the vision spendid(美景)-第4部分
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〃I haven't the money to make a splurge even if I wanted to。〃
〃Borrow。〃
〃Who from？〃 asked Jeff ungrammatically。
〃You can rustle it somewhere。 I'm borrowing right now。〃
〃It's different with you。 I'm used to doing without things。 Don't worry
about me。 I'll get along。〃
James came with a touch of embarrassment to the real object of his
visit。 〃I say； Jeff。 I've had a tough time to win out。 You won't you'll not
say anythinglet anything slip； you knowsomething that might set the
fellows guessing。〃
His cousin was puzzled。 〃About what？〃
〃About the reason why Mother and I left Shelby and came out to the
coast。〃
〃What do you take me for？〃
〃I knew you wouldn't。 Thought I'd mention it for fear you might make
a slip。〃
〃I don't chatter about the private affairs of my people。〃
〃Course not。 I knew you didn't。〃 The junior's hand rested caressingly
on the shoulder of the other。 〃Don't get sore； Jeff。 I didn't doubt you。 But
that thing haunts me。 Some day it will come out and ruin me when I'm
near the top of the ladder。〃
The freshman shook his head。 〃Don't worry about it； James。 Just tell
the plain truth if it comes out。 A thing like that can't hurt you permanently。
Nothing can really injure you that does not come from your own
weakness。〃
〃That's all poppycock；〃 James interrupted fretfully。 〃Just that sort of
thing has put many a man on the skids。 I tell you a young fellow needs to
start unhampered。 If the fellows got onto it that my father had been in the
pen because he was a defaulting bank cashier they would drop me like a
hot potato。〃
〃None but the snobs would。 Your friends would stick the closer。〃
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〃Oh' friends！〃 The young man's voice had a note of angry derision。
Jeff's affectionate grin comforted him。 〃Don't let it get on your nerves；
J。 K。 Things never are as bad as we expect at their worst。〃
The junior set his teeth savagely。 〃I tell you； sometimes I hate him for
it。 That's a fine heritage for a father to give his son； isn't it？ Nothing but
trouble and disgrace。〃
His cousin spoke softly。 〃He's paid a hundred times for it； old man。〃
〃He ought to pay。 Why shouldn't he？ I've got to pay。 Mother had to as
long as she lived。〃 His voice was hard and bitter。
〃Better not judge him。 You're his only son； you know。〃
〃I'm the one he's injured most。 Why shouldn't I judge him？ I've been a
pauper all these years； living off money given us by my mother's people。 I
had to leave our home because of what he did。 I'd like to know why I
shouldn't judge him。〃
Jeff was silent。
Presently James rose。 〃But there's no use talking about it。 I've got to be
going。 We have an eat to…night at Tucker's。〃
PART 2
Jeff came to his new life on the full tide of an enthusiasm that did not
begin to ebb till near the close of his first semester。 He lived in a new
world； one removed a million miles from the sordid one through which he
had fought his way so many years。 All the idealism of his nature went out
in awe and veneration for his college。 It stood for something he could not
phrase； something spiritually fine and intellectually strong。 When he
thought of the noble motto of the university； 〃To Serve；〃 it was always
with a lifted emotion that was half a prayer。 His professors went clothed in
majesty。 The chancellor was of godlike dimensions。 Even the seniors
carried with them an impalpable aura of learning。
The illusion was helped by reason of the very contrast between the
jostling competition of the street and the academic air of harmony in
which he now found himself。 For the first time was lifted the sense of
struggle that had always been with him。
The outstanding notes of his boyhood had been poverty and
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meagerness。 It was as if he and his neighbors had been flung into a lake
where they must keep swimming to escape drowning。 There had been no
rest from labor。 Sometimes the tragedy of disaster had swept over a family。
But on the campus of the university he found the sheltered life。 The echo
of that battling world came to him only faintly。
He began to make tentative friendships； but in spite of the advice of
his cousin they were with the men who did not count。 Samuel Miller was
an example。 He was a big； stodgy fellow with a slow mind which arrived
at its convictions deliberately。 But when he had made sure of them he
hung to his beliefs like a bulldog to a bone。
It was this quality that one day brought them together in the classroom。
An instructor tried to drive Miller into admitting he was wrong in an
opinion。 The boy refused to budge； and the teacher became nettled。
〃Mr。 Miller will know more when he doesn't know so much；〃 the
instructor snapped out。
Jeff's instinct for fair play was roused at once； all the more because of
the ripple of laughter that came from the class。 He spoke up quietly。
〃I can't see yet but that Mr。 Miller is right； sir。〃
〃The discussion is closed；〃 was the tart retort。
After class the dissenters walked across to chapel together。
〃Poke the animal up with a stick and hear him growl；〃 Jeff laughed
airily。
〃Page always thinks a fellow ought to take his say…so as gospel；〃
Miller commented。
Most of the students saw in Jeff Farnum only a tallish young man； thin
as a rail； not particularly well dressed； negligent as to collar and tie。 But
Miller observed in the tanned face a tender； humorous mouth and eager；
friendly eyes that looked out upon the world with a suggestion of inner
mirth。 In course of time he found out that his friend was an unconquerable
idealist。
Jeff made discoveries。 One of them was a quality of brutal indifference
in some of his classmates to those less fortunate。 These classy young
gentlemen could ignore him as easily as a hurrying business man can a
newsboy trying to sell him a paper。 If he was forced upon their notice they
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were perfectly courteous； otherwise he was not on the map for them。
Another point that did not escape his attention was the way in which
the institution catered to Merrill and Frome； because they were large
donors to the university。 He had once heard Peter C。 Frome say in a speech
to the students that he contributed to the support of Verden University
because it was a 〃safe and conservative citadel which never had yielded to
demagogic assaults。〃 At the time he had wondered just what the president
of the Verden Union Water Company had meant。 He was slowly puzzling
his way to an answer。
Chancellor Bland referred often to the 〃largehearted Christian
gentlemen who gave of their substance to promote the moral and
educational life of the state。〃 But Jeff knew that many believed Frome and
Merrill to be no better than robbers on a large scale。 He knew the methods
by which they had gained their franchises and that they ruled the politics
of the city by graft and corruption。 Yet the chancellor was always ready to
speak or write against municipal ownership。 It was common talk on the
streets that Professor Perkins； of the chair of political science； had had his
expenses paid to England by Merrill to study the street railway system of
Great Britain； and that Perkins had duly written several bread…and…butter
articles to show that public ownership was unsuccessful there。
The college was a denominational one and the atmosphere wholly
orthodox。 Doubt and skepticism were spoken of only with horror。 At first
it was of himself that Jeff was critical。 The spirit of the place was opposed
to all his convictions； but he felt that perhaps his reaction upon life had
been affected too much by his experiences。
He asked questions； and was suppressed with severity or kindly
paternal advice。 It came to him one night while he was walking
bareheaded under the stars that there was in the place no intellectual
stimulus； though there was an elaborate presence of it。 The classrooms
were arid。 Everywhere fences were up beyond which the mind was not
expected to travel。 A thing was right； because it had come to be accepted。
That was the gospel of his fellows； of his teachers。 Later he learned that it
is also the creed of the world。
What Jeff could not understand was a mind which refused to accept
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the inevitable conclusions to which its own processes pushed it。 Verden
University lacked the courage which comes from intellectual
