a far country-第88章
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stone fronts and laddered tenements of those gloomy districts lying a
pistol…shot east and west。 We had a vintage champagne； and afterwards a
cigar of the club's special importation。
〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Watling； 〃mow that you're a member of the royal council；
what do you think of the King？〃
〃I've been thinking a great deal about him；〃 I said； and indeed it was
true。 He had made； perhaps； his greatest impression when I had shaken
his hand in parting。 The manner in which he had looked at me then had
puzzled me； it was as though he were seeking to divine something in me
that had escaped him。 〃Why doesn't the government take him over？〃 I
exclaimed。
Mr。 Watling smiled。
〃You mean； instead of his mines and railroads and other properties？〃
〃Yes。 But that's your idea。 Don't you remember you said something of
the kind the night of the election； years ago？ It occurred to me to…day；
when I was looking at him。〃
〃Yes；〃 he agreed thoughtfully； 〃if some American genius could find a way
to legalize that power and utilize the men who created it the worst of
our problems would be solved。 A man with his ability has a right to
power； and none would respond more quickly or more splendidly to a call
of the government than he。 All this fight is waste； Hugh； damned waste
of the nation's energy。〃 Mr。 Watling seldom swore。 〃Look at the
President！ There's a man of remarkable ability； too。 And those two
oughtn't to be fighting each other。 The President's right； in a way。
Yes； he is； though I've got to oppose him。〃
I smiled at this from Theodore Watling； though I admired him the more for
it。 And suddenly； oddly； I happened to remember what Krebs had said；
that our troubles were not due to individuals； but to a disease that had
developed in industrial society。 If the day should come when such men as
the President and the great banker would be working together； was it not
possible； too； that the idea of Mr。 Watling and the vision of Krebs might
coincide？ I was struck by a certain seeming similarity in their views；
but Mr。 Watling interrupted this train of thought by continuing to
express his own。
〃Well；they're running right into a gale when they might be sailing with
it；〃 he said。
〃You think we'll have more trouble？〃 I asked。
〃More and more；〃 he replied。 〃It'll be worse before it's better I'm
afraid。〃 At this moment a club servant announced his cab； and he rose。
〃Well； good…bye； my son；〃 he said。 〃I'll hope to see you in Washington
soon。 And remember there's no one thinks any more of you than I do。〃
I escorted him to the door； and it was with a real pang I saw him wave to
me from his cab as he drove away。 My affection for him was never more
alive than in this hour when； for the first time in my experience； he had
given real evidence of an inner anxiety and lack of confidence in the
future。
XXI。
In spite of that unwonted note of pessimism from Mr。 Watling； I went home
in a day or two flushed with my new honours； and it was impossible not to
be conscious of the fact that my aura of prestige was increased
tremendously increasedby the recognition I had received。 A certain
subtle deference in the attitude of the small minority who owed
allegiance to the personage by whom I had been summoned was more
satisfying than if I had been acclaimed at the station by thousands of my
fellow…citizens who knew nothing of my journey and of its significance；
even though it might have a concern for them。 To men like Berringer；
Grierson and Tallant and our lesser great lights the banker was a semi…
mythical figure； and many times on the day of my return I was stopped on
the street to satisfy the curiosity of my friends as to my impressions。
Had he； for instance； let fall any opinions； prognostications on the
political and financial situation？ Dickinson and Scherer were the only
other men in the city who had the honour of a personal acquaintance with
him； and Scherer was away； abroad； gathering furniture and pictures for
the house in New York Nancy had predicted； and which he had already begun
to build！ With Dickinson I lunched in private； in order to give him a
detailed account of the conference。 By five o'clock I was ringing the
door…bell of Nancy's new mansion on Grant Avenue。 It was several blocks
below my own。
〃Well； how does it feel to be sent for by the great sultan？〃 she asked；
as I stood before her fire。 〃Of course； I have always known that
ultimately he couldn't get along without you。〃
〃Even if he has been a little late in realizing it；〃 I retorted。
〃Sit down and tell me all about him；〃 she commanded。
〃I met him once； when Ham had the yacht at Bar Harbor。〃
〃And how did he strike you？〃
〃As somewhat wrapped up in himself；〃 said Nancy。
We laughed together。
〃Oh； I fell a victim；〃 she went on。 〃I might have sailed off with him；
if he had asked me。〃
〃I'm surprised he didn't ask you。〃
〃I suspect that it was not quite convenient；〃 she said。 〃Women are
secondary considerations to sultans； we're all very well when they
haven't anything more serious to occupy them。 Of course that's why they
fascinate us。 What did he want with you； Hugh？〃
〃He was evidently afraid that the government would win the coal roads
suit unless I was retained。〃
〃More laurels！〃 she sighed。 〃I suppose I ought to be proud to know you。〃
〃That's exactly what I've been trying to impress on you all these years；〃
I declared。 〃I've laid the laurels at your feet； in vain。〃
She sat with her head back on the cushions； surveying me。
〃Your dress is very becoming；〃 I said irrelevantly。
〃I hoped it would meet your approval；〃 she mocked。
〃I've been trying to identify the shade。 It's elusivelike you。〃
〃Don't be banal。。。。 What is the colour？〃
〃Poinsetta！〃
〃Pretty nearly；〃 she agreed； critically。
I took the soft crepe between my fingers。
〃Poet！〃 she smiled。 〃No； it isn't quite poinsetta。 It's nearer the red…
orange of a tree I remember one autumn； in the White Mountains； with the
setting sun on it。 But that wasn't what we were talking about。 Laurels！
Your laurels。〃
〃My laurels；〃 I repeated。 〃Such as they are； I fling them into your
lap。〃
〃Do you think they increase your value to me； Hugh？〃
〃I don't know；〃 I said thickly。
She shook her head。
〃No； it's you I likenot the laurels。〃
〃But if you care for me？〃 I began。
She lifted up her hands and folded them behind the knot of her hair。
〃It's extraordinary how little you have changed since we were children；
Hugh。 You are still sixteen years old； that's why I like you。 If you
got to be the sultan of sultans yourself； I shouldn't like you any
better； or any worse。〃
〃And yet you have just declared that power appeals to you！〃
〃Poweryes。 But a womana woman like mewants to be first； or
nothing。〃
〃You are first；〃 I asserted。 〃You always have been； if you had only
realized it。〃
She gazed up at me dreamily。
〃If you had only realized it！ If you had only realized that all I wanted
of you was to be yourself。 It wasn't what you achieved。 I didn't want
you to be like Ralph or the others。〃
〃Myself？ What are you trying to say？〃
〃Yourself。 Yes； that is what I like about you。 If you hadn't been in
such a hurryif you hadn't misjudged me so。 It was the power in you；
the craving； the ideal in you that I cared fornot the fruits of it。
The fruits would have come naturally。 But you forced them； Hugh； for
quicker results。〃
〃What kind of fruits？〃 I asked。
〃Ah；〃 she exclaimed； 〃how can I tell what they might have been！ You have
striven and striven； you have done extraordinary things； but have they
made you any happier？ have you got what you want？〃
I stooped down and seized her wrists from behind her head。
〃I want you； Nancy；〃 I said。 〃I have always wanted you。 You're more
wonderful to…day than you have ever been。 I could find myselfwith
you。〃
She closed her eyes。 A dreamy smile was on her face； and she lay
unresisting； very still。 In that tremendous moment； for which it seemed
I had waited a lifetime； I could have taken her in my armsand yet I did
not。 I could not tell why： perhaps it was because she seemed to hav
