the friendly road-第31章

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onderful　free　life　one　had　in　the　country。　In　this　I　was　really　taking　an　unfair　advantage　of　them；　for　I　was　trading　on　the　fact　that　every　man；　down　deep　in　his　heart；　has　more　or　less　of　an　instinct　to　get　back　to　the　soilat　least　all　outdoor　men　have。　And　when　I　described　the　simplest　things　about　my　barn；　and　the　cattle　and　pigs；　and　the　beesand　the　good　things　we　have　to　eatI　had　every　one　of　them　leaning　forward　and　hanging　on　my　words。

Harriet　sometimes　laughs　at　me　for　the　way　I　celebrate　farm　life。　She　says　all　my　apples　are　the　size　of　Hubbard　squashes；　my　eggs　all　double…yolked；　and　my　cornfields　tropical　jungles。　Practical　Harriet！　My　apples　may　not　ALL　be　the　size　of　Hubbard　squashes；　but　they　are　good；　sizable　apples；　and　as　for　flavourall　the　spices　of　Arcady！　And　I　believe；　I　KNOW；　from　my　own　experience　that　these　fields　and　hills　are　capable　of　healing　men's　souls。　And　when　I　see　people　wandering　around　a　lonesome　city　like　Kilburn；　with　never　a　soft　bit　of　soil　to　put　their　heels　into；　nor　a　green　thing　to　cultivate；　nor　any　corn　or　apples　or　honey　to　harvest；　I　feelwell；　that　they　are　wasting　their　time。

（It's　a　fact；　Harriet！）


Indeed　I　had　the　most　curious　experience　with　my　friend　the　withis　name　I　soon　learned　was　Healya　jolly；　round；　red…nosed；　outdoor　chap　with　fists　that　looked　like　small…sized　hams；　and　a　rich；　warm　Irish　voice。　At　first　he　was　inclined　to　use　me　as　the　ready　butt　of　his　lively　mind；　but　presently　he　became　so　much　interested　in　what　I　was　saying　that　he　sat　squarely　in　front　of　me　with　both　his　jolly　eyes　and　his　smiling　mouth　wide　open。

〃If　ever　you　pass　my　way；〃　I　said　to　him；　〃just　drop　in　and　I'll　give　you　a　dinner　of　baked　beans〃and　I　smacked〃and　home　made　bread〃　and　I　smacked　again　〃and　pumpkin　pie〃and　I　smacked　a　third　time〃that　will　make　your　mouth　water。〃

All　this　smacking　and　the　description　of　baked　beans　and　pumpkin　pie　had　an　odd　counter　effect　upon　ME；　for　I　suddenly　recalled　my　own　tragic　state。　So　I　jumped　up　quickly　and　asked　directions　for　getting　down　to　the　mill　neighbourhood；　where　I　hoped　to　find　Bill　Hahn。　My　friend　Healy　instantly　volunteered　the　information。

〃And　now；〃　I　said；　〃I　want　to　ask　a　small　favour　of　you。　I'm　looking　for　a　friend；　and　I'd　like　to　leave　my　bag　here　for　the　night。〃

〃Sure；　sure；〃　said　the　Irishman　heartily。　〃Put　it　there　in　the　officeon　top　o'　the　desk。　It'll　be　all　right。〃

So　I　put　it　in　the　office　and　was　about　to　say　good…bye；　when　my　friend　said　to　me：

〃Come　in；　partner；　and　have　a　drink　before　you　go〃and　he　pointed　to　a　nearby　saloon。

〃Thank　you；〃　I　answered　heartily；　for　I　knew　it　was　as　fine　a　bit　of　hospitality　as　he　could　offer　me；　〃thank　you；　but　I　must　find　my　friend　before　it　gets　too　late。〃

〃Aw；　come　on　now；〃　he　cried；　taking　my　arm。　〃Sure　you'll　be　better　off　for　a　bit　o'　warmth　inside。〃

I　had　hard　work　to　get　away　from　them；　and　I　am　as　sure　as　can　be　that　they　would　have　found　supper　and　a　bed　for　me　if　they　had　known　I　needed　either。

〃Come　agin；〃　Healy　shouted　after　me；　〃we're　glad　to　see　a　farmer　any　toime。〃

My　way　led　me　quickly　out　of　the　well…groomed　and　glittering　main　streets　of　the　town。　I　passed　first　through　several　blocks　of　quiet　residences；　and　then　came　to　a　street　near　the　river　which　was　garishly　lighted；　and　crowded　with　small；　poor　shops　and　stores；　with　a　saloon　on　nearly　every　corner。　I　passed　a　huge；　dark；　silent　box　of　a　mill；　and　I　saw　what　I　never　saw　before　in　a　city；　armed　men　guarding　the　streets。

Although　it　was　growing　lateit　was　after　nine　o'clockcrowds　of　people　were　still　parading　the　streets；　and　there　was　something　intangibly　restless；　something　tense；　in　the　very　atmosphere　of　the　neighbourhood。　It　was　very　plain　that　I　had　reached　the　strike　district。　I　was　about　to　make　some　further　inquiries　for　the　headquarters　of　the　mill　men　or　for　Bill　Hahn　personally；　when　I　saw；　not　far　ahead　of　me；　a　black　crowd　of　people　reaching　out　into　the　street。　Drawing　nearer　I　saw　that　an　open　space　or　block　between　two　rows　of　houses　was　literally　black　with　human　beings；　and　in　the　centre　on　a　raised　platform；　under　a　gasolene　flare；　I　beheld　my　friend　of　the　road；　Bill　Hahn。　The　overcoat　and　the　hat　with　the　furry　ears　had　disappeared；　and　the　little　man　stood　there　bare…headed；　before　that　great　audience。

My　experience　in　the　world　is　limited；　but　I　have　never　heard　anything　like　that　speech　for　sheer　power。　It　was　as　unruly　and　powerful　and　resistless　as　life　itself。　It　was　not　like　any　other　speech　I　ever　heard；　for　it　was　no　mere　giving　out　by　the　orator　of　ideas　and　thoughts　and　feelings　of　his　own。　It　seemed　ratherhow　shall　I　describe　it？as　though　the　speaker　was　looking　into　the　very　hearts　of　that　vast　gathering　of　poor　men　and　poor　women　and　merely　telling　them　what　they　themselves　felt；　but　could　not　tell。　And　I　shall　never　forget　the　breathless　hush　of　the　people　or　the　quality　of　their　responses　to　the　orator's　words。　It　was　as　though　they　said；　〃Yes；　yes〃　with　a　feeling　of　vast　relief〃Yes；　yesat　last　our　own　hopes　and　fears　and　desires　are　being　utteredyes；　yes。〃

As　for　the　orator　himself；　he　held　up　one　maimed　hand　and　leaned　over　the　edge　of　the　platform；　and　his　undistinguished　face　glowed　with　the　white　light　of　a　great　passion　within。　The　man　had　utterly　forgotten　himself。

I　confess；　among　those　eager　working　people；　clad　in　their　poor　garments；　I　confess　I　was　profoundly　moved。　Faith　is　not　so　bounteous　a　commodity　in　this　world　that　we　can　afford　to　treat　even　its　unfamiliar　manifestations　with　contempt。　And　when　a　movement　is　hot　with　life；　when　it　stirs　common　men　to　their　depths；　look　out！　look　out！

Up　to　that　time　I　had　never　known　much　of　the　practical　workings　of　Socialism；　and　the　main　contention　of　its　philosophy　has　never　accorded　wholly　with　my　experience　in　life。

But　the　Socialism　of　to…day　is　no　mere　abstractionas　it　was；　perhaps；　in　the　days　of　Brook　Farm。　It　is　a　mode　of　action。　Men　whose　view　of　life　is　perfectly　balanced　rarely　soil　themselves　with　the　dust　of　battle。　The　heat　necessary　to　produce　social　conflict　（and　social　progresswho　knows？）　is　generated　by　a　supreme　faith　that　certain　principles　are　universal　in　their　application　when　in　reality　they　are　only　local　or　temporary。

Thus　while　one　may　not　accept　the　philosophy　of　Socialism　as　a　final　explanation　of　human　life；　he　may　yet　look　upon　Socialism　in　action　as　a　powerful　method　of　stimulating　human　progress。　The　world　has　been　lagging　behind　in　its　sense　of　brotherhood；　and　we　now　have　the　Socialists　knit　together　in　a　fighting　friendship　as　fierce　and　narrow　in　its　motives　as　Calvinism；　pricking　us　to　reform；　asking　the　cogent　question：

〃Are　we　not　all　brothers？〃

Oh；　we　are　going　a　long　way　with　these　Socialists；　we　are　going　to　discover　a　new　world　of　social　relationshipsand　then；　and　then；　like　a　mighty　wave；　will　flow　in　upon　us　a　renewed　and　more　wonderful　sense　of　the　worth　of　the　individual　human　soul。　A　new　individualism；　bringing　with　it；　perhaps；　some　faint　realization　of　our　dreams　of　a　race　of　Supermen；　lies　just　beyond！　Its　prophets；　girded　with　rude　garments　and　feeding　upon　the　wild　honey　of　poverty；　are　already　crying　in　the　wilderness。

I　think　I　could　have　remained　there　at　the　Socialist　meeting　all　night　long：　there　was　something　about　it　that　brought　a　hard；　dry　twist　to　my　throat。　But　after　a　time　my　friend　Bill　Hahn；　evidently　quite　worn　out；　yielded　his　place　to　another　and　far　less　clairvoyant　speaker；　and　the　crowd；　among　whom　I　now　discovered　quite　a　number　of　policemen；　began　to　thin　out。


I　made　my　way　forward　and　saw　Bill　Hahn　and　several　other　men　just　leaving　the　platform。　I　stepped　up　to　him；　but　it　was　not　until　I　called　him　by　name　（I　knew　how　absent　minded　he　was！）　that　he　recognized　me。

〃Well；　well；〃　he　said；　〃you　came　after　all！〃

He　seized　me　by　both　arms　and　introduced　me　to　several　of　his　companions　as　〃Brother　Grayson。〃　They　all　shook　hands　with　me　warmly。

Although　he　was　perspiring；　Bill　put　on　his　overcoat　and　the　old　fur　hat　with　the　ears；　and　as　he　now　took　my　arm　I　could　feel　one　of　his　bulging　pockets　beating　against　my　leg。　I　had　not　the　slightest　idea　where　they　were　going；　but