the conflict-第51章

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d　have　found　out　what　a　lot　of　damn　fools　the　human　race　is。''

‘‘As　I　told　you　before；''　said　Charlton；　‘‘it's　conditions　that　make　the　human　animal　whatever　it　is。　　It's　in　the　harness　of　conditionsthe　treadmill　of　conditions　the　straight　jacket　of　conditions。　　Change　the　conditions　and　you　change　the　animal。''

When　he　was　swinging　his　big　powerful　form　across　the　lawns　toward　the　fringe　of　woods；　Jane　and　her　father　looking　after　him；　Jane　said：

‘‘He's　wonderfully　clever；　isn't　he？''

‘‘A　dreamera　crank；''　replied　the　old　man。

‘‘But　what　he　says　sounds　reasonable；''　suggested　the　daughter。

‘‘It　SOUNDS　sensible；''　admitted　the　old　man　peevishly。　　‘‘But　it　ain't　what　_I_　was　brought　up　to　call　sensible。　　Don't　you　get　none　of　those　fool　ideas　into　your　head。　　They're　all　very　well　for　men　that　haven't　got　any　property　or　any　responsibilitiesfor　flighty　fellows　like　Charlton　and　that　there　Victor　Dorn。　　But　as　soon　as　anybody　gets　property　and　has　interests　to　look　after；　he　drops　that　kind　of　talk。''

‘‘Do　you　mean　that　property　makes　a　man　too　blind　or　too　cowardly　to　speak　the　truth？''　asked　Jane　with　an　air　of　great　innocence。

The　old　man　either　did　not　hear　or　had　no　answer　ready。　　He　said：

‘‘You　heard　him　say　that　Davy　Hull　was　going　to　win？''

‘‘Why；　he　said　Victor　Dorn　was　going　to　win；''　said　Jane；　still　simple　and　guileless。

Hastings　frowned　impatiently。　　‘‘That　was　just　loose　talk。　　He　admitted　Davy　was　to　be　the　next　mayor。　　If　he　isand　I　expect　Charlton　was　about　rightif　Davy　is　elected；　I　shouldn't　be　surprised　to　see　him　nominated　for　governor　next　year。　　He's　a　sensible；　knowing　fellow。　　He'll　make　a　good　mayor；　and　he'll　be　elected　governor　on　his　record。''

‘‘And　on　what　you　and　the　other　men　who　run　things　will　do　for　him；''　suggested　Jane　slyly。

Her　father　grinned　expressively。　　‘‘I　like　to　see　a　sensible；　ambitious　young　fellow　from　my　town　get　on；''　said　he。　　‘‘And　I'd　like　to　see　my　girl　married　to　a　fellow　of　that　sort；　and　settled。''

‘‘I　think　more　could　be　done　with　a　man　like　Victor　Dorn；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘It　seems　to　me　the　Davy　Hull　sort　of　politics　isis　about　played　out。　　Don't　you　think　so？''

Jane　felt　that　her　remark　was　a　piece　of　wild　audacity。　　But　she　was　desperate。　　To　her　amazement　her　father　did　not　flare　up　but　kept　silent；　wearing　the　look　she　knew　meant　profound　reflection。

After　a　moment　he　said：

‘‘Davy's　a　knowing　boy。　　He　showed　that　the　other　day　when　he　jumped　in　and　made　himself　a　popular　hero。　　He'd　never　'a'　been　able　to　come　anywheres　near　election　but　for　that。　　Dorn'd　'a'　won　by　a　vote　so　big　that　Dick　Kelly　wouldn't　'a'　dared　even　try　to　count　him　out。　。　。　。　　Dorn's　a　better　man　than　Davy。　　But　Dorn's　got　a　foolish　streak　in　him。　　He　believes　the　foolishness　he　talks；　instead　of　simply　talking　it　to　gain　his　end。　　I've　been　looking　him　over　and　thinking　him　over。　　He　won't　do；　Jinny。''

Was　her　father　discussing　the　matter　abstractly；　impersonally；　as　he　seemed？　　Or；　had　he　with　that　uncanny　shrewdness　of　his　somehow　penetrated　to　her　secretor　to　a　suspicion　of　it？　　Jane　was　so　agitated　that　she　sat　silent　and　rigid；　trying　to　look　unconcerned。

‘‘I　had　a　strong　notion　to　try　to　do　something　for　him；''　continued　the　old　man。　　‘‘But　it'd　be　no　use。　　He'd　not　rise　to　a　chance　that　was　offered　him。　　He's　set　on　going　his　own　way。''

Jane　trembleddared。　　‘‘I　believe　_I_　could　do　something　with　him；''　said　sheand　she　was　pleased　with　the　coolness　of　her　voice；　the　complete　absence　of　agitation　or　of　false　note。

‘‘Try　if　you　like；''　said　her　father。　　‘‘But　I'm　sure　you'll　find　I'm　right。　　Be　careful　not　to　commit　yourself　in　any　way。　　But　I　needn't　warn　you。　　You　know　how　to　take　care　of　yourself。　　Still；　maybe　you　don't　realize　how　set　up　he'd　be　over　being　noticed　by　a　girl　in　your　position。　　And　if　you　gave　him　the　notion　that　there　was　a　chance　for　him　to　marry　you；　he'd　be　after　you　hammer　and　tongs。　　The　idea　of　getting　hold　of　so　much　money'd　set　him　crazy。''

‘‘I　doubt　if　he　cares　very　muchor　at　allabout　money；''　said　Jane；　judicially。

Hastings　grinned　satirically。　　‘‘There　ain't　nobody　that　don't　care　about　money；''　said　he；　‘‘any　more　than　there's　anybody　that　don't　care　about　air　to　breathe。　　Put　a　pin　right　there；　Jinny。''

‘‘I　hate　to　think　that；''　she　said；　reluctantly；　‘‘but　I'm　afraidit'sso。''


As　she　was　taking　her　ride　one　morning　she　met　David　Hull　also　on　horseback　and　out　for　his　health。　　He　turned　and　they　rode　together；　for　several　miles；　neither　breaking　the　silence　except　with　an　occasional　remark　about　weather　or　scenery。　　Finally　Davy　said：

‘‘You　seem　to　be　down　about　something；　too？''

‘‘Not　exactly　down；''　replied　Jane。　　‘‘SimplyI've　been　doing　a　lot　of　thinkingand　planningor　attempt　at　planninglately。''

‘‘I；　too；''　said　Davy。

‘‘Naturally。　　How's　politics？''

‘‘Of　course　I　don't　hear　anything　but　that　I'm　going　to　be　elected。　　If　you　want　to　become　convinced　that　the　whole　world　is　on　the　graft；　take　part　in　a　reform　campaign。　　We've　attracted　every　broken…down　political　crook　in　this　region。　　It's　hard　to　say　which　crowd　is　the　more　worthless；　the　college　amateurs　at　politics　or　these　rotten　old　in…goods　who　can't　get　employment　with　either　Kelly　or　House　and；　so；　have　joined　us。　　By　Jove；　I'd　rather　be　in　with　the　out　and　out　grafters　the　regulars　that　make　no　bones　of　being　in　politics　for　the　spoils。　　There's　slimy　hypocrisy　over　our　crowd　that　revolts　me。　　Not　a　particle　of　sincerity　or　conviction。　　Nothing　but　high　moral　guff。''

‘‘Oh；　but　YOU'RE　sincere；　Davy；''　said　Jane　with　twinkling　eyes。

‘‘Am　I？''　said　Davy　angrily。　　‘‘I'm　not　so　damn　sure　of　it。''　　Hastily；　‘‘I　don't　mean　that。　　Of　course；　I'm　sincereas　sincere　as　a　man　can　be　and　get　anywhere　in　this　world。　　You've　got　to　humbug　the　people；　because　they　haven't　sense　enough　to　want　the　truth。''

‘‘I　guess；　Davy；''　said　Jane　shrewdly；　‘‘if　you　told　them　the　whole　truth　about　yourself　and　your　party　they'd　have　sense　enoughto　vote　for　Victor　Dorn。''

‘‘He's　a　demagogue；''　said　Davy　with　an　angry　jerk　at　his　rein。　　‘‘He　knows　the　people　aren't　fit　to　rule。''

‘‘Who　is？''　said　Jane。　　‘‘I've　yet　to　see　any　human　creature　who　could　run　anything　without　making　more　or　less　of　a　mess　of　it。　　Andwell；　personally；　I'd　prefer　incompetent　honest　servants　to　competent　ones　who　were　liars　or　thieves。''

‘‘Sometimes　I　think；''　said　Davy；　‘‘that　the　only　thing　to　do　is　to　burn　the　world　up　and　start　another　one。''

‘‘You　don't　talk　like　a　man　who　expected　to　be　elected；''　said　Jane。

‘‘OhI'm　worrying　about　myselfnot　about　the　election；''　said　Hull；　lapsing　into　sullen　silence。　　And　certainly　he　had　no　reason　to　worry　about　the　election。　　He　had　the　Citizen's　Alliance　and　the　Democratic　nominations。　　And；　as　a　further　aid　to　him；　Dick　Kelly　had　given　the　Republican　nomination　to　Alfred　Sawyer；　about　the　most　unpopular　manufacturer　in　that　region。　　Sawyer；　a　shrewd　money　maker；　was　an　ass　in　other　ways；　was　strongly　seized　of　the　itch　for　public　office。　　Kelly；　seeking　the　man　who　would　be　the　weakest；　combined　business　with　good　politics；　he　forced　Sawyer　to　pay　fifty　thousand　dollars　into　the　‘‘campaign　fund''　in　a　lump　sum；　and　was　counting　confidently　upon　‘‘milking''　him　for　another　fifty　thousand　in　installments　during　the　campaign。　　Thus；　in　the　natural　order　of　things；　Davy　could　safely　assume　that　he　would　be　the　next　mayor　of　Remsen　City　by　a　gratifyingly　large　majority。　　The　last　vote　of　the　Workingmen's　League　had　been　made　fifteen　hundred。　　Though　it　should　quadruple　its　strength　at　the　coming　election　which　was　most　improbableit　would　still　be　a　badly　beaten　second。　　Politically；　Davy　was　at　ease。

Jane　waited　ten　minutes；　then　asked　abruptly：

‘‘What's　become　of　Selma　Gordon？''

‘‘Did　you　see　this　week's　New　Day？''

‘‘Is　it　out？　　I've　seen　no　one；　and　haven't　been　down　town。''

‘‘There　was　a　lot　of　stuff　in　it　against　me。　　Most　of　it　demagoguing；　of　course；　but　more　or　less　hysterical　campaigning。　　The　only　nasty　article　about　mea　downright　personal　attack　on　my　sincerity　was　signed　‘S。　G。'　''

‘‘Ohto　be　sure；''　said　Jane；　with　smiling　insincerity。　　‘‘I　had　almost　forgotten　what　you　told　me。　　W