第28章

Scherercandowhathewants,andthePresidentcannot."

"Adolfalwaysdoesashewants,"shedeclared,gazingathimashesatbesidethebrilliantwifeofthegrandsonofthemanwhosered-shirtedforemanhehadbeen."Hedoeswhathewants,andgetswhathewants.Heisgettingwhathewantsnow,"sheadded,withsuchobviousmeaningthatIfoundnowordstoreply."Sheispretty,thatMrs.Durrett,andclever,——isitnotso?"

Iagreed.AnewandindescribablenotehadcomeintoMrs.Scherer\'svoice,andIrealizedthatshe,too,wasawareofthatflawintheredoubtableMr.Schererwhichnoneofhisassociateshadguessed.Itwouldhavebeenstrangeifshehadnotdiscoveredit."Sheisbeautiful,yes,"theladycontinuedcritically,"butsheisnottocomparewithyourwife.Shehasnottheheart,——itissowithallyourpeopleofsociety.

Forthemitisnotwhatyouare,butwhatyouhavedone,andwhatyouhave."

Thebanalityofthisobservationwasmitigatedbythefeelingshethrewintoit.

"IthinkyoumisjudgeMrs.Durrett,"Isaid,incautiously."ShehasneverbeforehadtheopportunityofmeetingMr.Schererofappreciatinghim."

"Mrs.Durrettisanoldfriendofyours?"sheasked.

"Iwasbroughtupwithher."

"Ah!"sheexclaimed,andturnedherpenetratingglanceuponme.Iwasstartled.Coulditbethatshehaddiscernedandinterpretedthoserenascentfeelingseventhenstirringwithinme,andofwhichImyselfwasasyetscarcelyconscious?Atthismoment,fortunatelyforme,thewomenrose;themenremainedtosmoke;andScherer,astheydiscussedmattersoffinance,becamehimselfagain.Ijoinedintheconversation,butIwasthinkingofthoseinstantswheninflashesofunderstandingmyeyeshadmetNancy\'s;instantsinwhichIwasliftedoutofmyhumdrum,deadlyseriousselfandwasabletolookdownobjectivelyuponthelifeI

led,thelifeweallled——andNancyherself;toseewithherthecomicironyofitall.Nancyhadthepowertogivemethisexquisitesenseofdetachmentthatmustsustainher.AndwasitnotjustthissustenanceshecouldgivethatIneeded?ForwantofitIwashardening,crystallizing,growingblindtothejoyandvarietyofexistence.Nancycouldhavesavedme;shebroughtithometomethatI

neededsalvationIwasstruckbyanotherthought;inspiteofourseparation,inspiteofhermarriageandmine,shewasstillnearertome——farnearer——thananyotherbeing.

Later,Isoughtherout.Shelookedupatmeamusedlyfromthewindow-

seatinourliving-room,whereshehadbeentalkingtotheScherergirls.

"Well,howdidyougetalongwithHilda?"sheasked."IthoughtIsawyoustruggling."

"She\'ssomewhatdisconcerting,"Isaid."Ifeltasifshewereturningmeinsideout."

Nancylaughed.

"Hilda\'sadiscovery——agenius.I\'mgoingtohavethemtodinnermyself."

"AndAdolf?"Iinquired."Ibelieveshethoughtyouwerepreparingtorunawaywithhim.Youseemedtohavehimhypnotized."

"I\'mafraidyourgreatmanwon\'tbeabletostand——elevation,"shedeclared."He\'llhavevertigo.He\'sevengotitnow,atthislittleheight,andwhenhebuildshispalaceonGrantAvenue,andlatermovestoNewYork,I\'mafraidhe\'llwobbleevenmore."

"Ishethinkingofdoingallthat?"Iasked.

"ImerelypredictNewYork——it\'sinevitable,"shereplied."GrantAvenue,yes;hewantsmetohelphimchoosealot.HegavemetenthousanddollarsforourOrphans\'Home,butonthewholeIthinkIpreferHildaevenifshedoesn\'tapproveofme."

Nancyrose.TheScherersweregoing.WhileMr.Schererpressedmyhandinamannerthatconvincedmeofhisgratitude,HildawasbiddinganaffectionategoodnighttoMaude.Afewmomentslatersheboreherhusbandanddaughtersaway,andweheardthetap-tapofhercaneonthewalkoutside

XVII.

TheremembranceofthatdinnerwhenwithmyconnivancetheScherersmadetheirsocialdebutisassociatedinmymindwiththecomingofthefulnessofthatera,madandbrief,whengoldraineddownlikemannafromoursootyskies.Eventhechurchwasprosperous;theRev.CareyHeddon,ournewminister,waswellabreastofthetimes,typicalofthenewandefficientChristianitythathasfinallyburiedthehatchetwithenlightenedself-interest.Helookedlikeayoungandprosperousmanofbusiness,andindeedhewasone.

ThefameofourcityspreadevenacrosstheAtlantic,reachingobscurehamletsinEurope,wherevillagersgathereduptheirlaresandpenates,mortgagedtheirhomes,andboughtsteamshipticketsfromphilanthropists,——philanthropistsindiamonds.OurHunsbegantoarrive,theirAttilasunrecognizedamongthem:todriveourhonestAmericansandIrishandGermansoutofthemillsby"loweringthestandardofliving."

Still——accordingtothelearnedeconomistsinouruniversities,enlightenedself-interesttriumphed.HadnotthehonestAmericansandGermansbecomeforemenandevenpresidentsofcorporations?Whatgreatervindicationfortheirphilosophycouldbedesired?

Theveryaspectofthecitychangedlikemagic.Newbuildingsspranghighintheair;theRelianceTrust(Mr.Grierson\'s),theSchererBuilding,theHambletonBuilding;astewhotel,theAshuela,tookpropercareofourvisitorsfromtheEast,——amassive,greystone,thousand-

awningedaffaironBoyneStreet,withagrillwhereitbecamethefashiontogoforsupperaftertheplay,andaheadwaiterwhoknewinafewweekseveryoneworthknowing.

ToreturnforamomenttotheHuns.Maudehadexpressedadesiretoseeamill,andwewent,oneafternoon,inMr.Scherer\'scarriagetoSteelville,withMr.Schererhimself,——abewildering,educative,almostterrifyingexperienceamidstfumesandflames,giganticforcesandtitanicweights.Itseemedamarvelthatweescapedbeingcrushedorburnedaliveinthosehugesteelbuildingsreverberatingwithsound.

Theyappearedaverybedlamofchaos,insteadofthetriumphoforder,organizationandhumanskill.Mr.Schererwasveryproudofitall,andourswasasortoftriumphalprocession,accompaniedbysuperintendents,managersandotherfactotums.IthoughtofmychildhoodimageofShadrach,MeshachandAbednego,andourprogressthroughtheflamesseemednolessremarkableandmiraculous.

Maude,withalarminhereyes,keptveryclosetome,asIsupplementedtheexplanationstheygaveher.Ihadbeentheremanytimesbefore.

"Why,Hugh,"sheexclaimed,"youseemtoknowalotaboutit!"

Mr.Schererlaughed.

"He\'shadtotalkaboutitonceortwiceincourt——eh,Hugh?Youdidn\'trealizehowcleveryourhusbandwasdidyou,Mrs.Paret?"

"Butthisisso——complicated,"shereplied."Itisoverwhelming."

"WhenIfoundouthowmuchtroublehehadtakentolearnaboutmybusiness,"addedMr.Scherer,"therewasonlyonethingtodo.Makehimmylawyer.Hugh,youhavethefloor,andexplaintheopen-hearthprocess."

IhadalmostforgottentheHuns.IsawMaudegazingatthemwithanewkindofterror.Andwhenwesatathomethateveningtheystillhauntedher.

"Somehow,Ican\'tbeartothinkaboutthem,"shesaid."I\'msurewe\'llhavetopayforit,someday."

"Payforwhat?"Iasked.

"Formakingthemworkthatway.Andtwelvehours!Itcan\'tberight,whilewehavesomuch,andaresocomfortable."

"Don\'tbefoolish,"Iexclaimed."They\'reusedtoit.Theythinkthemselvesluckytogetthework——andtheyare.Besides,yougivethemcreditforasensitivenessthattheydon\'tpossess.Theywouldn\'tknowwhattodowithsuchahouseasth