the dust-第21章

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he　rare　superior　man　the　man　who　works　by　plan；　where　the　masses　of　mankind　either　drift　helplessly　or　are　propelled　by　some　superior　force　behind　them　without　which　they　would　be；　not　the　civilized　beings　they　seem；　but　even　as　the　savage　in　the　dugout　or　as　the　beast　of　the　field。　　The　girl　opened　a　door；　a　bright　light　streamed　into　the　dim　hallway。

〃Father！〃　she　called。　　〃Here's　Mr。　Norman。〃

Norman　saw；　beyond　the　exquisite　profile　of　the　girl's　head　and　figure；　a　lean　tallish　old　man；　dark　and　gray；　whose　expression　proclaimed　him　at　first　glance　no　more　in　touch　with　the　affairs　of　active　life　in　the　world　than　had　he　been　an　inhabitant　of　Mars。

Mr。　Hallowell　gave　his　caller　a　polite　glance　and　handshakeevidence　of　merest　surface　interest　in　him；　of　amiable　patience　with　an　intruder。　　Norman　saw　in　the　neatness　of　his　clothing　and　linen　further　proof　of　the　girl's　loving　care。　　For　no　such　abstracted　personality　as　this　would　ever　bother　about　such　things　for　himself。　　These　details；　however；　detained　Norman　only　for　a　moment。　　In　the　presence　of　Hallowell　it　was　impossible　not　to　concentrate　upon　him。

As　we　grow　older　what　we　are　inside；　the　kind　of　thoughts　we　admit　as　our　intimates；　appears　ever　more　strongly　in　the　countenance。　　This　had　often　struck　Norman；　observing　the　men　of　importance　about　him；　noting　how　as　they　aged　the　look　of　respectability；　of　intellectual　distinction；　became　a　thinner　and　ever　thinner　veneer　over　the　selfishness　and　greediness；　the　vanity　and　sensuality　and　falsehood。　　But　never　before　had　he　been　so　deeply　impressed　by　its　truth。　　Evidently　Hallowell　during　most　of　his　fifty…five　or　sixty　years　had　lived　the　purely　intellectual　life。　　The　result　was　a　look　of　spiritual　beauty；　the　look　of　the　soul　living　in　the　high　mountain；　with　serenity　and　vast　views　constantly　before　it。　　Such　a　face　fills　with　awe　the　ordinary　follower　of　the　petty　life　of　the　world　if　he　have　the　brains　to　know　or　to　suspect　the　ultimate　truth　about　existence。　It　filled　Norman　with　awe。　　He　hastily　turned　his　eyes　upon　the　girland　once　more　into　his　face　came　the　resolute；　intense；　white…hot　expression　of　a　man　doggedly　set　upon　an　earthy　purpose。

There　was　an　embarrassed　silence。　　Then　the　girl　said；　〃Show　him　the　worms；　father。〃

Mr。　Hallowell　smiled。　　〃My　little　girl　thinks　no　one　has　seen　that　sort　of　thing；〃　said　he。　　〃I　can't　make　her　believe　it　is　one　of　the　commonplaces。〃

〃You've　never　had　anyone　here　more　ignorant　than　I；　sir；〃　said　Norman。　　〃The　only　claim　on　your　courtesy　I　can　make　is　that　I'm　interested　and　that　I　perhaps　know　enough　in　a　general　way　to　appreciate。〃

Hallowell　waved　his　hand　toward　a　row　of　large　glass　bottles　on　one　of　the　many　shelves　built　against　the　rough　walls　of　the　room。　　〃Here　they　are；〃　said　he。　　〃It's　the　familiar　illustration　of　how　life　may　be　controlled。〃

〃I　don't　understand；〃　said　Norman；　eying　the　bottled　worms　curiously。

〃Oh；　it's　simply　the　demonstration　that　life　is　a　mere　chemical　process〃

Norman　had　ceased　to　listen。　　The　girl　was　moving　toward　the　door　by　which　they　had　enteredwas　in　the　doorwaywas　gone！　　He　stood　in　an　attitude　of　attention；　Hallowell　talked　on　and　on；　passing　from　one　thing　to　another；　forgetting　his　caller　and　himself；　thinking　only　of　the　subject；　the　beloved　science；　that　has　brought　into　the　modern　world　a　type　of　men　like　those　who　haunted　the　deserts　and　mountain　caves　in　the　days　when　Rome　was　falling　to　pieces。　　With　those　saintly　hermits　of　the　Dark　Ages　religion　was　the　all…　absorbing　subject。　　And　seeking　their　own　salvation　was　the　goal　upon　which　their　ardent　eyes　were　necessarily　bent。　　With　these　modern　devotees；　sciencethe　search　for　the　truth　about　the　world　in　which　they　live　is　their　religion；　and　their　goal　is　the　redemption　of　the　world。　　They　are　resolvedstep　by　step；　each　worker　contributing　his　mite　of　discoveryto　transform　the　world　from　a　hell　of　discomfort　and　pain　and　death　to　a　heaven　where　men　and　women；　free　and　enlightened　and　perhaps　immortal；　shall　live　in　happiness。　They　even　dream　that　perhaps　this　race　of　gods　shall　learn　to　construct　the　means　to　take　them　to　another　and　younger　planet；　when　this　Earth　has　become　too　old　and　too　cold　and　too　nakedly　clad　in　atmosphere　properly　to　sustain　life。

From　time　to　time　Norman　caught　a　few　words　of　what　Hallowell　saidwords　that　made　him　respect　the　intelligence　that　had　uttered　them。　　But　he　neither　cared　nor　dared　to　listen。　　He　refused　to　be　deflected　from　his　one　purpose。　　When　he　was　as　old　as　Hallowell；　it　would　be　time　to　think　of　these　matters。　　When　he　had　snatched　the　things　he　needed；　it　would　be　time　to　take　the　generous；　wide；　philosopher　view　of　life。　But　not　yet。　　He　was　still　young；　he　couldand　he　would！drink　of　the　sparkling　heady　life　of　the　senses；　typefied　now　for　him　in　this　girl。　　How　her　loveliness　flamed　in　his　bloodflamed　as　fiercely　when　he　could　not　see　the　actual；　tangible　charms　as　when　they　were　radiating　their　fire　into　his　eyes　and　through　his　skin！　First　he　must　live　that　glorious　life　of　youth；　of　nerves　aquiver　with　ecstasy。　　Also；　he　must　shut　out　the　things　of　the　intellectmust　live　in　brain　as　well　as　in　body　the　animal　lifein　brain　the　life　of　cunning　and　strategy。　　For　the　intellectual　life　would　make　it　impossible　to　pursue　such　ignoble　things。　　First；　material　success　and　material　happiness。　　Then；　in　its　own　time；　this　intellectual　life　to　which　such　men　as　Hallowell　ever　beckon；　from　their　heights；　such　men　as　Norman；　deep　in　the　wallow　that　seems　to　them　unworthy　of　them；　even　as　they　roll　in　it。

As　soon　as　there　came　a　convenient　pause　in　Hallowell's　talk；　Norman　said；　〃And　you　devote　your　whole　life　to　these　things？〃

Hallowell's　countenance　lost　its　fine　glow　of　enthusiasm。　〃I　have　to　make　a　living。　　I　do　chemical　analyses　for　doctors　and　druggists。　　That　takes　most　of　my　time。〃

〃But　you　can　dispatch　those　things　quickly。〃

Hallowell　shook　his　head。　　〃There's　only　one　way　to　do　things。　　My　clients　trust　me。　　I　can't　shirk。〃

Norman　smiled。　　He　admired　this　simplicity。　　But　it　amused　him；　too；　in　a　world　of　shirking　and　shuffling；　not　to　speak　of　downright　dishonesty；　it　struck　the　humorous　note　of　the　incongruous。　　He　said：

〃But　if　you　could　give　all　your　time　you　would　get　on　faster。〃

〃Yesif　I　had　the　timeAND　the　money。　　To　make　the　search　exhaustive　would　take　moneyfive　or　six　thousand　a　year；　at　the　least。　　A　great　deal　more　than　I　shall　ever　have。〃

〃Have　you　tried　to　interest　capitalists？〃

Hallowell　smiled　ironically。　　〃There　is　much　talk　about　capitalists　and　capital　opening　up　things。　　But　I　have　yet　to　learn　of　an　instance　of　their　touching　anything　until　they　were　absolutely　sure　of　large　profits。　Their　failed　enterprises　are　not　miscarriage　of　noble　purpose　but　mistaken　judgment；　judgment　blinded　by　hope　and　greed。〃

〃I　see　that　a　philosopher　can　know　life　without　living　it；〃　said　Norman。　　〃But　couldn't　you　put　your　scheme　in　such　a　way　that　some　capitalist　would　be　led　to　hope？〃

〃I'd　have　to　tell　them　the　truth。　　Possibly　I　might　discover　something　with　commercial　value；　but　I　couldn't　promise。　　I　don't　think　it　is　likely。〃

Norman's　eyes　were　on　the　door。　　His　thoughts　were　reaching　out　to　the　distant　and　faint　sound　of　a　piano。　　〃Just　what　do　you　propose　to　search　for？〃　inquired　he。

He　tried　to　listen；　because　it　was　necessary　that　he　have　some　knowledge　of　Hallowell's　plans。　　But　he　could　not　fix　his　attention。　　After　a　few　moments　he　glanced　at　his　watch；　interrupted　with；　〃I　think　I　understand　enough　for　the　present。　　I've　stayed　longer　than　I　intended。　　I　must　go　now。　　When　I　come　again　I　may　perhaps　have　some　plan　to　propose。〃

〃Plan？〃　exclaimed　Hallowell；　his　eyes　lighting　up。

〃I'm　not　surenot　at　all　sure；〃　hastily　added　Norman。　　〃I　don't　wish　to　give　you　false　hopes。　　The　matter　is　extremely　difficult。　　But　I'll　try。　　I've　small　hope　of　success；　but　I'll　try。〃

〃My　daughter　didn't　explain　to　me；〃　said　the　scientist。　　〃She　simply　said　one　of　the　gentlemen　for　whom　she　worked　was　coming　to　look　at　my　place。　　I　thought　it　was　mere　curiosity。〃

〃So　it　was；　Mr。　Hallowell；〃　said　Norman。　　〃But　I　have　been　interested。　　I　don't　as　yet　see　wha