the vision spendid(美景)-第26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！
98
… Page 99…
THE VISION SPLENDID
〃Pledge them？〃 grinned Rawson cynically。 〃Weren't they pledged to
support Hardy？ And did they？〃
〃No； but they'll stick next time； I think。〃
〃You're an incurable optimist； my boy。〃
〃It isn't optimism this time。 It's our big stick。〃
〃Didn't know we had one。〃
〃Do you remember House Bill 19？〃
〃No。 What's that got to do with it？〃
〃It slipped through early in the session。 Anderson introduced it。
Nobody paid any attention to it because he's a back country Swede and his
bill was very wordy。 The governor signed it to…day。 That bill provides for
the recall of any public official； alderman or legislator if the people are not
satisfied with his conduct。〃
The big man stared。 〃I thought it only applied to district road
supervisors。 Were you back of that bill； Jeff？〃
〃I had it drawn up and helped steer it through the committee； though I
was careful not to appear interested。〃
〃You sly old fox！ And nobody guessed it had general application。
None of us read the blamed thing through。 You're going to use it as a club
to make the legislators stand pat on their pledges。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But don't you see how revolutionary your big stick is？〃 Rawson's
smile was expansive。 〃Why； hang it； man； you're destroying the
fundamental value of representative government。 It's a deliberate attack on
graft。〃
〃Looks like it； doesn't it？〃
It was while Rawson was waiting for his mince pie piled with ice
cream that he ventured a delicate question。
〃Say； Jeff！ What about James？ Is he getting ready to flop over to the
enemy？〃
〃No。 Why do you ask that？〃
〃I notice he explained when he voted for House Bill 77 that he
reserved the right to oppose it later。 Said he hadn't made up his mind； but
felt the people should be given a chance to express themselves on it。〃
99
… Page 100…
THE VISION SPLENDID
Upon Farnum's face rested a momentary gravity。 〃I can't make James
out lately。 He's lost his enthusiasm。 Half the time he's irritable and moody。
I think perhaps he's been blaming himself too much for Hardy's defeat。〃
Rawson laughed with cynical incredulity。 〃That's it； is it？〃
100
… Page 101…
THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 11
〃Faustina hath the fairest face； And Phillida the better grace； Both have
mine eye enriched： This sings full sweetly with her voice； Her fingers
make so sweet a noise； Both have mine ear bewitched。 Ah me！ sith Fates
have so provided； My heart； alas！ must be divided。〃
THE HERO； ASSISTED BY THE MONA LISA SMILE；
DEPLORES THE DEBILITATING EFFECTS OF MODERN
CIVILIZATION
PART 1
With the adjournment of the legislature politics became a less
absorbing topic of interest。 James at least was frankly glad of this； for his
position had begun to be embarrassing。 He could not always stand with a
foot in either camp。 As yet he had made no break with the progressives。
Joe Powers had given him a hint that he might be more useful where he
was。 But as much as possible he was avoiding the little luncheons at which
Jeff and his political friends were wont to foregather。 He gave as an excuse
the rush of business that was swamping him。 His excuse at least had the
justification of truth。 His speeches had brought him a good many clients
and Frome was quietly throwing cases his way。
It was at one of these informal little noonday gatherings that Rawson
gave his opinion of the legal ability of James。
〃He isn't any great lawyer； but he never gives it away。 He knows how
to wear an air of profound learning with a large and impressive silence。
Roll up the whole Supreme Court into one and it can't look any wiser than
James K。 Farnum。〃
Miller laughed。 〃Reminds me of what I heard last week。 Jeff was
walking down Powers Avenue with James and an old fellow stopped me to
point them out。 There go the best citizen and the worst citizen in this town；
he said。 I told him that was rather hard on James。 You ought to have heard
him。 For him James is the hero of the piece and Jeff the villain。〃
〃Half the people in this town have got that damn fool notion；〃 Captain
101
… Page 102…
THE VISION SPLENDID
Chunn interrupted violently。
〃More than half； I should say。〃
〃Every day or two I hear about how dissipated Jeff used to be and how
if it were not for his good and noble cousin he would have gone to the
deuce long ago；〃 Rawson contributed。 Chunn pounded on the table with
his fist。 〃Jeff's own fault。 Talk about durn fools！ That boy's got them all
beat clear off the map。 And I'm dashed if I don't like him better for it。〃
〃Move we change the subject；〃 suggested Rawson。 〃Here comes
Verden's worst citizen。〃
With a casual nod of greeting round the table Jeff sat down。
〃Any of you hear James' speech before the Chamber of Commerce
yesterday？ It was bully。 One of his best；〃 he said as he reached for the
menu card。
Captain Chunn groaned。 The rest laughed。 Jeff looked round in
surprise。 〃What's the joke？〃
PART 2
It was a great relief to James； in these days when the complacency of
his self…satisfaction was a little ruffled； to call often on Valencia Van Tyle
and let himself drift pleasantly with her along primrose paths where moral
obligations never obtruded。 Under the near…Venetian ceiling of her den；
with its pink Cupids and plump dimpled cherubs smiling down； he was
never troubled about his relation to Hardy's defeat。 Here he got at life from
another slant and could always find justification to himself for his course。
She had a silent divination of his moods and knew how to minister
indolently to them。 The subtle incense of luxury that she diffused banished
responsibility。 In her soft sensuous blood the lusty beat of duty had small
play。
But even while he yielded to the allure of Valencia Van Tyle； admitting
a finish of beauty to which mere youth could not aspire； all that was
idealistic in him went out to the younger cousin whose admiration and shy
swift friendship he was losing。 His vanity refused to accept this at first。
She was a little piqued at him because of the growing intimacy with
Valencia。 That was all。 Why； it had been only a month or two ago that her
102
… Page 103…
THE VISION SPLENDID
gaze had been warm for him； that her playful irony had mocked sweetly
his ambition for service to the community。 Their spirits had touched in
comradeship。 Almost he had caught in her eyes the look they would hold
for only one man on earth。 The best in him had responded to the call。 But
now he did not often meet her at The Brakes。 When he did a cool little nod
and an indifferent word sufficed for him。 How much this hurt only James
himself knew。
One of the visible signs of his increasing prosperity was a motor car； in
which he might frequently be seen driving with the daughter of Joe
Powers； to the gratification of its owner and the envy of Verden。 The cool
indifference with which Mrs。 Van Tyle ignored the city's social elite had
aroused bitter criticism。 Since she did not care a rap for this her escapades
were frankly indiscreet。 James could not really afford a machine； but he
justified it on the ground that it was an investment。 A man who appears to
be prosperous becomes prosperous。 A good front is a part of the bluff of
twentieth century success。 He did not follow his argument so far as to
admit that the purchase of the car was an item in the expenses of a
campaign by which he meant to make capital out of a woman's favor to
him； even though his imagination toyed with the possibilities it migh
