a far country-第32章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
no matter how humble may have been our contributions to the preparation
that we had a share in his triumphs。 We remembered his manner with
judges and juries； and strove to emulate it。 He spoke as if there could
be no question as to his being right as to the law and the facts； and
yet； in some subtle way that bated analysis； managed not to antagonize
the court。 Victory was in the air in that office。 I do not mean to say
there were not defeats； but frequently these defeats； by resourcefulness；
by a never…say…die spirit； by a consummate knowledge； not only of the
law； but of other things at which I have hinted； were turned into
ultimate victories。 We fought cases from one court to another； until our
opponents were worn out or the decision was reversed。 We won； and that
spirit of winning got into the blood。 What was most impressed on me in
those early years； I think； was the discovery that there was always a
pathif one were clever enough to find itfrom one terrace to the next
higher。 Staying power was the most prized of all the virtues。 One could
always； by adroitness； compel a legal opponent to fight the matter out
all over again on new ground； or at least on ground partially new。 If
the Court of Appeals should fail one； there was the Supreme Court； there
was the opportunity； also； to shift from the state to the federal courts；
and likewise the much…prized device known as a change of venue； when a
judge was supposed to be 〃prejudiced。〃
IX。
As my apprenticeship advanced I grew more and more to the inhabitants of
our city into two kinds； the who were served； and the inefficient； who
were separate efficient； neglected； but the mental process of which the
classification was the result was not so deliberate as may be supposed。
Sometimes； when an important client would get into trouble； the affair
took me into the police court； where I saw the riff…raff of the city
penned up； waiting to have justice doled out to them： weary women who had
spent the night in cells； indifferent now as to the front they presented
to the world； the finery rued that they had tended so carefully to catch
the eyes of men on the darkened streets； brazen young girls； who blazed
forth defiance to all order； derelict men； sodden and hopeless； with
scrubby beards； shifty looking burglars and pickpockets。 All these I
beheld； at first with twinges of pity； later to mass them with the ugly
and inevitable with whom society had to deal somehow。 Lawyers； after
all； must be practical men。 I came to know the justices of these police
courts； as well as other judges。 And underlying my acquaintance with all
of them was the knowledgethough not on the threshold of my
consciousnessthat they depended for their living； every man of them；
those who were appointed and those who were elected； upon a political
organization which derived its sustenance from the element whence came
our clients。 Thus by degrees the sense of belonging to a special
priesthood had grown on me。
I recall an experience with that same Mr。 Nathan。 Weill； the wholesale
grocer of whose commerce with the City Hall my Cousin Robert Breck had so
bitterly complained。 Late one afternoon Mr。 Weill's carriage ran over a
child on its way up…town through one of the poorer districts。 The
parents； naturally； were frantic； and the coachman was arrested。 This
was late in the afternoon； and I was alone in the office when the
telephone rang。 Hurrying to the police station； I found Mr。 Weill in a
state of excitement and abject fear； for an ugly crowd had gathered
outside。
〃Could not Mr。 Watling or Mr。 Fowndes come？〃 demanded the grocer。
With an inner contempt for the layman's state of mind on such occasions I
assured him of my competency to handle the case。 He was impressed； I
think； by the sergeant's deference； who knew what it meant to have such
an office as ours interfere with the affair。 I called up the prosecuting
attorney； who sent to Monahan's saloon； close by； and procured a release
for the coachman on his own recognizance； one of many signed in blank and
left there by the justice for privileged cases。 The coachman was hustled
out by a back door； and the crowd dispersed。
The next morning； while a score or more of delinquents sat in the anxious
seats； Justice Garry recognized me and gave me precedence。 And Mr。
Weill； with a sigh of relief； paid his fine。
〃Mr。 Paret； is it？〃 he asked； as we stood together for a moment on the
sidewalk outside the court。 〃You have managed this well。 I will
remember。〃
He was sued； of course。 When he came to the office he insisted on
discussing the case with Mr。 Watling； who sent for me。
〃That is a bright young man；〃 Mr。 Weill declared； shaking my hand。 〃He
will get on。〃
〃Some day；〃 said Mr。 Watling； 〃he may save you a lot of money； Weill。〃
〃When my friend Mr。 Watling is United States Senator；eh？〃
Mr。 Watling laughed。 〃Before that； I hope。 I advise you to compromise
this suit； Weill；〃 he added。 〃How would a thousand dollars strike you？
I've had Paret look up the case； and he tells me the little girl has had
to have an operation。〃
〃A thousand dollars！〃 cried the grocer。 〃What right have these people to
let their children play on the streets？ It's an outrage。〃
〃Where else have the children to play？〃 Mr。 Watling touched his arm。
〃Weill；〃 he said gently； 〃suppose it had been your little girl？〃 The
grocer pulled out his handkerchief and mopped his bald forehead。 But he
rallied a little。
〃You fight these damage cases for the street railroads all through the
courts。〃
〃Yes；〃 Mr。 Watling agreed； 〃but there a principle is involved。 If the
railroads once got into the way of paying damages for every careless
employee； they would soon be bankrupt through blackmail。 But here you
have a child whose father is a poor janitor and can't afford sickness。
And your coachman； I imagine； will be more particular in the future。〃
In the end Mr。 Weill made out a cheque and departed in a good humour；
convinced that he was well out of the matter。 Here was one of many
instances I could cite of Mr。 Watling's tenderness of heart。 I felt；
moreover； as if he had done me a personal favour； since it was I who had
recommended the compromise。 For I had been to the hospital and had seen
the child on the cot；a dark little thing； lying still in her pain； with
the bewildered look of a wounded animal。。。。
Not long after this incident of Mr。 Weill's damage suit I obtained a more
or less definite promotion by the departure of Larry Weed。 He had
suddenly developed a weakness of the lungs。 Mr。 Watling got him a place
in Denver； and paid his expenses west。
The first six or seven years I spent in the office of Wading； Fowndes and
Ripon were of importance to my future career； but there is little to
relate of them。 I was absorbed not only in learning law； but in
acquiring that esoteric knowledge at which I have hintednot to be had
from my seniors and which I was convinced was indispensable to a
successful and lucrative practice。 My former comparison of the
organization of our city to a picture puzzle wherein the dominating
figures become visible only after long study is rather inadequate。 A
better analogy would be the human anatomy： we lawyers； of course； were
the brains； the financial and industrial interests the body； helpless
without us； the City Hall politicians； the stomach that must continually
be fed。 All three； law； politics and business； were interdependent；
united by a nervous system too complex to be developed here。 In these
years； though I worked hard and often late； I still found time for
convivialities； for social gaieties； yet little by little without
realizing the fact； I was losing zest for the companionship of my former
intimates。 My mind was becoming polarized by the contemplation of one
object； success； and to it human ties were unconsciously being
sacrificed。
Tom Peters began to feel this； even at a time when I believed myself
still to be genuinely fond of him。 Considering our respective
temperaments in youth； it is curious that he should have been the first
to fall in love and marry。 One day he astonished me by anno
