the conflict-第3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！



‘‘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　and　his　mother　together　brought　up　the　Dorn　family　after　the　father　was　killed。　　They　didn't　get　a　cent　of　damages　from　the　railroad。　　It　was　an　outrage''

‘‘But　my　father　was　the　largest　owner　of　the　railroad。''

Hull　colored　violently。　　‘‘You　don't　understand　about　business；　Jen。　　The　railroad　is　a　corporation。　　It　fought　the　caseand　the　Dorns　had　no　moneyand　the　railway　owned　the　judge　and　bribed　several　jurors　at　each　trial。　　Dorn　says　that　was　what　started　him　to　thinking　to　being　a　revolutionistthough　he　doesn't　call　himself　that。''

‘‘I　should　think　it　would！''　cried　Miss　Hastings。　　‘‘If　my　father　had　known''　　She　caught　her　breath。　　‘‘But　he　MUST　have　known！　　He　was　on　the　train　that　day。''

‘‘You　don't　understand　business；　Jen。　　Your　father　wouldn't　interfere　with　the　management　of　the　corporation　。''

‘‘He　makes　money　out　of　itdoesn't　he？''

‘‘So　do　we　all　get　money　out　of　corporations　that　are　compelled　to　do　all　sorts　of　queer　things。　　But　we　can't　abolish　the　systemwe've　got　to　reform　it。　　That's　why　I'm　in　politicsand　want　you''

‘‘Something　must　be　done　about　that；''　interrupted　Jane。　　‘‘I　shall　talk　to　father''

‘‘For　heaven's　sake；　Jen；''　cried　David　in　alarm；　‘‘don't　tell　your　father　I'VE　been　stirring　you　up。　　He's　one　of　the　powers　in　politics　in　this　State；　and''

‘‘I'll　not　give　you　away；　Davy；''　said　Miss　Hastings　a　little　contemptuously。　　‘‘I　want　to　hear　more　about　this　Victor　Dorn。　　I'll　get　that　money　for　him　and　his　mother。　　Is　he　very　poor？''

‘‘Wellyou'd　call　him　poor。　　But　he　says　he　has　plenty。　　He　runs　a　small　paper。　　I　think　he　makes　about　twenty…five　dollars　a　week　out　of　itand　a　little　more　out　of　lecturing。　　Thenevery　once　in　a　while　he　goes　back　to　his　tradeto　keep　his　hand　in　and　enjoy　the　luxury　of　earning　honest　money；　as　he　puts　it。''

‘‘How　queer！''　exclaimed　Miss　Hastings。　　‘‘I　would　like　to　meet　him。　　Is　hevery　ignorant？''

‘‘Oh；　nono；　indeed。　　He's　worked　his　way　through　collegeand　law　school　afterward。　　Supported　the　family　all　the　time。''

‘‘He　must　be　tremendously　clever。''

‘‘I've　given　you　an　exaggerated　idea　of　him；''　Davy　hastened　to　say。　　‘‘He's　really　an　ordinary　sort　of　chap。''

‘‘I　should　think　he'd　get　rich；''　said　Miss　Hastings。　　‘‘Most　of　the　men　that　doso　far　as　I've　met　them　seem　ordinary　enough。''

‘‘He　says　he　could　get　rich；　but　that　he　wouldn't　waste　time　that　way。　　But　he's　fond　of　boasting。''

‘‘You　don't　think　he　could　make　moneyafter　all　he　didgoing　to　college　and　everything？''

‘‘YesI　guess　he　could；''　reluctantly　admitted　Davy。　　Then　in　a　burst　of　candor：　　‘‘Perhaps　I'm　a　little　jealous　of　him。　　If　_I_　were　thrown　on　my　own　resources；　I'm　afraid　I'd　make　a　pretty　wretched　showing。　　Butdon't　get　an　exaggerated　idea　of　him。　　The　things　I've　told　you　sound　romantic　and　unusual。　　If　you　met　himsaw　him　every　dayyou'd　realize　he's　not　at　allat　least；　not　muchout　of　the　ordinary。''

‘‘Perhaps；''　said　Miss　Hastings　shrewdly；　‘‘perhaps　I'm　getting　a　better　idea　of　him　than　you　who　see　him　so　often。''

‘‘Oh；　you'll　run　across　him　sometime；''　said　Davy；　who　was　bearing　up　no　better　than　would　the　next　man　under　the　strain　of　a　woman's　interest　in　and　excitement　about　another　man。　　‘‘When　you　do；　you'll　get　enough　in　about　five　minutes。　　You　see；　he's　not　a　gentleman　。''

‘‘I'm　not　sure　that　I'm　wildly　crazy　about　gentlemen　AS　gentlemen；''　replied　the　girl。　　‘‘Very　few　of　the　interesting　people　I've　read　about　in　history　and　biography　have　been　gentlemen。''

‘‘And　very　few　of　them　would　have　been　pleasant　to　associate　with；''　rejoined　Hull。　　‘‘You'll　admire　Victor　as　I　do。　　But　you'll　feelas　I　dothat　there's　small　excuse　for　a　man　who　has　been　educated；　who　has　associated　with　upper　class　people；　turning　round　and　inciting　the　lower　classes　against　everything　that's　fine　and　improving。''

It　was　now　apparent　to　the　girl　that　David　Hull　was　irritatedly　jealous　of　this　queer　Victor　Dorn　was　jealous　of　her　interest　in　him。　　Her　obvious　cue　was　to　fan　this　flame。　　In　no　other　way　could　she　get　any　amusement　out　of　Davy's　society；　for　his　tendency　was　to　be　heavily　seriousand　she　wanted　no　more　of　the　too　strenuous　love　making；　yet　wanted　to　keep　him　‘‘on　the　string。''　　This　jealousy　was　just　the　means　for　her　end。　　Said　she　innocently：　　‘‘If　it　irritates　you；　Davy；　we　won't　talk　about　him。''

‘‘Not　at　allnot　at　all；''　cried　Hull。　　‘‘I　simply　thought　you'd　be　getting　tired　of　hearing　so　much　about　a　man　you'd　never　known。''

‘‘But　I　feel　as　if　I　did　know　him；''　replied　she。　　‘‘Your　account　of　him　was　so　vivid。　　I　thought　of　asking　you　to　bring　him　to　call。''

Hull　laughed　heartily。　　‘‘Victor　Dorncalling！''

‘‘Why　not？''

‘‘He　doesn't　do　that　sort　of　thing。　　And　if　he　did；　how　could　I　bring　him　here？''

‘‘Why　not？''

‘‘Wellin　the　first　place；　you　are　a　ladyand　he　is　not　in　your　class。　　Of　course；　men　can　associate　with　each　other　in　politics　and　business。　　But　the　social　side　of　lifethat's　different。''

‘‘But　a　while　ago　you　were　talking　about　my　going　in　for　politics；''　said　Miss　Hastings　demurely。

‘‘Still；　you'd　not　have　to　meet　SOCIALLY　queer　and　rough　characters''

‘‘Is　Victor　Dorn　very　rough？''

The　interrupting　question　was　like　the　bite　of　a　big　fly　to　a　sweating　horse。　　‘‘I'm　getting　sick　of　hearing　about　him　from　you；''　cried　Hull　with　the　pettishness　of　the　spoiled　children　of　the　upper　class。

‘‘In　what　way　is　he　rough？''　persisted　Miss　Hastings。　　‘‘If　you　didn't　wish　to　talk　about　Victor　Dorn；　why　did　you　bring　the　subject　up？''

‘‘Ohall　right；''　cried　Hull；　restraining　himself。　　‘‘Victor　isn't　exactly　rough。　　He　can　act　like　a　gentleman　when　he　happens　to　want　to。　　But　you　never　can　tell　what　he'll　do　next。''

‘‘You　MUST　bring　him　to　call！''　exclaimed　Miss　Hastings。

‘‘Impossible；''　said　Hull　angrily。

‘‘But　he's　the　only　man　I've　heard　about　since　I've　been　home　that　I've　taken　the　least　interest　in。''

‘‘If　he　did　come；　your　father　would　have　the　servants　throw　him　off　the　place。''

‘‘Oh；　no；''　said　Hiss　Hastings　haughtily。　　‘‘My　father　wouldn't　insult　a　guest　of　mine。''

‘‘But　you　don't　know；　Jen；''　cried　David。　　‘‘Why；　Victor　Dorn　attacks　your　father　in　the　most　outrageous　way　in　his　miserable　little　anarchist　papercalls　him　a　thief；　a　briber；　a　blood…suckeraI'd　not　venture　to　repeat　to　you　the　things　he　says。''

‘‘No　doubt　he　got　a　false　impression　of　father　because　of　that　damage　suit；''　said　Miss　Hastings　mildly。　　‘‘That　was　a　frightful　thing。　　I　can't　be　so　unjust　as　to　blame　him；　Davycan　you？''

Hull　was　silent。

‘‘And　I　guess　father　does　have　to　do　a　lot　of　things　in　the　course　of　business　　Don't　all　the　big　men　the　leaders？''

‘‘Yesunfortunately　they　do；''　said　Hull。　　‘‘That's　what　gives　plausibility　to　the　shrieks　of　demagogues　like　Victor　Dornthough　Victor　is　too　well　educated　not　to　know　better　than　to　stir　up　the　ignorant　classes。''

‘‘I　wonder　why　he　does　it；''　said　Miss　Hastings；　reflectively。　　‘‘I　must　ask　him。　　I　want　to　hear　what　he　says　to　excuse　himself。''　　In　fact；　she　had　not　the　faintest　interest　in　the　views　of　this　queer　unknown；　her　chief　reason　for　saying　she　had　was　to　enjoy　David　Hull's　jealousy。

‘‘Before　you　try　to　meet　Victor；''　said　Hull；　in　a　constrained；　desperate　way；　‘‘please　speak　to　your　father　about　it。''

‘‘I　certainly　shall；''　replied　the　girl。　　‘‘As　soon　as　he　comes　home　this　afternoon；　I'm　going　to　talk　to　him　about　that　damage　suit。　　That　has　got　to　be　straightened　out。''　　An　expression　of　resolution；　of　gentleness　and　justice　abruptly　transformed　her　face。　　‘‘You　may　not　believe　it；　but　I　have　a　conscience。''　　Absently；　‘‘A　curious　sort　of　a　conscienceone　that　might　become　very　troublesome；　I'm　afraidin　some　circumstances。''

Instantly　the　fine　side　of　David　Hull's　nature　was　to　the　forethe　dominant　side；　for　at　the　first　appeal　it　always　responded。　　‘‘So　have　I；　Jen；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　think　our　similarity　in　that　respect　is　what　draws　me　so　strongly　to　you。　　And　it's　that　that　makes　me　hope　I　can　win　you。　　Oh；　Jenthere's　so　much　to　be　done