the vision spendid(美景)-第23节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Rome was the most analogous simile Farnum's brain could summon。 What
freak of nature； he wondered； had been responsible for so alien an
offspring to this ruthless builder？ And what under heaven had the two in
common except the blood that ran in both their veins？
Peter C。 Frome； who had followed his brother…in…law into the room；
introduced the young man to the railroad king。
The great man's grip drove the blood from Farnum's hand。
〃I've heard about you； young man。 What do you mean by getting in my
way？〃
The young man's veins glowed。 He had made Joe Powers notice him。
Not for worlds would he have winked an eyelash； though the bones of his
hand felt as if they were being ground to powder。
〃Do I get in your way； sir？〃 he asked innocently。
〃Do you？〃 boomed the deep bass of the railroader。 〃You and that mad
87
… Page 88…
THE VISION SPLENDID
brother of yours。〃
〃He's my cousin；〃 James explained。
〃Brother or cousin； he's got to get off the track or be run over。 And you；
too； with that smooth tongue of yours。〃
Farnum laughed。 〃Jeff's pretty solid。 He may ditch the train； sir。〃
〃No！〃 roared Powers。 〃He'll be flung into the ditch。〃 He turned
abruptly to Frome。 〃Peter； take me to a room where I can talk to this young
man。 I need him。〃
〃'Come into my little parlor；' said the spider to the fly。〃
They wheeled as at a common rein to the sound of the young mocking
voice。 Alice Frome had come in unnoticed and was standing in the
doorway smiling at them。 The effect she produced was demurely daring。
The long lines of her slender sylph…like body； the girlishness of her golden
charm； were vigorously contradicted in their suggestion of shyness by the
square tilted chin and the challenge in the dancing eyes。
〃Alice；〃 admonished her father with a deprecatory apology in his voice
to his brother…in…law。
Powers knit his shaggy brows in a frown not at all grim。 The young
woman smiled back confidently。 She could go farther with him than
anybody else in the world could； and she knew it。 For he recognized in her
vigorous strength of fiber a kinship of the spirit closer than that between
him and his own daughter。 An autocrat to the marrow； it pleased him to
recognize her an exception to his rule。 Valencia was also an exception； but
in a different way。
〃Have you any remarks to make； Miss Frome？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； I've made it；〃 returned the girl unabashed。 She turned to James
and shook hands with him。 〃How do you do； Mr。 Farnum？ I see you are
going to be tied to Uncle Joe's kite； too。〃
Was there in her voice just a hint of scorn？ James did not know。 He
laughed a little uneasily。
〃Shall I be swallowed up alive； Miss Frome？〃
〃You think you won't； but you will。 He always gets what he wants。〃
For all the warmth and energy of youth in her there was a vivid
spiritual quality that had always made a deep appeal to James。 He sensed
88
… Page 89…
THE VISION SPLENDID
the something fine and exquisite she breathed forth and did reverence to it。
〃And what does he want now？〃 the young man parried。
〃He wants YOU。〃
〃Unless you would like him yourself； Alice；〃 her uncle countered。
The color washed into her cheeks。 〃Not just now； thank you。 I was
merely giving him a friendly warning。〃
〃I'm awfully obliged to you。 I'll be on my guard；〃 laughed James。
He stepped across to the lounge to make his farewell to Mrs。 Van Tyle。
〃You'll come again；〃 she said in a low voice。
〃Whenever the gallery is openif I am sent a ticket of admission。〃
〃Wouldn't it be better to apply for a ticket and not wait for it to be
sent？〃
〃I think it wouldand to apply for one often。〃
〃I am waiting； Mr。 Farnum；〃 interrupted Powers impatiently。
To the young man the suggestion sounded like a command。 He bowed
to Alice and followed the great man out of the room。
89
… Page 90…
THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 10
Many business men of every community are respectable cowards。 The
sense of property fills them with a cramping timidity。 From the Note
Book of a Dreamer。
SAFE AND SOUND BUSINESS RALLIES TO THE DEFENSE OF
THE COUNTRY。 THE REBEL； FRUSTRATED； PLANS FURTHER
VILLAINIES
PART 1
When James reached his office next morning he found Killen waiting
for him。 One glance at the weak defiant face told him that the legislator
was again in revolt。 The lawyer felt a surge of disgust sweep over him。 All
through the session he had cajoled and argued the weak…kneed back into
line。 Why didn't Hardy do his own dirty work instead of leaving it to him
to soil his hands with these cheap grafters？〃
No longer ago than yesterday it had been a keen pleasure to feel
himself so important a factor in the struggle； to know that his power and
his personality were of increasing value to his side。
But to…daysomehow the salt had gone out of it。 The value of the issue
had dwindled； his enthusiasm gone stale。 After all； what did it matter who
was elected？ Why should not the corporate wealth that was developing the
country see that men were chosen to office who would safeguard vested
interests？ It was all very well for Jeff to talk about democracy and the
rights of the people。 But Jeff was an impracticable idealist。 He； James；
stood for success。 Within the past twenty…four hours there had been
something of a shift of standards for him。
His visit to The Brakes had done that for him。 He craved luxury just as
he did power； and the house on the hill had said the final word of both to
him in the personalities of Joe Powers and his daughter。 It had come home
to him that the only way to satisfy his ambition was by making money and
a lot of it。 This morning； with the sharpness of his hunger rendering him
irritable； he was in no mood to conciliate disaffectants to the cause of
90
… Page 91…
THE VISION SPLENDID
which he was himself beginning to weary。
〃Well？〃 he demanded sharply of Killen。
〃I've been looking for your cousin； but I can't find him。 He was to have
met me here later。〃
〃Then I presume he'll be here when he said he would。〃 The eyes of the
lawyer were cold and hard as jade。
〃You can tell him it won't be necessary for me to see him。 I've made
other arrangements；〃 Killen said uneasily。 〃You mean that you repudiate
your agreement with him。 Is that it？〃 Farnum's voice was like a whiplash。
〃I've decided to support Frome。 Fact is〃
〃Oh； damn the facts！ You made an agreement。 You're going to sell out。
That's all there is to it。〃
The young man's face was dark with furious disgust。
Killen flared up。 〃You better be careful how you talk to me； Mr。
Farnum。 I might want to know what Big Tim was doing in your office
yesterday。 I might want to know what business took you up to The Brakes
by a mighty roundabout way。〃
James strode forward in a rage。 〃Get out of here before I throw you out；
you little spying blackguard。〃
〃You bet I'll get out；〃 screamed the mill man。 〃Get clear out and have
nothing more to do with your outfit。 But I want to tell you that folks will
talk a lot when they know how you and Big Tim fixed up a deal〃 Killen；
backing toward the door as he spoke； broke off to hasten his exit before
the lawyer's threatening advance。
James slammed the door shut on him and paced up and down in an
impotent fury of passion。 〃The dirty little blackleg！ He'd like to bracket me
in the same class as himself。 He'd like to imply that IBy Heaven； if he
opens his lying mouth to a hint of such a thing I'll horsewhip the little
cad。〃
But running uneasily through his mind was an undercurrent of disgust…
…with himself； with Jeff； with the whole situation。 Why had he ever let
himself get mixed up with such an outfit？ Government by the people！ The
thing was idiotic； mere demagogic cant。 Power was to the stro
