the conflict-第25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 seven automobiles privately kept in this town and seventy…four chauffeurs doing nothing but wait upon their masters？ Money doesn't grow on bushes； you know。
Every cent of it has to be earned by somebodyand earned by MANUAL labor。''
‘‘I must think about that；'' she saidfor the first time as much interested in what he was saying as in the man himself。 No small triumph for Victor over the mind of a woman dominated； as was Jane Hastings； by the sex instinct that determines the thoughts and actions of practically the entire female sex。
‘‘Yesthink about it；'' he urged。 ‘‘You will never see itor anythinguntil you see it for yourself。''
‘‘That's the way your party is builtisn't it？'' inquired she。 ‘‘Of those who see it for themselves。''
‘‘Only those；'' replied he。 ‘‘We want no others。''
‘‘Not even their votes？'' said she shrewdly。
‘‘Not even their votes；'' he answered。 ‘‘We've no desire to get the offices until we get them to keep。 And when we shall have conquered the city； we'll move on to the conquest of the countythen of the districtthen of the state。 Our kind of movement is building in every city now； and in most of the towns and many of the villages。 The old parties are falling to pieces because they stand for the old politics of the two factions of the upper class quarreling over which of them should superintend the exploiting of the people。 Very few of us realize what is going on before our very eyes that we're seeing the death agonies of one form of civilization and the birth…throes of a newer form。''
‘‘And what will it be？'' asked the girl。
She had been waiting for some sign of the ‘‘crank；'' the impractical dreamer。 She was confident that this question would reveal the man she had been warned againstthat in answering it he would betray his true self。 But he disappointed and surprised her。
‘‘How can I tell what it will be？'' said he。 ‘‘I'm not a prophet。 All I can say is I am sure it will be human； full of imperfections； full of opportunities for improvementsand that I hope it will be better than what we have now。 Probably not much better； but a littleand that little； however small it may be； will be a gain。 Doesn't history show a slow but steady advance of the idea that the world is for the people who live in it； a slow retreat of the idea that the world and the people and all its and their resources are for a favored few of some kind of an upper class？ YesI think it is reasonable to hope that out of the throes will come a freer and a happier and a more intelligent race。''
Suddenly she burst out； apparently irrelevantly： ‘‘But I can'tI really can't agree with you that everyone ought to do physical labor。 That would drag the world downyes； I'm sure it would。''
‘‘I guess you haven't thought about that；'' said he。 ‘‘Painters do physical laborand sculptorsand writers and all the scientific menand the inventors and'' He laughed at her‘‘Who doesn't do physical labor that does anything really useful？ Why； you yourselfat tennis and riding and such thingsdo heavy physical labor。 I've only to look at your body to see that。 But it's of a foolish kindfoolish and narrowly selfish。''
‘‘I see I'd better not try to argue with you；'' said she。
‘‘Nodon't arguewith me or with anybody；'' rejoined he。 ‘‘Sit down quietly and think about life about your life。 Think how it is best to live so that you may get the most out of lifethe most substantial happiness。 Don't go on doing the silly customary things simply because a silly customary world says they are amusing and worth while。 Thinkand dofor yourself； Jane Hastings。''
She nodded slowly and thoughtfully。 ‘‘I'll try to；'' she said。 She looked at him with the expression of the mind aroused。 It was an expression that often rewarded him after a long straight talk with a fellow being。 She went on： ‘‘I probably shan't do what you'd approve。 You see； I've got to be myselfgot to live to a certain extent the kind of a life fate has made for me。''
‘‘You couldn't successfully live any other；'' said he。
‘‘But； while it won't be at all what you'd regard as a model lifeor even perhaps usefulit'll be very differentvery much betterthan it would have been； if I hadn't met youVictor Dorn。''
‘‘Oh； I've done nothing；'' said he。 ‘‘All I try to do is to encourage my fellow beings to be themselves。 So live your own lifethe life you can live bestjust as you wear the clothes that fit and become you。 。 。 。 And nowabout the street car question。 What do you want of me？''
‘‘Tell me what to say to father。''
He shook his head。 ‘‘Can't do it；'' said he。 ‘‘There's a good place for you to make a beginning。 Put on an old dress and go down town and get acquainted with the family life of the street…car men。 Talk to their wives and their children。 Look into the whole business yourself。''
‘‘But I'm notnot competent to judge；'' objected she。
‘‘Well； make yourself competent；'' advised he。
‘‘I might get Miss Gordon to go with me；'' suggested she。
‘‘You'll learn more thoroughly if you go alone；'' declared he。
She hesitatedventured with a winning smile： ‘‘You won't go with mejust to get me started right？''
‘‘No；'' said he。 ‘‘You've got to learn for yourself or not at all。 If I go with you； you'll get my point of view； and it will take you so much the longer to get your own。''
‘‘Perhaps you'd prefer I didn't go。''
‘‘It's not a matter of much importance； one way or the otherexcept perhaps to yourself；'' replied he。
‘‘Any one individual can do the human race little good by learning the truth about life。 The only benefit is to himself。 Don't forget that in your sweet enthusiasm for doing something noble and generous and helpful。 Don't become a Davy Hull。 You know； Davy is on earth for the benefit of the human race。 Ever since he was born he has been taken care ofsupplied with food； clothing； shelter； everything。 Yet he imagines that he is somehow a God…appointed guardian of the people who have gathered and cooked his food； made his clothing； served him in every way。 It's very funny； that attitude of your class toward mine。''
‘‘They look up to us；'' said Jane。 ‘‘You can't blame us for allowing itfor becoming pleased with ourselves。''
‘‘That's the worst of itwe do look up to you；'' admitted he。 ‘‘Butwe're learning better。''
‘‘YOU'VE already learned betteryou personally； I mean。 I think that when you compare me； for instance； with a girl like Selma Gordon； you look down on me。''
‘‘Don't you； yourself； feel that any woman who is self…supporting and free is your superior？''
‘‘In some moods； I do；'' replied Jane。 ‘‘In other moods； I feel as I was brought up to feel。''
They talked on and on； she detaining him without seeming to do so。 She felt proud of her adroitness。 But the truth was that his stopping on for nearly two hours was almost altogether a tribute to her physical charmthough Victor was unconscious of it。 When the afternoon was drawing on toward the time for her father to come； she reluctantly let him go。 She said：
‘‘But you'll come again？''
‘‘I can't do that；'' replied he regretfully。 ‘‘I could not come to your father's house and continue free。 I must be able to say what I honestly think； without any restraint。''
‘‘I understand；'' said she。 ‘‘And I want you to say and to write what you believe to be true and right。 Butwe'll see each other again。 I'm sure we are going to be friends。''
His expression as he bade her good…by told her that she had won his respect and his liking。 She had a suspicion that she did not deserve either； but she was full of good resolutions； and assured herself she soon would be what she had pretendedthat her pretenses were not exactly false； only somewhat premature。
At dinner that evening she said to her father：
‘‘I think I ought to do something beside enjoy myself。 I've decided to go down among the poor people and see whether I can't help them in some way。''
‘‘You'd better keep away from that part of town；'' advised her father。 ‘‘They live awful dirty； and you might catch some disease。 If you want to do anything for the poor； send a check to our minister or to the charity society。 There's two kinds of poorthose that are workin
