the path of the king-第45节

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CHAPTER　14。　THE　END　OF　THE　ROAD

When　Edward　M。　Stanton　was　associated　at　Cincinnati　in　1857　with　Abraham　Lincoln　in　the　great　McCormick　Reaper　patent　suit；　it　was　commonly　assumed　that　this　was　the　first　time　the　two　men　had　met。　Such　was　Lincoln's　view；　for　his　memory　was　apt　to　have　blind　patches　in　it。　But　in　fact　there　had　been　a　meeting　fifteen　years　before；　the　recollection　of　which　in　Stanton's　mind　had　been　so　overlaid　by　the　accumulations　of　a　busy　life　that　it　did　not　awake　till　after　the　President's　death。

In　the　early　fall　of　1842　Stanton　had　occasion　to　visit　Illinois。　He　was　then　twenty…five　years　of　age；　and　had　already　attained　the　position　of　leading　lawyer　in　his　native　town　of　Steubenville　in　Ohio　and　acted　as　reporter　of　the　Supreme　Court　of　that　State。　He　was　a　solemn　reserved　young　man；　with　a　square　fleshy　face　and　a　strong　ill…tempered　jaw。　His　tight　lips　curved　downwards　at　the　corners　and；　combined　with　his　bold　eyes；　gave　him　an　air　of　peculiar　shrewdness　and　purpose。　He　did　not　forget　that　he　came　of　good　professional　stockNew　England　on　one　side　and　Virginia　on　the　otherand　that　he　was　college…bred；　unlike　the　common　backwoods　attorney。　Also　he　was　resolved　on　a　great　career；　with　the　White　House　at　the　end　of　it；　and　was　ready　to　compel　all　whom　he　met　to　admit　the　justice　of　his　ambition　The　conscious　of　uncommon　talent　and　a　shining　future　gave　him　a　self…possession　rare　in　a　young　man；　and　a　complacence　not　unlike　arrogance。　His　dress　suited　his　pretensionsthe　soft　rich　broadcloth　which　tailors　called　doeskin；　and　linen　of　a　fineness　rare　outside　the　eastern　cities。　He　was　not　popular　in　Ohio；　but　he　was　respected　for　his　sharp　tongue；　subtle　brain；　and　intractable　honesty。

His　business　finished；　he　had　the　task　of　filling　up　the　evening；　for　he　could　not　leave　for　home　till　the　morrow。　His　host；　Mr。　George　Curtin；　was　a　little　shy　of　his　guest　and　longed　profoundly　to　see　the　last　of　him。　It　was　obvious　that　this　alert　lawyer　regarded　the　Springfield　folk　as　mossbackswhich　might　be　well　enough　for　St。　Louis　and　Chicago；　but　was　scarcely　becoming　in　a　man　from　Steubenville。　Another　kind　of　visitor　he　might　have　taken　to　a　chickenfight；　but　one　glance　at　Stanton　barred　that　solution。　So　he　compromised　on　Speed's　store。

〃There's　one　or　two　prominent　citizens　gathered　there　most　nights；〃　he　explained。　〃Like　as　not　we'll　find　Mr。　Lincoln。　I　reckon　you've　heard　of　Abe　Lincoln？〃

Mr。　Stanton　had　not。　He　denied　the　imputation　as　if　he　were　annoyed。

〃Well；　we　think　a　mighty　lot　of　him　round　here。　He's　Judge　Logan's　law　partner　and　considered　one　of　the　brightest　in　Illinois。　He's　been　returned　to　the　State　Legislature　two　or　three　times；　and　he's　a　dandy　on　the　stump。　A　hot　Whig　and　none　the　worse　of　that；　though　I　reckon　them's　not　your　politics。　。　。　。　We're　kind　of　proud　of　him　in　Sangamon　county。　No；　not　a　native。　Rode　into　the　town　one　day　five　years　back　from　New　Salem　with　all　his　belongings　in　a　saddle…bag；　and　started　business　next　morning　in　Joe　Speed's　back　room。　。　。　。　　He's　good　company；　Abe；　for　you　never　heard　a　better　man　to　tell　a　story。　You'd　die　of　laughing。　Though　I　did　hear　he　was　a　sad　man　just　now　along　of　being　crossed　in　love；　so　I　can't　promise　you　he'll　be　up　to　his　usual；　if　he's　at　Speed's　to…night。〃

〃I　suppose　the　requirements　for　a　western　lawyer；〃　said　Mr。　Stanton　acidly；　〃are　a　gift　of　buffoonery　and　a　reputation　for　gallantry。〃　He　was　intensely　bored；　and　had　small　desire　to　make　the　acquaintance　of　provincial　celebrities。

Mr。　Curtin　was　offended；　but　could　think　of　no　suitable　retort；　and　as　they　were　close　on　Speed's　store　he　swallowed　his　wrath　and　led　the　way　through　alleys　of　piled　merchandise　to　the　big　room　where　the　stove　was　lighted。

It　was　a　chilly　fall　night　and　the　fire　was　welcome。　Half　a　dozen　men　sat　smoking　round　it；　with　rummers　of　reeking　toddy　at　their　elbows。　They　were　ordinary　citizens　of　the　place；　and　they　talked　of　the　last　horseraces。　As　the　new…comers　entered　they　were　appealing　to　a　figure　perched　on　a　high　barrel　to　decide　some　point　in　dispute。

This　figure　climbed　down　from　its　perch；　as　they　entered；　with　a　sort　of　awkward　courtesy。　It　was　a　very　tall　man；　thin　almost　to　emaciation；　with　long　arms　and　big　hands　and　feet。　He　had　a　lean；　powerful…looking　head；　marred　by　ugly　projecting　ears　and　made　shapeless　by　a　mass　of　untidy　black　hair。　The　brow　was　broad　and　fine；　and　the　dark　eyes　set　deep　under　it；　the　nose；　too；　was　good；　but　the　chin　and　mouth　were　too　small　for　the　proportions　of　the　face。　The　mouth；　indeed；　was　so　curiously　puckered；　and　the　lower　lip　so　thick　and　prominent；　as　to　give　something　of　a　comic　effect。　The　skin　was　yellow；　but　stretched　so　firm　and　hard　on　the　cheek　bones　that　the　sallowness　did　not　look　unhealthy。　The　man　wore　an　old　suit　of　blue　jeans　and　his　pantaloons　did　not　meet　his　coarse　unblacked　shoes　by　six　inches。　His　scraggy　throat　was　adorned　with　a　black　neckerchief　like　a　boot…lace。

〃Abe；〃　said　Mr。　Curtin；　〃I　would　like　to　make　you　known　to　my　friend　Mr。　Stanton　of　Ohio。〃

The　queer　face　broke　into　a　pleasant　smile；　and　the　long　man　held　out　his　hand。

〃Glad　to　know　you；　Mr。　Stanton；〃　he　said；　and　then　seemed　to　be　stricken　with　shyness。　His　wandering　eye　caught　sight　of　a　new　patent　churn　which　had　just　been　added　to　Mr。　Speed's　stock。　He　took　two　steps　to　it　and　was　presently　deep　in　its　mechanism。　He　turned　it　all　ways；　knelt　beside　it　on　the　floor；　took　off　the　handle　and　examined　it；　while　the　rest　of　the　company　pressed　Mr。　Stanton　to　a　seat　by　the　fire。

〃I　heard　Abe　was　out　at　Rochester　helping　entertain　Ex…　President　Van　Buren；〃　said　Mr。　Curtin　to　the　store…keeper。

〃I　reckon　he　was；〃　said　Speed。　〃He　kept　them　roaring　till　morning。　Judge　Peck　told　me　he　allowed　Mr。　Van　Buren　would　be　stiff　for　a　month　with　laughing　at　Abe's　tales。　It's　curious　that　a　man　who　don't　use　tobacco　or　whisky　should　be　such　mighty　good　company。〃

〃I　wish　Abe'd　keep　it　up；〃　said　another。　〃Most　of　the　time　now　he　goes　about　like　a　sick　dog。　What's　come　to　him；　Joe？〃

Mr。　Speed　hushed　his　voice。　〃He's　got　his　own　troubles。　。　。　。　　He's　a　deep…feeling　man；　and　can't　forget　easily　like　you　and　me。　。　。　。　　But　things　is　better　with　him；　and　I　kind　of　hope　to　see　him　wed　by　Thanks。　giving　Day。　。　。　。　　Look　at　him　with　that　churn。　He's　that　inquisitive　he　can't　keep　his　hands　off　no　new　thing。〃

But　the　long　man　had　finished　his　inquiry　and　rejoined　the　group　by　the　stove。

〃I　thought　you　were　a　lawyer；　Mr。　Lincoln；〃　said　Stanton；　〃but　you　seem　to　have　the　tastes　of　a　mechanic。〃

The　other　grinned。　〃I've　a　fancy　for　any　kind　of　instrument；　for　I　was　a　surveyor　in　this　county　before　I　took　to　law。〃

〃George　Washington　also　was　a　surveyor。〃

〃Also；　but　not　LIKEWISE。　I　don't　consider　I　was　much　of　a　hand　with　the　compass　and　chains。〃

〃It　is　the　fashion　in　Illinois；　I　gather；　for　the　law　to　be　the　last　in　a　series　of　many　pursuitsthe　pool　where　the　driftwood　from　many　streams　comes　to　rest。〃　Mr。　Stanton　spoke　with　the　superior　air　of　one　who　took　his　profession　seriously　and　had　been　trained　for　it　in　the　orthodox　fashion。

〃It　was　so　in　my　case。　I've　kept　a　post…office；　and　I've　had　a　store；　and　I've　had　a　tavern；　and　I　kept　them　so　darned　bad　that　I'm　still　paying　off　the　debts　I　made　in　them。〃　The　long　man　made　the　confession　with　a　comic　simplicity。

〃There's　a　deal　to　be　said　for　the　habit；'t　said　Speed。　〃Having　followed　other　trades　teaches　a　lawyer　something　about　human　nature。　I　reckon　Abe　wouldn't　be　the　man　he　is　if　he　had　studied　his　books　all　his　days。〃

〃There　is　another　side　to　that；〃　said　Mr。　Stanton　and　his　precise　accents　and　well…modulated　voice　seemed　foreign　in　that　homely　place。　〃You　are　also　a　politician；　Mr。　Lincoln？〃

The　other　nodded。　〃Of　a　kind。　I'm　a　strong　Henry　Clay　man。〃

〃Well；　there　I　oppose　you。　I'm　no　Whig　or　lover　of　Whigs。　But　I'm　a　lover　of　the　Constitution　and　the　law　of　the　country；　and　that　Constitution　and　that　country　are　approaching　perilous　times。　There's　explosive　stuff　about　which　is　going　to　endanger　the　stability　of　the　noble　heritage　we　have　received　from　our　fathers；　and　if　that　heritage　is　to　be　saved　it　can　only　be　by　those　who　hold　fast　to　its　eternal　principles。　This　land　can　only　be　saved　by　its　lawyers；　sir。　But　they　must　be　lawyers　profoundly　read　in　the　history　and　philosophy　of　their　profession；　and　no　catchpennny　advocates　with　a　glib　tongue　and　an　elastic　conscience。　The　true　lawyer　must　approach　his　task　with　reverence　and　high　preparation；　for　as　his　calling　is　the　noblest　of　human　activities；　so　it　is　the　most　exacting。〃

The　POINT…DEVICE　young　man　spoke　with　a　touch　of　the　schoolmaster；　but　his　audience；　who　had　an　inborn　passion　for　fine　words；　were　impressed。　Lincoln　sat　squatted　on　his　heels　on　a　bit　of　sacking；　staring　into　the　open　door　of　the　stove。

〃There's　truth　in　that；〃　he　said　slowly。　His　voice　had　not　the　mellow　tones　of　the　other's；　being　inclined　to　shrillness；　but　it　gave　the　impression　of　great　power　waiting　on　release　somewhere　in　his　massive　chest。　〃But　I　reckon　it's　only　half　the　truth；　for　truth's　like　a　dollar…piece；　it's　got　two　sides；　and　both　are　wanted　to　make　it　good　currency。　The　l