第33章

AsIwentdownstairsandintothelibrarytoreadthefinancialpageofthemorningnewspaperIaskedmyself,withacertaindisquiet,whether,intheformal,complicated,andluxuriousconditionsinwhichwenowliveditmightbepossibletobuildupnewtiesandcommoninterests.I

reflectedthatthiswouldinvolveconfessionsandconfidencesonmypart,sincetherewasawholesideofmylifeofwhichMaudeknewnothing.I

hadconvincedmyselflongagothataman\'sbusinesscareerwasnoaffairofhiswife\'s:Ihadjustifiedthatcareertomyself:yetIhadalwayshadavaguefeelingthatMaude,hadsheknownthedetails,wouldnothaveapprovedofit.Impossible,indeed,forawomantograsptheseproblems.

Theywereoutsideofherexperience.

Nevertheless,somethingmightbedonetoimproveourrelationship,somethingwhichwouldrelievemeofthatuneasylackofunityIfeltwhenathome,ofthelassitudeandennuiIwaswonttofeelcreepingovermeonSundaysandholidays

XX.

IfindinrelatingthosepartsofmyexperiencethatseemtobeofmostsignificanceIhaveneglectedtotellofmymother\'sdeath,whichoccurredtheyearbeforewemovedtoGrantAvenue.ShehadclungtherestofherdaystothehouseinwhichIhadbeenborn.Oflateyearsshehadlivedinmychildren,andMaude\'sdevotiontoherhadbeenunflagging.Truthcompelsmetosaythatshehadlongceasedtobeafactorinmylife.Ihavethoughtofherinlateryears.

CoincidentwiththeunexpectedfeelingoffruitlessnessthatcametomewiththeGrantAvenuehouse,ofthingsachievedbutnotrealizedorappreciated,wastheappearanceofacloudonthebusinesshorizon;orratheronthepoliticalhorizon,sinceitishardtoseparatethetworealms.Thereweresigns,forthosewhocouldread,ofarisingpopularstorm.Duringtheearliestyearsofthenewcenturythepoliticalatmospherehadchanged,thepublichadshownatendencytogrowrestless;

andeverybodyknowshowimportantitisforfinancialoperations,forprosperity,thatthepeopleshouldmindtheirownbusiness.Inshort,ourcommercial-romanticpilgrimagebegantomeetwithunexpectedresistance.Itwasasthoughthenationwereenteringintoasenselessconspiracytokillprosperity.

Inthefirstplace,inregardtothePresidencyoftheUnitedStates,acoghadunwittinglybeenslipped.Ithadalwaysbeenrecognized——asI

havesaid——byresponsiblefinancialpersonagesthattheimpulsesofthemajorityofAmericanscouldnotbetrusted,thatthese——whohadinheritedillusionsoffreedom——mustbegovernedfirmlyyetwithdelicacy;unknowntothem,theirPresidentsmustbechosenforthem,preciselyasMr.

Watlinghadbeenchosenforthepeopleofourstate,andthepopularenthusiasmmanufacturedlater.TherewereinformalmeetingsinNewYork,inWashington,wherecandidateswerediscussed;notthatsuchandsuchamanwassettledupon,——itwasaprocessofelimination.Usuallytheaffairhadgonesmoothly.Forinstance,awhilebefore,abenevolentcapitalistofthemiddlewest,anintimateofAdolfScherer,hadbecomeobsessedwiththeideathatafriendofhiswasthesafestandsanestmanfortheheadofthenation,hadconvincedhisfellow-capitalistsofthis,whereuponhehadgoneaheadtospendhisenergyandhismoneyfreelytosecurethenominationandelectionofthisgentleman.

TheRepublicanNationalCommittee,theRepublicanNationalConventionwereallowedtosquabbletotheirhearts\'contentastowhetherSmith,JonesorBrownshouldbenominated,butitwasclearlyunderstoodthatifRobinsonorWhitewerechosentherewouldbenocorporationcampaignfunds.ThisappliedalsototheDemocraticparty,ontherareoccasionswhenitseemedtohaveanopportunityofwinning.Now,however,throughanunpardonableblunder,therehadgotintotheWhiteHouseaPresidentwhowasinclinedtoignoreadvice,whoappealedovertheheadsofthe"advisers"tothepopulace;whowentabouttiltingattheindustrialstructureswehadsopainfullywrought,andinfrequentblastsofpresidentialmessagesenunciatednewandhereticaldoctrines;whoattackedtherailroads,encouragedthebrazentreasonoflabourunions,inspiredanarmyof"muck-rakers"tofillthemagazineswiththewildestandmostviolentoflanguage.Statelegislatureswereemboldenedtopassmischievousandrestrictivelaws,andmuchofmytimebegantobeoccupiedininducing,byvariousmeans,ourcourtstodeclaretheseunconstitutional.HowwesighedforabusinessmanoralawyerintheWhiteHouse!Thecountryhadgonemad,thestock-markettrembled,thecryof"corporationcontrol"resoundedeverywhere,andeverywheredemagoguesarosetoinaugurate"reformcampaigns,"inanabortiveattemptto"cleanuppolitics."Downwiththebosses,whowerethetoolsofthecorporations!

Inourowncity,whichwefondlybelievedtobeproofagainsttheprevailingmadness,aslightepidemicoccurred;slight,yetmomentarilyalarming.Accidentswillhappen,eveninthebestregulatedpoliticalorganizations,——andaccidentsinthesedaysappearedtobetherule.A

certainMr.EdgarGreenhalge,amiddle-aged,mild-manneredandinoffensivemanwhohadmadeamoderatefortuneinwholesaledrugs,waselectedtotheSchoolBoard.LateronsomeofushadreasontosuspectthatPerryBlackwood——withmoreastutenessthanhehadbeengivencreditfor——wasresponsibleforMr.Greenhalge\'scandidacy.Atanyrate,hewasnotamantooppose,andinhispreviouslifehadgivennohintthathemightbecomeatroublemaker.Nothinghappenedforseveralmonths.ButonedayonwhichIhadoccasiontointerviewMr.JasononalittlematterofhandingovertotheRailroadapieceoflandbelongingtothecity,whichwasknownasBillings\'Bowl,heinferredthatMr.Greenhaigemightproveadisturberofthatprofoundpeacewithwhichthecityadministrationhadformanyyearsbeenblessed.

"Whothehellishe?"wasMr.Jason\'squestion.

ItappearedthatMr.G.\'sprivatelifehadbeeninvestigated,withdisappointinglybarrenresults;hewas,seemingly,ananomalisticbeinginourNietzscheanage,anunaggressiveman;hehadneversoldanydrugstothecity;hewasnotachurchmember;norcoulditbelearnedthathehadeverwanderedintothosebywaysofthetownwhereMr.Jasonmighteasilyhavegottraceofhim:ifhehadanyvices,hekeptthemlockedupinasafe-depositboxthatcouldnotbe"located."Hewasverygenial,andhadawayofconveyingdisturbingfacts——whenhewishedtoconveythem——undercoverofthemostamusingstories.Mr.Jasonwasnotamantogetpanicky.Greenhalgecouldbehandledallright,only——whatwasthereinitforGreenhalge?——anutdifficultforMr.Jasontocrack.ThetwoothermembersoftheSchoolBoardweresolid.Hereagainthewisestofmenwasprovedtoerr,forMr.Greenhalgeturnedouttohavepowersofpersuasion;hemadewhatinreligioustermswouldhavebeencalledaconversioninthecaseofanothermemberoftheboard,anhithertostauncholdreprobatebythenameofMuller,anex-saloon-keeperincomfortablecircumstancestowhomtheideaofpublicofficehadappealed.

Mr.Greenhalge,havinggotwindofcertaintransactionsthatinterestedhimextremely,broug