第16章

blueeyeshadastormylook.

"Hello,Jim,"saidtheColonel."Iwasjustwonderingwhereyouwere."

"Sure,youmusthavebeen!"repliedthegentlemansarcastically.

ButtheColonel"sgenialitywasunruffled.

"Mr.Maker,"hesaid,"yououghttoknowMr.Paret.Mr.MakeristherepresentativefromWardFiveofyourcity,andwecanalwayscountonhimtodotherightthing,evenifheisaDemocrat.Howaboutit,Jim?"

Mr.Makerrelightedthestumpofhiscigar.

"Takeafreshone,Jim,"saidtheColonel,openingabureaudrawer.

Mr.Makertooktwo.

"Say,Colonel,"hedemanded,"what"sthisbillthatwentintothejudiciarythismorning?"

"Whatbill?"askedtheColonel,blandly.

"SoyouthinkIain"ton?"Mr.Makerinquired.

TheColonellaughed.

"Wherehaveyoubeen,Jim?"

"I"vebeenuptothecity,seem"mywife——that"swhereI"vebeen."

TheColonelsmiled,asataharmlessfiction.

"Well,ifyouweren"there,Idon"tseewhatrightyou"vegottocomplain.IneverleavemygoodDemocraticfriendsontheoutside,doI?"

"That"sallright,"repliedMr.Maker,doggedly,"I"mon,I"mherenow,andthatbillintheJudiciarydoesn"tpasswithoutme.IguessIcanstopit,too.Howaboutathousandapieceforfiveofusboys?"

"You"reprettygoodatajoke,Jim,"remarkedtheColonel,strokinghisgoatee.

"Maybeyou"relookingforalittlepublicityinthisheregame,"retortedMr.Maker,darkly."Say,Colonel,ain"twealwaystreatedtheRailroadonthelevel?"

"Jim,"askedtheColonel,gently,"didn"tIalwaystakecareofyou?"

HehadlaidhishandontheshoulderofMr.Maker,whoappearedslightlymollified,andglancedatamassivesilverwatch.

"Well,I"llbedroppinginabouteighto"clock,"washissignificantreply,ashetookhisleave.

"Iguesswe"llhavetogreasethewheelsalittle,"theColonelremarkedtome,andgazedattheceiling

ThetelegramaproposoftheWardFiveleaderwasbynomeanstheonlyciphermessageIsentbackduringmystay.Ihadnotneededtobetoldthatthematterinhandwouldcostmoney,butMr.Watling"spartinginstructiontomehadbeentotaketheColonel"sadviceastospecificsums,andobtainconfirmationfromFowndes.NorwasitanysurprisetometofindDemocratsonintimatetermswithsuchastoutRepublicanastheColonel.SomestatesmanissaidtohavedeclaredthatheknewneitherEasternersnorWesterners,NorthernersnorSoutherners,butonlyAmericans;soColonelVarneyrecognizedneitherDemocratsnorRepublicans;inourlegislaturepartydivisionsweresunkinagreaterloyaltytotheRailroad.

AttheColonel"ssuggestionIhadlaidinaliberalsupplyofcigarsandwhiskey.Thesceneinhisroomthateveningsuggestedasessionofasublimatedgrandlodgeofsomesecretorder,suchwerethemysteriouscomingsandgoings,knocksandsuspenses.Oneafteranotherthe"important"mendulyappearedandwereintroduced,theColonelsupplyingthelighttouch.

"Why,cussmeifitisn"tBilly!Mr.Paret,IwantyoutoshakehandswithMr.Donovan,thefloorleaderofthe"opposition,"sir.

Mr.Donovanhashadthehabitofcominguphereforafriendlychateversincehefirstcamedowntothelegislature.Howlongisit,Billy?"

"Iguessit"snighontofifteenyears,Colonel."

"Fifteenyears!"echoedtheColonel,"andhe"ssogoodaDemocratithasn"tchangedhispoliticsaparticle."

Mr.Donovangrinnedinappreciationofthisthrust,helpedhimselfliberallyfromthebottleonthemantel,andtookaseatonthebed.Wehada"friendlychat."

ThusImadetheacquaintancealsooftheHon.JosephMecklin,SpeakeroftheHouse,whounbentinthemostflatteringwayonlearningmyidentity.

"Mr.Paret"shereonthatlittlematter,representingWatling,FowndesandRipon,"theColonelexplained.AnditappearedthatMr.Mecklinknewallaboutthe"littlematter,"andthatthementionofthefirmofWatling,FowndesandRiponhadamagicaleffectintheseparts.ThePresidentoftheSenate,theHon.LafeGiddings,wentsofarastosaythathehopedbeforelongtoseeMr.WatlinginWashington.BynomeanstheleastamongourcallerswastheHon.FitchTruesdale,editoroftheSt.Helen"sMessenger,whoseeditorialswereofthetriteeffectivenessthatistakenwidelyforwisdom,andwereassiduouslycopiedeveryweekbyotherstatepapersandlabeled"Mr.Truesdale"sCommonSense."Atcountlessfiresidesinourstatehewasknownasthespokesmanoftheplainman,whowasblissfullyignorantofthefactthatMr.TruesdalewasownedbodyandcarcassbyMr.CyrusRidden,theprincipalmanufacturerofSt.Helen"sandadirectorinseveralsubsidiarylinesoftheRailroad.

Inthelegislature,theHon.Fitch"sfunctionwasthatofthemoderatecounsellorandbellwetherfornewmembers,hencenothingcouldhavebeenmorefittingthanthechoiceofthatgentlemanforthehonourofmoving,onthemorrow,thatBillNo.709oughttopass.

Mr.Truesdalereluctantlyconsentedtoacceptasmall"loan"thatwouldhelptopaythemortgageonhisnewpress

Whenthelastofthegatheringhaddeparted,aboutoneo"clockinthemorning,Ihadaddedconsiderablytomyexperience,gainedaprettyaccurateideaofwhowaswhointhelegislatureandpoliticsofthestate,andestablishedrelationships——astheColonelremindedme——likelytoprovevaluableinthefuture.Itseemedonlygracioustocongratulatehimonhismanagementoftheaffair,——sofar.Heappearedpleased,andsqueezedmyhand.

"Well,sir,itdidrequirealittledelicacyoftouch.AndifIdosayitmyself,ithasn"tbeenbotched,"headmitted."Thereain"tanoutsider,asfarasIcanlearn,whohascaughtontotheniggerinthewood-pile.That"sthegreatthing,tokeep"emignorantaslongaspossible.Youunderstand.Theyyellbloodymurderwhentheydofindout,butgenerallyit"stoolate,ifabill"sbeenhandledright."

Ifoundmyselfspeculatingastowhothe"outsiders"mightbe.NoRibblevaleattorneyswereonthespotasyet,——ofthatIwassatisfied.

Intheabsenceofthese,whoweretheopposition?ItseemedtomeasthoughIhadinterviewedthatdayeverymaninthelegislature.

Iwasverytired.ButwhenIgotintobed,itwasimpossibletosleep.

Myeyessmartedfromthetobaccosmoke;andtheeventsoftheday,indisorderlymanner,keptrunningthroughmyhead.Thetideofmyexhilarationhadebbed,andIfoundmyselfstrugglingagainstarevulsioncaused,apparently,bythecontemplationofColonelVarneyandhisassociates;theinstruments,inbrief,bywhichourtriumphoverouropponentswastobeeffected.Andthatsameideawhich,whenlaunchedamidstthesurroundingsoftheBoyneClub,hadseemedsobrilliant,nowtookonanaspectoftawdriness.Anotherthoughtintrudeditself,——thatofMr.Pugh,thepresidentoftheRibblevaleCompany.Myfatherhadknownhim,andsomeyearsbeforeIhadtraveledhalfwayacrossthestateinhiscompany;hiskindlinesshadimpressedme.Hehadspentalargepartofhisbusinesslife,Iknew,inbuildinguptheRibblevale,andnowitwastobewrestedfromhim;hewastobesetaside,perhapsforcedtostartalloveragainwhenoldagewascomingon!InvainIaccusedmyselfofsentimentality,andsummonedallmyargumentstoprovethatincommerceefficiencymustbetheonlytest.TheimageofMr.Pughwouldnotdown.

Igotupandturnedonthelight,andtookrefugeinanovelIhadinmybag.PresentlyIgrewcalmer.Ihadchosen.Ihadsucceeded.AndnowthatIhadmyfingeratlastonthenerveofpower,itwasnotimetoweaken.

Itwashalf-pastsixwhenIawokeandwenttothewindow,relievedtofindthatthesunhadscatteredmymorbidfancieswiththedarkness;andIspeculated,asIdressed,whetherthethingcalledconsciencewerenot,afterall,amatterofnerves.Iwentdownstairsthroughthetobacco-staleatmosphereofthelobbyintothefreshairandsparklysunlightofthemildFebruarymorning,andleavingthebusinessdistrictIreachedtheresidenceportionofthelittletown.

Thefrontstepsofsomeofthecomfortablehouseswerebeingsweptbyindustriousservantgirls,andoutofthechimneystwisted,fantastically,richbluesmoke;thebarebranchesofthetreesweresilver-greyagainstthesky;gainingatlastanold-fashioned,woodenbridge,Istoodforawhilegazingattheriver,overtheshallowsofwhichthespendthrifthandofnaturehadflungashowerofdiamonds.AndIreflectedthattheworldwasforthestrong,forhimwhodaredreachouthishandandtakewhatitoffered.Itwasnotmoneywecoveted,weAmericans,butpower,theself-expressionconferredbypower.AsingleexperiencesuchasIhadhadthenightbeforewouldsincetoconvinceanysanemanthatdemocracywasafailure,thattheworld-oldprincipleofaristocracywouldassertitself,thattheattemptofourancestorstocurtailpoliticalpowerhadmerelyresultedinthegrowthofanotherandgreatereconomicpowerthatbadefairtobelimitless.AsIwalkedslowlybackintotownIfeltareluctancetoreturntothenoisyhotel,andfindingmyselfinfrontofalittlerestaurantonasidestreet,I

enteredit.Therewasbutoneothercustomerintheplace,andhewasseatedonthefarsideofthecounter,withanewspaperinfrontofhim;

andwhileIwasorderingmybreakfastIwasvaguelyawarethatthenewspaperhaddropped,andthathewaslookingatme.IntheslightintervalthatelapsedbeforemybraincouldregisterhisidentityI

experiencedadistinctshockofresentment;asenseofthereintrusionofanantagonisticvalueatamomentwhenitwasmostunwelcome

Themanhadrisenandwascomingaroundthecounter.HewasHermannKrebs.

"Paret!"Iheardhimsay.

"Youhere?"Iexclaimed.

Hedidnotseemtonoticethelackofcordialityinmytone.HeappearedsogenuinelygladtoseemeagainthatIinstantlybecameratherashamedofmyillnature.

"Yes,I"mhere——inthelegislature,"heinformedme.

"ASolon!"

"Exactly."Hesmiled."Andyou?"heinquired.

"Oh,I"monlyaspectator.Downhereforadayortwo."

Hewasstilllanky,hisclothesgavenoevidenceofanincreasedprosperity,buthiscomplexionwasgood,hisskinhadcleared.Iwasmorethaneverbakedbyaresolutegoodhumour,asimplicitythatwasnotinnocence,awhimsicaltouchseeminglyindicativeofastateofmindthatrefusedtotaketooseriouslycertainthingsonwhichIsetstore.Whatrighthadhetobecontentedwithlife?

"Well,Itooamonlyaspectatorhere,"helaughed."I"mneitherfish,fleshnorfowl,norgoodredherring."

"Youweregoingintothelaw,weren"tyou?"Iasked."IrememberyousaidsomethingaboutitthatdaywemetatBeverlyFarms."

"Yes,Imanagedit,afterall.ThenIwentbackhometoElkingtontotrytomakealiving."

"ButsomehowIhaveneverthoughtofyouasbeinglikelytodeveloppoliticalaspirations,Krebs,"Isaid.

"Ishouldsaynot!heexclaimed.

"Yethereyouare,launcheduponapoliticalcareer!Howdidithappen?"

"Oh,I"mnotworryingaboutthecareer,"heassuredme."Igotherebyaccident,andI"mafraiditwon"thappenagaininahurry.Yousee,thehandsinthosebigmillswehaveinElkingtonsprangasurpriseonthemachine,andthefirstthingIknewIwasnominatedforthelegislature.

Acommitteecametomyboarding-houseandtoldme,andtherewasthedeucetopay,rightoff.TheRailroadpoliticiansturnedinandworkedfortheDemocraticcandidate,ofcourse,andtheHutchinses,whoownthemills,triedthroughemissariestointimidatetheiroperatives."

"Andthen?"Iasked.

"Well,——I"mhere,"hesaid.

"Wouldn"tyoubeaccomplishingmore,"Iinquired,"ifyouhadn"tantagonizedtheHutchinses?"

"Itdependsuponwhatyoumeanbyaccomplishment,"heanswered,somildlythatIfeltmoreruedthanever.

"Well,fromwhatyousay,Isupposeyou"regoinginforreform,thattheseworkmenupatElkingtonarenotsatisfiedwiththeirconditionsandimagineyoucanhelptobetterthem.Now,providedtheconditionsarenotasgoodastheymightbe,howareyougoingtoimprovethemifyoufindyourselfisolatedhere,asyousay?"

"Inotherwords,IshouldcooperatewithColonelVarneyandotherdisinterestedphilanthropists,"hesupplied,andIrealizedthatIwaslosingmytemper.

"Well,whatcanyoudo?"Iinquireddefiantly.

"Icanfindoutwhat"sgoingon,"hesaid."Ihavealreadylearnedsomething,bytheway."

"Andthen?"Iasked,wonderingwhethertheimplicationwerepersonal.

"ThenIcanhelp——disseminatetheknowledge.Imaybewrong,butIhaveanideathatwhenthepeopleofthiscountrylearnhowtheirlegislaturesareconductedtheywillwanttochangethings."

"That"sright!"echoedthewaiter,whohadcomeupwithmygriddle-cakes.

"Andyou"rethemantotell"em,Mr.Krebs."

"Itwillneedseveralthousandofustodothat,I"mafraid,"saidKrebs,returninghissmile.

Mydistasteforthesituationbecamemoreacute,butIfeltthatIwasthrownonthedefensive.Icouldnotretreat,now.

"Ithinkyouarewrong,"Ideclared,whenthewaiterhaddepartedtoattendtoanothercustomer."Thepeoplethegreatmajorityofthem,atleastareindifferent,theydon"twanttobebotheredwithpolitics.

Therewillalwaysbelabouragitation,ofcourse,——themorewagesthosefellowsget,themoretheywant.Wepaythehighestwagesintheworldto-day,andthestandardoflivingishigherinthiscountrythananywhereelse.They"druinourprosperity,ifwe"dlet"em."

"Howaboutthethousandsoffamilieswhodon"tearnenoughtolivedecentlyevenintimesofprosperity?"inquiredKrebs.

"It"shard,I"lladmit,buttheinefficientandtheshiftlessareboundtosuffer,nomatterwhatformofgovernmentyouadopt."

"Youtalkaboutstandardsofliving,——Icouldshowyousomeexamplesofstandardstomakeyourheartsick,"hesaid."Whatyoudon"trealize,perhaps,isthatlowstandardshelptoincreasetheinefficientofwhomyoucomplain."

Hesmiledrathersadly."Theprosperityyouareadvocating,"headded,afteramoment,"isamerefiction,itisgorgingthefewattheexpenseofthemany.Andwhatisbeingdoneinthiscountryistostoreupanexplosivegasthatsomedaywillblowyoursuperstructuretoatomsifyoudon"twakeupintime."

"Isn"tthataratherone-sidedview,too?"Isuggested.

"I"venodoubtitmayappearso,buttaketheproceedingsinthislegislature.I"venodoubtyouknowsomethingaboutthem,andthatyouwouldmaintaintheyarejustifiedonaccountoftheindifferenceofthepublic,andofotherreasons,butIcanciteaninstancethatissimplylegalizedthieving."ForthefirsttimeanoteofindignationcreptintoKrebs"svoice."LastnightIdiscoveredbyamereaccident,intalkingtoamanwhocameinonalatetrain,thatabillintroducedyesterday,whichisbeingrushedthroughtheJudiciaryCommitteeoftheHouse——anapparentlyinnocentlittlebill——willenable,ifitbecomesalaw,theBoyneIronWorks,ofyourcity,totakepossessionoftheRibblevaleSteelCompany,lock,stock,andbarrel.AndIamtolditwasconceivedbyalawyerwhoclaimstobearespectablememberofhisprofession,andwhohasextraordinaryability,TheodoreWatling."

Krebsputhishandinhispocketanddrewoutapaper."Here"sacopyofit,——HouseBill709."Hisexpressionsuddenlychanged."PerhapsMr.

Watlingisafriendofyours."

"I"mwithhisfirm,"Ireplied

Krebs"sfingersclosedoverthepaper,crumplingit.

"Oh,then,youknowaboutthis,"hesaid.HewasputtingthepaperbackintohispocketwhenItookitfromhim.Butmyadroitness,socarefullyschooled,seemedmomentarilytohavedesertedme.WhatshouldIsay?Itwasnecessarytodecidequickly.

"Don"tyoutakerathera——prejudicedviewofthis,Krebs?"Isaid."Uponmyword,Ican"tseewhyyoushouldacceptarumourrunningaroundthelobbiesthatMr.Watlingdraftedthisbillforaparticularpurpose."

Hewassilent.Buthiseyesdidnotleavemyface.

"Whyshouldanysensibleman,amemberofthelegislature,takestockinthatkindofgossip?"Iinsisted."Whynotjudgethisbillbyitsface,withoutheedingacockandbullstoryastohowitmayhaveoriginated?

Itisagoodbill,orabadbill?Let"sseewhatitsays."

Ireadit.

"SofarasIcansee,itislegislationwhichweoughttohavehadlongago,andtendstocompelapublicityincorporationaffairsthatismuchneeded,toputastoptopracticeswhicheverydecentcitizendeplores."

Hedrewthepaperoutofmyhand.

"Youneedn"tgoon,Paret,"hetoldme."It"snouse."

"Well,I"msorrywedon"tagree,"Isaid,andgotup.Ilefthimtwistingthepaperinhisfingers.

Besidetheclerk"sdeskinthePottsHouse,relatingoneofhisanecdotes,IspiedColonelVarney,andmanagedpresentlytodrawhimupstairstohisroom."What"sthematter?"heasked.

"DoyouknowamannamedKrebsintheHouse?"Isaid.

"FromElkington?Why,that"sthemantheHutchinsesletslipthrough,——

theHutchinses,whoownthemillsoverthere.Theagitatorsputupajobonthem."TheColonelwasnolongerthegenialandsocialpurveyorofanecdotes.Hehadbecometense,alert,suspicious."What"sheupto?"

"He"sfoundoutaboutthisbill,"Ireplied.

"How?"

"Idon"tknow.Butsomeonetoldhimthatitoriginatedinouroffice,andthatweweregoingtouseitinoursuitagainsttheRibblevale."

IrelatedthecircumstancesofmyrunningacrossKrebs,speakingofhavingknownhimatHarvard.ColonelVarneyutteredanoath,andstrodeacrosstothewindow,wherehestoodlookingdownintothestreetfrombetweenthelacecurtains.