the conflict-第58部分

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basis　with　all　real　reformers　or　reformers　tainted　with　sincerity　eliminated；　had　nominated　a　straight　machine　manand　even　the　politicians　know　that　the　people　who　decide　elections　will　not　elect　a　machine　man　if　they　have　a　chance　to　vote　for　any　one　else。　　It　saddened　David　Hull；　in　the　midst　of　victory；　that　his　own　town　and　county　went　against　him；　preferring　the　Democrat；　whom　it　did　not　know；　as　he　lived　at　the　other　end　of　the　State。　　Locally　the　offices　at　stake　were　all　captured　by　the　‘‘Dorn　crowd。''　　At　last　the　Workingmen's　League　had　a　judge；　at　last　it　could　have　a　day　in　court。　　There　would　not　be　a　repetition　of　the　great　frauds　of　the　Hull…Harbinger　campaign。

By　the　time　David　had　sufficient　leisure　to　reopen　the　heart　department　of　his　ambition；　Jane　was　deep　in　the　effort　to　show　Doctor　Charlton　how　much　intelligence　and　character　she　had。　　She　was　serving　an　apprenticeship　as　trained　nurse　in　the　Children's　Hospital；　where　he　was　chief　of　the　staff；　and　was　taking　several　extra　courses　with　his　young　assistants。　　It　was　nearly　two　weeks　after　David's　first　attempt　to　see　her　when　her　engagements　and　his　at　last　permitted　this　meeting。　　Said　he：

‘‘What's　this　new　freak？''

‘‘I　can't　tell　you　yet；''　replied　she。　　‘‘I'm　not　sure；　myself。''

‘‘I　don't　see　how　you　can　endure　that　fellow　Charlton。　　They　say　he's　as　big　a　crank　in　medicine　as　he　is　in　politics。''

‘‘It's　all　of　a　piece；''　said　Jane；　tranquilly。　　‘‘He　says　he　gets　his　political　views　from　his　medicine　and　his　medical　ideas　from　his　politics。''

‘‘Don't　you　think　he's　a　frightful　bounder？''

‘‘Frightful；''　said　Jane。

‘‘Fresh；　impudentconceited。　　And　he　looks　like　a　prize　fighter。''

‘‘At　some　anglesyes；''　conceded　Jane。　　‘‘At　others；　he's　almost　handsome。''

‘‘The　other　day；　when　I　called　at　the　hospital　and　they　wouldn't　take　my　name　in　to　you''　　David　broke　off　to　vent　his　indignation‘‘Did　you　ever　hear　of　such　impertinence！''


‘‘And　you　the　governor…elect；''　laughed　Jane。　　‘‘Shall　I　tell　you　what　Doctor　Charlton　said？　　He　said　that　a　governor　was　simply　a　public　servant；　and　anything　but　a　public　representativeusually　a　public　disgrace。　　He　said　that　a　servant's　business　was　attending　to　his　own　job　and　not　hanging　round　preventing　his　fellow　servants　from　attending　to　their　jobs。''

‘‘I　knew　he　had　low　and　vulgar　views　of　public　affairs；''　said　David。　　‘‘What　I　started　to　say　was　that　I　saw　him　talking　to　you　that　day；　across　the　court；　and　you　seemed　to　be　enjoying　his　conversation。''　


‘‘ENJOYING　it？　　I　love　it；''　cried　Jane。　　‘‘He　makes　me　laugh；　he　makes　me　cold　with　rage；　he　gives　me　a　different　sensation　every　time　I　see　him。''

‘‘You　LIKEhim？''

‘‘Immensely。　　And　I've　never　been　so　interested　or　so　happy　in　my　life。''　　She　looked　steadily　at　him。　　‘‘Nothing　could　induce　me　to　give　it　up。　　I've　put　everything　else　out　of　my　mind。''

Since　the　dismal　end　of　his　adventure　with　Selma　Gordon；　David　had　become　extremely　wary　in　his　dealings　with　the　female　sex。　　He　never　again　would　invite　a　refusal；　he　never　again　would　put　himself　in　a　position　where　a　woman　might　feel　free　to　tell　him　her　private　opinion　of　him。　　He　reflected　upon　Jane's　words。　　They　could　have　but　the　one　meaning。　　Not　so　calmly　as　he　would　have　liked；　but　without　any　embarrassing　constraint；　he　said：

‘‘I'm　glad　you've　found　what　suits　you；　at　last。　　It　isn't　exactly　the　line　I'd　have　thought　a　girl　such　as　you　would　choose。　　You're　sure　you　are　not　making　a　mistake？''

‘‘Quite；''　said　Jane。

‘‘I　should　think　you'd　prefer　marriageand　a　home　and　a　social　circleand　all　that；''　ventured　David。

‘‘I'll　probably　not　marry。''

‘‘No。　　You'd　hardly　take　a　doctor。''

‘‘The　only　one　I'd　want　I　can't　get；''　said　Jane。

She　wished　to　shock　David；　and　she　saw　with　pleasure　that　she　had　succeeded。　　Indeed　so　shocked　was　he　that　in　a　few　minutes　he　took　leave。　　And　as　he　passed　from　her　sight　he　passed　from　her　mind。


Victor　Dorn　described　Davy　Hull's　inaugural　address　as　‘‘an　uninteresting　sample　of　the　standard　reform　brand　of　artificial　milk　for　political　infants。''　　The　press；　however；　was　enthusiastic；　and　substantial　people　everywhere　spoke　of　it　as　having　the　‘‘right　ring；''　as　being　the　utterance　of　a　‘‘safe；　clean　man　whom　the　politicians　can't　frighten　or　fool。''　　In　this　famous　speech　David　urged　everybody　who　was　doing　right　to　keep　on　doing　so；　warned　everybody　who　was　doing　wrong　that　they　would　better　look　out　for　themselves；　praised　those　who　were　trying　to　better　conditions　in　the　right　way；　condemned　those　who　were　trying　to　do　so　in　the　wrong　way。　　It　was　all　most　eloquent；　most　earnest。　　Some　few　people　were　disappointed　that　he　had　not　explained　exactly　what　and　whom　he　meant　by　right　and　by　wrong；　but　these　carping　murmurs　were　drowned　in　the　general　acclaim。　　A　man　whose　fists　clenched　and　whose　eyes　flashed　as　did　David　Hull's　must　‘‘mean　business''and　if　no　results　came　of　these　words；　it　wouldn't　be　his　fault；　but　the　machinations　of　wicked　plutocrats　and　their　political　agents。

‘‘Isn't　it　disgusting！''　exclaimed　Selma；　reading　an　impassioned　paragraph　aloud　to　Victor　Dorn。　　‘‘It　almost　makes　me　despair　when　I　see　how　peopleour　sort　of　people；　tooare　taken　in　by　such　guff。　　And　they　stand　with　their　empty　picked　pockets　and　cheer　this　man；　who's　nothing　but　a　stool　pigeon　for　pickpockets。''

‘‘It's　something　gained；''　observed　Victor　tranquilly；　‘‘when　politicians　have　to　denounce　the　plutocracy　in　order　to　get　audiences　and　offices。　　The　people　are　beginning　to　know　what's　wrong。　　They　read　into　our　friend　Hull's　generalities　what　they　think　he　ought　to　meanwhat　they　believe　he　does　mean。　　The　next　step　ishe'll　have　to　do　something　or　they'll　find　him　out。''

‘‘He　do　anything？''　Selma　laughed　derisively。　　‘‘He　hasn't　the　courageor　the　honesty。''

‘‘Well‘patience　and　shuffle　the　cards；'　as　Sancho　Panza　says。　　We're　winning　Remsen　City。　　And　our　friends　are　winning　a　little　ground　here；　and　a　little　there　and　a　little　yonderand　soononly　too　soon　this　crumbling　false　politics　will　collapse　and　disappear。　　Too　soon；　I　fear。　　Before　the　new　politics　of　a　work…compelling　world　for　the　working　class　only　is　ready　to　be　installed。''

Selma　had　been　only　half　attending。　　She　now　said　abruptly；　with　a　fluttering　movement　that　suggested　wind　blowing　strongly　across　open　prairies　under　a　bright　sky：

‘‘I've　decided　to　go　away。''

‘‘Yes；　you　must　take　a　vacation；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘I've　been　telling　you　that　for　several　years。　　And　you　must　go　away　to　the　sea　or　the　mountains　where　you'll　not　be　harassed　by　the　fate　of　the　human　race　that　you　so　take　to　heart。''

‘‘I　didn't　mean　a　vacation；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘I　meant　to　Chicagoto　work　there。''

‘‘You've　had　a　good　offer？''　said　Victor。　　‘‘I　knew　it　would　come。　　You've　got　to　take　it。　　You　need　the　wider　experiencethe　chance　to　have　a　paper　of　your　ownor　a　work　of　your　own　of　some　kind。　　It's　been　selfishness；　my　keeping　you　all　this　time。''

Selma　had　turned　away。　　With　her　face　hidden　from　him　she　said；　‘‘Yes；　I　must　go。''

‘‘When？''　said　Victor。

‘‘As　soon　as　you　can　arrange　for　some　one　else。''

‘‘All　right。　　I'll　look　round。　　I've　no　hope　of　finding　any　one　to　take　your　place；　but　I　can　get　some　one　who　will　do。''

‘‘You　can　train　any　one；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘Just　as　you　trained　me。''

‘‘I'll　see　what's　to　be　done；''　was　all　he　said。

A　week　passedtwo　weeks。　　She　waited；　he　did　not　bring　up　the　subject。　　But　she　knew　he　was　thinking　of　it；　for　there　had　been　a　change　in　his　manner　toward　hera　constraint；　a　self…consciousness　theretofore　utterly　foreign　to　him　in　his　relations　with　any　one。　　Selma　was　wretched；　and　began　to　show　it　first　in　her　appearance；　then　in　her　work。　　At　last　she　burst　out：

‘‘Give　that　article　back　to　me；''　she　cried。　　‘‘It's　rotten。　　I　can't　write　any　more。　　Why　don't　you　tell　me　so　frankly？　　Why　don't　you　send　me　away？''

‘‘You're　doing　better　work　than　I　am；''　said　he。　　‘‘You're　eager　to　be　offaren't　you？　　Will　you　stay　a　few　days　longer？　　I　must　get　away　to　the　country　aloneto　get　a　fresh　grip　on　myself。　　I'll　come　back　as　soon　as　I　can；　and　you'll　be　free。　　There'll　be　no　chance　for　vacations　after　you're　gone。''

‘‘Very　well；''　said　she。　　She　felt　that　he　would　think　this　curtness　ungracious；　but　more　she　could　not　say。

He　was　gone　four　days。　　When　he　reappeared　at　the　office　he　was　bronzed；　but　under　the　bronze　showed　fatiguein　a　man　of　his　youth　and　strength　sure　sign　of　much　worry　and　loss　of　sleep。　　He　greeted　her　almost　awkwardly；　his　eyes　avoiding　hers；　and　sat　down　to　opening　his　accumulated　mail。　　Although　she　was　furtively　observing　him　she　started　when　he　abruptly　said：

‘‘You　know　you　are　free　to　goat　any　time。''

‘‘I'll　wait　until　you　catch　up　with　your　work；''　she　suggested。

‘‘Nonever　mind。　　I'll　get　along。　　I've　kept　you　out　of　all　reason。　。　。　。　　The　sooner　you　go　the　better。　　I've　got　to　get　used　to　it；　andI　hate　suspense。''

‘‘Then　I'll　go　in　the　morning；''　said　Selma。　　‘‘I've　no　arrangements　to　makeexcept　a　little　packing　that'll　take　less　than　an　hour。　　Will　you　say　good…by　for　me　to　any　one　who　asks？　　I　hate　fusses；　and　I'll　be　back　here　from　time　to　time。''

He　looked　at　her　curio