the dust-第6部分

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Lockyer　said　one　day　that　this　was　the　function　of　the　〃upper　classes；〃　Norman　retorted：　　〃Perhaps。　　But；　if　so；　how　do　they　perform　it？　　Like　the　brutal　old…fashioned　farm　family　that　takes　care　of　its　insane　member　by　keeping　him　chained　in　filth　in　the　cellar。〃　　And　once　at　the　Federal　Club　　By　the　way；　Norman　had　joined　it；　had　compelled　it　to　receive　him　just　to　show　his　associates　how　a　strong　man　could　break　even　such　a　firmly　established　tradition　as　that　no　one　who　amounted　to　anything　could　be　elected　to　a　fashionable　club　in　New　York。　　Once　at　the　Federal　Club　old　Galloway　quoted　with　approval　some　essayist's　remark　that　every　clever　human　being　was　looking　after　and　holding　above　the　waves　at　least　fifteen　of　his　weaker　fellows。　　Norman　smiled　satirically　round　at　the　complacently　nodding　circle　of　gray　heads　and　white　heads。　　〃My　observation　has　been；〃　said　he；　〃that　every　clever　chap　is　shrewd　enough　to　compel　at　least　fifteen　of　his　fellows　to　wait　on　him；　to　take　care　of　himdo　his　choresand　his　dirty　work。〃　　The　nodding　stopped。　　Scowls　appeared；　except　on　the　face　of　old　Galloway。　　He　grinned。　　He　was　one　of　the　few　examples　of　a　very　rich　man　with　a　sense　of　humor。　　Norman　always　thought　it　was　this　slight　incident　that　led　to　his　getting　the　extremely　profitableand　shadyGalloway　business。

No；　Norman's　mood；　as　he　watched　the　miserable　crowds　afoot　and　reflected　upon　them；　was　neither　remorseful　nor　triumphant。　　He　simply　noted　an　interesting　facta　commonplace　factof　the　methods　of　that　sardonic　practical　joker；　Life。　　Because　the　scheme　of　things　was　unjust　and　stupid；　because　others；　most　others；　were　uncomfortable　or　worsewhy　should　he　make　himself　uncomfortable？　　It　would　be　an　absurdity　to　get　out　of　his　limousine　and　trudge　along　in　the　wet　and　the　wind。　　It　would　be　equally　absurd　to　sit　in　his　limousine　and　be　unhappy　about　the　misery　of　the　world。　　〃I　didn't　create　it；　and　I　can't　recreate　it。　And　if　I'm　helping　to　make　it　worse；　I'm　also　hastening　the　time　when　it'll　be　better。　　The　Great　Ass　must　have　brains　and　spirit　kicked　and　cudgeled　into　it。〃

At　his　house　in　Madison　Avenue；　just　at　the　crest　of　Murray　Hill；　there　was　an　awning　from　front　door　to　curb　and　a　carpet　beneath　it。　　He　passed；　dry　and　comfortable；　up　the　steps。　　A　footman　in　quiet　rich　livery　was　waiting　to　receive　him。　　From　rising　until　bedtime；　up　town　and　down　town；　wherever　he　went　and　whatever　he　was　about；　every　possible　menial　detail　of　his　life　was　done　for　him。　　He　had　nothing　to　do　but　think　about　his　own　work　and　keep　himself　in　health。　Rarely　did　he　have　even　to　open　or　to　close　a　door。　　He　used　a　pen　only　in　signing　his　name　or　marking　a　passage　in　a　law　book　for　some　secretary　to　make　a　typewritten　copy。

Upon　most　human　beings　this　sort　of　luxury；　carried　beyond　the　ordinary　and　familiar　uses　of　menial　service；　has　a　speedily　enervating　effect。　　Thinking　being　the　most　onerous　of　all；　they　have　it　done；　also。　They　sink　into　silliness　and　moral　and　mental　sloth。　They　pass　the　time　at　foolish　purposeless　games　indoors　and　out；　or　they　wander　aimlessly　about　the　earth　chattering　with　similar　mental　decrepits；　much　like　monkeys　adrift　in　the　boughs　of　a　tropical　forest。　　But　Norman　had　the　tenacity　and　strength　to　concentrate　upon　achievement　all　the　powers　emancipated　by　the　use　of　menials　wherever　menials　could　be　used。　　He　employed　to　advantage　the　time　saved　in　putting　in　shirt　buttons　and　lacing　shoes　and　carrying　books　to　and　from　shelves。　　In　this　lay　one　of　the　important　secrets　of　his　success。　　〃Never　do　for　yourself　what　you　can　get　some　one　else　to　do　for　you　as　well。　　Save　yourself　for　the　things　only　YOU　can　do。〃

In　his　household　there　were　three　persons；　and　sixteen　servants　to　wait　upon　them。　　His　sistershe　and　her　husband；　Clayton　Fitzhugh；　were　the　other　two　personshis　sister　was　always　complaining　that　there　were　not　enough　servants；　and　Frederick；　the　most　indulgent　of　brothers；　was　always　letting　her　add　to　the　number。　It　seemed　to　him　that　the　more　help　there　was；　the　less　smoothly　the　household　ran。　　But　that　did　not　concern　him；　his　mind　was　saved　for　more　important　matters。　There　was　no　reason　why　it　should　concern　him；　could　he　not　compel　the　dollars　to　flood　in　faster　than　she　could　bail　them　out？

This　brother　and　sister　had　come　to　New　York　fifteen　years　before；　when　he　was　twenty…two　and　she　nineteen。　　They　were　from　Albany；　where　their　family　had　possessed　some　wealth　and　much　social　position　for　many　generations。　　There　was　the　usual　〃queer　streak〃　in　the　Norman　familyan　intermittent　but　fixed　habit　of　some　one　of　them　making　a　〃low　marriage。〃　　One　view　of　this　aberration　might　have　been　that　there　was　in　the　Norman　blood　a　tenacious　instinct　of　sturdy　and　self…respecting　independence　that　caused　a　Norman　occasionally　to　do　as　he　pleased　instead　of　as　he　conven…　tionally　ought。　　Each　time　the　thing　occurred　there　was　a　mighty　and　horrified　hubbub　throughout　the　connection。　　But　in　the　broad；　as　the　custom　is；　the　Normans　were　complacent　about　the　〃queer　streak。〃　They　thought　it　kept　the　family　from　rotting　out　and　running　to　seed。　　〃Nothing　like　an　occasional　infusion　of　common　blood；〃　Aunt　Ursula　Van　Bruyten　（born　Norman）　used　to　say。　　For　her　Norman's　sister　was　named。

Norman's　father　had　developed　the　〃queer　streak。〃　Their　mother　was　the　daughter　of　a　small　farmer　and；　when　she　met　their　father；　was　chambermaid　in　a　Troy　hotel；　Troy　then　being　a　largish　village。　　As　soon　as　she　found　herself　married　and　in　a　position　with　whose　duties　she　was　unfamiliar；　she　set　about　fitting　herself　for　them　with　the　same　diligence　and　thoroughness　which　she　had　shown　in　learning　chamber　work　in　a　village　hotel。　　She　educated　herself；　selected　not　without　shrewdness　and　carefully　put　on　an　assortment　of　genteel　airs；　finally　contrived　to　make　a　most　creditable　appearancewas　more　aristocratic　in　tastes　and　in　talk　than　the　high　mightiest　of　her　relatives　by　marriage。　　But　her　son　Fred　was　a　Pinkey　in　character。　　In　boyhood　he　was　noted　for　his　rough　and　low　associates。　　His　bosom　friends　were　the　son　of　a　Jewish　junk　dealer；　the　son　of　a　colored　wash…　woman；　and　the　son　of　an　Irish　day　laborer。　　Also；　the　commonness　persisted　as　he　grew　up。　　Instead　of　seeking　aristocratic　ease；　he　aspired　to　a　career。　　He　had　choice　of　several　rich　and　well…born　girls；　but　he　developed　a　strong　distaste　for　marriage　of　any　sort　and　especially　for　a　rich　marriage。　　A　fortune　he　was　resolved　to　have；　but　it　should　be　one　that　belonged　to　him。　　When　he　was　about　ready　to　enter　a　law　office；　his　father　and　mother　died　leaving　less　than　ten　thousand　dollars　in　all　for　his　sister　and　himself。　　His　sister　hesitated；　half　inclined　to　marry　a　stupid　second　cousin　who　had　thirty　thousand　a　year。

〃Don't　do　it；　Ursula；〃　Fred　advised。　　〃If　you　must　sell　out；　sell　for　something　worth　while。〃　　He　laughed　in　his　frank；　ironical　way。　　〃Fact　is；　we've　both　made　up　our　minds　to　sell。　　Let's　go　to　the　best　market　New　York。　　If　you　don't　like　it；　you　can　come　back　and　marry　that　fat…wit　any　time　you　please。〃

Ursula　inspected　herself　in　the　glass；　saw　a　face　and　form　exceeding　fair　to　look　upon；　she　decided　to　take　her　brother's　advice。　　At　twenty　she　threw　over　a　multi…　millionaire　and　married　Clayton　Fitzhugh　for　love　Clayton　with　only　seventeen　thousand　a　year。　　Of　course；　from　the　standpoint　of　fashionable　ambition；　seventeen　thousand　a　year　in　New　York　is　but　one　remove　from　tenement　house　poverty。　　As　Clayton　had　no　more　ability　at　making　money　than　had　Ursula　herself；　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　live　with　Norman　and　〃take　care　of　him。〃　　But　for　this　self…sacrifice　of　sisterly　affection　Norman　would　have　been　rich　at　thirty…　seven。　　As　he　had　to　make　her　rich　as　well　as　himself；　progress　toward　luxurious　independence　was　slower　and　there　was　the　house；　costing　nearly　fifty　thousand　a　year　to　keep　up。

There　had　been　a　time　in　Norman's　careera　brief　and　very　early　timewhen；　with　the　maternal　peasant　blood　hot　in　his　veins；　he　had　entertained　the　quixotic　idea　of　going　into　politics　on　the　poor　or　people's　side　and　fighting　for　glory　only。　　The　pressure　of　expensive　living　had　soon　driven　this　notion　clean　off。　　Norman　had　almost　forgotten　that　he　ever　had　it；　was　no　longer　aware　how　strong　it　had　been　in　the　last　year　at　law　school。　　Young　men　of　high　intelligence　and　ardent　temperament　always　pass　through　this　period。　　With　somea　fewits　glory　lingers　long　after　the　fire　has　flickered　out　before　the　cool；　steady　breath　of　worldliness。

All　this　time　Norman　has　been　dressing　for　dinner。　He　now　leaves　the　third　floor　and　descends　toward　the　library；　as　it　still　lacks　twenty　minutes　of　the　dinner　hour。

As　he　walked　along　the　hall　of　the　second　floor　a　woman's　voice　called　to　him；　〃That　you；　Fred？〃

He　turned　in　at　his　sister's　sitting　room。　　She　was　standing　at　a　table　smoking　a　cigarette。　　Her　tall；　slim　figure　looked　even　taller　and　slimmer　in　the　tight…fitting　black　satin　evening　dress。　　Her　features　faintly　suggested　her　relationship　to　Norman。　　She　was　a　handsome　woman；　with　a　voluptuous　discontented　mouth。

〃What　are　you　worried　about；　sis？〃　inquired　he。

〃How　did　you　know　I　was　worried？〃　returned　she。

〃You