a far country-第47节

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cheaper；　and　more　money　to　buy　them　with；　we　should　all　be　happy；　and　the
Republican　party　could　retire　from　business。〃

He　did　not　once　refer　to　the　United　States　Senatorship。

It　was　appropriate；　perhaps；　that　many　of　us　dined　on　the　evening　of
election　day　at　the　Boyne　Club。　　There　was　early　evidence　of　a　Republican
land…slide。　　And　when；　at　ten　o'clock；　it　was　announced　that　Mr。　Trulease
was　re…elected　by　a　majority　which　exceeded　Mr。　Grunewald's　most　hopeful
estimate；　that　the　legislature　was　〃safe；〃　that　Theodore　Watling　would　be
the　next　United　States　Senator；　a　scene　of　jubilation　ensued　within　those
hallowed　walls　which　was　unprecedented。　　Chairs　were　pushed　back；　rugs
taken　up；　Gene　Hollister　played　the　piano　and　a　Virginia　reel　started；　in
a　burst　of　enthusiasm　Leonard　Dickinson　ordered　champagne　for　every
member　present。　　The　country　was　returning　to　its　senses。　　Theodore
Watling　had　preferred；　on　this　eventful　night；　to　remain　quietly　at　home。
But　presently　carriages　were　ordered；　and　a　〃delegation〃　of　enthusiastic
friends　departed　to　congratulate　him；　Dickinson；　of　course；　Grierson；
Fowndes；　Ogilvy；　and　Grunewald。　　We　found　Judah　B。　Tallant　there；in
spite　of　the　fact　that　it　was　a　busy　night　for　the　Era；　and　Adolf　Scherer
himself；　in　expansive　mood；　was　filling　the　largest　of　the　library
chairs。　　Mr。　Watling　was　the　least　excited　of　them　all；　remarkably　calm；
I　thought；　for　a　man　on　the　verge　of　realizing　his　life's　high　ambition。
He　had　some　old　brandy；　and　a　box　of　cigars　he　had　been　saving　for　an
occasion。　　He　managed　to　convey　to　everyone　his　appreciation　of　the　value
of　their　cooperation。。。。

It　was　midnight　before　Mr。　Scherer　arose　to　take　his　departure。　　He
seized　Mr。　Watling's　hand；　warmly；　in　both　of　his　own。

〃I　have　never；〃　he　said；　with　a　relapse　into　the　German　f's；
〃I　have　never　had　a　happier　moment　in　my　life；　my　friend；　than　when
I　congratulate　you　on　your　success。〃　　His　voice　shook　with　emotion。
〃Alas；　we　shall　not　see　so　much　of　you　now。〃

〃He'll　be　on　guard；　Scherer；〃　said　Leonard　Dickinson；　putting　his　arm
around　my　chief。

〃Good　night；　Senator；〃　said　Tallant；　and　all　echoed　the　word；　which
struck　me　as　peculiarly　appropriate。　　Much　as　I　had　admired　Mr。　Watling
before；　it　seemed　indeed　as　if　he　had　undergone　some　subtle　change　in　the
last　few　hours；　gained　in　dignity　and　greatness　by　the　action　of　the
people　that　day。　　When　it　came　my　turn　to　bid　him　good　night；　he　retained
my　hand　in　his。

〃Don't　go　yet；　Hugh；〃　he　said。

〃But　you　must　be　tired；〃　I　objected。

〃This　sort　of　thing　doesn't　make　a　man　tired；〃　he　laughed；　leading　me
back　to　the　library；　where　he　began　to　poke　the　fire　into　a　blaze。　　〃Sit
down　awhile。　　You　must　be　tired；　I　think；you've　worked　hard　in　this
campaign；　a　good　deal　harder　than　I　have。　　I　haven't　said　much　about　it；
but　I　appreciate　it；　my　boy。〃　　Mr。　Watling　had　the　gift　of　expressing　his
feelings　naturally；　without　sentimentality。　　I　would　have　given　much　for
that　gift。

〃Oh；　I　liked　it；〃　I　replied　awkwardly。

I　read　a　gentle　amusement　in　his　eyes；　and　also　the　expression　of
something　else；　difficult　to　define。　　He　had　seated　himself；　and　was
absently　thrusting　at　the　logs　with　the　poker。

〃You've　never　regretted　going　into　law？〃　he　asked　suddenly；　to　my
surprise。

〃Why；　no；　sir；〃　I　said。

〃I'm　glad　to　hear　that。　　I　feel；　to　a　considerable　extent；　responsible
for　your　choice　of　a　profession。〃

〃My　father　intended　me　to　be　a　lawyer；〃　I　told　him。　　〃But　it's　true　that
you　gave　me　mymy　first　enthusiasm。〃

He　looked　up　at　me　at　the　word。

〃I　admired　your　father。　　He　seemed　to　me　to　be　everything　that　a　lawyer
should　be。　　And　years　ago；　when　I　came　to　this　city　a　raw　country　boy
from　upstate；　he　represented　and　embodied　for　me　all　the　fine　traditions
of　the　profession。　　But　the　practice　of　law　isn't　what　it　was　in　his　day；
Hugh。〃

〃No；〃　I　agreed；　〃that　could　scarcely　be　expected。〃

〃Yes；　I　believe　you　realize　that；〃　he　said。　　〃I've　watched　you；　I've
taken　a　personal　pride　in　you；　and　I　have　an　idea　that　eventually　you
will　succeed　me　hereneither　Fowndes　nor　Ripon　have　the　peculiar　ability
you　have　shown。　　You　and　I　are　alike　in　a　great　many　respects；　and　I　am
inclined　to　think　we　are　rather　rare；　as　men　go。　　We　are　able　to　keep　one
object　vividly　in　view；　so　vividly　as　to　be　able　to　work　for　it　day　and
night。　　I　could　mention　dozens　who　had　and　have　more　natural　talent　for
the　law　than　I；　more　talent　for　politics　than　I。　　The　same　thing　may　be
said　about　you。　　I　don't　regard　either　of　us　as　natural　lawyers；　such　as
your　father　was。　　He　couldn't　help　being　a　lawyer。〃

Here　was　new　evidence　of　his　perspicacity。

〃But　surely；〃　I　ventured；　〃you　don't　feel　any　regrets　concerning　your
career；　Mr。　Watling？〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃that's　just　the　point。　　But　no　two　of　us　are　made　wholly
alike。　　I　hadn't　practised　law　very　long　before　I　began　to　realize　that
conditions　were　changing；　that　the　new　forces　at　work　in　our　industrial
life　made　the　older　legal　ideals　impracticable。　　It　was　a　case　of
choosing　between　efficiency　and　inefficiency；　and　I　chose　efficiency。
Well；　that　was　my　own　affair；　but　when　it　comes　to　influencing　others〃
He　paused。　　〃I　want　you　to　see　this　as　I　do；　not　for　the　sake　of
justifying　myself；　but　because　I　honestly　believe　there　is　more　to　it
than　expediency；a　good　deal　more。　　There's　a　weak　way　of　looking　at　it；
and　a　strong　way。　　And　if　I　feel　sure　you　understand　it；　I　shall　be
satisfied。

〃Because　things　are　going　to　change　in　this　country；　Hugh。　　They　are
changing；　but　they　are　going　to　change　more。　　A　man　has　got　to　make　up
his　mind　what　he　believes　in；　and　be　ready　to　fight　for　it。　　We'll　have
to　fight　for　it；　sooner　perhaps　than　we　realize。　　We　are　a　nation　divided
against　ourselves；　democracyJacksonian　democracy；　at　all　events；　is　a
flat　failure；　and　we　may　as　well　acknowledge　it。　　We　have　a　political
system　we　have　outgrown；　and　which；　therefore；　we　have　had　to　nullify。
There　are　certain　needs；　certain　tendencies　of　development　in　nations　as
well　as　in　individuals；needs　stronger　than　the　state；　stronger　than　the
law　or　constitution。　　In　order　to　make　our　resources　effective；
combinations　of　capital　are　more　and　more　necessary；　and　no　more　to　be
denied　than　a　chemical　process；　given　the　proper　ingredients；　can　be
thwarted。　　The　men　who　control　capital　must　have　a　free　hand；　or　the
structure　will　be　destroyed。　　This　compels　us　to　do　many　things　which　we
would　rather　not　do；　which　we　might　accomplish　openly　and　unopposed　if
conditions　were　frankly　recognized；　and　met　by　wise　statesmanship　which
sought　to　bring　about　harmony　by　the　reshaping　of　laws　and　policies。　　Do
you　follow　me？〃

〃Yes；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　I　have　never　heard　the　situation　stated　so
clearly。　　Do　you　think　the　day　will　come　when　statesmanship　will
recognize　this　need？〃

〃Ah；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　afraid　notin　my　time；　at　least。　　But　we　shall　have
to　develop　that　kind　of　statesmen　or　go　on　the　rocks。　　Public　opinion　in
the　old　democratic　sense　is　a　myth；　it　must　be　made　by　strong　individuals
who　recognize　and　represent　evolutionary　needs；　otherwise　it's　at　the
mercy　of　demagogues　who　play　fast　and　loose　with　the　prejudice　and
ignorance　of　the　mob。　　The　people　don't　value　the　vote；　they　know　nothing
about　the　real　problems。　　So　far　as　I　can　see；　they　are　as　easily　swayed
to…day　as　the　crowd　that　listened　to　Mark　Antony's　oration　about　Caesar。
You've　seen　how　we　have　to　handle　them；　in　this　election　andin　other
matters。　　It　isn't　a　pleasant　practice；　something　we'd　indulge　in　out　of
choice；　but　the　alternative　is　unthinkable。　　We'd　have　chaos　in　no　time。
We've　just　got　to　keep　hold；　you　understandwe　can't　leave　it　to　the
irresponsible。〃

〃Yes；〃　I　said。　　In　this　mood　he　was　more　impressive　than　I　had　ever　known
him；　and　his　confidence　flattered　and　thrilled　me。

〃In　the　meantime；　we're　criminals；〃　he　continued。　　〃From　now　on　we'll
have　to　stand　more　and　more　denunciation　from　the　visionaries；　the
dissatisfied；　the　trouble　makers。　　We　may　as　well　make　up　our　minds　to
it。　　But　we've　got　something　on　our　side　worth　fighting　for；　and　the　man
who　is　able　to　make　that　clear　will　be　great。〃

〃But　youyou　are　going　to　the　Senate；〃　I　reminded　him。

He　shook　his　head。

〃The　time　has　not　yet　come；〃　he　said。　　〃Confusion　and　misunderstanding
must　increase　before　they　can　diminish。　　But　I　have　hopes　of　you；　Hugh；
or　I　shouldn't　have　spoken。　I　shan't　be　here　nowof　course　I'll　keep　in
touch　with　you。　　I　wanted　to　be　sure　that　you　had　the　right　view　of　this
thing。〃

〃I　see　it　now；〃　I　said。　　〃I　had　thought　of　it；　but　nevernever　as　a
wholenot　in　the　large　sense　in　which　you　have　expressed　it。〃　　To
attempt　to　acknowledge　or　deprecate　the　compliment　he　had　paid　me　was
impossible；　I　felt　that　he　must　have　read　my　gratitude　and　appreciation
in　my　manner。

〃I　mustn't　keep　you　up　until　morning。〃　　He　glanced　at　the　clock；　and　went
with　me　through　the　hall　into　the　open　air。　　A　meteor　darted　through　the
November　night。　　〃We're　like　that；〃　he　observed；　staring　after　it；　a
〃flash　across　the　darkness；　and　we're　gone。〃

〃Onlythere　are　many　who　haven't　the　satisfaction　of　a　fla