the conflict-第39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！



Jane's　heart　was　beating　wildly。　　She　continued　to　say　carelessly；　‘‘You　think　so？''

‘‘Davy's　got　a　bad　attack　of　big　red　eye　to…day；''　said　her　father。　　‘‘It's　a　habit　young　men　have。''

‘‘I'm　right；　Mr。　Hastings；''　cried　Hull。　　‘‘And；　furthermore；　you　know　I'm　right；　Jane；　you　saw　that　riot　the　other　night。　　Joe　Wetherbe　told　me　so。　　You　said　that　it　was　an　absolutely　unprovoked　assault　of　the　gangs　of　Kelly　and　House。　　Everyone　in　town　knows　it　was。　　The　middle　and　the　upper　class　people　are　pretending　to　believe　what　the　papers　printed　what　they'd　like　to　believe。　　But　they　KNOW　better。　　The　working　people　are　apparently　silent。　　They　usually　are　apparently　silent。　　But　they　know　the　truth　they　are　talking　it　among　themselves。　　And　these　indictments　will　make　Victor　Dorn　a　hero。''

‘‘What　of　it？　　What　of　it？''　said　Hastings　impatiently。　　‘‘The　working　people　don't　count。''

‘‘Not　as　long　as　we　can　keep　them　divided；''　retorted　Davy。　　‘‘But　if　they　unite''

And　he　went　on　to　explain　what　he　had　in　mind。　　He　gave　them　an　analysis　of　Remsen　City。　　About　fifty　thousand　inhabitants；　of　whom　about　ten　thousand　were　voters。　　These　voters　were　divided　into　three　classesupper　class；　with　not　more　than　three　or　four　hundred　votes；　and　therefore　politically　of　no　importance　AT　THE　POLLS；　though　overwhelmingly　the　most　influential　in　any　other　way；　the　middle　class；　the　big　and　little　merchants；　the　lawyers　and　doctors；　the　agents　and　firemen　and　so　on；　mustering　in　all　about　two　thousand　votes；　finally；　the　working　class　with　no　less　than　eight　thousand　votes　out　of　a　total　of　ten　thousand。

‘‘By　bribery　and　cajolery　and　browbeating　and　appeal　to　religious　prejudice　and　to　fear　of　losing　jobsby　all　sorts　of　chicane；''　said　Davy；　‘‘about　seven　of　these　eight　thousand　votes　are　kept　divided　between　the　Republican　or　Kelly　party　and　the　Democratic　or　House　party。　　The　other　ten　or　twelve　hundred　belong　to　Victor　Dorn's　League。　　Now；　the　seven　thousand　workingmen　voters　who　follow　Kelly　and　House　like　Victor　Dorn；　like　his　ideas；　are　with　him　at　heart。　　But　they　are　afraid　of　him。　　They　don't　trust　each　other。　　Workingmen　despise　the　workingman　as　an　ignorant　fool。''

‘‘So　he　is；''　said　Hastings。

‘‘So　he　is；''　agreed　Davy。　　‘‘But　Victor　Dorn　has　about　got　the　workingmen　in　this　town　persuaded　that　they'd　fare　better　with　Dorn　and　the　League　as　their　leaders　than　with　Kelly　and　House　as　their　leaders。　　And　if　Kelly　goes　on　to　persecute　Victor　Dorn；　the　workingmen　will　be　frightened　for　their　rights　to　free　speech　and　free　assembly。　　And　they'll　unite。　　I　appeal　to　you；　Janeisn't　that　common　sense？''

‘‘I　don't　know　anything　about　politics；''　said　Jane；　looking　bored。　　‘‘You　must　go　in　and　lie　down　before　dinner；　father。　　You　look　tired。''

Hastings　got　ready　to　rise。

‘‘Just　a　minute；　Mr。　Hastings；''　pleaded　Hull。　　‘‘This　must　be　settled　nowat　once。　　I　must　be　in　a　position　not　only　to　denounce　this　thing；　but　also　to　stop　it。　　Not　to…morrow；　but　to…day　。　。　。　so　that　the　morning　papers　will　have　the　news。''

Jane's　thoughts　were　flyingbut　in　circles。　　Everybody　habitually　judges　everybody　else　as　both　more　and　less　acute　than　he　really　is。　　Jane　had　great　respect　for　Davy　as　a　man　of　college　education。　　But　because　he　had　no　sense　of　humor　and　because　he　abounded　in　lengthy　platitudes　she　had　thought　poorly　indeed　of　his　abilities。　　She　had　been　realizing　her　mistake　in　these　last　few　minutes。　　The　man　who　had　made　that　analysis　of　politicsan　analysis　which　suddenly　enlighted　her　as　to　what　political　power　meant　and　how　it　was　wielded　everywhere　on　earth　as　well　as　in　Remsen　Citythe　man　was　no　mere　dreamer　and　theorist。　　He　had　seen　the　point　no　less　clearly　than　had　Victor　Dorn。　　But　what　concerned　her；　what　set　her　to　fluttering；　was　that　he　was　about　to　checkmate　Victor　Dorn。　　What　should　she　say　and　do　to　help　Victor？

She　must　get　her　father　away。　　She　took　him　gently　by　the　arm；　kissed　the　top　of　his　head。　　‘‘Come　on；　father；''　she　cried。　　‘‘I'll　let　Davy　work　his　excitement　off　on　me。　　You　must　take　care　of　your　health。''

But　Hastings　resisted。　　‘‘Wait　a　minute；　Jenny；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　must　think。''

‘‘You　can　think　lying　down；''　insisted　his　daughter　Davy　was　about　to　interpose　again；　but　she　frowned　him　into　silence。

‘‘There's　something　in　what　Davy　says；''　persisted　her　father。　　‘‘If　that　there　Victor　Dorn　should　carry　the　election；　there'd　be　no　living　in　the　same　town　with　him。　　It'd　put　him　away　up　out　of　reach。''

Jane　abruptly　released　her　father's　arm。　　She　had　not　thought　of　thatof　how　much　more　difficult　Victor　would　be　if　he　won　now。　　She　wanted　him　to　win　ultimatelyyes；　she　was　sure　she　did。　　Butnow？　　Wouldn't　that　put　him　beyond　her　reachbeyond　need　of　her？

She　said：　　‘‘Please　come；　father！''　　But　it　was　perfunctory　loyalty　to　Victor。　　Her　father　settled　back；　Davy　Hull　began　afresh；　pressing　home　his　point；　making　his　contention　so　clear　that　even　Martin　Hastings'　prejudice　could　not　blind　him　to　the　truth。　　And　Jane　sat　on　the　arm　of　a　big　veranda　chair　and　listened　and　made　no　further　effort　to　interfere。

‘‘I　don't　agree　with　you；　Hull；''　said　the　old　man　at　last。　　‘‘Victor　Dorn's　run　up　agin　the　law　at　last；　and　he　ought　to　get　the　consequences　good　and　hard。　　But''

‘‘Mr。　Hastings；''　interrupted　Davy　eagerlytoo　fond　of　talking　to　realize　that　the　old　man　was　agreeing　with　him；　‘‘Your　daughter　saw''

‘‘Fiddle…fiddle；''　cried　the　old　man。　　‘‘Don't　bring　sentimental　women　into　this；　Davy。　　As　I　was　saying；　Victor　ought　to　be　punished　for　the　way　he's　been　stirring　up　idle；　lazy；　ignorant　people　against　the　men　that　runs　the　community　and　gives　'em　jobs　and　food　for　their　children。　　But　maybe　it　ain't　wise　to　give　him　his　desertsjust　now。　　Anyhow；　while　you've　been　talking　away　like　a　sewing　machine　I've　been　thinking。　　I　don't　see　as　how　it　can　do　any　serious　HARM　to　stop　them　there　indictments。''

‘‘That's　it；　Mr。　Hastings；''　cried　Hull。　　‘‘Even　if　I　do　exaggerate；　as　you　seem　to　think；　still　where's　the　harm　in　doing　it？''

‘‘It　looks　as　if　the　respectable　people　were　afraid　of　the　lower　classes；''　said　Hastings　doubtfully。　　‘‘And　that's　always　bad。''

‘‘But　it　won't　look　that　way；''　replied　Davy；　‘‘if　my　plan　is　followed。''

‘‘And　what　might　be　your　plan？''　inquired　Hastings。

‘‘I'm　to　be　the　reform　candidate　for　Mayor。　　Your　son…in…law；　Hugo；　is　to　be　the　reform　candidate　for　judge。　　The　way　to　handle　this　is　for　me　to　come　out　in　a　strong　statement　denouncing　the　indictments；　and　the　injunction　against　the　League　and　the　New　Day；　too。　　And　I'll　announce　that　Hugo　Galland　is　trying　to　join　in　the　fight　against　them　and　that　he　is　indignant　and　as　determined　as　I　am。　　Then　early　to…morrow　morning　we　can　go　before　Judge　Lansing　and　can　present　arguments；　and　he　will　denounce　the　other　side　for　misleading　him　as　to　the　facts；　and　will　quash　the　indictments　and　vacate　the　injunctions。''

Hastings　nodded　reflectively。　　‘‘Pretty　good；''　said　he　with　a　sly　grin。　　‘‘And　Davy　Hull　and　my　son…in…　law　will　be　popular　heroes。''

Davy　reddened。　　‘‘Of　course。　　I　want　to　get　all　the　advantage　I　can　for　our　party；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　don't　represent　myself。　　I　represent　the　party。''

Martin　grinned　more　broadly。　　He　who　had　been　representing　‘‘honest　taxpayers''　and　‘‘innocent　owners''　of　corrupt　stock　and　bonds　all　his　life　understood　perfectly。　　‘‘It's　hardly　human　to　be　as　unselfish　as　you　and　I　are；　Davy；''　said　he。　　‘‘Well；　I'll　go　in　and　do　a　little　telephoning。　　You　go　ahead　and　draw　up　your　statement　and　get　it　to　the　papersand　see　Hugo。''　　He　rose；　stood　leaning　on　his　cane；　all　bent　and　shrivelled　and　dry。　　‘‘I　reckon　Judge　Lansing'll　be　expecting　you　to…morrow　morning。''　　He　turned　to　enter　the　house；　halted；　crooked　his　head　round　for　a　piercing　look　at　young　Hull。　　‘‘Don't　go　talking　round　among　your　friends　about　what　you're　going　to　do；''　said　he　sharply。　　‘‘Don't　let　NOBODY　know　until　it's　done。''

‘‘Certainly；　sir；''　said　Davy。

‘‘I　could　see　you　hurrying　down　to　that　there　University　Club　to　sit　there　and　tell　it　all　to　those　smarties　that　are　always　blowing　about　what　they're　going　to　do。　　You'll　be　right　smart　of　a　man　some　day；　Davy；　if　you'll　learn　t