the conflict-第29章

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‘‘I　MUST　have　a　talk　with　Kelly；''　said　Davy；　aloud。

The　words　startled　himnot　his　voice　suddenly　sounding　in　the　profound　stillness　of　his　bedroom；　but　the　words　themselves。　　It　was　his　first　admission　to　himself　of　the　vicious　truth　he　had　known　from　the　outset　and　had　been　pretending　to　himself　that　he　did　not　knowthe　truth　that　his　reform　movement　was　a　fraud　contrived　by　Dick　Kelly　to　further　the　interests　of　the　company　of　financiers　and　the　gang　of　politico…　criminal　thugs　who　owned　the　party　machinery。　　It　is　a　nice　question　whether　a　man　is　ever　allowed　to　go　in　HONEST　self…deception　decisively　far　along　a　wrong　road。　　However　this　may　be；　certain　it　is　that　David　Hull；　reformer；　was　not　so　allowed。　　And　he　was　glad　of　the　darkness　that　hid　him　at　least　physically　from　himself　as　he　strove　to　convince　himself　that；　if　he　was　doing　wrong；　it　was　from　the　highest　motives　and　for　the　noblest　purposes　and　would　result　in　the　public　good　and　not　merely　in　fame　and　office　for　David　Hull。

The　struggle　ended　as　struggles　usually　end　in　the　famous　arena　of　moral　sham　battles　called　conscience；　and　toward　the　middle　of　the　following　morning　Davy；　at　peace　with　himself　and　prepared　to　make　any　sacrifice　of　personal　squeamishness　or　moral　idealism　for　the　sake　of　the　public　good；　sought　out　Dick　Kelly。

Kelly's　original　headquarters　had；　of　course；　been　the　doggery　in　and　through　which　he　had　established　himself　as　a　political　power。　　As　his　power　grew　and　his　relations　with　more　respectable　elements　of　society　extended　he　shifted　to　a　saloon　and　beer　garden　kept　by　a　reputable　German　and　frequented　by　all　kinds　of　peoplea　place　where　his　friends　of　the　avowedly　criminal　class　and　his　newer　friends　of　the　class　that　does　nothing　legally　criminal；　except　in　emergencies；　would　feel　equally　at　ease。　　He　retained　ownership　of　the　doggery；　but　took　his　name　down　and　put　up　that　of　his　barkeeper。　　When　he　won　his　first　big　political　fight　and　took　charge　of　the　public　affairs　of　Remsen　City　and　made　an　arrangement　with　Joe　House　where　under　Remsen　City；　whenever　it　wearied　or　sickened　of　Kelly；　could　take　instead　Kelly　disguised　as　Joe　House　when　he　thus　became　a　full　blown　boss　he　established　a　secondary　headquarters　in　addition　to　that　at　Herrmann's　Garden。　　Every　morning　at　ten　o'clock　he　took　his　stand　in　the　main　corridor　of　the　City　Hall；　really　a　thoroughfare　and　short　cut　for　the　busiest　part　of　town。　　With　a　cigar　in　his　mouth　he　stood　there　for　an　hour　or　so；　holding　court；　making　appointments；　attending　to　all　sorts　of　political　business。

Presently　his　importance　and　his　ideas　of　etiquette　expanded　to　such　an　extent　that　he　had　to　establish　the　Blaine　Club。　　Joe　House's　Tilden　Club　was　established　two　years　later；　in　imitation　of　Kelly。　　If　you　had　very　private　and　important　business　with　Kelly　business　of　the　kind　of　which　the　public　must　get　no　inkling；　you　madepreferably　by　telephonean　appointment　to　meet　him　in　his　real　estate　offices　in　the　Hastings　Buildinga　suite　with　entrances　and　exits　into　three　separated　corridors。　　If　you　wished　to　see　him　about　ordinary　matters　and　were　a　person　who　could　‘‘confer''　with　Kelly　without　its　causing　talk　you　met　him　at　the　Blaine　Club。　　If　you　wished　to　cultivate　him；　to　pay　court　to　him；　you　saw　him　at　Herrmann'sor　in　the　general　rooms　of　the　club。　　If　you　were　a　busy　man　and　had　time　only　to　exchange　greetings　with　himto　‘‘keep　in　touch''you　passed　through　the　City　Hall　now　and　then　at　his　hour。　　Some　bosses　soon　grow　too　proud　for　the　vulgar　democracy　of　such　a　public　stand；　but　Kelly；　partly　through　shrewdness；　partly　through　inclination；　clung　to　the　City　Hall　stand　and　encouraged　the　humblest　citizens　to　seek　him　there　and　tell　him　the　news　or　ask　his　aid　or　his　advice。

It　was　at　the　City　Hall　that　Davy　Hull　sought　him；　and　found　him。

Twice　he　walked　briskly　to　the　boss；　the　third　time　he　went　by　slowly。　　Kelly；　who　saw　everything；　had　known　from　the　first　glance　at　Hull's　grave；　anxious　face；　that　the　young　leader　of　the　‘‘holy　boys''　was　there　to　see　him。　　But　he　ignored　Davy　until　Davy　addressed　him　directly。

‘‘Howdy；　Mr。　Hull！''　said　he；　observing　the　young　man　with　eyes　that　twinkled　cynically。　　‘‘What's　the　good　word？''

‘‘I　want　to　have　a　little　talk　with　you；''　Davy　blurted　out。　　‘‘Where　could　I　see　you？''

‘‘Here　I　am；''　said　Kelly。　　‘‘Talk　away。''

‘‘Couldn't　I　see　you　at　somesome　place　where　we'd　not　be　interrupted？　　I　saw　Victor　Dorn　yesterday；　and　he　said　some　things　that　I　think　you　ought　to　know　about。''

‘‘I　do　know　about　'em；''　replied　Kelly。

‘‘Are　you　sure？　　I　mean　his　threats　toto''

As　Davy　paused　in　an　embarrassed　search　for　a　word　that　would　not　hurt　his　own　but　recently　soothed　conscience；　Kelly　laughed。　　‘‘To　expose　you　holy　boys？''　inquired　he。　　‘‘To　upset　the　nice　moral　campaign　you　and　Joe　House　have　laid　out？　　Yes；　I　know　all　about　Mr。　Victor　Dorn。　　ButJoe　House　is　the　man　you　want　to　see。　　You　boys　are　trying　to　do　me　uptrying　to　break　up　the　party。　　You　can't　expect　ME　to　help　you。　　I've　got　great　respect　for　you　personally；　Mr。　Hull。　　Your　fatherhe　was　a　fine　old　Republican　wheel…horse。　　He　stood　by　the　party　through　thick　and　thinand　the　party　stood　by　him。　　So；　I　respect　his　sonpersonally。　　But　politically　that's　another　matter。　　Politically　I　respect　straight　organization　men　of　either　party；　but　I've　got　no　use　for　amateurs　and　reformers。　　Sogo　to　Joe　House。''　　All　this　in　perfect　good　humor；　and　in　a　tone　of　banter　that　might　have　ruffled　a　man　with　a　keener　sense　of　humor　than　Davy's。

Davy　was　red　to　his　eyes；　not　because　Kelly　was　laughing　at　him；　but　because　he　stood　convicted　of　such　a　stupid　political　blunder　as　coming　direct　to　Kelly　when　obviously　he　should　have　gone　to　Kelly's　secret　partner。　　‘‘Dorn　means　to　attack　us　allRepublicans；　Democrats　and　Citizens'　Alliance；''　stammered　Davy；　trying　to　justify　himself。

Kelly　shifted　his　cigar　and　shrugged　his　shoulders。

‘‘Don't　worry　about　his　attacks　on　meon　US；''　said　he。　　‘‘We're　used　to　being　attacked。　　We　haven't　got　no　reputation　for　superior　virtue　to　lose。''

‘‘But　he　says　he　can　prove　that　our　whole　campaign　is　simply　a　deal　between　you　and　House　and　me　to　fool　the　people　and　elect　a　bad　judge。''

‘‘So　I've　heard；''　said　Kelly。　　‘‘But　what　of　it？　　You　know　it　ain't　so。''

‘‘No；　I　don't；　Mr。　Kelly；''　replied　Hull；　desperately。　　‘‘On　the　contrary；　I　think　it　is　so。　　And　I　may　add　I　think　we　are　justified　in　making　such　a　deal；　when　that's　the　only　way　to　save　the　community　from　Victor　Dorn　and　his　crowd　ofof　anarchists。''

Kelly　looked　at　him　silently　with　amused　eyes。

‘‘House　can't　do　anything；''　pursued　Davy。　　‘‘Maybe　YOU　can。　　So　I　came　straight　to　you。''

‘‘I'm　glad　you're　getting　a　little　political　sense；　my　boy；''　said　Kelly。　　‘‘Perhaps　you're　beginning　to　see　that　a　politician　has　got　to　be　practicalthat　it's　the　organizations　that　keeps　this　city　from　being　the　prey　to　Victor　Dorns。''

‘‘I　see　that；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘I'm　willing　to　admit　that　I've　misjudged　you；　Mr。　Kellythat　the　better　classes　owe　you　a　heavy　debtand　that　you　are　one　of　the　men　we've　got　to　rely　on　chiefly　to　stem　the　tide　of　anarchy　that's　risingthe　attack　on　the　propertied　classesthe　intelligent　classes。''

‘‘I　see　your　eyes　are　being　opened；　my　boy；''　said　Kelly　in　a　kindly　tone　that　showed　how　deeply　he　appreciated　this　unexpected　recognition　of　his　own　notion　of　his　mission。　　‘‘You　young　silk　stocking　fellows　up　at　the　University　Club；　and　the　Lincoln　and　the　Jefferson；　have　been　indulging　in　a　lot　of　loose　talk　against　the　fellows　that　do　the　hard　work　in　politicsthe　fellows　that　helped　your　fathers　to　make　fortunes　and　that　are　helping　you　boys　to　keep　'em。　　If　I　didn't　have　a　pretty　level　head　on　me；　I'd　take　my　hands　off　and　give　Dorn　and　his　gang　a　chance　at　you。

I　tell　you；　when　you　fool　with　that　reform　nonsense；　you　play　with　fire　in　a　powder　mill。''

‘‘But　II　had　an　idea　that　you　wanted　me　to　go　ahead；''　said　Davy。

‘‘Not　the　way　you　started　last　spring；''　replied　Kelly。　‘‘Not　the　way　you'd　'a　gone　if　I　hadn't　taken　hold。　　I've　been　saving　you　in　spite　of　yourselves。　　Thanks　to　me；　your　party's　on　a　sound；　conservative　basis　and　won't　d