the friendly road-第35章

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erty　and　possession。〃

〃What　are　you　then；　anyway？〃　asked　Mr。　Vedder；　smiling。

〃Well；　I've　thought　of　a　name　I　would　like　to　have　applied　to　me　sometimes；〃　I　said。　〃You　see　I'm　tremendously　fond　of　this　world　exactly　as　it　is　now。　Mr。　Vedder；　it's　a　wonderful　and　beautiful　place！　I've　never　seen　a　better　one。　I　confess　I　could　not　possibly　live　in　the　rarefied　atmosphere　of　a　final　solution。　I　want　to　live　right　here　and　now　for　all　I'm　worth。　The　other　day　a　man　asked　me　what　I　thought　was　the　best　time　of　life。　'Why；'　I　answered　without　a　thought；　'Now。'　It　has　always　seemed　to　me　that　if　a　man　can't　make　a　go　of　it；　yes；　and　be　happy　at　this　moment；　he　can't　be　at　the　next　moment。　But　most　of　all；　it　seems　to　me；　I　want　to　get　close　to　people；　to　look　into　their　hearts；　and　be　friendly　with　them。　Mr。　Vedder；　do　you　know　what　I'd　like　to　be　called？〃

〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　said　he。

〃Well；　I'd　like　to　be　called　an　Introducer。　My　friend；　Mr。　Blacksmith；　let　me　introduce　you　to　my　friend；　Mr。　Plutocrat。　I　could　almost　swear　that　you　were　brothers；　so　near　alike　are　you！　You'll　find　each　other　wonderfully　interesting　once　you　get　over　the　awkwardness　of　the　introduction。　And　Mr。　White　Man；　let　me　present　you　particularly　to　my　good　friend；　Mr。　Negro。　You　will　see　if　you　sit　down　to　it　that　this　colour　of　the　face　is　only　skin　deep。〃

〃It's　a　good　name！〃　said　Mr。　Vedder；　laughing。

〃It's　a　wonderful　name；〃　said　I；　〃and　it's　about　the　biggest　and　finest　work　in　the　worldto　know　human　beings　just　as　they　are；　and　to　make　them　acquainted　with　one　another　just　as　they　are。　Why；　it's　the　foundation　of　all　the　democracy　there　is；　or　ever　will　be。　Sometimes　I　think　that　friendliness　is　the　only　achievement　of　life　worth　whileand　unfriendliness　the　only　tragedy。〃

I　have　since　felt　ashamed　of　myself　when　I　thought　how　I　lectured　my　unprotected　host　that　day　at　luncheon；　but　it　seemed　to　boil　out　of　me　irresistibly。　The　experiences　of　the　past　two　days　had　stirred　me　to　the　very　depths；　and　it　seemed　to　me　I　must　explain　to　somebody　how　it　all　impressed　meand　to　whom　better　than　to　my　good　friend　Vedder？

As　we　were　leaving　the　table　an　idea　flashed　across　my　mind　which　seemed；　at　first；　so　wonderful　that　it　quite　turned　me　dizzy。

〃See　here；　Mr。　Vedder；〃　I　exclaimed；　〃let　me　follow　my　occupation　practically。　I　know　Bill　Hahn　and　I　know　you。　Let　me　introduce　you。　If　you　could　only　get　together；　if　you　could　only　understand　what　good　fellows　you　both　are；　it　might　go　far　toward　solving　these　difficulties。〃

I　had　some　trouble　persuading　him；　but　finally　he　consented；　said　he　wanted　to　leave　no　stone　unturned；　and　that　he　would　meet　Bill　Hahn　and　some　of　the　other　leaders；　if　proper　arrangements　could　be　made。

I　left　him；　therefore；　in　excitement；　feeling　that　I　was　at　the　point　of　playing　a　part　in　a　very　great　event。　〃Once　get　these　men　together；〃　I　thought；　〃and　they　MUST　come　to　an　understanding。〃

So　I　rushed　out　to　the　mill　district；　saying　to　myself　over　and　over　（I　have　smiled　about　it　since！）：　〃We'll　settle　this　strike：　we'll　settle　this　strike：　we'll　settle　this　strike。〃　After　some　searching　I　found　my　friend　Bill　in　the　little　room　over　a　saloon　that　served　as　strike　headquarters。　A　dozen　or　more　of　the　leaders　were　there；　faintly　distinguishable　through　clouds　of　tobacco　smoke。　Among　them　sat　the　great　R…　D…；　his　burly　figure　looming　up　at　one　end　of　the　table；　and　his　strong；　rough；　iron…jawed　face　turning　first　toward　this　speaker　and　then　toward　that。　The　discussion；　which　had　evidently　been　lively；　died　down　soon　after　I　appeared　at　the　door；　and　Bill　Hahn　came　out　to　me　and　we　sat　down　together　in　the　adjoining　room。　Here　I　broke　eagerly　into　an　account　of　the　happenings　of　the　day；　described　my　chance　meeting　with　Mr。　Vedderwho　was　well　known　to　Bill　by　reputationand　finally　asked　him　squarely　whether　he　would　meet　him。　I　think　my　enthusiasm　quite　carried　him　away。

〃Sure；　I　will；〃　said　Bill　Hahn　heartily。

〃When　and　where？〃　I　asked；　〃and　will　any　of　the　other　men　join　you？〃

Bill　was　all　enthusiasm　at　once；　for　that　was　the　essence　of　his　temperament；　but　he　said　that　he　must　first　refer　it　to　the　committee。　I　waited；　in　a　tense　state　of　impatience；　for　what　seemed　to　me　a　very　long　time；　but　finally　the　door　opened　and　Bill　Hahn　came　out　bringing　R…　D　himself　with　him。　We　all　sat　down　together；　and　R…　D…　began　to　ask　questions　（he　was　evidently　suspicious　as　to　who　and　what　I　was）；　but　I　think；　after　I　talked　with　them　for　some　time　that　I　made　them　see　the　possibilities　and　the　importance　of　such　a　meeting。　I　was　greatly　impressed　with　R…　D…；　the　calmness　and　steadiness　of　the　man；　his　evident　shrewdness。　〃A　real　general；〃　I　said　to　myself。　〃I　should　like　to　know　him　better。〃

After　a　long　talk　they　returned　to　the　other　room；　closing　the　door　behind　them；　and　I　waited　again；　still　more　impatiently。

It　seems　rather　absurd　now；　but　at　that　moment　I　felt　firmly　convinced　that　I　was　on　the　way　to　the　permanent　settlement　of　a　struggle　which　had　occupied　the　best　brains　of　Kilburn　for　many　weeks。

While　I　was　waiting　in　that　dingy　ante…room；　the　other　door　slowly　opened　and　a　boy　stuck　his　head　in。

〃Is　David　Grayson　here？〃　he　asked。

〃Here　he　is；〃　said　I；　greatly　astonished　that　any　one　in　Kilburn　should　be　inquiring　for　me；　or　should　know　where　I　was。

The　boy　came　in；　looked　at　me　with　jolly　round　eyes　for　a　moment；　and　dug　a　letter　out　of　his　pocket。　I　opened　it　at　once；　and　glancing　at　the　signature　discovered　that　it　was　from　Mr。　Vedder。

〃He　said　I'd　probably　find　you　at　strike　headquarters；〃　remarked　the　boy。

This　was　the　letter：　marked　〃Confidential。〃

My　Dear　Grayson：　I　think　you　must　be　something　of　a　hypnotist。　After　you　left　me　I　began　to　think　of　the　project　you　mentioned；　and　I　have　talked　it　over　with　one　or　two　of　my　associates。　I　would　gladly　hold　this　conference；　but　it　does　not　now　seem　wise　for　us　to　do　so。　The　interests　we　represent　are　too　important　to　be　jeopardized。　In　theory　you　are　undoubtedly　right；　but　in　this　case　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me　（when　you　think　it　over）；　we　must　not　show　any　weakness。　Come　and　stop　with　us　to…night：　Mrs。　Vedder　will　be　overjoyed　to　see　you　and　we'll　have　another　fine　talk。

I　confess　I　was　a　good　deal　cast　down　as　I　read　this　letter。

〃What　interests　are　so　important？〃　I　asked　myself；　〃that　they　should　keep　friends　apart？〃

But　I　was　given　only　a　moment　for　reflection　for　the　door　opened　and　my　friend　Bill；　together　with　R…　D…and　several　other　members　of　the　committee；　came　out。　I　put　the　letter　in　my　pocket；　and　for　a　moment　my　brain　never　worked　under　higher　pressure。　What　should　I　say　to　them　now？　How　could　I　explain　myself　？

Bill　Hahn　was　evidently　labouring　under　considerable　excitement；　but　R…　D…　was　as　calm　as　a　judge。　He　sat　down　in　the　chair　opposite　and　said　to　me：

〃We've　been　figuring　out　this　proposition　of　Mr。　Vedder's。　Your　idea　is　all　right；　and　it　would　be　a　fine　thing　if　we　could　really　get　together　as　you　suggest　upon　terms　of　common　understanding　and　friendship。〃

〃Just　what　Mr。　Vedder　said；〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Yes；〃　he　continued；　〃it's　all　right　in　theory；　but　in　this　case　it　simply　won't　work。　Don't　you　see　it's　got　to　be　war？　Your　friend　and　I　could　probably　understand　each　otherbut　this　is　a　class　war。　It's　all　or　nothing　with　us；　and　your　friend　Vedder　knows　it　as　well　as　we　do。〃

After　some　further　argument　and　explanation；　I　said：

〃I　see：　and　this　is　Socialism。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　the　great　R…　D…；　〃this　is　Socialism。〃

〃And　it's　force　you　would　use；〃　I　said。

〃It's　force　THEY　use；〃　he　replied。

After　I　left　the　strike　headquarters　that　eveningfor　it　was　almost　dark　before　I　parted　with　the　committeeI　walked　straight　out　through　the　crowded　streets；　so　absorbed　in　my　thoughts　that　I　did　not　know　in　the　least　where　I　was　going。　The　street　lights　came　out；　the　crowds　began　to　thin　away；　I　heard　a　strident　song　from　a　phonograph　at　the　entrance　to　a　picture　show；　and　as　I　passed　again　in　front　of　the　great；　dark；　many…windowed　mill　which　had　made　my　friend　Vedder　a　rich　man　I　saw　a　sentinel　turn　slowly　at　the　corner。　The　light　glinted　on　the　steel　of　his　bayonet。　He　had　a　fresh；　f