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！
ional course of life。 Victor Dorn was one of these emancipated few。 All successful men form their lives upon a system of some kind。 Even those who seem to live at haphazard； like the multitude； prove to have chart and compass and definite port in objective when their conduct is more attentively examined。 Victor Dorn's system was as perfect as it was simple； and he held himself to it as rigidly as the father superior of a Trappist monastery holds his monks to their routine。 Also； Victor had learned to know and to be on guard against those two arch…enemies of the man who wishes to ‘‘get somewhere''self…excuse and optimism。 He had got a good strong leash upon his vanity and a muzzle； too。 When things went wrong he instantly blamed HIMSELF； and did not rest until he had ferreted out the stupidity or folly of which HE had been guilty。 He did not grieve over his failures； he held severely scientific post mortems upon them to discover the reason whyin order that there should not again be that particular kind of failure at least。 Then； as to the other arch…enemy； optimism； he simply cut himself off from indulgence in it。 He worked for success； he assumed failure。 He taught himself to care nothing about success； but only about doing as intelligently and as thoroughly as he could the thing next at hand。
What has all this to do with his infatuation for Jane？ It serves to show not only why the Workingmen's League was growing like a plague of gypsy moth； but also why Victor Dorn was not the man to be conquered by passion。 Naturally； Jane； who had only the vaguest conception of the size and power of Victor Dorn's mind； could not comprehend wherein lay the difference between him and the men she read about in novels or met in her wanderings among the people of her own class in various parts of the earth。 It is possible for even the humblest of us to understand genius； just as it is possible to view a mountain from all sides and get a clear idea of it bulk and its dominion。 But the hasty traveler contents himself with a glance； a ‘‘How superb；'' and a quick passing on； and most of us are hasty travelers in the scenic land of intellectuality。 Jane saw that he was a great man。 But she was deceived by his frankness and his simplicity。 She evoked in him only the emotional side of his nature； only one part of that。
Because itthe only phase of him she attentively examinedwas so impressive； she assumed that it was the chief feature of the man。
Also； young and inexperienced womenand women not so young； and with opportunity to become less inexperienced but without the ability to learn by experiencealways exaggerate the importance of passion。 Almost without exception； it is by way of passion that a man and a woman approach each other。 It is； of necessity； the exterior that first comes into view。 Thus； all that youth and inexperience can know about love is its aspect of passion。 Because Jane had again and again in her five grown…up years experienced men falling passionately in love with her； she fancied she was an expert in matters of love。 In fact； she had still everything to learn。
On the way home she； assuming that the affair was as good as settled； that she and Victor Dorn were lovers； was busy with plans for the future。 Victor Dorn had made a shrewd guess at the state of her mind。 She had no intention of allowing him to pursue his present career。 That was merely foundation。 With the aid of her love and council； and of her father's money and influence； hehe and shewould mount to something really worth whilesomething more than the petty politics of a third rate city in the West。 Washington was the proper arena for his talents； they would take the shortest route to Washington。 No trouble about bringing him around； a man so able and so sensible as he would not refuse the opportunity to do good on a grand scale。 Besideshe must be got away from his family； from these doubtless good and kind but certainly not very high class associates of his； and from Selma Gordon。 The idea of his comparing HER with Selma Gordon！ He had not done so aloud； but she knew what was in his mind。 Yes； he must be taken far away from all these provincial and narrowing associations。
But all this was mere detail。 The big problem was how to bring her father round。 He couldn't realize what Victor Dorn would be after she had taken him in hand。 He would see only Victor Dorn； the labor agitator of Remsen City； the nuisance who put mischievous motives into the heads of ‘‘the hands''the man who made them think they had heads when they were intended by the Almighty to be simply hands。 How reconcile him to the idea of accepting this nuisance； this poor； common member of the working class as a son…in…law； as the husband of the daughter he wished to see married to some one of the ‘‘best'' families？
On the face of it； the thing was impossible。 Why； then； did not Jane despair？ For two reasons。 In the first place； she was in love； and that made her an optimist。 Somehow love would find the way。 But the second reasonthe one she hid from herself deep in the darkest sub…cellar of her mind； was the real reason。 It is one matter to wish for a person's death。 Only a villainous nature can harbor such a wish； can admit it except as a hastily and slyly in…crawling impulse； to be flung out the instant it is discovered。 It is another matter to calculatevery secretly； very unconsciouslyupon a death that seems inevitable anyhow。 Jane had only to look at her father to feel that he would not be spared to her long。 The mystery was how he had kept alive so long； how he continued to live from day to day。 His stomach was gone； his whole digestive apparatus was in utter disorder。 His body had shriveled until he weighed no more than a baby。 His pulse was so feeble that even in the hot weather he complained of the cold and had to be wrapped in the heaviest winter garments。 Yet he lived on； and his mind worked with undiminished vigor。
When Jane reached home； the old man was sitting on the veranda in the full sun。 On his huge head was a fur cap pulled well down over his ears and intensifying the mortuary； skull…like appearance of his face。 Over his ulster was an old…fashioned Scotch shawl such as men used to wear in the days before overcoats came into fashion。 About his wasted legs was wrapped a carriage robe； and she knew that there was a hot…water bag under his feet。 Beside him sat young Doctor Charlton； whom Jane had at last succeeded in inducing her father to try。 Charlton did not look or smell like a doctor。 He rather suggested a professional athlete； perhaps a better class prize fighter。 The weazened old financier was gazing at him with a fascinated expressionadmiring； envious； amused。
Charlton was saying：
‘‘Yes； you do look like a dead one。 But that's only another of your tricks for fooling people。 You'll live a dozen years unless you commit suicide。 A dozen years？ Probably twenty。''
‘‘You ought to be ashamed to make sport of a poor old invalid；'' said Hastings with a grin。
‘‘Any man who could stand a lunch of crackers and milk for ten years could outlive anything；'' retorted Charlton。 ‘‘No； you belong to the old stock。