a far country-第63章

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I　have　digressed。。。。　　Mr。　Scherer　unfolded　his　scheme；　talking　about
〃units〃　as　calmly　as　though　they　were　checkers　on　a　board　instead　of
huge；　fiery；　reverberating　mills　where　thousands　and　thousands　of　human
beings　toiled　day　and　nightbeings　with　families；　and　hopes　and　fears；
whose　destinies　were　to　be　dominated　by　the　will　of　the　man　who　sat
opposite　me。　　Butdid　not　he　in　his　own　person　represent　the　triumph　of
that　American　creed　of　opportunity？　　He；　too；　had　been　through　the　fire；
had　sweated　beside　the　blasts；　had　handled　the　ingots　of　steel。　　He　was
one　of　the　〃fittest〃　who　had　survived；　and　looked　it。　　Had　he　no　memories
of　the　terrors　of　that　struggle？。。。　　Adolf　Scherer　had　grown　to　be　a
giant。　　And　yet　without　me；　without　my　profession　he　was　a　helpless
giant；　at　the　mercy　of　those　alert　and　vindictive　lawmakers　who　sought　to
restrain　and　hamper　him；　to　check　his　growth　with　their　webs。　　How
stimulating　the　idea　of　his　dependence！　　How　exhilarating　too；　the
thought　that　that　vision　which　had　first　possessed　me　as　an
undergraduateon　my　visit　to　Jerry　Kymewas　at　last　to　be　realized！　　I
had　now　become　the　indispensable　associate　of　the　few　who　divided　the
spoils；　I　was　to　have　a　share　in　these　myself。

〃You're　young；　Paret；〃　Mr。　Scherer　concluded。　　〃But　Watling　has
confidence　in　you；　and　you　will　consult　him　frequently。　　I　believe　in　the
young　men；　and　I　have　alreadyseen　something　of　youso？〃。。。

When　I　returned　to　the　office　I　wrote　Theodore　Watling　a　letter
expressing　my　gratitude　for　the　position　he　had；　so　to　speak；　willed　me；
of　confidential　legal　adviser　to　Adolf　Scherer。　　Though　the　opportunity
had　thrust　itself　upon　me　suddenly；　and　sooner　than　I　expected　it；　I　was
determined　to　prove　myself　worthy　of　it。　　I　worked　as　I　had　never　worked
before；　making　trips　to　New　York　to　consult　leading　members　of　this　new
branch　of　my　profession　there；　trips　to　Washington　to　see　my　former
chief。　　There　were；　too；　numerous　conferences　with　local　personages；　with
Mr。　Dickinson　and　Mr。　Grierson；　and　Judah　B。　　Tallant；whose　newspaper
was　most　useful；　there　were　consultations　and　negotiations　of　a　delicate
nature　with　the　owners　and　lawyers　of　other　companies　to　be　〃taken　in。〃
Nor　was　it　all　legal　work；　in　the　older　and　narrower　sense。　　Men　who　are
playing　for　principalities　are　making　war。　　Some　of　our　operations　had
all　the　excitement　of　war。　　There　was　information　to　be　got；　and　it　was
gotsomehow。　　Modern　war　involves　a　spy　system；　and　a　friendly　telephone
company　is　not　to　be　despised。　　And　all　of　this　work　from　first　to　last
had　to　be　done　with　extreme　caution。　　Moribund　distinctions　of　right　and
wrong　did　not　trouble　me；　for　the　modern　man　labours　religiously　when　he
knows　that　Evolution　is　on　his　side。

For　all　of　these　operations　a　corps　of　counsel　had　been　employed；
including　the　firm　of　Harrington　and　Bowes　next　to　Theodore　Watling；　Joel
Harrington　was　deemed　the　ablest　lawyer　in　the　city。　　We　organized　in　due
time　the　corporation　known　as　the　Boyne　Iron　Works；　Limited；　a　trust
agreement　was　drawn　up　that　was　a　masterpiece　of　its　kind；　one　that
caused；　first　and　last；　meddling　officials　in　the　Department　of　Justice
at　Washington　no　little　trouble　and　perplexity。　　I　was　proud　of　the　fact
that　I　had　taken　no　small　part　in　its　composition。。。。　　In　short；　in
addition　to　certain　emoluments　and　opportunities　for　investment；　I
emerged　from　the　affair　firmly　established　in　the　good　graces　of　Adolf
Scherer；　and　with　a　reputation　practically　made。

A　year　or　so　after　the　Boyne　Company；　Ltd。；　came　into　existence　I　chanced
one　morning　to　go　down　to　the　new　Ashuela　Hotel　to　meet　a　New　Yorker　of
some　prominence；　and　was　awaiting　him　in　the　lobby；　when　I　overheard　a
conversation　between　two　commercial　travellers　who　were　sitting　with
their　backs　to　me。

〃Did　you　notice　that　fellow　who　went　up　to　the　desk　a　moment　ago？〃　asked
one。

〃The　young　fellow　in　the　grey　suit？　　Sure。　　Who　is　he？　　He　looks　as　if　he
was　pretty　well　fixed。〃

〃I　guess　he　is；〃　replied　the　first。　　〃That's　Paret。　　He's　Scherer's
confidential　counsel。　　He　used　to　be　Senator　Watling's　partner；　but　they
say　he's　even　got　something　on　the　old　man。〃

In　spite　of　the　feverish　life　I　led；　I　was　still　undoubtedly　young…
looking；　and　in　this　I　was　true　to　the　incoming　type　of　successful　man。
Our　fathers　appeared　staid　at　six　and　thirty。　　Clothes；　of　course；　made
some　difference；　and　my　class　and　generation　did　not　wear　the　sombre　and
cumbersome　kind；　with　skirts　and　tails；　I　patronized　a　tailor　in　New
York。　　My　chestnut　hair；　a　little　darker　than　my　father's　had　been；
showed　no　signs　of　turning　grey；　although　it　was　thinning　a　little　at　the
crown　of　the　forehead；　and　I　wore　a　small　moustache；　clipped　in　a
straight　line　above　the　mouth。　　This　made　me　look　less　like　a　college
youth。　　Thanks　to　a　strong　pigment　in　my　skin；　derived　probably　from
Scotch…Irish　ancestors；　my　colour　was　fresh。　　I　have　spoken　of　my　life　as
feverish；　and　yet　I　am　not　so　sure　that　this　word　completely　describes
it。　　It　was　full　to　overflowingone　side　of　it；　and　I　did　not　miss　（save
vaguely；　in　rare　moments　of　weariness）　any　other　side　that　might　have
been　developed。　　I　was　busy　all　day　long；　engaged　in　affairs　I　deemed　to
be　alone　of　vital　importance　in　the　universe。　　I　was　convinced　that　the
welfare　of　the　city　demanded　that　supreme　financial　power　should　remain
in　the　hands　of　the　group　of　men　with　whom　I　was　associated；　and　whose
battles　I　fought　in　the　courts；　in　the　legislature；　in　the　city　council；
and　sometimes　in　Washington；although　they　were　well　cared　for　there。
By　every　means　ingenuity　could　devise；　their　enemies　were　to　be　driven
from　the　field；　and　they　were　to　be　protected　from　blackmail。

A　sense　of　importance　sustained　me；　and　I　remember　in　that　first　flush　of
a　success　for　which　I　had　not　waited　too　longwhat　a　secret　satisfaction
it　was　to　pick　up　the　Era　and　see　my　name　embedded　in　certain　dignified
notices　of　board　meetings；　transactions　of　weight；　or　cases　known　to　the
initiated　as　significant。　　〃Mr。　Scherer's　interests　were　taken　care　of　by
Mr。　Hugh　Paret。〃　　The　fact　that　my　triumphs　were　modestly　set　forth　gave
me　more　pleasure　than　if　they　had　been　trumpeted　in　headlines。　　Although
I　might　have　started　out　in　practice　for　myself；　my　affection　and　regard
for　Mr。　Watling　kept　me　in　the　firm；　which　became　Watling；　Fowndes　and
Paret；　and　a　new；　arrangement　was　entered　into：　Mr。　Ripon　retired　on
account　of　ill　health。

There　were　instances；　however；　when　a　certain　amount　of　annoying
publicity　was　inevitable。　　Such　was　the　famous　Galligan　case；　which
occurred　some　three　or　four　years　after　my　marriage。　　Aloysius　Galligan
was　a　brakeman；　and　his　legs　had　become　paralyzed　as　the　result　of　an
accident　that　was　the　result　of　defective　sills　on　a　freight　car。　　He　had
sued；　and　been　awarded　damages　of　15；000。　　To　the　amazement　and
indignation　of　Miller　Gorse；　the　Supreme　Court；　to　which　the　Railroad　had
appealed；　affirmed　the　decision。　　It　wasn't　the　single　payment　of　15；000
that　the　Railroad　cared　about；　of　course；　a　precedent　might　be
established　for　compensating　maimed　employees　which　would　be　expensive　in
the　long　run。　　Carelessness　could　not　be　proved　in　this　instance。　　Gorse
sent　for　me。　　I　had　been　away　with　Maude　at　the　sea　for　two　months；　and
had　not　followed　the　case。

〃You've　got　to　take　charge；　Paret；　and　get　a　rehearing。　　See　Bering；　and
find　out　who　in　the　deuce　is　to　blame　for　this。　　Chesley's　one；　of
course。　　We　ought　never　to　have　permitted　his　nomination　for　the　Supreme
Bench。　　It　was　against　my　judgment；　but　Varney　and　Gill　assured　me　that
he　was　all　right。〃

I　saw　Judge　Bering　that　evening。　　We　sat　on　a　plush　sofa　in　the　parlour
of　his　house　in　Baker　Street。

〃I　had　a　notion　Gorse'd　be　mad；〃　he　said；　〃but　it　looked　to　me　as　if　they
had　it　on　us；　Paret。　　I　didn't　see　how　we　could　do　anything　else　but
affirm　without　being　too　rank。　　Of　course；　if　he　feels　that　way；　and　you
want　to　make　a　motion　for　a　rehearing；　I'll　see　what　can　be　done。〃

〃Something's　got　to　be　done；〃　I　replied。　　〃Can't　you　see　what　such　a
decision　lets　them　in　for？〃

〃All　right；〃