the conflict-第50章

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‘‘Any　man　who　could　stand　a　lunch　of　crackers　and　milk　for　ten　years　could　outlive　anything；''　retorted　Charlton。　　‘‘No；　you　belong　to　the　old　stock。　　You　used　to　see　'em　around　when　you　were　a　boy。　　They　usually　coughed　and　wheezed；　and　every　time　they　did　it；　the　family　used　to　get　ready　to　send　for　the　undertaker。　　But　they　lived　on　and　on。　　When　did　your　mother　die？''

‘‘Couple　of　years　ago；''　said　Hastings。

‘‘And　your　father？''

‘‘He　was　killed　by　a　colt　he　was　breaking　at　sixty…　seven。''

Charlton　laughed　uproariously。　　‘‘If　you　took　walks　and　rides　instead　of　always　sitting　round；　you　never　would　die；''　said　he。　　‘‘But　you're　like　lots　of　women　I　know。　　You'd　rather　die　than　take　exercise。　　Still；　I've　got　you　to　stop　that　eating　that　was　keeping　you　on　the　verge　all　the　time。''

‘‘You're　trying　to　starve　me　to　death；''　grumbled　Hastings。

‘‘Don't　you　feel　better；　now　that　you've　got　used　to　it　and　don't　feel　hungry？''

‘‘But　I'm　not　getting　any　nourishment。''

‘‘How　would　eating　help　you？　　You　can't　digest　any　more　than　what　I'm　allowing　you。　　Do　you　think　you　were　better　off　when　you　were　full　of　rotting　food？　　I　guess　not。''

‘‘WellI'm　doing　as　you　say；''　said　the　old　man　resignedly。

‘‘And　if　you　keep　it　up　for　a　year；　I'll　put　you　on　a　horse。　　If　you　don't　keep　it　up；　you'll　find　yourself　in　a　hearse。''

Jane　stood　silently　by；　listening　with　a　feeling　of　depression　which　she　could　not　have　accounted　for；　if　she　wouldand　would　not　if　she　could。　　Not　that　she　wished　her　father　to　die；　simply　that　Charlton's　confidence　in　his　long　life　forced　her　to　face　the　only　alternativebringing　him　round　to　accept　Victor　Dorn。

At　her　father's　next　remark　she　began　to　listen　with　a　high　beating　heart。　　He　said　to　Charlton：

‘‘How　about　that　there　friend　of　yoursthat　young　Dorn？　　You　ain't　talked　about　him　to…day　as　much　as　usual。''

‘‘The　last　time　we　talked　about　him　we　quarreled；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘It's　irritating　to　see　a　man　of　your　intelligence　a　slave　to　silly　prejudices。''

‘‘I　like　Victor　Dorn；''　replied　Hastings　in　a　most　conciliatory　tone。　　‘‘I　think　he's　a　fine　young　man。　　Didn't　I　have　him　up　here　at　my　house　not　long　ago？　　Jane'll　tell　you　that　I　like　him。

She　likes　him；　too。　　But　the　trouble　with　himand　with　you；　toois　that　you're　dreaming　all　the　time。　　You　don't　recognize　facts。　　And；　so；　you　make　a　lot　of　trouble　for　us　conservative　men。''

‘‘Please　don't　use　that　word　conservative；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘It　gags　me　to　hear　it。　　YOU'RE　not　a　conservative。　　If　you　had　been　you'd　still　be　a　farm　hand。　　You've　been　a　radical　all　your　lifechanging　things　round　and　round；　always　according　to　your　idea　of　what　was　to　your　advantage。　　The　only　difference　between　radicals　like　you　robber　financiers　and　radicals　like　Victor　and　me　is　that　our　ideas　of　what's　to　our　advantage　differ。　　To　you　life　means　money；　to　us　it　means　health　and　comfort　and　happiness。　　You　want　the　world　changedlaws　upset；　liberty　destroyed；　wages　lowered；　and　so　onso　that　you　can　get　all　the　money。　　We　want　the　world　changed　so　that　we　can　be　healthy　and　comfortable　and　happysecurely　sowhich　we　can't　be　unless　everybody　is；　or　is　in　the　way　to　being。''

Jane　was　surprised　to　see　that　her　father；　instead　of　being　offended；　was　amused　and　pleased。　　He　liked　his　new　doctor　so　well　that　he　liked　everything　he　said　and　did。　　Jane　looked　at　Charlton　in　her　friendliest　way。　　Here　might　be　an　ally；　and　a　valuable　ally。

‘‘Human　nature　doesn't　change；''　said　Hastings　in　the　tone　of　a　man　who　is　stating　that　which　cannot　be　disputed。

‘‘The　mischief　it　doesn't；''　said　Charlton　in　prompt　and　vigorous　dissent。　　‘‘When　conditions　change；　human　nature　has　to　change；　has　to　adapt　itself。　　What　you　mean　is　that　human　nature　doesn't　change　itself。　　But　conditions　change　it。　　They've　been　changing　it　very　rapidly　these　last　few　years。　　Sciencesteam；　electricity；　a　thousand　inventions　and　discoveries；　crowding　one　upon　anotherscience　has　brought　about　entirely　new　and　unprecedented　conditions　so　rapidly　that　the　changes　in　human　nature　now　making　and　that　must　be　made　in　the　next　few　years　are　resulting　in　a　series　of　convulsions。　　You　old…fashioned　fellowsand　the　political　parties　and　the　politiciansare　in　danger　of　being　stranded。　　Leaders　like　Victor　Dornmovements　like　our　Workingmen's　Leaguethey　seem　new　and　radical　to…day。　　By　to…morrow　they'll　be　the　commonplace　thing；　found　everywhereand　administering　the　public　affairs。''

Jane　was　not　surprised　to　see　an　expression　of　at　least　partial　admission　upon　her　father's　face。　　Charlton's　words　were　of　the　kind　that　set　the　imagination　to　work；　that　remind　those　who　hear　of　a　thousand　and　one　familiar　related　facts　bearing　upon　the　same　points。　　‘‘Well；''　said　Hastings；　‘‘I　don't　expect　to　see　any　radical　changes　in　my　time。''

‘‘Then　you'll　not　live　as　long　as　I　think；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘We　Americans　advance　very　slowly　because　this　is　a　big　country　and　undeveloped；　and　because　we　shift　about　so　much　that　no　one　stays　in　one　place　long　enough　to　build　up　a　citizenship　and　get　an　education　in　politicswhich　is　nothing　more　or　less　than　an　education　in　the　art　of　living。　　But　slow　though　we　are；　we　do　advance。　　You'll　soon　see　the　last　of　Boss　Kelly　and　Boss　Houseand　of　such　gentle；　amiable　frauds　as　our　friend　Davy　Hull。''

Jane　laughed　merrily。　　‘‘Why　do　you　call　him　a　fraud？''　she　asked。

‘‘Because　he　is　a　fraud；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘He　is　trying　to　confuse　the　issue。　　He　says　the　whole　trouble　is　petty　dishonesty　in　public　life。　　Bosh！　　The　trouble　is　that　the　upper　and　middle　classes　are　milking　the　lower　classboth　with　and　without　the　aid　of　the　various　governments；　local；　state　and　national。　　THAT'S　the　issue。　　And　the　reason　it　is　being　forced　is　because　the　lower　class；　the　working　class；　is　slowly　awakening　to　the　truth。　　When　it　completely　awakens''　Charlton　made　a　large　gesture　and　laughed。

‘‘What　then？''　said　Hastings。

‘‘The　end　of　the　upper　and　the　middle　classes。　　Everybody　will　have　to　work　for　a　living。''

‘‘Who's　going　to　be　elected　this　fall？''　asked　Jane。　　‘‘Your　man？''

‘‘Yes；''　said　Doctor　Charlton。　　‘‘Victor　Dorn　thinks　not。　　But　he　always　takes　the　gloomy　view。　　And　he　doesn't　meet　and　talk　with　the　fellows　on　the　other　side；　as　I　do。''

Hastings　was　looking　out　from　under　the　vizor　of　his　cap　with　a　peculiar　grin。　　It　changed　to　a　look　of　startled　inquiry　as　Charlton　went　on　to　say：

‘‘Yes；　we'll　win。　　But　the　Davy　Hull　gang　will　get　the　offices。''

‘‘Why　do　you　think　that？''　asked　old　Hastings　sharply。

Charlton　eyed　his　patient　with　a　mocking　smile。　　‘‘You　didn't　think　any　one　knew　but　you　and　Kelly　did　you？''　laughed　he。

‘‘Knew　what？''　demanded　Hastings；　with　a　blank　stare。

‘‘No　matter；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘I　know　what　you　intend　to　do。　　Well；　you'll　get　away　with　the　goods。　　But　you'll　wish　you　hadn't。　　You　old…fashioned　fellows；　as　I've　been　telling　you；　don't　realize　that　times　have　changed。''

‘‘Do　you　mean；　Doctor；　that　the　election　is　to　be　stolen　away　from　you？''　inquired　Jane。

‘‘Was　that　what　I　meant；　Mr。　Hastings？''　said　Charlton。

‘‘The　side　that　loses　always　shouts　thief　at　the　side　that　wins；''　said　the　old　man　indifferently。　　‘‘I　don't　take　any　interest　in　politics。''

‘‘Why　should　you？''　said　the　Doctor　audaciously。　　‘‘You　own　both　sides。　　So；　it's　heads　you　win；　tails　I　lose。''

Hastings　laughed　heartily。　　‘‘Them　political　fellows　are　a　lot　of　blackmailers；''　said　he。

‘‘That's　ungrateful；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘Still；　I　don't　blame　you　for　liking　the　Davy　Hull　crowd　better。　　From　them　you　can　get　what　you　want　just　the　same；　only　you　don't　have　to　pay　for　it。''

He　rose　and　stretched　his　big　frame；　with　a　disregard　of　conventional　good　manners　so　unconscious　that　it　was　inoffensive。

But　Charlton　had　a　code　of　manners　of　his　own；　and　somehow　it　seemed　to　suit　him　where　the　conventional　code　would　have　made　him　seem　cheap。　　‘‘I　didn't　mean　to　look　after　your　political　welfare；　too；''　said　he。　　‘‘But　I'll　make　no　charge　for　that。''

‘‘Oh；　I　like　to　hear　you　young　fellows　talk；''　said　Martin。　　‘‘You'll　sing　a　different　song　when　you're　as　old　as　I　am　and　have　found　out　what　a　lot　of　damn　fools　the　h