Ambition is the most conservative of influences upon a radical1 mind. No sooner had Tertius Marrineal formulated2 his political hopes than there were manifested in the conduct of The Patriot3 strange symptoms of a hankering after respectability. Essentially4 Marrineal was not respectable, any more than he was radical. He was simply and singly selfish. But, having mapped out for himself a career which did not stop short of a stately and deep-porticoed edifice5 in Washington's Pennsylvania Avenue (for his conception of the potential leverage7 of a great newspaper increased with The Patriot's circulation), he deemed it advisable to moderate some of the more blatant8 features, on the same principle which had induced him to reform the Veridian lumber9 mill abuses, lest they be brought up to his political detriment10 later. A long-distance thinker, Tertius Marrineal.
Operating through invisible channels and by a method which neither Banneker nor Edmonds ever succeeded in fathoming11, his influence now began to be felt for the better tone of the news columns. They became less glaringly sensational12. Yet the quality of the news upon which the paper specialized13 was the same; it was the handling which was insensibly altered. That this was achieved without adversely14 affecting circulation was another proof, added to those already accumulated, of Marrineal's really eminent15 journalistic capacities. The change was the less obvious, because The Patriot's competitors in the Great Three-Ringed Circus of Sensation had found themselves being conducted, under that leadership, farther along the primrose16 path of stimulation17 and salaciousness than they had realized, and had already modified their policies.
Even under the new policy, however, The Patriot would hardly have proven, upon careful analysis, more decent or self-respecting. But it was less obvious; cleverer in avoiding the openly offensive. Capron had been curbed18 in his pictorial20 orgies. The copy-readers had been supplied with a list of words and terms tabooed from the captions21. But the influence of Severance22 was still potent6 in the make-up of the news. While Banneker was relieved at the change, he suspected its impermanency should it prove unsuccessful. To neither his chief editorial writer nor Russell Edmonds had the proprietor23 so much as hinted at the modification24 of scheme. His silence to these two was part of his developing policy of separating more widely the different departments of the paper in order that he might be the more quietly and directly authoritative25 over all.
The three men were lunching late at Delmonico's, and talking politics, when Edmonds leaned forward in his seat to look toward the entrance.
"There's Severance," said he. "What's the matter with him?"
The professional infuser of excitements approached walking carefully among the tables. His eyes burned in a white face.
"On one of his sprees," diagnosed Banneker. "Oh, Severance! Sit down here."
"I beg your p-p-pardon." Severance spoke26 with marked deliberation and delicacy27, but with a faint stammer28. "These not b-being office hours, I have not the p-pleasure of your acquaintance."
Marrineal smiled.
"The p-pale rictus of the damned," observed Severance. "As one damned soul to another, I c-confess a longing29 for companionship of m-my own sort. Therefore I accept your invitation. Waiter, a Scotch30 h-highball."
"We were talking of--" began Banneker, when the newcomer broke in:
"Talk of m-me. Of me and m-my work. I exult31 in my w-work. L-like Mr. Whitman, I celebrate myself. I p-point with pride. What think you, gentlemen, of to-day's paper in honor of which I have t-taken my few drinks?"
"If you mean the Territon story," growled32 Edmonds, "it's rotten."
"Precisely33. I thank you for your g-golden opinion. Rotten. Exactly as intended."
"Put a woman's good name on trial and sentence it on hearsay34 without appeal or recourse."
"There is always the danger of going too far along those lines," pointed35 out Marrineal judicially36.
"Pardon me, all-wise Proprietor. The d-danger lies in not going far enough. The frightful37 p-peril of being found dull."
"The Territon story assays38 too thin in facts, as we've put it out. If Mrs. Territon doesn't leave her husband now for McLaurin," opined Marrineal, "we are in a difficult position. I happen to know her and I very much doubt--"
"Doubt not at all, d-doubting Tertius. The very fact of our publishing the story will force her hand. It's an achievement, that story. No other p-paper has a line of it."
"Not more than one other would touch it, in its present form," said Banneker. "It's too raw."
"The more virtue39 to us. I r-regard that story as an inspiration. Nobody could have brought it off b-but me. 'A god, a god their Severance ruled,'" punned the owner of the name.
"Beelzebub, god of filth40 and maggots," snarled41 Edmonds.
"Bacchus, god of all true inspiration!" cried Severance. "Waiter, slave of B-Bacchus, where is my Scotch?"
"Severance, you're going too far along your chosen line," declared Banneker bluntly.
"Yes; we must tone down a little," agreed Marrineal.
The sensationalist lifted calmly luminous42 eyes to his chief. "Why?" he queried43 softly. "Are you meditating44 a change? Does the journalistic l-lady of easy virtue begin to yearn45 f-for the paths of respectability?"
"Steady, Severance," warned Edmonds.
At the touch of the curb19 the other flamed into still, white wrath46. "If you're going to be a whore," he said deliberately47, "play the whore's game. I'm one and I know it. Banneker's one, but hasn't the courage to face it. You're one, Edmonds--no, you're not; not even that. You're the hallboy that f-fetches the drinks--"
Marrineal had risen. Severance turned upon him.
"I salute48 you, Madam of our high-class establishment. When you take your p-price, you at least look the business in the face. No illusions for M-Madam Marrineal.... By the w-way, I resign from the house."
"Are you coming, Mr. Edmonds?" said Marrineal. "You'll sign the check for me, will you, Mr. Banneker?"
Left alone with the disciple49 of Bacchus and Beelzebub, the editor said:
"Better get home, Severance. Come in to-morrow, will you?"
"No. I'm q-quite in earnest about resigning. No further use for the damned j-job now."
"I never could see why you had any use for it in the first place. Was it money?"
"Of course."
"Oh, I see."
"You d-don't see at all. I wanted the m-money for a purpose. The purpose was a woman. I w-wanted to keep pace with her and her s-set. It was the set to which I rightly belonged, but I'd dropped out. I thought I p-preferred drink. I didn't after she got hold of me. I d-don't know why the d-devil I'm telling you all this."
"I'm sorry, Severance," said Banneker honestly.
The other raised his glass. "Here's to her," he said. He drank. "I wish her nothing w-worse than she's got. Her name is--"
"Wait a moment, Severance," cut in Banneker sharply. "Don't say anything that you'll regret. Naming of names--"
"Oh, there's no harm in this, n-now," said Severance wearily. "Hers is smeared50 in filth all over our third page. It is Maud Territon. What do you think of P-Patriotic journalism51, anyway, Banneker?"
收听单词发音 |
1
radical
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| n.激进份子，原子团，根号；adj.根本的，激进的，彻底的 | |
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formulated
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| v.构想出( formulate的过去式和过去分词 )；规划；确切地阐述；用公式表示 | |
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patriot
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| n.爱国者，爱国主义者 | |
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essentially
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| adv.本质上，实质上，基本上 | |
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edifice
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| n.宏伟的建筑物(如宫殿，教室) | |
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potent
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| adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的 | |
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leverage
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| n.力量，影响；杠杆作用，杠杆的力量 | |
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blatant
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| adj.厚颜无耻的；显眼的；炫耀的 | |
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lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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detriment
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| n.损害；损害物，造成损害的根源 | |
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fathoming
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| 测量 | |
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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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specialized
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| adj.专门的，专业化的 | |
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adversely
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| ad.有害地 | |
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eminent
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| adj.显赫的，杰出的，有名的，优良的 | |
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primrose
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| n.樱草，最佳部分， | |
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stimulation
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| n.刺激，激励，鼓舞 | |
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curbed
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| v.限制，克制，抑制( curb的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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curb
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| n.场外证券市场，场外交易；vt.制止，抑制 | |
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pictorial
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| adj.绘画的；图片的；n．画报 | |
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captions
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| n.标题，说明文字，字幕( caption的名词复数 )v.给（图片、照片等）加说明文字( caption的第三人称单数 ) | |
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severance
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| n.离职金；切断 | |
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proprietor
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| n.所有人；业主；经营者 | |
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modification
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| n.修改，改进，缓和，减轻 | |
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authoritative
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| adj.有权威的，可相信的；命令式的；官方的 | |
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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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27
delicacy
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| n.精致，细微，微妙，精良；美味，佳肴 | |
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stammer
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| n.结巴，口吃；v.结结巴巴地说 | |
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longing
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| n.（for）渴望 | |
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scotch
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| n.伤口，刻痕；苏格兰威士忌酒；v.粉碎，消灭，阻止；adj.苏格兰(人)的 | |
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exult
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| v.狂喜，欢腾；欢欣鼓舞 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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precisely
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| adv.恰好，正好，精确地，细致地 | |
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hearsay
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| n.谣传，风闻 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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judicially
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| 依法判决地，公平地 | |
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frightful
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| adj.可怕的；讨厌的 | |
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assays
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| n.化验( assay的名词复数 )；试验；尝试；试金 | |
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virtue
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| n.德行，美德；贞操；优点；功效，效力 | |
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40
filth
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| n.肮脏，污物，污秽；淫猥 | |
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41
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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42
luminous
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| adj.发光的，发亮的；光明的；明白易懂的；有启发的 | |
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43
queried
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| v.质疑，对…表示疑问( query的过去式和过去分词 )；询问 | |
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44
meditating
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| a.沉思的，冥想的 | |
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45
yearn
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| v.想念；怀念；渴望 | |
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46
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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47
deliberately
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| adv.审慎地；蓄意地；故意地 | |
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48
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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49
disciple
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| n.信徒，门徒，追随者 | |
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50
smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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51
journalism
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| n.新闻工作，报业 | |
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