the conflict-第2章

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the　town；　was　to　feminine　charm；　and　she　had　gone　prepared　to　give　battle。　　But　she　said　dejectedly；　‘‘You　don't　know　what　a　shock　you've　given　me。''

‘‘Yes；　I　do；''　cried　he。　　‘‘I'm　ashamed　of　myself。　　But　I　love　you；　Jen！　　Can't　you　learn　to　love　me？''

‘‘I　hadn't　even　thought　of　you　in　that　way；''　said　she。　　‘‘I　haven't　bothered　my　head　about　marriage。　　Of　course；　most　girls　have　to　think　about　it；　because　they　must　get　some　one　to　support　them''

‘‘I　wish　to　God　you　were　one　of　that　sort；''　interrupted　he。　　‘‘Then　I　could　have　some　hope。''

‘‘Hope　of　what；''　said　she　disdainfully。　　‘‘You　don't　mean　that　you'd　marry　a　girl　who　was　marrying　you　because　she　had　to　have　food；　clothing　and　shelter？''

‘‘I'd　marry　the　woman　I　loved。　　ThenI'd　MAKE　her　love　me。　　She　simply　couldn't　help　it。''

Jane　Hastings　shuddered。　　‘‘Thank　heaven；　I　don't　have　to　marry！''　　Her　eyes　flashed。　　‘‘But　I　wouldn't；　even　if　I　were　poor。　　I'd　rather　go　to　work。　　Why　shouldn't　a　woman　work；　anyhow？''

‘‘At　what？''　inquired　Hull。　　‘‘Except　the　men　who　do　manual　labor；　there　are　precious　few　men　who　can　make　a　living　honestly　and　self…respectingly。　　It's　fortunate　the　women　can　hold　aloof　and　remain　pure。''

Jane　laughed　unpleasantly。　　‘‘I'm　not　so　sure　that　the　women　who　live　with　men　just　for　shelter　are　pure；''　said　she。

‘‘Jen；''　the　young　man　burst　out；　‘‘you're　ambitious　aren't　you？''

‘‘Rather；''　replied　she。

‘‘And　you　like　the　sort　of　thing　I'm　trying　to　do　like　it　and　approve　of　it？''

‘‘I　believe　a　man　ought　to　succeedget　to　the　top。''

‘‘So　do　Iif　he　can　do　it　honorably。''

Jane　hesitateddared。　　‘‘To　be　quite　frank；''　said　she；　‘‘I　worship　success　and　I　despise　failure。　　Success　means　strength。　　Failure　means　weaknessand　I　abominate　weakness。''

He　looked　quietly　disapproving。　　‘‘You　don't　mean　that。　　You　don't　understand　what　you're　saying。''

‘‘Perfectly；''　she　assured　him。　　‘‘I'm　not　a　bit　good。　　Education　has　taken　all　the　namby…pamby　nonsense　out　of　me。''

But　he　was　not　really　hearing；　besides；　what　had　women　to　do　with　the　realities　of　life？　　They　were　made　to　be　the　property　of　menthat　was　the　truth；　though　he　would　never　have　confessed　it　to　any　woman。　　They　were　made　to　be　possessed。　　‘‘And　I　must　possess　this　woman；''　he　thought；　his　blood　running　hot。　　He　said：

‘‘Why　not　help　me　to　make　a　career？　　I　can　do　it；　Jen；　with　you　to　help。''

She　had　thought　of　this　beforeof　making　a　career　for　herself；　of　doing　the　‘‘something''　her　intense　energy　craved；　through　a　man。　　The　‘‘something''　must　be　big　if　it　were　to　satisfy　her；　and　what　that　was　big　could　a　woman　do　except　through　a　man？　　Butthis　man。　　Her　eyes　turned　thoughtfully　upon　hima　look　that　encouraged　him　to　go　on：

‘‘Politics　interest　you；　Jen。　　I've　seen　that　in　the　way　you　listen　and　in　the　questions　you　ask。''

She　smiledbut　not　at　the　surface。　　In　fact；　his　political　talk　had　bored　her。　　She　knew　nothing　about　the　subject；　and；　so；　had　been　as　one　listening　to　an　unknown　language。　　But；　like　all　women；　having　only　the　narrowest　range　of　interests　herself　and　the　things　that　would　enable　her　to　show　off　to　advantage；　she　was　used　to　being　bored　by　the　conversational　efforts　of　men　and　to　concealing　her　boredom。　　She　had　listened　patiently　and　had　led　the　conversation　by　slow；　imperceptible　stages　round　to　the　interesting　personal　to　the　struggle　for　dominion　over　this　difficult　male。

‘‘Anyhow；''　he　went　on；　‘‘no　intelligent　person　could　fail　to　be　interested　in　politics；　once　he　or　she　appreciated　what　it　meant。

And　people　of　our　class　owe　it　to　society　to　take　part　in　politics。　　Victor　Dorn　is　a　crank；　but　he's　right　about　some　thingsand　he's　right　in　saying　that　we　of　the　upper　class　are　parasites　upon　the　masses。　　They　earn　all　the　wealth；　and　we　take　a　large　part　of　it　away　from　them。　　And　it's　plain　stealing　unless　we　give　some　service　in　return。　　For　instance；　you　and　Iwhat　have　we　done；　what　are　we　doing　that　entitles　us　to　draw　so　much？　　Somebody　must　earn　by　hard　labor　all　that　is　produced。　　We　are　not　earning。　　So''he　was　looking　handsome　now　in　his　manly　earnestness‘‘Jen；　it's　up　to　us　to　do　our　shareto　stop　stealingisn't　it？''

She　was　genuinely　interested。　　‘‘I　hadn't　thought　of　these　things；''　said　she。

‘‘Victor　Dorn　says　we　ought　to　go　to　work　like　laborers；''　pursued　David。　　‘‘But　that's　where　he's　a　crank。　　The　truth　is；　we　ought　to　give　the　service　of　leadershipespecially　in　politics。　　And　I'm　going　to　do　it；　Jane　Hastings！''

For　the　first　time　she　had　an　interest　in　him　other　than　that　of　conquest。　　‘‘Just　what　are　you　going　to　do？''　she　asked。

‘‘Not　upset　everything　and　tear　everything　to　pieces；　as　Victor　Dorn　wants　to　do；''　replied　he。　　‘‘But　reform　the　abuses　and　wrongsmake　it　so　that　every　one　shall　have　a　fair　chancemake　politics　straight　and　honest。''

This　sounded　hazy　to　her。　　‘‘And　what　will　you　get　out　of　it？''　asked　she。

He　colored　and　was　a　little　uneasy　as　he　thus　faced　a　direct　demand　for　his　innermost　secretthe　secret　of　selfishness　he　tried　to　hide　even　from　himself。　　But　there　was　no　evading；　if　he　would　interest　her　he　must　show　her　the　practical　advantages　of　his　proposal。　　‘‘If　I'm　to　do　any　good；''　said　he；　putting　the　best　face；　and　really　not　a　bad　face；　upon　a　difficult　and　delicate　matter‘‘if　I'm　to　do　any　good　I　must　win　a　commanding　positionmust　get　to　be　a　popular　leadermust　hold　high　officesandandall　that。''

‘‘I　understand；''　said　she。　　‘‘That　sounds　attractive。　　Yes；　David；　you　ought　to　make　a　career。　　If　I　were　a　man　that's　the　career　I'd　choose。''

‘‘You　can　choose　it；　though　you're　a　woman；''　rejoined　he。　　‘‘Marry　me；　and　we'll　go　up　together。　　You've　no　idea　how　exciting　campaigns　and　elections　are。　　A　little　while；　and　you'll　be　crazy　about　it　all。　　The　women　are　taking　part；　more　and　more。''

‘‘Who's　Victor　Dorn？''　she　suddenly　asked。

‘‘You　must　remember　him。　　It　was　his　father　that　was　killed　by　the　railway　the　day　we　all　went　on　that　excursion　to　Indianapolis。''

‘‘Dorn　the　carpenter；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘YesI　remember。''　　Her　face　grew　dreamy　with　the　effort　of　memory。　　‘‘I　see　it　all　again。　　And　there　was　a　boy　with　a　very　white　face　who　knelt　and　held　his　head。''

‘‘That　was　Victor；''　said　Hull。

‘‘YesI　remember　him。　　He　was　a　bad　boyalways　fighting　and　robbing　orchards　and　getting　kept　after　school。''

‘‘And　he's　still　a　bad　boybut　in　a　different　way。　　He's　out　against　everything　civilized　and　everybody　that's　got　money。''

‘‘What　does　he　do？　　Keep　a　saloon？''

‘‘No；　but　he　spends　a　lot　of　time　at　them。　　I　must　say　for　him　that　he　doesn't　drinkand　professes　not　to　believe　in　drink。　　When　I　pointed　out　to　him　what　a　bad　example　he　set；　loafing　round　saloons；　he　laughed　at　me　and　said　he　was　spending　his　spare　time　exactly　as　Jesus　Christ　did。　　‘You'll　find；　Davy；　old　man；'　he　said；　‘if　you'll　take　the　trouble　to　read　your　Bible；　that　Jesus　traveled　with　publicans　and　sinnersand　a　publican　is　in　plain　English　a　saloonkeeper。'　''

‘‘That　was　very　originalwasn't　it？''　said　Jane。　　‘‘I'm　interested　in　this　man。　　He'sdifferent。　　I　like　people　who　are　different。''

‘‘I　don't　think　you'd　like　him；　Victor　Dorn；''　said　David。

‘‘Don't　you？''

‘‘Oh；　yesin　a　way。　　I　admire　him；''　graciously。　　‘‘He's　really　a　remarkable　fellow；　considering　his　opportunities。''

‘‘He　calls　you　‘Davy；　old　man；'　''　suggested　Jane。

Hull　flushed。　　‘‘That's　his　way。　　He's　free　and　easy　with　every　one。　　He　thinks　conventionality　is　a　joke。''

‘‘And　it　is；''　cried　Miss　Hastings。

‘‘You'd　not　think　so；''　laughed　Hull；　‘‘if　he　called　you　Jane　or　Jenny　or　my　dear　Jenny　half　an　hour　after　he　met　you。''

‘‘He　wouldn't；''　said　Miss　Hastings　in　a　peculiar　tone。

‘‘He　would　if　he　felt　like　it；''　replied　Hull。　　‘‘And　if　you　resented　it；　he'd　laugh　at　you　and　walk　away。　　I　suspect　him　of　being　a　good　deal　of　a　poseur　and　a　fakir。　　All　those　revolutionary　chaps　are。　　But　I　honestly　think　that　he　really　doesn't　care　a　rap　for　classes　or　for　moneyor　for　any　of　the　substantial　things。''

‘‘He　sounds　common；''　said　Miss　Hastings。　　‘‘I've　lost　interest　in　him。''　　Then　in　the　same　breath：　　‘‘How　does　he　live？　　Is　he　a　carpenter？''

‘‘He　wasfor　several　years。　　You　see；　he