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！
She tried to smile at me through her tears。 We were in the old sitting…
room； surrounded by the books。
〃I know it's foolish； and it isn't that I don't trust you。 I know that
the son of your father couldn't do anything that was not honourable。 And
yet I am afraid of what the world is becoming。 The city is growing so
fast； and so many new people are coming in。 Things are not the same。
Robert is right； there。 And I have heard your father say the same thing。
Hugh； promise me that you will try to remember always what he was； and
what he would wish you to be！〃
〃I will； mother；〃 I answered。 〃But I think you would find that Cousin
Robert exaggerates a little； makes things seem worse than they really
are。 Customs change； you know。 And politics were never wellSunday
schools。〃 I； too； smiled a little。 〃Father knew that。 And he would
never take an active part in them。〃
〃He was too fine！〃 she exclaimed。
〃And now；〃 I continued； 〃Cousin Robert has happened to come in contact
with them through business。 That is what has made the difference in him。
Before； he always knew they were corrupt； but he rarely thought about
them。〃
〃Hugh；〃 she said suddenly； after a pause； 〃you must remember one thing；
that you can afford to be independent。 I thank God that your father has
provided for that！〃
I was duly admitted； the next autumn； to the bar of my own state； and was
assigned to a desk in the offices of Watling； Fowndes and Ripon。 Larry
Weed was my immediate senior among the apprentices； and Larry was a hero…
worshipper。 I can see him now。 He suggested a bullfrog as he sat in the
little room we shared in common； his arms akimbo over a law book； his
little legs doubled under him； his round； eyes fixed expectantly on the
doorway。 And even if I had not been aware of my good fortune in being
connected with such a firm as Theodore Watling's； Larry would shortly
have brought it home to me。 During those weeks when I was making my
first desperate attempts at briefing up the law I was sometimes
interrupted by his exclamations when certain figures went by in the
corridor。
〃Say； Hugh； do you know who that was？〃
〃No。〃
〃Miller Gorse。〃
〃Who's he？〃
〃Do you mean to say you never heard of Miller Gorse？〃
〃I've been away a long time；〃 I would answer apologetically。 A person of
some importance among my contemporaries at Harvard； I had looked forward
to a residence in my native city with the complacency of one who has seen
something of the world；only to find that I was the least in the new
kingdom。 And it was a kingdom。 Larry opened up to me something of the
significance and extent of it； something of the identity of the men who
controlled it。
〃Miller Gorse；〃 he said impressively； 〃is the counsel for the railroad。〃
〃What railroad？ You mean the〃 I was adding； when he interrupted me
pityingly。
〃After you've been here a while you'll find out there's only one railroad
in this state； so far as politics are concerned。 The Ashuela and
Northern； the Lake Shore and the others don't count。〃
I refrained from asking any more questions at that time； but afterwards I
always thought of the Railroad as spelled with a capital。
〃Miller Gorse isn't forty yet；〃 Larry told me on another occasion。
〃That's doing pretty well for a man who comes near running this state。〃
For the sake of acquiring knowledge； I endured Mr。 Weed's patronage。 I
inquired how Mr。 Gorse ran the state。
〃Oh； you'll find out soon enough；〃 he assured me；
〃But Mr。 Barbour's president of the Railroad。〃
〃Sure。 Once in a while they take something up to him； but as a rule he
leaves things to Gorse。〃
Whereupon I resolved to have a good look at Mr。 Gorse at the first
opportunity。 One day Mr。 Watling sent out for some papers。
〃He's in there now；〃 said Larry。 〃You take 'em。〃
〃In there〃 meant Mr。 Watling's sanctum。 And in there he was。 I had only
a glance at the great man； for； with a kindly but preoccupied 〃Thank you；
Hugh；〃 Mr。 Watling took the papers and dismissed me。 Heaviness；
blackness and impassivity；these were the impressions of Mr。 Gorse which
I carried away from that first meeting。 The very solidity of his flesh
seemed to suggest the solidity of his position。 Such； say the
psychologists； is the effect of prestige。
I remember well an old…fashioned picture puzzle in one of my boyhood
books。 The scene depicted was to all appearances a sylvan； peaceful one；
with two happy lovers seated on a log beside a brook； but presently； as
one gazed at the picture； the head of an animal stood forth among the
branches； and then the body； more animals began to appear； bit by bit； a
tiger； a bear； a lion； a jackal； a fox； until at last； whenever I looked
at the page； I did not see the sylvan scene at all； but only the
predatory beasts of the forest。 So； one by one； the figures of the real
rulers of the city superimposed themselves for me upon the simple and
democratic design of Mayor； Council； Board of Aldermen； Police Force；
etc。； that filled the eye of a naive and trusting electorate which fondly
imagined that it had something to say in government。 Miller Gorse was
one of these rulers behind the screen； and Adolf Scherer； of the Boyne
Iron Works； another； there was Leonard Dickinson of the Corn National
Bank； Frederick Grierson； becoming wealthy in city real estate； Judah B。
Tallant； who； though outlawed socially； was deferred to as the owner of
the Morning Era； and even Ralph Hambleton； rapidly superseding the
elderly and conservative Mr。 Lord； who had hitherto managed the great
Hambleton estate。 Ralph seemed to have become； in a somewhat gnostic
manner； a full…fledged financier。 Not having studied law； he had been
home for four years when I became a legal fledgling； and during the early
days of my apprenticeship I was beholden to him for many 〃eye openers〃
concerning the conduct of great affairs。 I remember him sauntering into
my room one morning when Larry Weed had gone out on an errand。
〃Hello； Hughie；〃 he said； with his air of having nothing to do。
〃Grinding it out？ Where's Watling？〃
〃Isn't he in his office？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； what can we do for you？〃 I asked。
Ralph grinned。
〃Perhaps I'll tell you when you're a little older。 You're too young。〃
And he sank down into Larry Weed's chair； his long legs protruding on the
other side of the table。 〃It's a matter of taxes。 Some time ago I found
out that Dickinson and Tallant and others I could mention were paying a
good deal less on their city property than we are。 We don't propose to
do it any morethat's all。〃
〃How can Mr。 Watling help you？〃 I inquired。
〃Well； I don't mind giving you a few tips about your profession； Hughie。
I'm going to get Watling to fix it up with the City Hall gang。 Old Lord
doesn't like it； I'll admit； and when I told him we had been contributing
to the city long enough； that I proposed swinging into line with other
property holders； he began to blubber about disgrace and what my
grandfather would say if he were alive。 Well； he isn't alive。 A good
deal of water has flowed under the bridges since his day。 It's a mere
matter of business； of getting your re