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turn　my　back　on　it　in　cowardice。　　No；　no；　I　couldn't　go　home；　atat
least　I　shouldn't　want　to　go　home。〃　　After　a　reflective　pause：　〃Well；
maybeperhapsit　would　be　my　duty　to　go　in　the　circumstances；　he's　very
old　and　he　does　need　me　by　him　to　stay　his　footsteps　down　the　long　hill
that　inclines　westward　toward　the　sunset　of　his　life。　　Well；　I'll　think
about　that。　　Yes；　of　course　it　wouldn't　be　right　to　stay　here。　　If　I
well；　perhaps　I　could　just　drop　him　a　line　and　put　it　off　a　little　while
and　satisfy　him　in　that　way。　　It　would　bewell；　it　would　mar　everything
to　have　him　require　me　to　come　instantly。〃　　Another　reflective　pause
then：　〃And　yet　if　he　should　do　that　I　don't　know　butoh；　dear　mehome！
how　good　it　sounds！　and　a　body　is　excusable　for　wanting　to　see　his　home
again；　now　and　then；　anyway。〃

He　went　to　one　of　the　telegraph　offices　in　the　avenue　and　got　the　first
end　of　what　Barrow　called　the　〃usual　Washington　courtesy；〃　where　〃they
treat　you　as　a　tramp　until　they　find　out　you're　a　congressman；　and　then
they　slobber　all　over　you。〃　　There　was　a　boy　of　seventeen　on　duty　there；
tying　his　shoe。　　He　had　his　foot　on　a　chair　and　his　back　turned　towards
the　wicket。　　He　glanced　over　his　shoulder；　took　Tracy's　measure；　turned
back；　and　went　on　tying　his　shoe。　　Tracy　finished　writing　his　telegram
and　waited；　still　waited；　and　still　waited；　for　that　performance　to
finish；　but　there　didn't　seem　to　be　any　finish　to　it；　so　finally　Tracy
said：

〃Can't　you　take　my　telegram？〃

The　youth　looked　over　his　shoulder　and　said；　by　his　manner；　not　his
words：

〃Don't　you　think　you　could　wait　a　minute；　if　you　tried？〃

However；　he　got　the　shoe　tied　at　last；　and　came　and　took　the　telegram；
glanced　over　it；　then　looked　up　surprised；　at　Tracy。　　There　was　something
in　his　look　that　bordered　upon　respect；　almost　reverence；　it　seemed　to
Tracy；　although　he　had　been　so　long　without　anything　of　this　kind　he　was
not　sure　that　he　knew　the　signs　of　it。

The　boy　read　the　address　aloud；　with　pleased　expression　in　face　and
voice。

〃The　Earl　of　Rossmore！　　Cracky！　　Do　you　know　him？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Is　that　so！　　Does　he　know　you？〃

〃Wellyes。〃

〃Well；　I　swear！　　Will　he　answer　you？〃

〃I　think　he　will。〃

〃Will　he　though？　　Where'll　you　have　it　sent？〃

〃Oh；　nowhere。　　I'll　call　here　and　get　it。　　When　shall　I　call？〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　knowI'll　send　it　to　you。　　Where　shall　I　send　it？　　Give　me
your　address；　I'll　send　it　to　you　soon's　it　comes。〃

But　Tracy　didn't　propose　to　do　this。　　He　had　acquired　the　boy's
admiration　and　deferential　respect；　and　he　wasn't　willing　to　throw　these
precious　things　away；　a　result　sure　to　follow　if　he　should　give　the
address　of　that　boarding　house。　　So　he　said　again　that　he　would　call　and
get　the　telegram；　and　went　his　way。

He　idled　along；　reflecting。　　He　said　to　himself；　〃There　is　something
pleasant　about　being　respected。　　I　have　acquired　the　respect　of　Mr。
Allen　and　some　of　those　others；　and　almost　the　deference　of　some　of　them
on　pure　merit；　for　having　thrashed　Allen。　　While　their　respect　and　their
deferenceif　it　is　deferenceis　pleasant；　a　deference　based　upon　a
sham；　a　shadow；　does　really　seem　pleasanter　still。　　It's　no　real　merit　to
be　in　correspondence　with　an　earl；　and　yet　after　all；　that　boy　makes　me
feel　as　if　there　was。〃

The　cablegram　was　actually　gone　home！　the　thought　of　it　gave　him　an
immense　uplift。　　He　walked　with　a　lighter　tread。　　His　heart　was　full　of
happiness。　　He　threw　aside　all　hesitances　and　confessed　to　himself　that
he　was　glad　through　and　through　that　he　was　going　to　give　up　this
experiment　and　go　back　to　his　home　again。　　His　eagerness　to　get　his
father's　answer　began　to　grow；　now；　and　it　grew　with　marvelous　celerity；
after　it　began。　　He　waited　an　hour；　walking　about；　putting　in　his　time　as
well　as　he　could；　but　interested　in　nothing　that　came　under　his　eye；　and
at　last　he　presented　himself　at　the　office　again　and　asked　if　any　answer
had　come　yet。　　The　boy　said；

〃No；　no　answer　yet；〃　then　glanced　at　the　clock　and　added；　〃I　don't　think
it's　likely　you'll　get　one　to…day。〃

〃Why　not？〃

〃Well；　you　see　it's　getting　pretty　late。　　You　can't　always　tell　where
'bouts　a　man　is　when　he's　on　the　other　side；　and　you　can't　always　find
him　just　the　minute　you　want　him；　and　you　see　it's　getting　about　six
o'clock　now；　and　over　there　it's　pretty　late　at　night。〃

〃Why　yes；〃　said　Tracy；　〃I　hadn't　thought　of　that。〃

〃Yes；　pretty　late；　now；　half　past　ten　or　eleven。　　Oh　yes；　you　probably
won't　get　any　answer　to…night。〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

So　Tracy　went　home　to　supper。　　The　odors　in　that　supper　room　seemed　more
strenuous　and　more　horrible　than　ever　before；　and　he　was　happy　in　the
thought　that　he　was　so　soon　to　be　free　from　them　again。　　When　the　supper
was　over　he　hardly　knew　whether　he　had　eaten　any　of　it　or　not；　and　he
certainly　hadn't　heard　any　of　the　conversation。　　His　heart　had　been
dancing　all　the　time；　his　thoughts　had　been　faraway　from　these　things；
and　in　the　visions　of　his　mind　the　sumptuous　appointments　of　his　father's
castle　had　risen　before　him　without　rebuke。　　Even　the　plushed　flunkey；
that　walking　symbol　of　a　sham　inequality；　had　not　been　unpleasant　to　his
dreaming　view。　　After　the　meal　Barrow　said；

〃Come　with　me。　　I'll　give　you　a　jolly　evening。〃

〃Very　good。　　Where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　my　club。〃

〃What　club　is　that？〃

〃Mechanics'　Debating　Club。〃

Tracy　shuddered；　slightly。　　He　didn't　say　anything　about　having　visited
that　place　himself。　　Somehow　he　didn't　quite　relish　the　memory　of　that
time。　　The　sentiments　which　had　made　his　former　visit　there　so　enjoyable；
and　filled　him　with　such　enthusiasm；　had　undergone　a　gradual　change；　and
they　had　rotted　away　to　such　a　degree　that　he　couldn't　contemplate
another　visit　there　with　anything　strongly　resembling　delight。　　In　fact
he　was　a　little　ashamed　to　go；　he　didn't　want　to　go　there　and　find　out　by
the　rude　impact　of　the　thought　of　those　people　upon　his　reorganized
condition　of　mind；　how　sharp　the　change　had　been。　　He　would　have
preferred　to　stay　away。　　He　expected　that　now　he　should　hear　nothing
except　sentiments　which　would　be　a　reproach　to　him　in　his　changed　mental
attitude；　and　he　rather　wished　he　might　be　excused。　　And　yet　he　didn't
quite　want　to　say　that；　he　didn't　want　to　show　how　he　did　feel；　or　show
any　disinclination　to　go；　and　so　he　forced　himself　to　go　along　with
Barrow；　privately　purposing　to　take　an　early　opportunity　to　get　away。

After　the　essayist　of　the　evening　had　read　his　paper；　the　chairman
announced　that　the　debate　would　now　be　upon　the　subject　of　the　previous
meeting；　〃The　American　Press。〃　　It　saddened　the　backsliding　disciple　to
hear　this　announcement。　　It　brought　up　too　many　reminiscences。　　He　wished
he　had　happened　upon　some　other　subject。　　But　the　debate　began；　and　he
sat　still　and　listened。

In　the　course　of　the　discussion　one　of　the　speakersa　blacksmith　named
Tompkinsarraigned　all　monarchs　and　all　lords　in　the　earth　for　their
cold　selfishness　in　retaining　their　unearned　dignities。　　He　said　that　no
monarch　and　no　son　of　a　monarch；　no　lord　and　no　son　of　a　lord　ought　to　be
able　to　look　his　fellow　man　in　the　face　without　shame。　　Shame　for
consenting　to　keep　his　unearned　titles；　property；　and　privilegesat　the
expense　of　other　people；　shame　for　consenting　to　remain；　on　any　terms；　in
dishonourable　possession　of　these　things；　which　represented　bygone
robberies　and　wrongs　inflicted　upon　the　general　people　of　the　nation。
He　said；　〃if　there　were　a　laid　or　the　son　of　a　lord　here；　I　would　like　to
reason　with　him；　and　try　to　show　him　how　unfair　and　how　selfish　his
position　is。　　I　would　try　to　persuade　him　to　relinquish　it；　take　his
place　among　men　on　equal　terms；　earn　the　bread　he　eats；　and　hold　of
slight　value　all　deference　paid　him　because　of　artificial　position；　all
reverence　not　the　just　due　of　his　own　personal　merits。〃

Tracy　seemed　to　be　listening　to　utterances　of　his　own　made　in　talks　with
his　radical　friends　in　England。　　It　was　as　if　some　eavesdropping
phonograph　had　treasured　up　his　words　and　brought　them　across　the
Atlantic　to　accuse　him　with　them　in　the　hour　of　his　defection　and
retreat。　　Every　word　spoken　by　this　stranger　seemed　to　leave　a　blister　on
Tracy's　conscience；　and　by　the　time　the　speech　was　finished　he　felt　that
he　was　all　conscience　and　one　blister。　　This　man's　deep　compassion　for
the　enslaved　and　oppressed　millions　in　Europe　who　had　to　bear　with　the
contempt　of　that　small　class　above　them；　throned　upon　shining　heights
whose　paths　were　shut　against　them；　was　the　very　thing　he　had　often
uttered　himself。　　The　pity　in　this　man's　voice　and　words　was　the　very
twin　of　the　pity　that　used　to　reside　in　his　own　heart　and　come　from　his
own　lips　when　he　thought　of　these　oppressed　peoples。

The　homeward　tramp　was　accomplished　in　brooding　silence。　　It　was　a
silence　most　grateful　to　Tracy's　feelings。　　He　wouldn't　have　broken　it
for　anything；　for　he　was　ashamed　of　himself　all　the　way　through　to　his
spine。　　He　kept　saying　to　himself：

〃How　unanswerable　it　all　ishow　absolutely　unanswerable！　　It　is　basely；
degradingly　selfish　to　keep　those　；unearned　honors；　andandoh；　hang
it；　nobody　but　a　cur'

〃What　an　idiotic　dam