第31章

"Anothertelephonecompany!"herepeated.

Ihadalreadynameditonmywalk.

"TheInterurban,"Isaid.

"Adummycompany?"saidMr.Jason.

"Livelyenoughtobidsomethingoverahundredthousandtothecityforitsfranchise,"Ireplied.

JuddJason,withaqueerlook,gotupandwenttoadeskinadarkcorner,andafterrummagingforafewmomentsinoneofthepigeon-holes,drewforthaglasscylinder,whichheheldoutasheapproachedme.

"Yougetit,Mr.Paret,"hesaid.

"Whatisit?"Iasked,"abomb!"

"That,"heannounced,ashetwistedthetubeaboutinhislongfingers,holdingituptothelight,"isthefinestbrandofcigarsevermadeinCuba.Agentlemanwhohadeveryreasontobegratefultome——Iwon\'tsaywhohewas——gavemethatonce.Well,theLordmademeso\'sIcan\'tappreciateanybettertobaccothanthosefive-cent\'Bobtails\'Monahan\'sgotdownstairs,andIsavedit.Isaveditforthemanwhowouldputsomethingovermesomeday,and——yougetit."

"Thankyou,"Isaid,unconsciouslyfallinginwiththesemi-ceremonyofhismanner."IdonotflattermyselfthatthesolutionIhavesuggesteddidnotalsooccurtoyou."

"You\'llsmokeit?"heasked.

"Surely."

"Now?Herewithme?"

"Certainly,"Iagreed,alittlepuzzled.AsIbroketheseal,pulledoutthecorkandunwrappedthecigarfromitsgoldfoilhetookastickandrappedloudlyonthefloor.AfterabriefintervalfootstepswereheardonthestairsandMikeMonahan,whiteapronedandscarletfaced,appearedatthedoor.

"Bobtails,"saidMr.Jason,laconically.

"It\'sthemIthoughtye\'dbewanting,"saidthesaloon-keeper,holdingoutahandful.JuddJasonlightedone,andbegansmokingreflectively.

Igazedaboutthemeanroom,withitslitterofnewspapersandreports,itsshabbyfurniture,andtheseseemedtohavebecomeincongruous,outoffigureinthechairfacingmekeepingwiththethoughtfulfigureinthechairfacingme.

"Youhadacollegeeducation,Mr.Paret,"heremarkedatlength.

"Yes."

"Life\'saqueerthing.NowifI\'dhadacollegeeducation,likeyou,andyou\'dbeenthrownontheworld,likeme,maybeI\'dbelivin\'upthereonGrantAvenueandyou\'dbedownhereoverthesaloon."

"Maybe,"Isaid,wonderinguneasilywhetherhemeanttoimplyasimilarityinourgifts.Buthismannerremainedimpassive,speculative.

"EverreadCarlyle\'s\'FrenchRevolution\'?"heaskedsuddenly.

"Why,yes,partofit,agoodwhileago."

"Whenyouwasincollege?"

"Yes."

"I\'vegotalittlelibraryhere,"hesaid,gettingupandraisingtheshadesandopeningtheglassdoorsofabookcasewhichhadescapedmyattention.HetookdownavolumeofCarlyle,boundinhalfcalf.

"Wouldn\'tthinkIcaredforsuchthings,wouldyou?"hedemandedashehandedittome.

"Well,younevercantellwhataman\'srealtastesareuntilyouknowhim,"Iobserved,toconcealmysurprise.

"That\'sso,"heagreed."Ilikebooks——somebooks.IfI\'dhadaneducation,I\'dhavelikedmoreof\'em,knownmoreabout\'em.NowIcanreadthisoneoverandover.ThatfellerCarlylewasagenius,hecouldlookrightintothebowelsofthevolcano,andhewasontohowmenandwomenfeetdownthere,howtheyhate,howtheysquare\'emselveswhentheygetachance."

Hehadmanagedtobringbeforemevividlythatterrible,volcanicflowonVersaillesoftheParismob.Heputbackthebookandresumedhisseat.

"AndIknowhowthesepeoplefeddownhere,belowthecrust,"hewenton,wavinghiscigaroutofthewindow,asthoughtoindicatethewholeofthatmeandistrict."Theyhate,andtheirhateismoltenhell.I\'vebeenthroughit."

"Butyou\'vegotontop,"Isuggested.

"Sure,I\'vegotontop.Doyouknowwhy?it\'sbecauseIhated——that\'swhy.Aman\'sfeelings,ifthey\'restrongenough,havealottodowithwhathebecomes."

"Buthehastohaveability,too,"Iobjected.

"Sure,hehastohaveability,buthisfeelingisthedrivingpowerifhefeelsstrongenough,hecanmakealittleabilitygoalongway."

Iwasstruckbytheforceofthisremark.IscarcelyrecognizedJuddJason.Theman,asherevealedhimself,hadbecomeatoncemoresinisterandmorefascinating.

"IcanguesshowsomeofthoseJacobinsfeltwhentheyhadthearistocratsinthedock.They\'dgotontop——theJacobins,Imean.It\'shumannaturetowanttogetontop——ain\'tit?"Helookedatmeandsmiled,buthedidnotseemtoexpectareply."Well,whatyoucallsociety,rich,respectablesocietylikeyoubelongtowouldhavemadeabumandacriminaloutofmeifIhadn\'tbeentoosmartfor\'em,andit\'sakindofsatisfactiontohave\'emcomingdownheretoMonahan\'sforthingstheycan\'thavewithoutmyleave.I\'vegotahalfNelsonon\'em.

Iwouldn\'tliveuponGrantAvenueifyougavemeScherer\'snewhouse."

Iwassilent.

"Insteadofstartingmycareerincollege,Istartedinjail,"hewenton,apparentlyignoringanyeffecthemayhaveproduced.Sosubtly,sodispassionatelyindeedwashedeliveringhimselfoftheseremarksthatitwasimpossibletotellwhetherhemeanttheirapplicationtobep