the conflict-第15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！


　behind　a　character。　　In　each　of　the　two　main　curves　of　Dorn's　headthat　from　the　top　of　the　brow　downward　over　the　nose；　the　lips；　the　chin　and　under；　and　that　from　the　back　of　the　head　round　under　the　ear　and　forward　along　the　lower　jawin　each　of　these　curves　Dorn　excelled。

She　was　about　to　draw　back　and　make　a　formal　entry；　when　he　said；　without　looking　toward　her：

‘‘Welldon't　you　think　it　would　be　safe　to　draw　near？''

The　tone　was　so　easy　and　natural　and　so　sympathetic　the　tone　of　Selma　Gordonthe　tone　of　all　natural　persons　not　disturbed　about　themselves　or　about　others　that　Jane　felt　no　embarrassment　whatever。　　‘‘I've　heard　you　were　very　clever；''　said　she；　advancing。　　‘‘So；　I　wanted　to　have　the　advantage　of　knowing　you　a　little　better　at　the　outset　than　you　would　know　me。''

‘‘But　Selma　Gordon　has　told　me　all　about　you；''　said　hehe　had　risen　as　she　advanced　and　was　shaking　hands　with　her　as　if　they　were　old　friends。　　‘‘Besides；　I　saw　you　the　other　dayin　spite　of　your　effort　to　prevent　yourself　from　being　seen。''

‘‘What　do　you　mean？''　she　asked；　completely　mystified。

‘‘I　mean　your　clothes；''　explained　he。　　‘‘They　were　unusual　for　this　part　of　the　world。　　And　when　anyone　wears　unusual　clothes；　they　act　as　a　disguise。　　Everyone　neglects　the　person　to　center　on　the　clothes。''

‘‘I　wore　them　to　be　comfortable；''　protested　Jane；　wondering　why　she　was　not　angry　at　this　young　man　whose　manner　ought　to　be　regarded　as　presuming　and　whose　speech　ought　to　be　rebuked　as　impertinent。

‘‘Altogether？''　said　Dorn；　his　intensely　blue　eyes　dancing。

In　spite　of　herself　she　smiled。　　‘‘Nonot　altogether；''　she　admitted。

‘‘Well；　it　may　please　you　to　learn　that　you　scored　tremendously　as　far　as　one　person　is　concerned。　　My　small　nephew　talks　of　you　all　the　timethe　‘lady　in　the　lovely　pants。'　''

Jane　colored　deeply　and　angrily。　　She　bent　upon　Victor　a　glance　that　ought　to　have　put　him　in　his　place　well　down　in　his　place。

But　he　continued　to　look　at　her　with　unchanged；　laughing；　friendly　blue　eyes；　and　went　on：　　‘‘By　the　way；　his　mother　asked　me　to　apologize　for　HIS　extraordinary　appearance。　　I　suppose　neither　of　you　would　recognize　the　other　in　any　dress　but　the　one　each　had　on　that　day。　　He　doesn't　always　dress　that　way。　　His　mother　has　been　ill。　　He　wore　out　his　play…clothes。　　If　you've　had　experience　of　children　you'll　know　how　suddenly　they　demolish　clothes。　　She　wasn't　well　enough　to　do　any　tailoring；　so　there　was　nothing　to　do　but　send　Leonard　forth　in　his　big　brother's　unchanged　cast…offs。''

Jane's　anger　had　quite　passed　away　before　Dorn　finished　this　simple；　ingenuous　recital　of　poverty　unashamed；　this　somehow　fine　laying　open　of　the　inmost　family　secrets。　　‘‘What　a　splendid　person　your　sister　must　be！''　exclaimed　she。

She　more　than　liked　the　look　that　now　came　into　his　face。　　He　said：　　‘‘Indeed　she　is！more　so　than　anyone　except　us　of　the　family　can　realize。　　Mother's　getting　old　and　almost　helpless。　　My　brother…in…law　was　paralyzed　by　an　accident　at　the　rolling　mill　where　he　worked。　　My　sister　takes　care　of　both　of　themand　her　two　boysand　of　mekeeps　the　house　in　band…box　order；　manages　a　big　garden　that　gives　us　most　of　what　we　eatand　has　time　to　listen　to　the　woes　of　all　the　neighbors　and　to　give　them　the　best　advice　I　ever　heard。''

‘‘How　CAN　she？''　cried　Jane。　　‘‘Why；　the　day　isn't　long　enough。''

Dorn　laughed。　　‘‘You'll　never　realize　how　much　time　there　is　in　a　day；　Miss　Jane　Hastings；　until　you　try　to　make　use　of　it　all。　　It's　very　interestinghow　much　there　is　in　a　minute　and　in　a　dollar　if　you're　intelligent　about　them。''

Jane　looked　at　him　in　undisguised　wonder　and　admiration。　　‘‘You　don't　know　what　a　pleasure　it　is；''　she　said；　‘‘to　meet　anyone　whose　sentences　you　couldn't　finish　for　him　before　he's　a　quarter　the　way　through　them。''

Victor　threw　back　his　head　and　laugheda　boyish　outburst　that　would　have　seemed　boorish　in　another；　but　came　as　naturally　from　him　as　song　from　a　bird。　　‘‘You　mean　Davy　Hull；''　said　he。

Jane　felt　herself　coloring　even　more。　　‘‘I　didn't　mean　him　especially；''　replied　she。　　‘‘But　he's　a　good　example。''

‘‘The　best　I　know；''　declared　Victor。　　‘‘You　see；　the　trouble　with　Davy　is　that　he　is　one　kind　of　a　person；　wants　to　be　another　kind；　thinks　he　ought　to　be　a　third　kind；　and　believes　he　fools　people　into　thinking　he　is　still　a　fourth　kind。''

Jane　reflected　on　this；　smiled　understandingly。　　‘‘That　sounds　like　a　description　of　ME；''　said　she。

‘‘Probably；''　said　Victor。　　‘‘It's　a　very　usual　type　in　the　second　generation　in　your　class。''

‘‘My　class？''　said　Jane；　somewhat　affectedly。　　‘‘What　do　you　mean？''

‘‘The　upper　class；''　explained　Victor。

Jane　felt　that　this　was　an　opportunity　for　a　fine　exhibition　of　her　democracy。　　‘‘I　don't　like　that；''　said　she。　　‘‘I'm　a　good　American；　and　I　don't　believe　in　classes。　　I　don't　feelat　least　I　try　not　to　feelany　sense　of　inequality　between　myself　and　thosethose　lesslessfortunately　off。　　I'm　not　expressing　myself　well；　but　you　know　what　I　mean。''

‘‘Yes；　I　know　what　you　mean；''　rejoined　Victor。　　‘‘But　that　wasn't　what　I　meant；　at　all。　　You　are　talking　about　social　classes　in　the　narrow　sense。　　That　sort　of　thing　isn't　important。

One　associates　with　the　kind　of　people　that　pleases　oneand　one　has　a　perfect　right　to　do　so。　　If　I　choose　to　have　my　leisure　time　with　people　who　dress　a　certain　way；　or　with　those　who　have　more　than　a　certain　amount　of　money；　or　more　than　a　certain　number　of　servants　or　what　notwhy；　that's　my　own　lookout。''

‘‘I'm　SO　glad　to　hear　you　say　that；''　cried　Jane。　　‘‘That's　SO　sensible。''

‘‘Snobbishness　may　be　amusing；''　continued　Dorn；　‘‘or　it　may　be　repulsiveor　pitiful。　　But　it　isn't　either　interesting　or　important。　　The　classes　I　had　in　mind　were　the　economic　classesupper；　middle；　lower。　　The　upper　class　includes　all　those　who　live　without　work　aristocrats；　gamblers；　thieves；　preachers；　women　living　off　men　in　or　out　of　marriage；　grown　children　living　off　their　parents　or　off　inheritances。　　All　the　idlers。''

Jane　looked　almost　as　uncomfortable　as　she　felt。　　She　had　long　taken　a　secret　delight　in　being　regarded　and　spoken　of　as　an　‘‘upper　class''　person。　　Henceforth　this　delight　would　be　at　least　alloyed。

‘‘The　middle　class；''　pursued　Victor；　‘‘is　those　who　are　in　part　parasites　and　in　part　workers。　　The　lower　class　is　those　who　live　by　what　they　earn　only。　　For　example；　you　are　upper　class；　your　father　is　middle　class　and　I　am　lower　class。''

‘‘Thank　you；''　said　Jane　demurely；　‘‘for　an　interesting　lesson　in　political　economy。''

‘‘You　invited　it；''　laughed　Victor。　　‘‘And　I　guess　it　wasn't　much　more　tiresome　to　you　than　talk　about　the　weather　would　have　been。

The　weather's　probably　about　the　only　other　subject　you　and　I　have　in　common。''

‘‘That's　rude；''　said　Jane。

‘‘Not　as　I　meant　it；''　said　he。　　‘‘I　wasn't　exalting　my　subjects　or　sneering　at　yours。　　It's　obvious　that　you　and　I　lead　wholly　different　lives。''

‘‘I'd　much　rather　lead　your　life　than　my　own；''　said　Jane。　　‘‘Butyou　are　impatient　to　see　father。　　You　came　to　see　him？''

‘‘He　telephoned　asking　me　to　come　to　dinnerthat　is；　lunch。　　I　believe　it's　called　lunch　when　it's　second　in　this　sort　of　house。''

‘‘Father　calls　it　dinner；　and　I　call　it　lunch；　and　the　servants　call　it　IT。　　They　simply　say；　‘It's　ready。'　''

Jane　went　in　search　of　her　father；　found　him　asleep　in　his　chair　in　the　little　office；　one　of　his　dirty　little　account　books　clasped　in　his　long；　thin　fingers　with　their　rheumatic　side　curve。　　The　maid　had　seen　him　there　and　had　held　back　dinner　until　he　should　awaken。　　Perhaps　Jane's　entrance　roused　him；　or；　perhaps　it　was　the　odor　of　the　sachet　powder　wherewith　her　garments　were　liberally　scented；　for　he　had　a　singularly　delicate　sense　of　smell。　　He　lifted　his　head　and；　after　the　manner　of　aged　and　confirmed　cat…nappers；　was　instantly　wide　awake。

‘‘Why　didn't　you　tell　me　Victor　Dorn　was　coming　for　dinner？''　said　she。

‘‘Ohhe's　here；　is　he？''　said　Hastings；　chuckling。　　‘‘You　see　I　took　your　advice。　　Tell　Lizzie　to　lay　an　extra　plate。''

Hastings　regarded　this　invitation　as　evidence　of　his　breadth　of　mind；　his　freedom　from　prejudice；　his　disposition　to　do　the　generous　and　the　helpful　thing。　　In　fact；　it　was　evidence　of　little　more　than　his　dominant　and　most　valuable　traithis　shrewdness。　　After　one　careful　glance　over　the　ruins　of　his　plan；　he　appreciated　that　Victor　Dorn　was　at　last　a　force　to　be　reckoned　with。　　He　had　been　growing；　growingsomewhat　above　the　surface；　a　great　deal　more　beneath　the　surface。　　His　astonishing　victory　demonstrated　his　power　over　Remsen　City　laborin　a　single　afternoon　he　had　persuaded　the　street　car　union　to　give　up　without　hesitation　a　strike　it　had　been　planningat　least；　it　thought　it　had　been　doing　the　planningfor　months。　　The　Remsen　City　plutocracy　was　by　no　means　dependent　upon　the　city　government　of　Remsen　City。　　It　had　the　county　courtsthe　district　courtsthe　State　courts　even；　except　where　favoring　the　plutocracy　would　be　too　obviously　outrageous　for　judges　who　still　considered　themselves　men　of　honest　and　just　mind　to　decide　that　way。　　The　plutocracy；　further；　controlled　all　the　legislative　and　executive　machinery。　　To　dislodge　it　from　these　fortresses　would　mean　a　campaign　of　years　upon　years；　conducted　by　men　of　the　highest　ability；　and　enlisting　a　majority　of　the　voters　of　the　State。　　Still；　possession　of　the　Remsen　City　government　was　a　most　valuable　asset。　　A　hostile　government　could　‘‘upset　business；''　could　‘‘hamper　the　profitable　investment　of　capital；''　in　other　words　could　establish　justice　to　a　highly　uncomfortable　degree。　　This　victory　of　Dorn's　made　it　clear　to　Hastings　that　at　last　Dorn　was　about　to　unite　the　labor　vote　under　his　bannerwhich　meant　that　he　was　about　to　conquer　the　city　government。　　It　was　high　time　to　stop　him　and；　if　possible；　to　give　his　talents　better　employment。

However；　Hastings；　after　the　familiar　human　fashion；　honestly　thought　he　was　showing　generosity；　was　going　out　of　his　way　to　‘‘give　a　likely　young　fellow　a　chance。''　　When　he　came　out　on　the　veranda　he　stretched　forth　a　graciously　friendly　hand　and；　looking　shrewdly　into　Victor's　boyishly　candid　eyes；　said：

‘‘Glad　to　see　you；　young　man。　　I　want　to　thank　you　f