the vision spendid(美景)-第11节
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there burnt in him a passion for humanity that disease and poverty could
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THE VISION SPLENDID
not extinguish。
One night James Farnum dropped in to borrow some money from his
cousin and for ten minutes listened to such talk as he had never heard
before。 His mind moved among a group of orthodox and accepted ideas。 A
new one he always viewed as if it were a dynamite bomb timed to go off
shortly。 He was not only suspicious of it； he was afraid of it。
James was； it happened； in evening dress。 He took gingerly the chair
his cousin offered him between the hectic Marchant and a little Polish Jew。
The air was blue with the smoke from cheap tobacco。 More than one
of those present carried the marks of poverty。 But the note of the assembly
was a cheerful at…homeness。 James wondered what the devil his cousin
meant by giving this heterogeneous gathering the freedom of his rooms。
Dickinson； the single…taxer； was talking bitterly。 He was a big man
with a voice like a foghorn。 His idea of emphasis appeared to be pounding
the table with his blacksmith fist。
〃I tell you society doesn't want to hear about such things；〃 he was
declaiming。 〃It wants to go along comfortably without being disturbed。
Ignore everything that's not pleasant； that's liable to harrow the feelings。
The sins of our neighbors make spicy reading。 Fill the papers with 'em。
But their distresses and their poverty！ That's different。 Let's hear as little
about them as possible。 Let's keep it a well…regulated world。〃
Nearly everybody began to talk at once。 James caught phrases here
and there out of the melee。
〃。 。 。 Democratic institutions must either decay or become
revitalized。 。 。 。To hell with such courts。 They're no better than
anarchy。 。 。 。In Verden there are only two classes： those who don't get as
much as they earn and those who get more。 。 。 。 Tell you we've got to get
back to the land； got to make it free as air。 You can't be saved from
economic slavery till you have socialism。 。 。 。〃
Suddenly the hubbub subsided and Marchant had the floor。 〃All of
life's a compromise； a horrible unholy giving up as unpractical all the best
things。 It's a denial of love； of Christ； of God。〃
A young preacher who was conducting a mission for sailors on the
water front cut in。 〃Exactly。 The church is radically wrong because〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
〃Because it hasn't been converted to Christianity yet。 Mr。 Moneybags
in the front pew has got a strangle hold on the parson。 Begging your
pardon； Mifflin。 We know you're not that kind。〃
Marchant won the floor again。 〃Here's the nub of it。 A man's a slave so
long as his means of livelihood is dependent on some other man。 I don't
care whether it's lands or railroads or mines。 Abolish private property and
you abolish poverty。〃
They were all at it again； like dogs at a bone。 Across the Babel James
caught Jeff's gay grin at him。
By sheer weight Dickinson's voice boomed out of the medley。
〃。 。 。 just as Henry George says： 'Private ownership of land is the nether
mill…stone。 Material progress is the upper mill…stone。 Between them； with
an increasing pressure； the working classes are being ground。' We're just
beginning to see the effect of private property in land。 Within a few
years。 。 。 。〃
〃What we need is to get back to Democracy。 Individualism has run
wild。 。 。 。〃
〃Trouble is we can't get anywhere under the Constitution。 Every time
we make a movecheck。 It was adopted by aristocrats to hold back the
people and that's what it's done。 Law〃
Apparently nobody got a chance to finish his argument。 The Polish
Jew broke in sharply。 〃Law！ There iss no law。〃
〃Plenty of it； Sobieski； Go out on the streets and preach your
philosophic anarchy if you don't believe it。 See what it will do to you。
Law's a device to bolster up the strong and to hammer down the weak。〃
James had given a polite cynical indulgence to views so lost to reason
and propriety。 But he couldn't quite stand any more。 He made a sign to Jeff
and they adjourned to the next room。
〃Your friends always soso enthusiastic？〃 he asked with the slightest
lift of his upper lip。
〃Not always。 They're a little excited to…night because Harshaw
imprisoned those fourteen striking miners for contempt of court。〃
〃Don't manufacture bombs here； do you？〃
Jeff laughed。 〃We're warranted harmless。〃
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James offered him good advice。 〃That sort of talk doesn't lead to
anythingexcept trouble。 Men who get on don't question the fundamentals
of our social system。 It doesn't do； you know。 Take the constitution。 Now
I've studied it。 A wonderful document。 Gladstone said。〃
〃Yes； I know what Gladstone said。 I don't agree with him。 The
constitution was devised by men with property as a protection against
those who had none。〃
〃Why shouldn't it have been？〃
〃It should； if vested interests are the first thing to consider。 In there〃
with a smiling wave of his hand〃they think people are more important
than things。 A most unsettling notion！〃
〃Mean to say you believe all that rant they talk？〃
〃Not quite；〃 Jeff laughed。
〃Well； I'd cut that bunch of anarchists if I were you；〃 his cousin
suggested。 〃Say； Jeff； can you let me have fifty dollars？〃
Jeff considered。 He had been thinking of a new spring overcoat； but his
winter one would do well enough。 From the office he could get an advance
of the balance he needed to make up the fifty。
〃Sure。 I'll bring it to your rooms to…morrow night。〃
〃Much obliged。 Hate to trouble you；〃 James said lightly。 〃Well； I won't
keep you longer from your anarchist friends。 Good…night。〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 6
〃The cure for the evils of Democracy is more Democracy。〃 De
Tocqueville。
THE REBEL HUMBLY ASSISTS AT THE UNVEILING OF A
HERO'S STATUE
PART 1
On the occasion when his cousin was graduated with the highest
honors from the law school of Verden University Jeff sat inconspicuously
near the rear of the chapel。 James； as class orator； rose to his hour。 From
the moment that he moved slowly to the front of the platform； handsome
and impassive； his calm gaze sweeping over the audience while he waited
for the little bustle of expectancy to subside； Jeff knew that the name of
Farnum was going to be covered with glory。
The orator began in a low clear voice that reached to the last seat in the
gallery。 Jeff knew that before he finished its echoes would be ringing
through the hall like a trumpet call to the emotions of those present。
It was not destined that Jeff should hear a word of that stirring
peroration。 His eye fell by chance upon a young woman seated in a box
beside an elderly man whom he recognized as Peter C。 Frome。 From that
instant he was lost to all sense perception that did not focus upon her。 For
he was looking at the dryad who had come upon him out of the ferns three
years before。 She would never know it； but Alice Frome had saved him
from the weakness that might have destroyed him。 From that day he had
been a total abstainer。 Now as he looked at her the vivid irregular beauty
of the girl flowed through him like music。 Her charm for him lay deeper
than the golden gleams of imprisoned sunlight woven in her hair； than the
gallant poise of the little head above the slender figure。 Though these set
his heart beating wildly； a sure instinct told him of the fine and exquisite
spirit that found its home in her body。
She was leaning forward in her chair； her eyes fixed on James almost
as if she were fascinated by his oratory。 Her fa
