a far country-第87章

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gentlemen。〃

One　of　them　was　our　United　States　Senator；　Theodore　Watling。　　He；　as　it
turned　out；　had　been　summoned　from　Washington。　　Of　course　I　saw　him
frequently；　having　from　time　to　time　to　go　to　Washington　on　various
errands　connected　with　legislation。　　Though　spruce　and　debonnair　as　ever；
in　the　black　morning　coat　he　invariably　wore；　he　appeared　older　than　he
had　on　the　day　when　I　had　entered　his　office。　　He　greeted　me　warmly；　as
always。

〃Hugh；　I'm　glad　to　see　you　here；〃　he　said；　with　a　slight　emphasis　on　the
last　word。　　My　legal　career　was　reaching　its　logical　climax；　the　climax
he　had　foreseen。　　And　he　added；　to　the　banker；　that　he　had　brought　me　up。

〃Then　he　was　trained　in　a　good　school；〃　remarked　that　personage；　affably。

Mr。　Barbour；　the　president　of　our　Railroad；　was　present；　and　nodded　to　me
kindly；　also　a　president　of　a　smaller　road。　　In　addition；　there　were　two
New　York　attorneys　of　great　prominence；　whom　I　had　met。　　The　banker's　own
special　lieutenant　of　the　law；　Mr。　Clement　T。　Grolier；　for　whom　I　looked；
was　absent；　but　it　was　forthwith　explained　that　he　was　offering；　that
morning；　a　resolution　of　some　importance　in　the　Convention　of　his　Church；
but　that　he　would　be　present　after　lunch。

〃I　have　asked　you　to　come　here；　Mr。　Paret；〃　said　the　banker；　〃not　only
because　I　know　something　personally　of　your　legal　ability；　but　because　I
have　been　told　by　Mr。　Scherer　and　Mr。　Barbour　that　you　happen　to　have
considerable　knowledge　of　the　situation　we　are　discussing；　as　well　as
some　experience　with　cases　involving　that　statute　somewhat　hazy　to　lay
minds；　the　Sherman　anti…trust　law。〃

A　smile　went　around　the　table。　　Mr。　Watling　winked　at　me；　I　nodded；　but
said　nothing。　　The　banker　was　not　a　man　to　listen　to　superfluous　words。
The　keynote　of　his　character　was　despatch。。。。

The　subject　of　the　conference；　like　many　questions　bitterly　debated　and
fought　over　in　their　time；　has　in　the　year　I　write　these　words　come　to　be
of　merely　academic　interest。　　Indeed；　the　very　situation　we　discussed
that　day　has　been　cited　in　some　of　our　modern　text…books　as　a　classic
consequence　of　that　archaic　school　of　economics　to　which　the　name　of
Manchester　is　attached。　　Some　half　dozen　or　so　of　the　railroads　running
through　the　anthracite　coal　region　had　pooled　their　interests；an
extremely　profitable　proceeding。　　The　public　paid。　　We　deemed　it　quite
logical　that　the　public　should　payhaving　been　created　largely　for　that
purpose；　and　very　naturally　we　resented　the　fact　that　the　meddling　Person
who　had　got　into　the　White　House　without　asking　anybody's　leave；who
apparently　did　not　believe　in　the　infallibility　of　our　legal　Bible；　the
Constitution；should　maintain　that　the　anthracite　roads　had　formed　a
combination　in　restraint　of　trade；　should　lay　down　the　preposterous
doctrineso　subversive　of　the　Rights　of　Manthat　railroads　should　not
own　coal　mines。　　Congress　had　passed　a　law　to　meet　this　contention；　suit
had　been　brought；　and　in　the　lower　court　the　government　had　won。

As　the　day　wore　on　our　numbers　increased；　we　were　joined　by　other　lawyers
of　renown；　not　the　least　of　whom　was　Mr。　Grolier　himself；　fresh　from　his
triumph　over　religious　heresy　in　his　Church　Convention。　　The　note　of　the
conference　became　tinged　with　exasperation；　and　certain　gentlemen　seized
the　opportunity　to　relieve　their　pent…up　feelings　on　the　subject　of　the
President　and　his　slavish　advisers；some　of　whom；　before　they　came　under
the　spell　of　his　sorcery；　had　once　been　sound　lawyers　and　sensible　men。
With　the　exception　of　the　great　Banker　himself；　who　made　few　comments；
Theodore　Watling　was　accorded　the　most　deference；　as　one　of　the　leaders
of　that　indomitable　group　of　senators　who　had　dared　to　stand　up　against
popular　clamour；　his　opinions　were　of　great　value；　and　his　tactical
advice　was　listened　to　with　respect。　　I　felt　more　pride　than　ever　in　my
former　chief；　who　had　lost　none　of　his　charm。　　While　in　no　way　minimizing
the　seriousness　of　the　situation；　his　wisdom　was　tempered；　as　always；
with　humour；　he　managed；　as　it　were；　to　neutralize　the　acid　injected　into
the　atmosphere　by　other　gentlemen　present；　he　alone　seemed　to　bear　no
animus　against　the　Author　of　our　troubles；　suave　and　calm；　good　natured；
he　sometimes　brought　the　company　into　roars　of　laughter　and　even
succeeded　in　bringing　occasional　smiles　to　the　face　of　the　man　who　had
summoned　uswhen　relating　some　characteristic　story　of　the　queer　genius
whom　the　fates　（undoubtedly　as　a　practical　joke）　had　made　the　chief
magistrate　of　the　United　States　of　America。　　All　geniuses　have
weaknesses；　Mr。　Wading　had　made　a　study　of　the　President's；　and　more　than
once　had　lured　him　into　an　impasse。　　The　case　had　been　appealed　to　the
Supreme　Court；　and　Mr。　Wading；　with　remarkable　conciseness　and
penetration；　reviewed　the　characteristics　of　each　and　every　member　of
that　tribunal；　all　of　whom　he　knew　intimately。　　They　were；　of　course；　not
subject　to　〃advice；〃　as　were　some　of　the　gentlemen　who　sat　on　our　state
courts；　no　sane　and　self…respecting　American　would　presume　to　〃approach〃
them。　　Nevertheless　they　were　human；　and　it　were　wise　to　take　account；　in
the　conduct　of　the　case；　of　the　probable　bias　of　each　individual。

The　President；　overstepping　his　constitutional；　Newtonian　limits；　might
propose　laws；　Congress　might　acquiesce　in　them；　but　the　Supreme　Court；
after　listening　to　lawyers　like　Grolier　（and　he　bowed　to　the　attorney）；
made　them：　made　them；　he　might　have　added；　without　responsibility　to　any
man　in　our　unique　Republic　that　scorned　kings　and　apotheosized　lawyers。
A　Martian　with　a　sense　of　humour　witnessing　a　stormy　session　of　Congress
would　have　giggled　at　the　thought　of　a　few　tranquil　gentlemen　in　another
room　of　the　Capitol　waiting　to　decide　what　the　people's　representatives
meantor　whether　they　meant　anything。。。。

For　the　first　time　since　I　had　known　Theodore　Watling；　however；　I　saw　him
in　the　shadow　of　another　individual；　a　man　who；　like　a　powerful　magnet；
continually　drew　our　glances。　　When　we　spoke；　we　almost　invariably
addressed　him；　his　rare　words　fell　like　bolts　upon　the　consciousness。
There　was　no　apparent　rift　in　that　personality。

When；　about　five　o'clock；　the　conference　was　ended　and　we　were　dismissed；
United　States　Senator；　railroad　presidents；　field…marshals　of　the　law；
the　great　banker　fell　into　an　eager　conversation　with　Grolier　over　the
Canon　on　Divorce；　the　subject　of　warm　debate　in　the　convention　that　day。
Grolier；　it　appeared；　had　led　his　party　against　the　theological　liberals。
He　believed　that　law　was　static；　but　none　knew　better　its　plasticity；
that　it　was　infallible；　but　none　so　well　as　he　could　find　a　text　on
either　side。　　His　reputation　was　not　of　the　popular；　newspaper　sort；　but
was　known　to　connoisseurs；　editors；　financiers；　statesmen　and　judges；to
those；　in　short；　whose　business　it　is　to　make　themselves　familiar　with
the　instruments　of　power。　　He　was　the　banker's　chief　legal　adviser；　the
banker's　rapier　of　tempered　steel；　sheathed　from　the　vulgar　view　save
when　it　flashed　forth　on　a　swift　errand。

〃I'm　glad　to　be　associated　with　you　in　this　case；　Mr。　Paret；〃　Mr。　Grolier
said　modestly；　as　we　emerged　into　the　maelstrom　of　Wall　Street。　　〃If　you
can　make　it　convenient　to　call　at　my　office　in　the　morning；　we'll　go　over
it　a　little。　　And　I'll　see　you　in　a　day　or　two　in　Washington；　Watling。
Keep　your　eye　on　the　bull；〃　he　added；　with　a　twinkle；　〃and　don't　let　him
break　any　more　china　than　you　can　help。　　I　don't　know　where　we'd　be　if　it
weren't　for　you　fellows。〃

By　〃you　fellows；〃　he　meant　Mr。　Watling's　distinguished　associates　in　the
Senate。。。。

Mr。　Watling　and　I　dined　together　at　a　New　York　club。　　It　was　not　a　dinner
of　herbs。　　There　was　something　exceedingly　comfortable　about　that　club；
where　the　art　of　catering　to　those　who　had　earned　the　right　to　be　catered
to　came　as　near　perfection　as　human　things　attain。　　From　the　great；
heavily　curtained　dining…room　the　noises　of　the　city　had　been　carefully
excluded；　the　dust　of　the　Avenue；　the　squalour　and　smells　of　the　brown
stone　fronts　and　laddered　tenements　of　those　gloomy　districts　lying　a
pistol…shot　east　and　west。　　We　had　a　vintage　champagne；