a far country-第41章

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in　the　corner　of　the　room；　unlocked　it；　drew　forth　a　black　book；　and
running　his　fingers　through　the　pages　stopped　at　the　letter　K。　　〃Yes；
sent　back　his　legislative　pass；　but　I've　known　'em　to　do　that　when　they
were　holding　out　for　something　more。　　There　must　be　somebody　who　can　get
close　to　him。〃

The　Colonel　ruminated　awhile。　　Then　he　strode　to　the　door　and　called　out
to　the　group　of　men　who　were　always　lounging　in　the　hall。

〃Tell　Alf　Young　I　want　to　see　him；　Fred。〃

I　waited；　by　no　means　free　from　uneasiness　and　anxiety；　from　a　certain
lack　of　self…respect　that　was　unfamiliar。　　Mr。　Young；　the　Colonel
explained；　was　a　legal　light　in　Galesburg；　near　Elkington；the　Railroad
lawyer　there。　　And　when　at　last　Mr。　Young　appeared　he　proved　to　be　an
oily　gentleman　of　about　forty；　inclining　to　stoutness；　with　one　of　those
〃blue；〃　shaven　faces。

〃Want　me；　Colonel？〃　he　inquired　blithely；　when　the　door　had　closed　behind
him；　and　added　obsequiously；　when　introduced　to　me；　〃Glad　to　meet　you；
Mr。　Paret。　　My　regards　to　Mr。　Watling；　when　you　go　back。

〃Alf；〃　demanded　the　Colonel；　〃what　do　you　know　of　this　fellow　Krebs？〃

Mr。　Young　laughed。　　Krebs　was　〃nutty；〃　he　declaredthat　was　all　there
was　to　it。

〃Won't　helisten　to　reason？〃

〃It's　been　tried；　Colonel。　　Say；　he　wouldn't　know　a　hundred…dollar　bill
if　you　showed　him　one。〃

〃What　does　he　want？〃

〃Oh；　something；that's　sure；　they　all　want　something。〃　　Mr。　Young
shrugged　his　shoulder　expressively；　and　by　a　skillful　manipulation　of　his
lips　shifted　his　cigar　from　one　side　of　his　mouth　to　the　other　without
raising　his　hands。　　〃But　it　ain't　money。　　I　guess　he's　got　a　notion　that
later　on　the　labour　unions'll　send　him　to　the　United　States　Senate　some
day。　　He's　no　slouch；　either；　when　it　comes　to　law。　　I　can　tell　you
that。〃

〃Nono　flaw　in　hisrecord？〃　Colonel　Varney's　agate　eyes　sought　those　of
Mr。　Young；　meaningly。

〃That's　been　tried；　too；〃　declared　the　Galesburg　attorney。　　〃Say；　you　can
believe　it　or　not；　but　we've　never　dug　anything　up　so　far。　　He's　been　too
slick　for　us；　I　guess。〃

〃Well；〃　exclaimed　the　Colonel；　at　length；　〃let　him　squeal　and　be　dd！
He　can't　do　any　more　than　make　a　noise。　　Only　I　hoped　we'd　be　able　to
grease　this　thing　along　and　slide　it　through　the　Senate　this　afternoon；
before　they　got　wind　of　it。〃

〃He'll　squeal；　all　right；　until　you　smother　him；〃　Mr。　Young　observed。

〃We'll　smother　him　some　day！〃　replied　the　Colonel；　savagely。

Mr。　Young　laughed。

But　as　I　made　my　way　toward　the　State　House　I　was　conscious　of　a　feeling
of　relief。　　I　had　no　sooner　gained　a　front　seat　in　the　gallery　of　the
House　of　Representatives　when　the　members　rose；　the　Senate　marched
gravely　in；　the　Speaker　stopped　jesting　with　the　Chaplain；　and　over　the
Chaplain's　face　came　suddenly　an　agonized　expression。　　Folding　his　hands
across　his　stomach　he　began　to　call　on　God　with　terrific　fervour；　in　an
intense　and　resounding　voice。　　I　was　struck　suddenly　by　the　irony　of　it
all。　　Why　have　a　legislature　when　Colonel　Paul　Varney　was　so　efficient！
The　legislature　was　a　mere　sop　to　democratic　prejudice；　to　pray　over　it
heightened　the　travesty。　　Suppose　there　were　a　God　after　all？　　not
necessarily　the　magnified　monarch　to　whom　these　pseudo…democrats　prayed；
but　an　Intelligent　Force　that　makes　for　righteousness。　　How　did　He；　or
It；　like　to　be　trifled　with　in　this　way？　　And；　if　He　existed；　would　not
His　disgust　be　immeasurable　as　He　contemplated　that　unctuous　figure　in
the　〃Prince　Albert〃　coat；　who　pretended　to　represent　Him？

As　the　routine　business　began　I　searched　for　Krebs；　to　find　him　presently
at　a　desk　beside　a　window　in　the　rear　of　the　hall　making　notes　on　a
paper；　there　was；　confessedly；　little　satisfaction　in　the　thought　that
the　man　whose　gaunt　features　I　contemplated　was　merely　one　of　those
impractical　idealists　who　beat　themselves　to　pieces　against　the　forces
that　sway　the　world　and　must　forever　sway　it。　　I　should　be　compelled　to
admit　that　he　represented　something　unique　in　that　assembly　if　he　had　the
courage　to　get　up　and　oppose　House　Bill　709。　　I　watched　him　narrowly；　the
suggestion　intruded　itselfperhaps　he　had　been　〃seen；〃　as　the　Colonel
expressed　it。　　I　repudiated　it。　I　grew　impatient；　feverish；　the
monotonous　reading　of　the　clerk　was　interrupted　now　and　then　by　the　sharp
tones　of　the　Speaker　assigning　his　various　measures　to　this　or　that
committee；　〃unless　objection　is　offered；〃　while　the　members　moved　about
and　murmured　among　themselves；　Krebs　had　stopped　making　notes；　he　was
looking　out　of　the　window。　　At　last；　without　any　change　of　emphasis　in
his　droning　voice；　the　clerk　announced　the　recommendation　of　the
Committee　on　Judiciary　that　House　Bill　709　ought　to　pass。

Down　in　front　a　man　had　risen　from　his　seatthe　felicitous　Mr。
Truesdale。　　Glancing　around　at　his　fellow…members　he　then　began　to
explain　in　the　impressive　but　conversational　tone　of　one　whose　counsels
are　in　the　habit　of　being　listened　to；　that　this　was　merely　a　little
measure　to　remedy　a　flaw　in　the　statutes。　　Mr。　Truesdale　believed　in
corporations　when　corporations　were　good；　and　this　bill　was　calculated　to
make　them　good；　to　put　an　end　to　jugglery　and　concealment。　　Our　great
state；　he　said；　should　be　in　the　forefront　of　such　wise　legislation；
which　made　for　justice　and　a　proper　publicity；　but　the　bill　in　question
was　of　greater　interest　to　lawyers　than　to　laymen；　a　committee　composed
largely　of　lawyers　had　recommended　it　unanimously；　and　he　was　sure　that
no　opposition　would　develop　in　the　House。　　In　order　not　to　take　up　their
time　he　asked：　therefore；　that　it　be　immediately　put　on　its　second　and
third　reading　and　allowed　to　pass。

He　sat　down；　and　I　looked　at　Krebs。　　Could　he；　could　any　man；　any　lawyer；
have　the　presumption　to　question　such　an　obviously　desirable　measure；　to
arraign　the　united　judgment　of　the　committee's　legal　talent？　　Such　was
the　note　Mr。　Truesdale　so　admirably　struck。　　As　though　fascinated；　I
continued　to　gaze　at　Krebs。　　I　hated　him；　I　desired　to　see　him
humiliated；　and　yet　amazingly　I　found　myself　wishing　with　almost　equal
vehemence　that　he　would　be　true　to　himself。　　He　was　rising；slowly；
timidly；　I　thought；　his　hand　clutching　his　desk　lid；　his　voice　sounding
wholly　inadequate　as　he　addressed　the　Speaker。　　The　Speaker　hesitated；
his　tone　palpably　supercilious。

〃The　gentleman　fromfrom　Elkington；　Mr。　Krebs。〃

There　was　a　craning　of　necks；　a　staring；　a　tittering。　　I　burned　with
vicarious　shame　as　Krebs　stood　there　awkwardly；　his　hand　still　holding
the　desk。　　There　were　cries　of　〃louder〃　when　he　began；　some　picked　up
their　newspapers；　while　others　started　conversations。　　The　Speaker　rapped
with　his　gavel；　and　I　failed　to　hear　the　opening　words。　　Krebs　paused；
and　began　again。　　His　speech　did　not；　at　first；　flow　easily。

〃Mr。　Speaker；　I　rise　to　protest　against　this　bill；　which　in　my　opinion　is
not　so　innocent　as　the　gentleman　from　St。　Helen's　would　have　the　House
believe。　　It　is　on　a　par；　indeed；　with　other　legislation　that　in　past
years　has　been　engineered　through　this　legislature　under　the　guise　of
beneficent　law。　　No；　not　on　a　par。　　It　is　the　most　arrogant；　the　most
monstrous　example　of　special　legislation　of　them　all。　　And　while　I　do　not
expect　to　be　able　to　delay　its　passage　much　longer　than　the　time　I　shall
be　on　my　feet〃

〃Then　why　not　sit　down？〃　came　a　voice；　just　audible。

As　he　turned　swiftly　toward　the　offender　his　profile　had　an　eagle…like
effect　that　startled　me；　seemingly　realizing　a　new　quality　in　the　man。
It　was　as　though　he　had　needed　just　the　stimulus　of　that　interruption　to
electrify　and　transform　him。　　His　awkwardness　disappeared；　and　if　he　was
a　little　bombastic；　a　little　〃young；〃　he　spoke　with　the　fire　of
conviction。

〃Because；〃　he　cried；　〃because　I　should　lose　my　self…respect　for　life　if　I
sat　here　and　permitted　the　political　organization　of　a　railroad；　the
members　of　which　are　here　under　the　guise　of　servants　of　the　people；　to
cow　me　into　silence。　　And　if　it　be　treason　to　mention　the　name　of　that
Railroad　in　connection　with　its　political　tyranny；　then　make　the　most　of
it。〃　　He　let　go　of　the　desk；　and　tapped　the　copy　of　the　bill。　　〃What　are
the　facts？