a far country-第48章

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here　to　matters　of　high　policy。

I　had　several　times　come　to　the　saloon　in　the　days　of　my　apprenticeship
in　search　of　some　judge　or　official；　and　once　I　had　run　down　here　the
city　auditor　himself。　　Mike　Monahan；　whose　affair　it　was　to　know
everyone；　recognized　me。　　It　was　part　of　his　business；　also；　to
understand　that　I　was　now　a　member　of　the　firm　of　Watling；　Fowndes　and
Ripon。

〃Good　morning　to　you；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　said　suavely。　　We　held　a　colloquy　in
undertones　over　the　bar；　eyed　by　the　two　or　three　customers　who　were
present。　　Mr。　Monahan　disappeared；　but　presently　returned　to　whisper：
〃Sure；　he'll　see　you；〃　to　lead　the　way　through　the　swinging　doors　and　up
a　dark　stairway。　　I　came　suddenly　on　a　room　in　the　greatest　disorder；　its
tables　and　chairs　piled　high　with　newspapers　and　letters；　its　windows
streaked　with　soot。　　From　an　open　door　on　its　farther　side　issued　a
voice。

〃Is　that　you；　Mr。　Paret？　　Come　in　here。〃

It　was　little　less　than　a　command。

〃Heard　of　you；　Mr。　Paret。　　Glad　to　know　you。　　Sit　down；　won't　you？〃

The　inner　room　was　almost　dark。　　I　made　out　a　bed　in　the　corner；　and
propped　up　in　the　bed　a　man；　but　for　the　moment　I　was　most　aware　of　a
pair　of　eyes　that　flared　up　when　the　man　spoke；　and　died　down　again　when
he　became　silent。　　They　reminded　me　of　those　insects　which　in　my
childhood　days　we　called　〃lightning　bugs。〃　　Mr。　Jason　gave　me　a　hand　like
a　woman's。　　I　expressed　my　pleasure　at　meeting　him；　and　took　a　chair
beside　the　bed。

〃I　believe　you're　a　partner　of　Theodore　Watling's　now　aren't　you？　　Smart
man；　Watling。〃

〃He'll　make　a　good　senator；〃　I　replied；　accepting　the　opening。

〃You　think　he'll　get　electeddo　you？〃　Mr。　Jason　inquired。

I　laughed。

〃Well；　there　isn't　much　doubt　about　that；　I　imagine。〃

〃Don't　knowdon't　know。　　Seen　some　dead…sure　things　go　wrong　in　my
time。〃

〃What's　going　to　defeat　him？〃　I　asked　pleasantly。

〃I　don't　say　anything；〃　Mr。　Jason　replied。　　〃But　I've　known　funny　things
to　happennever　does　to　be　dead　sure。〃

〃Oh；　well；　we're　as　sure　as　it's　humanly　possible　to　be；〃　I　declared。
The　eyes　continued　to　fascinate　me；　they　had　a　peculiar；　disquieting
effect。　　Now　they　died　down；　and　it　was　as　if　the　man's　very　presence　had
gone　out；　as　though　I　had　been　left　alone；　and　I　found　it　exceedingly
difficult；　under　the　circumstances；　to　continue　to　address　him。　　Suddenly
he　flared　up　again。

〃Watling　send　you　over　here？〃　he　demanded。

〃No。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he's　out　of　town。　　Some　of　Mr。　Watling's
friends；　Mr。　Grunewald　and　Mr。　Dickinson；　Mr。　Gorse　and　others；　suggested
that　I　see　you；　Mr。　Jason。〃

There　came　a　grunt　from　the　bed。

〃Mr。　Watling　has　always　valued　your　friendship　and　support；〃　I　said。

〃What　makes　him　think　he　ain't　going　to　get　it？〃

〃He　hasn't　a　doubt　of　it；〃　I　went　on　diplomatically。　　〃But　we　feltand　I
felt　personally；　that　we　ought　to　be　in　touch　with　you；　to　work　along
with　you；　to　keep　informed　how　things　are　going　in　the　city。〃

〃What　things？〃

〃Wellthere　are　one　or　two　representatives；　friends　of　yours；　who
haven't　come　out　for　Mr。　Watling。　　We　aren't　worrying；　we　know　you'll　do
the　right　thing；　but　we　feel　that　it　would　have　a　good　deal　of　influence
in　some　other　parts　of　the　state　if　they　declared　themselves。　　And　then
you　know　as　well　as　I　do　that　this　isn't　a　year　when　any　of　us　can　afford
to　recognize　too　closely　party　lines；　the　Democratic　administration　has
brought　on　a　panic；　the　business　men　in　that　party　are　down　on　it；　and　it
ought　to　be　rebuked。　　And　we　feel；　too；　that　some　of　the　city's　Democrats
ought　to　be　loyal　to　Mr。　Watling；not　that　we　expect　them　to　vote　for
him　in　caucus；　but　when　it　comes　to　the　joint　ballot〃

〃Who？〃　demanded　Mr。　Jason。

〃Senator　Dowse　and　Jim　Maher；　for　instance；〃　I　suggested。

〃Jim　voted　for　Bill　709　all　rightdidn't　he？〃　said　Mr。　Jason　abruptly。

〃That's　just　it；〃　I　put　in　boldly。　　〃We'd　like　to　induce　him　to　come　in
with　us　this　time。　　But　we　feel　thatthe　inducement　would　better　come
through　you。〃

I　thought　Mr。　Jason　smiled。　　By　this　time　I　had　grown　accustomed　to　the
darkness；　the　face　and　figure　of　the　man　in　the　bed　had　become
discernible。　　Power；　I　remember　thinking；　chooses　odd　houses　for　itself。
Here　was　no　overbearing；　full…blooded　ward　ruffian　brimming　with
vitality；　but　a　thin；　sallow　little　man　in　a　cotton　night…shirt；　with
iron…grey　hair　and　a　wiry　moustache；　he　might　have　been　an　overworked
clerk　behind　a　dry…goods　counter；　and　yet　somehow；　now　that　I　had　talked
to　him；　I　realized　that　he　never　could　have　been。　　Those　extraordinary
eyes　of　his；　when　they　were　functioning；　marked　his　individuality　as
unique。　　It　were　almost　too　dramatic　to　say　that　he　required　darkness　to
make　his　effect；　but　so　it　seemed。　　I　should　never　forget　him。　　He　had　in
truth　been　well　named　the　Spider。

〃Of　course　we　haven't　tried　to　get　in　touch　with　them。　　We　are　leaving
them　to　you；〃　I　added。

〃Paret；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃I　don't　care　a　damn　about　Grunewaldnever
did。　　I'd　turn　him　down　for　ten　cents。　　But　you　can　tell　Theodore　Watling
for　me；　and　Dickinson；　that　I　guess　the　‘inducement'　can　be　fixed。〃

I　felt　a　certain　relief　that　the　interview　had　come　to　an　end；　that　the
moment　had　arrived　for　amenities。　　To　my　surprise；　Mr。　Jason　anticipated
me。

〃I've　been　interested　in　you；　Mr。　Paret；〃　he　observed。　　〃Know　who　you
are；　of　course；　knew　you　were　in　Watling's　office。　　Then　some　of　the　boys
spoke　about　you　when　you　were　down　at　the　legislature　on　that　Ribblevale
matter。　　Guess　you　had　more　to　do　with　that　bill　than　came　out　in　the
newspaperseh？〃

I　was　taken　off　my　guard。

〃Oh；　that's　talk；〃　I　said。

〃All　right；　it's　talk；　then？　　But　I　guess　you　and　I　will　have　some　more
talk　after　a　while；after　Theodore　Watling　gets　to　be　United　States
Senator。　　Give　him　my　regards；　andand　come　in　when　I　can　do　anything
for　you；　Mr。　Paret。〃

Thanking　him；　I　groped　my　way　downstairs　and　let　myself　out　by　a　side
door　Monahan　had　shown　me　into　an　alleyway；　thus　avoiding　the　saloon。　　As
I　walked　slowly　back　to　the　office；　seeking　the　shade　of　the　awnings；　the
figure　in　the　darkened　room　took　on　a　sinister　aspect　that　troubled
me。。。。

The　autumn　arrived；　the　campaign　was　on　with　a　whoop；　and　I　had　my　first
taste　of　〃stump〃　politics。　　The　acrid　smell　of　red　fire　brings　it　back　to
me。　　It　was　a　medley　of　railroad　travel；　of　committees　provided　with
badgesand　cigars；　of　open　carriages　slowly　drawn　between　lines　of
bewildered　citizens；　of　Lincoln　clubs　and　other　clubs　marching　in　serried
ranks；　uniformed　and　helmeted；　stalwarts　carrying　torches　and　banners。
And　then　there　were　the　draughty　opera…houses　with　the　sylvan　scenery
pushed　back　and　plush　chairs　and　sofas　pushed　forward；　with　an　ominous
table；　a　pitcher　of　water　on　it　and　a　glass；　near　the　footlights。　　The
houses　were　packed　with　more　bewildered　citizens。　　What　a　wonderful　study
of　mob…psychology　it　would　have　offered！　　Men　who　had　not　thought　of　the
grand　old　Republican　party　for　two　years；　and　who　had　not　cared　much
about　it　when　they　had　entered　the　dooms；　after　an　hour　or　so　went　mad
with　fervour。　　The　Hon。　Joseph　Mecklin；　ex…Speaker　of　the　House；　with
whom　I　traveled　on　occasions；　had　a　speech　referring　to　the　martyred
President；　ending　with　an　appeal　to　the　revolutionary　fathers　who
followed　Washington　with　bleeding　feet。　　The　Hon。　Joseph　possessed　that
most　valuable　of　political　gifts；　presence；　and　when　with　quivering　voice
he　finished　his　peroration；　citizens　wept　with　him。　　What　it　all　had　to
do　with　the　tariff　was　not　quite　clear。　　Yet　nobody　seemed　to　miss　the
connection。

We　were　all　of　us　most　concerned；　of　course；　about　the　working…man　and
his　dinner　pail；whom　the　Democrats　had　wantonly　thrown　out　of
employment　for　the　sake　of　a　doctrinaire　theory。　　They　had　put　him　in
competition　with　the　serf　of　Europe。　　Such　was　the　subject…matter　of　my
own　modest　addresses　in　this；　my　maiden　campaign。　　I　had　the　sense　to　see
myself　in　perspective；　to　recognize　that　not　for　me；　a　dignified　and
substantial　lawyer　of　affairs；　were　the　rhetorical　flights　of　the　Hon。
Joseph　Mecklin。　　I　spoke　with　a　certain　restraint。　　Not　too　dryly；　I
hope。　　But