Well,youescapedthat,andyoumaythankGodforit.You\'vegotachance,thinkitover.
\"Achance!\"Irepeated,thoughIgatheredsomethingofhermeaning.
\"Thinkitover,saidNancyagain.Andshesmiled.
\"But——doyouwantmetoburymyselfindomesticity?\"Idemanded,withoutgraspingthesignificanceofmywords.
\"You\'llfindherreasonable,Ithink.You\'vegotachancenow,Hugh.
Don\'tspoilit.\"
SheturnedtoLeonardDickinson,whosatonherotherside
WhenwegothomeItriedtoconcealmyanxietyastoMaude\'simpressionsoftheevening.Ilitacigarette,andremarkedthatthedinnerhadbeenasuccess.
\"DoyouknowwhatI\'vebeenwonderingallevening?\"Maudeasked.\"Whyyoudidn\'tmarryNancyinsteadofme.\"
\"Well,\"Ireplied,\"itjustdidn\'tcomeoff.AndNancywastellingmeatdinnerhowfortunateIwastohavemarriedyou.\"
Maudepassedthis.
\"Ican\'tseewhysheacceptedHambletonDurrett.Itseemshorriblethatsuchawomanassheiscouldhavemarried——justformoney.
\"Nancyhasanoddstreakinher,\"Isaid.\"Butthenweallhaveoddstreaks.She\'sthebestfriendintheworld,whensheisyourfriend.\"
\"I\'msureofit,\"Maudeagreed,withalittlenoteofpenitence.
\"Youenjoyedit,\"Iventuredcautiously.
\"Oh,yes,\"sheagreed.\"Andeveryonewassonicetome——foryoursakeofcourse.\"
\"Don\'tberidiculous!\"Isaid.\"Ishan\'ttellyouwhatNancyandtheotherssaidaboutyou.\"
Maudehadthegiftofsilence.
\"Whatabeautifulhouse!\"shesighedpresently.\"Iknowyou\'llthinkmesilly,butsomuchluxuryasthatfrightensmealittle.InEngland,inthoseplaceswesaw,itseemednaturalenough,butinAmerica——!Andtheyallyourfriends——seemtotakeitasamatterofcourse.\"
\"There\'snoreasonwhyweshouldn\'thavebeautifulthingsandwellserveddinners,too,ifwehavethemoneytopayforthem.\"
\"Isupposenot,\"sheagreed,absently.
XV.
Thatwintermanyotherentertainmentsweregiveninourhonour.ButtheconvictiongrewuponmethatMaudehadnoreallikingforthesocialsideoflife,thatsheacquiescedinitonlyonmyaccount.Thus,attheveryoutsetofourmarriedcareer,anirritantdeveloped:signsofit,indeed,wereapparentfromthefirst,whenwewerepreparingthehousewehadrentedforoccupancy.Hurryingawayfrommyofficeatoddtimestofurnitureanddepartmentstorestohelpdecidesuchmomentousquestionsascurtains,carpets,chairsandtablesIwouldoftenspythetall,uncompromisingfigureofSusanPetersstandingbesideMaude\'s,whileanobligingclerkspreadout,anxiously,rugsorwall-papersfortheirinspection.
\"Whydon\'tyougetNancytohelpyou,too!\"Iventuredtoaskheronce.
\"Oursissuchalittlehouse——comparedtoNancy\'s,Hugh.\"
MyattitudetowardsSusanhadhithertoremainedundefined.ShewasTom\'swifeandTom\'saffair.Inspiteofhermarkeddisapprovalofthemoderntrendinbusinessandsociallife,——aprejudiceshehadcommunicatedtoTom,asabachelorIhadnotdislikedher;anditwascertainthattheseviewshadnotmitigatedTom\'sloyaltyandaffectionforme.Susanhadbeenmyfriend,ashadherbrotherPerry,andLucia,Perry\'swife:theymadenosecretofthefactthattheydeploredinmewhattheywerepleasedtocallplutocraticobsessions,norhadtheirdisapprovalalwaysbeenconfinedtobadinage.Nancy,too,theylookeduponasarenegade.
Iwasabletobeartheirreproacheswiththesuperiorgoodnaturethatspringsfromsuccess,topointoutwhytheAmericantraditiontowhichtheysofatuouslyclungwasathingsofthepast.Thehabitoftakingdinnerwiththematleastonceaweekhadcontinued,andtheirargumentsratheramusedme.Iftheychosetodwellinabackwateroutoftouchwiththecurrentofgreataffairs,thiswasamattertobedeplored,butIdidnotfeelstronglyenoughtoresentit.SolongasIremainedabachelortherelationshiphadnottroubledme,butnowthatIwasmarriedIbegantoconsiderwithsomealarmitspowertoaffectmywelfare.
IthadremainedforNancytoinformmethatIhadmarriedawomanwithamindofherown.IhadflatteredmyselfthatIshouldbeabletocontrolMaude,togovernherpredilections,andnowattheverybeginningofourmarriedlifeshewasshowingadisquietingtendencytochooseforherself.Tobesure,shehadfoundmyintimacywiththePetersesandBlackwoodsalreadyformed;butitwasanintimacyfromwhichIwasgrowingaway.Ishouldnothavequarrelledwithherifshehadnotdiscriminated:Nancymadeovertures,andMaudedrewback;Susanpresentedherself,andwithannoyingperversityandinanextraordinarilybrieftimeMaudehadbecomeherintimate.ItseemedtomethatshewasalwaysatSusan\'s,lunchingorplayingwiththechildren,whogrewdevotedtoher;orwithSusan,choosingcarpetsandclothes;whilemoreandmorefrequentlywedinedwiththePetersesandtheBlackwoods,ortheywithus.WithPerry\'swifeMaudewasscarcelylessintimatethanwithSusan.
ThiswasthemoresurprisingtomesinceLuciaBlackwoodwasadyed-in-
the-wool\"intellectual,\"agraduateofRadcliffe,thedaughterofaHarvardprofessor.PerryhadfalleninlovewithherduringhervisittoSusan.Luciawas,perhaps,themostinfluentialofthegroup;shescornedtheworld,sheheldstrongviewsonthehighereducationofwomen;shehadlongdiscardedorthodoxyforwhatmaybecalledaCambridgestoicismofsimplelivingandhighthinking;whileMaudewasastrictPresbyterian,andnotintheleastgiventotheories.When,somemonthsafterourhomecoming,Iventuredtowarnhergentlyofthedangersofconfiningone\'sselftoacoterie——especiallyoneofsuchnarrowviews——heranswerwasratherbewildering.
\"Butisn\'tTomyourbestfriend?\"sheasked.
Iadmittedthathewas.
\"Andyoualwayswenttheresuchalotbeforeweweremarried.\"
This,too,wasundeniable.\"Atthesametime,\"Ireplied,\"Ihaveotherfriends.I\'mfondoftheBlackwoodsandthePeterses,I\'mnotadvocatingseeinglessofthem,buttheirpointofview,iftakenwithoutanyantidote,israthernarrowing.Weoughttoseeallkinds,\"Isuggested,withafinerestraint.
\"Youmean——moreworldlypeople,\"shesaidwithherdisconcertingdirectness.
\"Notnecessarilyworldly,\"Istruggledon.\"Peoplewhoknowmoreoftheworld——yes,whounderstanditbetter.\"
Maudesighed.
\"Idotry,Hugh,——Ireturntheircalls,——Idotrytobenicetothem.
ButsomehowIdon\'tseemtogetalongwiththemeasily——I\'mnotmyself,theymakemeshy.It\'sbecauseI\'mprovincial.\"
\"Nonsense!\"Iprotested,\"you\'renotabitprovincial.\"Anditwastrue;
herdignityandself-possessionredeemedher.
Nancywasnotoncementioned.ButIthinkshewasinbothourminds
Sincemymarriage,too,IhadbeguntoresentalittletheattitudeofTomandSusanandtheBlackwoodsofhumorousyetaffectionatetolerancetowardmyprofessionalactivitiesandfinancialcreed,thoughMaudeshowednodispositiontotakethisseriously.Ididsuspect,however,thattheyweremoreandmoredeterminedtorescueMaudefromwhattheywouldhavetermedafrivolouscareer;andononeoftheseoccasions——soexasperatinginmarriedlifewhenaslightcauseforpiquetemptshusbandorwifetotrytoaskmyselfwhetherthisaffairwereonlyasquall,somethingtobelookedforonceinawhileontheseasofmatrimony,andweathered:orwhetherMaudehadnot,afterall,beenrightwhenshedeclaredthatIhadmadeamistake,andthatwewerenotfittedforoneanother?Inthisgloomyviewendlessyearsofincompatibilitystretchedahead;andforthefirsttimeIbegantorehearsewithacertaincolddetachmentthechainofapparentlyaccidentaleventswhichhadleduptomymarriage:toconsiderthegradualblindnessthathadcomeovermyfaculties;andfinallytowonderwhetherjudgmenteverenteredintosexualselection.WouldMaudehaverelapsedintothissenselessfitifshehadrealizedhowfortunateshewas?ForIwaspreparedtogiveherwhatthousandsofwomenlongedfor,positionandinfluence.MyresentmentroseagainagainstPerryandTom,andIbegantoattributetheirlackofappreciationofmyachievementstojealousy.Theyhadnotmyability;thiswasthelongandshortofitIponderedalso,regretfully,onmybachelordays.Andforthefirsttime,I,whohadworkedsohardtoachievefreedom,feltthepressureoftheyokeIhadfittedovermyownshoulders.Ihadvoluntarily,thoughunwittingly,returnedtoslavery.Thiswaswhathadhappened.Andwhatwastobedoneaboutit?Iwouldnotconsiderdivorce.
Well,Ishouldhavetomakethebestofit.Whetherthisconclusionbroughtonamoodofreaction,Iamunabletosay.IwasstillannoyedbywhatseemedtothemasculinemindasenselessanddramaticperformanceonMaude\'spart,anincomprehensiblecaseof\"nerves.\"Nevertheless,therestoleintomymindmanyrecollectionsofMaude\'saffection,manypassagesbetweenus;andmyeyechancedtofallontheink-wellshehadboughtmeoutoftheallowanceIgaveher.Anunanticipatedpitywelledupwithinmeforherloneliness,herdespairinthatroomupstairs.I
gotup——andhesitated.Acounteracting,inhibitingwavepassedthroughme.Ihardened.Ibegantowalkupanddown,apreytoconflictingimpulses.Somethingwhispered,\"gotoher\";anothervoiceadded,\"foryourownpeaceofmind,atanyrate.\"Irejectedtheintrusionofthismotiveasunworthy,turnedoutthelightandgropedmywayupstairs.Thebigclockinthehallstrucktwelve.
Ilistenedoutsidethedoorofthebedroom,butallwassilentwithin.I
knocked.
\"Maude!\"Isaid,inalowvoice.
Therewasnoresponse.
\"Maude——letmein!Ididn\'tmeantobeunkind——I\'msorry.\"
AfteranintervalIheardhersay:\"I\'dratherstayhere,——to-night.\"
Butatlength,aftermoreentreatyandself-abasementonmypart,sheopenedthedoor.Theroomwasdark.Wesatdowntogetheronthewindow-
seat,andallatoncesherelaxedandherheadfellonmyshoulder,andshebeganweepingagain.Iheldher,thealternatingmoodsstillrunningthroughme.
\"Hugh,\"shesaidatlength,\"howcouldyoubesocruel?whenyouknowI
loveyouandwoulddoanythingforyou.\"
\"Ididn\'tmeantobecruel,Maude,\"Ianswered.
\"Iknowyoudidn\'t.Butattimesyouseemso——indifferent,andyoucan\'tunderstandhowithurts.Ihaven\'tanybodybutyou,now,andit\'sinyourpowertomakemehappyor——ormiserable.\"
LateronItriedtoexplainmypointofview,tojustifymyself.
\"AllImean,\"Iconcludedatlength,\"isthatmypositionisalittledifferentfromPerry\'sandTom\'s.Theycanaffordtoisolatethemselves,butI\'mthrownprofessionallywiththemenwhoarebuildingupthiscity.
Someofthem,likeRalphHambletonandMr.Ogilvy,I\'veknownallmylife.Lifeisn\'tsosimpleforus,Maude——wecan\'tignorethesocialside.\"
\"Iunderstand,\"shesaidcontentedly.\"Youaremoreofamanofaffairs——muchmorethanTomorPerry,andyouhavegreaterresponsibilitiesandwiderinterests.I\'mreallyveryproudofyou.Only——don\'tyouthinkyouarealittletoosensitiveaboutyourself,whenyouareteased?\"
Iletthispass
IgiveaparagraphfromapossiblebiographyofHughParetwhich,asthenseemednotimprobable,mightinthefuturehavebeenwrittenbysomeaspiringyoungworshipperofsuccess.
\"OnhisreturnfromabriefbutdelightfulhoneymooninEnglandMr.Parettookupagain,withcharacteristicvigour,thepracticeofthelaw.Hewasenteringupontheprimeyearsofmanhood;goldenopportunitiesconfrontedhimas,indeed,theyconfrontedothermen——butParethadtheforesighttotakeadvantageofthem.AndhistrainingunderTheodoreWatlingwasnowtoproduceresultsThereputationshadalreadybeenmadeofsomeofthatremarkablegroupoffinancialgeniuseswhowerechieflyinstrumentalinbringingabouttheindustrialevolutionbegunaftertheCivilWar:atthesametime,asiswellknown,apoliticalleadershipdevelopedthatgaveproofofadeplorableblindnesstothelogicalnecessityofcombinationsinbusiness.Thelawyerwithinitiativeandbrainsbecameanindispensablefactor,\"etc.,etc.
ThebiographymighthavegoneontorelatemyassociationwithandimportantservicestoAdolfSchererinconnectionwithhisconstructivedream.Shortlyaftermyreturnfromabroad,inanswertohissummons,I
foundhimatHeinrich\'s,hisnapkintuckedintohisshirtfront,andadishofhisfavouritesausagesbeforehim.
\"So,thehoneymoonisover!\"hesaid,andpressedmyhand.\"Youarerighttocomebacktobusiness,andafterawhileyoucanhaveanotherhoneymoon,eh?IhavehadmanysinceImarried.Andhowlongdoyouthinkwasmyfirst?Aday!Iwasaforemanthen,andtheweddingwasatsixo\'clockinthemorning.Wewentintothecountry,thewifeandI.\"
Helaiddownhisknifeandfork,possessedbythememory.\"Ihavegrownrichsince,andwe\'vebeentoEuropeandbacktoGermany,andtravelledonthebestshipsandstayedatthebesthotels,butIneverenjoyedaholidaymorethanthatday.Itwasn\'tlongafterwardsIwenttoMr.
Durrettandtoldhimhowhecouldsavemuchmoney.Hewasalwaysreadytolisten,Mr.Durrett,whenanemployeehadanythingtosay.Hewasabigman,——aniron-master.Ah,hewouldbeastonishedifonlyhecouldwakeupnow!\"
\"Hewouldnotonlyhavetobeaniron-master,\"Iagreed,\"butafinancierandarailroadmantoboot.\"
\"Ajackofalltrades,\"laughedMr.Scherer.\"That\'swhatweare——meninmyposition.Well,itwascomparativelysimplethen,whenwehadnoShermanlawandcrazystatutes,suchassomeofthestatesarepassing,tobotherus.Whathasgotintothepoliticians,thattheyareindulginginsuchfoolishness?\"heexclaimed,morewarmly.\"Wetrytobuildupatradeforthiscountry,andthey\'redoingtheirbesttotieourhandsandtearitdown.WhenIwasinWashingtontheotherdayIwastalkingwithoneofthoseWesternsenatorswhosestatehaspassedthoselaws.Hesaidtome,`Mr.Scherer,I\'vebeenmakingastudyoftheBoyneIronWorks.
Youareclevermen,butyouarebuildingupmonopolieswhichweproposetostop.\'`Bywhatmeans?\'\"Iasked.\"`Rebates,forone,\'saidhe,`yougetpreferentialratesfromyourrailroadwhichgiveyouadvantagesoveryourcompetitors.\'Foolishness!\"Mr.Schererexclaimed.\"Itellhimtherailroadisaprivateconcern,builtupbyprivateenterprise,andithasarighttomakespecialratesforlargeshippers.No,——railroadsarepubliccarrierswithnorighttomakespecialrates.Iaskhimwhatelseheobjectsto,andhesayspatentedprocesses.Asifwedon\'thavearighttoourownpatents!Webuythem.Ibuythem,whenothersteelcompanieswon\'ttouch\'em.Whatisthatbutenterprise,andbusinessforesight,andtakingrisks?AndthenhebeginstotalkaboutthetarifftakingmoneyoutofthepocketsofAmericanconsumersandmakingmenlikemerich.IhavecometoWashingtontogetthetariffraisedonsteelrails;
andWatlingandothersenatorswesenddownthereareraisingitforus.
Wearebuildingupmonopolies!Well,supposeweare.Wecan\'thelpit,evenifwewantto.Hasheevermadeastudyoftheothersideofthequestion——thecompetitionside?Ofcoursehehasn\'t.\"
Hebroughtdownhisbeermugheavilyonthetable.IntimesofexcitementhisspeechsuggestedtheGermanidiom.Abruptlyhisairgrewmysterious;heglancedaroundtheroom,nowbecomingempty,andloweredhisvoice.
\"Ihavebeenthinkingalongtime,Ihavealittlescheme,\"hesaid,\"andIhavebeentoWashingtontoseeWatling,totalkoverit.Well,hethinksmuchofyou.FowndesandRiponaregoodlawyers,buttheyarenotsmartlikeyou.SeeParet,hesays,andhecancomedownandtalktome.
SoIaskyoutocomehere.ThatiswhyIsayyouarewisetogethome.
Honeymoonscanwait——eh?\"
Ismiledappreciatively.
\"Theytalkaboutmonopoly,thosePopulistsenators,butIaskyouwhatisamaninmyplacetodo?Ifyoudon\'teat,somebodyeatsyou——isitnotso?Liketheboa-constrictors——thatismodernbusiness.LookattheKeystonePlatepeople,overthereatMorris.Foryearswesoldthemsteelbilletsfromwhichtomaketheirplates,andthreemonthsagotheyservenoticeonusthattheyaregettingreadytomaketheirownbillets,theybuyminesnorthofthelakesandarebuildingtheirplant.Hereisabigcustomergone.Nextyear,maybe,theEmpireTubeCompanygoesintothebusinessofmakingcrudesteel,andmanymorethousandsoftonsgofromus.Whatisleftforus,Paret?\"
\"Obviouslyyou\'vegottogointothetubeandplatebusinessyourselves,\"
Isaid.
\"So!\"criedMr.Scherer,triumphantly,\"oritiscloseup.Wearenotfools,no,wewillnotliedownandbeeatenlikelambsforanylaw.
Dickinsoncanputhishandonthecapital,andI——Ihavealreadyboughtatractonthelakes,atBolivar,Ihavealreadygotaplantdesignedwiththelatestmodernmachinery.Icanputtheorerightthere,Icansendthecokebackfromhereincarswhichwouldotherwisebeempty,andmanufacturetubesateightdollarsatonlessthantheyareselling.Ifwecanmaketubeswecanmakeplates,andifwecanmakeplateswecanmakeboilers,andbeamsandgirdersandbridgesItisnotlikeitwasbutwhereisitallleading,myfriend?Thetimewillcome——isrightonusnow,inrespecttomanyproducts——whenthemarketwillbefloodedwithtubesandplatesandgirders,andthenwe\'llhavetofindawaytolimitproduction.Andtheinefficientmillswillallbeforcedtoshutdown.\"
Thelogicseemedunanswerable,evenhadIcaredtoansweritHeunfoldedhiscampaign.TheBoyneIronWorkswastobecometheBoyneIronWorks,Ltd.,ownerofvarioussubsidiarycompanies,someofwhichwereasyetblissfullyignorantoftheirfate.AllhadbeenthoughtoutascalmlyasthepartitionofPoland——only,lawyerswererequired;andultimately,aftertheprocessofacquisitionshouldhavebeencompleted,adelicatedocumentwastobedrawnupwhichwouldpassthroughthemeshesofthatannoyingstatutorynet,theShermanAnti-trustLaw.Newminesweretobepurchased,extendingoveracertainlargearea;widecoaldeposits;littlestripsofrailroadtotapthem.ThecompetitionoftheKeystonePlatepeoplewastobemetbyacquiringandbringinguptodatetheplatemillsofKingandSon,overthebordersofasisterstate;
theSomersworthBridgeandConstructionCompanyandtheGringSteelandWireCompanyweretobeabsorbed.Whenallofthisshouldhavebeenaccomplished,therewouldbescarcelyaprocessinthesteelindustry,fromthesmeltingoftheoretothecompletionofabridge,whichtheBoyneIronWorkscouldnotundertake.Suchwasthebeginningofthe\"lateralextension\"period.
\"Twocanplayatthatgame,\"Mr.Scherersaid.\"Andifthosefellowscouldonlybecontenttoletwellenoughalone,tocontinuebuyingtheircrudesteelfromus,therewouldn\'tbeanytrouble.\"
Itwasevident,however,thathereallywelcomedthe\"trouble,\"thathewasgoingintobattlewithenthusiasm.Hehadalreadypickedouthispointsofattackandwasmarchingonthem.Life,forhim,wouldhavebeenapoorthingwithoutnewconflictstoabsorbhisenergy;andhehadalreadymadeoftheBoyneIronWorks,withitsopen-hearthfurnaces,amarvelofmodernefficiencythathadopenedtheeyesoftheSteelworld,andhaddrawntheattentionofaPersonalityinNewYork,——aPersonalitywhowasoneofthenewanddominanttypethathaddevelopedwithsuchamazingrapidity,thebanker-dinosaur;preyinguponandsupersedingtheindustrial-dinosaur,conqueringtypeoftheprecedingage,builderoftherailroads,millsandmanufactories.Thebanker-dinosaurs,thegiganticones,wereinWallStreet,andstroveamongthemselvesfortheindustrialspoilsaccumulatedbytheirpredecessors.Itwascharacteristicofthesemonstersthattheyneverfoughtintheopenunlesstheywereforcedto.
Thentheearthrocked,hugeeconomicstructurestotteredandfell,andmuchdustarosetoobscurethevisionofsmallercreatures,whowerebewilderedandterrified.Suchdisturbanceswerecalled\"panics,\"andwereblamedbythenewspapersontheDemocraticparty,oronthereformerswhohadwantonlyassailedestablishedinstitutions.Thesedominantbankershadcontrivedtogaincontrolofthesavingsofthousandsandthousandsoffellow-citizenswhohaddepositedtheminbanksorpaidthemintoinsurancecompanies,andwiththepowerthusaccumulatedhadsalliedforthtocapturerailroadsandindustries.Therailroadswerethestrategiclinks.Withtheseinhand,certainfavouredindustrialconcernscouldbefed,andothersstarvedintosubmission.
