the conflict-第44节

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f　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　for　a　person's　death。　　Only　a　villainous　nature　can　harbor　such　a　wish；　can　admit　it　except　as　a　hastily　and　slyly　in…crawling　impulse；　to　be　flung　out　the　instant　it　is　discovered。　　It　is　another　matter　to　calculatevery　secretly；　very　unconsciouslyupon　a　death　that　seems　inevitable　anyhow。　　Jane　had　only　to　look　at　her　father　to　feel　that　he　would　not　be　spared　to　her　long。　　The　mystery　was　how　he　had　kept　alive　so　long；　how　he　continued　to　live　from　day　to　day。　　His　stomach　was　gone；　his　whole　digestive　apparatus　was　in　utter　disorder。　　His　body　had　shriveled　until　he　weighed　no　more　than　a　baby。　　His　pulse　was　so　feeble　that　even　in　the　hot　weather　he　complained　of　the　cold　and　had　to　be　wrapped　in　the　heaviest　winter　garments。　　Yet　he　lived　on；　and　his　mind　worked　with　undiminished　vigor。

When　Jane　reached　home；　the　old　man　was　sitting　on　the　veranda　in　the　full　sun。　　On　his　huge　head　was　a　fur　cap　pulled　well　down　over　his　ears　and　intensifying　　the　mortuary；　skull…like　appearance　of　his　face。　　Over　his　ulster　was　an　old…fashioned　Scotch　shawl　such　as　men　used　to　wear　in　the　days　before　overcoats　came　into　fashion。　　About　his　wasted　legs　was　wrapped　a　carriage　robe；　and　she　knew　that　there　was　a　hot…water　bag　under　his　feet。　　Beside　him　sat　young　Doctor　Charlton；　whom　Jane　had　at　last　succeeded　in　inducing　her　father　to　try。　　Charlton　did　not　look　or　smell　like　a　doctor。　　He　rather　suggested　a　professional　athlete；　perhaps　a　better　class　prize　fighter。　　The　weazened　old　financier　was　gazing　at　him　with　a　fascinated　expressionadmiring；　envious；　amused。

Charlton　was　saying：

‘‘Yes；　you　do　look　like　a　dead　one。　　But　that's　only　another　of　your　tricks　for　fooling　people。　　You'll　live　a　dozen　years　unless　you　commit　suicide。　　A　dozen　years？　　Probably　twenty。''

‘‘You　ought　to　be　ashamed　to　make　sport　of　a　poor　old　invalid；''　said　Hastings　with　a　grin。

‘‘Any　man　who　could　stand　a　lunch　of　crackers　and　milk　for　ten　years　could　outlive　anything；''　retorted　Charlton。　　‘‘No；　you　belong　to　the　old　stock。　　You　used　to　see　'em　around　when　you　were　a　boy。　　They　usually　coughed　and　wheezed；　and　every　time　they　did　it；　the　family　used　to　get　ready　to　send　for　the　undertaker。　　But　they　lived　on　and　on。　　When　did　your　mother　die？''

‘‘Couple　of　years　ago；''　said　Hastings。

‘‘And　your　father？''

‘‘He　was　killed　by　a　colt　he　was　breaking　at　sixty…　seven。''

Charlton　laughed　uproariously。　　‘‘If　you　took　walks　and　rides　instead　of　always　sitting　round；　you　never　would　die；''　said　he。　　‘‘But　you're　like　lots　of　women　I　know。　　You'd　rather　die　than　take　exercise。　　Still；　I've　got　you　to　stop　that　eating　that　was　keeping　you　on　the　verge　all　the　time。''

‘‘You're　trying　to　starve　me　to　death；''　grumbled　Hastings。

‘‘Don't　you　feel　better；　now　that　you've　got　used　to　it　and　don't　feel　hungry？''

‘‘But　I'm　not　getting　any　nourishment。''

‘‘How　would　eating　help　you？　　You　can't　digest　any　more　than　what　I'm　allowing　you。　　Do　you　think　you　were　better　off　when　you　were　full　of　rotting　food？　　I　guess　not。''

‘‘WellI'm　doing　as　you　say；''　said　the　old　man　resignedly。

‘‘And　if　you　keep　it　up　for　a　year；　I'll　put　you　on　a　horse。　　If　you　don't　keep　it　up；　you'll　find　yourself　in　a　hearse。''

Jane　stood　silently　by；　listening　with　a　feeling　of　depression　which　she　could　not　have　accounted　for；　if　she　wouldand　would　not　if　she　could。　　Not　that　she　wished　her　father　to　die；　simply　that　Charlton's　confidence　in　his　long　life　forced　her　to　face　the　only　alternativebringing　him　round　to　accept　Victor　Dorn。

At　her　father's　next　remark　she　began　to　listen　with　a　high　beating　heart。　　He　said　to　Charlton：

‘‘How　about　that　there　friend　of　yoursthat　young　Dorn？　　You　ain't　talked　about　him　to…day　as　much　as　usual。''

‘‘The　last　time　we　talked　about　him　we　quarreled；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘It's　irritating　to　see　a　man　of　your　intelligence　a　slave　to　silly　prejudices。''

‘‘I　like　Victor　Dorn；''　replied　Hastings　in　a　most　conciliatory　tone。　　‘‘I　think　he's　a　fine　young　man。　　Didn't　I　have　him　up　here　at　my　house　not　long　ago？　　Jane'll　tell　you　that　I　like　him。

She　likes　him；　too。　　But　the　trouble　with　himand　with　you；　toois　that　you're　dreaming　all　the　time。　　You　don't　recognize　facts。　　And；　so；　you　make　a　lot　of　trouble　for　us　conservative　men。''

‘‘Please　don't　use　that　word　conservative；''　said　Charlton。　　‘‘It　gags　me　to　hear　it。　　YOU'RE　not　a　conservative。　　If　you　had　been　you'd　still　be　a　farm　hand。　　You've　been　a　radical　all　your　lifechanging　things　round　and　round；　always　according　to　your　idea　of　what　was　to　your　advantage。　　The　only　difference　between　radicals　like　you　robber　financiers　and　radicals　like　Victor　and　me　is　that　our　ideas　of　what's　to　our　advantage　differ。　　To　you　life　means　money；　to　us　it　means　health　and　comfort　and　happiness。　　You　want　the　world　changedlaws　upset；　liberty　destroyed；　wages　lowered；　and　so　onso　that　you　can　get　all　the　money。　　We　want　the　world　changed　so　that　we　can　be　healthy　and　comfortable　and　happysecurely　sowhich　we　can't　be　unless　everybody　is；　or　is　in　the　way　to　being。''

Jane　was　surprised　to　see　that　her　father；　instead　of　being　offended；　was　amused　and　pleased。　　He　liked　his　new　doctor　so　well　that　he　liked　everything　he　said　and　did。　　Jane　looked　at　Charlton　in　her　friendliest　way。　　Here　might　be　an　ally；　and　a　valuable　ally。

‘‘Human　nature　doesn't　change；''　said　Hastings　in　the　tone　of　a　man　who　is　stating　that　which　cannot　be　disputed。

‘‘The　mischief　it　doesn't；''　said　Charlton　in　prompt　and　vigorous　dissent。　　‘‘When　conditions　change；　human　nature　has　to　change；　has　to　adapt　itself。　　What　you　mean　is　that　human　nature　doesn't　change　itself。　　But　conditions　change　it。　　They've　been　changing　it　very　rapidly　these　last　few　years。　　Sciencesteam；　electricity；　a　thousand　inventions　and　discoveries；　crowding　one　upon　anotherscience　has　brought　about　entirely　new　and　unprecedented　conditions　so　rapidly　that　the　changes　in　human　nature　now　making　and　that　must　be　made　in　the　next　few　years　are　resulting　in　a　series　of　convulsions。　　You　old…fashioned　fellowsand　the　polit