the dust-第2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！
Mr。 Lockyer again shook his head and sighed。
〃I am not an Utopian；〃 continued young Norman。 〃Law and custom permitnot to say sanctifyour sort of business。 SoI do my best。 But I shall not conceal from you that it's distasteful to me。 I wish to get out of it。 I shall get out as soon as I've made enough capital to assure me the income I have and need。 Naturally； I wish to gather in the necessary amount as speedily as possible。〃
〃Fred； my boy； I regret that you take such low views of our noble profession。〃
〃Yesas a profession it is noble。 But not as a practice。 MY regret is that it invites and compels such low views。〃
〃You will look at these things moremore mellowly when you are older。〃
〃I doubt if I'll ever rise very high in the art of self…deception；〃 replied Norman。 〃If I'd had any bent that way I'd not have got so far so quickly。〃
It was a boastful remarkof a kind he； and other similar young men； have the habit of making。 But from him it did not sound boastfulsimply a frank and timely expression of an indisputable truth； which indeed it was。 Once more Mr。 Lockyer sighed。 〃I see you are incorrigible；〃 said he。
〃I have not acted without reflection；〃 said Norman。
And Lockyer knew that to persist was simply to endanger his dignity。 〃I am getting old；〃 said he。 〃Indeed； I am old。 I have gotten into the habit of leaning on you； my boy。 I can't consent to your going； hard though you make it for us to keep you。 I shall try to persuade our colleagues to accept your terms。〃
Norman showed neither appreciation nor triumph。 He merely bowed slightly。 And so the matter was settled。 Instead of moving into the suite of offices in the Mills Building on which he had taken an option； young Norman remained where he had been toiling for twelve years。
After this specimen of Norman's quality； no one will be surprised to learn that in figure he was one of those solidly built men of medium height who look as if they were made to sustain and to deliver shocks； to bear up easily under heavy burdens； or that his head thickly covered with fairish hair； was hatchet…shaped with the helve or face suggesting that while it could and would cleave any obstacle； it would wear a merry if somewhat sardonic smile the while。 No one had ever seen Norman angry； though a few persevering offenders against what he regarded as his rights had felt the results of swift and powerful action of the same sort that is usually accompaniedand weakenedby outward show of anger。 Invariably good…humored； he was soon seen to be more dangerous than the men of flaring temper。 In most instances good humor of thus unbreakable species issues from weakness； from a desire to conciliateusually with a view to plucking the more easily。 Norman's good humor arose from a sense of absolute security which in turn was the product of confidence in himself and amiable disdain for his fellow men。 The masses he held in derision for permitting the classes to rule and rob and spit upon them。 The classes he scorned for caring to occupy themselves with so cheap and sordid a game as the ruling； robbing； and spitting aforesaid。 Coming down to the specific； he despised men as individuals because he had always found in each and everyone of them a weakness that made it easy for him to use them as he pleased。
Not an altogether pleasant character； this。 But not so unpleasant as it may seem to those unable impartially to analyze human character； even their own especially their own。 And let anyone who is disposed to condemn Norman first look within himselfin some less hypocritical and self…deceiving moment； if he have such momentsand let him note what are the qualities he relies upon and uses in his own struggle to save himself from being submerged and sunk。 Further； there were in Norman many agreeable qualities； important； but less fundamental； therefore less deep… hiddentherefore generally regarded as the real man and as the cause of his success in which they in fact had almost no part。 He was； for example； of striking physical appearance； was attractively dressed and mannered； was prodigally generous。 Neither as lawyer nor as man did he practice justice。 But while as lawyer he practiced injustice； as man he practiced mercy。 Whenever a weakling appealed to him for protection； he gave itat times with splendid recklessness as to the cost to himself in antagonisms and enmities。 Indeed； so great were the generosities of his character that； had he not been arrogant； disdainful； self…confident； reso… lutely and single…heartedly ambitious； he must inevitably have ruined himselfif he had ever been able to rise high enough to be worthy the dignity of catastrophe。
Successful men are usually trying persons to know well。 Lambs； asses； and chickens do not associate happily with lions； wolves； and hawksnor do birds and beasts of prey get on well with one another。 Norman was regarded as 〃difficult〃 by his friendsby those of them who happened to get into the path of his ambition； in front of instead of behind him； and by those who fell into the not unnatural error of misunderstanding his good nature and presuming upon it。 His clients regarded him as insolent。 The big businesses； seeking the rich spoils of commerce； frequent highly perilous waters。 They need skillful pilots。 Usually these lawyer…pilots 〃know their place〃 and put on no airs upon the quarter…deck while they are temporarily in command。 Not so Norman。 He took the full rank； authority and emolumentsof commander。 And as his power； fame； and income were swiftly growing； it is fair to assume that he knew what he was about。
He was admiredextravagantly admiredby young men with not too broad a vein of envy。 He was no woman hateranything but that。 Indeed； those who wished him ill had from time to time hoped to see him tumble down； through miscalculation in some of his audacities with women。 Nohe did not hate women。 But there were several women who hated himor tried to； and if wounded vanity and baffled machination be admitted as just causes for hatred； they had cause。 He likedbut he did not wholly trust。 When he went to sleep； it was not where Delilah could wield the shears。 A most irritating prudenceirritating to friends and intimates of all degrees and kinds； in a race of beings with a mania for being trusted implicitly but with no balancing mania for deserving trust of the implicit variety。
And he ate hugelyand whatever he pleased。 He could drink beyond belief； all sorts of things； with no apparent ill effect upon either body or brain。 He had all the appetites developed abnormally； and abnormal capacity for gratifying them。 Where there was one man who envied him his eminence； there were a dozen who envied him his physical capacities。 We cannot live and act without doing mischief； as well as that which most of us would rather do； provided that in the doing we are not ourselves undone。 Probably in no direction did Norman do so much mischief as in unconsciously leading men of his sets down town and up to imitate his colossal dissipationswhich were not dissipation for him who was abnormal。
Withal； he was a monster for work。 There is not much truth in men's unending talk of how hard they work or are worked。 The ravages from their indulgences in smoking； drinking； gallantry； eating too much and too fast and too often； have to be explained away creditably； to themselves and to othersnotably to the wives or mothers who nurse them and suffer from their diminishing incomes。 Hence the wailing about work。 But once in a while a real worker appearsa man with enormous ingenuity at devising difficult tasks for himself and with enormous persistence in doing them。 Frederick Norman was one of these blue…moon prodigies。
Obviously； such a man could not but be observed and talked about。 Endless stories； some of them more or less true； most of them apocryphal； were told of him stories of his shrewd； unexpected moves in big cases； of his witty retorts； of his generosities； of his peculiarities of dress； of eating and drinking； stories of his adventures with women。 Whatever he did； however trivial； took color and charm from his personality； so easy yet so difficult； so simple yet so complex； so baffling。 Was
