the vision spendid(美景)-第51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！
love of life by her husband and her child。
The committee in its report told the facts briefly without giving names。
Even P。 C。 Frome could find no excuse for not signing it。
The effect was instantaneous。 On this one throw the machine had
staked everything。 That it had lost was now plain。 In a day Jeff was the
hero of Verden； of the state at large。 His long fight for reform； the dramatic
features of the shanghaing and his return； the collapse of the charges
against his character； all contributed to lift him to dizzy popularity。 He was
the very much embarrassed man of the hour。
All the power of the Transcontinental； of the old city hall gang； of the
money that had been spent to corrupt the legislature； was unable to roll
back the tide of public determination。 White…faced assemblymen sneaked
into offices at midnight to return the bribe money for which they dared not
deliver the goods。 Two days after the report of the investigating committee
Jeff's bill passed the Senate。 Within three hours it was signed by Governor
Hawley。 That it would be ratified by a vote of the people and so become a
part of the state constitution was a foregone conclusion。
Jeff and his friends had forged the first of the tools they needed to
rescue the government of the state from the control of the allied
plunderers。
PART 2
In the days following her return to Verden Alice Frome devoured the
176
… Page 177…
THE VISION SPLENDID
newspapers as she never had before。 They were full of the dramatic
struggle between Jeff Farnum and the forces which hitherto had controlled
the city and state。 To her the battle was personal。 It centered on the attacks
made upon the character of her friend and his pledge to refute them。
When she read in the _Advocate_ the report of the committee Alice
wept。 It was like her friend； she thought； to risk his reputation for some
poor lost wanderer of the streets。 Another man might have done it for the
girl he loved or for the woman he had married。 But with Jeff it would be
for one of the least of these。 There flashed into her mind an old Indian
proverb she had read。 〃I met a hundred men on the road to Delhi； and they
were all my brothers。〃 Yes！ None were too deep sunk in the mire to be
brothers and sisters to Jeff Farnum。
Ever since her return Alice had known herself in disgrace with her
father and that small set in which she moved。 Her part in the big _World_
story had been 〃most regrettable。〃 It was felt that in letting her name be
mentioned beside that of one who was a thoroughly disreputable vagabond
she had compromised her exclusiveness and betrayed the cause of her
class。 Her friends recalled that Alice had always been a queer girl。
Her father and Ned Merrill agreed over a little luncheon at the Verden
Club that girls were likely to lose themselves in sentimental foolishness
and that the best way to stop such nonsense was for one to get married to a
safe man。 Pending this desirable issue she ought to be diverted by pleasant
amusements。
The safe man offered to supply these。
PART 3
The farthest thing from Merrill's thoughts had been to discuss with her
the confounded notions she had somehow absorbed。 The thing to do； of
course； was to ignore them and assume everything was all right。 After all；
of what importance were the opinions of a girl about practical things？
How the thing cropped up he did not afterward remember； but at the
thirteenth green he found himself mentioning that all reformers were out
of touch with facts。 They were not practical。
The smug finality of his verdict nettled her。 This may or may not have
177
… Page 178…
THE VISION SPLENDID
been the reason she sliced her ball； quite unnecessarily。 But it was
probably due to her exasperation at the wasted stroke that she let him have
it。
〃I'm tired of that word。 It means to be suicidally selfish。 There's not
another word in the language so abused。〃
〃Didn't catch the word that annoys you；〃 the young man smiled。
〃Practical！ You used it yourself。 It means to tear down and not build up；
to be so near…sighted you can't see beyond your reach。 Your practical man
is the least hopeful member of the community。 He stands only for material
progress。 His own； of course！〃
〃You sound like a Farnum editorial； Alice。〃
〃Do I？〃 she flashed。 〃Then I'll give you the rest of it。 Heyour
practical manis rutted to class traditions。 This would not be good form or
respectable。 That would disturb the existing order。 So let's all do nothing
and agree that all's well with the world。〃
Merrill greeted this outburst with a complacent smile。 〃It's a pretty
good world。 I haven't any fault to find with itnot this afternoon anyhow。〃
But Alice； serious with young care and weighted with the problems of
a universe； would have none of his compliments。
〃Can't you see that there's aa 〃 She groped and found a fugitive
phrase Jeff had once used〃a want of adjustment that is appalling？〃
〃It doesn't appall me。 I believe in the survival of the fittest。〃
Her eyes looked at him with scornful penetration。 They went through
the well…dressed； broad…shouldered exterior of him； to see a suave；
gracious Pharisee of the modern world。 He believed in the God…of…things…
as…they…are because he was the man on horseback。 He was a formalist
because it paid him to be one。 That was why he and his class looked on
any questioning of conditions as almost atheistic。 They were born to the
good things of life。 Why should they doubt the ethics of a system that had
dealt so kindly with them？
She gave him up。 What was the use of talking about such things to him？
He had the sense of property ingrained in him。 The last thing he would be
likely to do was to let any altruistic ideas into his head。 He would play safe。
Wasn't he a practical man？
178
… Page 179…
THE VISION SPLENDID
She devoted herself to the game。 To see her play was a pleasure to the
eye。 The long lines and graceful curves of her supple young body never
appeared to better advantage than at golf。 Her motions showed the sylvan
freedom of the woods。 Ned Merrill appreciated the long； light tread of her；
the harmony of movement as of a perfect young animal； together with the
fine spiritual quality that escaped her personality so unconsciously。
At the fifteenth hole he continued her education。 〃This country is
founded upon individualism。 It stands for the best chance of development
possible to all its citizens。 When you hamper enterprise you stop that
development。〃
She took him up dryly。 〃I see。 So you and father and Uncle Joe have
developed your individualism at the expense of a million other people's。
You have gobbled up franchises； forests； ore lands； coal mines； and every
other opportunity worth having。 As a result you're making them your
slaves and crushing out all individuality。〃
〃Not at all。 We're really custodians for the people。 We administer these
things for their benefit because we are m
