the conflict-第39部分

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ither　present　nor　future　in　any　relations　between　us。''

She　put　out　her　hand；　and　before　he　knew　what　he　was　doing　he　had　clasped　it。　　With　a　gentle；　triumphant　smile　she　said：　　‘‘THERE'S　the　answer　to　all　your　reasoning；　Victor。''

He　released　her　hand。　　‘‘AN　answer；''　he　said；　‘‘but　not　the　correct　answer。''　　He　eyed　her　thoughtfully。　　‘‘You　have　done　me　a　great　service；''　he　went　on。　　‘‘You　have　shown　me　an　unsuspected；　a　dangerous　weakness　in　myself。　　At　another　timeand　coming　in　another　way；　I　might　have　made　a　mess　of　my　careerand　of　the　things　that　have　been　entrusted　to　me。''　　A　long　pause；　then　he　added；　to　himself　rather　than　to　her；　‘‘I　must　look　out　for　that。　　I　must　do　something　about　it。''

Jane　turned　toward　him　and　settled　herself　in　a　resolute　attitude　and　with　a　resolute　expression。　　‘‘Victor；''　she　said；　‘‘I've　listened　to　you　very　patiently。　　Now　I　want　you　to　listen　to　me。　　What　is　the　truth　about　us？　　Why；　that　we　are　as　if　we　had　been　made　for　each　other。　　I　don't　know　as　much　as　you　do。　　I've　led　a　much　narrower　life。　　I've　been　absurdly　mis…　educated。　　But　as　soon　as　I　saw　you　I　felt　that　I　had　found　the　man　I　was　looking　for。　　And　I　believeI　feelI　KNOW　you　were　drawn　to　me　in　the　same　way。　　Isn't　that　so？''

‘‘Youfascinated　me；''　confessed　he。　　‘‘Youor　your　clothesor　your　perfume。''

‘‘Explain　it　as　you　like；''　said　she。　　‘‘The　fact　remains　that　we　were　drawn　together。　　WellVictor；　_I_　am　not　afraid　to　face　the　future；　as　fate　maps　it　out　for　us。　　Are　you？''

He　did　not　answer。

‘‘YouAFRAID；''　she　went　on。　　‘‘Noyou　couldn't　be　afraid。''

A　long　silence。　　Then　he　said　abruptly：　　‘‘IF　we　loved　each　other。　　But　I　know　that　we　don't。　　I　know　that　you　would　hate　me　when　you　realized　that　you　couldn't　move　me。　　And　I　know　that　I　should　soon　get　over　the　infatuation　for　you。　　As　soon　as　it　became　a　question　of　sympathiescommon　tastescongenialityI'd　find　you　hopelessly　lacking。''

She　felt　that　he　was　contrasting　her　with　some　one　elsewith　a　certain　some　one。　　And　she　veiled　her　eyes　to　hide　their　blazing　jealousy。　　A　movement　on　his　part　made　her　raise　them　in　sudden　alarm。　　He　had　risen。　　His　expression　told　her　that　the　battle　was　lostfor　the　day。　　Never　had　she　loved　him　as　at　that　moment；　and　never　had　longing　to　possess　him　so　dominated　her　willful；　self…indulgent；　spoiled　nature。　　Yet　she　hated　him；　too；　she　longed　to　crush　him；　to　make　him　sufferto　repay　him　with　interest　for　the　suffering　he　was　inflicting　upon　herthe　humiliation。　　But　she　dared　not　show　her　feelings。　　It　would　be　idle　to　try　upon　this　man　any　of　the　coquetries　indicated　for　such　casesto　dismiss　him　coldly；　or　to　make　an　appeal　through　an　exhibition　of　weakness　or　reckless　passion。

‘‘You　will　see　the　truth；　for　yourself；　as　you　think　things　over；''　said　he。

She　rose；　stood　before　him　with　downcast　eyes；　with　mouth　sad　and　sweet。　　‘‘No；''　she　said；　‘‘It's　you　who　are　hiding　the　truth　from　yourself。　　I　hopefor　both　our　sakesthat　you'll　see　it　before　long。　　Good…by　dear。''　　She　stretched　out　her　hand。

Hesitatingly　he　took　it。　　As　their　hands　met；　her　pulse　beating　against　his；　she　lifted　her　eyes。　　And　once　more　he　was　holding　her　close；　was　kissing　her。　　And　she　was　lying　in　his　arms　unresisting；　with　two　large　tears　shining　in　the　long　lashes　of　her　closed　eyes。

‘‘Oh；　Janeforgive　me！''　he　cried；　releasing　her。　　‘‘I　must　keep　away　from　you。　　I　willI　WILL！''　　And　he　was　rushing　down　the　steep　slopedirect；　swift；　relentless。　　But　she；　looking　after　him　with　a　tender；　dreamy　smile；　murmured：　　‘‘He　loves　me。　　He　will　come　again。　　If　notI'll　go　and　get　him！''


To　Jane　Victor　Dorn's　analysis　of　his　feeling　toward　her　and　of　the　reasons　against　yielding　to　it　seemed　of　no　importance　whatever。　　Side　by　side　with　Selma's

‘‘One　may　not　trifle　with　love''　she　would　have　put　‘‘In　matters　of　love　one　does　not　reason；''　as　equally　axiomatic。　　Victor　was　simply　talking；　love　would　conquer　him　as　it　had　conquered　every　man　and　every　woman　it　had　ever　entered。　　Loveblind；　unreasoning；　irresistible　would　have　its　will　and　its　way。

And　about　most　men　she　would　have　been　right　about　any　man　practically；　of　the　preceding　generation。　　But　Victor　represented　a　new　type　of　human　being　the　type　into　whose　life　reason　enters　not　merely　as　a　theoretical　force；　to　be　consulted　and　disregarded；　but　as　an　authority；　a　powerful　influence；　dominant　in　all　crucial　matters。　　Only　in　our　own　time　has　science　begun　to　make　a　notable　impression　upon　the　fog　which　formerly　lay　over　the　whole　human　mind；　thicker　here；　thinner　there；　a　mere　haze　yonder；　but　present　everywhere。　　This　fog　made　clear　vision　impossible；　usually　made　seeing　of　any　kind　difficult；　there　was　no　such　thing　as　finding　a　distinct　line　between　truth　and　error　as　to　any　subject。　　And　reason　seemed　almost　as　faulty　a　guide　as　feelingwas　by　many　regarded　as　more　faulty；　not　without　justification。

But　nowadays　for　some　of　us　there　are　clear　or　almost　clear　horizons；　and　such　fog　banks　as　there　are　conceal　from　them　nothing　that　is　of　importance　in　shaping　a　rational　course　of　life。　　Victor　Dorn　was　one　of　these　emancipated　few。　　All　successful　men　form　their　lives　upon　a　system　of　some　kind。　　Even　those　who　seem　to　live　at　haphazard；　like　the　multitude；　prove　to　have　chart　and　compass　and　definite　port　in　objective　when　their　conduct　is　more　attentively　examined。　　Victor　Dorn's　system　was　as　perfect　as　it　was　simple；　and　he　held　himself　to　it　as　rigidly　as　the　father　superior　of　a　Trappist　monastery　holds　his　monks　to　their　routine。　　Also；　Victor　had　learned　to　know　and　to　be　on　guard　against　those　two　arch…enemies　of　the　man　who　wishes　to　‘‘get　somewhere''self…excuse　and　optimism。　　He　had　got　a　good　strong　leash　upon　his　vanity　and　a　muzzle；　too。　　When　things　went　wrong　he　instantly　blamed　HIMSELF；　and　did　not　rest　until　he　had　ferreted　out　the　stupidity　or　folly　of　which　HE　had　been　guilty。　　He　did　not　grieve　over　his　failures；　he　held　severely　scientific　post　mortems　upon　them　to　discover　the　reason　whyin　order　that　there　should　not　again　be　that　particular　kind　of　failure　at　least。　　Then；　as　to　the　other　arch…enemy；　optimism；　he　simply　cut　himself　off　from　indulgence　in　it。　　He　worked　for　success；　he　assumed　failure。　　He　taught　himself　to　care　nothing　about　success；　but　only　about　doing　as　intelligently　and　as　thoroughly　as　he　could　the　thing　next　at　hand。

What　has　all　this　to　do　with　his　infatuation　for　Jane？　　It　serves　to　show　not　only　why　the　Workingmen's　League　was　growing　like　a　plague　of　gypsy　moth；　but　also　why　Victor　Dorn　was　not　the　man　to　be　conquered　by　passion。　　Naturally；　Jane；　who　had　only　the　vaguest　conception　of　the　size　and　power　of　Victor　Dorn's　mind；　could　not　comprehend　wherein　lay　the　difference　between　him　and　the　men　she　read　about　in　novels　or　met　in　her　wanderings　among　the　people　of　her　own　class　in　various　parts　of　the　earth。　　It　is　possible　for　even　the　humblest　of　us　to　understand　genius；　just　as　it　is　possible　to　view　a　mountain　from　all　sides　and　get　a　clear　idea　of　it　bulk　and　its　dominion。　　But　the　hasty　traveler　contents　himself　with　a　glance；　a　‘‘How　superb；''　and　a　quick　passing　on；　and　most　of　us　are　hasty　travelers　in　the　scenic　land　of　intellectuality。　　Jane　saw　that　he　was　a　great　man。　　But　she　was　deceived　by　his　frankness　and　his　simplicity。　　She　evoked　in　him　only　the　emotional　side　of　his　nature；　only　one　part　of　that。

Because　itthe　only　phase　of　him　she　attentively　examinedwas　so　impressive；　she　assumed　that　it　was　the　chief　feature　of　the　man。

Also；　young　and　inexperienced　womenand　women　not　so　young；　and　with　opportunity　to　become　less　inexperienced　but　without　the　ability　to　learn　by　experiencealways　exaggerate　the　importance　of　passion。　　Almost　without　exception；　it　is　by　way　of　passion　that　a　man　and　a　woman　approach　each　other。　　It　is；　of　necessity；　the　exterior　that　first　comes　into　view。　　Thus；　all　that　youth　and　inexperience　can　know　about　love　is　its　aspect　of　passion。　　Because　Jane　had　again　and　again　in　her　five　grown…up　years　experienced　men　falling　passionately　in　love　with　her；　she　fancied　she　was　an　expert　in　matters　of　love。　　In　fact；　she　had　still　everything　to　learn。

On　the　way　home　she；　assuming　that　the　affair　was　as　good　as　settled；　that　she　and　Victor　Dorn　were　lovers；　was　busy　with　plans　for　the　future。　　Victor　Dorn　had　made　a　shrewd　guess　at　the　state　of　her　mind。　　She　had　no　intention　of　allowing　him　to　pursue　his　present　career。　　That　was　merely　foundation。　　With　the　aid　of　her　love　and　council；　and　of　her　father's　money　and　influence；　hehe　and　shewould　mount　to　something　really　worth　whilesomething　more　than　the　petty　politics　of　a　third　rate　city　in　the　West。　　Washington　was　the　proper　arena　for　his　talents；　they　would　take　the　shortest　route　to　Washington。　　No　trouble　about　bringing　him　around；　a　man　so　able　and　so　sensible　as　he　would　not　refuse　the　opportunity　to　do　good　on　a　grand　scale。　　Besideshe　must　be　got　away　from　his　family；　from　these　doubtless　good　and　kind　but　certainly　not　very　high　class　associates　of　his；　and　from　Selma　Gordon。　　The　idea　of　his　comparing　HER　with　Selma　Gordon！　　He　had　not　done　so　aloud；　but　she　knew　what　was　in　his　mind。　　Yes；　he　must　be　taken　far　away　from　all　these　provincial　and　narrowing　associations。

But　all　this　was　mere　detail。　　The　big　problem　was　how　to　bring　her　father　round。　　He　couldn't　realize　what　Victor　Dorn　would　be　after　she　had　taken　him　in　hand。　　He　would　see　only　Victor　Dorn；　the　labor　agitator　of　Remsen　City；　the　nuisance　who　put　mischievous　motives　into　the　heads　of　‘‘the　hands''the　man　who　made　them　think　they　had　heads　when　they　were　intended　by　the　Almighty　to　be　simply　hands。　　How　reconcile　him　to　the　idea　of　accepting　this　nuisance；　　this　poor；　common　member　of　the　working　class　as　a　son…in…law；　as　the　husband　of　the　daughter　he　wished　to　see　married　to　some　one　of　the　‘‘best''　families？

On　the　face　of　it；　the　thing　was　impossible。　　Why；　then；　did　not　Jane　despair？　　For　two　reasons。　　In　the　first　place；　she　was　in　love；　and　that　made　her　an　optimist。　　Somehow　love　would　find　the　way。　　But　the　second　reasonthe　one　she　hid　from　herself　deep　in　the　darkest　sub…cellar　of　her　mind；　was　the　real　reason。　　It　is　one　matter　to　wish