the conflict-第28章
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‘‘Davy;'' said Victor gently; ‘‘you're at the parting of the ways。 The time for honest halfway reformers for political amateurs has passed。 ‘Under which king; Bezonian? Speak or die!'that's the situation today。''
And Hull knew that it was so。 ‘‘What do you propose; Dorn?'' he said。 ‘‘I want to do what's right what's best for the people。''
‘‘Don't worry about the people; Hull;'' said Victor。
‘‘Upper classes come and pass; but the people remain bigger and stronger and more aggressive with every century。 And they dictate language and art; and politics and religionwhat we shall all eat and wear and think and do。 Only what they approve; only that yoke even which they themselves accept; has any chance of enduring。 Don't worry about the people; Davy。 Worry about yourself。''
‘‘I admit;'' said Hull; ‘‘that I don't like a lot of things about thethe forces I find I've got to use in order to carry through my plans。 I admit that even the sincere young fellows I've grouped together to head this movement are narrowsuperciliousself…satisfied that they irritate me and are not trustworthy。 But I feel that; if I once get the office; I'll be strong enough to put my plans through。'' Nervously; ‘‘I'm giving you my full confidenceas I've given it to no one else。''
‘‘You've told me nothing I didn't know already;'' said Victor。
‘‘I've got to choose between this reform party and your party;'' continued Hull。 ‘‘That is; I've got no choice。 For; candidly; I've no confidence in the working class。 It's too ignorant to do the ruling。 It's too credulous to build onfor its credulity makes it fickle。 And I believe in the better class; too。 It may be sordid and greedy and tyrannical; but by appealing to its good instinctsand to its fear of the money kings and the monopolists; something good can be got through it。''
‘‘If you want to get office;'' said Dorn; ‘‘you're right。 But if you want to BE somebody; if you want to develop yourself; to have the joy of being utterly unafraid in speech and in actionwhy; come with us。''
After a pause Hull said; ‘‘I'd like to do it。 I'd like to help you。''
Victor laid his hand on Davy's arm。 ‘‘Get it straight; Davy;'' he said。 ‘‘You can't help us。 We don't need you。 It's you that needs us。 We'll make an honest man of youinstead of a trimming politician; trying to say or to do something more or less honest once in a while and winking at or abetting crookedness most of the time。''
‘‘I've done nothing; and I'll do nothing; to be ashamed of;'' protested Hull。
‘‘You are not ashamed of the way your movement is financed?''
Davy moved uncomfortably。 ‘‘The money's ours now;'' said he。 ‘‘They gave it unconditionally。''
But he could not meet Victor's eyes。 Victor said: ‘‘They paid a hundred thousand dollars for a judgeship and for a blanket mortgage on your party。 And if you should win; you'd find you could do little showy things that were of no value; but nothing that would seriously disturb a single leech sucking the blood of this community。''
‘‘I don't agree with you;'' said Davy。 He roused himself into angerhis only remaining refuge。 ‘‘Your prejudices blind you to all the meansthe PRACTICAL meansof doing good; Dorn。 I've listened patiently to you because I respect your sincerity。 But I'm not going to waste my life in mere criticism。 I'm going to DO something。''
An expression of profound sadness came into Victor's face。 ‘‘Don't decide now;'' he said。 ‘‘Think it over。 Remember what I've told you about what we'll be compelled to do if you launch this party。''
Hull was tempted to burst out violently。 Was not this swollen…headed upstart trying to intimidate him by threats? But his strong instinct for prudence persuaded him to conceal his resentment。 ‘‘Why the devil should you attack US?'' he demanded。
‘‘Surely we're nearer your kind of thing than the old partiesand we; too; are against themtheir rotten machines。''
‘‘We purpose to keep the issue clear in this town;'' replied Victor。 ‘‘So; we can't allow a party to grow up that PRETENDS to be just as good as ours but is really a cover behind which the old parties we've been battering to pieces can reorganize。''
‘‘That is; you'll tolerate in this market no brand of honest politics but your own?''
‘‘If you wish to put it that way;'' replied Victor coolly。
‘‘I suppose you'd rather see Kelly or House win?''
‘‘We'll see that House does win;'' replied Victor。 ‘‘When we have shot your movement full of holes and sunk it; House will put up a straight Democratic ticket; and it will win。''
‘‘And House means Kellyand Kelly means corruption rampant。''
‘‘And corruption rampant means further and much needed education in the school of hard experience for the voters;'' said Dorn。 ‘‘And the more education; the larger our party and the quicker its triumph。''
Hull laughed angrily。 ‘‘Talk about low self…seeking! Talk about rotten practical politics!''
But Dorn held his good humor of the man who has the power and knows it。 ‘‘Think it over; Davy;'' counseled he。 ‘‘You'll see you've got to come with us or join Kelly。 For your own sake I'd like to see you with us。 For the party's sake you'd better be with Kelly; for you're not really a workingman; and our fellows would be uneasy about you for a long time。 You see; we've had experience of rich young men whose hearts beat for the wrongs of the working classand that experience has not been fortunate。''
‘‘Before you definitely decide to break with the decent element of the better class; Victor; I want YOU to think it over;'' said Davy。 ‘‘WeI; myselfhave befriended you more than once。 But for a few of us who still have hope that demagoguery will die of itself; your paper would have been suppressed long ago。''
Victor laughed。 ‘‘I wish they would suppress it;'' said he。 ‘‘The result would give the ‘better element' in this town a very bad quarter of an hour; at least。'' He rose。 ‘‘We've both said all we've got to say to each other。 I see I've done no good。 I feared it would be so。'' He was looking into Hull's eyesinto his very soul。 ‘‘When we meet again; you will probably be my open and bitter enemy。 It's a pity。 It makes me sad。 Good…by; anddo think it over; Davy。''
Dorn moved rapidly away。 Hull looked after him in surprise。 At first blush he was astonished that Dorn should care so much about him as this curious interview and his emotion at its end indicated。 But on reflecting his astonishment disappeared; and he took the view that Dorn was simply impressed by his personality and by his abilitywas perhaps craftily trying to disarm him and to destroy his political movement which was threatening to destroy the Workingmen's League。 ‘‘A very shrewd chap is Dorn;'' thought Davywhy do we always generously concede at least acumen to those we suspect of having a good opinion of us?‘‘A VERY shrewd chap。 It's unfortunate he's cursed with that miserable envy of those better born and better off than he is。''
Davy spent the early evening at the University Club; where he was an important figure。 Later on he went to a dance at Mrs。 Venable'sand there he was indeed a lion; as an unmarried man with money cannot but be in a company of ladiesfor money to a lady is what soil and sun and rain are to a floweris that without which she must cease to exist。 But still later; when he was alone in bedperhaps with the supper he ate at Mrs。 Venable's not sitting as lightly as comfort requiredthe things Victor Dorn had said came trailing drearily through his mind。 What kind of an article would Dorn print? Those facts about the campaign fund certainly would look badly in cold typeespecially if Dorn had the proofs。 And Hugo Galland Beyond question the mere list of the corporations in which Hugo was director or large stockholder would make him absurd as a judge; sitting in that district。 And Hugo the son…in…law of the most offensive capitalist in that section of the State! And the deal with House; endorsed by Kellyhow nasty that would look; IF Victor had the proofs。 IF Victor had the proofs。 But had he?
‘‘I MUST have a talk with Kelly;'' said Davy; aloud。
The words startled himnot his voice suddenly sounding in the profound stillness of his