a far country-第50章
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as an individual。 Before that I had regarded her merely as a shy and
provincial girl。 Now she was brimming with an unsuspected vitality。 A
certain interest was aroused； although her shyness towards me was not
altered。 I found it rather a flattering shyness。
〃It's Hugh；〃 she explained； 〃he's always trying to be funny。 Speak to
Mr。 Paret； Hugh。〃
〃Why； that's my name； too；〃 I said。
〃Is it？〃
〃She knocked my hat off a little while ago；〃 said Hugh。 〃I was only
getting square。〃
〃Well； you didn't get square； did you？〃 I asked。
〃Are you going to speak in the tows hall to…night？〃 the boy demanded。 I
admitted it。 He went off； pausing once to stare back at me。。。。 Maude
and I walked on。
〃It must be exciting to speak before a large audience；〃 she said。 〃If I
were a man； I think I should like to be in politics。〃
〃I cannot imagine you in politics；〃 I answered。
She laughed。
〃I said； if I were a man。〃
〃Are you going to the meeting？〃
〃Oh； yes。 Father promised to take me。 He has a box。〃
I thought it would be pleasant to have her there。
〃I'm afraid you'll find what I have to say rather dry；〃 I said。
〃A woman can't expect to understand everything；〃 she answered quickly。
This remark struck me favourably。 I glanced at her sideways。 She was
not a beauty； but she was distinctly well…formed and strong。 Her face
was oval； her features not quite regular；giving them a certain charm；
her colour was fresh； her eyes blue； the lighter blue one sees on Chinese
ware： not a poetic comparison； but so I thought of them。 She was
apparently not sophisticated； as were most of the young women at home
whom I knew intimately （as were the Watling twins； for example； with one
of whom； Frances； I had had； by the way； rather a lively flirtation the
spring before）； she seemed refreshingly original； impressionable and
plastic。。。。
We walked slowly back to the house； and in the hallway I met Mrs。
Hutchins； a bustling； housewifely lady； inclined to stoutness； whose
creased and kindly face bore witness to long acquiescence in the
discipline of matrimony； to the contentment that results from an
essentially circumscribed and comfortable life。 She was； I learned
later； the second Mrs。 Hutchins； and Maude their only child。 The
children of the first marriage； all girls； had married and scattered。
Supper was a decorous but heterogeneous meal of the old…fashioned sort
that gives one the choice between tea and cocoa。 It was something of an
occasion； I suspected。 The minister was there； the Reverend Mr。
Doddridge； who would have made； in appearance at least； a perfect Puritan
divine in a steeple hat and a tippet。 Onlyhe was no longer the leader
of the community； and even in his grace he had the air of deferring to
the man who provided the bounties of which we were about to partake
rather than to the Almighty。 Young George was there； Mr。 Hutchins's
nephew； who was daily becoming more and more of a factor in the
management of the mills； and had built the house of yellow brick that
stood out so incongruously among the older Hutchinses' mansions； and
marked a transition。 I thought him rather a yellow…brick gentleman
himself for his assumption of cosmopolitan manners。 His wife was a
pretty； discontented little woman who plainly deplored her environment；
longed for larger fields of conquest： George； she said； must remain where
he was； for the present at least；Uncle Ezra depended on him； but
Elkington was a prosy place； and Mrs。 George gave the impression that she
did not belong here。 They went to the city on occasions； both cities。
And when she told me we had a common acquaintance in Mrs。 Hambleton
Durrettwhom she thought so lovely！I knew that she had taken Nancy as
an ideal： Nancy； the social leader of what was to Mrs。 George a
metropolis。
Presently the talk became general among the men； the subject being the
campaign； and I the authority； bombarded with questions I strove to
answer judicially。 What was the situation in this county and in that？
the national situation？ George indulged in rather a vigorous arraignment
of the demagogues； national and state； who were hurting business in order
to obtain political power。 The Reverend Mr。 Doddridge assented；
deploring the poverty that the local people had brought on themselves by
heeding the advice of agitators； and Mrs。 Hutchins； who spent much of her
time in charity work； agreed with the minister when he declared that the
trouble was largely due to a decline in Christian belief。 Ezra Hutchins；
too； nodded at this。
〃Take that man Krebs； for example；〃 the minister went on； stimulated by
this encouragement； 〃he's an atheist； pure and simple。〃 A sympathetic
shudder went around the table at the word。 George alone smiled。 〃Old
Krebs was a free…thinker； I used to get my glasses of him。 He was at
least a conscientious man； a good workman； which is more than can be said
for the son。 Young Krebs has talent； and if only he had devoted himself
to the honest practice of law； instead of stirring up dissatisfaction
among these people； he would be a successful man to…day。〃
Mr。 Hutchins explained that I was at college with Krebs。
〃These people must like him；〃 I said； 〃or they wouldn't have sent him to
the legislature。〃
〃Well； a good many of them do like him；〃 the minister admitted。 〃You
see； he actually lives among them。 They believe his socialistic
doctrines because he's a friend of theirs。〃
〃He won't represent this town again； that's sure；〃 exclaimed George。
〃You didn't see in the papers that he was nominated；did you； Paret？〃
〃But if the mill people wanted him； George； how could it be prevented？〃
his wife demanded。
George winked at me。
〃There are more ways of skinning a cat than one；〃 he said cryptically。
〃Well； it's time to go to the meeting； I guess；〃 remarked Ezra； rising。
Once more he looked at his watch。
We were packed into several family carriages and started off。 In front
of the hall the inevitable red fire was burning； its quivering light
reflected on the faces of the crowd that blocked the street。 They stood
silent； strangely apathetic as we pushed through them to the curb； and
the red fire went out suddenly as we descended。 My temporary sense of
depression； however； deserted me as we entered the hall； which was well
lighted and filled with people； who clapped when the Hon。 Joseph and I；
accompanied by Mr。 Doddridge and the Hon。 Henry Clay Mellish from
Pottstown； with the local chairman； walked out on the stage。 A glance
over the audience sufficed to ascertain that that portion of the
population whose dinner pails we longed to fill was evidently not present
in large numbers。 But the farmers had driven in from the hills； while
the merchants and storekeepers of Elkington had turned out loyally。
The chairman； in introducing me； proclaimed me as a coming man； and
declared that I had already achieved； in the campaign； considerable
notoriety。 As I spoke； I was pleasantly aware of Maude Hutchins leaning
forward a little across the rail of the right…hand stage boxfor the
town hall was half opera…house； her attitude was one of semi…absorbed
admiration； and the thought that I had made an impression on her
stimulated me。 I spoke with more aplomb。 Somewhat to my surprise； I
found myself making occasional； unexpected witticisms that drew laughter
and applause。 Suddenly； from the back of the hall； a voice called out：
〃How about House Bill 709？〃
There was a silence； then a stirring and craning of necks。 It was my
first experience of heckling； and for the moment I was taken aback。 I
thought of Krebs。 He had； indeed； been in my mind since I had risen to
my feet； and I had scanned the faces before me in search of his。 But it
was not his voice。
〃Well； what about Bill 709？〃 I demanded。
〃You ought to know something about it； I guess；〃 the voice responded。
〃Put him out！〃 came from various portions of the hall。
Inwardly； I was shaken。 Notin orthodox language from any 〃conviction
of sin。〃 Yet it was my first intimation that my part in the legislation
referred to was known to any save a select few。 I blamed Krebs； and a
hot anger arose wi
