第82章 Udolpho(2)

"John,"said she,"as you drive by,do get me a plumber.""Much better get a burglar,Aunt Josephine.Cheaper in the end,and neater work."It was thus,at the outset,that I came to believe John's spirits were high;and this illusion he successfully kept up until after we had left the plumber and Kings Port several sordid miles behind us;the approach to Kings Port this way lies through dirtiest Africa.John was loquacious;John discoursed upon the Replacers;Mrs.Weguelin St.Michael had quite evidently expressed to her own circle what she thought of them;and the town in consequence,although it did not see them or their automobiles,because it appeared they were gone some twenty miles inland upon an excursion to a resort where was a large hotel,and a little variety in the way of some tourists of the Replacer stripe,--the town kept them well in its mind's eye.The automobiles would have sufficed to bring them into disrepute,but Kings Port had a better reason in their conduct in the church;and John found many things to say to me,as we drove along,about Bohm and Charley and Kitty.Gazza he forgot,although,as shall appear in its place,Gazza was likely to live a long while in his memory.Beverly Rodgers he,of course,recognized as being a gentleman--it was clear that Beverly met with Kings Port's approval--and,from his Newport experiences,John was able to make out quite as well as if he had heard Beverly explain it himself the whole wise philosophic system of joining with the Replacers in order that you be not replaced yourself.

"In his shoes mightn't I do the same?"he surmised."I fear I'm not as Spartan as my aunts--only pray don't mention it to them!"And then,because I had been answering him with single syllables,or with nods,or not at all,he taxed me with my taciturnity;he even went so far as to ask me what thoughts kept me so silent--which I did not tell him.

"I am wondering,"I told him instead,"how much they steal every week.""Those financiers?"

"Yes.Bohm is president of an insurance company,and Charley's a director,and reorganizes railroads.""Well,if other people share your pleasant opinion of them,how do they get elected?""Other people share their pleasant spoils--senators,vestrymen--you can't be sure who you're sitting next to at dinner any more.Come live North.

You'll find the only safe way is never to know anybody worth more than five millions--if you wish to keep the criminal classes off your visiting list."This made him merry."Put 'em in jail,then!""Ah,the jail!"I returned."It's the great American joke.It reverses the rule of our smart society.Only those who have no incomes are admitted.""But what do you have laws and lawyers for?"

"To keep the rich out of jail.It's called 'professional etiquette.'""Your picture flatters!"

"You flatter me;it's only a photograph.Come North and see.""One might think,from.your account,the American had rather be bad than good.""O dear,no!The American had much rather be good than bad!""Your admission amazes me!"

"But also the American had rather be rich than good.And he is having his wish.And money's golden hand is tightening on the throat of liberty while the labor union stabs liberty in the back--for trusts and unions are both trying to kill liberty.And the soul of Uncle Sam has turned into a dollar-inside his great,big,strong,triumphant flesh;so that even his new religion,his own special invention,his last offering to the creeds of the world,his gatherer of converted hordes,his Christian Science,is based upon physical benefit."John touched the horses."You're particularly cheerful to-day!""No.I merely summarize what I'm seeing."

"Well,a moral awakening will come,"he declared.

"Inevitably.To-morrow,perhaps.The flesh has had a good,long,prosperous day,and the hour of the spirit must be near striking.And the moral awakening will be followed by a moral slumber,since,in the uncomprehended scheme of things,slumber seems necessary;and you needn't pull so long a face,Mr.Mayrant,because the slumber will be followed by another moral awakening.The alcoholic society girl you don't like will very probably give birth to a water-drinking daughter--who in her turn may produce a bibulous progeny:how often must I tell you that nothing is final?"John Mayrant gave the horses a somewhat vicious lash after these last words of mine;and,as he made no retort to them,we journeyed some little distance in silence through the mild,enchanting light of the sun.

My deliberate allusion to alcoholic girls had made plain what I had begun to suspect.I could now discern that his cloak of gayety had fallen from him,leaving bare the same harassed spirit,the same restless mood,which had been his upon the last occasion when we had talked at length together upon some of the present social and political phases of our republic--that day of the New Bridge and the advent of Hortense.Only,upon that day,he had by his manner in some subtle fashion conveyed to me a greater security in my discretion than I felt him now to entertain.His many observations about the Replacers,with always the significant and conspicuous omission of Hortense,proved more and more,as I thought it over,that his state was unsteady.Even now,he did not long endure silence between us;yet the eagerness which he threw into our discussions did not,it seemed to me,so much proceed from present interest in their subjects (though interest there was at times)as from anxiety lest one particular subject,ever present with him,should creep in unawares.So much I,at any rate,concluded,and bided my time for the creeping in unawares,content meanwhile to parry some of the reproaches which he now and again cast at me with an earnestness real or feigned.