a far country-第72章

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attitude　towards　boyhood　nature；　towards　human　nature；　had　forced　me　into
that　lie；　just　as　the　senseless　attitude　of　the　public　to…day　forced
business　into　a　position　of　hypocrisy。

〃Well；　that's　clever；〃　he　said；　slowly　and　perplexedly；　when　I　had
finished。　　〃It's　damned　clever；　but　somehow　it　looks　to　me　all　wrong。　　I
can't　pick　it　to　pieces。〃　　He　got　up　rather　heavily。　　〃II　guess　I　ought
to　be　going。　　Susan　doesn't　know　where　I　am。〃

I　was　exasperated。　　It　was　clear；　though　he　did　not　say　so；　that　he
thought　me　dishonest。　　The　pain　in　his　eyes　had　deepened。

〃If　you　feel　that　way〃　I　said。

〃Oh；　God；　I　don't　know　how　I　feel！〃　he　cried。　　〃You're　the　oldest　friend
I　have；　Hugh；I　can't　forget　that。　　We'll　say　nothing　more　about　it。〃
He　picked　up　his　hat　and　a　moment　later　I　heard　the　front　door　close
behind　him。　　I　stood　for　a　while　stock…still；　and　then　went　into　the
livingroom；　where　Maude　was　sewing。

〃Why；　where's　Tom？〃　she　inquired；　looking　up。

〃Oh；　he　went　home。　　He　said　Susan　didn't　know　where　he　was。〃

〃How　queer！　　Hugh；　was　there　anything　the　matter？　　Is　he　in　trouble？〃　she
asked　anxiously。

I　stood　toying　with　a　book…mark；　reflecting。　　She　must　inevitably　come　to
suspect　that　something　had　happened；　and　it　would　be　as　well　to　fortify
her。

〃The　trouble　is；〃　I　said　after　a　moment；　〃that　Perry　and　Tom　would　like
to　run　modern　business　on　the　principle　of　a　charitable　institution。
Unfortunately；　it　is　not　practical。　　They're　upset　because　I　have　been
retained　by　a　syndicate　whose　object　is　to　develop　some　land　out　beyond
Maplewood　Avenue。　　They've　bought　the　land；　and　we　are　asking　the　city　to
give　us　a　right　to　build　a　line　out　Maplewood　Avenue；　which　is　the
obvious　way　to　go。　　Perry　says　it　will　spoil　the　avenue。　　That's
nonsense；　in　the　first　place。　　The　avenue　is　wide；　and　the　tracks　will　be
in　a　grass　plot　in　the　centre。　　For　the　sake　of　keeping　tracks　off　that
avenue　he　would　deprive　people　of　attractive　homes　at　a　small　cost；　of
the　good　air　they　can　get　beyond　the　heights；　he　would　stunt　the　city's
development。〃

〃That　does　seem　a　little　unreasonable；〃　Maude　admitted。　　〃Is　that　all　he
objects　to？〃

〃No；　he　thinks　it　an　outrage　because；　in　order　to　get　the　franchise；　we
have　to　deal　with　the　city　politicians。　　Well；　it　so　happens；　and　always
has　happened；　that　politics　have　been　controlled　by　leaders；　whom　Perry
calls　‘bosses；'　and　they　are　not　particularly　attractive　men。　　You
wouldn't　care　to　associate　with　them。　　My　father　once　refused　to　be　mayor
of　the　city　for　this　reason。　　But　they　are　necessities。　　If　the　people
didn't　want　them；　they'd　take　enough　interest　in　elections　to　throw　them
out。　　But　since　the　people　do　want　them；　and　they　are　there；　every　time　a
new　street…car　line　or　something　of　that　sort　needs　to　be　built　they　have
to　be　consulted；　because；　without　their　influence　nothing　could　be　done。
On　the　other　hand；　these　politicians　cannot　afford　to　ignore　men　of　local
importance　like　Leonard　Dickinson　and　Adolf　Scherer　and　Miller　Gorse　who
represent　financial　substance　and'　responsibility。　　If　a　new　street…
railroad　is　to　be　built；　these　are　the　logical　ones　to　build　it。　　You
have　just　the　same　situation　in　Elkington；　on　a　smaller　scale。

Your　family；　the　Hutchinses；　own　the　mills　and　the　street…railroads；　and
any　new　enterprise　that　presents　itself　is　done　with　their　money；　because
they　are　reliable　and　sound。〃

〃It　isn't　pleasant　to　think　that　there　are　such　people　as　the
politicians；　is　it？〃　said　Maude；　slowly。

〃Unquestionably　not；〃　I　agreed。　　〃It　isn't　pleasant　to　think　of　some
other　crude　forces　in　the　world。　　But　they　exist；　and　they　have　to　be
dealt　with。　　Suppose　the　United　States　should　refuse　to　trade　with　Russia
because；　from　our　republican　point　of　view；　we　regarded　her　government　as
tyrannical　and　oppressive？　or　to　cooperate　with　England　in　some
undertaking　for　the　world's　benefit　because　we　contended　that　she　ruled
India　with　an　iron　hand？　　In　such　a　case；　our　President　and　Senate　would
be　scoundrels　for　making　and　ratifying　a　treaty。　　Yet　here　are　Perry　and
Tom；　and　no　doubt　Susan　and　Lucia；　accusing　me；　a　lifetime　friend；　of
dishonesty　because　I　happen　to　be　counsel　for　a　syndicate　that　wishes　to
build　a　street…railroad　for　the　convenience　of　the　people　of　the　city。〃

〃Oh；　no；　not　of　dishonesty！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃I　can'tI　won't　believe
they　would　do　that。〃

〃Pretty　near　it；〃　I　said。　　〃If　I　listened　to　them；　I　should　have　to　give
up　the　law　altogether。〃

〃Sometimes；〃　she　answered　in　a　low　voice；　〃sometimes　I　wish　you　would。〃

〃I　might　have　expected　that　you　would　take　their　point　of　view。〃

As　I　was　turning　away　she　got　up　quickly　and　put　her　hand　on　my　shoulder。

〃Hugh；　please　don't　say　such　thingsyou've　no　right　to　say　them。〃

〃And　you？〃　I　asked。

〃Don't　you　see；〃　she　continued　pleadingly；　〃don't　you　see　that　we　are
growing　apart？　　That's　the　only　reason　I　said　what　I　did。　　It　isn't　that
I　don't　trust　you；　that　I　don't　want　you　to　have　your　work；　that　I　demand
all　of　you。　　I　know　a　woman　can't　ask　that；can't　have　it。　　But　if　you
would　only　give　megive　the　children　just　a　little；　if　I　could　feel　that
we　meant　something　to　you　and　that　this　other　wasn't　gradually　becoming
everything；　wasn't　absorbing　you　more　and　more；　killing　the　best　part　of
you。　　It's　poisoning　our　marriage；　it's　poisoning　all　your
relationships。〃

In　that　appeal　the　real　Maude；　the　Maude　of　the　early　days　of　our
marriage　flashed　forth　again　so　vividly　that　I　was　taken　aback。　　I
understood　that　she　had　had　herself　under　control；　had　worn　a　maska
mask　I　had　forced　on　her；　and　the　revelation　of　the　continued　existence
of　that　other　Maude　was　profoundly　disturbing。　　Was　it　true；　as　she　said；
that　my　absorption　in　the　great　game　of　modern　business；　in　the　modern
American　philosophy　it　implied　was　poisoning　my　marriage？　or　was　it　that
my　marriage　had　failed　to　satisfy　and　absorb　me？　　I　was　touchedbut
sentimentally　touched：　I　felt　that　this　was　a　situation　that　ought　to
touch　me；　I　didn't　wish　to　face　it；　as　usual：　I　couldn't　acknowledge　to
myself　that　anything　was　really　wrong。。。　　I　patted　her　on　the　shoulder；　I
bent　over　and　kissed　her。

〃A　man　in　my　position　can't　altogether　choose　just　how　busy　he　will　be；〃
I　said　smiling。　　〃Matters　are　thrust　upon　me　which　I　have　to　accept；　and
I　can't　help　thinking　about　some　of　them　when　I　come　home。　　But　we'll　go
off　for　a　real　vacation　soon；　Maude；　to　Europeand　take　the　children。〃

〃Oh；　I　hope　so；〃　she　said。

From　this　time　on；　as　may　be　supposed；　our　intercourse　with　both　the
Blackwoods　began　to　grow　less　frequent；　although　Maude　continued　to　see　a
great　deal　of　Lucia；　and　when　we　did　dine　in　their　company；　or　they　with
us；　it　was　quite　noticeable　that　their　former　raillery　was　suppressed。
Even　Tom　had　ceased　to　refer　to　me　as　the　young　Napoleon　of　the　Law：　he
clung　to　me；　but　he　too　kept　silent　on　the　subject　of　business。　　Maude　of
course　must　have　noticed　this；　must　have　sensed　the　change　of　atmosphere；
have　known　that　the　Blackwoods；　at　least；　were　maintaining　appearances
for　her　sake。　　She　did　not　speak　to　me　of　the　change；　nor　I　to　her；　but
when　I　thought　of　her　silence；　it　was　to　suspect　that　she　was　weighing
the　question　which　had　led　up　to　the　difference　between　Perry　and　me；　and
I　had　a　suspicion　that　the　fact　that　I　was　her　husband　would　not　affect
her　ultimate　decision。　　This　faculty　of　hers　of　thinking　things　out
instead　of　accepting　my　views　and　decisions　was；　as　the　saying　goes；
getting　a　little　〃on　my　nerves〃：　that　she　of　all　women　should　have
developed　it　was　a　recurring　and　unpleasant　surprise。　　I　began　at　times
to　pity　myself　a　little；　to　feel　the　need　of　sympathetic　companionship
feminine　companionship。。。。

I　shall　not　go　into　the　details　of　the　procurement　of　what　became　known
as　the　Riverside　Franchise。　　In　spite　of　the　Maplewood　residents；　of　the
City　Improvement　League　and　individual　protests；　we　obtained　it　with
absurd　ease。　　Indeed　Perry　Blackwood　himself　appeared　before　the　Public
Utilities　Committee　of　the　Board。　　of　Aldermen；　anal　vas　listened　to　with
deference　and　gravity　while　he　discoursed　on　the　defaceme