a far country-第42章

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it。〃　　He　let　go　of　the　desk；　and　tapped　the　copy　of　the　bill。　　〃What　are
the　facts？　　The　Boyne　Iron　Works；　under　the　presidency　of　Adolf　Scherer；
has　been　engaged　in　litigation　with　the　Ribblevale　Steel　Company　for　some
years：　and　this　bill　is　intended　to　put　into　the　hands　of　the　attorneys
for　Mr。　Scherer　certain　information　that　will　enable　him　to　get
possession　of　the　property。　　Gentlemen；　that　is　what　‘legal　practice'　has
descended　to　in　the　hands　of　respectable　lawyers。　　This　device　originated
with　the　resourceful　Mr。　Theodore　Watling；　and　if　it　had　not　had　the
approval　of　Mr。　Miller　Gorse；　it　would　never　have　got　any　farther　than
the　judiciary　committee。　　It　was　confided　to　the　skillful　care　of　Colonel
Paul　Varney　to　be　steered　through　this　legislature；　as　hundreds　of　other
measures　have　been　steered　through；without　unnecessary　noise。　　It　may
be　asked　why　the　Railroad　should　bother　itself　by　lending　its　political
organization　to　private　corporations？　　I　will　tell　you。　　Because
corporations　like　the　Boyne　corporation　are　a　part　of　a　network　of
interests；　these　corporations　aid　the　Railroad　to　maintain　its　monopoly；
and　in　return　receive　rebates。〃

Krebs　had　raised　his　voice　as　the　murmurs　became　louder。　　At　this　point　a
sharp…faced　lawyer　from　Belfast　got　to　his　feet　and　objected　that　the
gentleman　from　Elkington　was　wasting
the　time　of　the　House；　indulging　in　hearsay。　　His　remarks　were　not
germane；　etc。　　The　Speaker　rapped　again；　with　a　fine　show　of
impartiality；　and　cautioned　the　member　from　Elkington。

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Krebs。　　〃I　have　said　what　I　wanted　to　say　on　that
score；　and　I　know　it　to　be　the　truth。　　And　if　this　House　does　not　find　it
germane；　the　day　is　coming　when　its　constituents　will。〃

Whereupon　he　entered　into　a　discussion　of　the　bill；　dissecting　it　with
more　calmness；　with　an　ability　that　must　have　commanded；　even　from　some
hostile　minds；　an　unwilling　respect。　　The　penalty；　he　said；　was
outrageous；　hitherto　unheard　of　in　law；putting　a　corporation　in　the
hands　of　a　receiver；　at　the　mercy　of　those　who　coveted　it；　because　one　of
its　officers　refused；　or　was　unable；　to　testify。　　He　might　be　in　China；
in　Timbuctoo　when　the　summons　was　delivered　at　his　last　or　usual　place　of
abode。　　Here　was　an　enormity；　an　exercise　of　tyrannical　power　exceeding
all　bounds；　a　travesty　on　popular　government。。。。　　He　ended　by　pointing
out　the　significance　of　the　fact　that　the　committee　had　given　no
hearings；　by　declaring　that　if　the　bill　became　a　law；　it　would　inevitably
react　upon　the　heads　of　those　who　were　responsible　for　it。

He　sat　down；　and　there　was　a　flutter　of　applause　from　the　scattered
audience　in　the　gallery。

〃By　God；　that's　the　only　man　in　the　whole　place！〃

I　was　aware；　for　the　first　time；　of　a　neighbour　at　my　side；a　solid；
red…faced　man；　evidently　a　farmer。　　His　trousers　were　tucked　into　his
boots；　and　his　gnarled　and　powerful　hands；　ingrained　with　dirt；　clutched
the　arms　of　the　seat　as　he　leaned　forward。

〃Didn't　he　just　naturally　lambaste　'em？〃　he　cried　excitedly。　　〃They'll
down　him；　I　guess；but　say；　he's　right。　　A　man　would　lose　his　self…
respect　if　he　didn't　let　out　his　mind　at　them　hoss　thieves；　wouldn't　he？
What's　that　fellow's　name？〃

I　told　him。

〃Krebs；〃　he　repeated。　　〃I　want　to　remember　that。　　Durned　if　I　don't　shake
hands　with　him。〃

His　excitement　astonished　me。　　Would　the　public　feel　like　that；　if　they
only　knew？。。。　　The　Speaker's　gavel　had　come　down　like　a　pistol　shot。

One　〃war…hoss〃as　my　neighbour　called　themafter　another　proceeded　to
crush　the　member　from　Elkington。　　It　was；　indeed；　very　skillfully　done；
and　yet　it　was　a　process　from　which　I　did　not　derive；　somehow；　much
pleasure。　　Colonel　Varney's　army　had　been　magnificently　trained　to　meet
just　this　kind　of　situation：　some　employed　ridicule；　others　declared；　in
impassioned　tones；　that　the　good　name　of　their　state　had　been　wantonly
assailed；　and　pointed　fervently　to　portraits　on　the　walls　of　patriots　of
the　past；sentiments　that　drew　applause　from　the　fickle　gallery。　　One
gentleman　observed　that　the　obsession　of　a　〃railroad　machine〃　was　a　sure
symptom　of　a　certain　kind　of　insanity；　of　which　the　first　speaker　had
given　many　other　evidences。　　The　farmer　at　my　side　remained　staunch。

〃They　can't　fool　me；〃　he　said　angrily；　〃I　know　'em。　　Do　you　see　that
fellow　gettin'　up　to　talk　now？　　Well；　I　could　tell　you　a　few　things　about
him；　all　right。　　He　comes　from　Glasgow；　and　his　name's　Letchworth。　　He's
done　more　harm　in　his　life　than　all　the　criminals　he's　kept　out　of
prison；belongs　to　one　of　the　old　families　down　there；　too。〃

I　had；　indeed；　remarked　Letchworth's　face；　which　seemed　to　me　peculiarly
evil；　its　lividity　enhanced　by　a　shock　of　grey　hair。　　His　method　was
withering　sarcasm；　and　he　was　clearly　unable　to　control　his　animus。。。。

No　champion　appeared　to　support　Krebs；　who　sat　pale　and　tense　while　this
denunciation　of　him　was　going　on。　　Finally　he　got　the　floor。　　His　voice
trembled　a　little；　whether　with　passion；　excitement；　or　nervousness　it
was　impossible　to　say。　　But　he　contented　himself　with　a　brief　defiance。
If　the　bill　passed；　he　declared；　the　men　who　voted　for　it；　the　men　who
were　behind　it；　would　ultimately　be　driven　from　political　life　by　an
indignant　public。　　He　had　a　higher　opinion　of　the　voters　of　the　state
than　those　who　accused　him　of　slandering　it；　than　those　who　sat　silent
and　had　not　lifted　their　voices　against　this　crime。

When　the　bill　was　put　to　a　vote　he　demanded　a　roll　call。
Ten　members　besides　himself　were　recorded　against　House　Bill　No。　709！

In　spite　of　this　overwhelming　triumph　my　feelings　were　not　wholly　those
of　satisfaction　when　I　returned　to　the　hotel　and　listened　to　the
exultations　and　denunciations　of　such　politicians　as　Letchworth；　Young；
and　Colonel　Varney。　　Perhaps　an　image　suggesting　Hermann　Krebs　as　some
splendid　animal　at　bay；　dragged　down　by　the　hounds；　is　too　strong：　he　had
been　ingloriously　crushed；　and　defeat；　even　for　the　sake　of　conviction；
was　not　an　inspiring　spectacle。。。。　　As　the　chase　swept　on　over　his
prostrate　figure　I　rapidly　regained　poise　and　a　sense　of　proportion；　a
〃master　of　life〃　could　not　permit　himself　to　be　tossed　about　by
sentimentality；　and　gradually　I　grew　ashamed　of　my　bad　quarter　of　an　hour
in　the　gallery　of　the　House；　and　of　the　effect　of　itwhich　lingered
awhileas　of　a　weakness　suddenly　revealed；　which　must　at　all　costs　be
overcome。　　I　began　to　see　something　dramatic　and　sensational　in　Krebs's
performance。。。。

The　Ribblevale　Steel　Company　was　the　real　quarry；　after　all。　　And　such
had　been　the　expedition；　the　skill　and　secrecy；　with　which　our　affair　was
conducted；　that　before　the　Ribblevale　lawyers　could　arrive；　alarmed　and
breathless；　the　bill　had　passed　the　House；　and　their　only　real　chance　of
halting　it　had　been　lost。　　For　the　Railroad　controlled　the　House；　not　by
owning　the　individuals　composing　it；　but　through　the　leaders　who
dominated　it；men　like　Letchworth　and　Truesdale。　　These；　and　Colonel
Varney；　had　seen　to　it　that　men　who　had　any　parliamentary　ability　had
been　attended　to；　all　save　Krebs；　who　had　proved　a　surprise。　　There　were
indeed　certain　members　who；　although　they　had　railroad　passes　in　their
pockets　（which　were　regarded　as　just　perquisites；the　Railroad　being　so
rich！）；　would　have　opposed　the　bill　if　they　had　felt　sufficiently　sure　of
themselves　to　cope　with　such　veterans　as　Letchworth。　　Many　of　these　had
allowed　themselves　to　be　won　over　or　cowed　by　the　oratory　which　had
crushed　Krebs。

Nor　did　the　Ribblevale　peoplebe　it　recordedscruple　to　fight　fire　with
fire。　　Their　existence；　of　course；　was　at　stake；　and　there　was　no　public
to　appeal　to。　　A　part　of　the　legal　army　that　rushed　to　the　aid　of　our
adversaries　spent　the　afternoon　and　most　of　the　night　organizing　all
those　who　could　be　induced　by　one　means　or　another　to　reverse　their
sentiments；　and　in　searching　for　the　few　who　had　grievances　against　the
existing　power。　　The　following　morning　a　motion　was　introduced　to
reconsider；　and　in　the　debate　that　followed；　Krebs；　still　defiant；　took
an　active　part。　　But　the　resolution　required　a　two…thirds　vote；　and　was
lost。

When　the　battle　was　shif