第74章

It was appropriate,perhaps,that many of us dined on the evening of election day at the Boyne Club.There was early evidence of a Republican land-slide.And when,at ten o'clock,it was announced that Mr.Trulease was re-elected by a majority which exceeded Mr.Grunewald's most hopeful estimate,that the legislature was "safe,"that Theodore Watling would be the next United States Senator,a scene of jubilation ensued within those hallowed walls which was unprecedented.Chairs were pushed back,rugs taken up,Gene Hollister played the piano and a Virginia reel started;in a burst of enthusiasm Leonard Dickinson ordered champagne for every member present.The country was returning to its senses.Theodore Watling had preferred,on this eventful night,to remain quietly at home.

But presently carriages were ordered,and a "delegation"of enthusiastic friends departed to congratulate him;Dickinson,of course,Grierson,Fowndes,Ogilvy,and Grunewald.We found Judah B.Tallant there,--in spite of the fact that it was a busy night for the Era;and Adolf Scherer himself,in expansive mood,was filling the largest of the library chairs.Mr.Watling was the least excited of them all;remarkably calm,I thought,for a man on the verge of realizing his life's high ambition.

He had some old brandy,and a box of cigars he had been saving for an occasion.He managed to convey to everyone his appreciation of the value of their cooperation....

It was midnight before Mr.Scherer arose to take his departure.He seized Mr.Watling's hand,warmly,in both of his own.

"I have never,"he said,with a relapse into the German f's,"I have never had a happier moment in my life,my friend,than when I congratulate you on your success."His voice shook with emotion.

"Alas,we shall not see so much of you now.""He'll be on guard,Scherer,"said Leonard Dickinson,putting his arm around my chief.

"Good night,Senator,"said Tallant,and all echoed the word,which struck me as peculiarly appropriate.Much as I had admired Mr.Watling before,it seemed indeed as if he had undergone some subtle change in the last few hours,gained in dignity and greatness by the action of the people that day.When it came my turn to bid him good night,he retained my hand in his.

"Don't go yet,Hugh,"he said.

"But you must be tired,"I objected.

"This sort of thing doesn't make a man tired,"he laughed,leading me back to the library,where he began to poke the fire into a blaze."Sit down awhile.You must be tired,I think,--you've worked hard in this campaign,a good deal harder than I have.I haven't said much about it,but I appreciate it,my boy."Mr.Watling had the gift of expressing his feelings naturally,without sentimentality.I would have given much for that gift.

"Oh,I liked it,"I replied awkwardly.

I read a gentle amusement in his eyes,and also the expression of something else,difficult to define.He had seated himself,and was absently thrusting at the logs with the poker.

"You've never regretted going into law?"he asked suddenly,to my surprise.

"Why,no,sir,"I said.

"I'm glad to hear that.I feel,to a considerable extent,responsible for your choice of a profession.""My father intended me to be a lawyer,"I told him."But it's true that you gave me my--my first enthusiasm."He looked up at me at the word.

"I admired your father.He seemed to me to be everything that a lawyer should be.And years ago,when I came to this city a raw country boy from upstate,he represented and embodied for me all the fine traditions of the profession.But the practice of law isn't what it was in his day,Hugh.""No,"I agreed,"that could scarcely be expected.""Yes,I believe you realize that,"he said."I've watched you,I've taken a personal pride in you,and I have an idea that eventually you will succeed me here--neither Fowndes nor Ripon have the peculiar ability you have shown.You and I are alike in a great many respects,and I am inclined to think we are rather rare,as men go.We are able to keep one object vividly in view,so vividly as to be able to work for it day and night.I could mention dozens who had and have more natural talent for the law than I,more talent for politics than I.The same thing may be said about you.I don't regard either of us as natural lawyers,such as your father was.He couldn't help being a lawyer."Here was new evidence of his perspicacity.

"But surely,"I ventured,"you don't feel any regrets concerning your career,Mr.Watling?""No,"he said,"that's just the point.But no two of us are made wholly alike.I hadn't practised law very long before I began to realize that conditions were changing,that the new forces at work in our industrial life made the older legal ideals impracticable.It was a case of choosing between efficiency and inefficiency,and I chose efficiency.

Well,that was my own affair,but when it comes to influencing others--"He paused."I want you to see this as I do,not for the sake of justifying myself,but because I honestly believe there is more to it than expediency,--a good deal more.There's a weak way of looking at it,and a strong way.And if I feel sure you understand it,I shall be satisfied.

"Because things are going to change in this country,Hugh.They are changing,but they are going to change more.A man has got to make up his mind what he believes in,and be ready to fight for it.We'll have to fight for it,sooner perhaps than we realize.We are a nation divided against ourselves;democracy--Jacksonian democracy,at all events,is a flat failure,and we may as well acknowledge it.We have a political system we have outgrown,and which,therefore,we have had to nullify.