a far country-第99节

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open　cautiously；　passing　suddenly　out　of　the　cold　into　the　reeking；
heated　atmosphere　of　a　building　packed　with　human　beings。　　The　space
behind　the　rear　seats　was　filled　with　men　standing；　and　those　nearest
glanced　around　with　annoyance　at　the　interruption　of　my　entrance。　　I　made
my　way　along　the　wall；　finally　reaching　a　side　aisle；　whence　I　could　get
sight　of　the　platform　and　the　speaker。

I　heard　his　words　distinctly；　but　at　first　lacked　the　faculty　of
stringing　them　together；　or　rather　of　extracting　their　collective　sense。
The　phrases　indeed　were　set　ringing　through　my　mind；　I　found　myself
repeating　them　without　any　reference　to　their　meaning；　I　had　reached　the
peculiar　pitch　of　excitement　that　counterfeits　abnormal　calm；　and　all
sense　of　strangeness　at　being　there　in　that　meeting　had　passed　away。　　I
began　to　wonder　how　I　might　warn　Krebs；　and　presently　decided　to　send　him
a　note　when　he　should　have　finished　speakingbut　I　couldn't　make　up　my
mind　whether　to　put　my　name　to　the　note　or　not。　　Of　course　I　needn't　have
entered　the　hall　at　all：　I　might　have　sent　in　my　note　at　the　side　door。

I　must　have　wished　to　see　Krebs；　to　hear　him　speak；　to　observe；　perhaps；
the　effect　on　the　audience。　　In　spite　of　my　inability　to　take　in　what　he
was　saying；　I　was　able　to　regard　him　objectively；objectively；　in　a
restricted　sense。　　I　noticed　that　he　had　grown　even　thinner；　the　flesh
had　fallen　away　from　under　his　cheek…bones；　and　there　were　sharp；　deep；
almost　perpendicular　lines　on　either　side　of　his　mouth。　　He　was
emaciated；　that　was　the　word。　　Once　in　a　while　he　thrust　his　hand　through
his　dry；　ashy　hair　which　was　of　a　tone　with　the　paleness　of　his　face。
Such　was　his　only　gesture。

He　spoke　quietly；　leaning　with　one　elbow　against　the　side　of　his　reading
stand。　　The　occasional　pulsations　of　applause　were　almost　immediately
hushed；　as　though　the　people　feared　to　lose　even　a　word　that　should　fall
from　his　dry　lips。　　What　was　it　he　was　talking　about？　　I　tried　to
concentrate　my　attention；　with　only　partial　success。　　He　was　explaining
the　new　theory　of　city　government　that　did　not　attempt　to　evade；　but
dealt　frankly　with　the　human　needs　of　to…day；　and　sought　to　meet　those
needs　in　a　positive　way。。。　　　What　had　happened　to　me；　though　I　did　not
realize　it；　was　that　I　had　gradually　come　under　the　influence　of　a　tragic
spell　not　attributable　to　the　words　I　heard；　existing　independently　of
them；　pervading　the　spacious　hall；　weaving　into　unity　dissentient　minds。
And　then；　with　what　seemed　a　retarded　rather　than　sudden　awareness；　I
knew　that　he　had　stopped　speaking。　　Once　more　he　ran　his　hand　through　his
hair；　he　was　seemingly　groping　for　words　that　would　not　come。　　I　was
pierced　by　a　strange　agonythe　amazing　source　of　which；　seemed　to　be　a
smile　on　the　face　of　Hermann　Krebs；　an　ineffable　smile　illuminating　the
place　like　a　flash　of　light；　in　which　suffering　and　tragedy；　comradeship
and　loving　kindnessall　were　mingled。　　He　stood　for　a　moment　with　that
smile　on　his　faceswayed；　and　would　have　fallen　had　it　not　been　for　the
quickness　of　a　man　on　the　platform　behind　him；　and　into　whose　arms　he
sank。

In　an　instant　people　had　risen　in　their　seats；　men　were　hurrying　down　the
aisles；　while　a　peculiar　human　murmur　or　wail　persisted　like　an　undertone
beneath　the　confusion　of　noises；　striking　the　very　note　of　my　own
feelings。　　Above　the　heads　of　those　about　me　I　saw　Krebs　being　carried
off　the　platform。。。。　　The　chairman　motioned　for　silence　and　inquired　if
there　were　a　physician　in　the　audience；　and　then　all　began　to　talk　at
once。　　The　man　who　stood　beside　me　clutched　my　arm。

〃I　hope　he　isn't　dead！　Say；　did　you　see　that　smile？　　My　God；　I'll　never
forget　it！〃

The　exclamation　poignantly　voiced　the　esteem　in　which　Krebs　was　held。　　As
I　was　thrust　along　out　of　the　hall　by　the　ebb　of　the　crowd　still　other
expressions　of　this　esteem　came　to　me　in　fragments；　expressions　of　sorrow
and　dismay；　of　a　loyalty　I　had　not　imagined。　　Mingled　with　these　were
occasional　remarks　of　skeptics　shaken；　in　human　fashion；　by　the
suggestion　of　the　inevitable　end　that　never　fails　to　sober　and　terrify
humanity。

〃I　guess　he　was　a　bigger　man　than　we　thought。　　There　was　a　lot　of　sense
in　what　he　had　to　say。〃

〃There　sure　was；〃　the　companion　of　this　speaker　answered。

They　spoke　of　him　in　the　past　tense。　　I　was　seized　and　obsessed　by　the
fear　that　I　should　never　see　him　again；　and　at　the　same　moment　I　realized
sharply　that　this　was　the　one　thing　I　wantedto　see　him。　　I　pushed
through　the　people；　gained　the　street；　and　fairly　ran　down　the　alley　that
led　to　the　side　entrance　of　the　hall；　where　a　small　group　was　gathered
under　the　light　that　hung　above　the　doorway。　　There　stood　on　the　step；　a
little　above　the　others；　a　young　man　in　a　grey　flannel　shirt；　evidently　a
mechanic。　　I　addressed　him。

〃What　does　the　doctor　say？〃

Before　replying　he　surveyed　me　with　surprise　and；　I　think；　with
instinctive　suspicion　of　my　clothes　and　bearing。

〃What　can　he　say？〃　he　retorted。

〃You　mean？〃　I　began。

〃I　mean　Mr。　Krebs　oughtn't　never　to　have　gone　into　this　campaign；〃　he
answered；　relenting　a　trifle；　perhaps　at　the　tone　of　my　voice。　　〃He　knew
it；　too；　and　some　of　us　fellows　tried　to　stop　him。　　But　we　couldn't　do
nothing　with　him；〃　he　added　dejectedly。

〃What　isthe　trouble？〃　I　asked。

〃They　tell　me　it's　his　heart。　　He　wouldn't　talk　about　it。〃

〃When　I　think　of　what　he　done　for　our　union！〃　exclaimed　a　thick…set　man；
plainly　a　steel　worker。　　〃He's　just　wore　himself　out；　fighting　that
crooked　gang。〃　　He　stared　with　sudden　aggressiveness　at　me。　　〃Haven't　I
seen　you　some…wheres？〃　he　demanded。

A　denial　was　on　my　lips　when　the　sharp；　sinister　strokes　of　a　bell　were
heard　coming　nearer。

〃It's　the　ambulance；〃　said　the　man　on　the　step。

Glancing　up　the　alley　beyond　the　figures　of　two　policemen　who　had　arrived
and　were　holding　the　people　back；　I　saw　the　hood　of　the　conveyance　as　it
came　to　a　halt；　and　immediately　a　hospital　doctor　and　two　assistants
carrying　a　stretcher　hurried　towards　us；　and　we　made　way　for　them　to
enter。　　After　a　brief　interval；　they　were　heard　coming　slowly　down　the
steps　inside。　　By　the　white；　cruel　light　of　the　arc　I　saw　Krebs　lying
motionless。。。。　　I　laid　hold　of　one　of　the　men　who　had　been　on　the
platform。　　He　did　not　resent　the　act；　he　seemed　to　anticipate　my
question。

〃He's　conscious。　　The　doctors　expect　him　to　rally　when　he　gets　to　the
hospital。〃

I　walked　back　to　the　Club　to　discover　that　several　inquiries　had　been
made　about　me。　　Reporters　had　been　there；　Republican　Headquarters　had
telephoned　to　know　if　I　were　ill。　　Leaving　word　that　I　was　not　to　be
disturbed　under　any　circumstances；　I　went　to　my　room；　and　spent　most　of
the　night　in　distracted　thought。　　When　at　last　morning　came　I　breakfasted
early；　searching　the　newspapers　for　accounts　of　the　occurrence　at
Templar's　Hall；　and　the　fact　that　these　were　neither　conspicuous　nor
circumstantial　was　in　the　nature　of　a　triumph　of　self…control　on　the　part
of　editors　and　reporters。　　News；　however　sensational；　had　severely　to　be
condensed　in　the　interest　of　a　cause；　and　at　this　critical　stage　of　the
campaign　to　make　a　tragic　hero　of　Hermann　Krebs　would　have　been　the
height　of　folly。　　There　were　a　couple　of　paragraphs　giving　the　gist　of
his　speech；　and　a　statement　at　the　end　that　he　had　been　taken　ill　and
conveyed　to　the　Presbyterian　Hospital。。。。

The　hospital　itself　loomed　up　before　me　that　Sunday　morning　as　I
approached　it　along　Ballantyne　Street；　a　diluted　sunshine　washing　the
extended；　businesslike　facade　of　grimy；　yellow　brick。　　We　were　proud　of
that　hospital　in　the　city；　and　many　of　our　foremost　citizens　had
contributed　large　sums　of　money　to　the　building；　scarcely　ten　years　old。
It　had　been　one　of　Maude's　interests。　　I　was　ushered　into　the　reception
room；　where　presently　came　the　physician　in　charge；　a　Dr。　Castle；　one　of
those　quiet…mannered；　modern　young　medical　men　who　bear　on　their　persons
the　very　stamp　of　efficiency；　of　the　dignity　of　a　scientific　profession。
His　greeting　implied　that　he　knew　all　about　me；　his　presence　seemed　to
increase　the　agitation　I　tried　not　to　betray；　and　must　have　betrayed。

〃Can　I　do　anything　for　you；　Mr。　Paret？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　come　to　inquire　about　Mr。　Krebs；　who　was　brought　here　last　night；
I　believe。〃

I　was　aware　for　an　instant　of　his　penetrating；　professional　glance；　the
only　indication　of　the　surprise　he　must　have　felt　that　Hermann　Krebs；　of
all　men；　should　be　the　object　of　my　solicitude。

〃Why；　we　sent　him　home　this　morning。　　Nineteen　twenty　six　Fowler　Street。
He　wanted　to　go；　and　there　was　no　use　in　his　staying。〃

〃He　will　recover？〃　I　asked。

The　physician　shook　his　head；　gazing　at　me　through　his　glasses。

〃He　may　live　a　month；　Mr。　Paret；　he　may　die　to…morrow。　　He　ought　never　to
have　gone　into　this　campaign；　he　knew　he　had　this　trouble。　　Hepburn
warned　him　three　months　ago；　and　there's　no　man　who　knows　more　about　the
heart　than　Hepburn。〃

〃Then　there's　no　hope？〃　I　asked。

〃Absolutely　none。　　It's　a　great　pity。〃　　He　added；　after　a　moment；　〃Mr。
Krebs　was　a　remarkable　man。〃

〃Nineteen　twenty…six　Fowler　Street？〃　I　repeated。

〃Yes。〃

I　held　o