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！
‘‘Isn't it disgusting！'' exclaimed Selma； reading an impassioned paragraph aloud to Victor Dorn。 ‘‘It almost makes me despair when I see how peopleour sort of people； tooare taken in by such guff。 And they stand with their empty picked pockets and cheer this man； who's nothing but a stool pigeon for pickpockets。''
‘‘It's something gained；'' observed Victor tranquilly； ‘‘when politicians have to denounce the plutocracy in order to get audiences and offices。 The people are beginning to know what's wrong。 They read into our friend Hull's generalities what they think he ought to meanwhat they believe he does mean。 The next step ishe'll have to do something or they'll find him out。''
‘‘He do anything？'' Selma laughed derisively。 ‘‘He hasn't the courageor the honesty。''
‘‘Well‘patience and shuffle the cards；' as Sancho Panza says。 We're winning Remsen City。 And our friends are winning a little ground here； and a little there and a little yonderand soononly too soon this crumbling false politics will collapse and disappear。 Too soon； I fear。 Before the new politics of a work…compelling world for the working class only is ready to be installed。''
Selma had been only half attending。 She now said abruptly； with a fluttering movement that suggested wind blowing strongly across open prairies under a bright sky：
‘‘I've decided to go away。''
‘‘Yes； you must take a vacation；'' said Victor。 ‘‘I've been telling you that for several years。 And you must go away to the sea or the mountains where you'll not be harassed by the fate of the human race that you so take to heart。''
‘‘I didn't mean a vacation；'' said Selma。 ‘‘I meant to Chicagoto work there。''
‘‘You've had a good offer？'' said Victor。 ‘‘I knew it would come。 You've got to take it。 You need the wider experiencethe chance to have a paper of your ownor a work of your own of some kind。 It's been selfishness； my keeping you all this time。''
Selma had turned away。 With her face hidden from him she said； ‘‘Yes； I must go。''
‘‘When？'' said Victor。
‘‘As soon as you can arrange for some one else。''
‘‘All right。 I'll look round。 I've no hope of finding any one to take your place； but I can get some one who will do。''
‘‘You can train any one；'' said Selma。 ‘‘Just as you trained me。''
‘‘I'll see what's to be done；'' was all he said。
A week passedtwo weeks。 She waited； he did not bring up the subject。 But she knew he was thinking of it； for there had been a change in his manner toward hera constraint； a self…consciousness theretofore utterly foreign to him in his relations with any one。 Selma was wretched； and began to show it first in her appearance； then in her work。 At last she burst out：
‘‘Give that article back to me；'' she cried。 ‘‘It's rotten。 I can't write any more。 Why don't you tell me so frankly？ Why don't you send me away？''
‘‘You're doing better work than I am；'' said he。 ‘‘You're eager to be offaren't you？ Will you stay a few days longer？ I must get away to the country aloneto get a fresh grip on myself。 I'll come back as soon as I can； and you'll be free。 There'll be no chance for vacations after you're gone。''
‘‘Very well；'' said she。 She felt that he would think this curtness ungracious； but more she could not say。
He was gone four days。 When he reappeared at the office he was bronzed； but under the bronze showed fatiguein a man of his youth and strength sure sign of much worry and loss of sleep。 He greeted her almost awkwardly； his eyes avoiding hers； and sat down to opening his accumulated mail。 Although she was furtively observing him she started when he abruptly said：
‘‘You know you are free to goat any time。''
‘‘I'll wait until you catch up with your work；'' she suggested。
‘‘Nonever mind。 I'll get along。 I've kept you out of all reason。 。 。 。 The sooner you go the better。 I've got to get used to it； andI hate suspense。''
‘‘Then I'll go in the morning；'' said Selma。 ‘‘I've no arrangements to makeexcept a little packing that'll take less than an hour。 Will you say good…by for me to any one who asks？ I hate fusses； and I'll be back here from time to time。''
He looked at her curiously； started to speak； changed his mind and resumed reading the letter in his hand。 She turned to her work； sat pretending to write。 In fact she was simply scribbling。 Her eyes were burning and she was fighting against the sobs that came surging。 He rose and began to walk up and down the room。 She hastily crumpled and flung away the sheet on which she had be scrawling； he might happen to glance at her desk and see。 She bent closer to the paper and began to writeanything that came into her head。 Presently the sound of his step ceased。 An uncontrollable impulse to fly seized her。 She would get upwould not put on her hatwould act as if she were simply going to the street door for a moment。 And she would not returnwould escape the danger of a silly breakdown。 She summoned all her courage； suddenly rose and moved swiftly toward the door。 At the threshold she had to pause； she could not control her heart from a last look at him。
He was seated at his table； was staring at its litter of letters； papers and manuscripts with an expression so sad that it completely transformed him。 She forgot herself。 She said softly：
‘‘Victor！''
He did not hear。
‘‘Victor；'' she repeated a little more loudly。
He roused himself； glanced at her with an attempt at his usual friendly smile of the eyes。
‘‘Is there something wrong that you haven't told me about？'' she asked。
‘‘It'll pass；'' said he。 ‘‘I'll get used to it。'' With an attempt at the manner of the humorous philosopher； ‘‘Man is the most adaptable of all the animals。 That's why he has distanced all his relations。 I didn't realize how much our association meant to me until you set me to thinking about it by telling me you were going。 I had been taking you for granteda habit we easily fall into with those who simply work with and for us and don't insist upon themselves。''
She was leaning against the frame of the open door into the hall； her hands behind her back。 She was gazing out of the window across the room。
‘‘You；'' he went on； ‘‘are as I'd like to beas I imagined I was。 Your sense of duty to the cause orders you elsewhere； and you golike a good soldier； with never a backward glance。''
She shook her head； but did not speak。
‘‘With never a backward glance；'' he repeated。 ‘‘While I'' He shut his lips together firmly and settled himself with fierce resolution to his work。 ‘‘I beg your pardon；'' he said。 ‘‘This iscowardly。 As I said before； I shall get myself in hand again； and go on。''
She did not move。 The breeze of the unseasonably warm and brilliant day fluttered her thick； loosely gathered hair about her brow。 Her strange； barbaric little face suggested that the wind was blowing across it a throng of emotions like the clouds of a driven storm。
A long silence。 He suddenly flung out his arms in a despairing gesture and let them fall to the table。 At the crash she startled； gazed wildly about。
‘‘Selma！'' he cried。 ‘‘I must say it。 I love you。''
A profound silence fell。 After a while she