the conflict-第27章

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e　best　onesthe　chaps　like　Riversare　hard　to　catch。　　And　if　I　should　attack　one　of　them　before　I　had　him　dead　to　rights；　I'd　only　strengthen　him。''

‘‘You　think　you　can　destroy　Rivers'　influence？''　said　Davy　incredulously。

‘‘If　I　were　not　sure　of　it　I'd　not　publish　a　line；''　said　Victor。

‘‘But　to　get　to　the　subject　I　wish　to　talk　to　you　about。　　You　are　to　be　the　reform　candidate　for　Mayor　in　the　fall？''

Davy　looked　important　and　self…conscious。　　‘‘There　has　been　some　talk　of''　he　began。

‘‘I've　sent　for　you　to　ask　you　to　withdraw　from　the　movement；　Hull；''　interrupted　Victor。

Hull　smiled。　　‘‘And　I've　come　to　ask　you　to　support　it；''　said　Hull。　　‘‘We'll　win；　anyhow。　　But　I'd　like　to　see　all　the　forces　against　corruption　united　in　this　campaign。　　I　am　even　urging　my　people　to　put　one　or　two　of　your　men　on　the　ticket。''

‘‘None　of　us　would　accept；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘That　isn't　our　kind　of　politics。　　We'll　take　nothing　until　we　get　everything。　。　。　。　　What　do　you　know　about　this　movement　you're　lending　your　name　to？''

‘‘I　organized　it；''　said　Hull　proudly。

‘‘Pardon　meDick　Kelly　organized　it；''　replied　Victor。　　‘‘They're　simply　using　you；　Davy；　to　play　their　rotten　game。　　Kelly　knew　he　was　certain　to　be　beaten　this　fall。　　He　doesn't　care　especially　for　that；　because　House　and　his　gang　are　just　as　much　Kelly　as　Kelly　himself。　　But　he's　alarmed　about　the　judgeship。''

Davy　Hull　reddened；　though　he　tried　hard　to　look　indifferent。

‘‘He's　given　up　hope　of　pulling　through　the　scoundrel　who's　on　the　bench　now。　　He　knows　that　our　man　would　be　elected；　though　his　tool　had　the　support　of　the　Republicans；　the　Democrats　and　the　new　reform　crowd。''

Dorn　had　been　watching　Hull's　embarrassed　face　keenly。　　He　now　said：　　‘‘You　understand；　I　see；　why　Judge　Freilig　changed　his　mind　and　decided　that　he　must　stop　devoting　himself　to　the　public　and　think　of　the　welfare　of　his　family　and　resume　the　practice　of　the　law？''

‘‘Judge　Freilig　is　an　honorable　gentleman；''　said　Davy　with　much　dignity。　　‘‘I'm　sorry；　Dorn；　that　you　listen　to　the　lies　of　demagogues。''

‘‘If　Freilig　had　persisted　in　running；''　said　Victor；　‘‘I　should　have　published　the　list　of　stocks　and　bonds　of　corporations　benefiting　by　his　decisions　that　his　brother　and　his　father　have　come　into　possession　of　during　his　two　terms　on　the　bench。　　Many　of　our　judges　are　simply　mentally　crooked。　　But　Freilig　is　a　bribe　taker。　　He　probably　believes　his　decisions　are　just。　　All　you　fellows　believe　that　upper…class　rule　is　really　best　for　the　people''

‘‘And　so　it　is；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘And　you；　an　educated　man；　know　it。''

‘‘I'll　not　argue　that　now；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘As　I　was　saying；　while　Freilig　decides　for　what　he　honestly　thinks　is　right；　he　also　feels　he　is　entitled　to　a　share　of　the　substantial　benefits。

Most　of　the　judges；　after　serving　the　upper　class　faithfully　for　years；　retire　to　an　old　age　of　comparative　poverty。　　Freilig　thinks　that　is　foolish。''

‘‘I　suppose　you　agree　with　him；''　said　Hull　sarcastically。

‘‘I　sympathize　with　him；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘He　retires　with　reputation　unstained　and　with　plenty　of　money。　　If　I　should　publish　the　truth　about　him；　would　he　lose　a　single　one　of　his　friends？　　You　know　he　wouldn't。　　That　isn't　the　way　the　world　is　run　at　present。''

‘‘No　doubt　it　would　be　run　much　better　if　your　crowd　were　in　charge；''　sneered　Hull。

‘‘On　the　contrary；　much　worse；''　replied　Victor　unruffled。　　‘‘But　we're　educating　ourselves　so　that；　when　our　time　comes；　we'll　not　do　so　badly。''

‘‘You'll　have　plenty　of　time　for　education；''　said　Davy。

‘‘Plenty；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘But　why　are　you　angry？　　Because　you　realize　now　that　your　reform　candidate　for　judge　is　of　Dick　Kelly's　selecting？''

‘‘Kelly　didn't　propose　Hugo　Galland；''　cried　Davy　hotly。　　‘‘I　proposed　him　myself。''

‘‘Was　his　the　first　name　you　proposed？''

Something　in　Dorn's　tone　made　Davy　feel　that　it　would　be　unwise　to　yield　to　the　impulse　to　tell　a　lie　for　the　highly　moral　purpose　of　silencing　this　agitator　and　demagogue。

‘‘You　will　remember；''　pursued　Victor；　‘‘that　Galland　was　the　sixth　or　seventh　name　you　proposedand　that　Joe　House　rejected　the　others。　　He　did　it；　after　consulting　with　Kelly。　　You　recalldon't　you？that　every　time　you　brought　him　a　name　he　took　time　to　consider？''

‘‘How　do　you　know　so　much　about　all　this？''　cried　Davy；　his　tone　suggesting　that　Victor　was　wholly　mistaken；　but　his　manner　betraying　that　he　knew　Victor　was　right。

‘‘Oh；　politicians　are　human；''　replied　Dorn。　　‘‘And　the　human　race　is　loose…mouthed。　　I　saw　years　ago　that　if　I　was　to　build　my　party　I　must　have　full　and　accurate　information　as　to　all　that　was　going　on。　　I　made　my　plans　accordingly。''

‘‘Galland　is　an　honest　manrichabove　suspicion　above　corruptionan　ideal　candidate；''　said　Davy。

‘‘He　is　a　corporation　owner；　a　corporation　lawyer　and　a　fool；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘As　I've　told　you；　all　Dick　Kelly's　interest　in　this　fall's　local　election　is　that　judgeship。''

‘‘Galland　is　my　man。　　I　want　to　see　him　elected。　　If　Kelly's　for　Galland；　so　much　the　better。　　Then　we're　sure　of　electing　himof　getting　the　right　sort　of　a　man　on　the　bench。''

‘‘I'm　not　here　to　argue　with　you　about　politics；　Davy；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘I　brought　you　here　because　I　like　youbelieve　in　your　honestyand　don't　want　to　see　you　humiliated。　　I'm　giving　you　a　chance　to　save　yourself　。''

‘‘From　what？''　inquired　Hull；　not　so　valiant　as　he　pretended　to　be。

‘‘From　the　ridicule　and　disgrace　that　will　cover　this　reform　movement；　if　you　persist　in　it。''

Hull　burst　out　laughing。　　‘‘Of　all　the　damned　impudence！''　he　exclaimed。　　‘‘Dorn；　I　think　you've　gone　crazy　。''

‘‘You　can't　irritate　me；　Hull。　　I've　been　giving　you　the　benefit　of　the　doubt。　　I　think　you　are　falling　into　the　commonest　kind　of　errordoing　evil　and　winking　at　evil　in　order　that　a　good　end　may　be　gained。　　Now；　listen。　　What　are　the　things　you　reformers　are　counting　on　to　get　you　votes　this　fall''

Davy　maintained　a　haughty　silence。

‘‘The　traction　scandals；　the　gas　scandals　and　the　paving　scandalsisn't　that　it？''

‘‘Of　course；''　said　Davy。

‘‘Thenwhy　have　the　gas　crowd；　the　traction　crowd　and　the　paving　crowd　each　contributed　twenty…five　thousand　dollars　to　your　campaign　fund？''

Hull　stared　at　Victor　Dorn　in　amazement。　　‘‘Who　told　you　that　lie？''　he　blustered。

Dorn　looked　at　him　sadly。　　‘‘Then　you　knew？　　I　hoped　you　didn't；　Hull。　　Butnow　that　you're　facing　the　situation　squarely；　don't　you　see　that　you're　being　made　a　fool　of？　　Would　those　people　put　up　for　your　election　if　they　weren't　SURE　you　and　your　crowd　were　THEIR　crowd？''

‘‘They'll　find　out！''　cried　Hull。

‘‘You'll　find　out；　you　mean；''　replied　Victor。　　‘‘I　see　your　whole　programme；　Davy。　　They'll　put　you　in；　and　they'll　say；　‘Let　us　alone　and　we'll　make　you　governor　of　the　State。　　Annoy　us；　and　you'll　have　no　political　future。'　　And　you'll　say　to　yourself；　‘The　wise　thing　for　me　to　do　is　to　wait　until　I'm　governor　before　I　begin　to　serve　the　people。　　THEN　I　can　really　do　something。'　　And　so；　you'll　be　THEIR　mayorand　afterward　THEIR　governorbecause　they'll　hold　out　another　inducement。　　Anyhow；　by　that　time　you'll　be　so　completely　theirs　that　you'll　have　no　hope　of　a　career　except　through　them。''

After　reading　how　some　famous　oration　wrought　upon　its　audience　we　turn　to　it　and　wonder　that　such　tempests　of　emotion　could　have　been　produced　by　such　simple；　perhaps　almost　commonplace　words。　　The　key　to　the　mystery　is　usually　a　magic　quality　in　the　tone　of　the　orator；　evoking　before　its　hypnotized　hearers　a　series　of　vivid　pictures；　just　as　the　notes　of　a　violin；　with　no　aid　from　words　or　even　from　musical　form　seem　to　materialize　into　visions。

This　uncommon　yet　by　no　means　rare　power　was　in　Victor　Dorn's　voice；　and　explained　his　extraordinary　influence　over　people　of　all　kinds　and　classes；　it　wove　a　spell　that　enmeshed　even　those　who　disliked　him　for　his　detestable　views。　　Davy　Hull；　listening　to　Victor's　simple　recital　of　his　prospective　career；　was　so　wrought　upon　that　he　sat　staring　before　him　in　a　kind　of　terror。

‘‘Davy；''　said　Victor　gently；　‘‘you're　at　the　parting　of　the　ways。　　The　time　for　honest　halfway　reformers　for　political　amateurs　has　passed。　　‘Under