the vision spendid(美景)-第7章
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Ever notice how blondes and brunettes chum together。 Value of contrasts；
you see。 I'm a moral brunette。 You're a shining example of all a man
should be。 I simply emphasize your greatness。〃
〃That's not the way it works；〃 his cousin grumbled。
〃That's just how it works。 Best thing that could happen to you would
be for me to get expelled。 Shall I？〃
Jeff offered his suggestion debonairly。
〃Of course not。〃
〃It would give you just the touch of halo you need to finish the picture。
Think of it： your noble head bowed in grief because of the unworthy
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relative you had labored so hard to save； the sympathy of the faculty； the
respect of the fellows； the shy adoration of the co…eds。 Great Brutus bowed
by the sorrow of a strong man's unrepining emotion。 By Jove； I ought to
give you the chance。 You'd look the part to admiration。〃
For a moment James saw himself in the role and coveted it。 Jeff read
his thought； and his laughter brought his cousin back to earth。 He had the
irritated sense of having been caught。
〃It's not an occasion for talking nonsense；〃 he said coldly。
Jeff sensed his disgrace in the stiff politeness of the professors and in
the embarrassed aloofness of his classmates。 Some of the men frankly
gave him a wide berth as if he had been a moral pervert。
His temperament was sensitive to slights and he fell into one of his
rare depressions。 One afternoon he took the car for the city。 He wanted to
get away from himself and from his environment。
A chill mist was in the air。 Drawn by the bright lights； Jeff entered a
saloon and sat down in an alcove with his arms on the table。 Why did they
hammer him so because he told the truth as he saw it？ Why must he toady
to the ideas of Bland as everybody else at the University seemed to do？ He
was not respectable enough for them。 That was the trouble。 They were
pushing him back into the gutter whence he had emerged。 Wild
fragmentary thoughts chased themselves across the record of his brain。
Almost before he knew it he had ordered and drunk a highball。
Immediately his horizon lightened。 With the second glass his depression
vanished。 He felt equal to anything。
It was past nine o'clock when he took the University car。 As chance
had it Professor Perkins and he were the only passengers。 The teacher of
Economics bowed to the flushed youth and buried himself in a book。 It
was not till they both rose to leave at the University station that he noticed
the condition of Farnum。 Even then he stood in momentary doubt。
With a maudlin laugh Jeff quieted any possible explanation of sickness。
〃Been havin' little spree down town； Profeshor。 Good deal like one
ev'body been havin' out here。 Yours shpiritual； mine shpirituous。 Joke； see！
Play on wor'd。 Shpiritualshpirituous。〃
〃You're intoxicated； sir；〃 Perkin；s told him sternly。
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〃Betcherlife I am； old cock！ Ever get shpshpshpiflicated yourself？〃
〃Go home and go to bed； sir！〃
〃Whaffor？ 'S early yet。 'S reasonable man I ask whaffor？〃
The professor turned away； but Jeff caught at his sleeve。
〃Lesh not go to bed。 Lesh talk economicsh。〃
〃Release me at once； sir。〃
〃Jush's you shay。 Shancellor wants see me。 I'll go now。〃
He did。 What occurred at that interview had better be omitted。 Jeff was
very cordial and friendly； ready to make up any differences there might be
between them。 An ice statue would have been warm compared to the
Chancellor。
Next day Jeff was publicly expelled。 At the time it did not trouble him
in the least。 He had brought a bottle home with him from town； and when
the notice was posted he lay among the bushes in a sodden sleep half a
mile from the campus。
PART 2
From a great distance there seemed to come to Jeff vaguely the sound
of young rippling laughter and eager girlish voices。 Drawn from heavy
sleep； he was not yet fully awake。 This merriment might be the music of
fairy bells； such stuff as dreams are made of。 He lay incurious； drowsiness
still heavy on his eyelids。
〃Oh； Virgie； here's another bunch！ Oh； girls； fields of them！〃
There was a little rush to the place； and with it a rustle of skirts that
sounded authentic。 Jeff began to believe that his nymphs were not born of
fancy。 He opened his eyes languidly to examine a strange world upon
which he had not yet focused his mind。
Out of the ferns a dryad was coming toward him； lance straight；
slender； buoyantly youthful in the light tread and in the poise of the golden
head。
At sight of him she paused； held in her tracks； eyes grown big with
solicitude。
〃You are ill。〃
Before he could answer she had dropped the anemones she carried；
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was on her knees beside him； and had his head cushioned against her arm。
〃Tell me！ What can I do for you？ What is the matter？〃
Jeff groaned。 His head was aching as if it would blow up； but that was
not the cause of the wave of pain which had swept over him。 A realization
had come to him of what was the matter with him。 His eyes fell from hers。
He made as if to get up； but her hand restrained him with a gentle
firmness。
〃Don't！ You mustn't。〃 Then aloud； she cried： 〃Girlsgirls there's a
sick man here。 Run and get help。 Quick。〃
〃Nono！ II'm not sick。〃
A flood of shame and embarrassment drenched him。 He could not
escape her tender hands without actual force and his poignant shyness
made that impossible。 She was like a fairy tale； a creature of dreams。 He
dared not meet her frank pitiful eyes； though he was intensely aware of
them。 The odor of violets brings to him even to this day a vision of girlish
charm and daintiness； together with a memory of the abased reverence that
filled him。
They came running； her companions； eager with question and
suggestion。 And hard upon their heels a teamster from the road broke
through the thicket； summoned by their calls for help。 He stooped to pick
up something that his foot had struck。 It was a bottle。 He looked at it and
then at Jeff。
〃Nothing the matter with him； Miss； but just plain drunk；〃 the man
said with a grin。 〃He's been sleeping it off。〃
Jeff felt the quiver run through her。 She rose； trembling； and with one
frightened sidelong look at him walked quickly away。 He had seen a
wound in her eyes he would not soon forget。 It was as if he had struck her
down while she was holding out hands to help him。
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CHAPTER 5
Lies need only age to make them respectable。 Given that； they become
traditions and are put upon a pedestal。 Then the gentlest word for him who
attacks them is traitor。 From the Note Book of a Dreamer。
THE REBEL FOLLOWS THE RAMIFICATIONS OF BIG
BUSINESS AND FINDS THAT THE PILLARS OF SOCIETY ARE NOT
IN POLITICS FOR THEIR HEALTH
PART 1
〃Hmp！ Want to be a reporter； do you？〃
Warren； city editor on the Advocate； leaned back in his chair and
looked Jeff over sharply。
〃Yes。〃
〃It's a hell of a life。 Better keep out。〃
〃I'd like to try it。〃
〃Any experience？〃
〃Only correspondence。 I've had two years at college。〃
The city editor snorted。 He had the unreasoning contempt for college
men so often found in the old…time newspaper hack。
〃Then you don't want to be a reporter。 You want to be a journalist；〃 he
jeered。
〃They kicked me out；〃 Jeff went on quietly。
〃Sounds better。 Why？〃
Jeff hesitated。 〃I got drunk。〃
〃Can't use you；〃 Warren cut in hastily。
〃I've quitsworn off。〃
The city editor was back on the job； his eyes devouring copy。 〃Heard
that before。 Nothing to it；〃 he grunted。
〃Give me a trial。 I'll show you。〃
〃Don't want a man that drinks。 Office crowded with 'em already。〃
Jeff held his ground。 For five minutes the attention of Warren was
focused on his work。
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Suddenly he snapped out； 〃Well？〃
He met Farnum's ingratiating smile。 〃You haven't told me yet what to
start doing。〃
〃I told you I didn't want you。〃
〃But you do。 I'm on the wagon。〃
〃For how long？〃 jeered the city editor。
〃For good。〃
Warren sized him up again。 He saw a cleareyed young fellow without
a superfluous ounce of flesh on him； not rugged but with a look of strength
in the slender figure and the thin face。 This young man somehow inspired
confidence。
〃Sent in that Colby story to us； didn't you？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Rotten story。 Not half played up。 Report to Jenkins at the City Hall。〃
〃Now？〃
〃Now。 Think I meant next year？〃
The city editor was already lost in the reading of more copy。
Inside of half an hour Jeff was at work on his first assignment。 Some
derelict had committed suicide under the very shadow of the City Hall。
Upon the body was a note scrawled on the bask of a dirty envelope。
Sick and out of work。 Notify Henry Simmons； 237 River Street； San
Francisco。
Jenkins； his hands in his pockets； looked at the body indifferently and
turned the story over to the cub with a nod of his head。
〃Go to it。 Half a stick；〃 he said。
From another reporter Jeff learned how much half a stick is。 He wrote
the account。 When he had read it Jenkins glanced sharply at him。 Though
only the barest facts were told there was a sob in the story。
〃That ain't just how we h
