a far country-第51章
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referred to was known to any save a select few。 I blamed Krebs； and a
hot anger arose within me against him。 After all； what could they prove？
〃No； don't put him out；〃 I said。 〃Let him come up here to the platform。
I'll yield to him。 And I'm entirely willing to discuss with him and
defend any measures passed in the legislature of this state by a
Republican majority。 Perhaps；〃 I added； 〃the gentleman has a copy of the
law in his pocket； that I may know what he is talking about； and answer
him intelligently。〃
At this there was wild applause。 I had the audience with me。 The
offender remained silent and presently I finished my speech。 After that
Mr。 Mecklin made them cheer and weep； and Mr。 Mellish made them laugh。
The meeting had been highly successful。
〃You polished him off； all right；〃 said George Hutchins； as he took my
hand。
〃Who was he？〃
〃Oh； one of the local sore…heads。 Krebs put him up to it； of course。〃
〃Was Krebs here？〃 I asked。
〃Sitting in the corner of the balcony。 That meeting must have made him
feel sick。〃 George bent forward and whispered in my ear： 〃I thought Bill
709 was Watling's idea。〃
〃Oh； I happened to be in the Potts House about that time；〃 I explained。
George； of whom it may be gathered that he was not wholly unsophisticated；
grinned at me appreciatively。
〃Say； Paret；〃 he replied； putting his hand through my arm； 〃there's a
little legal business in prospect down here that will require some
handling； and I wish you'd come down after the campaign and talk it over；
with us。 I've just about made up my mind that you're he man to tackle
it。〃
〃All right； I'll come；〃 I said。
〃And stay with me；〃 said George。。。。
We went to his yellow…brick house for refreshments； salad and ice…cream
and （in the face of the Hutchins traditions） champagne。 Others had been
invited in； some twenty persons。。。。 Once in a while； when I looked up； I
met Maude's eyes across the room。 I walked home with her； slowly； the
length of the Hutchinses' block。 Floating over the lake was a waning
October moon that cast through the thinning maples a lace…work of shadows
at our feet； I had the feeling of well…being that comes to heroes； and
the presence of Maude Hutchins was an incense； a vestal incense far from
unpleasing。 Yet she had reservations which appealed to me。 Hers was not
a gushing provincialism； like that of Mrs。 George。
〃I liked your speech so much； Mr。 Paret；〃 she told me。 〃It seemed so
sensible andcontrolled； compared to the others。 I have never thought a
great deal about these things； of course； and I never understood before
why taking away the tariff caused so much misery。 You made that quite
plain。
〃If so； I'm glad；〃 I said。
She was silent a moment。
〃The working people here have had a hard time during the last year；〃 she
went on。 〃Some of the mills had to be shut down； you know。 It has
troubled me。 Indeed； it has troubled all of us。 And what has made it
more difficult； more painful is that many of them seem actually to
dislike us。 They think it's father's fault； and that he could run all
the mills if he wanted to。 I've been around a little with mother and
sometimes the women wouldn't accept any help from us； they said they'd
rather starve than take charity； that they had the right to work。 But
father couldn't run the mills at a losscould he？〃
〃Certainly not；〃 I replied。
〃And then there's Mr。 Krebs； of whom we were speaking at supper； and who
puts all kinds of queer notions into their heads。 Father says he's an
anarchist。 I heard father say at supper that he was at Harvard with you。
Did you like him？〃
〃Well；〃 I answered hesitatingly； 〃I didn't know him very well。〃
〃Of course not；〃 she put in。 〃I suppose you couldn't have。〃
〃He's got these notions；〃 I explained； 〃that are mischievous and crazy
but I don't dislike him。〃
〃I'm glad to hear you say that！〃 she answered quietly。 〃I like him； too…
…he seems so kind； so understanding。〃
〃Do you know him？〃
〃Well；〃she hesitated〃I feel as though I do。 I've only met him once；
and that was by accident。 It was the day the big strike began； last
spring； and I had been shopping； and started for the mills to get father
to walk home with me； as I used to do。 I saw the crowds blocking the
streets around the canal。 At first I paid no attention to them； but
after a while I began to be a little uneasy； there were places where I
had to squeeze through； and I couldn't help seeing that something was
wrong； and that the people were angry。 Men and women were talking in
loud voices。 One woman stared at me； and called my name； and said
something that frightened me terribly。 I went into a doorwayand then I
saw Mr。 Krebs。 I didn't know who he was。 He just said； ‘You'd better
come with me； Miss Hutchins；' and I went with him。 I thought afterwards
that it was a very courageous thing for him to do； because he was so
popular with the mill people； and they had such a feeling against us。
Yet they didn't seem to resent it； and made way for us； and Mr。 Krebs
spoke to many of them as we passed。 After we got to State Street； I
asked him his name； and when he told me I was speechless。 He took off
his hat and went away。 He had such a nice facenot at all ugly when you
look at it twiceand kind eyes； that I just couldn't believe him to be
as bad as father and George think he is。 Of course he is mistaken；〃 she
added hastily； 〃but I am sure he is sincere； and honestly thinks he can
help those people by telling them what he does。〃
The question shot at me during the meeting rankled still； I wanted to
believe that Krebs had inspired it； and her championship of him gave me a
twinge of jealousy；the slightest twinge； to be sure； yet a perceptible
one。 At the same time； the unaccountable liking I had for the man
stirred to life。 The act she described had been so characteristic。
〃He's one of the born rebels against society；〃 I said glibly。 〃Yet I do
think he's sincere。〃
Maude was grave。 〃I should be sorry to think he wasn't；〃 she replied。
After I had bidden her good night at the foot of the stairs； and gone to
my room； I reflected how absurd it was to be jealous of Krebs。 What was
Maude Hutchins to me？ And even if she had been something to me； she
never could be anything to Krebs。 All the forces of our civilization
stood between the two； nor was she of a nature to take plunges of that
sort。 The next day； as I lay back in my seat in the parlour…car and
gazed at the autumn landscape； I indulged in a luxurious contemplation of
the picture she had made as she stood on the lawn under the trees in the
early morning light； when my carriage had driven away； and I had turned；
to perceive that her eyes had followed me。 I was not in love with her；
of course。 I did not wish to return at once to Elkington； but I dwelt
with a pleasant anticipation upon my visit； when the campaign should be
over； with George。
XIII。
〃The good old days of the Watling campaign；〃 as Colonel Paul Varney is
wont to call them； are gone forever。 And the Colonel himself； who stuck
to his gods； has been through the burning； fiery furnace of
Investigation； and has come out unscathed and unrepentant。 The flames of
investigation； as a matter of fact； passed over his head in their vain
attempt to reach the 〃man higher up；〃 whose feet they licked； but him
they did not devour； either。 A veteran in retirement； the Colonel is
living under his vine and fig tree on the lake at Rossiter； the vine
bears Catawba grapes； of which he is passionately fond； the fig tree； the
Bartlett pears he gives to his friends。 He has saved something from the
spoils of war； but other veterans I could mention are not so fortunate。
The old warriors have retired； and many are dead； the good old methods
are becoming obsolete。 We never bothered about those mischievous things
called primaries。 Our county committees； our state committees chose the
candidates for the conventions； which turned around and chose the
committees。 Both the committees and the conventionsunder advicechose
the candidates。 Why； pray； should the people complain； when they had
everything done for them？ The
