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！
Blackwood accused the newspapers of having agreed to a 〃conspiracy of
silence〃； but； as Judah B。 Tallant remarked； it was the business of the
press to give the public what it wanted； and the public as yet hadn't
shown much interest in the struggle being waged in its behalf。 When the
meetings began to fill up it would be time to report them in the columns
of the Era。 Meanwhile； however； the city had been quietly visited by an
enterprising representative of a New York periodical of the new type that
developed with the opening years of the centuryone making a specialty
of passionate 〃muck…raking。〃 And since the people of America love
nothing better than being startled； Yardley's Weekly had acquired a
circulation truly fabulous。 The emissary of the paper had attended
several of the Citizens meetings； interviewed； it seemed； many persons：
the result was a revelation to make the blood of politicians； capitalists
and corporation lawyers run cold。 I remember very well the day it
appeared on our news stands； and the heated denunciations it evoked at
the Boyne Club。 Ralph Hambleton was the only one who took it calmly；
who seemed to derive a certain enjoyment from the affair。 Had he been
a less privileged person； they would have put him in chancery。 Leonard
Dickinson asserted that Yardley's should be sued for libel。
〃There's just one objection to that；〃 said Ralph。
〃What？〃 asked the banker。
〃It isn't libel。〃
〃I defy them to prove it；〃 Dickinson snapped。 〃It's a dd outrage！
There isn't a city or village in the country that hasn't exactly the same
conditions。 There isn't any other way to run a city〃
〃That's what Mr。 Krebs says；〃 Ralph replied； 〃that the people ought to
put Judd Jason officially in charge。 He tells 'em that Jason is probably
a more efficient man than Democracy will be able to evolve in a coon's
age； that we ought to take him over； instead of letting the capitalists
have him。〃
〃Did Krebs say that？〃 Dickinson demanded。
〃You can't have read the article very thoroughly； Leonard；〃 Ralph
commented。 〃I'm afraid you only picked out the part of it that
compliments you。 This fellow seems to have been struck by Krebs； says
he's a coming man； that he's making original contributions to the
people's cause。 Quite a tribute。 You ought to read it。
Dickinson； who had finished his lunch； got up and left the table after
lighting his cigar。 Ralph's look followed him amusedly。
〃I'm afraid it's time to cash in and be good；〃 he observed。
〃We'll get that fellow Krebs yet；〃 said Grierson； wrathfully。
Miller Gorse alone made no remarks； but in spite of his silence he
emanated an animosity against reform and reformers that seemed to charge
the very atmosphere； and would have repressed any man but Ralph。。。。
I sat in my room at the Club that night and reread the article； and if
its author could have looked into my soul and observed the emotions he
had set up； he would； no doubt； have experienced a grim satisfaction。
For I； too； had come in for a share of the comment。 Portions of the
matter referring to me stuck in my brain like tar； such as the reference
to my father； to the honoured traditions of the Parets and the Brecks
which I had deliberately repudiated。 I had less excuse than many others。
The part I had played in various reprehensible transactions such as the
Riverside Franchise and the dummy telephone company affair was dwelt
upon； and I was dismissed with the laconic comment that I was a graduate
of Harvard。。。。
My associates and myself were referred to collectively as a 〃gang；〃 with
the name of our city prefixed； we were linked up with and compared to the
gangs of other citiesthe terminology used to describe us being that of
the police reporter。 We 〃operated；〃 like burglars； we 〃looted〃： only； it
was intimated in one place； 〃second…story men〃 were angels compared to
us； who had never seen the inside of a penitentiary。 Here we were； all
arraigned before the bar of public opinion； the relentless Dickinson； the
surfeited Scherer； the rapacious Grierson； the salacious Tallant。 I have
forgotten what Miller Gorse was called； nothing so classic as a Minotaur；
Judd Jason was a hairy spider who spread his net and lurked in darkness
for his victims。 Every adjective was called upon to do its duty。。。。
Even Theodore Watling did not escape； but it was intimated that he would
be dealt with in another connection in a future number。
The article had a crude and terrifying power； and the pain it aroused；
following almost immediately upon the suffering caused by my separation
from Nancy； was cumulative in character and effect； seeming actively to
reenforce the unwelcome conviction I had been striving to suppress； that
the world； which had long seemed so acquiescent in conforming itself to
my desires； was turning against me。
Though my hunger for Nancy was still gnawing； I had begun to fear that I
should never get her now； and the fact that she would not even write to
me seemed to confirm this。
Then there was MatthewI could not bear to think that he would ever read
that article。
In vain I tried that night to belittle to myself its contentions and
probable results； to summon up the heart to fight； in vain I sought to
reconstruct the point of view； to gain something of that renewed hope and
power； of devotion to a cause I had carried away from Washington after my
talk with Theodore Watling。 He； though stricken； had not wavered in his
faith。 Why should I？
Whether or not as the result of the article in Yardley's； which had been
read more or less widely in the city； the campaign of the Citizens Union
gained ground； and people began to fill the little halls to hear Krebs；
who was a candidate for district attorney。 Evidently he was entertaining
and rousing them； for his reputation spread； and some of the larger halls
were hired。 Dickinson and Gorse became alarmed； and one morning the
banker turned up at the Club while I was eating my breakfast。
〃Look here； Hugh；〃 he said； 〃we may as well face the fact that we've got
a fight ahead of us；we'll have to start some sort of a back…fire right
away。〃
〃You think Greenhalge has a chance of being elected？〃 I asked。
〃I'm not afraid of Greenhalge； but of this fellow Krebs。 We can't afford
to have him district attorney； to let a demagogue like him get a start。
The men the Republicans and Democrats have nominated are worse than
useless。 Parks is no good； and neither is MacGuire。 If only we could
have foreseen this thing we might have had better candidates put upbut
there's no use crying over spilt milk。 You'll have to go on the stump；
Hughthat's all there is to it。 You can answer him； and the newspapers
will print your speeches in full。 Besides it will help you when it comes
to the senatorship。〃
The mood of extreme dejection that had followed the appearance of the
article in Yardley's did not last。 I had acquired aggressiveness： an
aggressiveness； however； differing in quality from the feeling I once
would have had；for this arose from resentment； not from belief。 It was
impossible to live in the atmosphere created by the men with whom I
associatedespecially at