a far country-第30章

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reservations　concerning　them。　　They；　too；　seemed　a　little　on　the
defensive　with　me；　and　once　in　a　while　Mary　was　caustic　in　her　remarks。

〃I　guess　nothing　but　New　York　will　be　good　enough　for　Hugh　now。　　He'll　be
taking　Cousin　Sarah　away　from　us。〃

〃Not　at　all；　my　dear；〃　said　my　mother；　gently；　〃he's　going　into　Mr。
Watling's　office　next　autumn。〃

〃Theodore　Watling？〃　demanded　Cousin　Robert；　pausing　in　his　carving。

〃Yes；　Robert。　　Mr。　Watling　has　been　good　enough　to　say　that　he　would　like
to　have　Hugh。　　Is　there　anything？〃

〃Oh；　I'm　out　of　date；　Sarah；〃　Cousin　Robert　replied；　vigorously　severing
the　leg　of　the　turkey。　　〃These　modern　lawyers　are　too　smart　for　me。
Watling's　no　worse　than　the　others；　I　suppose；only　he's　got　more
ability。〃

〃I've　never　heard　anything　against　him；〃　said　my　mother　in　a　pained
voice。　　〃Only　the　other　day　McAlery　Willett　congratulated　me　that　Hugh
was　going　to　be　with　him。〃

〃You　mustn't　mind　Robert；　Sarah；〃　put　in　Cousin　Jenny；a　remark
reminiscent　of　other　days。

〃Dad　has　a　notion　that　his　generation　is　the　only　honest　one；〃　said
Helen；　laughingly；　as　she　passed　a　plate。

I　had　gained　a　sense　of　superiority；　and　I　was　quite　indifferent　to
Cousin　Robert's　opinion　of　Mr。　Watling；　of　modern　lawyers　in　general。
More　than　once　a　wave　of　self…congratulation　surged　through　me　that　I　had
possessed　the　foresight　and　initiative　to　get　out　of　the　wholesale
grocery　business　while　there　was　yet　time。　　I　looked　at　Willie；　still
freckled；　still　literal；　still　a　plodder；　at　Walter　Kinley；　and　I　thought
of　the　drabness　of　their　lives；　at　Cousin　Robert　himself　as　he　sat
smoking　his　cigar　in　the　bay…window　on　that　dark　February　day；　and
suddenly　I　pitied　him。　　The　suspicion　struck　me　that　he　had　not　prospered
of　late；　and　this　deepened　to　a　conviction　as　he　talked。

〃The　Republican　Party　is　going　to　the　dogs；〃　he　asserted。

〃It　used　to　be　an　honourable　party；　but　now　it　is　no　better　than　the
other。　　Politics　are　only　conducted；　now；　for　the　purpose　of　making
unscrupulous　men　rich；　sir。　　For　years　I　furnished　this　city　with　good
groceries；　if　I　do　say　it　myself。　　I　took　a　pride　in　the　fact　that　the
inmates　of　the　hospitals；　yes；　and　the　dependent　poor　in　the　city's
institutions；　should　have　honest　food。　　You　can　get　anything　out　of　the
city　if　you　are　willing　to　pay　the　politicians　for　it。　　I　lost　my　city
contracts。　　Why？　　Because　I　refused　to　deal　with　scoundrels。　　Weill　and
Company　and　other　unscrupulous　upstarts　are　willing　to　do　so；　and　poison
the　poor　and　the　sick　with　adulterated　groceries！　　The　first　thing　I　knew
was　that　the　city　auditor　was　holding　back　my　bills　for　supplies；　and
paying　Weill's。　　That's　what　politics　and　business；　yes；　sir；　and　the
law；　have　come　to　in　these　days。　　If　a　man　wants　to　succeed；　he　must　turn
into　a　rascal。〃

I　was　not　shocked；　but　I　was　silent；　uncomfortable；　wishing　that　it　were
time　to　take　the　train　back　to　the　city。　　Cousin　Robert's　face　was　more
worn　than　I　had　thought；　and　I　contrasted　him　inevitably　with　the
forceful　person　who　used　to　stand；　in　his　worn　alpaca　coat；　on　the
pavement　in　front　of　his　store；　greeting　with　clear…eyed　content　his
fellow　merchants　of　the　city。　　Willie　Breck；　too；　was　silent；　and　Walter
Kinley　took　off　his　glasses　and　wiped　them。　　In　the　meanwhile　Helen　had
left　the　group　in　which　my　mother　sat；　and；　approaching　us；　laid　her
hands　on　her　father's　shoulders。

〃Now；　dad；〃　she　said；　in　affectionate　remonstrance；　〃you're　excited　about
politics　again；　and　you　know　it　isn't　good　for　you。　　And　besides；　they're
not　worth　it。〃

〃You're　right；　Helen；〃　he　replied。　　Under　the　pressure　of　her　hands　he
made　a　strong　effort　to　control　himself；　and　turned　to　address　my　mother
across　the　room。

〃I'm　getting　to　be　a　crotchety　old　man；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　a　good　thing　I
have　a　daughter　to　remind　me　of　it。〃

〃It　is　a　good　thing；　Robert；〃　said　my　mother。

During　the　rest　of　our　visit　he　seemed　to　have　recovered　something　of　his
former　spirits　and　poise；　taking　refuge　in　the　past。　　They　talked　of
their　own　youth；　of　families　whose　houses　had　been　landmarks　on　the
Second　Bank。

〃I'm　worried　about　your　Cousin　Robert；　Hugh；〃　my　mother　confided　to　me；
when　we　were　at　length　seated　in　the　train。　　〃I've　heard　rumours　that
things　are　not　so　well　at　the　store　as　they　might　be。〃　　We　looked　out　at
the　winter　landscape；　so　different　from　that　one　which　had　thrilled　every
fibre　of　my　being　in　the　days　when　the　railroad　on　which　we　travelled　had
been　a　winding　narrow　gauge。　　The　orchardsthose　that　remainedwere
bare；　stubble　pricked　the　frozen　ground　where　tassels　had　once　waved　in
the　hot；　summer　wind。　　We　flew　by　row　after　row　of　ginger…bread；　suburban
houses　built　on　〃villa　plots；〃　and　I　read　in　large　letters　on　a　hideous
sign…board；　〃Woodbine　Park。〃

〃Hugh；　have　you　ever　heard　anything　againstMr。　Watling？〃

〃No；　mother；〃　I　said。　　〃So　far　as　I　knew；　he　is　very　much　looked　up　to　by
lawyers　and　business　men。　　He　is　counsel；　I　believe；　for　Mr。　Blackwood's
street　car　line　on　Boyne　Street。　　And　I　told　you；　I　believe；　that　I　met
him　once　at　Mr。　Kyme's。〃

〃Poor　Robert！〃　she　sighed。　　〃I　suppose　business　trouble　does　make　one
bitter；I've　seen　it　so　often。　　But　I　never　imagined　that　it　would
overtake　Robert；　and　at　his　time　of　life！　　It　is　an　old　and　respected
firm；　and　we　have　always　had　a　pride　in　it。〃　。。。

That　night；　when　I　was　going　to　bed；　it　was　evident　that　the　subject　was
still　in　her　mind。　　She　clung　to　my　hand　a　moment。

〃I；　too；　am　afraid　of　the　new；　Hugh；〃　she　said；　a　little　tremulously。
〃We　all　grow　so；　as　age　comes　on。〃

〃But　you　are　not　old；　mother；〃　I　protested。

〃I　have　a　feeling；　since　your　father　has　gone；　that　I　have　lived　my　life；
my　dear；　though　I'd　like　to　stay　long　enough　to　see　you　happily　married
to　have　grandchildren。　　I　was　not　young　when　you　were　born。〃　　And　she
added；　after　a　little　while；　〃I　know　nothing　about　business　affairs；　and
nownow　that　your　father　is　no　longer　here；　sometimes　I'm　afraid〃

〃Afraid　of　what；　mother？〃

She　tried　to　smile　at　me　through　her　tears。　　We　were　in　the　old　sitting…
room；　surrounded　by　the　books。

〃I　know　it's　foolish；　and　it　isn't　that　I　don't　trust　you。　　I　know　that
the　son　of　your　father　couldn't　do　anything　that　was　not　honourable。　　And
yet　I　am　afraid　of　what　the　world　is　becoming。　　The　city　is　growing　so
fast；　and　so　many　new　people　are　coming　in。　　Things　are　not　the　same。
Robert　is　right；　there。　　And　I　have　heard　your　father　say　the　same　thing。
Hugh；　promise　me　that　you　will　try　to　remember　always　what　he　was；　and
what　he　would　wish　you　to　be！〃

〃I　will；　mother；〃　I　answered。　　〃But　I　think　you　would　find　that　Cousin
Robert　exaggerates　a　little；　makes　things　seem　worse　than　they　really
are。　　Customs　change；　you　know。　　And　politics　were　never　wellSunday
schools。〃　　I；　too；　smiled　a　little。　　〃Father　knew　that。　　And　he　would
never　take　an　active　part　in　them。〃

〃He　was　too　fine！〃　she　exclaimed。

〃And　now；〃　I　continued；　〃Cousin　Robert　has　happened　to　come　in　contact
with　them　through　business。　　That　is　what　has　made　the　difference　in　him。
Before；　he　always　knew　they　were　corrupt；　but　he　rarely　thought　about
them。〃

〃Hugh；〃　she　said　suddenly；　after　a　pause；　〃you　must　remember　one　thing；
that　you　can　afford　to　be　independent。　　I　thank　God　that　your　father　has
provided　for　that！〃

I　was　duly　admitted；　the　next　autumn；　to　the　bar　of　my　own　state；　and　was
assigned　to　a　desk　in　the　offices　of　Watling；　Fowndes　and　Ripon。　　Larry
Weed　was　my　immediate　senior　among　the　apprentices；　and　Larry　was　a　hero…
worshipper。　　I　can　see　him　now。　　He　suggested　a　bullfrog　as　he　sat　in　the
little　room　we　shared　in　common；　his　arms　akimbo　over　a　law　book；　his
little　legs　doubled　under　him；　his　round；　eyes　fixed　expectantly　on　the
doorway。　　And　even　if　I　had　not　been　aware　of　my　good　fortune　in　being
connected　with　such　a　firm　as　Theodore　Watling's；　Larry　would　shortly
have　brought　it　home　to　me。　　During　those　weeks　when　I　was　making　my
first　desperate　attempts　at　briefing　up　the　law　I　was　sometimes
interrupted　by　his　exclamations　when　certain　figures　went　by　in　the
corridor。

〃Say；　Hugh；　do　you　know　who　tha