the vision spendid(美景)-第13章
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get his anchors down before it was too late。
Somehow he broke away； leaving her there hurt and bewildered at his
apparent fickleness； at the stiffness with which he had beaten back the
sweet delight inviting them。
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Jeff went to his rooms； his mind in a blind chaotic surge。 He sat before
the table for hours； fighting grimly to persuade himself he need not put
away this joy that had come to him。 Surely friendship was a good thing 。 。 。
and love。 A man ought not to turn his back on them。
It was long past midnight when he rose； took his father's sword from
the wall where it hung； and unsheathed it。 A vision of an open fireplace in
a log house rose before him； his father in the foreground looking like a
picture of Stonewall Jackson。 The kind brave eyes that were the soul of
honor gazed at him。
〃You damned scoundrel！ You damned scoundrel！〃 Jeff accused himself
in a low voice。
He knew his little friend was good and innocent； but he knew too she
had inherited a temperament that made her very innocence a anger to her。
Every instinct of chivalry called upon him to protect her from the
weakness she did not even guess。 She had given him her kindness and her
friendship； the dear child！ It was up to him to be worthy of them。 If he
failed her he would be a creature forever lost to decency。
There was a sob in his throat as Jeff pushed the blade back into the
worn scabbard and rehung the sword upon the wall。 But the eyes in his
lifted face were very bright。 He too would keep his sword unstained and
the flag of honor flying。
All through the next day and the next his resolution held。 He took
pains not to see her alone； though there was not an hour of the day when
he could get away from the thought of her。 The uneasy consciousness was
with him that the issue was after all only postponed； that decisions of this
kind must be made again and again so long as opportunity and desire go
together。 And there were moments of reaction when his will was like a
rope of sand； when the longing for her swept over him like a great wave。
As Jeff slipped quietly into the hall the door of her room opened。 Their
eyes met； and presently hers fell。 She was troubled and ashamed at what
she had done； but plainly eager in her innocence to be forgiven。
Jeff spoke gently。 〃Nellie。〃
Her eyes suddenly filled with tears。 〃Aren't we ever going to be friends
again？〃
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Through the open door he could see the fire glowing in the grate and
the chocolate set on the little table。 He knew she had prepared for his
coming and how greatly she would be hurt if he rejected her advances。
〃Of course we're friends。〃
〃Then you'll come in； just for a few minutes。〃
He hesitated。
〃Please；〃 she whispered。 〃Or I'll know you don't like me any more。〃
Jeff followed her into the room and closed the door behind him。
PART 2
Two days before the election Big Tim's detective wired from Shelby；
Tennessee； the outline of a story that got two front page columns in both
the _Advocate_ and the _Herald。_ Jefferson Davis Farnum was the son of
a thief； of a rebel soldier who had spent seven years in the penitentiary for
looting the bank of which he was cashier。 In addition to featuring the news
story both papers handled the subject at length in their editorial columns。
They wanted to know whether the people of this beautiful state were
willing to hand over the Commonwealth to be plundered by the reckless
gang of which this son of a criminal was the head。
The paper reached Jeff at his rooms in the morning。 He had lately
taken the apartments formerly occupied by his cousin； James moving to
Mrs。 Anderson's until after the election。 The exchange had been made at
the suggestion of the editor； who gave as a reason that he wanted to be
close to his work until the winter was past。 It happened that James was just
now very glad to get a cheaper place。 He was very short of funds and until
after the election had no time for social functions。 All he needed with a
room was to sleep in it。
Jeff was still reading the story from Shelby when his cousin came in
hurriedly。 James was excited and very white。
〃My God； Jeff！ It's come at last。 I knew it would ruin me some day；〃
the lawyer cried； after he had carefully closed the door of the bedroom。
〃It won't ruin you； James。 Your name isn't mentioned yet。 Perhaps it
may not be。 It can't hurt you； even if it is。〃
〃I tell you it will ruin me both socially and politically。 Once it gets out
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nobody will trust me。 I'll be the son of a thief；〃 James insisted wildly。
〃You're the son of a man who made a slip and has paid for it；〃
answered Jeff steadily。 〃Don't let your ideas get warped。 This town is full
of men who have done wrong and haven't paid for it。〃
〃That's one of your fool socialist theories。〃 James spoke sharply and
irritably。 〃No man's guilty till the law says so。 They haven't been in the
penitentiary。 He has。 That's what damns me if it gets out。〃
Jeff laid a hand affectionately on his cousin's shoulder。 〃Don't you
believe it for a moment。 There's no moral distinction between the man
who has paid and the man who hasn't paid for his sins toward society。
There is good and there is bad in all of us； closely intertwined； knit
together into the very warp and woof of our lives。 We're all good and we're
all bad。〃
It was with James a purely personal equation。 He could not forget its
relation to himself。
〃My name is to be voted on at the University Club next month。 I'll be
blackballed to a dead certainty；〃 he said miserably。
〃Probably； if the story gets out。 It's tough； I know。〃 Jeff's eyes gleamed
angrily。 〃And why should they？ You're just as good a man to…day as you
were yesterday。 But there's nothing so fettering； so despicable as good
form。 It blights。 Let a man bow down to the dead hand of custom and he
can never again be true to what he thinks and knows。 His judgment gets
warped。 Soon Madame Grundy does his thinking for him； along well…
grooved lines。〃
〃Oh； well！ That's just talk。 What am I to do？〃 James broke out
nervously。
〃I know what I would do in your case。〃
〃What？〃
〃Come out with a short statement telling the exact facts。 I'd make no
apologies or long explanation。 Just the plain story as simply as you can。〃
〃Well； I'll not；〃 the lawyer broke out。 〃Easy enough for you to say
what I ought to do。 Look at who my friends arethe Fromes and the
Merrills and the Gilmans。 Best set in town。 I strained a point when I broke
loose from them to take up this progressive fight。 They'd cut me dead if a
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story like this came out。〃
〃I daresay。 Communities are loaded to the guards with respectable
cowards。 But if you stand on your own feet like a man they'll think more
of you for it。 Most of them will be glad to know you again inside of five
years。 For you're going to be successful； and people like the Merrills and
the Gilmans bow down to success。〃
The lawyer shook his head doggedly。 〃I'm not going to tell a thing I
don't have to tell。 That's settled。〃 He hesitated a moment before he went on。
〃I've got a reason why I want to stand well with the Fromes； Jeff。 I'm not
in a position to risk anything。〃
Jeff waited。 He thought he knew that reason。
〃I'm going to marry Alice Frome if I can。〃
〃You've asked her。〃 Jeff's voice sounded to himself as if it belonged to
another man。
〃No。 Not yet。 Ned Merrill's in the running。 Strong； too。 He's being
backed by his father and old P。 C。 Frome。 The idea is to consolidate
interests by this marriage。 But I've got a fighting chance。 She likes me。
Since I went into this political fight against her father she's taken pains to
show me how friendly she feels。 But if this story gets outI'm smashed。
That's all。〃
〃Go to her。 Tell her the truth。 She'll stand by you；〃 his cousin urged。
〃You don't understand these people； Jeff。 I do。 Even if she wanted to
stand by me she couldn't。 They wouldn't let her。 Right now I'm carrying all
the handicap I can。〃
Jeff walked to the window and stood looking out with his hands in his
pockets。 The hum of the busy street rose to his ears； but he did not hear it。
Nor did he see the motor cars whizzing past； the drays lumbering along；
the thronged sidewalks of Powers Avenue。 A door that had for years been
ajar in his heart had swung to with a crash。 The incredible folly of his
dream was laid bare to him。 Despised； distrusted and disgraced； there was
no chance that he might be even a friend to her。 She moved in another
world； one he could not reach if he would and would not if he could。 All
that he believed in she had been brought up to disregard。 Much that was
dear to her he must hammer down so long as there was life in him。
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But Jameshe had fought his way up to her。 Why shouldn't he have his
chance？ Betterfar better James than Ned Merrill。 He had heard the
echoes of a disgraceful story about that young man in his college days； the
story of how he had trampled down a working girl for his pleasure。 James
was clean and honorable 。 。 。 and she loved him。 Jeff's mind fastened on
that last as a thing assured。 Had he not seen her with starry eyes fixed on
her hero； held fast as a limed bird？ She too was entitled to her chance； and
there was a way he could give it to her。
He
