least；　a　perfect　Puritan
divine　in　a　steeple　hat　and　a　tippet。　　Onlyhe　was　no　longer　the　leader
of　the　community；　and　even　in　his　grace　he　had　the　air　of　deferring　to
the　man　who　provided　the　bounties　of　which　we　were　about　to　partake
rather　than　to　the　Almighty。　　Young　George　was　there；　Mr。　Hutchins's
nephew；　who　was　daily　becoming　more　and　more　of　a　factor　in　the
management　of　the　mills；　and　had　built　the　house　of　yellow　brick　that
stood　out　so　incongruously　among　the　older　Hutchinses'　mansions；　and
marked　a　transition。　　I　thought　him　rather　a　yellow…brick　gentleman
himself　for　his　assumption　of　cosmopolitan　manners。　　His　wife　was　a
pretty；　discontented　little　woman　who　plainly　deplored　her　environment；
longed　for　larger　fields　of　conquest：　George；　she　said；　must　remain　where
he　was；　for　the　present　at　least；Uncle　Ezra　depended　on　him；　but
Elkington　was　a　prosy　place；　and　Mrs。　George　gave　the　impression　that　she
did　not　belong　here。　　They　went　to　the　city　on　occasions；　both　cities。
And　when　she　told　me　we　had　a　common　acquaintance　in　Mrs。　Hambleton
Durrettwhom　she　thought　so　lovely！I　knew　that　she　had　taken　Nancy　as
an　ideal：　Nancy；　the　social　leader　of　what　was　to　Mrs。　George　a
metropolis。

Presently　the　talk　became　general　among　the　men；　the　subject　being　the
campaign；　and　I　the　authority；　bombarded　with　questions　I　strove　to
answer　judicially。　　What　was　the　situation　in　this　county　and　in　that？
the　national　situation？　　George　indulged　in　rather　a　vigorous　arraignment
of　the　demagogues；　nationa