a far country-第78章
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his manner。 〃I do not flatter myself that the solution I have suggested
did not also occur to you。〃
〃You'll smoke it？〃 he asked。
〃Surely。〃
〃Now？ Here with me？〃
〃Certainly；〃 I agreed； a little puzzled。 As I broke the seal； pulled out
the cork and unwrapped the cigar from its gold foil he took a stick and
rapped loudly on the floor。 After a brief interval footsteps were heard
on the stairs and Mike Monahan； white aproned and scarlet faced； appeared
at the door。
〃Bobtails；〃 said Mr。 Jason； laconically。
〃It's them I thought ye'd be wanting；〃 said the saloon…keeper； holding
out a handful。 Judd Jason lighted one； and began smoking reflectively。
I gazed about the mean room； with its litter of newspapers and reports；
its shabby furniture； and these seemed to have become incongruous； out of
figure in the chair facing me keeping with the thoughtful figure in the
chair facing me。
〃You had a college education； Mr。 Paret；〃 he remarked at length。
〃Yes。〃
〃Life's a queer thing。 Now if I'd had a college education； like you； and
you'd been thrown on the world； like me； maybe I'd be livin' up there on
Grant Avenue and you'd be down here over the saloon。〃
〃Maybe；〃 I said； wondering uneasily whether he meant to imply a
similarity in our gifts。 But his manner remained impassive； speculative。
〃Ever read Carlyle's 'French Revolution'？〃 he asked suddenly。
〃Why； yes； part of it； a good while ago。〃
〃When you was in college？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃I've got a little library here；〃 he said； getting up and raising the
shades and opening the glass doors of a bookcase which had escaped my
attention。 He took down a volume of Carlyle； bound in half calf。
〃Wouldn't think I cared for such things； would you？〃 he demanded as he
handed it to me。
〃Well； you never can tell what a man's real tastes are until you know
him；〃 I observed； to conceal my surprise。
〃That's so；〃 he agreed。 〃I like bookssome books。 If I'd had an
education； I'd have liked more of 'em； known more about 'em。 Now I can
read this one over and over。 That feller Carlyle was a genius； he could
look right into the bowels of the volcano； and he was on to how men and
women feet down there； how they hate； how they square 'emselves when they
get a chance。〃
He had managed to bring before me vividly that terrible； volcanic flow on
Versailles of the Paris mob。 He put back the book and resumed his seat。
〃And I know how these people fed down here； below the crust；〃 he went on；
waving his cigar out of the window； as though to indicate the whole of
that mean district。 〃They hate； and their hate is molten hell。 I've
been through it。〃
〃But you've got on top；〃 I suggested。
〃Sure； I've got on top。 Do you know why？ it's because I hatedthat's
why。 A man's feelings； if they're strong enough； have a lot to do with
what he becomes。〃
〃But he has to have ability； too；〃 I objected。
〃Sure； he has to have ability； but his feeling is the driving power if he
feels strong enough； he can make a little ability go a long way。〃
I was struck by the force of this remark。 I scarcely recognized Judd
Jason。 The man； as he revealed himself； had become at once more sinister
and more fascinating。
〃I can guess how some of those Jacobins felt when they had the
aristocrats in the dock。 They'd got on topthe Jacobins； I mean。 It's
human nature to want to get on topain't it？〃 He looked at me and
smiled； but he did not seem to expect a reply。 〃Well； what you call
society； rich； respectable society like you belong to would have made a
bum and a criminal out of me if I hadn't been too smart for 'em； and it's
a kind of satisfaction to have 'em coming down here to Monahan's for
things they can't have without my leave。 I've got a half Nelson on 'em。
I wouldn't live up on Grant Avenue if you gave me Scherer's new house。〃
I was silent。
〃Instead of starting my career in college； I started in jail；〃 he went
on； apparently ignoring any effect he may have produced。 So subtly； so
dispassionately indeed was he delivering himself of these remarks that it
was impossible to tell whether he meant their application to be personal；
to me； or general； to my associates。 〃I went to jail when I was fourteen
because I wanted a knife to make kite sticks； and I stole a razor from a
barber。 I was bitter when they steered me into a lockup in Hickory
Street。 It was full of bugs and crooks； and they put me in the same cell
with an old…timer named 'Red' Waters； who was one of the slickest safe…
blowers around in those days。 Red took a shine to me； found out I had a
head piece； and said their gang could use a clever boy。 If I'd go in
with him； I could make all kinds of money。 I guess I might have joined
the gang if Red hadn't kept talkingabout how the boss of his district
named Gallagher would come down and get him out；and sure enough
Gallagher did come down and get him out。 I thought I'd rather be
Gallagher than RedRed had to serve time once in a while。 Soon as he
got out I went down to Gallagher's saloon； and there was Red leaning over
the bar。 'Here's a smart kid！ he says； 'He and me were room…mates over
in Hickory Street。' He got to gassing me； and telling me I'd better come
along with him； when Gallagher came in。 'What is it ye'd like to be； my
son？' says he。 A politician； I told him。 I was through going to jail。
Gallagher had a laugh you could hear all over the place。 He took me on
as a kind of handy boy around the establishment； and by and by I began to
run errands and find out things for him。 I was boss of that ward myself
when I was twenty…six。。。。 How'd you like that cigar？〃
I praised it。
〃It ought to have been a good one；〃 he declared。 〃Well； I don't want to
keep you here all afternoon telling you my life story。〃
I assured him I had been deeply interested。
〃Pretty slick idea of yours； that dummy company； Mr。 Paret。 Go ahead and
organize it。〃 He rose； which was contrary to his custom on the departure
of a visitor。 〃Drop in again。 We'll talk about the books。〃。。。
I walked slowly back reflecting on this conversation； upon the motives
impelling Mr。 Jason to become thus confidential； nor was it the most
comforting thought in the world that the artist in me had appealed to the
artist in him； that he had hailed me as a breather。 But for the grace of
God I might have been Mr。 Jason and he Mr。 Paret： undoubtedly that was
what he had meant to imply。。。 And I was forced to admit that he had
succeededdeliberately or notin making the respectable Mr。 Paret just
a trifle uncomfortable。
In the marble vestibule of the Corn National Bank I ran into Tallant；
holding his brown straw hat in his hand and looking a little more moth…
eaten than usual。
〃Hello； Paret；〃 he said 〃how is that telephone business getting along？〃
〃Is Dickinson in？〃 I asked。
Tallant nodded。
We went through the cool bank； with its shining brass and red mahogany；
its tiled floor； its busy tellers attending to files of clients； to the
president's sanctum in the rear。 Leonard Dickinson； very spruce and
dignified in a black cutaway coat； was dictating rapidly to a woman；
stenographer； whom he dismissed when he saw us。 The door was shut。
〃I was just asking Paret about the telephone affair；〃 said Mr。 Tallant。
〃Well； have you found a way out？〃 Leonard Dickinson looked questioningly
at me。
〃It's all right；〃 I answered。 〃I've seen Jason。〃
〃All right！〃 they both ejaculated at once。
〃We win；〃 I said。
They stood gazing at me。 Even Dickinson； who was rarely ruffled； seemed
excited。
〃Do you mean to say you've fixed it？〃 he demanded。
I nodded。 They stared at me in amazement。
〃How the deuce did you manage it？〃
〃We organize the Interurban Telephone Company； and bid for the franchise
that's all。〃
〃A dummy company！〃 cried Tallant。 〃Why； it's simple as ABC！〃
Dickinson smiled。 He was tremendously relieved； and showed it。
〃That's true about all great ideas； Tallant；〃 he said。 〃They're simple；
only it takes a clever man to think of them。〃
〃And Jason agrees？〃 Tallant demanded。
I nodded again。 〃We'll have to outbid the Automatic people。 I haven't
seen Bitter yet about the
