a far country-第71章
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visualize such a colossal proposal。。。。
When I left him； two hours later； the details were all arranged； down to
Mr。 Jason's consideration from Riverside Company and the 〃fee〃 which his
lawyer； Mr。 Bitter； was to have for 〃presenting the case〃 before the
Board of Aldermen。 I went back to lunch at the Boyne Club； and to
receive the congratulations of my friends。 The next week the Riverside
Company was formed； and I made out a petition to the Board of Aldermen
for a franchise； Mr。 Bitter appeared and argued： in short； the procedure
so familiar to modern students of political affairs was gone through。
The Maplewood Avenue residents rose en masse； supported by the City
Improvement League。 Perry Blackwood； as soon as he heard of the
petition； turned up at my office。 By this time I was occupying Mr。
Watling's room。
〃Look here；〃 he began； as soon as the office…boy had closed the door
behind him； 〃this is going it a little too strong。〃
〃What is？〃 I asked； leaning back in my chair and surveying him。
〃This proposed Maplewood Avenue Franchise。 Hugh；〃 he said； 〃you and I
have been friends a good many years； Lucia and I are devoted to Maude。〃
I did not reply。
〃I've seen all along that we've been growing apart；〃 he added sadly。
〃You've got certain ideas about things which I can't share。 I suppose
I'm old fashioned。 I can't trust myself to tell you what I thinkwhat
Tom and I think about this deal。〃
〃Go ahead； Perry；〃 I said。
He got up； plainly agitated； and walked to the window。 Then he turned to
me appealingly。
〃Get out of it； for God's sake get out of it； before it's too late。 For
your own sake； for Maude's； for the children's。 You don't realize what
you are doing。 You may not believe me； but the time will come when these
fellows you are in with will be repudiated by the community；their money
won't help them。 Tom and I are the best friends you have；〃 he added； a
little irrelevantly。
〃And you think I'm going to the dogs。〃
〃Now don't take it the wrong way；〃 he urged。
〃What is it you object to about the Maplewood franchise？〃 I asked。 〃If
you'll look at a map of the city； you'll see that development is bound to
come on that side。 Maplewood Avenue is the natural artery； somebody will
build a line out there； and if you'd rather have eastern capitalists〃
〃Why are you going to get this franchise？〃 he demanded。 〃Because we
haven't a decent city charter； and a healthy public spirit； you fellows
are buying it from a corrupt city boss； and bribing a corrupt board of
aldermen。 That's the plain language of it。 And it's only fair to warn
you that I'm going to say so； openly。〃
〃Be sensible；〃 I answered。 〃We've got to have street railroads；your
family has one。 We know what the aldermen are； what political conditions
are。 If you feel this way about it； the thing to do is to try to change
them。 But why blame me for getting a franchise for a company in the only
manner in which； under present conditions； a franchise can be got？ Do
you want the city to stand still？ If not； we have to provide for the new
population。〃
〃Every time you bribe these rascals for a franchise you entrench them；〃
he cried。 〃You make it more difficult to oust them。 But you mark my
words； we shall get rid of them some day； and when that fight comes； I
want to be in it。〃
He had grown very much excited； and it was as though this excitement
suddenly revealed to me the full extent of the change that had taken
place in him since he had left college。 As he stood facing me； almost
glaring at me through his eye…glasses； I beheld a slim； nervous； fault…
finding doctrinaire； incapable of understanding the world as it was；
lacking the force of his pioneer forefathers。 I rather pitied him。
〃I'm sorry we can't look at this thing alike； Perry；〃 I told him。
〃You've said solve pretty hard things； but I realize that you hold your
point of view in good faith； and that you have come to me as an old
friend。 I hope it won't make any difference in our personal relations。〃
〃I don't see how it can help making a difference；〃 he answered slowly。
His excitement had cooled abruptly： he seemed dazed。 At this moment my
private stenographer entered to inform me that I was being called up on
the telephone from New York。 〃Well； you have more important affairs to
attend to； I won't bother you any more；〃 he added。
〃Hold on；〃 I exclaimed； 〃this call can wait。 I'd like to talk it over
with you。〃
〃I'm afraid it wouldn't be any use； Hugh；〃 he said； and went out。
After talking with the New York client whose local interests I
represented I sat thinking over the conversation with Perry。 Considering
Maude's intimacy with and affection for the Blackwoods； the affair was
awkward； opening up many uncomfortable possibilities； and it was the
prospect of discomfort that bothered me rather than regret for the
probable loss of Perry's friendship。 I still believed myself to have an
affection for him： undoubtedly this was a sentimental remnant。。。。
That evening after dinner Tom came in alone； and I suspected that Perry
had sent him。 He was fidgety； ill at ease； and presently asked if I
could see him a moment in my study。 Maude's glance followed us。
〃Say； Hugh； this is pretty stiff；〃 he blurted out characteristically；
when the door was closed。
〃I suppose you mean the Riverside Franchise；〃 I said。 He looked up at
me； miserably； from the chair into which he had sunk； his hands in his
pockets。
〃You'll forgive me for talking about it； won't you？ You used to lecture
me once in a while at Cambridge； you know。〃
〃That's all rightgo ahead；〃 I replied； trying to speak amiably。
〃You know I've always admired you； Hugh；I never had your ability；〃 he
began painfully； 〃you've gone ahead pretty fast；the truth is that Perry
and I have been worried about you for some time。 We've tried not to be
too serious in showing it； but we've felt that these modern business
methods were getting into your system without your realizing it。 There
are some things a man's friends can tell him； and it's their duty to tell
him。 Good God； haven't you got enough； Hugh；enough success and enough
money； without going into a thing like this Riverside scheme？〃
I was intensely annoyed； if not angry； and I hesitated a moment to calm
myself。
〃Tom； you don't understand my position；〃 I said。 〃I'm willing to discuss
it with you； now that you've opened up the subject。 Perry's been talking
to you； I can see that。 I think Perry's got queer ideas；to be plain
with you； and they're getting queerer。〃
He sat down again while； with what I deemed a rather exemplary patience；
I went over the arguments in favour of my position； and as I talked； it
clarified in my own mind。 It was impossible to apply to business an
individual code of ethics；even to Perry's business； to Tom's business：
the two were incompatible； and the sooner one recognized that the better：
the whole structure of business was built up on natural； as opposed to
ethical law。 We had arrived at an era of franknessthat was the truth
and the sooner we faced this truth the better for our peace of mind。
Much as we might deplore the political system that had grown up； we had
to acknowledge； if we were consistent； that it was the base on which our
prosperity was built。 I was rather proud of having evolved this
argument； it fortified my own peace of mind； which had been disturbed by
Tom's attitude。 I began to pity him。 He had not been very successful in
life； and with the little he earned； added to Susan's income； I knew that
a certain ingenuity was required to make both ends meet。 He sat
listening with a troubled look。 A passing phase of feeling clouded for a
brief moment my confidence when there arose in my mind an unbidden memory
of my youth； of my father。 He； too； had mistrusted my ingenuity。 I
recalled how I had out…manoeuvred him and gone to college； I remembered
the March day so long ago； when Tom and I had stood on the corner
debating how to deceive him； and it was I who had suggested the nice
distinction between a boat and a raft。 Well； my father's illogical
attitude towards boyhood nature； towards human nature； had
