a far country-第83章
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！
〃You chose it for me？〃
I felt something like a pang when I thought how little trouble it had
been。
〃If you don't like it；〃 I said； 〃or wish to have it changed〃
〃Changed！〃 she exclaimed reproachfully。 〃Do you think I'd change it？
Onlyit's much too valuable〃
I smiled。。。。 Miss Allsop deftly undid the clasp and hung it around
Maude's neck。
〃How it suits you； Mrs。 Paret！〃 she cried。。。。
This pendant was by no means the only present I had given Maude in recent
years； and though she cared as little for jewels as for dress she seemed
to attach to it a peculiar value and significance that disturbed and
smote me； for the incident had revealed a love unchanged and
unchangeable。 Had she taken my gift as a sign that my indifference was
melting？
As I went downstairs and into the library to read the financial page of
the morning newspaper I asked myself； with a certain disquiet； whether；
in the formal； complicated； and luxurious conditions in which we now
lived it might be possible to build up new ties and common interests。 I
reflected that this would involve confessions and confidences on my part；
since there was a whole side of my life of which Maude knew nothing。 I
had convinced myself long ago that a man's business career was no affair
of his wife's： I had justified that career to myself： yet I had always
had a vague feeling that Maude； had she known the details； would not have
approved of it。 Impossible； indeed； for a woman to grasp these problems。
They were outside of her experience。
Nevertheless； something might be done to improve our relationship；
something which would relieve me of that uneasy lack of unity I felt when
at home； of the lassitude and ennui I was wont to feel creeping over me
on Sundays and holidays。。。。
XX。
I find in relating those parts of my experience that seem to be of most
significance I have neglected to tell of my mother's death； which
occurred the year before we moved to Grant Avenue。 She had clung the
rest of her days to the house in which I had been born。 Of late years
she had lived in my children； and Maude's devotion to her had been
unflagging。 Truth compels me to say that she had long ceased to be a
factor in my life。 I have thought of her in later years。
Coincident with the unexpected feeling of fruitlessness that came to me
with the Grant Avenue house； of things achieved but not realized or
appreciated； was the appearance of a cloud on the business horizon； or
rather on the political horizon； since it is hard to separate the two
realms。 There were signs； for those who could read； of a rising popular
storm。 During the earliest years of the new century the political
atmosphere had changed； the public had shown a tendency to grow restless；
and everybody knows how important it is for financial operations； for
prosperity； that the people should mind their own business。 In short；
our commercial…romantic pilgrimage began to meet with unexpected
resistance。 It was as though the nation were entering into a senseless
conspiracy to kill prosperity。
In the first place； in regard to the Presidency of the United States； a
cog had unwittingly been slipped。 It had always been recognizedas I
have saidby responsible financial personages that the impulses of the
majority of Americans could not be trusted； that thesewho had inherited
illusions of freedommust be governed firmly yet with delicacy； unknown
to them； their Presidents must be chosen for them； precisely as Mr。
Watling had been chosen for the people of our state； and the popular
enthusiasm manufactured later。 There were informal meetings in New York；
in Washington； where candidates were discussed； not that such and such a
man was settled upon；it was a process of elimination。 Usually the
affair had gone smoothly。 For instance； a while before； a benevolent
capitalist of the middle west； an intimate of Adolf Scherer； had become
obsessed with the idea that a friend of his was the safest and sanest man
for the head of the nation； had convinced his fellow…capitalists of this；
whereupon he had gone ahead to spend his energy and his money freely to
secure the nomination and election of this gentleman。
The Republican National Committee； the Republican National Convention
were allowed to squabble to their hearts' content as to whether Smith；
Jones or Brown should be nominated； but it was clearly understood that if
Robinson or White were chosen there would be no corporation campaign
funds。 This applied also to the Democratic party； on the rare occasions
when it seemed to have an opportunity of winning。 Now； however； through
an unpardonable blunder； there had got into the White House a President
who was inclined to ignore advice； who appealed over the heads of the
〃advisers〃 to the populace； who went about tilting at the industrial
structures we had so painfully wrought； and in frequent blasts of
presidential messages enunciated new and heretical doctrines； who
attacked the railroads； encouraged the brazen treason of labour unions；
inspired an army of 〃muck…rakers〃 to fill the magazines with the wildest
and most violent of language。 State legislatures were emboldened to pass
mischievous and restrictive laws； and much of my time began to be
occupied in inducing； by various means； our courts to declare these
unconstitutional。 How we sighed for a business man or a lawyer in the
White House！ The country had gone mad； the stock…market trembled； the
cry of 〃corporation control〃 resounded everywhere； and everywhere
demagogues arose to inaugurate 〃reform campaigns；〃 in an abortive attempt
to 〃clean up politics。〃 Down with the bosses； who were the tools of the
corporations！
In our own city； which we fondly believed to be proof against the
prevailing madness； a slight epidemic occurred； slight； yet momentarily
alarming。 Accidents will happen； even in the best regulated political
organizations；and accidents in these days appeared to be the rule。 A
certain Mr。 Edgar Greenhalge； a middle…aged； mild…mannered and
inoffensive man who had made a moderate fortune in wholesale drugs； was
elected to the School Board。 Later on some of us had reason to suspect
that Perry Blackwoodwith more astuteness than he had been given credit
forwas responsible for Mr。 Greenhalge's candidacy。 At any rate； he was
not a man to oppose； and in his previous life had given no hint that he
might become a trouble maker。 Nothing happened for several months。 But
one day on which I had occasion to interview Mr。 Jason on a little matter
of handing over to the Railroad a piece of land belonging to the city；
which was known as Billings' Bowl； he inferred that Mr。 Greenhaige might
prove a disturber of that profound peace with which the city
administration had for many years been blessed。
〃Who the hell is he？〃 was Mr。 Jason's question。
It appeared that Mr。 G。's private life had been investigated； with
disappointingly barren results； he was； seemingly； an anomalistic being
in our Nietzschean age； an unaggressive man； he had never sold any drugs
to the city； he was not a church member； nor could it be learned that he
had ever wandered into those byways of the town where Mr。 Jason might
easily have got trace of him： if he had any vices； he kept them locked up
in a safe…deposit box that could not be 〃located。〃 He was very genial；
and had a way of conveying disturbing factswhen he wished to convey
themunder cover of the most amusing stories。 Mr。 Jason was not a man
to get panicky。 Greenhalge could be handled all right； onlywhat was
there in it for Greenhalge？a nut difficult for Mr。 Jason to crack。 The
two other members of the School Board were solid。 Here again the wisest
of men was proved to err； for Mr。 Greenhalge turned out to have powers of
persuasion； he made what in religious terms would have been called a
conversion in the case of another member of the board； an hitherto
staunch old reprobate by the name of Muller； an ex…saloon…keeper in
comfortable circumstances to whom the idea of public office had appealed。
Mr。 Greenhalge； having got wind of certain transactions that interested
him extremely； brought them in his good…natured way to th
