a far country-第112章
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carrying a stretcher hurried towards us； and we made way for them to
enter。 After a brief interval； they were heard coming slowly down the
steps inside。 By the white； cruel light of the arc I saw Krebs lying
motionless。。。。 I laid hold of one of the men who had been on the
platform。 He did not resent the act； he seemed to anticipate my
question。
〃He's conscious。 The doctors expect him to rally when he gets to the
hospital。〃
I walked back to the Club to discover that several inquiries had been
made about me。 Reporters had been there； Republican Headquarters had
telephoned to know if I were ill。 Leaving word that I was not to be
disturbed under any circumstances； I went to my room； and spent most of
the night in distracted thought。 When at last morning came I breakfasted
early； searching the newspapers for accounts of the occurrence at
Templar's Hall； and the fact that these were neither conspicuous nor
circumstantial was in the nature of a triumph of self…control on the part
of editors and reporters。 News； however sensational； had severely to be
condensed in the interest of a cause； and at this critical stage of the
campaign to make a tragic hero of Hermann Krebs would have been the
height of folly。 There were a couple of paragraphs giving the gist of
his speech； and a statement at the end that he had been taken ill and
conveyed to the Presbyterian Hospital。。。。
The hospital itself loomed up before me that Sunday morning as I
approached it along Ballantyne Street； a diluted sunshine washing the
extended； businesslike facade of grimy； yellow brick。 We were proud of
that hospital in the city； and many of our foremost citizens had
contributed large sums of money to the building； scarcely ten years old。
It had been one of Maude's interests。 I was ushered into the reception
room； where presently came the physician in charge； a Dr。 Castle； one of
those quiet…mannered； modern young medical men who bear on their persons
the very stamp of efficiency； of the dignity of a scientific profession。
His greeting implied that he knew all about me； his presence seemed to
increase the agitation I tried not to betray； and must have betrayed。
〃Can I do anything for you； Mr。 Paret？〃 he asked。
〃I have come to inquire about Mr。 Krebs； who was brought here last night；
I believe。〃
I was aware for an instant of his penetrating； professional glance； the
only indication of the surprise he must have felt that Hermann Krebs； of
all men； should be the object of my solicitude。
〃Why； we sent him home this morning。 Nineteen twenty six Fowler Street。
He wanted to go； and there was no use in his staying。〃
〃He will recover？〃 I asked。
The physician shook his head； gazing at me through his glasses。
〃He may live a month； Mr。 Paret； he may die to…morrow。 He ought never to
have gone into this campaign； he knew he had this trouble。 Hepburn
warned him three months ago； and there's no man who knows more about the
heart than Hepburn。〃
〃Then there's no hope？〃 I asked。
〃Absolutely none。 It's a great pity。〃 He added； after a moment； 〃Mr。
Krebs was a remarkable man。〃
〃Nineteen twenty…six Fowler Street？〃 I repeated。
〃Yes。〃
I held out my hand mechanically； and he pressed it； and went with me to
the door。
〃Nineteen twenty…six Fowler Street；〃 he repeated。。。
The mean and sordid aspect of Fowler Street emphasized and seemed to
typify my despair； the pungent coal smoke stifled my lungs even as it
stifled my spirit。 Ugly factories； which were little more than
sweatshops； wore an empty； menacing； 〃Sunday〃 look； and the faint
November sunlight glistened on dirty pavements where children were making
a semblance of play。 Monotonous rows of red houses succeeded one
another； some pushed forward； others thrust back behind little plots of
stamped earth。 Into one of these I turned。 It seemed a little cleaner；
better kept； less sordid than the others。 I pulled the bell； and
presently the door was opened by a woman whose arms were bare to the
elbow。 She wore a blue…checked calico apron that came to her throat； but
the apron was clean； and her firm though furrowed face gave evidences of
recent housewifely exertions。 Her eyes had the strange look of the
cheerfulness that is intimately acquainted with sorrow。 She did not seem
surprised at seeing me。
〃I have come to ask about Mr。 Krebs；〃 I told her。
〃Oh； yes；〃 she said； 〃there's been so many here this morning already。
It's wonderful how people love him； all kinds of people。 No； sir； he
don't seem to be in any pain。 Two gentlemen are up there now in his
room； I mean。〃
She wiped her arms； which still bore traces of soap…suds； and then； with
a gesture natural and unashamed； lifted the corner of her apron to her
eyes。
〃Do you think I could see himfor a moment？〃 I asked。 〃I've known him
for a long time。〃
〃Why； I don't know；〃 she said； 〃I guess so。 The doctor said he could see
some； and he wants to see his friends。 That's not strangehe always
did。 I'll ask。 Will you tell me your name？〃
I took out a card。 She held it without glancing at it； and invited me
in。
I waited； unnerved and feverish； pulsing； in the dark and narrow hall
beside the flimsy rack where several coats and hats were hung。 Once
before I had visited Krebs in that lodging…house in Cambridge long ago
with something of the same feelings。 But now they were greatly
intensified。 Now he was dying。。。。
The woman was descending。
〃He says he wants to see you； sir；〃 she said rather breathlessly； and I
followed her。 In the semi…darkness of the stairs I passed the three men
who had been with Krebs； and when I reached the open door of his room he
was alone。 I hesitated just a second； swept by the heat wave that
follows sudden shyness； embarrassment； a sense of folly it is too late to
avert。
Krebs was propped up with pillows。
〃Well； this is good of you；〃 he said； and reached out his hand across the
spread。 I took it； and sat down beside the shiny oak bedstead； in a
chair covered with tobacco…colored plush。
〃You feel better？〃 I asked。
〃Oh； I feel all right；〃 he answered； with a smile。 〃It's queer； but I
do。〃
My eye fell upon the long line of sectional book…cases that lined one
side of the room。 〃Why； you've got quite a library here；〃 I observed。
〃Yes； I've managed to get together some good books。 But there is so much
to read nowadays； so much that is really good and new； a man has the
hopeless feeling he can never catch up with it all。 A thousand writers
and students are making contributions today where fifty years ago there
was one。〃
〃I've been following your speeches； after a fashion；I wish I might have
been able to read more of them。 Your argument interested me。 It's new；
unlike the ordinary propaganda of〃
〃Of agitators；〃 he supplied； with a smile。
〃Of agitators；〃 I agreed； and tried to return his smile。 〃An agitator
who appears to suggest the foundations of a constructive programme and
who isn't afraid to criticise the man with a vote as well as the
capitalist is an unusual phenomenon。〃
〃Oh； when we realize that we've only got a little time left in which to
tell what we think to be the truth； it doesn't require a great deal of
courage； Paret。 I didn't begin to see this thing until a little while
ago。 I was only a crude； hot…headed revolutionist。 God knows I'm crude
enough still。 But I began to have a glimmering of what all these new
fellows in the universities are driving at。〃 He waved his hand towards
the book…cases。 〃Driving at collectively； I mean。 And there are
attempts； worthy attempts； to coordinate and synthesize the sciences。
What I have been saying is not strictly original。 I took it on the
stump； that's all。 I didn't expect it to have much effect in this
campaign； but it was an opportunity to sow a few seeds； to start a sense
of personal dissatisfaction in the minds of a few voters。 What is it
Browning says？ It's in Bishop Blougram； I believe。 'When the fight
begins within himself； a man's worth something。' It's an intellectual
fight； of course。〃
His words were spoken quietly； but I realized suddenly that the
mysterious force which had drawn
