the conflict-第16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！


nd　profitable　operation；　made　in　comparison　the　delight　of　an　imaginative　boy　in　Monte　Cristo　or　Crusoe　seem　a　cold　and　tame　emotion。

David　talked　on　and　on；　fancying　that　Jane　was　listening　and　admiring；　when　in　fact　she　was　busy　with　her　own　entirely　different　train　of　thought。　　She　kept　the　young　man　going　because　she　did　not　wish　to　be　bored　with　her　own　solitude；　because　a　man　about　always　made　life　at　least　a　little　more　interesting　than　if　she　were　alone　or　with　a　woman；　and　because　Davy　was　good　to　look　at　and　had　an　agreeable　voice。

‘‘Why；　who's　that？''　she　suddenly　exclaimed；　gazing　off　to　the　right。

Davy　turned　and　looked。　　‘‘I　don't　know　her；''　he　said。　　‘‘Isn't　she　queer　lookingyet　I　don't　know　just　why。''

‘‘It's　Selma　Gordon；''　said　Jane；　who　had　recognized　Selma　the　instant　her　eyes　caught　a　figure　moving　across　the　lawn。

‘‘The　girl　that　helps　Victor　Dorn？''　said　Davy；　astonished。　　‘‘What's　SHE　coming　HERE　for？　　You　don't　know　herdo　you？''

‘‘Don't　you？''　evaded　Jane。　　‘‘I　thought　you　and　Mr。　Dorn　were　such　pals。''

‘‘Pals？''　laughed　Hull。　　‘‘Hardly　that。　　We　meet　now　and　then　at　a　workingman's　club　I'm　interested　inand　at　a　cafe'　where　I　go　to　get　in　touch　with　the　people　occasionallyand　in　the　street。　　But　I　never　go　to　his　office。　　I　couldn't　afford　to　do　that。　　And　I've　never　seen　Miss　Gordon。''

‘‘Well；　she's　worth　seeing；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘You'll　never　see　another　like　her。''

They　rose　and　watched　her　advancing。　　To　the　usual　person；　acutely　conscious　of　self；　walking　is　not　easy　in　such　circumstances。　　But　Selma；　who　never　bothered　about　herself；　came　on　with　that　matchless　steady　grace　which　peasant　girls　often　get　through　carrying　burdens　on　the　head。　　Jane　called　out：

‘‘So；　you've　come；　after　all。''

Selma　smiled　gravely。　　Not　until　she　was　within　a　few　feet　of　the　steps　did　she　answer：　　‘‘Yesbut　on　business。''　　She　was　wearing　the　same　linen　dress。　　On　her　head　was　a　sailor　hat；　beneath　the　brim　of　which　her　amazingly　thick　hair　stood　out　in　a　kind　of　defiance。　　This　hat；　this　further　article　of　Western　civilization's　dress；　added　to　the　suggestion　of　the　absurdity　of　such　a　person　in　such　clothing。　　But　in　her　strange　Cossack　way　she　certainly　was　beautifuland　as　healthy　and　hardy　as　if　she　had　never　before　been　away　from　the　high；　wind…swept　plateaus　where　disease　is　unknown　and　where　nothing　is　thought　of　living　to　be　a　hundred　or　a　hundred　and　twenty…five。　　Both　before　and　after　the　introduction　Davy　Hull　gazed　at　her　with　fascinated　curiosity　too　plainly　written　upon　his　long；　sallow；　serious　face。　　She；　intent　upon　her　mission；　ignored　him　as　the　arrow　ignores　the　other　birds　of　the　flock　in　its　flight　to　the　one　at　which　it　is　aimed。

‘‘You'll　give　me　a　minute　or　two　alone？''　she　said　to　Jane。　　‘‘We　can　walk　on　the　lawn　here。''

Hull　caught　up　his　hat。　　‘‘I　was　just　going；''　said　he。　　Then　he　hesitated；　looked　at　Selma；　stammered：　　‘‘I'll　go　to　the　edge　of　the　lawn　and　inspect　the　view。''

Neither　girl　noted　this　abrupt　and　absurd　change　of　plan。　　He　departed。　　As　soon　as　he　had　gone　half　a　dozen　steps；　Selma　said　in　her　quick；　direct　fashion：

‘‘I've　come　to　see　you　about　the　strike。''

Jane　tried　to　look　cool　and　reserved。　　But　that　sort　of　expression　seemed　foolish　in　face　of　the　simplicity　and　candor　of　Selma　Gordon。　　Also；　Jane　was　not　now　so　well　pleased　with　her　father's　ideas　and　those　of　her　own　interest　as　she　had　been　while　she　was　talking　with　him。　　The　most　exasperating　thing　about　the　truth　is　that；　once　one　has　begun　to　see　ithas　begun　to　see　what　is　for　him　the　truththe　honest　truthhe　can　not　hide　from　it　ever　again。　　So；　instead　of　looking　cold　and　repellant；　Jane　looked　uneasy　and　guilty。　　‘‘Oh；　yesthe　strike；''　she　murmured。

‘‘It　is　over；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘The　union　met　a　half　hour　ago　and　revoked　its　actionon　Victor　Dorn's　advice。　　He　showed　the　men　that　they　had　been　trapped　into　striking　by　the　companythat　a　riot　was　to　be　started　and　blamed　upon　themthat　the　militia　was　to　be　called　in　and　they　were　to　be　shot　down。''

‘‘Oh；　nonot　that！''　cried　Jane　eagerly。　　‘‘It　wouldn't　have　gone　as　far　as　that。''

‘‘Yesas　far　as　that；''　said　Selma　calmly。　　‘‘That　sort　of　thing　is　an　old　story。　　It's　been　done　so　often　and　worse。　　You　see；　the　respectable　gentlemen　who　run　things　hire　disreputable　creatures。　　They　don't　tell　them　what　to　do。　　They　don't　need　to。

The　poor　wretches　understand　what's　expected　of　them　and　they　do　it。　　So；　the　respectable　gentlemen　can　hold　up　white　hands　and　say　quite　truthfully；　'No　blood…no　filth　on　thesesee！'''　Selma　was　laughing　drearily。　　Her　superb；　primitive　eyes；　set　ever　so　little　aslant；　were　flashing　with　an　intensity　of　emotion　that　gave　Jane　Hastings　a　sensation　of　terror…much　as　if　a　man　who　has　always　lived　where　there　were　no　storms；　but　such　gentle　little　rains　with　restrained　and　refined　thunder　as　usually　visit　the　British　Isles；　were　to　find　himself　in　the　midst　of　one　of　those　awful　convulsions　that　come　crashing　down　the　gorges　of　the　Rockies。　　She　marveled　that　one　so　small　of　body　could　contain　such　big　emotions。

‘‘You　mustn't　be　unjust；''　she　pleaded。　　‘‘WE　aren't　THAT　wicked；　my　dear。''

Selma　looked　at　her。　　‘‘No　matter；''　she　said。　　‘‘I　am　not　trying　to　convert　youor　to　denounce　your　friends　to　you。　　I'll　explain　what　I've　come　for。　　In　his　speech　to…day　and　in　inducing　the　union　to　change；　Victor　has　shown　how　much　power　he　has。　　The　men　whose　plans　he　has　upset　will　be　hating　him　as　men　hate　only　those　whom　they　fear。''

‘‘YesI　believe　that；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘So；　you　see；　I'm　not　blindly　prejudiced。''

‘‘For　a　long　time　there　have　been　rumors　that　they　might　kill　him''

‘‘Absurd！''　cried　Jane　angrily。　　‘‘Miss　Gordon；　no　matter　how　prejudiced　you　may　beand　I'll　admit　there　are　many　things　to　justify　you　in　feeling　strongly　but　no　matter　how　you　may　feel；　your　good　sense　must　tell　you　that　men　like　my　father　don't　commit　murder。''

‘‘I　understand　perfectly；''　replied　Selma。　　‘‘They　don't　commit　murder；　and　they　don't　order　murder。　　I'll　even　say　that　I　don't　think　they　would　tolerate　murder；　even　for　their　benefit。　　But　you　don't　know　how　things　are　done　in　business　nowadays。　　The　men　like　your　father　have　to　use　men　of　the　Kelly　and　the　House　sortyou　know　who　they　are？''

‘‘Yes；''　said　Jane。

‘‘The　Kellys　and　the　Houses　give　general　orders　to　their　lieutenants。　　The　lieutenants　pass　the　orders　along　and　down。　　And　so　on；　until　all　sorts　of　men　are　engaged　in　doing　all　sorts　of　work。　　Dirty；　clean；　criminalall　sorts。　　Some　of　these　men；　baffled　in　what　they　are　trying　to　do　to　earn　their　paybaffled　by　Victor　Dornplot　against　him。''　　Again　that　sad；　bitter　laugh。　　‘‘My　dear　Miss　Hastings；　to　kill　a　cat　there　are　a　thousand　ways　besides　skinning　it　alive。''

‘‘You　are　prejudiced；''　said　Jane；　in　the　manner　of　one　who　could　not　be　convinced。

Selma　made　an　impatient　gesture。　　‘‘Again　I　say；　no　matter。　　Victor　laughs　at　our　fears''

‘‘I　knew　it；''　said　Jane　triumphantly。　　‘‘He　is　less　foolish　than　his　followers。''

‘‘He　simply　does　not　think　about　himself；''　replied　Selma。　　‘‘And　he　is　right。　　But　it　is　our　business　to　think　about　him；　because　we　need　him。　　Where　could　we　find　another　like　him？''

〃Yes；　I　suppose　your　movement　WOULD　die　out；　if　　he　were　not　behind　it。''

Selma　smiled　peculiarly。　　‘‘I　think　you　don't　quite　understand　what　we　are　about；''　said　she。　　‘‘You've　accepted　the　ignorant　notion　of　your　class　that　we　are　a　lot　of　silly　roosters　trying　to　crow　one　sun　out　of　the　heavens　and　another　into　it。　　The　facts　are　somewhat　different。　　Your　class　is　saying；　‘To…day　will　last　forever；'　while　we　are　saying；　‘No；　to…day　will　run　its　coursewill　be　succeeded　by　to…morrow。　　Let　us　not　live　like　the　fool　who　thinks　only　of　the　day。　　Let　us　be　sensible；　intelligent；　let　us　realize　that　there　will　be　to…morrow　and　that　it；　too；　must　be　lived。　　Let　us　get　ready　to　live　it　sensibly。　　Let　us　build　our　social　system　so　that　it　will　stand　the　wear　and　tear　of　another　day　and　will　not　fall　in　ruins　about　our　heads。'　''

‘‘I　am　terribly　ignorant　about　all　these　things；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘What　a　ridiculous　thing　my　education　has　been！''

‘‘But　it　hasn't　spoiled　your　heart；