the vision spendid(美景)-第28节
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〃I have forgotten everything but youand that I'm going to marry
you。〃
She laughed a little tremulously。 〃You had better forget that too。 I'm
like Alice。 My answer is； 'No； thank you； kind sir。'〃
〃And my answer； royal Hebe； is this。〃 His hot lips met hers again in
abandonment to the racing passion in him。
〃Youbarbarian；〃 she gasped； pushing him away。
〃Perhaps。 But the man who is going to marry you。〃
She looked at him with a flash of almost shy curiosity that had the
charm of an untasted sensation。 〃Would you beat me？〃
〃I don't know。〃 He still breathed unevenly。 〃I'd teach you how to live。〃
〃And love？〃 She was beginning to recover her lightness of tone；
though the warm color still dabbed her cheeks。
〃Why not？〃 His eyes were diamond bright。 〃Why not？ You have never
known the great moments； the buoyant zest of living in the land that
belongs only to the Heirs o Life。〃
〃And can you guide me there？〃 The irony in her voice was not
untouched with wistfulness。
〃Try me。〃
She laughed softly； stepped to the table； and chose a cigarette。 〃My
friend； you promise impossibilities。 I was not born to that incomparable
company。 To be frank； neither were you。 Alice； grant you； belongs there。
And that mad cousin of yours。 But not we two earth creepers。 We're
neither of us star dwellers。 In the meantime〃she lit her Egyptian and
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THE VISION SPLENDID
stopped to make sure of her light every moment escaping more definitely
from the glamor of his passion〃you mentioned an engagement that was
imperative。 Don't let me keep you from it。〃
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THE VISION SPLENDID
CHAPTER 12
From The New Catechism
Question： What is the whole duty of man？
Answer： To succeed。
Q。 What is success？
A。 Success is being a Captain of Industry。
Q。 How may one become a Captain of Industry？
A。 By stacking in his barns the hay made by others while the sun
shines。
Q。 But is this not theft？
A。 Not if done legally and respectably on a large scale。 It is high
finance。
THE REBEL AND THE UNDESIRABLE CITIZEN TALK
TREASON。 THE HERO HAS PRIVATE CONVERSE WITH A GREAT
PIONEER OF CIVILIZATION
PART 1
Jeff never for a day desisted from his fight to win back for the people
the self rule that had been wrested from them for selfish purposes by
corporate greed。 〃Government by the people〃 was the watchword he kept
at the head of his editorial column。 Better a bad government that is
representative than a good one emanating from the privileged few； he
maintained with conviction。
To his office came one day Oscar Marchant； the little； half… educated
Socialist poet； coughing from the exertion of the stairs he had just climbed。
He had come begging； the consumptive presently explained。
〃Remember Sobieski； the Polish Jew？〃
Jeff smiled。 〃Of course。 Philosophical anarchy used to be his remedy。〃
〃Starvation is the one he's trying now；〃 returned Marchant grimly。
〃He's had typhoid and lost his job。 The rent's due and they'll be turned out
tomorrow。 He's got a wife and two kids。〃
Farnum asked questions briefly and pulled out his check book。 〃Tell
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THE VISION SPLENDID
Sobieski not to worry；〃 he said as he handed over a check。 〃I'll send a
reporter out there and we'll make an appeal through the _World_。 Of
course his own name won't be used。 No one will know who it really is。
We'll look out for him till he's on his feet again。〃
Marchant gave him the best he had。 〃You're a pretty good Socialist；
even though you don't know it。〃
〃Am I？〃
〃But you're blind as a bat。 The things you fight for in the _World_
don't get to the bottom of what ails us。〃
〃We've got to forge the tools of freedom before we can use them；
haven't we？〃
〃You're all for patching up the rotten system we've got。 It will never
do。〃
〃Great changes are most easily brought about under the old forms。
Men's minds in the mass move slowly。 They can see only a little truth at a
time。〃
〃Because they are blinded by ignorance and selfishness。 Get at bottom
facts； Farnum。 What's the one great crime？〃
Without a moment's hesitation Jeff answered。 〃Poverty。 All other
crimes are paltry beside that。〃
Marchant cocked himself up on the window seat with his legs doubled
under him tailor fashion。 〃Why？〃
〃Because it stamps out hope and love and aspiration； all that is fine
and true in life。〃
〃Exactly。 Men ought to love their work。 But how can they
ove that which is always associated in their minds with a denial of
justice？ Is it likely that men will work better under a system whereby they
are condemned in advance to failure than under one standing rationally for
a just and fair division of the fruits of labor？ I tell you； Farnum； under
present conditions the Juggernaut of progress is forever wasting
humanity。〃
〃I've always thought it a pity that the mainsprings of work should be
fear and greed instead of hope and love；〃 Jeff agreed。
〃Why is it that poverty coexists with wealth increasing so rapidly？
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THE VISION SPLENDID
Why is it that productive power has been so enormously developed
without lightening the burdens of labor？〃
Marchant's eyes were starlike in their earnestness。 He had a passion for
humanity that neither want nor disease could quench； and with it a certain
gift of expression street oratory had brought out。 Even in private
conversation he had got into the way of declaiming。 But Jeff knew he was
no empty talker。 All that he had he literally gave to the poor。
〃Because the whole spirit of business life is wrong；〃 Farnum
responded。
〃Of course it's wrong。 It's a survival of the law of the jungle； of tooth
and fang。 Its motto is dog eat dog。 We all work under the rule of get and
grab。 What's the result of this higgledypiggledy system？ One man starves
and another has indigestion。 That's the trouble with Verden to…day。 Some
of us haven't enough and others have too much。 They take from us what
we earn。 That's the whole cause of poverty。 The Malthusian theory is all
wrong。 It's not nature； but man that is to blame。〃
Farnum knew the little Socialist was right so far。 Here in Verden； under
the forms of freedom； was the very essence of slavery。 All the product of
labor was taken from it except enough to sustain a mere animal existence。
Something was wrong in a world where a man begs in vain for work to
support his family。 Given proper conditions； men would not rise by
trampling each other down； but by lending a hand to the unfortunate。 The
effect of efficiency would be to make things easier for the weak。 The
reward of service would be more service。
〃The principle of the old order is dead；〃 Marchant went on； wagging
his thin forefinger at Jeff。 〃The whole social fabric is made up of lies；
compromises； injustice。 The only reason it has hung together so long is
that people have been trained to think along certain lines like show
animals。 But they're waking up。 Look at Germany。 Look at England。 What
the plutocrats call the menace of Socialism is everywhere。 Now that every
worker knows he is being robbed of what he earns； how long do you think
he will carry the capitalistic system on his back？ From the beginning of
the world we have tried it。 With what result？ An injustice that is staggering；
a waste that is appalling； an inhumanity that is deadening。〃
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