the conflict-第36节

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Hull　reddened。　　She　had　cut　into　quick。　　‘‘You　will　see　who　is　Mayor　when　I'm　elected；''　said　he　with　all　his　dignity。

Jane　laughed　in　the　disagreeably　mocking　way　that　was　the　climax　of　her　ability　to　be　nasty　when　she　was　thoroughly　out　of　humor。　　‘‘That's　right；　Davy。　　Deceive　yourself。　　It's　far　more　comfortable。　　So　long！''

And　she　went　into　the　house。


Davy's　conduct　of　the　affair　was　masterly。　　He　showed　those　rare　qualities　of　judgment　and　diplomacy　that　all　but　insure　a　man　a　distinguished　career。　　His　statement　for　the　press　was　a　model　of　dignity；　of　restrained　indignation；　of　good　common　sense。　　The　most　difficult　part　of　his　task　was　getting　Hugo　Galland　into　condition　for　a　creditable　appearance　in　court。　　In　so　far　as　Hugo's　meagre　intellect；　atrophied　by　education　and　by　luxury；　permitted　him　to　be　a　lawyer　at　all；　he　was　of　that　now　common　type　called　the　corporation　lawyer。　　That　is；　for　him　human　beings　had　ceased　to　exist；　and　of　course　human　rights；　also；　the　world　as　viewed　from　the　standpoint　of　law　contained　only　corporations；　only　interests。　　Thus；　a　man　like　Victor　Dorn　was　in　his　view　the　modern　form　of　the　devilwas　a　combination　of　knave　and　lunatic　who　had　no　right　to　live　except　in　the　restraint　of　an　asylum　or　a　jail。

Fortunately；　while　Hugo　despised　the　‘‘hoi　polloi''　as　only　a　stupid；　miseducated　snob　can　despise；　he　appreciated　that　they　had　votes　and　so　must　be　conciliated；　and　he　yearned　with　the　snob's　famished　yearning　for　the　title　and　dignity　of　judge。　　Davy　found　it　impossible　to　convince　him　that　the　injunctions　and　indictments　ought　to　be　attacked　until　he　had　convinced　him　that　in　no　other　way　could　he　become　Judge　Galland。　　As　Hugo　was　fiercely　prejudiced　and　densely　stupid　and　reverent　of　the　powers　of　his　own　intellect；　to　convince　him　was　not　easy。　　In　fact；　Davy　did　not　begin　to　succeed　until　he　began　to　suggest　that　whoever　appeared　before　Judge　Lansing　the　next　morning　in　defense　of　free　speech　would　be　the　Alliance　and　Democratic　and　Republican　candidate　for　judge；　and　that　if　Hugo　couldn't　see　his　way　clear　to　appearing　he　might　as　well　give　up　for　the　present　his　political　ambitions。

Hugo　came　round。　　Davy　left　him　at　one　o'clock　in　the　morning　and　went　gloomily　home。　　He　had　known　what　a　prejudiced　ass　Galland　was；　how　unfit　he　was　for　the　office　of　judge；　but　he　had　up　to　that　time　hidden　the　full　truth　from　himself。　　Now；　to　hide　it　was　impossible。　　Hugo　had　fully　exposed　himself　in　all　his　unfitness　of　the　man　of　narrow　upper　class　prejudices；　the　man　of　no　instinct　or　enthusiasm　for　right；　justice　and　liberty。　　‘‘Really；　it's　a　crime　to　nominate　such　a　chap　as　that；''　he　muttered。　　‘‘Yet　we've　got　to　do　it。　　How　Selma　Gordon's　eyes　would　shame　me；　if　she　could　see　me　now！''

Davy　had　the　familiar　fondness　for　laying　on　the　secret　penitential　scourgewherewith　we　buy　from　our　complacent　consciences　license　to　indulge　in　the　sins　our　appetites　or　ambitions　crave。

Judge　Lansingyou　have　never　seen　a　man　who　LOOKED　the　judge　more　ideally　than　did　gray　haired；　gray　bearded；　open　browed　Robert　LansingJudge　Lansing　was　all　ready　for　his　part　in　the　farce。　　He　knew　Hugo　and　helped　him　over　the　difficult　places　and　cut　him　short　as　soon　as　he　had　made　enough　of　his　speech　to　give　an　inkling　of　what　he　was　demanding。　　The　Judge　was　persuaded　to　deliver　himself　of　a　high…minded　and　eloquent　denunciation　of　those　who　had　misled　the　court　and　the　county　prosecutor。　　He　pointed　outin　weighty　judicial　languagethat　Victor　Dorn　had　by　his　conduct　during　several　years　invited　just　such　a　series　of　calamities　as　had　beset　him。　　But　he　went　on　to　say　that　Dorn's　reputation　and　fondness　for　speech　and　action　bordering　on　the　lawless　did　not　withdraw　from　him　the　protection　of　the　law。　　In　spite　of　himself　the　law　would　protect　him。　　The　injunctions　were　dissolved　and　the　indictments　were　quashed。

The　news　of　the　impending　application；　published　in　the　morning　papers；　had　crowded　the　court　room。　　When　the　Judge　finished　a　tremendous　cheer　went　up。　　The　cheer　passed　on　to　the　throng　outside；　and　when　Davy　and　Hugo　appeared　in　the　corridor　they　were　borne　upon　the　shoulders　of　workingmen　and　were　not　released　until　they　had　made　speeches。　　Davy's　manly　simplicity　and　clearness　covered　the　stammering　vagueness　of　hero　Galland。

As　Davy　was　gradually　clearing　himself　of　the　eager　handshakers　and　back…slappers；　Selma　suddenly　appeared　before　him。　　Her　eyes　were　shining　and　her　whole　body　seemed　to　be　irradiating　emotion　of　admiration　and　gratitude。　　‘‘Thank　youoh；　thank　you！''　she　said；　pressing　his　hand。　　‘‘How　I　have　misjudged　you！''

Davy　did　not　wince。　　He　had　now　quite　forgotten　the　part　selfish　ambition　had　played　in　his　gallant　rush　to　the　defense　of　imperilled　freedomhad　forgotten　it　as　completely　as　the　now　ecstatic　Hugo　had　forgotten　his　prejudices　against　the　‘‘low；　smelly　working　people。''　　He　looked　as　exalted　as　he　felt。　　‘‘I　only　did　my　plain　duty；''　replied　he。　　‘‘How　could　any　decent　American　have　done　less？''

‘‘I　haven't　seen　Victor　since　yesterday　afternoon；''　pursued　Selma。　　‘‘But　I　know　how　grateful　he'll　be　not　so　much　for　what　you　did　as　that　YOU　did　it。''

The　instinct　of　the　crowdthe　universal　human　instinctagainst　intruding　upon　a　young　man　and　young　woman　talking　together　soon　cleared　them　of　neighbors。　　An　awkward　silence　fell。　　Said　he　hesitatingly：

‘‘Are　you　ready　to　give　your　answer？to　that　question　I　asked　you　the　other　day。''

‘‘I　gave　you　my　answer　then；''　replied　she；　her　glance　seeking　a　way　of　escape。

‘‘No；''　said　he。　　‘‘For　you　said　then　that　you　would　not　marry　me。　　And　I　shall　never　take　no　for　an　answer　until　you　have　married　some　one　else。''

She　looked　up　at　him　with　eyes　large　and　grave　and　puzzled。　　‘‘I'm　sure　you　don't　want　to　marry　me；''　she　said。　　‘‘I　wonder　why　you　keep　asking　me。''

‘‘I　have　to　be　honest　with　you；''　said　Davy。　　‘‘Somehow　you　bring　out　all　the　good　there　is　in　me。　　So；　I　can't　conceal　anything　from　you。　　In　a　way　I　don't　want　to　marry　you。　　You're　not　at　all　the　woman　I　have　always　pictured　as　the　sort　I　ought　to　marry　and　would　marry。　　ButSelma；　I　love　you。　　I'd　give　up　anythingeven　my　careerto　get　you。　　When　I'm　away　from　you　I　seem　to　regain　control　of　myself。　　But　just　as　soon　as　I　see　you；　I'm　as　bad　as　ever　again。''

‘‘Then　we　mustn't　see　each　other；''　said　she。

Suddenly　she　nodded；　laughed　up　at　him　and　darted　away　and　Hugo　Galland；　long　since　abandoned　by　the　crowd；　had　seized　him　by　the　arm。

Selma　debated　whether　to　take　Victor　the　news　or　to　continue　her　walk。　　She　decided　for　the　walk。　　She　had　been　feeling　peculiarly　toward　Victor　since　the　previous　afternoon。　　She　had　not　gone　back　in　the　evening；　but　had　sent　an　excuse　by　one　of　the　Leaguers。　　It　was　plain　to　her　that　Jane　Hastings　was　up　to　mischief；　and　she　had　begun　to　fearsacrilegious　though　she　felt　it　to　be　to　harbor　such　a　suspicion　that　there　was　man　enough；　weak；　vain；　susceptible　man　enough；　in　Victor　Dorn　to　make　Jane　a　danger。　　The　more　she　had　thought　about　Jane　and　her　environment；　the　clearer　it　had　become　that　there　could　be　no　permanent　and　deep　sincerity　in　Jane's　aspirations　after　emancipation　from　her　class。　　It　was　simply　the　old；　old　story　of　a　woman　of　the　upper　class　becoming　infatuated　with　a　man　of　a　genuine　kind　of　manhood　rarely　found　in　the　languor…producing　surroundings　of　her　own　class。　　Would　Victor　yield？　　No！　her　loyalty　indignantly　answered。　　But　he　might　allow　this　useless　idler　to　hamper　him；　to　weaken　his　energies　for　the　timeand　during　a　critical　period。

She　did　not　wish　to　see　Victor　again　until　she　should　have　decided　what　course　to　take。　　To　think　at　her　ease　she　walked　out　Monroe　Avenue　on　her　way　to　the　country。　　It　was　a　hot　day；　but　walking　along　in　the　beautiful　shade　Selma　felt　no　discomfort；　except　a　slight　burning　of　the　eyes　from　the　fierce　glare　of　the　white　highway。　　In　the　distance　she　heard　the　sound　of　an　engine。

A　few　seconds；　and　past　her　at　high　speed　swept　an　automobile。　　Its　heavy　flying　wheels　tore　up　the　roadway；　raised　an　enormous　cloud　of　dust。　　The　charm　of　the　walk　was　gone；　the　usefulness　of　roadway　and　footpaths　was　destroyed　for　everybody　for　the　fifteen　or　twenty　minutes　that　it　would　take　for　the　mass　of　dust　to　settleon　the　foliage；　in　the　grass；　on　the　bodies　and　clothing　of　passers…by　and　in　their　lungs。　　Selma　halted　and　gazed　after　the　auto。　　Who　was　tearing　along　at　this　mad　speed？　　Who　was　destroying　the　comfort　of　all　using　that　road；　and　annoying　them　and　making　the　air　unfit　to　breathe！　　Why；　an　idle；　luxuriously　dressed　woman；　not　on　an　errand　of　life　or　death；　but　going　down　town　to　amuse　herself　shopping　or　calling。

The　dust　had　not　settled　before　a　second　auto；　having　a　young　man　and　young　woman　apparently　on　the　way　to　play　tennis；　rushed　by；　swirling　up　even　vaster　clouds　of　dust　and　all　but　colliding　with　a　baby　carriage　a　woman　was　trying　to　push　across　the　street。　　Selma's　blood　was　boiling！　　The　infamy　of　it！　　These　worthless　idlers！　　What　utter　lack　of　manners；　of　consideration　for　their　fellow　beings。　　A　GENTLEMAN　and　a　LADY　insulting　and　bullying　everyone　who　happened　not　to　have　an　automobile。　　Thenshe　laughed。　　The　ignoran