a far country-第43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！
an active part。 But the resolution required a two…thirds vote； and was
lost。
When the battle was shifted to the Senate it was as good as lost。 The
Judiciary Committee of the august body did indeed condescend to give
hearings； at which the Ribblevale lawyers exhausted their energy and
ingenuity without result with only two dissenting votes the bill was
calmly passed。 In vain was the Governor besieged； entreated；
threatened；it was said； Mr。 Trulease had informed protestersso
Colonel Varney gleefully reportedthat he had 〃become fully convinced of
the inherent justice of the measure。〃 On Saturday morning he signed it；
and it became a law。。。。
Colonel Varney； as he accompanied me to the train； did not conceal his
jubilation。
〃Perhaps I ought not to say it； Mr。 Paret； but it couldn't have been done
neater。 That's the art in these little affairs； to get 'em runnin' fast；
to get momentum on 'em before the other party wakes up； and then he can't
stop 'em。〃 As he shook hands in farewell he added； with more gravity：
〃We'll see each other often； sir； I guess。 My very best regards to Mr。
Watling。〃
Needless to say； I had not confided to him the part I had played in
originating House Bill No。 709； now a law of the state。 But as the train
rolled on through the sunny winter landscape a sense of well…being； of
importance and power began to steal through me。 I was victoriously
bearing home my first scalp；one which was by no means to be
despised。。。。 It was not until we reached Rossiter； about five o'clock；
that I was able to get the evening newspapers。 Such was the perfection
of the organization of which I might now call myself an integral part
that the 〃best〃 publications contained only the barest mention；and that
in the legislative news；of the signing of the bill。 I read with
complacency and even with amusement the flaring headlines I had
anticipated in Mr。 Lawler's 'Pilot。'
〃The Governor Signs It！〃
〃Special legislation； forced through by the Railroad Lobby； which will
drive honest corporations from this state。〃
〃Ribblevale Steel Company the Victim。〃
It was common talk in the capital； the article went on to say； that
Theodore Watling himself had drawn up the measure。。。。 Perusing the
editorial page my eye fell on the name； Krebs。 One member of the
legislature above all deserved the gratitude of the people of the state；…
…the member from Elkington。 〃An unknown man； elected in spite of the
opposition of the machine； he had dared to raise his voice against this
iniquity；〃 etc。； etc。
We had won。 That was the essential thing。 And my legal experience had
taught me that victory counts； defeat is soon forgotten。 Even the
discontented； half…baked and heterogeneous element from which the Pilot
got its circulation had short memories。
XI。
The next morning； which was Sunday； I went to Mr。 Watling's house in；
Fillmore Streeta new residence at that time； being admired as the
dernier cri in architecture。 It had a mediaeval look； queer dormers in a
steep roof of red tiles； leaded windows buried deep in walls of rough
stone。 Emerging from the recessed vestibule on a level with the street
were the Watling twins； aglow with health； dressed in identical costumes
of blue。 They had made their bow to society that winter。
〃Why； here's Hugh！〃 said Frances。 〃Doesn't he look pleased with
himself？〃
〃He's come to take us to church；〃 said Janet。
〃Oh； he's much too important；〃 said Frances。 〃He's made a killing of
some sort；haven't you； Hugh？〃。。。
I rang the bell and stood watching them as they departed； reflecting that
I was thirty…two years of age and unmarried。 Mr。 Watling； surrounded
with newspapers and seated before his library fire； glanced up at me with
a welcoming smile： how had I borne the legislative baptism of fire？
Such； I knew； was its implication。
〃Everything went through according to schedule； eh？ Well； I congratulate
you； Hugh；〃 he said。
〃Oh； I didn't have much to do with it；〃 I answered； smiling back at him。
〃I kept out of sight。〃
〃That's an art in itself。〃
〃I had an opportunity； at close range； to study the methods of our
lawmakers。〃
〃They're not particularly edifying；〃 Mr。 Watling replied。 〃But they
seem； unfortunately； to be necessary。〃
Such had been my own thought。
〃Who is this man Krebs？〃 he inquired suddenly。 〃And why didn't Varney
get hold of him and make him listen to reason？〃
〃I'm afraid it wouldn't have been any use；〃 I replied。 〃He was in my
class at Harvard。 I knew himslightly。 He worked his way through； and
had a pretty hard time of it。 I imagine it affected his ideas。〃
〃What is he； a Socialist？〃
〃Something of the sort。〃 In Theodore Watling's vigorous； sanity…exhaling
presence Krebs's act appeared fantastic； ridiculous。 〃He has queer
notions about a new kind of democracy which he says is coming。 I think
he is the kind of man who would be willing to die for it。〃
〃What； in these days！〃 Mr。 Watling looked at me incredulously。 〃If
that's so； we must keep an eye on him； a sincere fanatic is a good deal
more dangerous than a reformer who wants something。 There are such men；〃
he added； 〃but they are rare。 How was the Governor； Trulease？〃 he asked
suddenly。 〃Tractable？〃
〃Behaved like a lamb； although he insisted upon going through with his
little humbug；〃 I said。
Mr。 Watling laughed。 〃They always do；〃 he observed； 〃and waste a lot of
valuable time。 You'll find some light cigars in the corner； Hugh。〃
I sat down beside him and we spent the morning going over the details of
the Ribblevale suit； Mr。 Watling delegating to me certain matters
connected with it of a kind with which I had not hitherto been entrusted；
and he spoke again； before I left； of his intention of taking me into the
firm as soon as the affair could be arranged。 Walking homeward； with my
mind intent upon things to come； I met my mother at the corner of Lyme
Street coming from church。 Her face lighted up at sight of me。
〃Have you been working to…day； Hugh？〃 she asked。
I explained that I had spent the morning with Mr。 Watling。
〃I'll tell you a secret； mother。 I'm going to be taken into the firm。〃
〃Oh； my dear； I'm so glad！〃 she exclaimed。 〃I often think； if only your
father were alive； how happy he would be； and how proud of you。 I wish
he could know。 Perhaps he does know。〃
Theodore Watling had once said to me that the man who can best keep his
own counsel is the best counsel for other men to keep。 I did not go
about boasting of the part I had played in originating the now famous
Bill No。 709； the passage of which had brought about the capitulation of
the Ribblevale Steel Company to our clients。 But Ralph Hambleton knew of
it； of course。
〃That was a pretty good thing you pulled off； Hughie；〃 he said。 〃I
didn't think you had it in you。〃
It was rank patronage； of course； yet I was secretly pleased。 As the
years went on I was thrown more and more with him； though in boyhood
there had been between us no bond of sympathy。 About this time he was
beginning to increase very considerably the Hambleton fortune； and a
little later I became counsel for the Crescent Gas and Electric Company；
in which he had shrewdly gained a controlling interest。 Even toward the
colossal game of modern finance his attitude was characteristically that
of the dilettante； of the amateur； he played it； as it were；
contemptuously； even as he had played poker at Harvard； with a cynical
audacity that had a peculiarly disturbing effect upon his companions。 He
bluffed； he raised the limit in spite of protests； and when he lost one
always had the feeling that he would ultimately get his money back twice
over。 At the conferences in the Boyne Club； which he often attended； his
manner toward Mr。 Dickinson and Mr。 Scherer and even toward Miller Gorse
was frequently one of thinly veiled amusement at their seriousness。 I
often wondered that they did not resent it。 But he was a privileged
person。
His cousin； Ham Durrett； whose inheritance was even greater than Ralph's
had been； had also become a privileged person whose comings and goings
and more reputable doings were often recorded in
