a far country-第68节

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and　because　she　didn't　complain　of　my　friendship　with　Nancy　although　I
should　vehemently　have　denied　there　was　anything　to　complain　of。　　I
respected　Maude。　　If　she　was　not　a　squaw；　she　performed　religiously　the
traditional　squaw　duties；　and　made　me　comfortable：　and　the　fact　that　we
lived　separate　mental　existences　did　not　trouble　me　because　I　never
thought　of　hersor　even　that　she　had　one。　　She　had　the　children；　and
they　seemed　to　suffice。　　She　never　renewed　her　appeal　for　my　confidence；
and　I　forgot　that　she　had　made　it。

Nevertheless　I　always　felt　a　tug　at　my　heartstrings　when　June　came　around
and　it　was　time　for　her　and　the　children　to　go　to　Mattapoisett　for　the
summer；　when　I　accompanied　them；　on　the　evening　of　their　departure；　to
the　smoky；　noisy　station　and　saw　deposited　in　the　sleeping…car　their
luggage　and　shawls　and　bundles。　　They　always　took　the　evening　train　to
Boston；　it　was　the　best。　　Tom　and　Susan　were　invariably　there　with　candy
and　toys　to　see　them　offif　Susan　and　her　children　had　not　already　gone…
…and　at　such　moments　my　heart　warmed　to　Tom。　　And　I　was　astonished　as　I
clung　to　Matthew　and　Moreton　and　little　Biddy　at　the　affection　that
welled　up　within　me；　saddened　when　I　kissed　Maude　good…bye。　　She　too　was
sad；　and　always　seemed　to　feel　compunctions　for　deserting　me。

〃I　feel　so　selfish　in　leaving　you　all　alone！〃　she　would　say。　　〃If　it
weren't　for　the　childrenthey　need　the　sea　air。　　But　I　know　you　don't
miss　me　as　I　miss　you。　　A　man　doesn't；　I　suppose。。。。　　Please　don't　work
so　hard；　and　promise　me　you'll　come　on　and　stay　a　long　time。　　You　can　if
you　want　to。　　We　shan't　starve。〃　　She　smiled。　　〃That　nice　room；　which　is
yours；　at　the　southeast　corner；　is　always　waiting　for　you。　　And　you　do
like　the　sea；　and　seeing　the　sail…boats　in　the　morning。〃

I　felt　an　emptiness　when　the　train　pulled　out。　　I　did　love　my　family；
after　all！　　I　would　go　back　to　the　deserted　house；　and　I　could　not　bear
to　look　in　at　the　nursery　door；　at　the　little　beds　with　covers　flung　over
them。　　Why　couldn't　I　appreciate　these　joys　when　I　had　them？

One　evening；　as　we　went　home　in　an　open　street…car　together；　after　such　a
departure；　Tom　blurted　out：

〃Hugh；　I　believe　I　care　for　your　family　as　much　as　for　my　own。　　I　often
wonder　if　you　realize　how　wonderful　these　children　are！　　My　boys　are　just
plain　ruffiansalthough　I　think　they're　pretty　decent　ruffians；　but
Matthew　has　a　mindhe's　thoughtfuland　an　imagination。　　He'll　make　a
name　for　himself　some　day　if　he's　steered　properly　and　allowed　to　develop
naturally。　　Moreton's　more　like　my　boys。　　And　as　for　Chickabiddy！〃
words　failed　him。

I　put　my　hand　on　his　knee。　　I　actually　loved　him　again　as　I　had　loved　and
yearned　for　him　as　a　child；he　was　so　human；　so　dependable。　　And　why
couldn't　this　feeling　last？　　He　disapprovedfoolishly；　I　thoughtof　my
professional　career；　and　this　was　only　one　of　his　limitations。　　But　I
knew　that　he　was　loyal。　　Why　hadn't　I　been　able　to　breathe　and　be
reasonably　happy　in　that　atmosphere　of　friendship　and　love　in　which　I　had
been　placedor　rather　in　which　I　had　placed　myself？。。。。　　Before　the
summer　was　a　day　or　two　older　I　had　grown　accustomed　to　being　alone；　and
enjoyed　the　liberty；　and　when　Maude　and　the　children　returned　in　the
autumn；　similarly；　it　took　me　some　days　to　get　used　to　the　restrictions
imposed　by　a　household。　　I　run　the　risk　of　shocking　those　who　read　this
by　declaring　that　if　my　family　had　been　taken　permanently　out　of　my　life；
I　should　not　long　have　missed　them。　　But　on　the　whole；　in　those　years　my
marriage　relation　might　be　called　a　negative　one。　　There　were　moments；　as
I　have　described；　when　I　warmed　to　Maude；　moments　when　I　felt　something
akin　to　a　violent　antagonism　aroused　by　little　mannerisms　and　tricks　she
had。　　The　fact　that　we　got　along　as　well　as　we　did　was　probably　due　to
the　orthodox　teaching　with　which　we　had　been　inoculated；to　the　effect
that　matrimony　was　a　moral　trial；　a　shaking…down　process。　　But　moral
trials　were　ceasing　to　appeal　to　people；　and　more　and　more　of　them　were
refusing　to　be　shaken　down。　　We　didn't　cut　the　Gordian　knot；　but　we
managed　to　loosen　it　considerably。

I　have　spoken　of　a　new　species　of　titans　who　inhabited　the　giant
buildings　in　Wall　Street；　New　York；　and　fought　among　themselves　for
possession　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　It　is　interesting　to　note
that　in　these　struggles　a　certain　chivalry　was　observed　among　the
combatants；　no　matter　how　bitter　the　rivalry：　for　instance；　it　was　deemed
very　bad　form　for　one　of　the　groups　of　combatants　to　take　the　public　into
their　confidence；　cities　were　upset　and　stirred　to　the　core　by　these
conflicts；　and　the　citizens　never　knew　who　was　doing　the　fighting；　but
imagined　that　some　burning　issue　was　at　stake　that　concerned　them。　　As　a
matter　of　fact　the　issue　always　did　concern　them；　but　not　in　the　way　they
supposed。

Gradually；　out　of　the　chaotic　melee　in　which　these　titans　were　engaged
had　emerged　one　group　more　powerful　than　the　rest　and　more　respectable；
whose　leader　was　the　Personality　to　whom　I　have　before　referred。　　He　and
his　group　had　managed　to　gain　control　of　certain　conservative　fortresses
in　various　cities　such　as　the　Corn　National　Bank　and　the　Ashuela
Telephone　Companyto　mention　two　of　many：　Adolf　Scherer　was　his　ally；
and　the　Boyne　Iron　Works；　Limited；　was　soon　to　be　merged　by　him　into　a
greater　corporation　still。　　Leonard　Dickinson　might　be　called　his　local
governor…general。　　We　manned　the　parapets　and　kept　our　ears　constantly　to
the　ground　to　listen　for　the　rumble　of　attacks；　but　sometimes　they　burst
upon　us　fiercely　and　suddenly；　without　warning。　　Such　was　the　assault　on
the　Ashuela；　which　for　years　had　exercised　an　apparently　secure　monopoly
of　the　city's　telephone　service；　which　had　been　able　to　ignore　with
complacency　the　shrillest　protests　of　unreasonable　subscribers。　　Through
the　Pilot　it　was　announced　to　the　public　that　certain　benevolent　〃Eastern
capitalists〃　were　ready　to　rescue　them　from　their　thraldom　if　the　city
would　grant　them　a　franchise。　　Mr。　Lawler；　the　disinterestedness　of　whose
newspaper　could　not　be　doubted；　fanned　the　flame　day　by　day；　sent　his
reporters　about　the　city　gathering　instances　of　the　haughty　neglect　of
the　Ashuela；　proclaiming　its　instruments　antiquated　compared　with　those
used　in　more　progressive　cities；　as　compared　with　the　very　latest
inventions　which　the　Automatic　Company　was　ready　to　install　provided　they
could　get　their　franchise。　　And　the　prices！　　These；　too；　would　fall
under　competition。　　It　was　a　clever　campaign。　　If　the　city　would　give
them　a　franchise；　that　Automatic　Companyso　well　named！　would　provide
automatic　instruments。　　Each　subscriber；　by　means　of　a　numerical　disk；
could　call　up　any　other；　subscriber；　there　would　be　no　central　operator；
no　listening；　no　tapping　of　wires；　the　number　of　calls　would　be
unlimited。　　As　a　proof　of　the　confidence　of　these　Eastern　gentlemen　in
our　city；　they　were　willing　to　spend　five　millions；　and　present　more　than
six　hundred　telephones　free　to　the　city　departments！　　What　was　fairer；
more　generous　than　this！　　There　could　be　no　doubt　that　popular　enthusiasm
was　enlisted　in　behalf　of　the　〃Eastern　Capitalists；〃　who　were　made　to
appear　in　the　light　of　Crusaders　ready　to　rescue　a　groaning　people　from
the　thrall　of　monopoly。　　The　excitement　approached　that　of　a　presidential
election；　and　became　the　dominant　topic　at　quick…lunch　counters　and　in
street…cars。　　Cheap　and　efficient　service！　　Down　with　the　Bastille　of
monopoly！

As　counsel　for　the　Ashuela；　Mr。　Ogilvy　sent　for　me；　and　by　certain　secret
conduits　of　information　at　my　disposal　I　was　not　long　in　discovering　the
disquieting　fact　that　a　Mr。　Orthwein；　who　was　described　as　a　gentleman
with　fat　fingers　and　a　plausible　manner；　had　been　in　town　for　a　week　and
had　been　twice　seen　entering　and　emerging　from　Monahan's　saloon。　　In
short；　Mr。　Jason　had　already　been　〃seen。〃　　Nevertheless　I　went　to　him
myself；　to　find　him　for　the　first　time　in　my　experience　absolutely　non…
committal。

〃What's　the　Ashuela　willing　to　do？〃　he　demanded。

I　mentioned　a　sum；　and　he　shook　his　head。　　I　mentioned　another；　and　still
he　shook　his　head。

〃Come　'round　again；〃　he　said。。。

I　was　compelled　to　report　this　alarming　situation　to　Ogilvy　and　Dickinson
and　a　few　chosen　members　of　a　panicky　board　of　directors。

〃It's　that　damned　Grannis　crowd；〃　said　Dickinson；　mentioning　an
aggressive　gentleman　who　had　migrated　from　Chicago　to　Wall　Street　some
five　years　before　in　a　pink　collar。

〃But　what's　to　be　done？〃　demanded　Ogilvy；　playing　nervously　with　a　gold
pencil　on　the　polished　table。　　He　was　one　of　those　Americans　who　in　a
commercial　atmosphere　become　prematurely　white；　and　today　his　boyish；
smooth…shaven　face　was　almost　as　devoid　of　colour　as　his　hair。　　Even
Leonard　Dickinson　showed　anxiety；　which　was　unusual　for　him。

〃You've　got　to　fix　it；　Hugh；〃　he　said。

I　did　not　see　my　way；　but　I　had　long　ago　learned　to　assume　the　unruffled
air　and　judicial　manner　of　speaking　that　inspires　the　layman　with　almost
superstitious　confidence　in　the　lawyer。。。。

〃We'll　find　a　way　out；〃　I　said。

Mr。　Jason；　of　course；　held　the　key　to　the　situation；　and　jus