She entered with a timid hesitation2 and a half-frightened look he was quick to note. He was sure from the expression of her eyes that she had not slept.
"You did not sleep well?" he asked.
"I didn't sleep at all," she confessed.
He attempted to take her hand and she drew back trembling.
"Now, you are afraid of me?"
"Yes. I'm afraid I am," she stammered3.
"Why of me? The one man of all men on earth—the man who loves you?"
"Perhaps that's just why I'm afraid of you," she said, with an effort to smile. "But, to tell you the truth, I think it's just because you are a man. Last night I lay awake thinking it all over. I'm quite sure that I shall always be afraid of men. I [247]like you better than any man I've ever known, but now that you've told me you love me I'm uneasy when I'm near you. I think you'd better give me up at once. I'm sure I'm hopeless as a sweet-heart. I know I could never marry. The domestic instinct seems utterly4 missing in my nature. I love man in the abstract, but I can never surrender to any particular man. It seems like suicide. I want to be myself. I hate the idea of losing myself in another's being—I can't endure it, and if you make love to me any more I shall be very unhappy—and—I'll have to keep out of your way. You won't do this any more will you? Promise me, and we will be our old selves again—just comrades."
Norman bowed with a smile.
"I promise never to speak another word of love to you until you tell me that you love me!"
"Honestly?" she laughed.
"On my word of honour," he answered, gravely.
"Then I shall be happy again," she cried.
"You will not try to avoid me?"
"No."
"You will help and cheer me in the work I've planned?"
"Every day," she promised.
"Then I shall bide5 my time." He drew the [248]deeds to the island from his pocket and handed them to her.
"The title to a kingdom which I joyfully6 deliver by order of the queen-regent!"
"You are sure you do this because I asked you?"
"Do you really doubt it?"
"No," was the candid7 reply. "And I'll be frank enough to confess that I feel very proud of my power. You flattered my vanity as never before. You have put me under a sense of gratitude8 for which I fear I can never reward you."
"I have my reward in your approval."
She smiled and lifted her finger in warning.
"I'll not forget my promise," he said. "From to-day we understand each other perfectly9. I am permitted to love you in silence. You graciously permit this as long as I am silent. In my wounded pride I have vowed10 that you yourself shall break this silence or it shall remain unbroken forever. This is our compact?"
"Yes," she answered extending her hand. He felt it tremble at his first touch and then rest contentedly11 and confidently in his strong grasp for a moment before they parted.
When once his decision was made, Norman threw every doubt to the winds and devoted12 himself with tireless zeal13 to establishing the [249]Brotherhood14 on the vast scale he had originally planned.
In every step of the expanding life of the colony Barbara was his constant companion and silent inspiration.
The transfer of the property was duly made under Wolf's keen gray eyes, with every detail of the law carefully guarded.
A second colony of two thousand enthusiasts15 was landed and established in the new building. Under Norman's inspiring leadership their work was quickly organized.
A new central administrative16 colony of five thousand was planned, and the foundation of its buildings laid with inspiring ceremonies. The huge structure was formed in the shape of a quadrangle covering ten acres of ground. In the centre of the court rose the house of the regents, in reality a palace of imposing17 splendour. The assembly hall was located in the regents' palace and formed the dining-room of their colony. At one end of the magnificent room was placed on an elevated platform the table at which the board of governors would sit, while at each end of the table stood the gilded18 chairs of state to be occupied by the regent and his consort19.
The scheme of imposing grandeur20 was suggested by Wolf. Norman objected at first, but yielded [250]at last, convinced by his past experiences that a central authority of undisputed power was essential to the existence of any state founded on the socialistic ideal.
At each corner of the quadrangle a public building was placed connected by the dormitories; on one corner was placed a theatre, on another a music hall, on another a school and nursery, on the other a lyceum to be used for public gatherings21 of all kinds, religious, social, or political. Each section of the outer buildings was connected with the regent's palace in the centre of the court by covered walk ways.
The entire force of the four thousand members of the Brotherhood (except the farmers) were placed at work to complete this structure at the earliest possible moment.
A day before the annual meeting of the Brotherhood at which the board of governors and the two regents were to be elected for the term of four years, Norman established a daily newspaper, The New Era, and the event was celebrated22 in the evening by a banquet and ball.
As he walked among the joyous23 throngs24 of the Brotherhood as they moved through the brilliantly lighted ball-room he began to feel for the first time the conscious joy of a great achievement.
Beyond a doubt the Brotherhood was an [251]accomplished fact. Its fame was stirring the world beyond their little island. Pictures of the future flashed through his imagination, and always in greater and more alluring25 splendour.
He saw himself becoming more and more the guiding spirit of the great enterprise. If men opposed his plans he would mould their wills in his.
Gradually he meant to remove the hard and painful elements of force on which the efficiency of the colony now rested. The discipline of an army with its stern laws of physical violence back of its clock-like precision was not to his liking26. He winced27 at the thought of that grim relic28 of barbarism, the whipping-post, which they had found necessary to temporarily revive. The jail, guard-house, and penal29 colony were thorns in his flesh which he would remove at the earliest possible moment. The one excuse for their existence was the inheritance of evil in man's nature due to his wrongs and suffering under the system of capitalism30. They would outgrow31 them.
Again and again he encountered Wolf and Catherine in the highest spirits, laughing, joking, chatting, shaking hands with each one they met.
Suddenly it struck him for the first time that he had a poor memory for names and faces. He wondered how Wolf could remember the name of [252]the most obscure member of the colony without an effort. He had been so absorbed in the big problems of the Brotherhood that he had given little or no time to cultivating the personal acquaintance of its individual members. The arts of the politician were foreign to his nature. He had never stooped in his thoughts even to consider them. He had always lived in a different world.
Never for a moment had the idea occurred to him that he might have to fight for his position as leader of the colony which he had created, yet when he took his seat beside Barbara the following night to preside over the annual meeting, he was conscious instantly that through the crowd of eager faces before him there ran a strong current of personal hostility32.
It was a disagreeable surprise. But as he recalled the many unpopular decisions he had been called on to make during the past year it seemed but natural there should be a lingering soreness in some minds. It was not until he saw Wolf in deep consultation33 with Diggs's glasses, and Catherine whispering to the smooth, gray-haired woman who had demanded the expulsion of Blanche, that he knew an organized plot had been formed to depose34 him from power.
His first impulse was one of blind rage. He recalled now with lightning flashes of memory the [253]long hours Wolf and his wife had spent in soothing35 the anger of rebellious36 and troublesome members. At every public meeting he recalled their smiling faces at the door or moving through the hall. The whole scheme was plain, its low chicanery37, its shallow hypocrisy38, its fawning39 acceptance of his leadership! They had been patiently waiting for him to finish the work of strong, legal, invincible40, powerful organization to step in and take the reins41 from his hands.
And they had done it with such consummate42 skill, such infinite care and patience, that not one of his own personal followers43 had discovered the plot.
When the smooth, gray-haired woman rose to nominate candidates for regent he knew, before she spoke44, the names she would pronounce. He looked at her with a feeling of contempt and to save his life he couldn't recall her name.
She repeated her address to the chair with angry emphasis:
"Comrade Chairman!"
"I beg your pardon," Norman answered, "but I could not for the moment recall your name. The comrade on my right (the woman without a soul, he added in low tones) has the floor."
Barbara started at his tone of anger and whispered:
[254]"How could you be so rude—what is wrong?"
"We are about to retire from office."
"What!" Barbara gasped45 as the little woman began to speak.
"Listen—you will understand," he said, with a sudden curve of his lip.
"Comrades," the deep, calm voice began, "I place in nomination46 for the office of regents for the four ensuing years the names of a man and woman whom every member of the old colony entitled to vote to-night has learned to love and honour—a man and woman whose ripe experience, whose sound judgment47, whose sense of right, whose powers of reasoning, whose executive genius will give to us all the guarantee of perfect justice and perfect order——"
"You bet they will, old girl," Tom cried with enthusiasm, waving his hand admiringly toward Norman and Barbara.
The speaker paused, regarded Tom a moment with quiet scorn, and continued:
"I have the honour to name for the highest honour in the gift of the Brotherhood for the regency of the new State of Ventura Comrades Herman and Catherine Wolf."
"What's that you say?" old Tom yelled with anger, leaping to his feet, and glaring around the room in a dazed surprise.
[255]The old miner was too shrewd a politician to doubt now for a moment the situation. He made the only possible attack on the programme that promised results.
"In view of the fact, feller comrades," he shouted, "that half the present members er this here Brotherhood have not been here long enough to vote, I move that in justice to the new members we postpone48 this election for six months."
Joe seconded the motion, and the chairman asked:
"Are there any remarks on the motion?"
The Bard49 moved as if to rise, when Diggs snatched him back into his seat.
Amid a silence that was ominous50 the chairman put the question:
"All in favour of postponing51 this election for six months that our new members may be able to vote will say 'Aye.'"
The response was feeble. Tom and Joe yelled very loudly, but their effort was obvious.
"All in favour say 'No.'"
The whole audience seemed to shout in solid trained chorus "No!"
Tom hastened to nominate Norman and Barbara. The old miner's speech was couched in plain, uncouth52 words, but they came from the heart and their rugged53 eloquence54 stirred the [256]crowd with surprising power. Diggs glanced over the audience through his flashing glasses, and his perpetual smile faded into a look of uneasiness as a round of applause swept the house.
He tiptoed to Wolf's side and whispered:
"Any danger?"
"Not the slightest. I want him to get some votes. It's better so."
The programme went through without a hitch55. Wolf and Catherine were elected regents by an overwhelming majority and a new board of governors chosen with not a single one whom Norman knew personally.
The young leader sat in sullen56 silence, and watched the proceedings57 with contempt. Barbara looked on in increasing wonder and pain.
When the result was announced and the cheering had died away she bent58 her beautiful head close to his and whispered:
"This is a complete surprise. You believe me?"
"Yes," he quickly answered, "and one touch of your hand will rob defeat of its sting."
She pressed his hand with lingering tenderness and sought Catherine with a flash of anger in her brown eyes that boded59 trouble for the house of Wolf.
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1
bower
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| n.凉亭，树荫下凉快之处；闺房；v.荫蔽 | |
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hesitation
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| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
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stammered
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| v.结巴地说出( stammer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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utterly
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| adv.完全地，绝对地 | |
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bide
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| v.忍耐；等候；住 | |
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joyfully
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| adv. 喜悦地, 高兴地 | |
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7
candid
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| adj.公正的，正直的；坦率的 | |
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8
gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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vowed
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| 起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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contentedly
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| adv.心满意足地 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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zeal
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| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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15
enthusiasts
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| n.热心人，热衷者( enthusiast的名词复数 ) | |
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administrative
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| adj.行政的，管理的 | |
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imposing
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| adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的 | |
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18
gilded
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| a.镀金的，富有的 | |
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consort
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| v.相伴；结交 | |
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grandeur
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| n.伟大，崇高，宏伟，庄严，豪华 | |
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21
gatherings
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| 聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集 | |
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22
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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throngs
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| n.人群( throng的名词复数 )v.成群，挤满( throng的第三人称单数 ) | |
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25
alluring
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| adj.吸引人的，迷人的 | |
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liking
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| n.爱好；嗜好；喜欢 | |
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winced
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| 赶紧避开，畏缩( wince的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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relic
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| n.神圣的遗物，遗迹，纪念物 | |
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penal
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| adj.刑罚的；刑法上的 | |
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30
capitalism
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| n.资本主义 | |
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31
outgrow
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| vt.长大得使…不再适用；成长得不再要 | |
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32
hostility
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| n.敌对，敌意；抵制［pl.］交战，战争 | |
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33
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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34
depose
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| vt.免职；宣誓作证 | |
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35
soothing
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| adj.慰藉的；使人宽心的；镇静的 | |
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rebellious
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| adj.造反的，反抗的，难控制的 | |
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37
chicanery
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| n.欺诈，欺骗 | |
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hypocrisy
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| n.伪善，虚伪 | |
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39
fawning
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| adj.乞怜的，奉承的v.（尤指狗等）跳过来往人身上蹭以示亲热( fawn的现在分词 )；巴结；讨好 | |
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40
invincible
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| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
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41
reins
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| 感情，激情； 缰( rein的名词复数 )； 控制手段； 掌管； （成人带着幼儿走路以防其走失时用的）保护带 | |
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42
consummate
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| adj.完美的；v.成婚；使完美 [反]baffle | |
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43
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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44
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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45
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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46
nomination
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| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
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47
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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48
postpone
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| v.延期，推迟 | |
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49
bard
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| n.吟游诗人 | |
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50
ominous
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| adj.不祥的，不吉的，预兆的，预示的 | |
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51
postponing
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| v.延期，推迟( postpone的现在分词 ) | |
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52
uncouth
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| adj.无教养的，粗鲁的 | |
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53
rugged
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| adj.高低不平的，粗糙的，粗壮的，强健的 | |
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54
eloquence
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| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
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55
hitch
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| v.免费搭(车旅行)；系住；急提；n.故障；急拉 | |
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56
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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57
proceedings
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| n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报 | |
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58
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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59
boded
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| v.预示，预告，预言( bode的过去式和过去分词 )；等待，停留( bide的过去分词 )；居住；（过去式用bided）等待 | |
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