a far country-第58节

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Scherer's　subsidiary　companies　in　another　state；　with　property　and　assets
amounting　to　more　than　twenty　millions；　reorganized　under　the　laws　of　New
Jersey；　and　the　pending　case　thus　transferred　to　the　Federal　court；　where
we　won　hands　down！　　This　Galligan　affair　was　nothing　to　that。
Nevertheless；　it　was　annoying。　　As　I　sat　in　the　street　car　on　my　way
homeward；　a　man　beside　me　was　reading　the　Pilot。　　I　had　a　queer　sensation
as　he　turned　the　page；　and　scanned　the　editorial；　and　I　could　not　help
wondering　what　he　and　the　thousands　like　him　thought　of　me；　what　he　would
say　if　I　introduced　myself　and　asked　his　opinion。　　Perhaps　he　did　not
think　at　all：　undoubtedly　he；　and　the　public　at　large；　were　used　to　Mr。
Lawler's　daily　display　of　〃injustices。〃　　Nevertheless；　like　slow　acid；
they　must　be　eating　into　the　public　consciousness。　　It　was　an　outrage
this　freedom　of　the　press。

With　renewed　exasperation　I　thought　of　Krebs；　of　his　disturbing　and
almost　uncanny　faculty　of　following　me　up。　　Why　couldn't　he　have　remained
in　Elkington？　　Why　did　he　have　to　follow　me　here；　to　make　capital　out　of
a　case　that　might　never　have　been　heard　of　except　for　him？。。。　I　was　still
in　this　disagreeable　frame　of　mind　when　I　turned　the　corner　by　my　house
and　caught　sight　of　Maude；　in　the　front　yard；　bending　bareheaded　over　a
bed　of　late　flowers　which　the　frost　had　spared。　　The　evening　was　sharp；
the　dusk　already　gathering。

〃You'll　catch　cold；〃　I　called　to　her。

She　looked　up　at　the　sound　of　my　voice。

〃They'll　soon　be　gone；〃　she　sighed；　referring　to　the　flowers。　　〃I　hate
winter。〃

She　put　her　hand　through　my　arm；　and　we　went　into　the　house。　　The
curtains　were　drawn；　a　fire　was　crackling　on　the　hearth；　the　lamps　were
lighted；　and　as　I　dropped　into　a　chair　this　living…room　of　ours　seemed　to
take　on　the　air　of　a　refuge　from　the　vague；　threatening　sinister　things
of　the　world　without。　　I　felt　I　had　never　valued　it　before。　　Maude　took
up　her　sewing　and　sat　down　beside　the　table。

〃Hugh；〃　she　said　suddenly；　〃I　read　something　in　the　newspaper〃

My　exasperation　flared　up　again。

〃Where　did　you　get　that　disreputable　sheet？〃　I　demanded。

〃At　the　dressmaker's！〃　she　answered。　　〃II　just　happened　to　see　the
name；　Paret。〃

〃It's　just　politics；〃　I　declared；　〃stirring　up　discontent　by
misrepresentation。　　Jealousy。〃

She　leaned　forward　in　her　chair；　gazing　into　the　flames。

〃Then　it　isn't　true　that　this　poor　man；　Galliganisn't　that　his　name？
was　cheated　out　of　the　damages　he　ought　to　have　to　keep　himself　and　his
family　alive？〃

〃You　must　have　been　talking　to　Perry　or　Susan；〃　I　said。　　〃They　seem　to　be
convinced　that　I　am　an　oppressor　of　the　poor。

〃Hugh！〃　The　tone　in　which　she　spoke　my　name　smote　me。　　〃How　can　you　say
that？　　How　can　you　doubt　their　loyalty；　and　mine？　　Do　you　think　they
would　undermine　you；　and　to　me；　behind　your　back？〃

〃I　didn't　mean　that；　of　course；　Maude。　　I　was　annoyed　about　something
else。　　And　Tom　and　Perry　have　an　air　of　deprecating　most　of　the
enterprises　in　which　I　am　professionally　engaged。　　It's　very　well　for
them　to　talk。　　All　Perry　has　to　do　is　to　sit　back　and　take　in　receipts
from　the　Boyne　Street　car　line；　and　Tom　is　content　if　he　gets　a　few
commissions　every　week。　　They're　like　militiamen　criticizing　soldiers
under　fire。　　I　know　they're　good　friends　of　mine；　but　sometimes　I　lose
patience　with　them。〃

I　got　up　and　walked　to　the　window；　and　came　back　again　and　stood　before
her。

〃I'm　sorry　for　this　man；　Galligan；〃　I　went　on；　〃I　can't　tell　you　how
sorry。　　But　few　people　who　are　not　on　the　inside；　so　to　speak；　grasp　the
fact　that　big　corporations；　like　the　Railroad；　are　looked　upon　as　fair
game　for　every　kind　of　parasite。　　Not　a　day　passes　in　which　attempts　are
not　made　to　bleed　them。　　Some　of　these　cases　are　pathetic。　　It　had　cost
the　Railroad　many　times　fifteen　thousand　dollars　to　fight　Galligan's
case。　　But　if　they　had　paid　it；　they　would　have　laid　themselves　open　to
thousands　of　similar　demands。　　Dividends　would　dwindle。　　The　stockholders
have　a　right　to　a　fair　return　on　their　money。　　Galligan　claims　that　there
was　a　defective　sill　on　the　car　which　is　said　to　have　caused　the　wreck。
If　damages　are　paid　on　that　basis；　it　means　the　daily　inspection　of　every
car　which　passes　over　their　lines。　　And　more　than　that：　there　are　certain
defects；　as　in　the　present　case；　which　an　inspection　would　not　reveal。
When　a　man　accepts　employment　on　a　railroad　he　assumes　a　certain　amount
of　personal　risk；it's　not　precisely　a　chambermaid's　job。　　And　the
lawyer　who　defends　such　cases；　whatever　his　personal　feelings　may　be；
cannot　afford　to　be　swayed　by　them。　　He　must　take　the　larger　view。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　me　about　it　before？〃　she　asked。

〃Well；　I　didn't　think　it　of　enough　importancethese　things　are　all　in
the　day's　work。〃

〃But　Mr。　Krebs？　　How　strange　that　he　should　be　here；　connected　with　the
case！〃

I　made　an　effort　to　control　myself。

〃Your　old　friend；〃　I　said。　　〃I　believe　you　have　a　sentiment　about　him。〃

She　looked　up　at　me。

〃Scarcely　that；〃　she　replied　gravely；　with　the　literalness　that　often
characterized　her；　〃but　he　isn't　a　person　easily　forgotten。　　He　may　be
queer；　one　may　not　agree　with　his　views；　but　after　the　experience　I　had
with　him　I've　never　been　able　to　look　at　him　in　the　way　George　does；　for
instance；　or　even　as　father　does。〃

〃Or　even　as　I　do；〃　I　supplied。

〃Well；　perhaps　not　even　as　you　do；〃　she　answered　calmly。　　〃I　believe　you
once　told　me；　however；　that　you　thought　him　a　fanatic；　but　sincere。〃

〃He's　certainly　a　fanatic！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃But　sincere；　Hugh…you　still　think　him　sincere。〃

〃You　seem　a　good　deal　concerned　about　a　man　you've　laid　eyes　on　but
once。〃

She　considered　this。

〃Yes；　it　is　surprising；〃　she　admitted；　〃but　it's　true。　　I　was　sorry　for
him；　but　I　admired　him。　　I　was　not　only　impressed　by　his　courage　in
taking　charge　of　me；　but　also　by　the　trust　and　affection　the　work…people
showed。　　He　must　be　a　good　man；　however　mistaken　he　may　be　in　the　methods
he　employs。　　And　life　is　cruel　to　those　people。〃

〃Life　is…life；〃　I　observed。　　〃Neither　you　nor　I　nor　Krebs　is　able　to
change　it。〃

〃Has　he　come　here　to　practice？〃　she　asked；　after　a　moment。

〃Yes。　　Do　you　want　me　to　invite　him　to　dinner？〃　and　seeing　that　she　did
not　reply　I　continued：　〃In　spite　of　my　explanation　I　suppose　you　think；
because　Krebs　defended　the　man　Galligan；　that　a　monstrous　injustice　has
been　done。〃

〃That　is　unworthy　of　you；〃　she　said；　bending　over　her　stitch。

I　began　to　pace　the　room　again；　as　was　my　habit　when　overwrought。

〃Well；　I　was　going　to　tell　you　about　this　affair　if　you　had　not
forestalled　me　by　mentioning　it　yourself。　　It　isn't　pleasant　to　be
vilified　by　rascals　who　make　capital　out　of　vilification；　and　a　man　has　a
right　to　expect　some　sympathy　from　his　wife。〃

〃Did　I　ever　deny　you　that；　Hugh？〃　she　asked。　　〃Only　you　don't　ever　seem
to　need　it；　to　want　it。〃

〃And　there　are　things；〃　I　pursued；　〃things　in　a　man's　province　that　a
woman　ought　to　accept　from　her　husband；　things　which　in　the　very　nature
of　the　case　she　can　know　nothing　about。〃

〃But　a　woman　must　think　for　herself；〃　she　declared。　　〃She　shouldn't
become　a　mere　automaton；and　these　questions　involve　so　much！　　People
are　discussing　them；　the　magazines　and　periodicals　are　beginning　to　take
them　up。〃

I　stared　at　her；　somewhat　appalled　by　this　point　of　view。　　There　had；
indeed；　been　signs　of　its　development　before　now；　but　I　had　not　heeded
them。　　And　for　the　first　time　I　beheld　Maude　in　a　new　light。

〃Oh；　it's　not　that　I　don't　trust　you；〃　she　continued；　〃I'm　open　to
conviction；　but　I　must　be　convinced。　　Your　explanation　of　this　Galligan
case　seems　a　sensible　one；　although　it's　depressing。　　But　life　is　hard
and　depressing　sometimes　I've　come　to　realize　that。　　I　want　to　think　over
what　you've　said；　I　want　to　talk　over　it　some　more。　　Why　won't　you　tell
me　more　of　what　you　are　doing？　　If　you　only　would　confide　in　meas　you
have　now！　　I　can't　help　seeing　that　we　are　growing　farther　and　farther
apart；　that　business；　your　career；　is　taking　all　of　you　and　leaving　me
nothing。〃　　She　faltered；　and　went　on　again。　　〃It's　difficult　to　tell　you
thisyou　never　give　me　the　chance。　　And　it's　not　for　my　sake　alone；　but
for　yours；　too。　　You　are　growing　more　and　more　self…centred；　surrounding
yourself　with　a　hard　shell。　　You　don't　realize　it；　but　Tom　notices　it；
Perry　notices　it；　it　hurts　them；　it's　that　they　complain　of。　　Hugh！〃　she
cried　appealingly；　sensing　my　resentment；　forestalling　the　words　of
defence　ready　on　my　lips。　　〃I　know　that　you　are　busy；　that　many　men
depend　on　you；　it　isn't　that　I'm　not　proud　of　you　and　your　success；　but
you　don't　understand　what　a　woman　craves；she　doesn't　want　only　to　be　a
good　housekeeper；　a　good　mother；　but　she　wants　to　share　a　little；　at　any
rate；　in　the　life　of　her　husband；　in　his　troubles　as　well　as　in　his
successes。　　She　wants　to　be　of　some　little　use；　of　some　little　help　to
him。〃

My　feelings　were　reduced　to　a　medley。

〃But　you　are　a　help　to　mea　great　help；〃　I　protested。

She　shook　her　head。　　〃I　wish　I　were；〃　she　said。

It　suddenly　occurred　to　me　that　she　might　be。　　I　was　softened；　and
alarmed　b