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！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
was the women's own fault； for were they not a poor； spiritless lot； trembling with fright lest they should not find a man to lean on and then； having found the man； settling down into fat and stupid vacuity or playing the cat at the silly game of social position？ But not Jane Hastings！ Her bosom heaved and her eyes blazed scorn as she looked at this person who had dared think the touch of his coarse hands would be welcome。 Welcome！
‘‘And I have been thinking what a delightful friendship ours was；'' said she； disgustedly。 ‘‘And all the time； your talk about your ambitionthe speeches you were going to makethe offices you were going to hold the good you were going to do in purifying politics it was all a blind！''
‘‘All a blind；'' admitted he。 ‘‘From the first night that you came to our house to dinnerJen； I'll never forget that dress you woreor the way you looked in it。''
Miss Jane had thought extremely well of that toilet herself。 She had heard how impervious this David Hull； the best catch in the town； was to feminine charm； and she had gone prepared to give battle。 But she said dejectedly； ‘‘You don't know what a shock you've given me。''
‘‘Yes； I do；'' cried he。 ‘‘I'm ashamed of myself。 But I love you； Jen！ Can't you learn to love me？''
‘‘I hadn't even thought of you in that way；'' said she。 ‘‘I haven't bothered my head about marriage。 Of course； most girls have to think about it； because they must get some one to support them''
‘‘I wish to God you were one of that sort；'' interrupted he。 ‘‘Then I could have some hope。''
‘‘Hope of what；'' said she disdainfully。 ‘‘You don't mean that you'd marry a girl who was marrying you because she had to have food； clothing and shelter？''
‘‘I'd marry the woman I loved。 ThenI'd MAKE her love me。 She simply couldn't help it。''
Jane Hastings shuddered。 ‘‘Thank heaven； I don't have to marry！'' Her eyes flashed。 ‘‘But I wouldn't； even if I were poor。 I'd rather go to work。 Why shouldn't a woman work； anyhow？''
‘‘At what？'' inquired Hull。 ‘‘Except the men who do manual labor； there are precious few men who can make a living honestly and self…respectingly。 It's fortunate the women can hold aloof and remain pure。''
Jane laughed unpleasantly。 ‘‘I'm not so sure that the women who live with men just for shelter are pure；'' said she。
‘‘Jen；'' the young man burst out； ‘‘you're ambitious aren't you？''
‘‘Rather；'' replied she。
‘‘And you like the sort of thing I'm trying to do like it and approve of it？''
‘‘I believe a man ought to succeedget to the top。''
‘‘So do Iif he can do it honorably。''
Jane hesitateddared。 ‘‘To be quite frank；'' said she； ‘‘I worship success and I despise failure。 Success means strength。 Failure means weaknessand I abominate weakness。''
He looked quietly disapproving。 ‘‘You don't mean that。 You don't understand what you're saying。''
‘‘Perfectly；'' she assured him。 ‘‘I'm not a bit good。 Education has taken all the namby…pamby nonsense out of me。''
But he was not really hearing； besides； what had women to do with the realities of life？ They were made to be the property of menthat was the truth； though he would never have confessed it to any woman。 They were made to be possessed。 ‘‘And I must possess this woman；'' he thought； his blood running hot。 He said：
‘‘Why not help me to make a career？ I can do it； Jen； with you to help。''
She had thought of this beforeof making a career for herself； of doing the ‘‘something'' her intense energy craved； through a man。 The ‘‘something'' must be big if it were to satisfy her； and what that was big could a woman do except through a man？ Butthis man。 Her eyes turned thoughtfully upon hima look that encouraged him to go on：
‘‘Politics interest you； Jen。 I've seen that in the way you listen and in the questions you ask。''
She smiledbut not at the surface。 In fact； his political talk had bored her。 She knew nothing about the subject； and； so； had been as one listening to an unknown language。 But； like all women； having only the narrowest range of interests herself and the things that would enable her to show off to advantage； she was used to being bored by the conversational efforts of men and to concealing her boredom。 She had listened patiently and had led the conversation by slow； imperceptible stages round to the interesting personal to the struggle for dominion over this difficult male。
‘‘Anyhow；'' he went on； ‘‘no intelligent person could fail to be interested in politics； once he or she appreciated what it meant。
And people of our class owe it to society to take part in politics。 Victor Dorn is a crank； but he's right about some thingsand he's right in saying that we of the upper class are parasites upon the masses。 They earn all the wealth； and we take a large part of it away from them。 And it's plain stealing unless we give some service in return。 For instance； you and Iwhat have we done； what are we doing that entitles us to draw so much？ Somebody must earn by hard labor all that is produced。 We are not earning。 So''he was looking handsome now in his manly earnestness‘‘Jen； it's up to us to do our shareto stop stealingisn't it？''
She was genuinely interested。 ‘‘I hadn't thought of these things；'' said she。
‘‘Victor Dorn says we ought to go to work like laborers；'' pursued David。 ‘‘But that's where he's a crank。 The truth is； we ought to give the service of leadershipespecially in politics。 And I'm going to do it； Jane Hastings！''
For the first time she had an interest in him other than that of conquest。 ‘‘Just what are you going to do？'' she asked。
‘‘Not upset everything and tear everything to pieces； as Victor Dorn wants to do；'' replied he。 ‘‘But reform the abuses and wrongsmake it so that every one shall have a fair chancemake politics straight and honest。''
This sounded hazy to her。 ‘‘And what will you get out of it？'' asked she。
He colored and was a little uneasy as he thus faced a direct demand for his innermost secretthe secret of selfishness he tried to hide even from himself。 But there was no evading； if he would interest her he must show her the practical advantages of his proposal。 ‘‘If I'm to do any good；'' said he； putting the best face； and really not a bad face； upon a difficult and delicate matter‘‘if I'm to do any good I must win a commanding positionmust get to be a popular leadermust hold high officesandandall that。''
‘‘I understand；'' said she。 ‘‘That sounds attractive。 Yes； David； you ought to make a career。 If I were a man that's the career I'd choose。''
‘‘You can choose it； though you're a woman；'' rejoined he。 ‘‘Marry me； and we'll go up together。 You've no idea how exciting campaigns and elections are。 A little while； and you'll be crazy about it all。 The women are taking part； more and more。''
‘‘Who's Victor Dorn？'' she suddenly asked。
‘‘You must remember him。 It was his father that was killed by the railway the day we all went on that excursion to Indianapolis。''
‘‘Dorn the carpenter；'' said Jane。 ‘‘YesI remember。'' Her face grew dreamy with the effort of memory。 ‘‘I see it all again。 And there was a boy with a very white face who knelt