the vision spendid(美景)-第38节
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plains were being lined with traffic； school； mill and office hummed with
life。 He wondered why men were so busy and what they were trying to do。
He went to a railroad director and asked： 〃Why are you building
railroads？〃 〃For profits；〃 was the answer。 But a laborer beckoned him
aside and whispered： 〃Nowe are making the _World_ one neighborhood。
East is now next door to West； and all peoples dwell in one continuing
city。〃
The young man went to the boss of a labor union。 〃Why；〃 he asked；
〃do you spend your days breeding discontent and leading strikes？〃
〃Why？〃 repeated the leader fiercely； 〃that the workers receive more pay
for shorter hours。〃 〃No；〃 whispered a laborer； 〃we are teaching the
_World_ the sacred value of human beings。 We are learning how to be
brotherlyhow to stand up for each other。 James Oppenheim。
UNDER STRANGE CIRCUMSTANCES THE REBEL MAKES
HIS BOW TO POLITE SOCIETY。 TAKING AN APPLE AS A TEXT； HE
PREACHES ON THE RISE OF ADAM
PART 1
〃Man overboard！〃
Somebody on the liner sang it out。 Instantly there was a rush of
passengers to the side。 From the schooner a boat was being lowered and
manned。
〃I see him。 He's swimming this way。 I believe he's trying to escape；〃
one slender young woman cried。
〃Nonsense； Alice！ He fell overboard and he's probably so frightened
he doesn't know which way he is swimming。〃 This suggestion was from
the beautiful blonde with bronze hair who stood beside her under a tan
parasol held by a fresh…faced globetrotter。
〃Don't you believe it； Val。 Look how he's cutting through the water。
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THE VISION SPLENDID
He's trying to reach us。 Oh； I hope they won't get him。 Somebody get a
rope to throw out。〃
〃By Jove； you're right； Miss Alice；〃 cried the Englishman。 〃It's a race；
and it's going to be a near thing。〃 He disappeared and was presently back
with a rope。
〃Come on！ Come on！〃 screamed the passengers to the swimmer。 〃He's
ripping strong with that overhead stroke。 Ye gods； it's close！〃 exclaimed
the Britisher。
It was。 The swimmer reached the side of the ship not four yards in
front of the pursuing boat。 He caught at the trailing rope and began to
clamber up hand over hand； while the Englishman； a man standing near；
and Alice Frome dragged him up。
The mate of the Nancy Hanks； standing up in the boat； caught at his
foot and pulled。 The man's hold loosened on the rope。 He slid down a foot；
steadied himself。 Suddenly the left leg shot out and caught the grinning
mate in the mouth。 He went over backward into the bottom of the boat。
Before he could extricate himself from the tangle his fall had precipitated；
the dripping figure of the swimmer stood safely on the deck of the
_Bellingham。_
In his wet foul slops the man was a sight to draw stares。 The cabin
passengers moved back to give him a wide circle； as men do with a wet
retriever。
〃What does this mean； my man？〃 demanded the captain of the
_Bellingham；_ pushing forward。 He was a big red…faced figure with a
heavy roll of fat over his collar。
〃I have been shanghaied； sir。 From Verden。 I'm the editor of the
_World_ of that city。〃
〃That's a lie；〃 proclaimed the mate of the _Nancy Hanks_ ； who by this
time had reached the deck。 〃He's a nutty deckswabber we picked up at
'Frisco。〃
〃Why； it's Mr。 Farnum；〃 cried a fresh young voice from the circle。
The rescued man turned。 His eyes joined those of a slim golden girl
and he was struck dumb。
〃You know this man； Miss Frome？〃 the captain asked。
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THE VISION SPLENDID
〃I know him by sight。〃 She stepped to the front。 〃There can't be any
doubt about it。 He's Mr。 Farnum of Verden； the editor of the _World。_〃
〃You're quite sure？〃
〃Quite sure； Captain Barclay。 My cousin knows him； too。〃
The captain turned to Mrs。 Van Tyle。 She nodded languidly。
Barclay swung back to the mate of the _Nancy Hanks_ 。 〃I know your
kind； my man； and I can tell you that I think the penitentiary would be the
proper place for you and your captain； with my compliments to him。〃
〃Better come and pay 'em yourself； sir；〃 sneered the mate。
〃Get off my deck； you dirty crimp；〃 roared the captain。 〃Slide now； or
I'll have you thrown off。〃
Mr。 Jones made a hurried departure。 Once in the boat； he shook his fist
at Barclay and cursed him fluently。
The captain turned away promptly。 〃Mr。 Farwell； if you'll step this way
the steward will outfit you with some clothes。 If they don't fit they'll do
better than those togs you're wearing。〃
The English youth came forward with a suggestion。 〃Really； I think I
can do better than that for Mr。 Far〃 He hesitated for the name。
〃Farnum；〃 supplied the owner of it。
〃Ah！ You're about my size； Mr。 Farnum。 If you don't mind； you know；
you're quite welcome to anything I have。〃
〃Thank you very much。〃
〃Very well。 Mr。 FarwellFarnum； I meanshake hands with
Lieutenant Beauchamp；〃 and with the sense of duty done the worthy
captain dismissed the new arrival from his mind。
Jeff bowed to Miss Frome and followed his broad…shouldered guide to
a cabin。 He was conscious of an odd elation that had not entirely to do
with a brave adventure happily ended。 The impelling cause of it was rather
the hope of a braver adventure happily begun。
PART 2
〃By Jove； I envy you； Mr。 Farnum。 Didn't know people bucked into
adventures like that these tame days。 Think of actually being shanghaied。
It's like a novel。 My word； the ladies will make a lion of you！〃
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The Englishman was dragging a steamer trunk from under his bed。 It
needed no second glance at his frank boyish face to divine him a friend
worth having。 Fresh…colored and blue…eyed； he looked very much the
country gentleman Jeff had read about but never seen。 It was perhaps by
the gift of race that he carried himself with distinction； though the flat
straight back and the good shoulders of the cricketer contributed
somewhat； too。 Jeff sized him up as a resolute； clean…cut fellow； happily
endowed with many gifts of fortune to make him the likable chap he was。
Beauchamp threw out some clothes from a steamer trunk and left the
rescued man alone to dress。 Ten minutes later he returned。
〃Expect you'd like an interview with the barber。 I'll take you round。 By
the way； you'll let me be your banker till you reach Verden？〃
〃Thank you。 Since I must。〃
From the barber shop the Englishman took him to the dining saloon。
〃Awfully sorry you can't sit at our table； Mr。 Farnum。 It's full up。 You're to
be at the purser's。〃
Jeff let a smile escape into his eyes。 〃Suits me。 I've been at the bos'n's
for several weeks。〃
〃Beastly outrage。 We'll want to hear all about it。 Miss Frome's
tremendously excited。 Odd you and she hadn't met before。 Didn't know
Verden was such a big town。〃
〃I'm not a society man；〃 explained Jeff。 〃And it happens I've been
fighting her father politically for years。 Miss Frome and Mrs。 Van Tyle are
about the last people I would be likely to meet。〃
From his seat Jeff could see the cousins at the other end of the room。
They were seated near the head of the captain's table； and that officer was
paying particular attention to them； perhaps because the _Bellingham_
happened to be one of a line of boats owned by Joe Powers； perhaps
because both of them were very attractive young women。 They were types
entirely outside Farnum's very limited experience。 The indolence； the
sheathed perfection； the soft sensuous allure of the young widow seemed
to Jeff a product largely of her father's wealth。 But
