the vision spendid(美景)-第34章
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giving themselves to make life less hideous and harsh for the weak？ Shall
I meet Mr。 Mifflin 。 。 。 and Mr。 Miller and your little Socialist poet？ Or are
you going to desert me？〃
He smiled a little at her way of putting it； but he was troubled none the
less。 〃Are you sure that your way is our way？ One can give service on the
Hill just as much as down in the bottoms。 There's no moral grandeur in
rags or in dirt。 Isn't your place with your friends？〃
〃Haven't I a right to take hold of life for myself at first hand？ Haven't I
a right to know the truth？ What have I done that I should be walled off
from all these people who earn the bread I eat？〃
〃But your friends 。 。 。 your father。 。 。〃
Her ironic smile derided him。 〃So after all you haven't the courage of
your convictions。 Because I'm Peter C。 Frome's daughter I'm not to have
the right to live。〃
〃No； it's your right to take hold of life with both hands。 But surely you
must live it among your own people。〃
〃I've got to learn how to live it first； haven't I？
Most of my friends are not even aware there a problem of poverty。
They thrust the thought of it from them。 Our wealthy class has no social
consciousness。 Take my father。 He thinks the submerged are lost because
they are thriftless and that all would be right if they wouldn't drink。 To him
they are just a waste product of civilization。
〃But can you study the life of the people without growing discontented
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with the life you must lead？〃
〃There is a divine discontent； you know。 I've got to see things for
myself。 Why should all my opinions； my faith； be given to me ready…made。
Why must I live by a formula I have never examined？ If it isn't true I want
to know it。 And if it is true I want to know it。〃 She had been looking
straight before them toward the rising sun but now her gaze swept round
on him。 〃Don't blame yourself for giving me new thoughts。 I suppose all
new ideas are likely to make trouble。 But I've been working in this
direction for years。 Ever since I've been a little girl my heresies have
puzzled my father。 Meeting you has shown me a short cut。 That's all。〃
Something she had said recalled to him a fugitive memory。
〃Do you know； I think I saw you once when you were a little bit of a
thing？〃
〃Where？〃
〃On the doorstep of your old place。 I was rather busy at the time
fighting Edward Merrill。〃
She stopped； looking at him in surprise。 〃Were you that boy？〃
〃I was that boy。〃
〃You fought him to help a little ragged girl。 She was a foreigner。〃
〃I've forgotten why I fought him。 The reason I remember the occasion
is that I met then for the first time two of my friends。〃
She claimed a place immediately。 〃Who was the other one？〃
〃Captain Chunn。〃
Presently she bubbled into a little laugh。 〃How did the fight come out？
My nurse dragged me into the house。〃
〃Don't remember。 I know the school principal licked me next day。 I
had been playing hookey。〃
They made another turn of the deck before she spoke again。
〃So we're old acquaintances； and I didn't know it。 That was nearly
eighteen years ago。 Isn't it strange that after so long we should meet again
only last week？〃
Jeff felt the blood creep into his face。 〃We met once before； Miss
Frome。〃
〃Oh； on the street。 I meant to speak。〃
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〃So did I。〃
〃When？〃
With his eyes meeting hers steadily Jeff told her of the time she had
found him in the bushes and mistaken him for a sick man。 He could see
that he had struck her dumb。 She looked at him and looked away again。
〃Why do you tell me this？〃 she asked at last in a low voice。
〃It's only fair you should know the truth about me。〃
They tramped the circuit once more。 Neither of them spoke。 The
trumpeter's bugle call to breakfast rang out。
At the bow she stopped and looked down at the waters they were
furrowing。 It was a long time before she raised her head and met his eyes。
The color had whipped into her cheeks； but she put her question steadily。
〃Are you telling me。 。 。 that I must lose my friend？〃
〃Isn't that for you to say？〃
〃I don't know。〃 She faltered for words； but not the least in her intention。
〃Are youwhat I have always heard you are？〃
〃Can you be a little more definite？〃 he asked gently。
〃Welldissipated！ You're not that？〃
〃No。 I've trodden down the appetite。 I'm a total abstainer。〃
〃And you're not。 。 。 those worse things that the papers say？〃
〃No。〃
〃I knew it。〃 Triumph rang in her voice。 She breathed a generous trust。
To know him for a true man it was necessary only to look into his fearless
eyes set deep in the thin tanned face。 It was impossible for anything
unclean to survive with his humorous humility and his pervading
sympathy and his love of truth。 〃I didn't care what they said。 I knew it all
the time。〃
Her sweet faith was a thing to see with emotion。 He felt tears scorch
the back of his eyes。
〃The thing you know is bad enough。〃
〃Oh； that！ That is nothing 。 。 。 now。 It doesn't matter。〃
Lieutenant Beauchamp emerged from a saloon and bore down upon
them。
〃Mrs。 Van Tyle has sent me to bring you to breakfast； Miss Frome。
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Mornin'； Mr。 Farnum。〃
〃And I'm ready for it； We've been round the deck ever so many times。
Haven't we； Mr。 Farnum？〃
She nodded lightly to Jeff and walked away with the Englishman。 The
sunshine of her warm vitality was like quicksilver in Farnum's veins。 What
a gallant spirit； at once delicate and daring； dwelt in that vivid slender
form！ A snatch of Chesterton came to his mind：
Her face was like an open word When brave men speak and choose；
The very colors of her coat Were better than good news。
〃It is the hour of man： new purposes； Broad shouldered； press against
the world's slow gate； And voices from the vast eternities Publish the
soul's austere apostolate。
Man bursts the chains that his own hands have made； Hurls down the
blind； fierce gods that in blind years He fashioned； and a power upon them
laid To bruise his heart and shake his soul with fears。〃 Edwin Markham。
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CHAPTER 18
THE PILLARS OF SOCIETY ARE GIVEN AN ILLUSTRATION
OF A ROORBACK
PART 1
Rawson sat in the rotunda of the Pacific Hotel in desultory
conversation with Captain Chunn； Hardy and Rogers。 He brought his
clenched hand down on the padded leather arm of the big chair。
〃They'll jam it through to…morrow。 That's what they'll do。 James K。
Farnum's been playing mighty pretty politics and he has got the votes to
deliver the goods。〃
Hardy nodded as he knocked the ash from his cigar。 〃Now that it's all
over we can see James K。's trail easily enough。 He meant to defeat the
initiative and referendum amendment； and he meant to do it without losing
his popularity。 He's done it too。 Jeff's disappearance made it certain our
bill wouldn't go through。 James jumps in with a hurrah and passes one that
isn't worth the powder to blow it up。 But he's going to claim it as a great
victory for the peopleand if I know that young man he'll get away with
his bluff。 Yet it's certain as taxes that he's been working for Joe Powers all
the time。〃
〃I wouldn't put it past him to have engineered some deal to get rid of
his cousin；〃 Chunn suggested。
Rawson shook his head。 〃No。 Not respectable enough for James。 And
he's not fool enough to run his head into a trap。 But I'd bet my head Big
Tim gave him a tip it was to be pulled off。 J。 K。 had to know。 Otherwise he
wouldn't have been in a position to play the game for them。 But he didn't
know any detailsjust a suggestion。 Enough to wise him without making
him responsible。〃
〃And the play he's been making in the papers。 Offering a reward for
information about Jeff； insisting publicly that he has absolute confidence
in his cousin's integrity while he shakes his head in private。 If you want
my opinion； that young man is a whited sepulchre。 I never did believe in
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him。〃
Rogers turned to Captain Chunn with an incredulous smile。 〃But you
still believe in Jeff。 Frankly； it looks to me like a double sell out。〃
The old Confederate's eyes gleamed。 〃Sir； I've known that boy since he
was a little tad。 He's never told me a lie。 He's square as they make them。〃
〃I used to believe in his cousin James； too；〃 Rogers commented。
〃Oh； James！ He's another proposition。〃 Rawson's voice was sour with
disgust。 〃He just naturally looked to see where his bread was buttered。
He's as selfish as the devil for all that suave； cordial way of his。 Right
from the first his idea has been to make a big personal hit。 And he figured
out he could do it easier with Joe Powers back of him than against him。
James K。 is the smoothest fraud on the Pacific Coast。 But Jeffwhy； every
hair of his head is straight。 He's one out of a million； believe me。〃
〃You've said it；〃 Chunn agreed。
Rogers smiled across at them。 〃He's left a lot of good friends behind
him anyhow。 But it's strange he could drop off the earth without a soul
knowing about it。〃
〃The men who murdered him know about it；〃 Rawson answered
significantly。
Captain Chunn shook his head。 〃No； that boy will turn up yet。〃
〃But not in time to save us。 We're licked。 There's not one chance in a
million for us。 That's the discouraging feature of it； to be sold
