a far country-第39章
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Mr。 Donovan grinned in appreciation of this thrust； helped himself
liberally from the bottle on the mantel； and took a seat on the bed。 We
had a 〃friendly chat。〃
Thus I made the acquaintance also of the Hon。 Joseph Mecklin； Speaker of
the House； who unbent in the most flattering way on learning my identity。
〃Mr。 Paret's here on that little matter； representing Watling； Fowndes
and Ripon；〃 the Colonel explained。 And it appeared that Mr。 Mecklin knew
all about the 〃little matter；〃 and that the mention of the firm of
Watling； Fowndes and Ripon had a magical effect in these parts。 The
President of the Senate； the Hon。 Lafe Giddings； went so far as to say
that he hoped before long to see Mr。 Watling in Washington。 By no means
the least among our callers was the Hon。 Fitch Truesdale； editor of the
St。 Helen's Messenger； whose editorials were of the trite effectiveness
that is taken widely for wisdom； and were assiduously copied every week
by other state papers and labeled 〃Mr。 Truesdale's Common Sense。〃 At
countless firesides in our state he was known as the spokesman of the
plain man； who was blissfully ignorant of the fact that Mr。 Truesdale was
owned body and carcass by Mr。 Cyrus Ridden； the principal manufacturer of
St。 Helen's and a director in several subsidiary lines of the Railroad。
In the legislature； the Hon。 Fitch's function was that of the moderate
counsellor and bellwether for new members； hence nothing could have been
more fitting than the choice of that gentleman for the honour of moving；
on the morrow； that Bill No。 709 ought to pass。
Mr。 Truesdale reluctantly consented to accept a small 〃loan〃 that would
help to pay the mortgage on his new press。。。。
When the last of the gathering had departed； about one o'clock in the
morning； I had added considerably to my experience； gained a pretty
accurate idea of who was who in the legislature and politics of the
state； and established relationshipsas the Colonel reminded melikely
to prove valuable in the future。 It seemed only gracious to congratulate
him on his management of the affair；so far。 He appeared pleased； and
squeezed my hand。
〃Well； sir； it did require a little delicacy of touch。 And if I do say
it myself； it hasn't been botched；〃 he admitted。 〃There ain't an
outsider； as far as I can learn； who has caught on to the nigger in the
wood…pile。 That's the great thing； to keep 'em ignorant as long as
possible。 You understand。 They yell bloody murder when they do find
out； but generally it's too late； if a bill's been handled right。〃
I found myself speculating as to who the 〃outsiders〃 might be。 No
Ribblevale attorneys were on the spot as yet；of that I was satisfied。
In the absence of these； who were the opposition？ It seemed to me as
though I had interviewed that day every man in the legislature。
I was very tired。 But when I got into bed； it was impossible to sleep。
My eyes smarted from the tobacco smoke； and the events of the day； in
disorderly manner； kept running through my head。 The tide of my
exhilaration had ebbed； and I found myself struggling against a revulsion
caused； apparently； by the contemplation of Colonel Varney and his
associates； the instruments； in brief； by which our triumph over our
opponents was to be effected。 And that same idea which； when launched
amidst the surroundings of the Boyne Club； had seemed so brilliant； now
took on an aspect of tawdriness。 Another thought intruded itself；that
of Mr。 Pugh； the president of the Ribblevale Company。 My father had
known him； and some years before I had traveled halfway across the state
in his company； his kindliness had impressed me。 He had spent a large
part of his business life； I knew； in building up the Ribblevale； and now
it was to be wrested from him； he was to be set aside； perhaps forced to
start all over again when old age was coming on！ In vain I accused
myself of sentimentality； and summoned all my arguments to prove that in
commerce efficiency must be the only test。 The image of Mr。 Pugh would
not down。
I got up and turned on the light； and took refuge in a novel I had in my
bag。 Presently I grew calmer。 I had chosen。 I had succeeded。 And now
that I had my finger at last on the nerve of power； it was no time to
weaken。
It was half…past six when I awoke and went to the window； relieved to
find that the sun had scattered my morbid fancies
with the darkness； and I speculated； as I dressed； whether the thing
called conscience were not； after all； a matter of nerves。 I went
downstairs through the tobacco…stale atmosphere of the lobby into the
fresh air and sparkly sunlight of the mild February morning； and leaving
the business district I reached the residence portion of the little town。
The front steps of some of the comfortable houses were being swept by
industrious servant girls； and out of the chimneys twisted；
fantastically； rich blue smoke； the bare branches of the trees were
silver…grey against the sky； gaining at last an old…fashioned； wooden
bridge； I stood for awhile gazing at the river； over the shallows of
which the spendthrift hand of nature had flung a shower of diamonds。 And
I reflected that the world was for the strong； for him who dared reach
out his hand and take what it offered。 It was not money we coveted； we
Americans； but power； the self…expression conferred by power。 A single
experience such as I had had the night before would since to convince any
sane man that democracy was a failure； that the world…old principle of
aristocracy would assert itself； that the attempt of our ancestors to
curtail political power had merely resulted in the growth of another and
greater economic power that bade fair to be limitless。 As I walked
slowly back into town I felt a reluctance to return to the noisy hotel；
and finding myself in front of a little restaurant on a side street； I
entered it。 There was but one other customer in the place； and he was
seated on the far side of the counter； with a newspaper in front of him；
and while I was ordering my breakfast I was vaguely aware that the
newspaper had dropped； and that he was looking at me。 In the slight
interval that elapsed before my brain could register his identity I
experienced a distinct shock of resentment； a sense of the reintrusion of
an antagonistic value at a moment when it was most unwelcome。。。。
The man had risen and was coming around the counter。 He was Hermann
Krebs。
〃Paret！〃 I heard him say。
〃You here？〃 I exclaimed。
He did not seem to notice the lack of cordiality in my tone。 He appeared
so genuinely glad to see me again that I instantly became rather ashamed
of my ill nature。
〃Yes； I'm herein the legislature；〃 he informed me。
〃A Solon！〃
〃Exactly。〃 He smiled。 〃And you？〃 he inquired。
〃Oh； I'm only a spectator。 Down here for a day or two。〃
He was still lanky； his clothes gave no evidence of an increased
prosperity； but his complexion was good； his skin had cleared。 I was
more than ever baked by a resolute good humour； a simplicity that was not
innocence； a whimsical touch seemingly indicative of a state of mind that
refused to take too seriously certain things on which I set store。 What
right had he to be contented with life？
〃Well； I too am only a spectator here；〃 he laughed。 〃I'm neither fish；
flesh nor fowl； nor good red herring。〃
〃You were going into the law； weren't you？〃 I asked。 〃I remember you
said something about it that day we met at Beverly Farms。〃
〃Yes； I managed it； after all。 Then I went back home to Elkington to try
to make a living。〃
〃But somehow I have never thought of you as being likely to develop
political aspirations； Krebs；〃 I said。
〃I should say not！ he exclaimed。
〃Yet here you are； launched upon a political career！ How did it happen？〃
〃Oh； I'm not worrying about the career；〃 he assured me。 〃I got here by
accident； and I'm afraid it won't happen again in a hurry。 You see； the
hands in those big mills we have in Elkington sprang a surprise on the
machine； and the first thing I knew I was nominated for the legislature。
A committee came to my boarding…house and told me； and there was the
deuce to pay；
