the vision spendid(美景)-第10节
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A momentary flicker lit the gloomy eyes of the Irishman。 〃He's a great
boy； Mike is。 He often speaks of you； Mr。 Farnum。
〃Glad to know it。 And Mrs。 Burke？〃
〃Fine。〃
〃That leaves only Patrick Burke。 I suppose he hasn't fallen off the
water wagon yet。〃
The occupation of Burke had been a threadbare joke between them in
the old days。 He drove a street sprinkler for the city。
〃That's what he has。 McGuire threw the hooks into me this mor… rning。
I've drove me last day。〃
〃What's the matter？〃
〃I'm too damned honest。 。 。 。 or too big a coward。 Take your choice。〃
〃All right。 I've taken it；〃 smiled the reporter。
Pat brought his big fist down on the table so forcefully that the books
shook。 〃I'll not go to the penitentiary for an…ny man。 。 。 。 He wanted me to
let him put two other teams on the rolls in my name。 I wouldn't stand for it。
That was six weeks ago。 To…day he lets me out。〃
Jeff began to see dimly the trail of the serpent graft。 He lit his pipe
before he spoke。
〃Don't quite get the idea； Pat。 Why wouldn't you？〃
〃Because I'm on the level。 I'll have no wan tellin' little Mike his father
is a dirty thief。 。 。 。It's this way。 The rolls were to be padded； understand。〃
〃I see。 You were to draw pay for three teams when you've got only
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THE VISION SPLENDID
one。〃
〃McGuire was to draw it； all but a few dollars a month。〃 The Irishman
leaned forward； his eyes blazing。 〃And because I wouldn't stand for it I'm
fired for neglecting my duty。 I missed a street yesterday。 If he'd been
frientlly to me I might have missed forty。 。 。 。 But he can't throw me down
like that。 I've got the goods to show he's a dirty grafter。 Right now he's
drawing pay for seven teams that don't exist。〃
〃And he doesn't know you know it？〃
〃You bet he don't。 I've guessed it for a month。 To…day I went round and
made sure。〃
Jeff asked questions； learned all that Burke had to tell him。 In the days
that followed he ran down the whole story of the graft so secretly that not
even the city editor knew what he was about。 Then he had a talk with the
〃old man〃 and wrote his story。
It was a red…hot exposure of one of the most flagrant of the City Hall
gang。 There was no question of the proof。 He had it in black and white。
Moreover； there was always the chance that in the row which must follow
McGuire might peach on Big Tim himself； the boss of all the little bosses。
Within twenty…four hours Jeff was summoned to a conference at which
were present the city editor and Warren； now managing editor。
〃We've killed your story； Farnum；〃 announced the latter as soon as the
door was closed。
〃Why？ I can prove every word of it。〃
〃That was what we were afraid of。〃
〃It's a peach of a story。 With the spring elections coming on we need
some dynamite to blow up Big Tim。 I tell you McGuire would tell all he
knows to save his own skin。〃
〃My opinion； too；〃 agreed Warren dryly。 〃My boy； it's too big a story。
That's the whole trouble。 If we were sure it would stop at McGuire we'd
run it。 But it won't。 The corporations are backing Big Tim to win this
spring。 It won't do to get him tied up in a graft scandal。〃
〃But the _Advocate_ has been out after his scalp for years。〃
〃Well； we're not after it any more。 Of course； we're against him on the
surface still。〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
Jeff did some rapid thinking。 〃Then the program will be for us to
nominate a weak ticket and elect Big Tim's by default。 Is that it？〃
〃That's about it。 The big fellows have to make sure of a Mayor who
will be all right about the Gas and Electric franchise。 So we're going to
have four more years of Big Tim。〃
〃Will Brownell stand for it？〃
Brownell was the principal owner of the _Advocate。_
〃Will he？〃 Warren let his eyelash rest for a second upon the cheek
nearest Jeff。 〃He's been seen。 My orders come direct from the old man。〃
The story was suppressed。 No more was heard about the McGuire
graft scandal exposure。 It had run counter to the projects of big business。
Burke had to be satisfied without his revenge。
He got a job with a brewery and charged the McGuire matter to profit
and loss。
As for Jeff the incident only served to make clearer what he already
knew。 More and more he began to understand the forces that dominate our
cities； the alliance between large vested interests and the powers that prey。
These great corporations were seekers of special privileges。 To secure this
they financed the machines and permitted vice and corruption。 He saw that
ultimately most of the shame for the bad government of American cities
rests upon the Fromes and the Merrills。
As for the newspapers； he was learning that between the people and an
independent press stand the big advertisers。 These make for conservatism；
for an unfair point of view； for a slant in both news recording and news
interpretation。 Yet he saw that the press is in spite of this a power for good。
The evil that it does is local and temporary； the good general and
permanent。
PART 3
The spirit of commercialism that dominated America during the
nineties and the first years of the new century never got hold of Jeff。 The
air and the light of his land were often the creation of a poet's dream。 The
delight of life stabbed him； so； too； did its tragedy。 Not anchored to
conventions； his mind was forever asking questions； seeking answers。
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THE VISION SPLENDID
He would come out from a theater into a night that was a flood of
illumination。 Electric signs poured a glare of light over the streets。 Motor
cars and electrics whirled up to take away beautifully gowned women and
correctly dressed men。 The windows of the department stores were filled
with imported luxuries。 And he would sometimes wonder how much of
misery and trouble was being driven back by that gay blare of wealth； how
many men and women and children were giving their lives to maintain a
civilization that existed by trampling over their broken hearts and bodies。
Preventable poverty stared at him from all sides。 He saw that our
social fabric is thrown together in the most haphazard fashion； without
scientific organization； with the greatest waste； in such a way that non…
producers win all the prizes while the toilers do without。 Yet out of this
system that sows hate and discontent； that is a practical denial of
brotherhood； of God； springs here and there love like a flower in a
dunghill。
He felt that art and learning； as well as beauty and truth； ought to walk
hand in hand with our daily lives。 But this is impossible so long as
disorder and cruelty and disease are in the world unnecessarily。 He heard
good people； busy with effects instead of causes； talk about the way out； as
if there could be any way out which did not offer an equality of
opportunity refused by the whole cruel system of to…day。
But Jeff could be in revolt without losing his temper。 The men who
profited by present conditions were not monsters。 They were as kind of
heart as he was； effects of the system just as much as the little bootblack
on the corner。 No possible good could come of a blind hatred of
individuals。
His Bohemian instinct sent Jeff ranging far in those days。 He made
friends out of the most unlikely material。 Some of the most radical of these
were in the habit of gathering informally in his rooms about once a week。
Sometimes the talk was good and pungent。 Much of it was merely wild。
His college friend； Sam Miller； now assistant city librarian； was one of
this little circle。 Another was Oscar Marchant； a fragile little Socialist poet
upon whom consumption had laid its grip。 He was not much of a poet； but
there burnt in him a passion for humanity that disease and poverty could
