the conflict-第19章
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Jane felt herself coloring even more。 ‘‘I didn't mean him especially;'' replied she。 ‘‘But he's a good example。''
‘‘The best I know;'' declared Victor。 ‘‘You see; the trouble with Davy is that he is one kind of a person; wants to be another kind; thinks he ought to be a third kind; and believes he fools people into thinking he is still a fourth kind。''
Jane reflected on this; smiled understandingly。 ‘‘That sounds like a description of ME;'' said she。
‘‘Probably;'' said Victor。 ‘‘It's a very usual type in the second generation in your class。''
‘‘My class?'' said Jane; somewhat affectedly。 ‘‘What do you mean?''
‘‘The upper class;'' explained Victor。
Jane felt that this was an opportunity for a fine exhibition of her democracy。 ‘‘I don't like that;'' said she。 ‘‘I'm a good American; and I don't believe in classes。 I don't feelat least I try not to feelany sense of inequality between myself and thosethose lesslessfortunately off。 I'm not expressing myself well; but you know what I mean。''
‘‘Yes; I know what you mean;'' rejoined Victor。 ‘‘But that wasn't what I meant; at all。 You are talking about social classes in the narrow sense。 That sort of thing isn't important。
One associates with the kind of people that pleases oneand one has a perfect right to do so。 If I choose to have my leisure time with people who dress a certain way; or with those who have more than a certain amount of money; or more than a certain number of servants or what notwhy; that's my own lookout。''
‘‘I'm SO glad to hear you say that;'' cried Jane。 ‘‘That's SO sensible。''
‘‘Snobbishness may be amusing;'' continued Dorn; ‘‘or it may be repulsiveor pitiful。 But it isn't either interesting or important。 The classes I had in mind were the economic classesupper; middle; lower。 The upper class includes all those who live without work aristocrats; gamblers; thieves; preachers; women living off men in or out of marriage; grown children living off their parents or off inheritances。 All the idlers。''
Jane looked almost as uncomfortable as she felt。 She had long taken a secret delight in being regarded and spoken of as an ‘‘upper class'' person。 Henceforth this delight would be at least alloyed。
‘‘The middle class;'' pursued Victor; ‘‘is those who are in part parasites and in part workers。 The lower class is those who live by what they earn only。 For example; you are upper class; your father is middle class and I am lower class。''
‘‘Thank you;'' said Jane demurely; ‘‘for an interesting lesson in political economy。''
‘‘You invited it;'' laughed Victor。 ‘‘And I guess it wasn't much more tiresome to you than talk about the weather would have been。
The weather's probably about the only other subject you and I have in common。''
‘‘That's rude;'' said Jane。
‘‘Not as I meant it;'' said he。 ‘‘I wasn't exalting my subjects or sneering at yours。 It's obvious that you and I lead wholly different lives。''
‘‘I'd much rather lead your life than my own;'' said Jane。 ‘‘Butyou are impatient to see father。 You came to see him?''
‘‘He telephoned asking me to come to dinnerthat is; lunch。 I believe it's called lunch when it's second in this sort of house。''
‘‘Father calls it dinner; and I call it lunch; and the servants call it IT。 They simply say; ‘It's ready。' ''
Jane went in search of her father; found him asleep in his chair in the little office; one of his dirty little account books clasped in his long; thin fingers with their rheumatic side curve。 The maid had seen him there and had held back dinner until he should awaken。 Perhaps Jane's entrance roused him; or; perhaps it was the odor of the sachet powder wherewith her garments were liberally scented; for he had a singularly delicate sense of smell。 He lifted his head and; after the manner of aged and confirmed cat…nappers; was instantly wide awake。
‘‘Why didn't you tell me Victor Dorn was coming for dinner?'' said she。
‘‘Ohhe's here; is he?'' said Hastings; chuckling。 ‘‘You see I took your advice。 Tell Lizzie to lay an extra plate。''
Hastings regarded this invitation as evidence of his breadth of mind; his freedom from prejudice; his disposition to do the generous and the helpful thing。 In fact; it was evidence of little more than his dominant and most valuable traithis shrewdness。 After one careful glance over the ruins of his plan; he appreciated that Victor Dorn was at last a force to be reckoned with。 He had been growing; growingsomewhat above the surface; a great deal more beneath the surface。 His astonishing victory demonstrated his power over Remsen City laborin a single afternoon he had persuaded the street car union to give up without hesitation a strike it had been planningat least; it thought it had been doing the planningfor months。 The Remsen City plutocracy was by no means dependent upon the city government of Remsen City。 It had the county courtsthe district courtsthe State courts even; except where favoring the plutocracy would be too obviously outrageous for judges who still considered themselves men of honest and just mind to decide that way。 The plutocracy; further; controlled all the legislative and executive machinery。 To dislodge it from these fortresses would mean a campaign of years upon years; conducted by men of the highest ability; and enlisting a majority of the voters of the State。 Still; possession of the Remsen City government was a most valuable asset。 A hostile government could ‘‘upset business;'' could ‘‘hamper the profitable investment of capital;'' in other words could establish justice to a highly uncomfortable degree。 This victory of Dorn's made it clear to Hastings that at last Dorn was about to unite the labor vote under his bannerwhich meant that he was about to conquer the city government。 It was high time to stop him and; if possible; to give his talents better employment。
However; Hastings; after the familiar human fashion; honestly thought he was showing generosity; was going out of his way to ‘‘give a likely young fellow a chance。'' When he came out on the veranda he stretched forth a graciously friendly hand and; looking shrewdly into Victor's boyishly candid eyes; said:
‘‘Glad to see you; young man。 I want to thank you for ending that strike。 I was born a working man; and I've been one all my life and; when I can't work any more; I want to quit the earth。 So; being a working man; I hate to see working men make fools of themselves。''
Jane was watching the young man anxiously。 She instinctively knew that this speech must be rousing his passion for plain and direct speaking。 Before he had time to answer she said: ‘‘Dinner's waiting。 Let's go in。''
And on the way she made an opportunity to say to him in an undertone: ‘‘I do hope you'll be careful not to say anything that'll upset father。 I have to warn every one who comes here。 His digestion's bad; and the least thing makes him ill; and'' she smiled charmingly at him ‘‘I HATE nursing。 It's too much like work to suit an upper…class person。''
There was no resisting such an appeal as that。 Victor sat silent and ate; and let the old man talk on and on。 Jane saw that it was a severe trial to him to seem to be assenting to her father's views。 Whenever he showed signs of casting off his restraint; she gave him a pleading glance。 And the old man; so weazened; so bent and shaky; with his bowl of crackers and milk; wasor seemed to beproof that the girl was asking of him only what was humane。 Jane relieved the situation by talking volubly about herselfher college experiences; what she had seen and done in Europe。
After dinner Hastings said:
‘‘I'll drive you back to town; young man。 I'm going in to work; as usual。 I never took a vacation in my life。 Can you beat that record?''
‘‘Oh; I knock off every once in a while for a month or so;'' said Dorn。
‘‘The young fellows growing up nowadays ain't equal to us of the old stock;'' said Martin。 ‘‘They can't stand the strain。 Well; if you're ready; we'll pull out。''
‘‘Mr。 Dorn's going to stop a while with me; father;'' interposed Jane with a significant glance at Victor。 ‘‘I want to show him the grounds and the views。''
‘‘All rightall right;'' s