For nine years he had refused to see or speak to her. He met Bivens as a matter of course, but always down town during business hours or at one of his clubs. For the first year Nan had resented his attitude in angry pride and remained silent. And then she began to do a curious thing which had grown to be a part of his inmost life. For the past eight years she had written a brief daily diary recording1 her doings, thoughts and memories which she mailed to him every Sunday night. She asked no reply and he gave none. No names appeared in its story and no name was signed to the dainty sheets of paper which always bore the perfume of wild strawberries.
But the man who read them in silence knew and understood.
The letter he held to-day was not an unsigned sheet of her diary—it was a direct, personal appeal—tender and beautiful in its sincerity2. She begged him to forget the past, because she needed his friendship and advice, and asked that he come to see her at once.
This letter was his first temptation to break the resolution by which he had lived for years. He rose and paced the room with fury, as he began to realize how desperate was his desire to go.
"Have I fought all these years for nothing?" he cried.
The thing that drew him with all but resistless power was the deeper meaning between the lines. He knew that each day the incompleteness of her life had been borne in upon her with crushing force. He knew that the mad impulses which had expressed themselves in luxury, dress, extravagance, balls and bizarre entertainments were but the strangled cries of a sorrowing heart. And he knew that the fatuity3 of it all had begun at last to terrify her. The more desperately4 he fought the impulse to go the keener became his desire to see her again. And yet he must not. He felt, by an instinct deeper than reason, that the day he returned from his exile and touched her hand would mark the beginning of a tragedy for both.
And yet the desire to go clamoured with increasing madness. The changes that had come into his life counted for nothing—to-day only a great passion remained—torturing, challenging, tempting5. Could he never live it down? He looked about his office, reminded himself of his dignity and responsibility, and sought refuge in his sense of duty to the people.
"I've done some things worth while!" he cried, with brooding pride.
And the record confirmed his boast.
In the past nine years he had thrown his life away only to find it in greater power. He recalled it now with a renewed sense of gratitude6.
The first year which he had given of unselfish devotion to the service of the people had been a failure. He saw at the end of it that in reaching an individual here and there he was merely trying to bale out the ocean with a soup ladle. He saw that if he would serve the people he must work through them. He must appeal to the masses, teach, lead, uplift and inspire them to action. And he entered politics. Only organic social action could get anywhere or accomplish anything worth while. He joined the organization of the local Democracy in his district and went to work.
It happened that he joined just before an exciting municipal election. He threw himself into the campaign with the zeal8 of a crusader. The people who crowded to hear him were not merely thrilled by the eloquence9 of his impassioned speeches—they felt instinctively10 that the heart of a real man was beating back of every word.
His advancement12 was remarkable13. At the end of four years he was nominated for District Attorney, and was swept into office by a large majority.
Under his vigorous administration of this important and powerful office the enforcement of justice ceased to be a joke and became a living faith.
His work had stirred the State to a nobler and cleaner civic14 life. During the past year he had become one of the foremost figures in American Democracy—the best loved and the most hated and feared man in public life in New York.
He remained alike indifferent to the cheers of his friends or the threats of his enemies. He was the most powerful man who had ever held such an office because he had no ambition beyond the highest service he could render the people. He asked no favours—he sought no preferment.
To the men who secured his nomination15 and election he was an insolvable mystery. He said he wanted nothing. They had taken that as a wise saying of a very shrewd man. When he accepted the nomination, they smiled knowingly. But when they demanded that he use his high office to punish enemies and reward friends—and he politely refused—they served notice on him of political death unless he yielded within a given number of hours.
His answer was a laugh as he opened the door and pointed16 the way by which the astonished delegation17 might find a safe and swift way of exit. They passed out in speechless astonishment18, and sent their big chief to browbeat19 and bully20 the young upstart into submission21. The incredible swiftness with which he returned left the question open as to how he got out of the District Attorney's office. He claimed to have bowed himself politely out the door—but, from the condition of his clothes and the rumpled22 state of his hair, his comrades cherished the secret but sure conviction that he was kicked down the stairs. Be that as it may, from that day Stuart was left to his own devices by the professional politicians, who were loud in their accusations23 of treachery and ingratitude24. His political education was given up as hopeless.
Yet in spite of their gloomy predictions of his speedy ruin, he had steadily25 grown in power and influence.
The work on which he had just entered was an investigation26 before an unusually intelligent Grand Jury of the criminal acts of a group of the most daring and powerful financiers of the world. These men controlled through their position as trustees of the treasuries27 of great corporations more millions than the combined treasuries of the governments of the Republic—State and National. The act was not only daring, it was extremely dangerous. Under certain conditions it might produce a panic—so daring and dangerous was the move that its first announcement was received as a joke by the press. The idea of a young upstart questioning the honesty and position of the men who controlled the treasuries of the great insurance and trust companies was ridiculous. When he realized the magnitude of the task he had undertaken, he at once put his house in order for the supreme28 effort. It was necessary that he give up every outside interest that might distract his attention from the greater task.
The one matter of grave importance to which he was giving his time outside his office was his position as advisory29 counsel to Dr. Woodman in his suit for damages against the Chemical Trust, which had been dragging its course through the courts for years. To his amazement30 he had just received an offer from Bivens's attorneys to compromise this suit for a hundred thousand dollars. He would of course advise the doctor to accept it immediately. He had never believed he could win a penny.
What could be Bivens's motive31 in making such an offer? It was impossible that the shrewd little president of the American Chemical Company had anything to fear personally from this attack. His fortune was vast and beyond question. His wealth had grown in the past nine years like magic. Everything his smooth little hand touched had turned to gold. Wherever an industry could pay a dividend32, his ferret eyes found it. The process was always the same. He brought together its rival houses, capitalized the new combine for ten times its actual value and bound the burden of this enormous fictitious33 value as an interest-bearing debt on the backs of the consumers of the goods. The people and their children and their children's children would have to pay it.
His fortune now could not be less than forty millions and the issue of such a suit as the one Woodman had brought and on which he had spent so much of his time and money was to Bivens a mere7 bagatelle34.
The more Stuart pondered over this extraordinary offer, the more completely he was puzzled. He sought for outside influences that might move him to such an act. It might be Nan—it must be! Her letter surely made the explanation reasonable. She knew this suit was an obstacle in the way of their meeting. If she had made up her mind to remove that obstacle, she would do it. Her will had grown in imperious power with each indulgence.
During the past winter she had become the sensation of the metropolis35. Her wealth, her beauty, her palaces, and her entertainments had made her the subject of endless comment. She had set a pace for extravagance which made the old leaders stand aghast. And the one thing which made her letter well nigh resistless was that he alone of all the world knew the inner life of this beautiful woman whose name was on a thousand lips. Her worldly wise mother might have guessed it but she had been dead for the past five years, and the secret was his alone.
He read her letter over again and looked thoughtfully at the pile of legal documents in the case of Woodman against the American Chemical Company lying on his desk.
"It's her work beyond a doubt!" he said at last, "and the doctor will never believe it."
He was waiting the arrival of his old friend for a conference over Bivens's offer of compromise and he dreaded36 the ordeal37. If he should refuse this final chance of settlement he would make a mistake that could not be undone38. The result was even worse than he could possibly foresee.
"So the little weasel has offered to compromise my suit for half the sum we named, eh?" the doctor asked in triumph.
"I assure you that if the case comes to its final test you are certain to lose."
"So you have said again and again, my boy"—was the good-natured reply, "but his sudden terror and this offer shows that we have won already and he knows it. Greater thieves, who have ruined their competitors in the same way, are urging him to settle this suit and prevent others from being brought."
"I don't think so."
"It's as plain as daylight."
"There's another motive."
"Nonsense," persisted the doctor, his whole being aglow39 with enthusiasm, "Bivens has seen the hand-writing on the wall. When the American people are once aroused their wrath40 will sweep the Trusts into the bottomless pit."
"Bivens isn't worrying about the people or their wrath."
"Then it's time he began!" the doctor cried. "Mark my word, the day of the common people has dawned. This mudsill of the world has learned to read and write and begun to think. He has tasted of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and begins dimly to see his own nakedness. He will never be content again until he turns the world upside down. My country will lead the way as in the past."
"But if in the meantime you and yours go down in ruin?"
"I refuse to consider it. The cause of the people and their day has come. I will stand or fall with them. Remember, my boy, that at last the idea has been born that we are all—men! It's new—it's revolutionary. A few centuries ago the people slept in ignorance. Of the twenty-six barons41 who signed the Magna Charta only three could write their names—the rest could only make their mark. The average workingman of to-day is more cultured than the titled nobleman of yesterday—the people once thoroughly42 aroused—let fools find shelter!"
"But you and I have both agreed, Doctor," Stuart interrupted with a frown, "that Mr. Jno. C. Calhoun Bivens is not a fool. You must consider this offer. You have too much at stake. Your factory has been closed for five years. Your store has been sold—your business ruined and you are fighting to pay the interest on your debts. I've seen you growing poorer daily until you have turned your home into a lodging43 house and filled it with strangers."
"I've enjoyed knowing them. My sympathies have been made larger."
"Yes, you won't even collect your rents."
"Still I've always managed to get along," was the cheerful answer. "I've yet a roof over my head."
"But is this battle yours alone, Doctor? You are but one among millions. You are trying to bear the burden of all—have you counted the cost? Harriet's course in music will continue two years longer—the last year she must spend abroad. Her expenses will be great. This settlement is a generous one, no matter what Bivens's motive."
"I can't compromise with a man who has crushed my business by a conspiracy44 of organized blackmail45."
"Oh, come, come, Doctor, talk common sense. The American Chemical Company has simply dispensed46 with the services of the jobber47, and the retailer48. They manufacture the goods and sell them direct to the consumer through their own stores. The day of the jobber and retailer is done. They had to go. You were not ruined by blackmail, you were crushed by a law of progress as resistless as the law of gravity."
The doctor's gray eyes flashed with sudden inspiration.
"If the law of gravity is unjust it will be abolished. If civilization is unjust it must be put down. There can be no contradiction in life when once we know the truth. I can't compromise with Bivens—I refuse his generosity49. I'll take only what the last tribunal of the people shall give me—justice."
"The last tribunal of the people will give you nothing," the lawyer said, emphatically.
"I'll stand or fall with it. I make common cause with the people. I know that Bivens is a power now. He chooses judges, defies the law, bribes50 legislatures and city councils and imagines that he rules the nation. But the Napoleons of finance to-day will be wearing stripes in Sing Sing to-morrow. We are merely passing through a period of transition which brings suffering and confusion. The end is sure, because evil carries within itself the seed of death. A despotism of money cannot be fastened on the people of America."
"But, Doctor," Stuart interrupted persuasively52, "he is not trying to fasten a despotism on America, on you, or anybody else in this offer."
The older man ignored the interruption and continued with a dreamy look:
"Only a few years ago a great millionaire who lived in a palace on Fifth Avenue boldly said to a newspaper reporter: 'The public be d—d!' Times have changed. The millionaires have begun to buy the newspapers and beg for public favour. We are walking on the crust of a volcano of public wrath."
"But how long must we wait for this volcanic53 outburst of public wrath?"
"It's of no importance. The big thing is that in America a new force has appeared in the world, the common consciousness of a passion for justice in the hearts of millions of enlightened freemen clothed with power! Never before has manhood had this supreme opportunity. Under its influence this insane passion for gold must slowly but surely be transformed into a desire for real wealth of mind and soul. The evils of our time are not so great as those of our fathers. We merely feel them more keenly. The trouble is our faith grows dim in these moments of stress. As for me I lift up my head and believe in my fellow-man. We are just entering a new and wonderful era—the era of electricity and mystery, of struggle, aspiration54, the passion for the eternal. I am content to live and fight for the right, win or lose, and play my little part in this mighty55 drama!"
"I had hoped you were tired of fighting a losing battle."
"Tired of fighting a losing battle? You've forgotten, perhaps, that I'm a veteran of the civil war. You know we were defeated year after year, battle after battle, until it looked as if Lee was invincible56. And then a silent dark man with a big black cigar in his thoughtful mouth came slowly out of the West and we commenced to move forward under his leadership inch by inch. It was slow, and the dead lay ever in piles around us—but still we moved—always forward, never backward. And when at last the men saw it, they began to laugh at Death. Their eyes had seen the first flash of the coming glory of the Lord!"
The doctor paused a moment and looked at Stuart with a curious expression of pity shining through his gray eyes.
"What a wonderful old world this is, if we only lift up our heads and see it. Across its fields and valleys armies have marched and counter-marched for four thousand years, a world of tears and blood, of tyranny and oppression, of envy and hate, of passion and sin—and yet it has always been growing better, brighter and more beautiful. Wooden shoes have always been ringing on stairs of gold as men from the depths have climbed higher and higher. I'll fight this battle to a finish and I'll win. If God lives I'll win—I'm so sure of it, my boy."
The doctor paused and his eyes flashed.
"I'm so sure of it, that I'm not only going to refuse this bribe51 from Bivens, but my answer will be a harder blow. I'm going to begin another bigger and more important suit for the dissolution of the American Chemical Trust."
"You can't mean this!"
"I do!" was the firm response.
Stuart slipped his arm around the older man with a movement of instinctive11 tenderness.
"Look here, Doctor, I've lived in your home for fourteen years and I've grown to love you as my own father."
"I know, my boy."
"You must listen to me now!" the younger man insisted with deep emotion. "I can give no time to your suit. I am just entering on a great struggle for the people. Tremendous issues are at stake."
"And your own career hangs on the outcome, too?" the doctor interrupted.
"Yes."
"You'll go down a wreck57 if you fail."
"Perhaps."
"And you're going to risk all without a moment's hesitation58?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"It's my duty."
"Good boy!" the older man cried, seizing Stuart's hand. "You can't fail. That's why I'm going to risk all in my fight."
"But the cases are not the same."
"No, I'm old and played out—my life's sands are nearly run, I haven't much to risk—but such as I have I offer it freely to God and my country. I envy you the opportunity to make a greater sacrifice—and you advise me to compromise for a paltry59 sum of money a righteous cause merely to save my own skin while you tell me in the same breath that you are just entering the lists against the one unconquerable group of financial buccaneers in America and that you've set your life on the issue."
The doctor seized Stuart's hand, wrung60 it and laughed.
"Congratulations, my boy—I'm proud of you—proud that you live in my house, proud that I've known and loved you, and tried to teach you the joy and the foolishness of throwing your life away!"
With a wave of his hand the stalwart figure of the old man passed out and left him brooding in sorrowful silence.
"If the doctor and Harriet were only out of this!" he exclaimed. "It makes me sick to think of the future!"
He picked up Nan's unanswered letter and read it again and the faint perfume of the delicate paper stole into his heart with a thousand aching memories.
He seized his pen at last, set his face like flint and resolutely61 wrote his answer:
Dear Nan:
Your letter is very kind. I'll be honest and tell you that it has stirred memories I've tried to kill and can't. I hate to say no, but I must.
Sincerely,
Jim.
As he drew down the door of the letter box on the corner to post this reply he paused a moment. A wave of desperate longing62 swept his heart.
"My God! I must see her!" he cried in anguish63.
And then the strong square jaw64 came together and the struggle was over. He dropped the letter in the box, turned and walked slowly home.
点击
收听单词发音
收听单词发音 |
1
recording
|
|
| n.录音，记录 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
2
sincerity
|
|
| n.真诚，诚意；真实 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
3
fatuity
|
|
| n.愚蠢，愚昧 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
4
desperately
|
|
| adv.极度渴望地，绝望地，孤注一掷地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
5
tempting
|
|
| a.诱人的, 吸引人的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
6
gratitude
|
|
| adj.感激，感谢 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
7
mere
|
|
| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
8
zeal
|
|
| n.热心，热情，热忱 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
9
eloquence
|
|
| n.雄辩；口才，修辞 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
10
instinctively
|
|
| adv.本能地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
11
instinctive
|
|
| adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
12
advancement
|
|
| n.前进，促进，提升 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
13
remarkable
|
|
| adj.显著的，异常的，非凡的，值得注意的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
14
civic
|
|
| adj.城市的，都市的，市民的，公民的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
15
nomination
|
|
| n.提名，任命，提名权 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
16
pointed
|
|
| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
17
delegation
|
|
| n.代表团；派遣 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
18
astonishment
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
19
browbeat
|
|
| v.欺侮；吓唬 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
20
bully
|
|
| n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
21
submission
|
|
| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
22
rumpled
|
|
| v.弄皱，使凌乱( rumple的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
23
accusations
|
|
| n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
24
ingratitude
|
|
| n.忘恩负义 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
25
steadily
|
|
| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
26
investigation
|
|
| n.调查，调查研究 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
27
treasuries
|
|
| n.（政府的）财政部( treasury的名词复数 )；国库，金库 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
28
supreme
|
|
| adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
29
advisory
|
|
| adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
30
amazement
|
|
| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
31
motive
|
|
| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
32
dividend
|
|
| n.红利，股息；回报，效益 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
33
fictitious
|
|
| adj.虚构的，假设的；空头的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
34
bagatelle
|
|
| n.琐事；小曲儿 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
35
metropolis
|
|
| n.首府；大城市 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
36
dreaded
|
|
| adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
37
ordeal
|
|
| n.苦难经历，（尤指对品格、耐力的）严峻考验 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
38
undone
|
|
| a.未做完的，未完成的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
39
aglow
|
|
| adj.发亮的；发红的；adv.发亮地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
40
wrath
|
|
| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
41
barons
|
|
| 男爵( baron的名词复数 )； 巨头； 大王； 大亨 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
42
thoroughly
|
|
| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
43
lodging
|
|
| n.寄宿，住所；(大学生的)校外宿舍 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
44
conspiracy
|
|
| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
45
blackmail
|
|
| n.讹诈，敲诈，勒索，胁迫，恫吓 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
46
dispensed
|
|
| v.分配( dispense的过去式和过去分词 )；施与；配（药） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
47
jobber
|
|
| n.批发商；(股票买卖)经纪人；做零工的人 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
48
retailer
|
|
| n.零售商(人) | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
49
generosity
|
|
| n.大度，慷慨，慷慨的行为 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
50
bribes
|
|
| n.贿赂( bribe的名词复数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂v.贿赂( bribe的第三人称单数 )；向（某人）行贿，贿赂 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
51
bribe
|
|
| n.贿赂；v.向…行贿，买通 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
52
persuasively
|
|
| adv.口才好地；令人信服地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
53
volcanic
|
|
| adj.火山的；象火山的；由火山引起的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
54
aspiration
|
|
| n.志向，志趣抱负；渴望；(语)送气音；吸出 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
55
mighty
|
|
| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
56
invincible
|
|
| adj.不可征服的，难以制服的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
57
wreck
|
|
| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
58
hesitation
|
|
| n.犹豫，踌躇 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
59
paltry
|
|
| adj.无价值的，微不足道的 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
60
wrung
|
|
| 绞( wring的过去式和过去分词 )； 握紧（尤指别人的手）； 把（湿衣服）拧干； 绞掉（水） | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
61
resolutely
|
|
| adj.坚决地，果断地 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
62
longing
|
|
| n.（for）渴望 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
63
anguish
|
|
| n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
|
64
jaw
|
|
| n.颚，颌，说教，流言蜚语；v.喋喋不休，教训 | |
参考例句： |
|
|
|
| 欢迎访问英文小说网 |