the titan-第108节

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could　conscientiously　sanction　the　bill。　　Finally；　one　day；　as　he　was　seated　in　his　Chicago　business　officea　fateful　chamber　located　in　the　troublesome　building　which　was　subsequently　to　wreck　his　fortune　and　which　was　the　raison　d'etre　of　a　present　period　of　care　and　depressionenter　the　smug；　comfortable　presence　of　Judge　Nahum　Dickensheets；　at　present　senior　counsel　of　the　North　Chicago　Street　Railway。　　He　was　a　very　mountain　of　a　man　physicallysmooth…faced；　agreeably　clothed；　hard　and　yet　ingratiating　of　eye；　a　thinker；　a　reasoner。　Swanson　knew　much　of　him　by　reputation　and　otherwise；　although　personally　they　were　no　more　than　speaking　acquaintances。

〃How　are　you；　Governor？　I'm　glad　to　see　you　again。　　I　heard　you　were　back　in　Chicago。　　I　see　by　the　morning　papers　that　you　have　that　Southack　public…service　bill　up　before　you。　　I　thought　I　would　come　over　and　have　a　few　words　with　you　about　it　if　you　have　no　objection。　　I've　been　trying　to　get　down　to　Springfield　for　the　last　three　weeks　to　have　a　little　chat　with　you　before　you　reached　a　conclusion　one　way　or　the　other。　　Do　you　mind　if　I　inquire　whether　you　have　decided　to　veto　it？〃

The　ex…judge；　faintly　perfumed；　clean　and　agreeable；　carried　in　his　hand　a　large…sized　black　hand…satchel　which　he　put　down　beside　him　on　the　floor。

〃Yes；　Judge；〃　replied　Swanson；　〃I've　practically　decided　to　veto　it。　　I　can　see　no　practical　reason　for　supporting　it。　　As　I　look　at　it　now；　it's　specious　and　special；　not　particularly　called　for　or　necessary　at　this　time。〃

The　governor　talked　with　a　slight　Swedish　accent；　intellectual；　individual。

A　long；　placid；　philosophic　discussion　of　all　the　pros　and　cons　of　the　situation　followed。　　The　governor　was　tired；　distrait；　but　ready　to　listen　in　a　tolerant　way　to　more　argument　along　a　line　with　which　he　was　already　fully　familiar。　　He　knew；　of　course；　that　Dickensheets　was　counsel　for　the　North　Chicago　Street　Railway　Company。

〃I'm　very　glad　to　have　heard　what　you　have　to　say；　Judge；〃　finally　commented　the　governor。　　I　don't　want　you　to　think　I　haven't　given　this　matter　serious　thoughtI　have。　　I　know　most　of　the　things　that　have　been　done　down　at　Springfield。　　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　an　able　man；　I　don't　charge　any　more　against　him　than　I　do　against　twenty　other　agencies　that　are　operating　down　there　at　this　very　moment。　　I　know　what　his　difficulties　are。　　I　can　hardly　be　accused　of　sympathizing　with　his　enemies；　for　they　certainly　do　not　sympathize　with　me。　　I　am　not　even　listening　to　the　newspapers。　This　is　a　matter　of　faith　in　democracya　difference　in　ideals　between　myself　and　many　other　men。　　I　haven't　vetoed　the　bill　yet。　I　don't　say　that　something　may　not　arise　to　make　me　sign　it。　　My　present　intention；　unless　I　hear　something　much　more　favorable　in　its　behalf　than　I　have　already　heard；　is　to　veto　it。

〃Governor；〃　said　Dickensheets；　rising；　〃let　me　thank　you　for　your　courtesy。　　I　would　be　the　last　person　in　the　world　to　wish　to　influence　you　outside　the　line　of　your　private　convictions　and　your　personal　sense　of　fair　play。　　At　the　same　time　I　have　tried　to　make　plain　to　you　how　essential　it　is；　how　only　fair　and　right；　that　this　local　street…railway…franchise　business　should　be　removed　out　of　the　realm　of　sentiment；　emotion；　public　passion；　envy；　buncombe；　and　all　the　other　influences　that　are　at　work　to　frustrate　and　make　difficult　the　work　of　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　All　envy；　I　tell　you。　　His　enemies　are　willing　to　sacrifice　every　principle　of　justice　and　fair　play　to　see　him　eliminated。　　That　sums　it　up。

〃That　may　all　be　true；〃　replied　Swanson。　　〃Just　the　same；　there　is　another　principle　involved　here　which　you　do　not　seem　to　see　or　do　not　care　to　considerthe　right　of　the　people　under　the　state　constitution　to　a　consideration；　a　revaluation；　of　their　contracts　at　the　time　and　in　the　manner　agreed　upon　under　the　original　franchise。　　What　you　propose　is　sumptuary　legislation；　it　makes　null　and　void　an　agreement　between　the　people　and　the　street…railway　companies　at　a　time　when　the　people　have　a　right　to　expect　a　full　and　free　consideration　of　this　matter　aside　from　state　legislative　influence　and　control。　　To　persuade　the　state　legislature；　by　influence　or　by　any　other　means；　to　step　in　at　this　time　and　interfere　is　unfair。　　The　propositions　involved　in　those　bills　should　be　referred　to　the　people　at　the　next　election　for　approval　or　not；　just　as　they　see　fit。　　That　is　the　way　this　matter　should　be　arranged。　　It　will　not　do　to　come　into　the　legislature　and　influence　or　buy　votes；　and　then　expect　me　to　write　my　signature　under　the　whole　matter　as　satisfactory。

Swanson　was　not　heated　or　antipathetic。　　He　was　cool；　firm；　well…intentioned。

Dickensheets　passed　his　hand　over　a　wide；　high　temple。　　He　seemed　to　be　meditating　somethingsome　hitherto　untried　statement　or　course　of　action。

Well；　Governor；〃　he　repeated；　〃I　want　to　thank　you；　anyhow。　　You　have　been　exceedingly　kind。　　By　the　way；　I　see　you　have　a　large；　roomy　safe　here。〃　He　had　picked　up　the　bag　he　was　carrying。　　〃I　wonder　if　I　might　leave　this　here　for　a　day　or　two　in　your　care？　It　contains　some　papers　that　I　do　not　wish　to　carry　into　the　country　with　me。　　Would　you　mind　locking　it　up　in　your　safe　and　letting　me　have　it　when　I　send　for　it？〃

〃With　pleasure；〃　replied　the　governor。

He　took　it；　placed　it　in　lower　storage　space；　and　closed　and　locked　the　door。　　The　two　men　parted　with　a　genial　hand…shake。　　The　governor　returned　to　his　meditations；　the　judge　hurried　to　catch　a　car。

About　eleven　o'clock　the　next　morning　Swanson　was　still　working　in　his　office；　worrying　greatly　over　some　method　whereby　he　could　raise　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　to　defray　interest　charges；　repairs；　and　other　payments；　on　a　structure　that　was　by　no　means　meeting　expenses　and　was　hence　a　drain。　　At　this　juncture　his　office　door　opened；　and　his　very　youthful　office…boy　presented　him　the　card　of　F。　A。　Cowperwood。　　The　governor　had　never　seen　him　before。　　Cowperwood　entered　brisk；　fresh；　forceful。　　He　was　as　crisp　as　a　new　dollar　billas　clean；　sharp；　firmly　limned。

〃Governor　Swanson；　I　believe？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

The　two　were　scrutinizing　each　other　defensively。

〃I　am　Mr。　Cowperwood。　　I　come　to　have　a　very　few　words　with　you。　　I　will　take　very　little　of　your　time。　　I　do　not　wish　to　go　over　any　of　the　arguments　that　have　been　gone　over　before。　　I　am　satisfied　that　you　know　all　about　them。〃

〃Yes；　I　had　a　talk　with　Judge　Dickensheets　yesterday。〃

〃Just　so；　Governor。　　Knowing　all　that　you　do；　permit　me　to　put　one　more　matter　before　you。　　I　know　that　you　are；　comparatively；　a　poor　manthat　every　dollar　you　have　is　at　present　practically　tied　in　this　building。　　I　know　of　two　places　where　you　have　applied　for　a　loan　of　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　and　have　been　refused　because　you　haven't　sufficient　security　to　offer　outside　of　this　building；　which　is　mortgaged　up　to　its　limit　as　it　stands。　　The　men；　as　you　must　know；　who　are　fighting　you　are　fighting　me。　　I　am　a　scoundrel　because　I　am　selfish　and　ambitiousa　materialist。　You　are　not　a　scoundrel；　but　a　dangerous　person　because　you　are　an　idealist。　　Whether　you　veto　this　bill　or　not；　you　will　never　again　be　elected　Governor　of　Illinois　if　the　people　who　are　fighting　me　succeed；　as　they　will　succeed；　in　fighting　you。〃

Swanson's　dark　eyes　burned　illuminatively。　　He　nodded　his　head　in　assent。

〃Governor；　I　have　come　here　this　morning　to　bribe　you；　if　I　can。　　I　do　not　agree　with　your　ideals；　in　the　last　analysis　I　do　not　believe　that　they　will　work。　　I　am　sure　I　do　not　believe　in　most　of　the　things　that　you　believe　in。　　Life　is　different　at　bottom　perhaps　from　what　either　you　or　I　may　think。　　Just　the　same；　as　compared　with　other　men；　I　sympathize　with　you。　　I　will　loan　you　that　one　hundred　thousand　dollars　and　two　or　three　or　four　hundred　thousand　dollars　more　besides　if　you　wish。　　You　need　never　pay　me　a　dollaror　you　can　if　you　wish。　　Suit　yourself。　　In　that　black　bag　which　Judge　Dickensheets　brought　here　yesterday；　and　which　is　in　your　safe；　is　three　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　cash。　　He　did　not　have　the　courage　to　mention　it。　　Sign　the　bill　and　let　me　beat　the　men　who　are　trying　to　beat　me。　　I　will　support　you　in　the　future　with　any　amount　of　money　or　influence　that　I　can　bring　to　bear　in　any　political　contest　you　may　choose　to　enter；　state　or　national。〃

Cowperwood's　eyes　glowed　like　a　large；　genial　collie's。　　There　was　a　suggestion　of　sympathetic　appeal　in　them；　rich　and　deep；　and；　even　more　than　that；　a　philosophic　perception　of　ineffable　things。　Swanson　arose。　　〃You　really　don't　mean　to　say　that　you　are　trying　to　bribe　me　openly；　do　you？〃　he　inquired。　　In　spite　of　a　conventional　impulse　to　burst　forth　in　moralistic　denunciation；　solemnly　phrased；　he　was　compelled　for　the　moment　to　see　the　other　man's　viewpoint。　They　were　working　in　different　directions；　going　different　ways；　to　what　ultimate　end？

〃Mr。　Cowperwood；〃　continued　the　governor；　his　face　a　physiognomy　out　of　Goya；　his　eye　alight　with　a　kind　of　understanding　sympathy；　〃I　suppose　I　ought　to　resent　this；　but　I　can't。　　I　see　your　point　of　view。　　I'm　sorry；　but　I　can't　help　you　nor　myself。　　My　political　belief；　my　ideals；　compel　me　to　veto　this　bill；　when　I　forsake　these　I　am　done　politi