第 47 节
作者:寻找山吹      更新:2021-02-27 02:13      字数:9322
  cheaper; and more money to buy them with; we should all be happy; and the
  Republican party could retire from business。〃
  He did not once refer to the United States Senatorship。
  It was appropriate; perhaps; that many of us dined on the evening of
  election day at the Boyne Club。  There was early evidence of a Republican
  land…slide。  And when; at ten o'clock; it was announced that Mr。 Trulease
  was re…elected by a majority which exceeded Mr。 Grunewald's most hopeful
  estimate; that the legislature was 〃safe;〃 that Theodore Watling would be
  the next United States Senator; a scene of jubilation ensued within those
  hallowed walls which was unprecedented。  Chairs were pushed back; rugs
  taken up; Gene Hollister played the piano and a Virginia reel started; in
  a burst of enthusiasm Leonard Dickinson ordered champagne for every
  member present。  The country was returning to its senses。  Theodore
  Watling had preferred; on this eventful night; to remain quietly at home。
  But presently carriages were ordered; and a 〃delegation〃 of enthusiastic
  friends departed to congratulate him; Dickinson; of course; Grierson;
  Fowndes; Ogilvy; and Grunewald。  We found Judah B。 Tallant there;in
  spite of the fact that it was a busy night for the Era; and Adolf Scherer
  himself; in expansive mood; was filling the largest of the library
  chairs。  Mr。 Watling was the least excited of them all; remarkably calm;
  I thought; for a man on the verge of realizing his life's high ambition。
  He had some old brandy; and a box of cigars he had been saving for an
  occasion。  He managed to convey to everyone his appreciation of the value
  of their cooperation。。。。
  It was midnight before Mr。 Scherer arose to take his departure。  He
  seized Mr。 Watling's hand; warmly; in both of his own。
  〃I have never;〃 he said; with a relapse into the German f's;
  〃I have never had a happier moment in my life; my friend; than when
  I congratulate you on your success。〃  His voice shook with emotion。
  〃Alas; we shall not see so much of you now。〃
  〃He'll be on guard; Scherer;〃 said Leonard Dickinson; putting his arm
  around my chief。
  〃Good night; Senator;〃 said Tallant; and all echoed the word; which
  struck me as peculiarly appropriate。  Much as I had admired Mr。 Watling
  before; it seemed indeed as if he had undergone some subtle change in the
  last few hours; gained in dignity and greatness by the action of the
  people that day。  When it came my turn to bid him good night; he retained
  my hand in his。
  〃Don't go yet; Hugh;〃 he said。
  〃But you must be tired;〃 I objected。
  〃This sort of thing doesn't make a man tired;〃 he laughed; leading me
  back to the library; where he began to poke the fire into a blaze。  〃Sit
  down awhile。  You must be tired; I think;you've worked hard in this
  campaign; a good deal harder than I have。  I haven't said much about it;
  but I appreciate it; my boy。〃  Mr。 Watling had the gift of expressing his
  feelings naturally; without sentimentality。  I would have given much for
  that gift。
  〃Oh; I liked it;〃 I replied awkwardly。
  I read a gentle amusement in his eyes; and also the expression of
  something else; difficult to define。  He had seated himself; and was
  absently thrusting at the logs with the poker。
  〃You've never regretted going into law?〃 he asked suddenly; to my
  surprise。
  〃Why; no; sir;〃 I said。
  〃I'm glad to hear that。  I feel; to a considerable extent; responsible
  for your choice of a profession。〃
  〃My father intended me to be a lawyer;〃 I told him。  〃But it's true that
  you gave me mymy first enthusiasm。〃
  He looked up at me at the word。
  〃I admired your father。  He seemed to me to be everything that a lawyer
  should be。  And years ago; when I came to this city a raw country boy
  from upstate; he represented and embodied for me all the fine traditions
  of the profession。  But the practice of law isn't what it was in his day;
  Hugh。〃
  〃No;〃 I agreed; 〃that could scarcely be expected。〃
  〃Yes; I believe you realize that;〃 he said。  〃I've watched you; I've
  taken a personal pride in you; and I have an idea that eventually you
  will succeed me hereneither Fowndes nor Ripon have the peculiar ability
  you have shown。  You and I are alike in a great many respects; and I am
  inclined to think we are rather rare; as men go。  We are able to keep one
  object vividly in view; so vividly as to be able to work for it day and
  night。  I could mention dozens who had and have more natural talent for
  the law than I; more talent for politics than I。  The same thing may be
  said about you。  I don't regard either of us as natural lawyers; such as
  your father was。  He couldn't help being a lawyer。〃
  Here was new evidence of his perspicacity。
  〃But surely;〃 I ventured; 〃you don't feel any regrets concerning your
  career; Mr。 Watling?〃
  〃No;〃 he said; 〃that's just the point。  But no two of us are made wholly
  alike。  I hadn't practised law very long before I began to realize that
  conditions were changing; that the new forces at work in our industrial
  life made the older legal ideals impracticable。  It was a case of
  choosing between efficiency and inefficiency; and I chose efficiency。
  Well; that was my own affair; but when it comes to influencing others〃
  He paused。  〃I want you to see this as I do; not for the sake of
  justifying myself; but because I honestly believe there is more to it
  than expediency;a good deal more。  There's a weak way of looking at it;
  and a strong way。  And if I feel sure you understand it; I shall be
  satisfied。
  〃Because things are going to change in this country; Hugh。  They are
  changing; but they are going to change more。  A man has got to make up
  his mind what he believes in; and be ready to fight for it。  We'll have
  to fight for it; sooner perhaps than we realize。  We are a nation divided
  against ourselves; democracyJacksonian democracy; at all events; is a
  flat failure; and we may as well acknowledge it。  We have a political
  system we have outgrown; and which; therefore; we have had to nullify。
  There are certain needs; certain tendencies of development in nations as
  well as in individuals;needs stronger than the state; stronger than the
  law or constitution。  In order to make our resources effective;
  combinations of capital are more and more necessary; and no more to be
  denied than a chemical process; given the proper ingredients; can be
  thwarted。  The men who control capital must have a free hand; or the
  structure will be destroyed。  This compels us to do many things which we
  would rather not do; which we might accomplish openly and unopposed if
  conditions were frankly recognized; and met by wise statesmanship which
  sought to bring about harmony by the reshaping of laws and policies。  Do
  you follow me?〃
  〃Yes;〃 I answered。  〃But I have never heard the situation stated so
  clearly。  Do you think the day will come when statesmanship will
  recognize this need?〃
  〃Ah;〃 he said; 〃I'm afraid notin my time; at least。  But we shall have
  to develop that kind of statesmen or go on the rocks。  Public opinion in
  the old democratic sense is a myth; it must be made by strong individuals
  who recognize and represent evolutionary needs; otherwise it's at the
  mercy of demagogues who play fast and loose with the prejudice and
  ignorance of the mob。  The people don't value the vote; they know nothing
  about the real problems。  So far as I can see; they are as easily swayed
  to…day as the crowd that listened to Mark Antony's oration about Caesar。
  You've seen how we have to handle them; in this election andin other
  matters。  It isn't a pleasant practice; something we'd indulge in out of
  choice; but the alternative is unthinkable。  We'd have chaos in no time。
  We've just got to keep hold; you understandwe can't leave it to the
  irresponsible。〃
  〃Yes;〃 I said。  In this mood he was more impressive than I had ever known
  him; and his confidence flattered and thrilled me。
  〃In the meantime; we're criminals;〃 he continued。  〃From now on we'll
  have to stand more and more denunciation from the visionaries; the
  dissatisfied; the trouble makers。  We may as well make up our minds to
  it。  But we've got something on our side worth fighting for; and the man
  who is able to make that clear will be great。〃
  〃But youyou are going to the Senate;〃 I reminded him。
  He shook his head。
  〃The time has not yet come;〃 he said。  〃Confusion and misunderstanding
  must increase before they can diminish。  But I have hopes of you; Hugh;
  or I shouldn't have spoken。 I shan't be here nowof course I'll keep in
  touch with you。  I wanted to be sure that you had the right view of this
  thing。〃
  〃I see it now;〃 I said。  〃I had thought of it; but nevernever as a
  wholenot in the large sense in which you have expressed it。〃  To
  attempt to acknowledge or deprecate the compliment he had paid me was
  impossible; I felt that he must have read my gratitude and appreciation
  in my manner。
  〃I mustn't keep you up until morning。〃  He glanced at the clock; and went
  with me through the hall into the open air。  A meteor darted through the
  November night。  〃We're like that;〃 he observed; staring after it; a
  〃flash across the darkness; and we're gone。〃
  〃Onlythere are many who haven't the satisfaction of a fla