a far country-第57节

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decision　lets　them　in　for？〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　judge；　who　knew　an　order　when　he　heard　one；　〃I
guess　we　can　find　an　error。〃　　He　was　not　a　little　frightened　by　the
report　of　Mr。　Gorse's　wrath；　for　election…day　was　approaching。　　〃Say；　you
wouldn't　take　me　for　a　sentimental　man；　now；　would　you？〃

I　smiled　at　the　notion　of　it。

〃Well；　I'll　own　up　to　you　this　kind　of　got　under　my　skin。　　That　Galligan
is　a　fine…looking　fellow；　if　there　ever　was　one；　and　he'll　never　be　of　a
bit　of　use　any　more。　　Of　course　the　case　was　plain　sailing；　and　they
ought　to　have　had　the　verdict；　but　that　lawyer　of　his　handled　it　to　the
queen's　taste；　if　I　do　say　so。　　He　made　me　feel　real　bad；　by　God；as　if
it　was　my　own　son　Ed　who'd　been　battered　up。　　Lord；　I　can't　forget　the
look　in　that　man　Galligan's　eyes。　　I　hate　to　go　through　it　again；　and
reverse　it；　but　I　guess　I'll　have　to；　now。〃

The　Judge　sat　gazing　at　the　flames　playing　over　his　gas　log。

〃Who　was　the　lawyer？〃　I　asked。

〃A　man　by　the　name　of　Krebs；〃　he　replied。　　〃Never　heard　of　him　before。
He's　just　moved　to　the　city。〃

〃This　city？〃　　I　ejaculated。

The　Judge　glanced　at　me　interestedly。

〃This　city；　of　course。　　What　do　you　know　about　him？〃

〃Well；〃　I　answered；　when　I　had　recovered　a　little　from　the　shockfor　it
was　a　distinct　shock〃he　lived　in　Elkington。　　He　was　the　man　who　stirred
up　the　trouble　in　the　legislature　about　Bill　709。〃

The　Judge　slapped　his　knee。

〃That　fellow！〃　he　exclaimed；　and　ruminated。　　〃Why　didn't　somebody　tell
me？〃　he　added；　complainingly。　　〃Why　didn't　Miller　Gorse　let　me　know　about
it；　instead　of　licking　up　a　fuss　after　it's　all　over？〃。。。

Of　all　men　of　my　acquaintance　I　had　thought　the　Judge　the　last　to　grow
maudlin　over　the　misfortunes　of　those　who　were　weak　or　unfortunate　enough
to　be　defeated　and　crushed　in　the　struggle　for　existence；　and　it　was　not
without　food　for　reflection　that　I　departed　from　his　presence。　　To　make
Mr。　Bering　〃feel　bad〃　was　no　small　achievement；　and　Krebs　had　been
responsible　for　it；　of　course；not　Galligan。　　Krebs　had　turned　up　once
more！　　It　seemed　as　though　he　were　destined　to　haunt　me。　　Well；　I　made　up
my　mind　that　he　should　not　disturb　me　again；　at　any　rate：　I；　at　least；
had　learned　to　eliminate　sentimentality　from　business；　and　it　was　not
without　deprecation　I　remembered　my　experience　with　him　at　the　Capital；
when　he　had　made　me　temporarily　ashamed　of　my　connection　with　Bill　709。
I　had　got　over　that。　　And　when　I　entered　the　court　room　（the　tribunal
having　graciously　granted　a　rehearing　on　the　ground　that　it　had　committed
an　error　in　the　law！）　my　feelings　were　of　lively　curiosity　and　zest。　　I
had　no　disposition　to　underrate　his　abilities；　but　I　was　fortified　by　the
consciousness　of　a　series　of　triumphs　behind　me；　by　a　sense　of
association　with　prevailing　forces　against　which　he　was　helpless。　　I
could　afford　to　take　a　superior　attitude　in　regard　to　one　who　was
destined　always　to　be　dramatic。

As　the　case　proceeded　I　was　rather　disappointed　on　the　whole　that　he　was
not　dramaticnot　even　as　dramatic　as　he　had　been　when　he　defied　the
powers　in　the　Legislature。　　He　had　changed　but　little；　he　still　wore　ill…
fitting　clothes；　but　I　was　forced　to　acknowledge　that　he　seemed　to　have
gained　in　self…control；　in　presence。　　He　had　nodded　at　me　before　the　case
was　called；　as　he　sat　beside　his　maimed　client；　and　I　had　been　on　the
alert　for　a　hint　of　reproach　in　his　glance：　there　was　none。　　I　smiled
back　at　him。。。。

He　did　not　rant。　　He　seemed　to　have　rather　a　remarkable　knowledge　of　the
law。　　In　a　conversational　tone　he　described　the　sufferings　of　the　man　in
the　flannel　shirt　beside　him；　but　there　could　be　no　question　of　the　fact
that　he　did　produce　an　effect。　　The　spectators　were　plainly　moved；　and　it
was　undeniable　that　some　of　the　judges　wore　rather　a　sheepish　look　as
they　toyed　with　their　watch　chains　or　moved　the　stationery　in　front　of
them。　　They　had　seen　maimed　men　before；　they　had　heard　impassioned；
sentimental　lawyers　talk　about　wives　and　families　and　God　and　justice。
Krebs　did　none　of　this。　　Just　how　he　managed　to　bring　the　thing　home　to
those　judges；　to　make　them　ashamed　of　their　role；　just　how　he　managedin
spite　of　my　fortified　attitude　to　revive　something　of　that　sense　of
discomfort　I　had　experienced　at　the　State　House　is　difficult　to　say。　　It
was　because；　I　think；　he　contrived　through　the　intensity　of　his　own
sympathy　to　enter　into　the　body　of　the　man　whose　cause　he　pleaded；　to
feel　the　despair　in　Galligan's　soulan　impression　that　was　curiously
conveyed　despite　the　dignified　limits　to　which　he　confined　his　speech。
It　was　strange　that　I　began　to　be　rather　sorry　for　him；　that　I　felt　a
certain　reluctant　regret　that　he　should　thus　squander　his　powers　against
overwhelming　odds。　　What　was　the　use　of　it　all！

At　the　end　his　voice　became　more　vibrantthough　he　did　not　raise　itas
he　condemned　the　Railroad　for　its　indifference　to　human　life；　for　its
contention　that　men　were　cheaper　than　rolling…stock。

I　encountered　him　afterward　in　the　corridor。　　I　had　made　a　point　of
seeking　him　out；　perhaps　from　some　vague　determination　to　prove　that　our
last　meeting　in　the　little　restaurant　at　the　Capital　had　left　no　traces
of　embarrassment　in　me：　I　was；　in　fact；　rather　aggressively　anxious　to
reveal　myself　to　him　as　one　who　has　thriven　on　the　views　he　condemned；　as
one　in　whose　unity　of　mind　there　is　no　rift。　　He　was　alone；　apparently
waiting　for　someone；　leaning　against　a　steam　radiator　in　one　of　his
awkward；　angular　poses；　looking　out　of　the　court…house　window。

〃How　are　you？〃　I　said　blithely。　　〃So　you've　left　Elkington　for　a　wider
field。〃　　I　wondered　whether　my　alert　cousin…in…law；　George　Hutchins；　had
made　it　too　hot　for　him。

He　turned　to　me　unexpectedly　a　face　of　profound　melancholy；　his
expression　had　in　it；　oddly；　a　trace　of　sternness；　and　I　was　somewhat
taken　aback　by　this　evidence　that　he　was　still　bearing　vicariously　the
troubles　of　his　client。　　So　deep　had　been　the　thought　I　had　apparently
interrupted　that　he　did　not　realize　my　presence　at　first。

〃Oh；　it's　you；　Paret。　　Yes；　I've　left　Elkington；〃　he　said。

〃Something　of　a　surprise　to　run　up　against　you　suddenly；　like　this。〃

〃I　expected　to　see　you；〃　he　answered　gravely；　and　the　slight　emphasis　he
gave　the　pronoun　implied　not　only　a　complete　knowledge　of　the　situation
and　of　the　part　I　had　taken　in　it；　but　also　a　greater　rebuke　than　if　his
accusation　had　been　direct。　　But　I　clung　to　my　affability。

〃If　I　can　do　anything　for　you；　let　me　know；〃　I　told　him。　　He　said
nothing；　he　did　not　even　smile。　　At　this　moment　he　was　opportunely　joined
by　a　man　who　had　the　appearance　of　a　labour　leader；　and　I　walked　away。　　I
was　resentful；　my　mood；　in　brief；　was　that　of　a　man　who　has　done
something　foolish　and　is　inclined　to　talk　to　himself　aloud：　but　the　mood
was　complicated；　made　the　more　irritating　by　the　paradoxical　fact　that
that　last　look　he　had　given　me　seemed　to　have　borne　the　traces　of
affection。。。。

It　is　perhaps　needless　to　add　that　the　court　reversed　its　former
decision。




XVI。

The　Pilot　published　a　series　of　sensational　articles　and　editorials　about
the　Galligan　matter；　a　picture　of　Galligan；　an　account　of　the　destitute
state　of　his　wife　and　family。　　The　time　had　not　yet　arrived　when　such
newspapers　dared　to　attack　the　probity　of　our　courts；　but　a　system　of　law
that　permitted　such　palpable　injustice　because　of　technicalities　was
bitterly　denounced。　　What　chance　had　a　poor　man　against　such　a　moloch　as
the　railroad；　even　with　a　lawyer　of　such　ability　as　had　been　exhibited　by
Hermann　Krebs？　　Krebs　was　praised；　and　the　attention　of　Mr。　Lawler's
readers　was　called　to　the　fact　that　Krebs　was　the　man　who；　some　years
before；　had　opposed　single…handed　in　the　legislature　the　notorious　Bill
No。　709。　　It　was　well　known　in　certain　circlesthe　editorial　went　on　to
saythat　this　legislation　had　been　drawn　by　Theodore　Watling　in　the
interests　of　the　Boyne　Iron　Works；　etc。；　etc。　　Hugh　Paret　had　learned　at
the　feet　of　an　able　master。　　This　first　sight　of　my　name　thus
opprobriously　flung　to　the　multitude　gave　me　an　unpleasant　shock。　　I　had
seen　Mr。　Scherer　attacked；　Mr。　Gorse　attacked；　and　Mr。　Watling：　I　had　all
along　realized；　vaguely；　that　my　turn　would　come；　and　I　thought　myself　to
have　acquired　a　compensating　philosophy。　　I　threw　the　sheet　into　the
waste　basket；　presently　picked　it　out　again　and　reread　the　sentence
containing　my　name。　　Well；　there　were　certain　penalties　that　every　career
must　pay。　　I　had　become；　at　last；　a　marked　man；　and　I　recognized　the　fact
that　this　assault　would　be　the　forerunner　of　many。

I　tried　to　derive　some　comfort　and　amusement　from　the　thought　of　certain
operations　of　mine　that　Mr。　Lawler　had　not　discovered；　that　would　have
been　matters　of　peculiar　interest　to　his　innocent　public：　certain　extra…
legal　operations　at　the　time　when　the　Bovine　corporation　was　being
formed；　for　instance。　　And　how　they　would　have　licked　their　chops　had
they　learned　of　that　manoeuvre　by　which　I　had　managed　to　have　one　of　Mr。
Scherer's　subsidiary　companies　in　another　state；　with　property　and　assets
amounting　to　more　than　twenty　millions；　reorganized　under　the　laws　of　Ne