the vision spendid(美景)-第5章
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the devil。〃
〃You're all wrong about him； Sam。 He isn't selfish at all at bottom。〃
〃Shoot the brains out of that oration and what's left would be the part
he supplied。 The fellow's got a gift of absorbing new ideas superficially
and dressing them up smartly。〃
〃Then he's got us beat there；〃 Jeff laughed goodnaturedly。 He had not
in his make…up a grain of envy。 Even his laughter was generally genial；
though often irreverent to the God…of…things… as…they…are。
〃When he won the interstate he lapped up flattery like a thirsty pup；
but his bluff was that it was only for the college he cared to win。〃
〃Most of us have mixed motives。〃
〃Not J。 K。 Reminds me of old Johnson's 'Patriotism is the last refuge of
a scoundrel。'〃
Jeff straightened。 〃That won't do； Sam。 I believe in J。 K。 You've got
nothing against him except that you don't like him。〃
〃Forgot you were his cousin； Jeff；〃 Miller grumbled。 〃But it's a fact
that he works everybody to shove him along。〃
〃He's only a kid。 Give him time。 He'll be a big help to any
community。〃
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〃James K。's biggest achievement will always be James K。〃
Jeff chuckled at the apothegm even while he protested。 Sam capped it
with another。
〃He's always sitting to himself for his own portrait。〃
〃He'll get over that when he brushes up against the world。〃 Jeff added
his own criticism thoughtfully。 〃The weak spot in him is a sort of flatness
of mind。 This makes him afraid of new ideas。 He wants to be respectable；
and respectability is the most damning thing on earth。〃
After Miller had left Jeff buckled down to Ely's 〃Political Economy。〃
He had not been at it long when James surprised him by dropping in。 His
host offered the easiest chair and shoved tobacco toward him。
〃Been pretty busy with the team； I suppose？〃 Jeff suggested。
〃It's taken a lot of my time； but I think I've put the athletic association
on a paying basis at last。〃
〃I see by your report in the 'Verdenian' that you made good。〃
〃A fellow ought to do well whatever he undertakes to do。〃
Jeff grinned across at him from where he lay on the bed with his
fingers laced beneath his head。 〃That's what the copybooks used to say。〃
〃I want to have a serious talk with you； Jeff。〃
〃Aren't you having it？ What can be more important than the successes
of James K。 Farnum？〃
The senior looked at him suspiciously。 He was not strongly fortified
with a sense of humor。 〃Just now I want to talk about the failures of
Jefferson D。 Farnum；〃 he answered gravely。
Jeff's eyes twinkled。 〃Is it worth while？ I am unworthy of this boon； O
great Cesar。〃
〃Now that's the sort of thing that stands in your way；〃 James told him
impatiently。 〃People never know when you're laughing at them。 There is
no reason why you shouldn't succeed。 Your abilities are up to the average；
but you fritter them away。〃
〃Thank you。〃 Jeff wore an air of being immensely pleased。
〃The truth is that you're your own worst enemy。 Now that you have
taken to dressing better you are not bad looking。 I find a good many of the
fellows like youor they would if you'd let them。〃
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〃Because I'm so well connected；〃 Jeff laughed。
〃I suppose it does help； your being my cousin。 But the thing depends
on you。 Unless you make a decided change you'll never get on。〃
〃What change do you suggest？ Item one； please？〃
James looked straight at him。 〃You lack bedrock principles； Jeff。〃
〃Do I？〃
〃Take your habits。 Two or three times you've been seen coming out of
saloons。〃
〃Expect I went in to get a drink。〃
〃It's not generally known； of course； but if it reached Prexy he'd fire
you so quick your head would swim。〃
〃I dare say。〃
The senior looked at him significantly。 〃You're the last man that ought
to go to such places。 There's such a thing as an inherited tendency。〃
The jaw muscles stood out like ropes under the flesh of Jeff's lean face。
〃We'll not discuss that。〃
〃Very well。 Cut it out。 A drinking man is handicapped too heavily to
win。〃
〃Much obliged。 Second count in the indictment； please。〃
〃You've got strange； unsettling notions。 The profs don't like them。〃
〃Don't they？〃
〃You know what I mean。 We didn't make this world。 We've got to take
it as it is。 You can't make it over。 There are always going to be rich people
and poor ones。 Just because you've fed indigestibly on Ibsen and Shaw
you can't change facts。〃
〃So you advise？〃
〃Soft pedal your ideas if you must have them。〃
〃Hasn't a man got to see things as straight as he can？〃
〃That's no reason for calling in the neighbors to rejoice with him
because he has astigmatism。〃
Jeff came back with a tag of Emerson； whose phrases James was fond
of quoting in his speeches。 〃Whoso would be a man must be a non…
conformist。 Nothing is at last sacred but the integrity of your own mind。〃
〃You can push that too far。 It isn't practical。 We've got to make
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compromises； especially with established things。〃
Jeff sat up on the bed。 Points of light were dancing in his big eyes。
〃That's what the Pharisees said to Jesus when he wouldn't stand for lies
because they were deep rooted and for injustice because it had become
respectable。〃
〃Oh； if you're going to compare yourself to Christ〃
〃Verden University is supposed to stand for Christianity； isn't it？ It was
because Jesus whanged away at social and industrial freedom； at fraternity；
at love on earth； that he had to endure the Cross。 He got under the upper
class skin when he attacked the traditional lies of vested interests。 Now
why doesn't Bland preach the things that Jesus taught？〃
〃He does。〃
〃Yes； he does；〃 Jeff scoffed。 〃He preaches good form； respectability； a
narrow personal righteousness； a salvation canned and petrified three
hundred years ago。〃
〃Do you want him to preach socialism？〃
〃I want him to preach the square deal in our social life； intellectual
honesty； and a vital spiritual life。 Think of what this college might mean；
how it might stand for democracy It ought to pour out into the state
hundreds of specialists on the problems of the country。 Instead； it is only a
reflection of the caste system that is growing up in America。〃
James shrugged his broad shoulders。 〃I've been through all that。 It's a
phase we pass。 You'll get over it。 You've got to if you are going to
succeed。〃
A quizzical grin wrinkled Jeff's lean face。 〃What is success？〃
〃It's setting a high goal and reaching it。 It's taking the world by the
throat and shaking from it whatever you want。〃 James leaned across the
table； his eyes shining。 〃It's the journey's end for the strong； that's what it
is。 I don't care whether a man is gathering gilt or fame； he's got to pound
away with his eye right on it。 And he's got to trample down the things that
get in his way。〃
Jeff's eye fell upon a book on the table。 〃Ever hear of a chap called
Goldsmith？〃
〃Of course。 He wrote 'The School for Scandal。' What's he got to do
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with it？〃
Jeff smiled； without correcting his cousin。 〃I've been reading about
him。 Seems to have been a poor hack writer 'who threw away his life in
handfuls。' He wrote the finest poem； the best novel； the most charming
comedy of his day。 He knew how to give； but he didn't know how to take。
So he died alone in a garret。 He was a failure。〃
〃Probably his own fault。〃
〃And on the day of his funeral the stairway was crowded with poor
people he had helped。 All of them were in tears。〃
〃What good did that do him？ He was inefficient。 He might have saved
his money and helped them then。〃
〃Perhaps。 I don't know。 It might have been too late then。 He chose to
give his life as he was living it。〃
〃Another reason for his poverty； wasn't there？〃
Jeff flushed。 〃He drank。〃
〃Thought so。〃 James rose triumphantly and put on his overcoat。 〃Well；
think over what I've said。〃
〃I will。 And tell the chancellor I'm much obliged to him for sending
you。〃
For once the Senior was taken aback。 〃Eh； whatwhat？〃
〃You may tell him it won't be your fault that I'll never be a credit to
Verden University。〃
As he walked across the campus to his fraternity house James did not
feel that his call had been wholly successful。 With him he carried a picture
of his cousin's thin satiric face in which big expressive eyes mocked his
arguments。 But he let none of this sense of futility get into the report given
next day to the Chancellor。
〃Jeff's rather light…minded； I'm afraid； sir。 He wanted to branch off to
side lines。 But I insisted on a serious talk。 Before I left him he promised to
think over what I had said。〃
〃Let us hope he may。〃
〃He said it wouldn't be my fault if he wasn't a credit to the University。〃
〃We can all agree with him there； Farnum。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 I'm not very hopeful about him。 He has other things to
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contend with。〃
〃I'm not sure I quite know what you mean。〃
〃I can't explain more fully without violating a confidence。〃
〃Well； we'll hope for the best； and remember him in our prayers。〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 James agreed。
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CHAPTER 4
〃I met a hundred men on the road to Delhi； and they were all my
brothers。〃Old Pr
