第41章

``If you want to get office,'' said Dorn, ``you're right.But if you want to BE somebody, if you want to develop yourself, to have the joy of being utterly unafraid in speech and in action--why, come with us.''

After a pause Hull said, ``I'd like to do it.I'd like to help you.''

Victor laid his hand on Davy's arm.``Get it straight, Davy,''

he said.``You can't help us.We don't need you.It's you that needs us.We'll make an honest man of you--instead of a trimming politician, trying to say or to do something more or less honest once in a while and winking at or abetting crookedness most of the time.''

``I've done nothing, and I'll do nothing, to be ashamed of,''

protested Hull.

``You are not ashamed of the way your movement is financed?''

Davy moved uncomfortably.``The money's ours now,'' said he.

``They gave it unconditionally.''

But he could not meet Victor's eyes.Victor said: ``They paid a hundred thousand dollars for a judgeship and for a blanket mortgage on your party.And if you should win, you'd find you could do little showy things that were of no value, but nothing that would seriously disturb a single leech sucking the blood of this community.''

``I don't agree with you,'' said Davy.He roused himself into anger--his only remaining refuge.``Your prejudices blind you to all the means--the PRACTICAL means--of doing good, Dorn.I've listened patiently to you because I respect your sincerity.But I'm not going to waste my life in mere criticism.I'm going to DO something.''

An expression of profound sadness came into Victor's face.

``Don't decide now,'' he said.``Think it over.Remember what I've told you about what we'll be compelled to do if you launch this party.''

Hull was tempted to burst out violently.Was not this swollen-headed upstart trying to intimidate him by threats? But his strong instinct for prudence persuaded him to conceal his resentment.``Why the devil should you attack US?'' he demanded.

``Surely we're nearer your kind of thing than the old parties--and we, too, are against them--their rotten machines.''

``We purpose to keep the issue clear in this town,'' replied Victor.``So, we can't allow a party to grow up that PRETENDS to be just as good as ours but is really a cover behind which the old parties we've been battering to pieces can reorganize.''

``That is, you'll tolerate in this market no brand of honest politics but your own?''

``If you wish to put it that way,'' replied Victor coolly.

``I suppose you'd rather see Kelly or House win?''

``We'll see that House does win,'' replied Victor.``When we have shot your movement full of holes and sunk it, House will put up a straight Democratic ticket, and it will win.''

``And House means Kelly--and Kelly means corruption rampant.''

``And corruption rampant means further and much needed education in the school of hard experience for the voters,'' said Dorn.

``And the more education, the larger our party and the quicker its triumph.''

Hull laughed angrily.``Talk about low self-seeking! Talk about rotten practical politics!''

But Dorn held his good humor of the man who has the power and knows it.``Think it over, Davy,'' counseled he.``You'll see you've got to come with us or join Kelly.For your own sake I'd like to see you with us.For the party's sake you'd better be with Kelly, for you're not really a workingman, and our fellows would be uneasy about you for a long time.You see, we've had experience of rich young men whose hearts beat for the wrongs of the working class--and that experience has not been fortunate.''

``Before you definitely decide to break with the decent element of the better class, Victor, I want YOU to think it over,'' said Davy.``We--I, myself--have befriended you more than once.But for a few of us who still have hope that demagoguery will die of itself, your paper would have been suppressed long ago.''

Victor laughed.``I wish they would suppress it,'' said he.

``The result would give the `better element' in this town a very bad quarter of an hour, at least.'' He rose.``We've both said all we've got to say to each other.I see I've done no good.Ifeared it would be so.'' He was looking into Hull's eyes--into his very soul.``When we meet again, you will probably be my open and bitter enemy.It's a pity.It makes me sad.Good-by, and--do think it over, Davy.''

Dorn moved rapidly away.Hull looked after him in surprise.At first blush he was astonished that Dorn should care so much about him as this curious interview and his emotion at its end indicated.But on reflecting his astonishment disappeared, and he took the view that Dorn was simply impressed by his personality and by his ability--was perhaps craftily trying to disarm him and to destroy his political movement which was threatening to destroy the Workingmen's League.``A very shrewd chap is Dorn,'' thought Davy--why do we always generously concede at least acumen to those we suspect of having a good opinion of us?--``A VERY shrewd chap.It's unfortunate he's cursed with that miserable envy of those better born and better off than he is.''

Davy spent the early evening at the University Club, where he was an important figure.Later on he went to a dance at Mrs.

Venable's--and there he was indeed a lion, as an unmarried man with money cannot but be in a company of ladies--for money to a lady is what soil and sun and rain are to a flower--is that without which she must cease to exist.But still later, when he was alone in bed--perhaps with the supper he ate at Mrs.

Venable's not sitting as lightly as comfort required--the things Victor Dorn had said came trailing drearily through his mind.