the vision spendid(美景)-第45节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
（3） That the _Herald；_ the _Advocate；_ and the _World_ severally
agree to print on the front page for a week the findings of the committee as
soon as received and exactly as received； without any editorial or other
comment whatsoever。
By the decision of this committee Jefferson Farnum pledges himself to
abide。 If found guilty； he will at once resign from the editorial charge of
the _World_ and will leave Verden forever。
174
… Page 175…
THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 19
The practical man is the man who knows what can't be done。 When he
begins to let hope take the place of information in this regard； he becomes
a conservative。 When prejudice takes the place of hope； the mere
conservative graduates into a tory； or a justice of the supreme court。 It's all
a matter of the chemistry of substitution。 Dr。G。L。 Knapp。
THE SAFE MAN FURNISHES DIVERSION
PART 1
For once the machine had overplayed its hand。 Caught unexpectedly
by Jeff's return； no effective counter attack was possible。 Dunn's story in
the _World_ swept the city and the state like wildfire。 It was a crouched
dramatic narrative and its effect was telling。 From it only one inference
could be drawn。 The big corporations； driven to the wall； had attempted a
desperate coup to save the day。 It was all very well for Big Tim to file a
libel suit。 The mind of the public was made up。
The mass meeting at the State House drew an enormous crowd； one so
great that overflow meetings had to be held。 Every corridor in the building
was full of excited jostling people。 They poured into the gallery of the
Senate room and packed the rear of the floor itself。 Against such a
demonstration the upper house did not dare pass the Garman bill
immediately。 It was held over for a few days to give the public emotion a
chance to die。 Instead； the resentment against machine and corporate
domination grew more bitter。 Stinging resolutions from the back counties
were wired to members who had backslidden。 Committees of prominent
citizens from up state and across the mountains arrived at Verden for
heart…to… heart talks with the assemblymen from their districts。
At a hurried meeting of the managers of the public utilities companies
it was decided that the challenge of the _World_ must be accepted。 For
many who had believed in the total depravity of Jefferson Farnum were
beginning to doubt。 Unless the man's character could be impeached
successfully the day was lost。 And with four witnesses against him how
175
… Page 176…
THE VISION SPLENDID
could the trouble maker escape？
The committee of investigation consisted of Senator Frome； Clinton
Rogers； the shipbuilder； Thomas Elliott； a law partner of Hardy； James
Moran； a wholesale wheat shipper； and the leading clergyman of Verden。 It
sat behind locked doors； adjourning from one office to another to obtain
secrecy。
For the defense appeared as witnesses Marchant； Miller； Mrs。
Anderson and Nellie。 To doubt the truth of the young wife's story was
impossible。 The agony of shyness and shame that flushed her； the simple
broken words of her little tragedy； bore the stamp of minted gold。 It was
plain to see that she was a victim of betrayal； being slowly won back to
love of life by her husband and her child。
The committee in its report told the facts briefly without giving names。
Even P。 C。 Frome could find no excuse for not signing it。
The effect was instantaneous。 On this one throw the machine had
staked everything。 That it had lost was now plain。 In a day Jeff was the
hero of Verden； of the state at large。 His long fight for reform； the dramatic
features of the shanghaing and his return； the collapse of the charges
against his character； all contributed to lift him to dizzy popularity。 He was
the very much embarrassed man of the hour。
All the power of the Transcontinental； of the old city hall gang； of the
money that had been spent to corrupt the legislature； was unable to roll
back the tide of public determination。 White…faced assemblymen sneaked
into offices at midnight to return the bribe money for which they dared not
deliver the goods。 Two days after the report of the investigating committee
Jeff's bill passed the Senate。 Within three hours it was signed by Governor
Hawley。 That it would be ratified by a vote of the people and so become a
part of the state constitution was a foregone conclusion。
Jeff and his friends had forged the first of the tools they needed to
rescue the government of the state from the control of the allied
plunderers。
PART 2
In the days following her return to Verden Alice Frome devoured the
176
… Page 177…
THE VISION SPLENDID
newspapers as she never had before。 They were full of the dramatic
struggle between Jeff Farnum and the forces which hitherto had controlled
the city and state。 To her the battle was personal。 It centered on the attacks
made upon the character of her friend and his pledge to refute them。
When she read in the _Advocate_ the report of the committee Alice
wept。 It was like her friend； she thought； to risk his reputation for some
poor lost wanderer of the streets。 Another man might have done it for the
girl he loved or for the woman he had married。 But with Jeff it would be
for one of the least of these。 There flashed into her mind an old Indian
proverb she had read。 〃I met a hundred men on the road to Delhi； and they
were all my brothers。〃 Yes！ None were too deep sunk in the mire to be
brothers and sisters to Jeff Farnum。
Ever since her return Alice had known herself in disgrace with her
father and that small set in which she moved。 Her part in the big _World_
story had been 〃most regrettable。〃 It was felt that in letting her name be
mentioned beside that of one who was a thoroughly disreputable vagabond
she had compromised her exclusiveness and betrayed the cause of her
class。 Her friends recalled that Alice had always been a queer girl。
Her father and Ned Merrill agreed over a little luncheon at the Verden
Club that girls were likely to lose themselves in sentimental foolishness
and that the best way to stop such nonsense was for one to get married to a
safe man。 Pending this desirable issue she ought to be diverted by pleasant
amusements。
The safe man offered to supply these。
PART 3
The farthest thing from Merrill's thoughts had been to discuss with her
the confounded notions she had somehow absorbed。 The thing to do； of
course； was to ignore them and assume everything was all right。 After all；
of what importance were the opinions of a girl about practical things？
How the thing cropped up he did not afterward remember； but at the
thirteenth green he found himself mentioning that all reformers were out
of touch with facts。 They were not practical。
The smug finality of his verdict nettled her。 This may or may not have
177
… Page 178…
THE VISION SPLENDID
been the reason she sliced her ball； quite unnecessarily。 But it was
probably due to her exasperation at the wasted stroke that she let him have
it。
〃I'm tired of that word。 It means to be suicidally selfish。 There's not
another word in the language so abused。〃
〃Didn't catch the word that annoys you；〃 the young man smiled。
〃Practical！ You used it yourself。 It means to tear down and not build up；
to be so near…sighted you can't see beyond your reach。 Your practical man
is the least hopeful member of the community。 He stands only for material
progress。 His own； of course！〃
〃You sound like a Farnum editorial； Alice。〃
〃Do I？〃 she flashed。 〃Then I'll give you the rest o
