a far country-第69节

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superstitious　confidence　in　the　lawyer。。。。

〃We'll　find　a　way　out；〃　I　said。

Mr。　Jason；　of　course；　held　the　key　to　the　situation；　and　just　how　I　was
to　get　around　him　was　problematical。　　In　the　meantime　there　was　the
public：　to　permit　the　other　fellow　to　capture　that　was　to　be　lacking　in
ordinary　prudence；　if　its　votes　counted　for　nothing；　its　savings　were
desirable；　and　it　was　fast　getting　into　a　state　of　outrage　against
monopoly。　　The　chivalry　of　finance　did　not　permit　of　a　revelation　that
Mr。　Grannis　and　his　buccaneers　were　behind　the　Automatic；　but　it　was
possible　to　direct　and　strengthen　the　backfire　which　the　Era　and　other
conservative　newspapers　had　already　begun。　　Mr。　Tallant　for　delicate
reasons　being　persona　non　grata　at　the　Boyne　Club；　despite　the　fact　that
he　had　so　many　friends　there；　we　met　for　lunch　in　a　private　room　at　the
new　hotel；　and　as　we　sipped　our　coffee　and　smoked　our　cigars　we　planned　a
series　of　editorials　and　articles　that　duly　appeared。　　They　made　a　strong
appeal　to　the　loyalty　of　our　citizens　to　stand　by　the　home　company　and
home　capital　that　had　taken　generous　risks　to　give　them　service　at　a　time
when　the　future　of　the　telephone　business　was　by　no　means　assured；　they
belittled　the　charges　made　by　irresponsible　and　interested　〃parties；〃　and
finally　pointed　out；　not　without　effect；　that　one　logical　consequence　of
having　two　telephone　companies　would　be　to　compel　subscribers　in　self…
defence　to　install　two　telephones　instead　of　one。　　And　where　was　the
saving　in　that？

〃Say；　Paret；〃　said　Judah　B。　when　we　had　finished　our　labours；　〃if　you
ever　get　sick　of　the　law；　I'll　give　you　a　job　on　the　Era's　staff。　　This
is　fine；　the　way　you　put　it。　　It'll　do　a　lot　of　good；　but　how　in　hell　are
you　going　to　handle　Judd？。。。。〃

For　three　days　the　inspiration　was　withheld。　　And　then；　as　I　was
strolling　down　Boyne　Street　after　lunch　gazing　into　the　store　windows　it
came　suddenly；　without　warning。　　Like　most　inspirations　worth　anything；
it　was　very　simple。　　Within　half　an　hour　I　had　reached　Monahan's　saloon
and　found　Mr。　Jason　out　of　bed；　but　still　in　his　bedroom；　seated
meditatively　at　the　window　that　looked　over　the　alley。

〃You　know　the　crowd　in　New　York　behind　this　Automatic　company　as　well　as
I　do；　Jason；〃　I　said。　　〃Why　do　you　want　to　deal　with　them　when　we've
always　been　straight　with　you；　when　we're　ready　to　meet　them　and　go　one
better？　　Name　your　price。〃

〃Suppose　I　dowhat　then；〃　he　replied。　　〃This　thing's　gone　pretty　far。
Under　that　damned　new　charter　the　franchise　has　got　to　be　bid　forhasn't
it？　　And　the　people　want　this　company。　　There'll　be　a　howl　from　one　end
of　this　town　to　the　other　if　we　throw　'em　down。〃

〃We'll　look　out　for　the　public；〃　I　assured　him；　smiling。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　with　one　of　his　glances　that　were　like　flashes；　〃what
you　got　up　your　sleeve？〃

〃Suppose　another　telephone　company　steps　in；　and　bids　a　little　higher　for
the　franchise。　　That　relieves；　your　aldermen　of　all　responsibility；
doesn't　it？〃

〃Another　telephone　company！〃　he　repeated。

I　had　already　named　it　on　my　walk。

〃The　Interurban；〃　I　said。

〃A　dummy　company？〃　said　Mr。　Jason。

〃Lively　enough　to　bid　something　over　a　hundred　thousand　to　the　city　for
its　franchise；〃　I　replied。

Judd　Jason；　with　a　queer　look；　got　up　and　went　to　a　desk　in　a　dark
corner；　and　after　rummaging　for　a　few　moments　in　one　of　the　pigeon…holes；
drew　forth　a　glass　cylinder；　which　he　held　out　as　he　approached　me。

〃You　get　it；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　said。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked；　〃a　bomb！〃

〃That；〃　he　announced；　as　he　twisted　the　tube　about　in　his　long　fingers；
holding　it　up　to　the　light；　〃is　the　finest　brand　of　cigars　ever　made　in
Cuba。　　A　gentleman　who　had　every　reason　to　be　grateful　to　meI　won't　say
who　he　wasgave　me　that　once。　　Well；　the　Lord　made　me　so's　I　can't
appreciate　any　better　tobacco　than　those　five…cent　'Bobtails'　Monahan's
got　downstairs；　and　I　saved　it。　　I　saved　it　for　the　man　who　would　put
something　over　me　some　day；　andyou　get　it。〃

〃Thank　you；〃　I　said；　unconsciously　falling　in　with　the　semi…ceremony　of
his　manner。　　〃I　do　not　flatter　myself　that　the　solution　I　have　suggested
did　not　also　occur　to　you。〃

〃You'll　smoke　it？〃　he　asked。

〃Surely。〃

〃Now？　　Here　with　me？〃

〃Certainly；〃　I　agreed；　a　little　puzzled。　　As　I　broke　the　seal；　pulled　out
the　cork　and　unwrapped　the　cigar　from　its　gold　foil　he　took　a　stick　and
rapped　loudly　on　the　floor。　　After　a　brief　interval　footsteps　were　heard
on　the　stairs　and　Mike　Monahan；　white　aproned　and　scarlet　faced；　appeared
at　the　door。

〃Bobtails；〃　said　Mr。　Jason；　laconically。

〃It's　them　I　thought　ye'd　be　wanting；〃　said　the　saloon…keeper；　holding
out　a　handful。　　Judd　Jason　lighted　one；　and　began　smoking　reflectively。

I　gazed　about　the　mean　room；　with　its　litter　of　newspapers　and　reports；
its　shabby　furniture；　and　these　seemed　to　have　become　incongruous；　out　of
figure　in　the　chair　facing　me　keeping　with　the　thoughtful　figure　in　the
chair　facing　me。

〃You　had　a　college　education；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　remarked　at　length。

〃Yes。〃

〃Life's　a　queer　thing。　　Now　if　I'd　had　a　college　education；　like　you；　and
you'd　been　thrown　on　the　world；　like　me；　maybe　I'd　be　livin'　up　there　on
Grant　Avenue　and　you'd　be　down　here　over　the　saloon。〃

〃Maybe；〃　I　said；　wondering　uneasily　whether　he　meant　to　imply　a
similarity　in　our　gifts。　　But　his　manner　remained　impassive；　speculative。

〃Ever　read　Carlyle's　'French　Revolution'？〃　he　asked　suddenly。

〃Why；　yes；　part　of　it；　a　good　while　ago。〃

〃When　you　was　in　college？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃I've　got　a　little　library　here；〃　he　said；　getting　up　and　raising　the
shades　and　opening　the　glass　doors　of　a　bookcase　which　had　escaped　my
attention。　　He　took　down　a　volume　of　Carlyle；　bound　in　half　calf。

〃Wouldn't　think　I　cared　for　such　things；　would　you？〃　he　demanded　as　he
handed　it　to　me。

〃Well；　you　never　can　tell　what　a　man's　real　tastes　are　until　you　know
him；〃　I　observed；　to　conceal　my　surprise。

〃That's　so；〃　he　agreed。　　〃I　like　bookssome　books。　　If　I'd　had　an
education；　I'd　have　liked　more　of　'em；　known　more　about　'em。　　Now　I　can
read　this　one　over　and　over。　　That　feller　Carlyle　was　a　genius；　he　could
look　right　into　the　bowels　of　the　volcano；　and　he　was　on　to　how　men　and
women　feet　down　there；　how　they　hate；　how　they　square　'emselves　when　they
get　a　chance。〃

He　had　managed　to　bring　before　me　vividly　that　terrible；　volcanic　flow　on
Versailles　of　the　Paris　mob。　　He　put　back　the　book　and　resumed　his　seat。

〃And　I　know　how　these　people　fed　down　here；　below　the　crust；〃　he　went　on；
waving　his　cigar　out　of　the　window；　as　though　to　indicate　the　whole　of
that　mean　district。　　〃They　hate；　and　their　hate　is　molten　hell。　　I've
been　through　it。〃

〃But　you've　got　on　top；〃　I　suggested。

〃Sure；　I've　got　on　top。　　Do　you　know　why？　it's　because　I　hatedthat's
why。　　A　man's　feelings；　if　they're　strong　enough；　have　a　lot　to　do　with
what　he　becomes。〃

〃But　he　has　to　have　ability；　too；〃　I　objected。

〃Sure；　he　has　to　have　ability；　but　his　feeling　is　the　driving　power　if　he
feels　strong　enough；　he　can　make　a　little　ability　go　a　long　way。〃

I　was　struck　by　the　force　of　this　remark。　　I　scarcely　recognized　Judd
Jason。　　The　man；　as　he　revealed　himself；　had　become　at　once　more　sinister
and　more　fascinating。

〃I　can　guess　how　some　of　those　Jacobins　felt　when　they　had　the
aristocrats　in　the　dock。　　They'd　got　on　topthe　Jacobins；　I　mean。　　It's
human　nature　to　want　to　get　on　topain't　it？〃　　He　looked　at　me　and
smiled；　but　he　did　not　seem　to　expect　a　reply。　　〃Well；　what　you　call
society；　rich；　respectable　society　like　you　belong　to　would　have　made　a
bum　and　a　criminal　out　of　me　if　I　hadn't　been　too　smart　for　'em；　and　it's
a　kind　of　satisfaction　to　have　'em　coming　down　here　to　Monahan's　for
things　they　can't　have　without　my　leave。　　I've　got　a　half　Nelson　on　'em。
I　wouldn't　live　up　on　Grant　Avenue　if　you　gave　me　Scherer's　new　house。〃

I　was　silent。

〃Instead　of　starting　my　career　in　college；　I　started　in　jail；〃　he　went
on；　apparently　ignoring　any　effect　he　may　have　produced。　　So　subtly；　so
dispassionately　indeed　was　he　delivering　himself　of　these　remarks　that　it
was　impossible　to　tell　whether　he　meant　their　application　to　be　personal；
to　me；　or　general；　to　my　associates。　　〃I　went　to　jail　when　I　was　fourteen
because　I　wanted　a　knife　to　make　kite　sticks；　and　I　stole　a　razor　from　a
barber。　　I　was　bitter　when　they　steered　me　into　a　lockup　in　Hickory
Street。　　It　was　full　of　bugs　and　crooks；　and　they　put　me　in　the　same　cell
with　an　old…timer　named　'Red'　Waters；　who　was　one　of　the　slickest　safe…
blowers　around　in　those　days。　　Red　took　a　shine　to　me；　found　out　I　had　a
head　piece；　and　said　their　gang　could　use　a　clever　boy。　　If　I'd　go　in
with　him；　I　could　make　all　kinds　of　money。　　I　guess　I　might　have　joined
the　gang　if　Red　hadn't　kept　talkingabout　how　the　boss　of　his　district
named　Gallagher　would　come　down　and　get　him　out；and　sure　enough
Gallagher　did　come　down　and　get　him　out。　　I　thought　I'd　rather　be
Gallagher　than　RedRed　had　to　serve　time　once　in　a　while。　　Soon　as　he
got　out　I　went　down　to　Gallagher's　saloon；　and　there　was　Red　leaning　over
the　bar。　　'Here's　a　smart　kid！　he　says；　'He