a far country-第33章
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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 announcing his
engagement to Susan Blackwood。
〃That ends the liquor； Hughie；〃 he told me； beamingly。 〃I promised her
I'd eliminate it。〃
He did eliminate it； save for mild relapses on festive occasions。 A more
seemingly incongruous marriage could scarcely be imagined； and yet it was
a success from the start。 From a slim； silent； self…willed girl Susan
had grown up into a tall； rather rawboned and energetic young woman。 She
was what we called in those days 〃intellectual；〃 and had gone in for
kindergartens； and after her marriage she turned out to be excessively
domestic； practising her theories； with entire success； upon a family
that showed a tendency to increase at an alarming rate。 Tom； needless to
say； did not become intellectual。 He settled downprematurely； I
thoughtinto what is known as a family man； curiously content with the
income he derived from the commission business and with life in general；
and he developed a somewhat critical view of the tendencies of the
civilization by which he was surrounded。 Susan held it also； but she
said less about it。 In the comfortable but unpretentious house they
rented on Cedar Street we had many discussions； after the babies had been
put to bed and the door of the living…room closed； in order that our
voices might not reach the nursery。 Perry Blackwood； now Tom's brother…
in…law； was often there。 He； too； had lapsed into what I thought was an
odd conservatism。 Old Josiah； his father； being dead； he occupied
himself mainly with looking after certain family interests； among which
was the Boyne Street car line。 Among 〃business men〃 he was already
getting the reputation of being a little difficult to deal with。 I was
often the subject of their banter； and presently I began to suspect that
they regarded my career and beliefs with some concern。 This gave me no
uneasiness； though at limes I lost my temper。 I realized their affection
for me； but privately I regarded them as lacking in ambition； in force；
in the fighting qualities necessary for achievement in this modern age。
Perhaps； unconsciously； I pitied them a little。
〃How is Judah B。 to…day； Hughie？〃 Tom would inquire。 〃I hear you've put
him up for the Boyne Club； now that Mr。 Watling has got him out of that
libel suit。〃
〃Carter Ives is dead；〃 Perry would add； sarcastically； 〃let bygones be
bygones。〃
It was well known that Mr。 Tallant； in the early days of his newspaper；
had blackmailed Mr。 Ives out of some hundred thousand dollars。 And that
this； more than any other act； stood in the way； with certain
recalcitrant gentlemen； of his highest ambition； membership in the Boyne。
〃The trouble with you fellows is that you refuse to deal with conditions
as you find them；〃 I retorted。 〃We didn't make them； and we can't change
them。 Tallant's a factor in the business life of this city； and he has
to be counted with。〃
Tom would shake his head exasperatingly。
〃Why don't you get after Ralph？〃 I demanded。 〃He doesn't antagonize
Tallant； either。〃
〃Ralph's hopeless；〃 said Tom。 〃He was born a pirate； you weren't；
Hughie。 We think there's a chance for his salvation； don't we； Perry？〃
I refused to accept the remark as flattering。
Another object of their assaults was Frederick Grierson； who by this time
had emerged from obscurity as a small dealer in real estate into a
manipulator of blocks and corners。
〃I suppose you think it's a lawyer's business to demand an ethical bill
of health of every client；〃 I said。 〃I won't stand up for all of
Tallant's career； of course； but Mr。 Wading has a clear right to take his
cases。 As for Grierson； it seems to me that's a matter of giving a dog a
bad name。 Just because his people weren't known here； and because he has
worked up from small beginnings。 To get down to hard…pan； you fellows
don't believe in democracy；in giving every man a chance to show what's
in him。〃
〃Democracy is good！〃 exclaimed Perry。 〃If the kind of thing we're coming
to is democracy； God save the state！〃。。。
On the other hand I found myself drawing closer to Ralph Hambleton；
sometimes present at these debates； as the only one of my boyhood friends
who seemed to be able to 〃deal with conditions as he found them。〃
Indeed； he gave one the impression that； if he had had the making of
them； he would not have changed them。
〃What the deuce do you expect？〃 I once heard him inquire with good…
natured contempt。 〃Business isn't charity； it's war。
〃There are certain things；〃 maintained Perry； stoutly； 〃that gentlemen
won't do。〃
〃Gentlemen！〃 exclaimed Ralph； stretching his slim six feet two： We were
sitting in the Boyne Club。 〃It's ungentlemanly to kill； or burn a town
or sink a ship； but we keep armies and navies for the purpose。 For a man
with a good mind； Perry； you show a surprising inability to think things；
out to a logical conclusion。 What the deuce is competition； when you
come down to it？ Christianity？ Not by a long shot！ If our nations are
slaughtering men and starving populations in other countries；are
carried on； in fact； for the sake of business； if our churches are filled
with business men and our sky pilots pray for the government； you can't
expect heathen individuals like me to do business on a Christian basis；
if there is such a thing。 You can make rules for croquet； but not for a
game that is based on the natural law of the survival of the fittest。
The darned fools in the legislatures try it occasionally； but we all know
it's a sop to the ‘common people。' Ask Hughie here if there ever was a
law put on the statute books that his friend Watling couldn't get
'round'？ Why； you've got competition even among the churches。 Yours；
where I believe you teach in the Sunday school； would go bankrupt if it
proclaimed real Christianity。 And you'll go bankrupt if you practise it；
Perry； my boy。 Some early； wide…awake； competitive； red…blooded bird
will relieve you of the Boyne Street car line。〃
It was one of this same new and 〃fittest〃 species who had already
relieved poor Mr。 McAlery Willett of his fortune。 Mr。 Willett was a
trusting soul who had never known how to take care of himself or his
money； people said； and now that he had lost it they blamed him。 Some
had been saved enough for him and Nancy to live on in the old house； with
careful economy。 It was Nancy who managed the economy； who accomplished
remarkable things with a sum they would have deemed poverty in former
days。 Her mother had died while I was at Cambridge。 Reverses did not
subdue Mr。 Willett's spirits； and the fascination modern 〃business〃 had
for him seemed to grow in proportion to the misfortunes it had caused
him。 He moved into a tiny office in the Durrett Building； where he
appeared every morning about half…past ten to occupy himself with heaven
knows what short cuts to wealth； with prospectuses of companies in Mexico
or Central America or some other distant place： once； I remember； it was
a tea； company in which he tried to interest his friends； to raise in the
South a product he maintained would surpass Orange Pekoe。 In the
afternoon between three and four he would turn up at the Boyne Club； as
well groomed； as spruce as ever； generally with a flower in his
buttonhole。 He never forgot that he was a gentleman； and he had a
gentleman's notions of the fitness of things； and it was against his
principles to use； a gentleman's club for the furtherance of his various
enterprises。
〃Drop into my office some day； Dickinson；〃 he would say。 〃I think I've
got something there that might interest you！〃
He reminded me； when I met him； that he had always predicted I would get
along in life。。。。
The portrait of Nancy at this period is not so easily drawn。 The decline
of the family fortunes seemed to have had as little effect upon her as
upon her father； although their characters differed sharply。 Something
of that spontaneity； of that love of life and joy in it she had possessed
in youth she must have inherited from McAlery Willett； but these
qualities had disappeared in he
