the conflict-第40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！


　to　do。　　You'll　be　right　smart　of　a　man　some　day；　Davy；　if　you'll　learn　to　keep　your　mouth　shut。''

Davy　looked　abashed。　　He　did　not　know　which　of　his　many　indiscretions　of　self…glorifying　talkativeness　Mr。　Hastings　had　immediately　in　mind。　　But　he　could　recall　several；　any　one　of　which　was　justification　for　the　rather　savage　rebukethe　more　humiliating　that　Jane　was　listening。　　He　glanced　covertly　at　her。

Perhaps　she　had　not　heard；　she　was　gazing　into　the　distance　with　a　strange　expression　upon　her　beautiful　face；　an　expression　that　fastened　his　attention；　absorbed　though　he　was　in　his　project　for　his　own　ambitions。　　As　her　father　disappeared；　he　said：

‘‘What　are　you　thinking　about；　Jane？''

Jane　startled　guiltily。　　‘‘I？　　OhI　don't　knowa　lot　of　things。''

‘‘Your　look　suggested　that　you　were　having　aa　severe　attack　of　conscience；''　said　he；　laughingly。　　He　was　in　soaring　good　humor　now；　for　he　saw　his　way　clear　to　election。

‘‘I　was；''　said　Jane；　suddenly　stern。　　A　pause；　then　she　laughedrather　hollowly。　　‘‘Davy；　I　guess　I'm　almost　as　big　a　fraud　as　you　are。　　What　fakirs　we　human　beings　are？always　posing　as　doing　for　others　and　always　doing　for　our　selfish　selves。''

Davy's　face　took　on　its　finest　expression。　　‘‘Do　you　think　it's　altogether　selfishness　for　me　to　fight　for　Victor　Dorn　and　give　him　a　chance　to　get　out　his　paper　againwhen　he　has　warned　me　that　he　is　going　to　print　things　that　may　defeat　me？''

‘‘You　know　he'll　not　print　them　now；''　retorted　Jane。

‘‘Indeed　I　don't。　　He's　not　so　forbearing。''

‘‘You　know　he'll　not　print　them　now；''　repeated　Jane。　　‘‘He'd　not　be　so　foolish。　　Every　one　would　forget　to　ask　whether　what　he　said　about　you　was　true　or　false。　　They'd　think　only　of　how　ungenerous　and　ungrateful　he　was。　　He　wouldn't　be　either。　　But　he'd　seem　to　beand　that　comes　to　the　same　thing。''　　She　glanced　mockingly　at　Hull。　　‘‘Isn't　that　your　calculation？''

‘‘You　are　too　cynical　for　a　woman；　Jane；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘It's　not　attractive。''

‘‘To　your　vanity？''　retorted　Jane。　　‘‘I　should　think　not。''

‘‘Wellgood…by；''　said　Davy；　taking　his　hat　from　the　rail。　　‘‘I've　got　a　hard　evening's　work　before　me。　　No　time　for　dinner。''

‘‘Another　terrible　sacrifice　for　public　duty；''　mocked　Jane。

‘‘You　must　be　frightfully　out　of　humor　with　yourself；　to　be　girding　at　me　so　savagely；''　said　Davy。

‘‘Good…by；　Mr。　Mayor。''

‘‘I　shall　bein　six　weeks。''

Jane's　face　grew　sombre。　　‘‘YesI　suppose　so；''　said　she。　　‘‘The　people　would　rather　have　one　of　us　than　one　of　their　own　kind。　　They　do　look　up　to　us；　don't　they？　　It's　ridiculous　of　them；　but　they　do。　　The　idea　of　choosing　you；　when　they　might　have　Victor　Dorn。''

‘‘He　isn't　running　for　Mayor；''　objected　Hull。　　‘‘The　League's　candidate　is　Harbinger；　the　builder。''

‘‘No；　it's　Victor　Dorn；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘The　best　man　in　a　partythe　strongest　manis　always　the　candidate　for　all　the　offices。　　I　don't　know　much　about　politics；　but　I've　learned　that　much。　。　。　。　　It's　Victor　Dorn　againstDick　Kellyor　Kelly　and　father。''

Hull　reddened。　　She　had　cut　into　quick。　　‘‘You　will　see　who　is　Mayor　when　I'm　elected；''　said　he　with　all　his　dignity。

Jane　laughed　in　the　disagreeably　mocking　way　that　was　the　climax　of　her　ability　to　be　nasty　when　she　was　thoroughly　out　of　humor。　　‘‘That's　right；　Davy。　　Deceive　yourself。　　It's　far　more　comfortable。　　So　long！''

And　she　went　into　the　house。


Davy's　conduct　of　the　affair　was　masterly。　　He　showed　those　rare　qualities　of　judgment　and　diplomacy　that　all　but　insure　a　man　a　distinguished　career。　　His　statement　for　the　press　was　a　model　of　dignity；　of　restrained　indignation；　of　good　common　sense。　　The　most　difficult　part　of　his　task　was　getting　Hugo　Galland　into　condition　for　a　creditable　appearance　in　court。　　In　so　far　as　Hugo's　meagre　intellect；　atrophied　by　education　and　by　luxury；　permitted　him　to　be　a　lawyer　at　all；　he　was　of　that　now　common　type　called　the　corporation　lawyer。　　That　is；　for　him　human　beings　had　ceased　to　exist；　and　of　course　human　rights；　also；　the　world　as　viewed　from　the　standpoint　of　law　contained　only　corporations；　only　interests。　　Thus；　a　man　like　Victor　Dorn　was　in　his　view　the　modern　form　of　the　devilwas　a　combination　of　knave　and　lunatic　who　had　no　right　to　live　except　in　the　restraint　of　an　asylum　or　a　jail。

Fortunately；　while　Hugo　despised　the　‘‘hoi　polloi''　as　only　a　stupid；　miseducated　snob　can　despise；　he　appreciated　that　they　had　votes　and　so　must　be　conciliated；　and　he　yearned　with　the　snob's　famished　yearning　for　the　title　and　dignity　of　judge。　　Davy　found　it　impossible　to　convince　him　that　the　injunctions　and　indictments　ought　to　be　attacked　until　he　had　convinced　him　that　in　no　other　way　could　he　become　Judge　Galland。　　As　Hugo　was　fiercely　prejudiced　and　densely　stupid　and　reverent　of　the　powers　of　his　own　intellect；　to　convince　him　was　not　easy。　　In　fact；　Davy　did　not　begin　to　succeed　until　he　began　to　suggest　that　whoever　appeared　before　Judge　Lansing　the　next　morning　in　defense　of　free　speech　would　be　the　Alliance　and　Democratic　and　Republican　candidate　for　judge；　and　that　if　Hugo　couldn't　see　his　way　clear　to　appearing　he　might　as　well　give　up　for　the　present　his　political　ambitions。

Hugo　came　round。　　Davy　left　him　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　went　gloomily　home。　　He　had　known　what　a　prejudiced　ass　Galland　was；　how　unfit　he　was　for　the　office　of　judge；　but　he　had　up　to　that　time　hidden　the　full　truth　from　himself。　　Now；　to　hide　it　was　impossible。　　Hugo　had　fully　exposed　himself　in　all　his　unfitness　of　the　man　of　narrow　upper　class　prejudices；　the　man　of　no　instinct　or　enthusiasm　for　right；　justice　and　liberty。　　‘‘Really；　it's　a　crime　to　nominate　such　a　chap　as　that；''　he　muttered。　　‘‘Yet　we've　got　to　do　it。　　How　Selma　Gordon's　eyes　would　shame　me；　if　she　could　see　me　now！''

Davy　had　the　familiar　fondness　for　laying　on　the　secret　penitential　scourgewherewith　we　buy　from　our　complacent　consciences　license　to　indulge　in　the　sins　our　appetites　or　ambitions　crave。

Judge　Lansingyou　have　never　seen　a　man　who　LOOKED　the　judge　more　ideally　than　did　gray　haired；　gray　bearded；　open　browed　Robert　LansingJudge　Lansing　was　all　ready　for　his　part　in　the　farce。　　He　knew　Hugo　and　helped　him　over　the　difficult　places　and　cut　him　short　as　soon　as　he　had　made　enough　of　his　speech　to　give　an　inkling　of　what　he　was　demanding。　　The　Judge　was　persuaded　to　deliver　himself　of　a　high…minded　and　eloquent　denunciation　of　those　who　had　misled　the　court　and　the　county　prosecutor。　　He　pointed　outin　weighty　judicial　languagethat　Victor　Dorn　had　by　his　conduct　during　several　years　invited　just　such　a　series　of　calamities　as　had　beset　him。　　But　he　went　on　to　say　that　Dorn's　reputation　and　fondness　for　speech　and　action　bordering　on　the　lawless　did　not　withdraw　from　him　the　protection　of　the　law。　　In　spite　of　himself　the　law　would　protect　him。　　The　injunctions　were　dissolved　and　the　indictments　were　quashed。

The　news　of　the　impending　application；　published　in　the　morning　papers；　had　crowded　the　court　room。　　When　the　Judge　finished　a　tremendous　cheer　went　up。　　The　cheer　passed　on　to　the　throng　outside；　and　when　Davy　and　Hugo　appeared　in　the　corridor　they　were　borne　upon　the　shoulders　of　workingmen　and　were　not　released　until　they　had　made　speeches。　　Davy's　manly　simplicity　and　clearness　covered　the　stammering　vagueness　of　hero　Galland。

As　Davy　was　gradually　clearing　himself　of　the　eager　handshakers　and　back…slappers；　Selma　suddenly　appeared　before　him。　　Her　eyes　were　shining　and　her　whole　body　seemed　to　be　irradiating　emotion　of　admiration　and　gratitude。　　‘‘Thank　youoh；　thank　you！''　she　said；　pressing　his　hand。　　‘‘How　I　have　misjudged　you！''

Davy　did　not　wince。　　He　had　now　quite　forgotten　the　part　selfish　ambition　had　played　in　his　gallant　rush　to　the　defense　of　imperilled　freedomhad　forgotten　it　as　completely　as　the　now　ecstatic　Hugo　had　forgotten　his　prejudices　against　the　‘‘low；　smelly　working　people。''　　He　looked　as　exalted　as　he　felt。　　‘‘I　only　did　my　plain　duty；''　replied　he。　　‘‘How　could　any　decent　American　have　done　less？''

‘‘I　haven't　seen　Victor　since　yesterday　afternoon；''　pursued　Selma。　　‘‘But　I　know　how　grateful　he'll　be　not　so　much　for　what　you　did　as　that　YOU　did　it。''