the conflict-第62章

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He　reflected；　nodded　slowly。　　‘‘I　believe　that's　the　truth；''　he　said。　　‘‘It　explains　a　curious　feeling　I've　had　a　sort　of　shriveling　sensation。''　　He　gazed　thoughtfully　at　her；　his　face　gradually　relaxing　into　a　merry　smile。

‘‘What　is　it？''　asked　she；　smiling　in　turn。

‘‘We've　both　got　to　fall　in　love　and　marry；''　said　he。　　‘‘Not　with　each　other；　of　coursefor　we're　not　in　any　way　mated。　　But　love　and　marriage　and　the　rest　of　it　that's　the　solution。　　I　don't　need　it　quite　as　much　as　you　do；　for　I've　got　my　work。　　But　I　need　it。　　Now　that　I　see　things　in　the　right　light　I　wonder　that　I've　been　so　stupidly　blind。　　Why　do　we　human　beings　always　overlook　the　obvious？''

‘‘It　isn't　easy　to　marry；''　said　Jane；　rather　drearily。　　‘‘It　isn't　easy　to　find　some　one　with　whom　one　would　be　willing　to　pass　one's　life。　　I've　had　several　chances　one　or　two　of　them　not　entirely　mercenary；　I　think。　　But　not　one　that　I　could　bring　myself　to　accept。''

‘‘Vanityvanity；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘Almost　any　human　being　is　interesting　and　attractive　if　one　will　stop　thinking　about　oneself　and　concentrate　on　him　or　her。''

She　smiled。　　‘‘It's　evident　you've　never　tried　to　fall　in　love。''

‘‘The　nearest　I　ever　came　to　it　was　with　you；''　replied　he。　　‘‘But　that　was；　of　course；　out　of　the　question。''

‘‘I　don't　admit　that；''　said　she；　with　an　amusing　kind　of　timid　obstinacy。

‘‘Let's　be　honest　and　natural　with　each　other；''　urged　he。　　‘‘Now；　Jane；　admit　that　in　your　heart　of　hearts　you　feel　you　ought　not　to　marry　me。''

Her　glance　avoided　his。

‘‘Comeown　up！''　cried　he。

‘‘I　have　thought　of　that　side　of　it；''　she　conceded。

‘‘And　if　I　hadn't　piqued　you　by　thinking　of　it；　too；　you'd　never　have　lingered　on　any　other　side　of　it；''　said　he。　　‘‘Well！　　Now　that　we've　cleared　the　ground　there's　Davy。　　He's　to　be　nominated　by　the　Republicans　for　Governor　next　week。''

‘‘Davy？　　I　had　almost　forgotten　him。　　I'll　think　of　Davyand　let　you　know　。　。　。　　And　you？　　Who　is　there　for　you？''

‘‘Ohno　one　you　know。　　My　sister　has　recommended　several　girls　from　time　to　time。　　I'll　see。''

Jane　gave　the　freest　and　heartiest　laugh　that　had　passed　her　lips　in　more　than　a　year。　　It　was　thus　free　and　unrestrained　because　he　had　not　said　what　she　was　fearing　he　would　sayhad　not　suggested　the　woman　nearest　him；　the　obvious　woman。　　So　eager　was　she　to　discover　what　he　thought　of　Selma；　that　she　could　hardly　restrain　herself　from　suggesting　her。　　Before　they　could　say　anything　more；　two　men　came　to　talk　with　him。　　Jane　could　not　but　leave。

She　dined　that　night　at　Mrs。　Sherlock'sMrs。　Sherlock　was　Davy's　oldest　sister。　　Davy　took　her　in；　they　talkedabout　his　careerthrough　dinner；　and　he　walked　home　with　her　in　the　moonlight。　　He　was　full　of　his　approaching　nomination。　　He　had　been　making　what　is　known　as　a　good　record；　as　mayor。　　That　is；　he　had　struck　out　boldly　at　sundry　petty　abuses　practised　by　a　low　and　comparatively　uninfluential　class　of　exploiters　of　the　people。　　He　had　been　so　busy　with　these　showy　trifles　that　there　had　been　no　time　for　the　large　abuses。　　True；　he　had　publicly　warned　the　gas　company　about　its　poor　gas；　and　the　water　company　about　its　unwholesome　water　for　the　low…lying　tenement　districts；　and　the　traction　company　about　the　fewness　and　filthiness　of　its　cars。　　The　gas　company　had　talked　of　putting　in　improved　machinery；　the　water　company　had　invited　estimates　on　a　filtration　plant；　the　traction　company　had　said　a　vague　something　about　new　cars　as　soon　as　car　manufacturers　could　make　definite　promises　as　to　delivery。　　But　nothing　had　been　doneas　yet。　　Obviously　a　corporation；　a　large　investment　of　capital；　must　be　treated　with　consideration。　　It　would　not　do　for　a　conservative；　fair　minded　mayor　to　rush　into　demagogery。　　So；　Davy　was　content　to　point　proudly　to　his　record　of　having　‘‘made　the　big　corporations　awaken　to　a　sense　of　their　duty。''　　An　excellent　record；　as　good　as　a　reform　politician；　with　a　larger　career　in　prospect；　could　be　expected　to　make。　　People　spoke　well　of　Mayor　Hull　and　the　three　daily　papers　eulogized　him。　　Davy　no　longer　had　qualms　of　conscience。　　He　read　the　eulogies；　he　listened　to　the　flatteries　of　the　conservative　leading　citizens　he　met　at　the　Lincoln　and　at　the　University；　and　he　felt　that　he　was　all　that　he　in　young　enthusiasm　had　set　out　to　be。

When　he　went　to　other　cities　and　towns　and　to　county　fairs　to　make　addresses　he　was　introduced　as　the　man　who　had　redeemed　Remsen　City；　as　a　shining　example　of　the　honest　SANE　man　in　politics；　as　a　man　the　bosses　were　afraid　of；　yet　dared　not　try　to　down。　　‘‘You　can't　fool　the　people。''　　And　were　not　the　people；　notably　those　who　didn't　live　in　Remsen　City　and　had　only　read　in　their　newspapers　about　the　reform　Republican　mayor　weren't　they　clamorous　for　Mayor　Hull　for　governor！　　Thus；　Davy　was　high　in　his　own　esteem；　was　in　that　mood　of　profound　responsibility　to　righteousness　and　to　the　people　wherein　a　man　can　get　the　enthusiastic　endorsement　of　his　conscience　for　any　act　he　deems　it　expedient　to　commit　in　safeguarding　and　advancing　his　career。　　His　person　had　become　valuable　to　his　country。　　His　opponents　were　therefore　anathema　maranatha。

As　he　and　Jane　walked　side　by　side　in　the　tender　moonlight；　Jane　said：

‘‘What's　become　of　Selma　Gordon？''

A　painful　pause；　then　Davy；　in　a　tone　that　secretly　amused　Jane：　　‘‘Selma？　　I　see　her　occasionallyat　a　distance。　　She　still　writes　for　Victor　Dorn's　sheet；　I　believe。　　I　never　see　it。''

Jane　felt　she　could　easily　guess　why。　　‘‘Yesit　is　irritating　to　read　criticisms　of　oneself；''　said　she　sweetly。　　Davy's　self…complacence　had　been　most　trying　to　her　nerves。

Another　long　silence；　then　he　said：　　‘‘AboutMiss　Gordon。　　I　suppose　you　were　thinking　of　the　things　I　confided　to　you　last　year？''

‘‘Yes；　I　was；''　confessed　Jane。

‘‘That's　all　over；''　said　Mayor　and　prospective　Governor　Hull。　　‘‘I　found　I　was　mistaken　in　her。''

‘‘Didn't　you　tell　me　that　she　refused　you？''　pressed　Jane；　most　unkindly。

‘‘We　met　again　after　that；''　said　Davyby　way　of　proving　that　even　the　most　devoted　apostle　of　civic　righteousness　is　yet　not　without　his　share　of　the　common　humanity；　‘‘and　from　that　time　I　felt　differently　toward　her。　。　。　。　　I've　never　been　able　to　understand　my　folly。　。　。　。　　I　wonder　if　you　could　forgive　me　for　it？''

Davy　was　a　good　deal　of　a　bore；　she　felt。　　At　least；　he　seemed　so　in　this　first　renewing　of　old　acquaintance。　　But　he　was　a　man　of　purpose；　a　man　who　was　doing　much　and　would　do　more。　　And　she　liked　him；　and　had　for　him　that　feeling　of　sympathy　and　comprehension　which　exists　among　people　of　the　same　region；　brought　up　in　much　the　same　way。　　Instead　of　cutting　him　off；　she　temporized。　　Said　she　with　a　serenely　careless　laugh　that　might　have　let　a　man　more　expert　in　the　ways　of　women　into　the　secret　of　how　little　she　cared　about　him：　　‘‘You　mean　forgive　you　for　dropping　me　so　abruptly　and　running　after　her？''

‘‘That's　not　exactly　the　way　to　put　it；''　objected　he。

‘‘Put　it　any　way　you　like；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘I　forgive　you。　　I　didn't　care　at　the　time；　and　I　don't　care　now。''

Jane　was　looking　entrancing　in　that　delicate　light。　　Davy　was　notingwas　feelingthis。　　Also；　he　was　reflectingin　a　high…minded　wayupon　the　many　material；　mental　and　spiritual　advantages　of　a　marriage　with　her。　　Just　the　woman　to　be　a　governor's　wife　a　senator's　wifea　president's　wife。　　Said　he：

‘‘Jane；　my　feeling　for　you　has　never　changed。''

‘‘Really？''　said　Jane。　　‘‘Why；　I　thought　you　told　me　at　one　time　that　you　were　in　love　with　me？''

‘‘And　I　always　have　been；　dearand　am；''　said　Davy；　in　his　deepest；　tenderest　tones。　　‘‘And　now　that　I　am　winning　a　position　worthy　of　you''

‘‘I'll　see；''　cut　in　Jane。　　‘‘Let's　not　talk　about　it　tonight。''　　She　felt　that　if　he　kept　on　she　might　yield　to　the　temptation　to　say　something　mocking；　something　she　would　regret　if　it　drove　him　away　finally。

He　was　content。　　The　ice　had　been　broken。　　The　Selma　Gordon　business　had　been　disposed　of。　　The　way　was　clear　for　straight…away　love…making　the　next　time　they　met。　　Meanwhile　he　would　think　about　her；　would　get　steam　up；　would　have　his　heart　blazing　and　his　words　and　phrases　all　in　readiness。


Every　human　being　has　his　or　her　funda