eben holden-第51部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


ense　of　soul　and　body；　the　latter　dominated　by　a　mighty　appetite。　McClingan　viewed　me　at　first　with　suspicion　in　which　there　was　a　faint　flavour　of　envy。　He　invited　me　at　once　to　his　room；　and　was　amazed　at　seeing　it　was　no　lark。　I　told　him　franldy　what！　was　doing　and　why　and　where。

'I　would　not　mind　the　loaning　of　a　few　dollars；'he　said；　'as　a　matter　o'personal　obligement　I　would　be　most　happy　to　do　it　…　most　happy；　Brower；　indeed　I　would。　

I　thanked　him　cordially；　but　declined　the　favour；　for　at　home　they　had　always　taught　me　the　danger　of　borrowing；　and　I　was　bound　to　have　it　out　with　ill　luck　on　my　own　resources。

'Greeley　is　back；'said　he；　'and　I　shall　see　him　tomorrow。　I　will　put　him　in　mind　o'you。　

I　went　away　sore　in　the　morning；　but　with　no　drooping　spirit。　In　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　I　straightened　up　a　moment　to　ease　my　back　and　look　about　me。

There　at　the　edge　of　the　gang　stood　the　great　Horace　Greeley　and　Waxy　McClingan。　The　latter　beckoned　me　as　he　caught　my　eye。　Iwent　aside　to　greet　them。　Mr　Greeley　gave　me　his　hand。

'Do　you　mean　to　tell　me　that　you　d　rather　work　than　beg　or　borrow？'said　he。

'That's　about　it；'I　answered。

'And　ain't　ashamed　of　it？　

'Ashamed！　Why？'said　I；　not　quite　sure　of　his　meaning。　It　had　never　occurred　to　me　that　one　had　any　cause　to　be　ashamed　of　working。

He　turned　to　McClingan　and　laughed。

'I　guess　you　ll　do　for　the　Tribune；'he　said。　'Come　and　see　me　at　twelve　tomorrow。　

And　then　they　went　away。

ff1　had　been　a　knight　of　the　garter　I　could　not　have　been　treated　with　more　distinguished　courtesy　by　those　hard…handed　men　the　rest　of　the　day。　I　bade　them　goodbye　at　night　and　got　my　order　for　four　dollars。　One　Pat　Devlin；　a　great…hearted　Irishman；　who　had　shared　my　confidence　and　some　of　my　doughnuts　on　the　curb　at　luncheon　time；　I　remember　best　of　all。

'Ye　ll　niver　fergit　the　toime　we　wurruked　together　under　Boss　McCormick；'said　he。

And　to　this　day；　whenever　I　meet　the　good　man；　now　bent　and　grey；　he　says　always；　'Good…day　if　ye；　Mr　Brower。　D'ye　mind　the　toime　we　pounded　the　rock　under　Boss　McCormick？　

Mr　Greeley　gave　me　a　place　at　once　on　the　local　staff　and　invited　me　to　dine　with　him　at　his　home　that　evening。　Meanwhile　he　sent　me　to　the　headquarters　of　the　Republican　Central　Campaign　Committee；　on　Broadway；　opposite　the　New　York　Hotel。　Lincoln　had　been　nominated　in　May；　and　the　great　political　fight　of　i86o　was　shaking　the　city　with　its　thunders。

I　turned　in　my　copy　at　the　city　desk　in　good　season；　and；　although　the　great　editor　had　not　yet　left　his　room；　I　took　a　car　at　once　to　keep　my　appointment。　A　servant　showed　me　to　a　seat　in　the　big　back　parlour　of　Mr　Greeley's　home；　where　I　spent　a　lonely　hour　before　I　heard　his　heavy　footsteps　in　the　hail。　He　immediately　rushed　upstairs；　two　steps　at　a　time；　and；　in　a　moment；　I　heard　his　high　voice　greeting　the　babies。　He　came　down　shortly　with　one　of　them　clinging　to　his　hand。

'Thunder！'said　he；　'I　had　forgotten　all　about　you。　Let's　go　right　in　to　dinner。　

He　sat　at　the　head　of　the　table　and　I　next　to　him。　I　remember　how；　wearied　by　the　day's　burden；　he　sat；　lounging　heavily；　in　careless　attitudes。　He　stirred　his　dinner　into　a　hash　of　eggs；　potatoes；　squash　and　parsnips；　and　ate　it　leisurely　with　a　spoon；　his　head　braced　often　with　his　left　forearm；　its　elbow　resting　on　the　table。　It　was　a　sort　of　letting　go；　after　the　immense　activity　of　the　day；　and　a　casual　observer　would　have　thought　he　affected　the　uncouth；　which　was　not　true　of　him。

He　asked　me　to　tell　him　all　about　my　father　and　his　farm。　At　length　I　saw　an　absent　look　in　his　eye；　and　stopped　talking；　because　I　thought　he　had　ceased　to　listen。

'Very　well！　very　well！'said　he。

I　looked　up　at　him；　not　knowing　what　he　meant。

'Go　on！　Tell　me　all　about　it；〃　'he　added。

'I　like　the　country　best；'said　he；　when　I　had　finished；　'because　there　I　see　more　truth　in　things。　Here　the　lie　has　many　forms　…　unique；　varied；　ingenious。　The　rouge　and　powder　on　the　lady's　cheek　…　they　are　lies；　both　of　them；　the　baronial　and　ducal　crests　are　lies　and　the　fools　who　use　them　are　liars；　the　people　who　soak　themselves　in　rum　have　nothing　but　lies　in　their　heads；　the　multitude　who　live　by　their　wits　and　the　lack　of　them　in　others　…　they　are　all　liars；　the　many　who　imagine　a　vain　thing　and　pretend　to　be　what　they　are　not'liars　everyone　of　them。　It　is　bound　to　be　so　in　the　great　cities；　and　it　is　a　mark　of　decay。　The　skirts　of　Elegabalus；　the　wigs　and　rouge　pots　of　Madame　Pompadour；　the　crucifix　of　Machiavelli　and　the　innocent　smile　of　Fernando　Wood　stand　for　something　horribly　and　vastly　false　in　the　people　about　them。　For　truth　you　ve　got　to　get　back　into　the　woods。　You　can　find　men　there　a　good　deal　as　God　made　them'　genuine；　strong　and　simple。　When　those　men　cease　to　come　here　you　ll　see　grass　growing　in　Broadway。　

I　made　no　answer　and　the　great　commoner　stirred　his　coffee　a　moment　in　silence。

'Vanity　is　the　curse　of　cities；'he　continued；　'and　Flattery　is　its　handmaiden。　Vanity；　flattery　and　Deceit　are　the　three　disgraces。　I　like　a　man　to　be　what　he　is　…　out　and　out。　If　he's　ashamed　of　himself　it　won't　be　long　before　his　friends　ll　be　ashamed　of　him。　There's　the　trouble　with　this　town。　Many　a　fellow　is　pretending　to　be　what　he　isn　t。　A　man　cannot　be　strong　unless　he　is　genuine。　

One　of　his　children　…　a　little　girl　…　came　and　stood　close　to　him　as　he　spoke。　He　put　his　big　arm　around　her　and　that　gentle；　permanent　smile　of　his　broadened　as　he　kissed　her　and　patted　her　red　cheek。

'Anything　new　in　the　South？'Mrs　Greeley　enquired。

'Worse　and　worse　every　day；'he　said。　'Serious　trouble　comingl　The　Charleston　dinner　yesterday　was　a　feast　of　treason　and　a　flow　of　criminal　rhetoric。　The　Union　was　the　chief　dish。　Everybody　slashed　it　with　his　knife　and　jabbed　it　with　his　fork。　It　was　slaughtered；　roasted；　made　into　mincemeat　and　devoured。　One　orator　spoke　of　〃rolling　back　the　tide　of　fanaticism　that　finds　its　root　in　the　conscience　of　the　people。〃　Their　metaphors　are　as　bad　as　their　morals。　

He　laughed　heartily　at　this　example　of　fervid　eloquence；　and　then　we　rose　from　the　table。　He　had　to　go　to　the　office　that　evening；　and　I　came　away　soon　after　dinner。　I　had　nothing　to　do　and　went　home　reflecting　upon　all　the　great　man　had　said。

I　began　shortly　to　see　the　truth　of　what　he　had　told　me　…　men　licking　the　hand　of　riches　with　the　tongue　of　flattery　men　so　stricken　with　the　itch　of　vanity　that　they　grovelled　for　the　touch　of　praise；　men　even　who　would　do　perjury　for　applause。　I　do　not　say　that　most　of　the　men　I　saw　were　of　that　ilk；　but　enough　to　show　the　tendency　of　life　in　a　great　town。

1　was　filled　with　wonder　at　first　by　meeting　so　many　who　had　been　everywhere　and　seen　everything；　who　had　mastered　all　sciences　and　all　philosophies　and　endured　many　perils　on　land　and　sea。　I　had　met　liars　before　…　it　was　no　Eden　there　in　the　north　country　…　and　some　of　them　had　attained　a　good　degree　of　efficiency；　but　they　lacked　the　candour　and　finish　of　the　metropolitan　school。　I　confess　they　were　all　too　much　for　me　at　first。　They　borrowed　my　cash；　they　shared　my　confidence；　they　taxed　my　credulity；　and　I　saw　the　truth　at　last。

'Tom's　breaking　down