the vision spendid(美景)-第39章
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It appeared that the story of this little factory girl who had been led
astray was still urgent in Marchant's mind。 At the time of their arrival he
had just finished scribbling some verses hot from his heart。 Jeff read them
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aloud； in spite of the poet's modest insistence that they were only a first
draft。
〃This is a story that two may tell； I am the one； the other's in hell； A
story of passionate amorous fire； With the glamor of love to attune the
lyre。
She traveled the road at breakneck speed； I opened the gates and
saddled the steed； 〃Ride free！〃 I cried as we dashed along。 Her sweet voice
echoed a mocking song。〃
〃'Fraid it doesn't always scan。 They seldom do；〃 apologized the author
of the verses。
Jeff rapped for order。 〃The sense of the meeting is that the blushing
poet will please not interrupt。〃
〃Nights of the wildest revel and mirth； Days of sorrow； remorse； and
dearth； A heaven of love and a hell of regret But there's always the
woman to pay my debt。
'Sin；' says the preacher； 'shall be washed free； The blood of the Lamb
was shed for thee。' Smugly I pass the sacred wine； The woman in hell pays
toll for mine。
'I am a pillar of Church and State； She but the broken sport of Fate；
This is a story that two may tell； I am the one； the other's in hell。'〃
There was a moment's silence after Jeff had finished。
〃What are you going to call your verses？〃 the nurse asked。
〃I'll call them； 'She Pays。' That's the idea of it。〃
James was distinctly uneasy。 There was positively something indecent
about this。 He had an aversion to thinking about unpleasant things。 Every
well…regulated mind ought to have。 He would like to make a protest； but
he could not very well do that here。 He promised himself to let Alice
Frome know as soon as they were alone what he thought about her
escapades into this world below the dead line。
He moved uncomfortably in his chair； and in doing so his gaze fell full
into the eyes of Sam Miller。 The fat librarian was staring at him out of a
very white face。 Before James could break the spell an unvoiced question
had been asked and answered。
Marchant was already riding the hobby that was religion to him。 〃Four
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dollars a week。 That's what she was getting。 And her employer is worth
two millions。 Think of it。 All her youth to be sold for four dollars a week。
Just enough to keep body and soul together。 And when she went to the
head of her department to ask for a raise he leered at her and said a good
looking girl like her could always find someone to take care of her。 Eight
months she stuck it out； getting more ragged every day。 Then enter the
man； offering her some comfort and pleasure and love。 Do you blame
her？〃
〃You must give me her address；〃 Alice said softly。
Oscar nodded。 〃Good enough； comrade。 Jeff has looked out for her；
but she needs a woman friend。〃 With a sweep of the hand he went back to
the impersonal。 〃Her trouble was economic； just as ours is。 Look at it。
We've got a perfect self…regulating system that adjusts itself automatically
to bring hard times when we're most prosperous。 Give us big crops and
boom times； and we head straight for a depression。 Why？〃 He interrupted
himself with a fit of coughing； but presently began again； talking also with
his swift supple hands。 〃Because then the foreign market will be glutted。
Surplus goods won't sell abroad。 The manufacturer； unable to dispose of
his produce； will cut down his force or close his plant。 Labor； out of work；
cannot buy。 So every branch of industry suffers because we're too well off。
It's a vicious absurd circle born of the system under which we live。 Under
socialism the remedy would be merely to work less for a time until the
surplus was used。 It would affect nobody injuriously。 The whole thing's as
simple as A B C。〃
It had been plain to the first casual glance of James that the little
Socialist was far gone。 The amazing thing was the eagerness with which
his spirit dominated the body in such ill case。 He was alive to the
fingertips； though he was already in the Valley of the Shadow。 To the
lawyer there was something eerie about it all。 Marchant was done with the
business of living。 Why didn't he lie down and accept the verdict？
But to Alice it was God…like； a thing to stand uncovered before。 His
remedies might be all wrong。 Probably they were。 None the less his vital
courage for life took her by the throat。
Jeff nodded at the invalid cheerfully。 〃We're going to change all that；
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Oscar。 Into this little old world a new soul is being born。 Or perhaps the
old soul is being born again。〃
The Socialist caught at this swiftly。 〃Yes； we're going to change this
terrible waste of human lives。 I see a new world； where men will live like
brothers and not like wolves rending each other。 There poverty will be
blotted out 。 。 。 and disease and all mean and cruel things that hamper and
destroy life。 Law and justice will walk hand in hand through a land of
peace and plenty。 Our cities； the expression of our social life； will be clean
and sunny and beautiful because the lives of the common people are so。
There strong men and deep…breasted women will work for the joy of
working； since all is for the common good。 Their children will be free and
happy and well fed 。 。 。 yes； and equal to each other。 From that highly
socialized state； because it is tied together by love； will come that
restrained freedom which is the most perfect individualism。〃
The nurse forced him gently back upon the pillows。 〃There！ You've
talked enough to…day。〃
He lay coughing； a hectic flush above the high cheek bones。 Presently；
at a look from the nurse； his guests departed。
Outside the building Miller left the rest abruptly。 Flanked by the two
cousins； Alice crossed Yarnell Way back to that world to which she had
always belonged。
James laid down the law to her concerning the folly of such excursions
into the unconventional。 Alice listened。 She discovered that his viewpoint
was exactly like that of Ned Merrill。 Any deviation from the conventional
was a mistake。 Any attempt to escape from existing conditions was a form
of treason。 Trade； property； business； respectability； good form； these were
the shibboleth they worshipped。 It was just because she did not want to
believe this of James Farnum that she had taken him with her to call on
Marchant。 It was in a sense a test； and he was answering it by showing
himself complacently callous and hidebound。
Surely he had not always been like this； a smug and well…clad Pharisee；
afraid to look at the truth。 In those early days； when they had been friends；
with the possibility of being a good deal more； there had been an
impetuous touch of ardor she could no longer find。 Her cool glance ran
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down his figure。 The man was taking on flesh； the plump well…fed look of
one who has escaped moral conduct by giving up the fight。 Fat cushioned
the square jaw and detracted from its strength。 For the first time she
observed a
hardening of the eye。 The visible deterioration of an inner collapse was
being writ on him。
Alice sighed。 After all she might have spared herself the trouble。 He
had chosen his path and he must follow it。
At the corner of Powers Avenue and Van Ault Street James left them。 It
was natural that the talk should revert to Marchant。
〃Oscar finds your visits a very great pleasure；〃 Jeff told her。
〃The dear madman！〃 Her eyes were shining softly。 〃Isn't he brave and
optimistic？〃
〃Yes。〃
Both of them were thinking how soon the arm of that unseen God of
love and law he worshipped would enfold him。
Alice smiled tenderly； and for the moment the street in front of her
danced in a mist。 〃And his perfect state！ Shall we ever realize it？〃
〃We must hope so。 Perhaps not in the form he sees it； but in the way
we work it out through a species of evolution。 Think of the progress we
have made in the last five years。 How many dark corners in the long
disused houses of our minds have been flooded with light！〃
〃Yes。 Why have we made more progress in the past few years？〃
Jeff's eyes held a gleam of humor。 〃This is a big country with
enormous resources。 There used to be room for all the most active
plunderers to grab something。 But lately the grabbing hasn't been so good。
We have discoveredthat the most powerful robbers are doing their
snatching from us。 So we've suffered a moral awakening。〃
〃You don't believe that；〃 she said quickly。
〃There's a good deal in the bread and butter interpretation of history。
The push of life； its pressure； drives us to think。 Out of thought grow new
hopes and a broader vision。〃
〃And then？〃
〃Pretty soon the thought will flood the world that we make our own
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poverty； that God and nature have nothing to do with it。 After that we'll
proceed to eliminate it。〃
〃By means of Mr。 Marchant's perfect state？〃
〃Not by any revolution of an hour probably。 Society cannot change its
nature in a day。 We'll pass gradually from our present state to a better one；
the new growing out of the old by generations of progress。 But I think we
will pass into a form of socialism。 It will be necessary to repress the
predatory instinct in us that has gr
