the vision spendid(美景)-第30节
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Powers scornfully。
〃Merrill and Frome have been thinking of him just as you do。〃 James
waved his hand toward the newspaper in front of the railroad king。 〃With
what result our election shows。〃
〃Well； where does his power lie？ How can you break it？〃 the old man
asked。
〃He is a kind of brother to the lame and the halt all over the state。
Among the poor and the working classes he has friends without number。
They believe in him as a patriot fighting for them against the foes of the
country。〃
〃Do you call me a foe of the country； young man？〃 Powers wanted to
know grimly。
〃Not I；〃 laughed James。 〃Why should I quarrel with my bread and jam？
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If you had ever done me the honor to read any of my speeches you would
see that I refer to you as a Pioneer of Civilization and a Builder for the
Future。 But my view doesn't happen to be universal。 I was trying to show
you how the man with the dinner pail feels。〃
〃Who fills his dinner pails？〃
James met his frown with a genial eye。 〃There's a difference of opinion
about that； sir。 According to the economics of Verden University you fill
them。 According to the _World_ editorials it's the other way。 They fill
yours。〃
〃Hmp！ And what's your personal opinion？ Am I a robber of labor？〃
〃I think that the price of any success worth while is paid for in the
failure of others。 You win because you're strong； sir。 That's the law of the
game。 It's according to the survival of the fittest that you're where you are。
If you had hesitated some other man would have trampled you down。 It's a
case of wolf eat wolf。〃
The old railroad builder laughed harshly。 This was the first time in his
experience that a subordinate had so analyzed him to his face。
〃So I'm a wolf； am I？〃
〃In one sense of the word you're not that at all； sir。 You're a great
builder。 You've done more for the Northwest than any man living。 You
couldn't have done it if you had been squeamish。 I hold the end justifies
the means。 What you've got is yours because you've won it。 Men who do a
great work for the public are entitled to great rewards。〃
〃Glad to know you've got more sense than that fool cousin of yours。
Now go home and beat him。 I don't care how you do it； just so that you get
results。 Spend what money you need。 but make good； young manmake
good。〃
〃I'll do my best；〃 James promised。
〃All I demand is that you win。 I'm not interested in the method you use。
But put that cousin of yours out of the demagogue business if you have to
shanghai him。〃
James laughed。 〃That might not be a bad way to get rid of him till after
the election。 The word would leak out that he had been bought off。〃
The old buccaneer's eyes gleamed。 He was as daring a lawbreaker as
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THE VISION SPLENDID
ever built or wrecked a railroad。 〃Have you the nerve； young man？〃
〃When I'm working for you； sir；〃 retorted James coolly。
〃What do you mean by that？〃
〃If I've studied your career to any purpose； sir； one thing stands out
pretty clear。 You haven't the slightest respect for law merely as law。 When
it's on your side you're a stickler for it； when it isn't you say nothing； but
brush it aside as if it did not exist。 In either case you get what you want。〃
〃I'm glad you've noticed that last point。 Now we'll have luncheon。〃 He
smiled grimly。 〃I daresay you'll enjoy it no less because I stole it from the
horny hand of labor； by your mad cousin's way of it。〃
〃Not a bit；〃 answered James cheerfully。
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CHAPTER 13
〃Must it be？ Must we then Render back to God again This； His broken
work； this thing For His man that once did sing？〃 Josephine Prestor
Peabody。
〃And listen！ I declare to you that if all is as you sayand I do not
doubt ityou have never ceased to be virtuous in the sight of God！〃
Victor Hugo。
THE REBEL PROVES THAT HE IS LOST TO GOOD FORM AND
RESPECTABILITY BY STEPPING BETWEEN A SINNER AND THE
WAGES OF SIN； THUS EVIDENCING TO THE PILLARS OF
SOCIETY HIS COMPLETE DEGENERATION
PART 1
Sam Miller came into Jeff's office one night as he was looking over the
editorials。 Farnum nodded abstractedly to him。
〃Take a chair； Sam。 Be through in a minute。〃
Presently Jeff pushed the galley proof to one side and looked at his
friend。 〃Well； Sam？〃 Almost at once he added： 〃What's the matter？〃
There were queer white patches on Miller's fat face。 He looked like a
man in hell。 A lump rose in his throat。 Two or three times he swallowed
hard。
〃It'sit's Nellie。〃
〃Nellie Anderson？〃
He nodded。
Jeff felt as if his heart had been drenched in icy water。 〃What about
her？〃
〃She'sgone。〃
〃Gone where？〃
〃We don't know。 She left Friday。 There was a note for her mother。 It
said to forget her； because she was a disgrace to her name。〃
〃You mean〃 Jeff did not finish his question。 He knew what the
answer was； and in his soul lay a reflection of the mortal sickness he saw
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in his friend's face。
Miller nodded； unable to speak。 Presently his words came brokenly。
〃She's been acting strangely for a long time。 Her mother noticed it。 。 。 。 So
did I。 Like as if she wasn't happy。 We've been worried。 I 。 。 。I 。 。 。〃 He
buried his face in his arm on the table。 〃My God； I love her； Jeff。 I have for
years。 If I'd only known 。 。 。 if she'd only told me。〃
Jeff was white as the galley proof that lay before him with the
unprinted side up。 〃Tell me all about it； Sam。〃
Miller looked up。 〃That's all。 We don't know where she's gone。 She
had no money to speak of。〃
〃And the man？〃 Jeff almost whispered。
〃We don't know who he is。 Might be any one of the clerks at the
Verden Dry Goods Company。
Maybe it's none of them。 If I knew I'd cut his heart out。〃
The clock on the wall ticked ten times before Jeff spoke。 〃Did she go
alone？〃
〃We don't know。 None of the clerks are missing from the store where
she worked。 I checked up with the manager yesterday。〃
Another long silence。 〃They may have rooms in town here。〃
〃Not likely。〃 Presently Miller added miserably： 〃She'sgoing to be a
mother soon。 We found the doctor she went to see。〃
〃You're sure she hasn't been married？ Of course you've looked over the
marriage licenses for the past year。〃
〃Yes。 Her name isn't on the list。〃
〃Did she have money？〃
〃About fifteen dollars； we figure。〃
〃That wouldn't take her farunless the man gave her some。 Have you
been to a detective agency？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃We'll put blind ads in all the papers telling her to come home。 We'll
rake the city and the state with a fine tooth comb。 We're bound to hear of
her。〃
〃She's desperate； Jeff。 If she's alone she'll think she has no friends。
We've got to find her in time or〃
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Jeff guessed the alternative。 She might take the easy way out； the one
which offered an escape from all her earthly troubles。 Girls of her type
often did。 Nellie was made for laughter and for happiness。 He had known
her innocent as a sunbeam and as glad。 Now that she was in the pit； facing
disgrace and disillusionment and despair； the horror and the dread of
existence to her would be a millstone round her neck。
The damnable unfairness of it took。 Jeff by the throat。 Was it her fault
that she had inherited a temperament where passions lurked unsuspected
like a banked fire？ Was she to blame because her mother had brought her
up without warning； because she had believed in the love and the honor of
a villain？ Her very faith and trust had betrayed her。 Every honest instinct
in him cried
