"There is no proof whatever," he said, "that Joel Phipps is in any way responsible for the loss of the bill. I am a believer in fair play, and I want it distinctly understood that I have not in any way impugned9 the good faith of my colleagues or of any employé of the Committee."
[Pg 244]
"But you put the blame on the clerk at the meeting of the Committee."
"Yes," he admitted reluctantly, "I did, but it was a case of hasty judgment10 on my part."
"Then you acquit11 Phipps?"
"I have neither acquitted12 or convicted anyone."
"But what do you suppose became of the bill?"
"I'm sure I don't know," was the despairing reply.
In spite of John Carlton's peaceful talk, the friends and enemies of the bill seemed determined13 to stir strife14. Some of them went so far as to say that the disappearance of the bill was a bit of trickery which had been engineered by opponents of the Administration, who took this method of punishing the Congressman for his loyalty15 to the President. Carlton pooh-poohed this, but in spite of his protests, the story was flashing along newspaper row. The whole thing illustrated16 the[Pg 245] astonishing rapidity with which a mere17 rumor2 can grow into an accepted fact. It was like a snowball rolling down a hill. It gathered weight and momentum18 as it proceeded. By nightfall some of the sensational19 journalists were building up a story of a political war that was to involve the entire United States.
Barry missed all of this. He had been sent to Georgetown to obtain some law books for a member of Congress, and he was entirely20 unaware21 of the fate that had befallen his beloved bill. Mr. Carlton, in a half amused way, wondered how the boy would feel when he learned the news. He was at dinner in the hotel when one of the newspaper correspondents called on him to inquire whether he would make a statement concerning the great political war.
"Certainly," he said.
The young man pulled out his pencil and note book.
"It will be short," warned the Congressman.
"Very well," was the smiling rejoinder, "anything you may say will be of interest."
[Pg 246]
"Rubbish!" said the statesman.
The newspaper man looked at him curiously22.
"Well, I am still waiting," he said.
"But I have given you the statement you desired," said Carlton.
"What was it?"
"Rubbish—that's all."
"Do you really mean to put that out as your answer to the charges and innuendos23 that are floating about Washington?"
"That is precisely24 what I mean. I desire to say neither more nor less. Simply state that Congressman Carlton, when questioned on this matter, said 'Rubbish.'"
While Carlton was doing his best to pour oil on the troubled waters, Hudson was, on the other hand, going about sedulously25 stirring up the angry passions of the legislators. Without making any direct charges, he insinuated26 that the proposed bill had a significance which it really did not possess. He still felt very sore over the effective manner in which Carlton had blocked the claim which he presented in[Pg 247] the House earlier in the session. A big, broad-minded man would have accepted this defeat gracefully27, but Hudson was not that type of statesman. He had a grievance28 and he nursed it, hoping that in the end he would succeed in revenging himself upon the even-tempered Carlton.
Carlton was still at the table, placidly29 eating his dinner, when Felix Conway burst into the room, his face red and his eyes staring.
"Sit down, Felix," said Carlton, "and have some dinner with me."
"I don't want any dinner. I've had all the dinner I care for."
The Congressman smiled.
"Then have a plate of ice cream. It may cool you off."
"No; nothing will cool me off, and after you hear what I have got to say, you may be a little warm yourself!"
"Well, go ahead and tell me what is on your mind."
[Pg 248]
"It's just this," cried Conway, explosively. "These fellows are going around the town trying to injure you. They're putting all sorts of false constructions on your failure to get your bill through today."
"Well, that's no more than I expected;—it's a penalty a man has to pay for being in public life."
"But you don't know what they're saying."
"No," agreed the other, placidly, "and I am not very anxious to hear."
"But," said the journalist, "you've got to listen to me."
"I am listening."
Conway fumbled30 in his pockets and finally pulled out copies of the evening papers. He opened one of them hurriedly and turning to an inside page, began reading some of the gossip that had been printed concerning Carlton and his bill. The writer said that the whole business had been, as he phrased it, "a grandstand play." He said that it was the belief of men who were on the inside of the[Pg 249] Committee that the bill had been purposely sidetracked. He added that Carlton was credited with knowing all about it and that in all probability the bill would never be heard of again. As he finished reading, Conway exclaimed:
"What do you think of that?"
"Not much," was the even reply.
Felix Conway looked at his friend in hopeless amazement31. He wondered if anything would arouse him. Then he opened the second paper and began to read from that. The insinuations of the second writer were worse than the first. He practically charged Carlton with having destroyed the bill himself, because he knew that it would be impossible to pass it at the pending32 session of Congress. He said that it was apparently33 better to lose the bill than to go home and admit to the people of Cleverly that he had been unable to pass it.
Conway threw both papers on the table with a gesture of anger.
[Pg 250]
"Now," he exclaimed, dramatically, "What do you think of that?"
Carlton smiled as the young man indignantly asked the question. He spoke34 very quietly.
"I think even less of that than I did of the first comment."
Conway seemed dazed.
"Why, you're the queerest man I ever met. Of course, you must strike back at these fellows. You don't propose to let these insinuations stand, do you?"
The Congressman leaned over and put his hand on the correspondent's shoulder, and, speaking in a tone that a father might use to his son, said:
"My boy, I don't propose to do a thing."
"Don't propose to do a thing?" echoed the other.
"No, I do not. If a lifetime of honesty and faithful service is not a sufficient answer to these false and malicious35 reports, then nothing I can say at this time would have any effect with the people of Cleverly."
[Pg 251]
Conway looked at him with genuine admiration36.
"You've got splendid courage, anyhow," he admitted, "and if you won't answer these reports, I suppose there's nothing for me to do but go back and get out my nightly grind."
"No, Felix," said the other, with an air of finality, "there is nothing else that you can do."
"But," insisted Conway, "if you won't talk for publication, I suppose you will act for your own satisfaction. You will go after these fellows, won't you?"
"No," was the response, "I won't!"
"Well, what in the world are you going to do?"
"Do," smiled the other, "I am going to do nothing. I am going to let events take their natural course!"
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1
rumors
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| n.传闻( rumor的名词复数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷v.传闻( rumor的第三人称单数 )；[古]名誉；咕哝；[古]喧嚷 | |
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rumor
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| n.谣言，谣传，传说 | |
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disappearance
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| n.消失，消散，失踪 | |
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partisans
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| 游击队员( partisan的名词复数 )； 党人； 党羽； 帮伙 | |
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emphatic
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| adj.强调的，着重的；无可置疑的，明显的 | |
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deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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Congressman
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| n.（美）国会议员 | |
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repudiate
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| v.拒绝，拒付，拒绝履行 | |
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9
impugned
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| v.非难，指谪( impugn的过去式和过去分词 )；对…有怀疑 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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acquit
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| vt.宣判无罪；(oneself)使(自己)表现出 | |
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acquitted
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| 宣判…无罪( acquit的过去式和过去分词 )； 使（自己）作出某种表现 | |
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determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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loyalty
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| n.忠诚，忠心 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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17
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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momentum
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| n.动力，冲力，势头；动量 | |
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sensational
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| adj.使人感动的，非常好的，轰动的，耸人听闻的 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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23
innuendos
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| n.影射的话( innuendo的名词复数 )；讽刺的话；含沙射影；暗讽 | |
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24
precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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sedulously
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| ad.孜孜不倦地 | |
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insinuated
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| v.暗示( insinuate的过去式和过去分词 )；巧妙或迂回地潜入；（使）缓慢进入；慢慢伸入 | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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grievance
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| n.怨愤，气恼，委屈 | |
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placidly
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| adv.平稳地，平静地 | |
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fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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31
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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32
pending
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| prep.直到，等待…期间；adj.待定的；迫近的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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34
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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35
malicious
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| adj.有恶意的，心怀恶意的 | |
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36
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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