the vision spendid(美景)-第18部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
drearily。
〃I think I can arrange about having the mortgage renewed。 Will that
do？〃
〃Yes。 We're going to have a good year in the lumber business。
Probably in twelve months I could clear it off。〃
〃Good！ And about the little girlshe'll have her chance。 I promise you
that。〃
The mill man wrung his hand； tears in his eyes。 〃You're a white man；
Jeff； and a dashed good friend。 I tell you I'd hate like poison to go back on
Hardy。 A fellow can't afford to do a thing like that。 But what else could I
do？ A fellow's got to stand by the children he brings into the world； ain't
he？〃
Farnum evaded with a smile this discussion of moral issues。 〃Well；
you can stand by them and us； too； if I can fix up this mortgage
proposition for you。〃
〃When will you let me know？〃 asked Killen anxiously。
〃Will to…morrow morning do？ In James' office； say。〃
〃I'll have to know before noon；〃 Killen reminded him； flushing with
75
… Page 76…
THE VISION SPLENDID
embarrassment。
〃If I can arrange to get the moneyand I think I canI'll let you know
at eleven。 Don't worry； Sam。 It will be all right。〃
The legislator shook hands again。 〃I ain't going to forget what you're
doing for me。 No； sir！〃
Jeff laughed his thanks easily。 〃That's all right。 I reckon you would
have done as much for me。 Sam Killen isn't the man to throw his friends
down。〃
〃That's right；〃 returned the other with a sudden valiant infusion of
courage。 〃I stand pat。 I'm not going to lie down before the
Transcontinental。 Not on your life； I ain't。〃
They were walking toward the outer door as Killen's speech
overflowed。 〃The Transcontinental doesn't own this state yet。 No； sir！ Nor
Frome and Merrill either。 We'll show 'em〃
The valor of the big voice collapsed like a rent balloon。 For the office
door had opened to let in Big Tim O'Brien。 His shrewd eyes passed with
whimsical disgust over Killen and rested on Farnum。
The situation made for amusement； since Jeff knew that Big Tim had
heard over the transom enough to show that Killen's vote had been
recaptured for Hardy。
〃You've stumbled on a red hot Hardy ratification meeting。 Did you
come to get into the bandwagon while there is time； Tim？〃 Jeff asked with
twinkling eyes。
〃No sinking ship for mine。 I guess I wouldn't ratify yet a while if I
were youse； Farnum。〃
He stood aside to let the editor of the _World_ pass。 Jeff laughed。 〃Go
to it； Tim。〃
〃I haven't got anything to say to you； Mr。 O'Brien；〃 the mill man
announced with heightened color。
〃Maybe I've got something to say to youse； Mr。 Killen。〃
Jeff passed out smiling。 〃Well； I'll not interrupt you。 See you to…
morrow； Sam。〃
Big Tim sat down heavily in a chair and pulled from his vest pocket a
fat black cigar。
76
… Page 77…
THE VISION SPLENDID
〃Smoke； Killen？〃
〃No； thanks。〃 The legislator spoke with stiff dignity。
Big Tim looked at the other man and his paunch shook with the
merriment that appeared to convulse him。
〃What's the matter？〃 snapped the mill man。
〃I'm laughin' at the things I see； Killen。 Man； but you're an easy mar…
rk。〃
〃How？〃
〃Can't you see they're stringin' youse for a sucker？〃
〃No； I can't see it。 I've made up my mind。 I'm going to stand by
Hardy。〃
〃Fine！ Now I'll tell youse one thing。 We're goin' to elect Frome to…
morrow。〃 O'Brien rose as one who has no time for unprofitable talk。 〃Your
friends have sold youse out。 I'm going to call on one of thim right now。〃
〃I don't believe it。〃
〃Of course you don't。〃 Tim's projecting balcony shook with the humor
of it。 〃But you'll be convinced when they take your mill from youse； me
boy。 It's a frame…upand you're the goat。〃
With which shot he took his departure； too shrewd to attempt any
argument。 He had left behind him a doubt。 That was all he could do just
now。
Before Tim was out of the building Killen was gumshoeing after him。
He meant to find out whether O'Brien had been lying when he said he was
going to call on one of his friends。 Fifty yards behind him Killen followed；
along Powers Avenue； down Pacific Street； to the Equitable Building。
From the pilot of one of the elevators he learned that the big boss had got
off at the seventh floor and gone straight into James Farnum's office。
His mind was instantly alive with suspicions tumbling over each other
in chaotic incoherency。 There was a deal of some kind on foot。 Jeff's
cousin was in it。 Then Jeff must be playing him for a sucker。 His teeth set
with a snap。
Meanwhile Big Tim was having a heart to heart talk with James K。
Farnum。
The young lawyer had risen in surprise at the entrance of O'Brien。 The
77
… Page 78…
THE VISION SPLENDID
big fellow； laughing easily； had helped himself to a chair。
〃Make yourself at home； Tim；〃 he said jauntily。
〃Anything I can do for you； Mr。 O'Brien？〃 James asked with stiff
dignity。
〃Sure。 Or I wouldn't be here。 Sit down。 I'll not bite ye。〃
The lawyer continued to stand。
〃I've come to tell you that I'm a dammed fool； Mr。 Farnum；〃 the boss
grinned。
James bowed slightly。 He did not know what was coming； but he had
no intention of committing himself to anything as yet。
〃In ever lettin' youse get away from me。 I mistook yez for a kid
glove。〃
Big Tim gazed with palpable admiration at the cleancut figure； at the
square cleft chin in the strong handsome face。 It was his opinion this
young man would go far； and that every step of the way would be in the
interests of James K。 Farnum。 Shrewdly he guessed that the way to pierce
that impassive front was through an appeal to vanity and to selfinterest。
James waited； alert and expressionless； but O'Brien； having made his
apology； puffed in silence。
〃I think you suggested some business that brought you；〃 James
reminded him。
〃You've got in you the makings of a big man。 Nothing on the coast to
touch youse； Mr。 Farnum。 And I didn't see it。 I was sore on your name。
That was what was bitin' me。 It's sure on Big Tim this time。〃
None of the triumph that flooded Farnum reached the surface。
〃I think I don't quite understand；〃 he said quietly。
〃I'm eatin' humble pie because youse slipped wan over on me。 You're
the best campaign speaker in the state； bar none； boy as you are。〃
James could not keep his gratified smile down。 〃This heart…felt
testimonial comes free； I take it；〃 he pretended to mock。
〃Come off with youse；〃 O'Brien flung back good humoredly。 〃I'm not
here to hand you booquets； but to talk business。 Here's the nub of it； me
boy。 You need me； and I need you。〃
〃I don't quite see how I need you； Mr。 O'Brien。〃
78
… Page 79…
THE VISION SPLENDID
〃That's because you're young yet and don't know the game。 Let me tell
you this。〃 The boss leaned forward； his hard eyes focused on Farnum。
〃You'll never get anywhere so long as youse trail with that reform bunch。
It's all hot air and tomfool theory。 Populism and socialism！ Take my wor…
rd for it； there's nothin' to 'em。〃
〃I'm neither a populist nor a socialist； Mr。 O'Brien。〃
〃Coorse you're not。 I can see that with wan eye shut。 That's why I hate
to see youse ruin yourself with them that are。 I've no need to tell you that
this country's run by business men and not cranks。 Me； I'm a business man；
and I run the city。 P。 C。 Frome's a business man； so's Merrill。 That's why
they're on top。 Old Joe Powers is a business man from first to last。 You'll
never get anywhere； me boy； until youse look at things from a business
point of view。〃
If James was impressed he gave no sign of it。 〃Which means you want
me to support P。 C。 for the Senate。 Is that it？〃
〃I don't care whether you do or don't。 We've got this fight won。 But
this is only the beginning。 I can see that。 Agitators and trouble breeders are
busy iverywhere。 Line up right and you've got a big future before you。 Joe
Powers himself has noticed your speeches。 P。 C。 told me that last night。〃
For a moment the lawyer felt an exultant paeon of victory beat in his
blood。 His imagination saw the primrose path of the future stretch before
him in a golden glow。 The surge of triumph passed and he was himself
again； cool and wary。 His eyes met Big Tim's full and straight。 〃I was
elected to support Hardy。 I expect to stay with him。〃
The political boss waved aside this declaration。 〃Sure。 Of course
you've got to VOTE for him。 I've got too much horse sense to try to buy
YOU。 But after this election？ Your whole future's not tied up with fool
reformers； is it？ Sa
