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him on his management of the affair；so far。 He appeared pleased； and
squeezed my hand。
〃Well； sir； it did require a little delicacy of touch。 And if I do say
it myself； it hasn't been botched；〃 he admitted。 〃There ain't an
outsider； as far as I can learn； who has caught on to the nigger in the
wood…pile。 That's the great thing； to keep 'em ignorant as long as
possible。 You understand。 They yell bloody murder when they do find
out； but generally it's too late； if a bill's been handled right。〃
I found myself speculating as to who the 〃outsiders〃 might be。 No
Ribblevale attorneys were on the spot as yet；of that I was satisfied。
In the absence of these； who were the opposition？ It seemed to me as
though I had interviewed that day every man in the legislature。
I was very tired。 But when I got into bed； it was impossible to sleep。
My eyes smarted from the tobacco smoke； and the events of the day； in
disorderly manner； kept running through my head。 The tide of my
exhilaration had ebbed； and I found myself struggling against a revulsion
caused； apparently； by the contemplation of Colonel Varney and his
associates； the instruments； in brief； by which our triumph over our
opponents was to be effected。 And that same idea which； when launched
amidst the surroundings of the Boyne Club； had seemed so brilliant； now
took on an aspect of tawdriness。 Another thought intruded itself；that
of Mr。 Pugh； the president of the Ribblevale Company。 My father had
known him； and some years before I had traveled halfway across the state
in his company； his kindliness had impressed me。 He had spent a large
part of his business life； I knew； in building up the Ribblevale； and now
it was to be wrested from him； he was to be set aside； perhaps forced to
start all over again when old age was coming on！ In vain I accused
myself of sentimentality； and summoned all my arguments to prove that in
commerce efficiency must be the only test。 The image of Mr。 Pugh would
not down。
I got up and turned on the light； and took refuge in a novel I had in my
bag。 Presently I grew calmer。 I had chosen。 I had succeeded。 And now
that I had my finger at last on the nerve of power； it was no time to
weaken。
It was half…past six when I awoke and went to the window； relieved to
find that the sun had scattered my morbid fancies
with the darkness； and I speculated； as I dressed； whether the thing
called conscience were not； after all； a matter of nerves。 I went
downstairs through the tobacco…stale atmosphere of the lobby into the
fresh air and sparkly sunlight of the mild February morning； and leaving
the business district I reached the residence portion of the little town。
The front steps of some of the comfortable houses were being swept by
industrious servant girls； and out of the chimneys twisted；
fantastically； rich blue smoke； the bare branches of the trees were
silver…grey against the sky； gaining at last an old…fashioned； wooden
bridge； I stood for awhile gazing at the river； over the shallows of
which the spendthrift hand of nature had flung a shower of diamonds。 And
I reflected that the world was for the strong； for him who dared reach
out his hand and take what it offered。 It was not money we coveted； we
Americans； but power； the self…expression conferred by power。 A single
experience such as I had had the night before would since to convince any
sane man that democracy was a failure； that the world…old principle of
aristocracy would assert itself； that the attempt of our ancestors to
curtail political power had merely resulted in the growth of another and
greater economic power that bade fair to be limitless。 As I walked
slowly back into town I felt a reluctance to return to the noisy hotel；
and finding myself in front of a little restaurant on a side street； I
entered it。 There was but one other customer in the place； and he was
seated on the far side of the counter； with a newspaper in front of him；
and while I was ordering my breakfast I was vaguely aware that the
newspaper had dropped； and that he was looking at me。 In the slight
interval that elapsed before my brain could register his identity I
experienced a distinct shock of resentment； a sense of the reintrusion of
an antagonistic value at a moment when it was most unwelcome。。。。
The man had risen and was coming around the counter。 He was Hermann
Krebs。
〃Paret！〃 I heard him say。
〃You here？〃 I exclaimed。
He did not seem to notice the lack of cordiality in my tone。 He appeared
so genuinely glad to see me again that I instantly became rather ashamed
of my ill nature。
〃Yes； I'm herein the legislature；〃 he informed me。
〃A Solon！〃
〃Exactly。〃 He smiled。 〃And you？〃 he inquired。
〃Oh； I'm only a spectator。 Down here for a day or two。〃
He was still lanky； his clothes gave no evidence of an increased
prosperity； but his complexion was good； his skin had cleared。 I was
more than ever baked by a resolute good humour； a simplicity that was not
innocence； a whimsical touch seemingly indicative of a state of mind that
refused to take too seriously certain things on which I set store。 What
right had he to be contented with life？
〃Well； I too am only a spectator here；〃 he laughed。 〃I'm neither fish；
flesh nor fowl； nor good red herring。〃
〃You were going into the law； weren't you？〃 I asked。 〃I remember you
said something about it that day we met at Beverly Farms。〃
〃Yes； I managed it； after all。 Then I went back home to Elkington to try
to make a living。〃
〃But somehow I have never thought of you as being likely to develop
political aspirations； Krebs；〃 I said。
〃I should say not！ he exclaimed。
〃Yet here you are； launched upon a political career！ How did it happen？〃
〃Oh； I'm not worrying about the career；〃 he assured me。 〃I got here by
accident； and I'm afraid it won't happen again in a hurry。 You see； the
hands in those big mills we have in Elkington sprang a surprise on the
machine； and the first thing I knew I was nominated for the legislature。
A committee came to my boarding…house and told me； and there was the
deuce to pay； right off。 The Railroad politicians turned in and worked
for the Democratic candidate； of course； and the Hutchinses； who own the
mills； tried through emissaries to intimidate their operatives。〃
〃And then？〃 I asked。
〃Well；I'm here；〃 he said。
〃Wouldn't you be accomplishing more；〃 I inquired； 〃if you hadn't
antagonized the Hutchinses？〃
〃It depends upon what you mean by accomplishment；〃 he answered； so mildly
that I felt more rued than ever。
〃Well； from what you say； I suppose you're going in for reform； that
these workmen up at Elkington are not satisfied with their conditions and
imagine you can help to better them。 Now； provided the conditions are
not as good as they might be； how are you going to improve them if you
find yourself isolated here； as you say？〃
〃In other words； I should cooperate with Colonel Varney and other
disinterested philanthropists；〃 he supplied； and I realized that I was
losing my temper。
〃Well； what can you do？〃 I inquired defiantly。
〃I can find out what's going on；〃 he said。 〃I have already learned
something； by the way。〃
〃And then？〃 I asked； wondering whether the implication were personal。
〃Then I can helpdisseminate the knowledge。 I may be wrong； but I have
an idea that when the people of this country learn how their legislatures
are conducted they will want to change things。〃
〃That's right！〃 echoed the waiter； who had come up with my griddle…cakes。
〃And you're the man to tell 'em； Mr。 Krebs。〃
〃It will need several thousand of us to do that； I'm afraid；〃 said Krebs；
returning his smile。
My distaste for the situation became more acute； but I felt that I was
thrown on the defensive。 I could not retreat； now。
〃I think you are wrong；〃 I declared； when the waiter had departed to
attend to another customer。 〃The people the great majority of them； at
least are indifferent； they don't want to be bothered with politics。
There will always be labour agitation； of course；the more wages those
fellows get； the more they want。 We pay the highest wages in the world
to…day； and the standard of living is higher in this country than
anywhere else。 They'd ruin our prosperity； if we'd let 'em。〃
〃How about the thousands of families who don't earn enough to live
decently even in times of prosperity？〃 inquired Krebs。
〃It's hard； I'll admit； but the inefficient and the shiftless are bound
to suffer； no matter what form of government you adopt。〃
〃You talk about standards of living；I could show you some examples of
standards to make your heart sick；〃 he said。 〃What you don't realize；
perhaps； is that low standards help to increase the inefficient of whom
you complain。〃
He smiled rather sadly。 〃The prosperity you are advocating；〃 he added；
after a moment； 〃is a mere fiction； it is gorging the few at the expense
of the many。 And what is being done in this country is to store up an
explosive gas that some day will blow your superstructure to atoms if you
don't wake up in time。〃
〃Isn't that a rather one…sided view； too？〃 I suggested。
〃I've no doubt it may