the dust-第59章

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　their　filthy　nests。

We　Americans　are　probably　nearest　to　children　of　any　race　in　civilization。　　The　peculiar　conditions　of　lifetheir　almost　Arcadian　simplicityup　to　a　generation　or　so　ago；　gave　us　a　false　training　in　the　study　of　human　nature。　　We　believe　what　the　good　preacher；　the　novelist　and　the　poet；　all　as　ignorant　of　life　as　nursery　books；　tell　us　about　the　human　heart。　　We　fancy　that　in　a　social　system　modeled　upon　the　cruel　and　immoral　system　of　Nature；　success　is　to　the　good　and　kind。　　Life　is　like　the　pious　story　in　the　Sunday…school　library；　evil　is　the　exception　and　to　practice　the　simple　virtues　is　to　tread　with　sure　step　the　highway　to　riches　and　fame。　　This　sort　of　ignorance　is　taught；　is　proclaimed；　is　apparently　accepted　throughout　the　world。　　Literature　and　the　drama；　representing　life　as　it　is　dreamed　by　humanity；　life　as　it　perhaps　may　be　some　day；　create　an　impression　which　defies　the　plain　daily　and　hourly　mockings　of　experience。　　Because　weak　and　petty　of…　fenders　are　often　punished；　the　universe　is　pictured　as　sternly　enforcing　the　criminal　codes　enacted　by　priests　or　lawyers。　　But；　while　all　the　world　half　inclines　to　this　agreeable　mendacity　about　life；　only　in　America　of　all　civilization　is　the　mendacity　accepted　as　gospel；　and　suspicion　about　it　frowned　upon　as　the　heresy　of　cynicism。　　So　the　Galloways　prosper　and　are　in　high　moral　repute。　　Some　day　we　shall　learn　that　a　social　system　which　is　merely　a　slavish　copy　of　Nature's　barbarous　and　wasteful　sway　of　the　survival　of　the　toughest　could　be　and　ought　to　be　improved　upon　by　the　intelligence　of　the　human　race。　　Some　day　we　shall　put　Nature　in　its　proper　place　as　kindergarten　teacher；　and　drop　it　from　godship　and　erect　enlightened　human　understanding　instead。　　But　that　is　a　long　way　off。　　Meanwhile　the　Galloways　will　reign；　and　will　assure　us　that　they　won　their　success　by　the　Decalogue　and　the　Golden　Rule　and　will　be　believed　by　all　who　seek　to　assure　for　themselves　in　advance　almost　certain　failure　at　material　success　in　the　arena　of　action。

But　they　will　not　be　believed　by　men　of　ambition；　pushing　resolutely　for　power　and　wealth。　　So　Frederick　Norman　knew　precisely　what　he　was　facing　when　Galloway's　tall　gaunt　figure　and　face　of　the　bird　of　prey　appeared　before　him。　　Galloway　had　triumphed　and　was　triumphing　not　through　obedience　to　the　Sunday　sermons　and　the　silly　novels；　poems；　plays；　and　the　nonsense　chattered　by　the　obscure　multitudes　whom　the　mighty　few　exploit；　but　through　obedience　to　the　conditions　imposed　by　our　social　system。　　If　he　raised　wages　a　little；　it　was　in　order　that　he　might　have　excuse　for　raising　prices　a　great　deal。　　If　he　gave　away　millions；　it　was　for　his　fame；　and　usually　to　quiet　the　scandal　over　some　particularly　wicked　wholesale　robbery。　No；　Galloway　was　not　a　witness　to　the　might　of　altruistic　virtue　as　a　means　to　triumph。　　Charity　and　all　the　other　forms　of　chicanery　by　which　the　many　are　defrauded　and　fooled　by　the　fewthose　〃virtues〃　he　understood　and　practiced。　　But　justicehumanity's　ages…long　dream　that　at　last　seems　to　glitter　as　a　hope　in　the　horizon　of　the　futurejusticenot　legal　justice；　nor　moral　justice；　but　human　justicethat　idea　would　have　seemed　to　him　ridiculous；　Utopian；　something　for　the　women　and　the　children　and　the　socialists。

Norman　understood　Galloway；　and　Galloway　understood　Norman。　　Galloway；　with　an　old　man's　garrulity　and　a　confirmed　moral　poseur's　eagerness　about　appearances；　began　to　unfold　his　virtuous　reasons　for　the　impending　break　with　Burroughsthe　industrial　and　financial　war　out　of　which　he　expected　to　come　doubly　rich　and　all　but　supreme。　　Midway　he　stopped。

〃You　are　not　listening；〃　said　he　sharply　to　the　young　man。

Their　eyes　met。　　Norman's　eyes　were　twinkling。　〃No；〃　said　he；　〃I　am　waiting。〃

There　was　the　suggestion　of　an　answering　gleam　of　sardonic　humor　in　Galloway's　cold　gray　eyes。　　〃Waiting　for　what？〃

〃For　you　to　finish　with　me　as　father　confessor；　to　begin　with　me　as　lawyer。　　Pray　don't　hurry。　　My　time　is　yours。〃　　This　with　a　fine　air　of　utmost　suavity　and　respect。

In　fact；　while　Galloway　was　doddering　on　and　on　with　his　fake　moralities；　Norman　was　thinking　of　his　own　affairs；　was　wondering　at　his　indifference　about　Dorothy。　The　night　beforethe　few　hours　beforewhen　he　had　dealt　with　her　so　calmly；　he；　even　as　he　talked　and　listened　and　acted；　had　assumed　that　the　enormous　amount　of　liquor　he　had　been　consuming　was　in　some　way　responsible。　　He　had　said　to　himself；　〃When　I　am　over　this；　when　I　have　had　sleep　and　return　to　the　normal；　I　shall　again　be　the　foolish　slave　of　all　these　months。〃　But　here　he　was；　sober；　having　taken　only　enough　whisky　to　prevent　an　abrupt　let…downhere　he　was　viewing　her　in　the　same　tranquil　light。　　No　longer　all　his　life；　no　longer　even　dominant；　only　a　part　of　life　and　he　was　by　no　means　certain　that　she　was　an　important　part。

How　explain　the　mystery　of　the　change？　　Because　she　had　voluntarily　come　back；　did　he　feel　that　she　was　no　longer　baffling　but　was　definitely　his？　　Or　had　passion　running　madly　on　and　on　droppedperhaps　not　dead；　but　almost　deadfrom　sheer　exhaustion？was　it　weary　of　racing　and　content　to　saunter　and　to　stroll？　。　。　。　He　could　not　account　for　the　change。　　He　only　knew　that　he　who　had　been　quite　mad　was　now　quite　sane。　。　。　。　　Would　he　like　to　be　rid　of　her？　　Did　he　regret　that　they　were　tied　together？　　No；　curiously　enough。　　It　was　high　time　he　got　married；　she　would　do　as　well　as　another。　　She　had　beauty；　youth；　amiability；　physical　charm　for　him。　　There　was　advantage　in　the　fact　that　her　inferiority　to　him；　her　dependence　on　him；　would　enable　him　to　take　as　much　or　as　little　of　her　as　he　might　feel　disposed；　to　treat　her　as　the　warrior　must　ever　treat　his　entire　domestic　establishment　from　wife　down　to　pet　dog　or　cat　or　baby。　。　。　。　　No；　he　did　not　regret　Josephine。　　He　could　see　now　disadvantages　greater　than　her　advantages。　　All　of　value　she　would　have　brought　him　he　could　get　for　himself；　and　she　would　have　been　troublesomeexacting；　disputing　his　sway；　demanding　full　value　or　more　in　return　for　the　love　she　was　giving　with　such　exalted　notions　of　its　worth。

〃You　are　married？〃　Galloway　suddenly　said；　interrupting　his　own　speech　and　Norman's　thought。

〃Yes；〃　said　Norman。

〃Just　married；　I　believe？〃

〃Just。〃

Young　and　old；　high　and　low；　successful　and　failed；　we　are　a　race　of　advice…givers。　　As　for　Galloway；　he　was　not　one　to　neglect　that　showy　form　of　inexpensive　benevolence。　　〃Have　plenty　of　children；〃　said　he。

〃And　keep　your　family　in　the　country　till　they　grow　up。　　Town's　no　place　for　women。　　They　go　crazy。　Womenand　most　menhave　no　initiative。　　They　think　only　about　whatever's　thrust　at　them。　　In　the　country　it'll　be　their　children　and　domestic　things。　　In　town　it'll　be　getting　and　spending　money。〃

Norman　was　struck　by　this。　　〃I　think　I'll　take　your　advice；〃　said　he。

〃A　man's　home　ought　to　be　a　retreat；　not　an　inn。　We　are　humoring　the　women　too　much。　　They　are　forgetting　who　earns　what　they　spend　in　exhibiting　themselves。　　If　a　woman　wants　that　sort　of　thing；　let　her　get　out　and　earn　it。　　Why　should　she　expect　it　from　the　man　who　has　undertaken　her　support　because　he　wanted　a　wife　to　take　care　of　his　house　and　a　mother　for　his　children？　　If　a　woman　doesn't　like　the　job；　all　right。　But　if　she　takes　it　and　accepts　its　pay；　why；　she　should　do　its　work。〃

〃Flawless　logic；〃　said　Norman。

〃When　I　hire　a　man　to　work；　he　doesn't　expect　to　idle　about　showing　other　people　how　handsome　he　is　in　the　clothes　my　money　pays　for。　　Not　that　marriage　is　altogether　a　businessnot　at　all。　　But；　my　dear　sir〃　And　Galloway　brought　his　cane　down　with　the　emphasis　of　one　speaking　from　a　heart　full　of　bitter　experience　〃unless　it　is　a　business　at　bottom；　organized　and　conducted　on　sound　business　principles；　there's　no　sentiment　either。　　We　are　human　beingsand　that　means　we　are　first　of　all　BUSINESS　beings；　engaged　in　getting　food；　clothing；　shelter。　　No　sentimentNO　sentiment；　sir；　is　worth　while　that　isn't　firmly　grounded。　　It's　a　house　without　a　foundation。　　It's　a　steeple　without　a　church　under　it。〃

Norman　looked　at　the　old　man　with　calm　penetrating　eyes。　　〃I　shall　conduct　my　married　life　on　a　sound；　busin