第 38 节
作者:白寒      更新:2021-04-30 16:59      字数:9321
  plains were being lined with traffic; school; mill and office hummed with
  life。 He wondered why men were so busy and what they were trying to do。
  He   went   to  a   railroad  director  and   asked:   〃Why   are   you   building
  railroads?〃   〃For   profits;〃   was   the   answer。   But   a   laborer   beckoned   him
  aside and whispered: 〃Nowe are making the _World_ one neighborhood。
  East   is   now   next   door   to   West;   and   all   peoples   dwell   in   one   continuing
  city。〃
  The young man went to the boss of a labor union。 〃Why;〃 he asked;
  〃do    you   spend    your   days   breeding    discontent    and   leading    strikes?〃
  〃Why?〃 repeated   the   leader   fiercely;   〃that the   workers   receive   more   pay
  for   shorter   hours。〃   〃No;〃    whispered    a  laborer;   〃we   are   teaching   the
  _World_   the   sacred   value   of   human   beings。   We   are   learning   how   to   be
  brotherlyhow to stand up for each other。 James Oppenheim。
  UNDER       STRANGE        CIRCUMSTANCES             THE     REBEL      MAKES
  HIS BOW TO POLITE SOCIETY。 TAKING AN APPLE AS A TEXT; HE
  PREACHES ON THE RISE OF ADAM
  PART 1
  〃Man overboard!〃
  Somebody   on      the  liner  sang   it  out。  Instantly  there  was   a  rush  of
  passengers to the side。 From the schooner a boat was being lowered and
  manned。
  〃I see him。 He's swimming this way。 I believe he's trying to escape;〃
  one slender young woman cried。
  〃Nonsense; Alice!  He  fell overboard   and   he's   probably  so   frightened
  he doesn't know which way he is swimming。〃 This suggestion was from
  the   beautiful   blonde   with   bronze   hair   who   stood   beside   her   under   a   tan
  parasol held by a fresh…faced globetrotter。
  〃Don't   you   believe   it; Val。   Look   how   he's   cutting   through   the   water。
  147
  … Page 148…
  THE VISION SPLENDID
  He's trying to reach us。 Oh; I hope they won't get him。 Somebody get a
  rope to throw out。〃
  〃By Jove; you're right; Miss Alice;〃 cried the Englishman。 〃It's a race;
  and it's going to be a near thing。〃 He disappeared and was presently back
  with a rope。
  〃Come on! Come on!〃 screamed the passengers to the swimmer。 〃He's
  ripping strong   with   that overhead   stroke。 Ye   gods; it's   close!〃   exclaimed
  the Britisher。
  It   was。   The   swimmer   reached   the   side   of   the   ship   not   four   yards   in
  front   of   the   pursuing   boat。   He   caught   at   the   trailing   rope   and   began   to
  clamber up hand over hand; while the Englishman; a man standing near;
  and Alice Frome dragged him up。
  The mate of the Nancy Hanks; standing up in the boat; caught at his
  foot and pulled。 The man's hold loosened on the rope。 He slid down a foot;
  steadied   himself。   Suddenly  the   left   leg shot   out   and   caught   the   grinning
  mate in the mouth。 He  went over backward into the bottom of the  boat。
  Before he could extricate himself from the tangle his fall had precipitated;
  the    dripping    figure   of  the  swimmer       stood   safely   on   the  deck    of  the
  _Bellingham。_
  In   his   wet   foul   slops   the   man   was   a   sight   to   draw   stares。 The   cabin
  passengers moved back to give him a wide circle; as men do with a wet
  retriever。
  〃What      does   this   mean;    my    man?〃     demanded      the   captain    of  the
  _Bellingham;_   pushing   forward。   He   was   a   big   red…faced   figure   with   a
  heavy roll of fat over his collar。
  〃I   have   been    shanghaied;     sir。  From    Verden。    I'm   the  editor   of  the
  _World_ of that city。〃
  〃That's a lie;〃 proclaimed the mate of the _Nancy Hanks_ ; who by this
  time   had   reached   the   deck。   〃He's   a   nutty   deckswabber   we   picked   up   at
  'Frisco。〃
  〃Why; it's Mr。 Farnum;〃 cried a fresh young voice from the circle。
  The rescued man turned。 His eyes joined those of a slim golden girl
  and he was struck dumb。
  〃You know this man; Miss Frome?〃 the captain asked。
  148
  … Page 149…
  THE VISION SPLENDID
  〃I know him by sight。〃 She stepped to the front。 〃There can't be any
  doubt about it。 He's Mr。 Farnum of Verden; the editor of the _World。_〃
  〃You're quite sure?〃
  〃Quite sure; Captain Barclay。 My cousin knows him; too。〃
  The captain turned to Mrs。 Van Tyle。 She nodded languidly。
  Barclay swung back to the mate of the _Nancy Hanks_ 。 〃I know your
  kind; my man; and I can tell you that I think the penitentiary would be the
  proper place for you and your captain; with my compliments to him。〃
  〃Better come and pay 'em yourself; sir;〃 sneered the mate。
  〃Get off my deck; you dirty crimp;〃 roared the captain。 〃Slide now; or
  I'll have you thrown off。〃
  Mr。 Jones made a hurried departure。 Once in the boat; he shook his fist
  at Barclay and cursed him fluently。
  The captain turned away promptly。 〃Mr。 Farwell; if you'll step this way
  the steward will outfit you with some clothes。 If they don't fit they'll do
  better than those togs you're wearing。〃
  The English youth came forward with a suggestion。 〃Really; I think I
  can do better than that for Mr。 Far〃 He hesitated for the name。
  〃Farnum;〃 supplied the owner of it。
  〃Ah! You're about my size; Mr。 Farnum。 If you don't mind; you know;
  you're quite welcome to anything I have。〃
  〃Thank you very much。〃
  〃Very     well。   Mr。    FarwellFarnum;       I   meanshake      hands     with
  Lieutenant     Beauchamp;〃      and   with   the  sense   of  duty   done  the   worthy
  captain dismissed the new arrival from his mind。
  Jeff bowed to Miss Frome and followed his broad…shouldered guide to
  a   cabin。   He   was   conscious   of   an   odd   elation   that   had   not   entirely  to   do
  with a brave adventure happily ended。 The impelling cause of it was rather
  the hope of a braver adventure happily begun。
  PART 2
  〃By  Jove;   I   envy  you;  Mr。   Farnum。   Didn't   know people   bucked   into
  adventures like that these tame days。 Think of actually being shanghaied。
  It's like a novel。 My word; the ladies will make a lion of you!〃
  149
  … Page 150…
  THE VISION SPLENDID
  The Englishman was dragging a steamer trunk from under his bed。 It
  needed no second glance at his frank boyish face to divine him a friend
  worth     having。    Fresh…colored     and   blue…eyed;     he  looked    very   much     the
  country gentleman Jeff had read about but never seen。 It was perhaps by
  the   gift   of   race   that   he   carried   himself   with   distinction;   though   the   flat
  straight     back    and   the   good     shoulders     of   the   cricketer    contributed
  somewhat; too。 Jeff sized him up as a resolute; clean…cut fellow; happily
  endowed with many gifts of fortune to make him the likable chap he was。
  Beauchamp threw out some clothes from a steamer trunk and left the
  rescued man alone to dress。 Ten minutes later he returned。
  〃Expect you'd like an interview with the barber。 I'll take you round。 By
  the way; you'll let me be your banker till you reach Verden?〃
  〃Thank you。 Since I must。〃
  From the barber shop the Englishman took him to the dining saloon。
  〃Awfully sorry you can't sit at our table; Mr。 Farnum。 It's full up。 You're to
  be at the purser's。〃
  Jeff let a smile escape into his eyes。 〃Suits me。 I've been at the bos'n's
  for several weeks。〃
  〃Beastly     outrage。    We'll    want   to   hear   all  about    it。  Miss   Frome's
  tremendously   excited。   Odd   you   and   she   hadn't   met   before。   Didn't   know
  Verden was such a big town。〃
  〃I'm   not   a   society   man;〃   explained   Jeff。   〃And   it   happens   I've   been
  fighting her father politically for years。 Miss Frome and Mrs。 Van Tyle are
  about the last people I would be likely to meet。〃
  From his seat Jeff could see the cousins at the other end of the room。
  They were seated near the head of the captain's table; and that officer was
  paying   particular   attention   to   them;   perhaps   because   the   _Bellingham_
  happened   to   be   one   of   a   line   of   boats   owned   by   Joe   Powers;   perhaps
  because both of them were very attractive young women。 They were types
  entirely    outside    Farnum's     very   limited   experience。     The    indolence;    the
  sheathed perfection; the soft sensuous allure of the young widow seemed
  to Jeff a product largely of her father's wealth。 But