stories of a western town-第12节

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ill　not　prevent　his　doing　his　duty；　why；　the　old　man　for　very　pride　will　be　the　first　to　obey　the　law。　　You'll　SEE！〃　Six　months　later　they　did　see；　since　it　was　mostly　due　to　Fitzmaurice's　efforts　that　the　reform　candidate　was　elected；　as　a　consequence；　Tommy　became　prosecuting　attorney；　and；　to　the　amazement　of　the　critics；　made　the　best　prosecuting　attorney　that　the　city　had　ever　known。　It　was　during　the　campaign　that　Mrs。　Carriswood　met　him。　Her　goddaughter；　daughter　of　the　friend　to　whom　years　ago　she　described　Tommy；　was　with　her。　　This　time　Mrs。　Carriswood　had　recently　added　Florida　to　her　disappointments　in　climates；　and　was　back；　as　she　told　Mrs。　Lossing；　〃with　a　real　sense　of　relief　in　a　climate　that　was　too　bad　to　make　any　pretensions。〃　She　had　brought　Miss　Van　Harlem　to　see　the　shops。　It　may　be　that　she　would　not　have　been　averse　to　Harry　Lossing's　growing　interested　in　young　Margaret。　　She　had　seen　a　great　deal　of　Harry　while　he　was　East　at　school；　and　he　remained　her　first　favorite；　while　Margaret　was　as　good　as　she　was　pretty；　and　had　half　a　million　of　dollars　in　her　own　right。　They　had　seen　Harry；　and　he　was　showing　them　through　the　different　buildings　or　〃shops；〃　when　a　man　entered　who　greeted　him　cordially；　and　whom　he　presented　to　Mrs。　Carriswood。　It　was　Tommy　Fitzmaurice；　grown　into　a　handsome　young　man。　He　brought　his　heels　together　and　made　the　ladies　a　solemn　bow。　〃Pleased　to　meet　you；　ladies；　how　do　you　like　the　West？〃　said　Tommy。　His　black　locks　curled　about　his　ears；　which　seemed　rather　small　now；　he　had　a　good　nose　and　a　mobile；　clean…shaven　face。　　His　hands　were　very　white　and　soft；　and　the　rim　of　linen　above　them　was　dazzling。　His　black　frock…coat　was　buttoned　snugly　about　his　slim　waist。　He　brushed　his　face　with　a　fine　silk　handkerchief；　and　thereby　diffused　the　fragrance　of　the　best　imported　cologne　among　the　odors　of　wood　and　turpentine。　　A　diamond　pin　sparkled　from　his　neckscarf。　The　truth　is；　he　knew　that　the　visitors　were　coming　and　had　made　a　state　toilet。　　〃He　looks　half　like　an　actor　and　half　like　a　clergyman；　and　he　IS　all　a　politician；〃　thought　Mrs。　Carriswood；　〃I　don't　think　I　shall　like　him　any　more。〃　　While　she　thought；　she　was　inclining　her　slender　neck　toward　him；　and　the　gentlest　interest　and　pleasure　beamed　out　of　her　beautiful；　dark　eyes。　〃We　like　the　West；　but　_I_　have　liked　it　for　ten　years；　this　is　not　my　first　visit；〃　said　Mrs。　Carriswood。　〃I　have　reason　to　be　glad　for　that；　madam。　　I　never　made　another　speech　so　good。〃　He　had　remembered　her；　she　laughed。　　〃I　had　thought　that　you　would　forget。〃　〃How　could　I；　when　you　have　not　changed　at　all？〃　〃But　you　have；〃　says　Mrs。　Carriswood；　hardly　knowing　whether　to　show　the　young　man　his　place　or　not。　〃Yes；　ma'am；　naturally。　　But　I　have　not　learned　how　to　make　a　speech　yet。〃　〃Ah；　but　you　make　very　good　ones；　Harry　tells　me。〃　〃Much　obliged；　Harry。　　No；　ma'am；　Harry　is　a　nice　boy；　but　he　doesn't　know。　　I　know　there　is　a　lot　to　learn；　and　I　guess　a　lot　to　unlearn；　and　I　feel　all　outside；　I　don't　even　know　how　to　get　at　it。　　I　have　wished　a　thousand　times　that　I　could　talk　with　the　lady　who　taught　me　to　speak　in　the　first　place。〃　　He　walked　on　by　her　side；　talking　eagerly。　〃You　don't　know　how　many　times　I　have　felt　I　would　give　most　anything　for　the　opportunity　of　just　seeing　you　and　talking　with　you；　those　things　you　said　to　me　I　always　remembered。〃　He　had　a　hundred　questions　evidently　stinging　his　tongue。　And　some　of　them　seemed　to　Mrs。　Carriswood　very　apposite。　〃I'm　on　the　outside　of　such　a　lot　of　things；〃　says　he。　〃When　I　first　began　to　suspect　that　I　was　on　the　outside　was　when　I　went　to　the　High　School；　and　sometimes　I　was　invited　to　Harry's；　that　was　my　first　acquaintance　with　cultivated　society。　You　can't　learn　manners　from　books；　ma'am。　I　learned　them　at　Harry's。　That　is；〃he　colored　and　laughed；〃I　learned　SOME。　There's　plenty　left；　I　know。　　Then；　I　went　to　the　University。　Some　of　the　boys　came　from　homes　like　Harry's；　and　some　of　the　professors　there　used　to　ask　us　to　their　houses；　and　I　saw　engravings　and　oil　paintings；　and　heard　the　conversation　of　persons　of　culture。　All　this　only　makes　me　know　enough　to　KNOW　I　am　outside。　I　can　see　the　same　thing　with　the　lawyers；　too。　There　is　a　set　of　them　that　are　after　another　kind　of　things；　that　think　themselves　above　me　and　my　sort　of　fellows。　You　know　all　the　talk　about　this　being　a　free　and　equal　country。　That's　the　tallest　kind　of　humbug；　madam！　　It　is　that。　There　are　sets；　one　above　another；　everywhere；　big　bugs　and　little　bugs；　if　you　will　excuse　the　expression。　And　you　can't　influence　the　big　ones　without　knowing　how　they　feel。　A　fellow　can't　be　poking　in　the　dark　in　a　speech　or　anywhere　else。　Now；　these　fellows　here；　they　go　into　politics；　sometimes；　and　there；　I　tell　you；　we　come　the　nearest　to　a　fair　field　and　no　favor！　It　is　the　best　fellow　gets　the　prize　therethe　sharpest…witted；　the　nerviest；　and　stanchest。　　Oh；　talk　of　machine　politics！　all　the　soft　chaps　who　ain't　willing　to　get　up　early　in　the　morning；　or　to　go　out　in　the　wet；　THEY　howl　about　the　primaries　and　corruption；　let　them　get　up　and　clean　the　primaries　instead　of　holding　their　noses！　Those　fellows；　I'm　not　nice　enough　for　them；　but　I　can　beat　them　every　time。　　They　make　a　monstrous　racket　in　the　newspapers；　but　when　election　comes　on　they　can't　touch　side；　edge；　or　bottom！〃　Discoursing　in　this　fashion；　with　digressions　to　Harry　in　regard　to　the　machines；　the　furniture；　and　the　sales；　that　showed　Mrs。　Carriswood　that　he　meant　to　keep　an　eye　on　his　twenty　odd　thousand　dollars；　he　strolled　at　her　side。　To　Miss　Van　Harlem　he　scarcely　said　three　words。　　In　fact；　he　said　exactly　three　words；　uttered　as　Miss　Margaret's　silken　skirts　swung　too　near　a　pot　of　varnish。　They　were　〃Look　out；　miss！〃　and　at　the　same　second；　Tommy　（who　was　in　advance；　with　really　no　call　to　know　of　the　danger）；　turned　on　his　heel　and　whisked　the　skirts　away；　turning　back　to　pick　up　the　sentence　he　had　dropped。　Tommy　told　Harry　that　Miss　Van　Harlem　was　a　very　handsome　lady；　but　haughty…looking。　Then　he　talked　for　half　an　hour　about　the　cleverness　of　Mrs。　Carriswood。　〃I　am　inclined　to　think　Tommy　will　rise。〃　　（Mrs。　Carriswood　was　describing　the　interview　to　her　cousin；　the　next　day。）　〃What　do　you　think　he　said　to　me　last　of　all？　　'How；'　said　he；　'does　a　man；　a　gentleman'it　had　a　touch　of　the　pathetic；　don't　you　know；　the　little　hesitation　he　made　on　the　word'how　does　he　show　his　gratitude　to　a　lady　who　has　done　him　a　great　service？'　'Young　or　old？'　　I　said。　　'Oh；　a　married　lady；'　he　said；　'very　much　admired；　who　has　been　everywhere。'　　Wasn't　that　clever　of　him？　　I　told　him　that　a　man　usually　sent　a　few　flowers。　You　saw　the　basket　to…dayevidently　regardless　of　expense。　And　fancy；　there　was　a　card；　a　card　with　a　gilt　edge　and　his　name　written　on　it。〃　〃The　card　was　his　mother's。　She　has　visiting　cards；　now；　and　pays　visits　once　a　year　in　a　livery　carriage。　　Poor　Mrs。　Fitzmaurice；　she　is　always　so　scared；　and　she　is　such　a　good　soul！　Tommy　is　very　good　to　her。〃　〃How　about　the　father？　　Does　he　still　keep　that　'nice'　saloon？〃　〃Yes；　but　he　talks　of　retiring。　　They　are　not　poor　at　all；　and　Tommy　is　their　only　child；　the　others　died。　　It　is　hard　on　the　old　man　to　retire；　for　he　isn't　so　very　old　in　fact；　but　if　he　once　is　convinced　that　his　calling　stands　in　the　way　of　Tommy's　career；　he　won't　hesitate　a　second。〃　〃Poor　people；〃　said　Mrs。　Carriswood；　〃do　you　know；　Grace；　I　can　see　Tommy's　future；　he　will　grow　to　be　a　boss；　a　political　boss。　He　will　become　rich　by　keeping　your　streets　always　being　cleaned　which　means　never　cleanand　giving　you　the　worst　fire　department　and　police　to　be　obtained　for　money；　and；　by　and　by；　a　grateful　machine　will　make　him　mayor；　or　send　him　to　the　Legislature；　very　likely　to　Congress；　where　he　will　misrepresent　the　honest　State　of　Iowa。　Then　he　will　bloom　out　in　a　social　way；　and　marry　a　gentlewoman；　and　they　will　snub　the　old　people　who　are　so　proud　of　him。〃　〃Well；　we　shall　see；〃　said　Mrs。　Lossing；　〃I　think　better　things　of　Tommy。　So　does　Harry。〃　Part　of　the　prophecy　was　to　be　speedily　fulfilled。　Two　years　later；　the　Honorable　Thomas　Fitzmaurice　was　elected　mayor　of　his　city；　elected　by　the　reform　party；　on　account　of　his　eminent　servicesand　because　he　was　the　only　man　in　sight　who　had　the　ghost　of　a　chance　of　winning。　Harry's　version　was：　　〃Tommy　jests　at　his　new　principles；　but　that　is　simply　because　he　doesn't　comprehend　what　they　are。　He　laughs　at　reform　in　the　abstract；　but　every　concrete；　practical　reform　he　is　as　anxious　as　I　or　anybody　to　bring　about。　And　he　will　get　them　here；　too。〃　He　was　as　good　as　his　word；　he　gave　the　city　an　admirable　administration；　with　neither　fear　nor　favor。　　Some　of　the　〃boys〃　still　clung　to　him；　these；　according　to　Harry；　were　the　better　〃boys；〃　who　had　the　seeds　of　good　in　them　and　only　needed　opportunity　and　a　leader。　　Tommy　did　not　flag　in　zeal；　rather；　as　the　time　went　on　and　he　soared　out　of　the　criminal　courts　into　big　civil　cases　involving　property；　he　grew　up　to　the　level　of　his　admirers'　praises。　　〃Tommy；〃　wrote　Mr。　Lossing；　presently；　〃is　beginning　to　take　himself　seriously。　He　has　been　told　so　often　that　he　is　a　young　lion　of　reform；　that　he　begins　to　study　the　role　in　dead　earnest。　I　don't　t