第100章

"What is it you object to about the Maplewood franchise?"I asked."If you'll look at a map of the city,you'll see that development is bound to come on that side.Maplewood Avenue is the natural artery,somebody will build a line out there,and if you'd rather have eastern capitalists--""Why are you going to get this franchise?"he demanded."Because we haven't a decent city charter,and a healthy public spirit,you fellows are buying it from a corrupt city boss,and bribing a corrupt board of aldermen.That's the plain language of it.And it's only fair to warn you that I'm going to say so,openly.""Be sensible,"I answered."We've got to have street railroads,--your family has one.We know what the aldermen are,what political conditions are.If you feel this way about it,the thing to do is to try to change them.But why blame me for getting a franchise for a company in the only manner in which,under present conditions,a franchise can be got?Do you want the city to stand still?If not,we have to provide for the new population.""Every time you bribe these rascals for a franchise you entrench them,"he cried."You make it more difficult to oust them.But you mark my words,we shall get rid of them some day,and when that fight comes,Iwant to be in it."He had grown very much excited;and it was as though this excitement suddenly revealed to me the full extent of the change that had taken place in him since he had left college.As he stood facing me,almost glaring at me through his eye-glasses,I beheld a slim,nervous,fault-finding doctrinaire,incapable of understanding the world as it was,lacking the force of his pioneer forefathers.I rather pitied him.

"I'm sorry we can't look at this thing alike,Perry,"I told him.

"You've said solve pretty hard things,but I realize that you hold your point of view in good faith,and that you have come to me as an old friend.I hope it won't make any difference in our personal relations.""I don't see how it can help making a difference,"he answered slowly.

His excitement had cooled abruptly:he seemed dazed.At this moment my private stenographer entered to inform me that I was being called up on the telephone from New York."Well,you have more important affairs to attend to,I won't bother you any more,"he added.

"Hold on,"I exclaimed,"this call can wait.I'd like to talk it over with you.""I'm afraid it wouldn't be any use,Hugh,"he said,and went out.

After talking with the New York client whose local interests Irepresented I sat thinking over the conversation with Perry.Considering Maude's intimacy with and affection for the Blackwoods,the affair was awkward,opening up many uncomfortable possibilities;and it was the prospect of discomfort that bothered me rather than regret for the probable loss of Perry's friendship.I still believed myself to have an affection for him:undoubtedly this was a sentimental remnant....

That evening after dinner Tom came in alone,and I suspected that Perry had sent him.He was fidgety,ill at ease,and presently asked if Icould see him a moment in my study.Maude's glance followed us.

"Say,Hugh,this is pretty stiff,"he blurted out characteristically,when the door was closed.

"I suppose you mean the Riverside Franchise,"I said.He looked up at me,miserably,from the chair into which he had sunk,his hands in his pockets.

"You'll forgive me for talking about it,won't you?You used to lecture me once in a while at Cambridge,you know.""That's all right--go ahead,"I replied,trying to speak amiably.

"You know I've always admired you,Hugh,--I never had your ability,"he began painfully,"you've gone ahead pretty fast,--the truth is that Perry and I have been worried about you for some time.We've tried not to be too serious in showing it,but we've felt that these modern business methods were getting into your system without your realizing it.There are some things a man's friends can tell him,and it's their duty to tell him.Good God,haven't you got enough,Hugh,--enough success and enough money,without going into a thing like this Riverside scheme?"I was intensely annoyed,if not angry;and I hesitated a moment to calm myself.

"Tom,you don't understand my position,"I said."I'm willing to discuss it with you,now that you've opened up the subject.Perry's been talking to you,I can see that.I think Perry's got queer ideas,--to be plain with you,and they're getting queerer."He sat down again while,with what I deemed a rather exemplary patience,I went over the arguments in favour of my position;and as I talked,it clarified in my own mind.It was impossible to apply to business an individual code of ethics,--even to Perry's business,to Tom's business:

the two were incompatible,and the sooner one recognized that the better:

the whole structure of business was built up on natural,as opposed to ethical law.We had arrived at an era of frankness--that was the truth--and the sooner we faced this truth the better for our peace of mind.