第20章

Ibegantokeepascrap-book,thoughIlockeditupinthedrawerofmydesk.Initaretobefoundmanyclippingsofasimilarlygratifyingtenor

MecklinandIwerewellcontrasted.Inthisway,incidentally,Imademanyvaluableacquaintancesamongthe"solid"menofthestate,thelocalcapitalistsandmanufacturers,withwhommymannerofdealingwithpublicquestionswasinparticularfavour.Thesewerepracticalmen;theyratherpatronizedtheHon.Joseph,thusestimating,toanicety,amansvalue;orsolidity,orspecificgravity,itmightbetterbesaid,sinceouruniversewasoneofchecksandbalances.TheHon.Josephandhislike,skyrocketingthroughtheair,weresomehownecessaryintheschemeofthings,butnottobetakentooseriously.Metheydidtakeseriously,theseprovinciallords,invitingmetotheirhousesandopeningtheirhearts.Thus,whenwecametoElkington,Mr.MecklinreposedintheCommercialHouse,onthenoisymainstreet.Fortunatelyforhim,theclangingoftrolleycarsneverinterferedwithhisslumbers.

IsleptinawidechamberinthemansionofMr.EzraHutchins.ThereweremanyHutchinsesinElkington,——brothersandcousinsandunclesandgreat-uncles,——andallwereconnectedwiththewoollenmills.ButthereisalwaysonesupremeHutchins,andEzrawashe:tall,self-contained,elderly,butwellpreservedthroughfrugalliving,essentiallyAmericanandtypicalofhisclass,whenheenteredthelobbyoftheCommercialHousethatafternoonthebabelofpoliticaldiscussionwassuddenlyhushed;politicians,travelingsalesmenandthemembersofthelocalcommitteemadealaneforhim;tohim,theHon.JosephandIwereintroduced.Mr.Hutchinsknewwhathewanted.HewascordialtoMr.

Mecklin,buthetookme.Weenteredamostrespectablesurreywithtassels,drivenbyaraw-bonedcoachmaninablackovercoat,drawnbytwosleekhorses.

"Howisthisthinggoing,Paret?"heasked.

IgavehimMr.Grunewald\'sestimatedmajority.

"Whatdoyouthink?"hedemanded,ashrewd,humorouslookinhisblueeyes.

"Well,Ithinkwe\'llcarrythestate.Ihaven\'thadGrunewald\'sexperienceinestimating."

EzraHutchinssmiledappreciatively.

"WhatdoesWatlingthink?"

"Hedoesn\'tseemtobeworryingmuch."

"EverbeeninElkingtonbefore?"

IsaidIhadn\'t.

"Well,adrivewilldoyougood."

Itwasaboutfouro\'clockonamildOctoberafternoon.Thelittletown,offifteenthousandinhabitantsorso,hadawonderfulsettinginthewideningvalleyoftheScopanong,whoseswiftlyrunningwatersfurnishedthepowerforthemills.Wedrovetothesethroughagatewayoverwhichthewords"NoAdmittance"wereconspicuouslypainted,pastlongbrickbuildingsthatborderedthecanals;andinthewindowsIcaughtsightofdrabfiguresofmenandwomenbendingoverthemachines.Halfofthebuildings,asMr.Hutchinspointedout,wereclosed,——mutewitnessesoftariff-tinkeringmadness.

Evenmoreeloquentofdemocraticfollywasthatpartofthetownthroughwhichwepresentlypassed,streetslinedwithrowsofdrearyhouseswheretheworkerslived.Childrenwereplayingonthesidewalks,buttheirsseemedalistlessplay;listless,too,werethemenandwomenwhosatonthesteps,——listless,andsomewhatsullen,astheywatcheduspassing.

EzraHutchinsseemedtoreadmythought.

"SincetheunionsgotinhereI\'vehadnothingbuttrouble,"hesaid.

"I\'vetriedtodomydutybymypeople,Godknows.Buttheywon\'tseewhichsidetheirbread\'sbutteredon.Theyopposemeateverystep,theyvoteagainsttheirowninterests.Someyearsagotheyputupajobonus,andsentascatter-brainedradicaltothelegislature."

"Krebs."

"Doyouknowhim?"

"Slightly.HewasinmyclassatHarvardIshestillhere?"I

asked,afterapause.

"Oh,yes.Buthehasn\'tgonetothelegislaturethistime,we\'veseentothat.HisfatherwasarespectableoldGermanwhohadalittleshopandmadeeye-glasses.Thesonisanexampleoftoomucheducation.He\'sanotorietyseeker.Oh,he\'sclever,inaway.He\'sgivenusagooddealoftrouble,too,inthecourtswithdamagecases."

Wecametoabrighter,morespacious,well-to-doportionofthetown,wheretheresidencesfacedtheriver.Inalittlewhilethewaterswidenedintoalake,whichwassurroundedbyapark,agifttothecityoftheHutchinsfamily.Facingit,ononeside,wastheHutchinsLibrary;ontheother,acrossawidestreet,wherethemapleswereturning,weretheHutchinses\'residencesofvariousdatesofconstruction,fromthatoftheyoungerGeorge,whohadlatelymarriedawife,andbuiltinbrightyellowbrick,totheold-fashionedmansionofEzrahimself.This,hetoldme,hadbeengoodenoughforhisfather,andwasgoodenoughforhim.Thepictureofitcomesbacktome,now,withsingularattractiveness.Itwasofbrick,andIsupposeamodificationoftheGeorgian;thekindofhouseonestillseesinout-of-thewaycornersofLondon,withasortofDickensyflavour;highandsquareanduncompromising,withsmall-panedwindows,withaflatroofsurroundedbyalowbalustrade,andmanysubstantialchimneys.Thethirdstoreywaslowerthantheothers,separatedfromthembyadistinctline.Ononesidewasawideporch.Yellowandredleaves,theday\'sfall,scatteredthewell-keptlawn.Standinginthedoorwayofthehousewasagirlinwhite,andaswedescendedfromthesurreyshecamedownthewalktomeetus.Shewasyoung,abouttwenty.Herhairwasthecolouroftherussetmapleleaves.

"ThisisMr.Paret,Maude."Mr.Hutchinslookedathiswatchasdoesamanaccustomedtolivebyit."Ifyou\'llexcuseme,Mr.Paret,Ihavesomethingimportanttoattendto.PerhapsMr.Paretwouldliketolookaboutthegrounds?"Headdressedhisdaughter.

IsaidIshouldbedelighted,thoughIhadnoideawhatgroundsweremeant.AsIfollowedMaudearoundthehousesheexplainedthatalltheHutchinsconnectionhadacommonbackyard,assheexpressedit.Inreality,therewereabouttwoblocksoftheproperty,extendingbehindallthehouses.Thereweregreattreeswithswings,groves,orchardswherethelateapplesglistenedbetweentheleaves,anold-fashionedflowergardenloathtorelinquishitsblooming.Inthedistancetheshadowedwesternridgehunglikeacurtainofdeepbluevelvetagainstthesunset.

"Whatawonderfulspot!"Iexclaimed.

"Yes,itisnice,"sheagreed,"wewereallbroughtuphere——Imeanmycousinsandmyself.Therearedozensofus.Anddozensleft,"sheadded,astheshoutsandlaughterofchildrenbrokethestillness.

Aboycamerunningaroundthecornerofthepath.HestruckoutatMaude.Witharemarkablyswiftmovementsheretaliated.

"Ouch!"heexclaimed.

"Yougothimthattime,"Ilaughed,and,beingdetected,shesuddenlyblushed.Itwasthisactthatdrewmyattentiontoher,thatdefinedherasanindividual.BeforethatIhadregardedhermerelyasashyandprovincialgirl.Nowshewasbrimmingwithanunsuspectedvitality.A

certaininterestwasaroused,althoughhershynesstowardsmewasnotaltered.Ifounditratheraflatteringshyness.

"It\'sHugh,"sheexplained,"he\'salwaystryingtobefunny.SpeaktoMr.Paret,Hugh."

"Why,that\'smyname,too,"Isaid.

"Isit?"

"Sheknockedmyhatoffalittlewhileago,"saidHugh."Iwasonlygettingsquare."

"Well,youdidn\'tgetsquare,didyou?"Iasked.

"Areyougoingtospeakinthetowshallto-night?"theboydemanded.I

admittedit.Hewentoff,pausingoncetostarebackatmeMaudeandIwalkedon.

"Itmustbeexcitingtospeakbeforealargeaudience,"shesaid."IfI

wereaman,IthinkIshouldliketobeinpolitics."

"Icannotimagineyouinpolitics,"Ianswered.

Shelaughed.

"Isaid,ifIwereaman."

"Areyougoingtothemeeting?"

"Oh,yes.Fatherpromisedtotakeme.Hehasabox."

Ithoughtitwouldbepleasanttohaveherthere.

"I\'mafraidyou\'llfindwhatIhavetosayratherdry,"Isaid.

"Awomancan\'texpecttounderstandeverything,"sheansweredquickly.

Thisremarkstruckmefavourably.Iglancedathersideways.Shewasnotabeauty,butshewasdistinctlywell-formedandstrong.Herfacewasoval,herfeaturesnotquiteregular,——givingthemacertaincharm;

hercolourwasfresh,hereyesblue,thelighterblueoneseesonChineseware:notapoeticcomparison,butsoIthoughtofthem.Shewasapparentlynotsophisticated,asweremostoftheyoungwomenathomewhomIknewintimately(asweretheWatlingtwins,forexample,withoneofwhom,Frances,Ihadhad,bytheway,ratheralivelyflirtationthespringbefore);sheseemedrefreshinglyoriginal,impressionableandplastic

Wewalkedslowlybacktothehouse,andinthehallwayImetMrs.

Hutchins,abustling,housewifelylady,inclinedtostoutness,whosecreasedandkindlyfaceborewitnesstolongacquiescenceinthedisciplineofmatrimony,tothecontentmentthatresultsfromanessentiallycircumscribedandcomfortablelife.Shewas,Ilearnedlater,thesecondMrs.Hutchins,andMaudetheironlychild.Thechildrenofthefirstmarriage,allgirls,hadmarriedandscattered.

Supperwasadecorousbutheterogeneousmealoftheold-fashionedsortthatgivesonethechoicebetweenteaandcocoa.Itwassomethingofanoccasion,Isuspected.Theministerwasthere,theReverendMr.

Doddridge,whowouldhavemade,inappearanceatleast,aperfectPuritandivineinasteeplehatandatippet.Only——hewasnolongertheleaderofthecommunity;andeveninhisgracehehadtheairofdeferringtothemanwhoprovidedthebountiesofwhichwewereabouttopartakeratherthantotheAlmighty.YoungGeorgewasthere,Mr.Hutchins\'snephew,whowasdailybecomingmoreandmoreofafactorinthemanagementofthemills,andhadbuiltthehouseofyellowbrickthatstoodoutsoincongruouslyamongtheolderHutchinses\'mansions,andmarkedatransition.Ithoughthimratherayellow-brickgentlemanhimselfforhisassumptionofcosmopolitanmanners.Hiswifewasapretty,discontentedlittlewomanwhoplainlydeploredherenvironment,longedforlargerfieldsofconquest:George,shesaid,mustremainwherehewas,forthepresentatleast,——UncleEzradependedonhim;butElkingtonwasaprosyplace,andMrs.Georgegavetheimpressionthatshedidnotbelonghere.Theywenttothecityonoccasions;bothcities.

AndwhenshetoldmewehadacommonacquaintanceinMrs.HambletonDurrett——whomshethoughtsolovely!——IknewthatshehadtakenNancyasanideal:Nancy,thesocialleaderofwhatwastoMrs.Georgeametropolis.

Presentlythetalkbecamegeneralamongthemen,thesubjectbeingthecampaign,andItheauthority,bombardedwithquestionsIstrovetoanswerjudicially.Whatwasthesituationinthiscountyandinthat?

thenationalsituation?Georgeindulgedinratheravigorousarraignmentofthedemagogues,nationalandstate,whowerehurtingbusinessinordertoobtainpoliticalpower.TheReverendMr.Doddridgeassented,deploringthepovertythatthelocalpeoplehadbroughtonthemselvesbyheedingtheadviceofagitators;andMrs.Hutchins,whospentmuchofhertimeincharitywork,agreedwiththeministerwhenhedeclaredthatthetroublewaslargelyduetoadeclineinChristianbelief.EzraHutchins,too,noddedatthis.

"TakethatmanKrebs,forexample,"theministerwenton,stimulatedbythisencouragement,"he\'sanatheist,pureandsimple."Asympatheticshudderwentaroundthetableattheword.Georgealonesmiled."OldKrebswasafree-thinker;Iusedtogetmyglassesofhim.Hewasatleastaconscientiousman,agoodworkman,whichismorethancanbesaidfortheson.YoungKrebshastalent,andifonlyhehaddevotedhimselftothehonestpracticeoflaw,insteadofstirringupdissatisfactionamongthesepeople,hewouldbeasuccessfulmanto-day."

Mr.HutchinsexplainedthatIwasatcollegewithKrebs.

"Thesepeoplemustlikehim,"Isaid,"ortheywouldn\'thavesenthimtothelegislature."

"Well,agoodmanyofthemdolikehim,"theministeradmitted."Yousee,heactuallylivesamongthem.Theybelievehissocialisticdoctrinesbecausehe\'safriendoftheirs."

"Hewon\'trepresentthistownagain,that\'ssure,"exclaimedGeorge.

"Youdidn\'tseeinthepapersthathewasnominated,——didyou,Paret?"

"Butifthemillpeoplewantedhim,George,howcoulditbeprevented?"

hiswifedemanded.

Georgewinkedatme.

"Therearemorewaysofskinningacatthanone,"hesaidcryptically.

"Well,it\'stimetogotothemeeting,Iguess,"remarkedEzra,rising.

Oncemorehelookedathiswatch.

Wewerepackedintoseveralfamilycarriagesandstartedoff.Infrontofthehalltheinevitableredfirewasburning,itsquiveringlightreflectedonthefacesofthecrowdthatblockedthestreet.Theystoodsilent,strangelyapatheticaswepushedthroughthemtothecurb,andtheredfirewentoutsuddenlyaswedescended.Mytemporarysenseofdepression,however,desertedmeasweenteredthehall,whichwaswelllightedandfilledwithpeople,whoclappedwhentheHon.JosephandI,accompaniedbyMr.DoddridgeandtheHon.HenryClayMellishfromPottstown,withthelocalchairman,walkedoutonthestage.Aglanceovertheaudiencesufficedtoascertainthatthatportionofthepopulationwhosedinnerpailswelongedtofillwasevidentlynotpresentinlargenumbers.Butthefarmershaddriveninfromthehills,whilethemerchantsandstorekeepersofElkingtonhadturnedoutloyally.

Thechairman,inintroducingme,proclaimedmeasacomingman,anddeclaredthatIhadalreadyachieved,inthecampaign,considerablenotoriety.AsIspoke,IwaspleasantlyawareofMaudeHutchinsleaningforwardalittleacrosstherailoftheright-handstagebox——forthetownhallwashalfopera-house;herattitudewasoneofsemi-absorbedadmiration;andthethoughtthatIhadmadeanimpressiononherstimulatedme.Ispokewithmoreaplomb.Somewhattomysurprise,I

foundmyselfmakingoccasional,unexpectedwitticismsthatdrewlaughterandapplause.Suddenly,fromthebackofthehall,avoicecalledout:——

"HowaboutHouseBill709?"

Therewasasilence,thenastirringandcraningofnecks.Itwasmyfirstexperienceofheckling,andforthemomentIwastakenaback.I

thoughtofKrebs.Hehad,indeed,beeninmymindsinceIhadrisentomyfeet,andIhadscannedthefacesbeforemeinsearchofhis.Butitwasnothisvoice.

"Well,whataboutBill709?"Idemanded.

"Yououghttoknowsomethingaboutit,Iguess,"thevoiceresponded.

"Puthimout!"camefromvariousportionsofthehall.

Inwardly,Iwasshaken.Not——inorthodoxlanguagefromany"convictionofsin."Yetitwasmyfirstintimationthatmypartinthelegislationreferredtowasknowntoanysaveaselectfew.IblamedKrebs,andahotangerarosewithinmeagainsthim.Afterall,whatcouldtheyprove?

"No,don\'tputhimout,"Isaid."Lethimcomeupheretotheplatform.

I\'llyieldtohim.AndI\'mentirelywillingtodiscusswithhimanddefendanymeasurespassedinthelegislatureofthisstatebyaRepublicanmajority.Perhaps,"Iadded,"thegentlemanhasacopyofthelawinhispocket,thatImayknowwhatheistalkingabout,andanswerhimintelligently."

Atthistherewaswildapplause.Ihadtheaudiencewithme.TheoffenderremainedsilentandpresentlyIfinishedmyspeech.AfterthatMr.Mecklinmadethemcheerandweep,andMr.Mellishmadethemlaugh.

Themeetinghadbeenhighlysuccessful.

"Youpolishedhimoff,allright,"saidGeorgeHutchins,ashetookmyhand.

"Whowashe?"

"Oh,oneofthelocalsore-heads.Krebsputhimuptoit,ofcourse."

"WasKrebshere?"Iasked.

"Sittinginthecornerofthebalcony.Thatmeetingmusthavemadehimfeelsick."Georgebentforwardandwhisperedinmyear:"IthoughtBill709wasWatling\'sidea."

"Oh,IhappenedtobeinthePottsHouseaboutthattime,"Iexplained.

George,ofwhomitmaybegatheredthathewasnotwhollyunsophisticated,grinnedatmeappreciatively.

"Say,Paret,"hereplied,puttinghishandthroughmyarm,"there\'salittlelegalbusinessinprospectdownherethatwillrequiresomehandling,andIwishyou\'dcomedownafterthecampaignandtalkitover,withus.I\'vejustaboutmadeupmymindthatyou\'rehemantotackleit."

"Allright,I\'llcome,"Isaid.

"Andstaywithme,"saidGeorge

Wewenttohisyellow-brickhouseforrefreshments,saladandice-creamand(inthefaceoftheHutchinstraditions)champagne.Othershadbeeninvitedin,sometwentypersonsOnceinawhile,whenIlookedup,I

metMaude\'seyesacrosstheroom.Iwalkedhomewithher,slowly,thelengthoftheHutchinses\'block.FloatingoverthelakewasawaningOctobermoonthatcastthroughthethinningmaplesalace-workofshadowsatourfeet;Ihadthefeelingofwell-beingthatcomestoheroes,andthepresenceofMaudeHutchinswasanincense,avestalincensefarfromunpleasing.Yetshehadreservationswhichappealedtome.Herswasnotagushingprovincialism,likethatofMrs.George.

"Ilikedyourspeechsomuch,Mr.Paret,"shetoldme."Itseemedsosensibleand——controlled,comparedtotheothers.Ihaveneverthoughtagreatdealaboutthesethings,ofcourse,andIneverunderstoodbeforewhytakingawaythetariffcausedsomuchmisery.Youmadethatquiteplain.

"Ifso,I\'mglad,"Isaid.

Shewassilentamoment.