友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
热门书库 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the american claimant-第23章

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!



rather especially fond of him; but you know that when a man loses his job
and loses his ability to support himself and to pay his way as he goes;
it makes a great difference in the way people look at him and feel about
him。〃

〃Is that so!  Is it so?〃

Barrow looked at Tracy in a puzzled way。  〃Why of course it's so。
Wouldn't you know that; naturally。  Don't you know that the wounded deer
is always attacked and killed by its companions and friends?〃

Tracy said to himself; while a chilly and boding discomfort spread itself
through his system; 〃In a republic of deer and men where all are free and
equal; misfortune is a crime; and the prosperous gore the unfortunate to
death。〃  Then he said aloud; 〃Here in the boarding house; if one would
have friends and be popular instead of having the cold shoulder turned
upon him; he must be prosperous。〃

〃Yes;〃 Barrow said; 〃that is so。  It's their human nature。  They do turn
against Brady; now that he's unfortunate; and they don't like him as well
as they did before; but it isn't because of any lack in Bradyhe's just
as he was before; has the same nature and the same impulses; but they
well; Brady is a thorn in their consciences; you see。  They know they
ought to help him and they're too stingy to do it; and they're ashamed of
themselves for that; and they ought also to hate themselves on that
account; but instead of that they hate Brady because he makes them
ashamed of themselves。  I say that's human nature; that occurs
everywhere; this boarding house is merely the world in little; it's the
case all overthey're all alike。  In prosperity we are popular;
popularity comes easy in that case; but when the other thing comes our
friends are pretty likely to turn against us。〃

Tracy's noble theories and high purposes were beginning to feel pretty
damp and clammy。  He wondered if by any possibility he had made a mistake
in throwing his own prosperity to the winds and taking up the cross
of other people's unprosperity。  But he wouldn't listen to that sort of
thing; he cast it out of his mind and resolved to go ahead resolutely
along the course he had mapped out for himself。

Extracts from his diary:

Have now spent several days in this singular hive。  I don't know quite
what to make out of these people。  They have merits and virtues; but they
have some other qualities; and some ways that are hard to get along with。
I can't enjoy them。  The moment I appeared in a hat of the period;
I noticed a change。  The respect which had been paid me before; passed
suddenly away; and the people became friendlymore than thatthey
became familiar; and I'm not used to familiarity; and can't take to it
right off; I find that out。  These people's familiarity amounts to
impudence; sometimes。  I suppose it's all right; no doubt I can get used
to it; but it's not a satisfactory process at all。  I have accomplished
my dearest wish; I am a man among men; on an equal footing with Tom; Dick
and Harry; and yet it isn't just exactly what I thought it was going to
be。  II miss home。  Am obliged to say I am homesick。  Another thing
and this is a confessiona reluctant one; but I will make it: The thing
I miss most and most severely; is the respect; the deference; with which
I was treated all my life in England; and which seems to be somehow
necessary to me。  I get along very well without the luxury and the wealth
and the sort of society I've been accustomed to; but I do miss the
respect and can't seem to get reconciled to the absence of it。  There is
respect; there is deference here; but it doesn't fall to my share。  It is
lavished on two men。  One of them is a portly man of middle age who is a
retired plumber。  Everybody is pleased to have that man's notice。
He's full of pomp and circumstance and self complacency and bad grammar;
and at table he is Sir Oracle and when he opens his mouth not any dog in
the kennel barks。  The other person is a policeman at the capitol…
building。  He represents the government。  The deference paid to these two
men is not so very far short of that which is paid to an earl in England;
though the method of it differs。  Not so much courtliness; but the
deference is all there。

Yes; and there is obsequiousness; too。

It does rather look as if in a republic where all are free and equal;
prosperity and position constitute rank。




CHAPTER XIII。

The days drifted by; and they grew ever more dreary。  For Barrow's
efforts to find work for Tracy were unavailing。  Always the first
question asked was; 〃What Union do you belong to?〃

Tracy was obliged to reply that he didn't belong to any trade…union。

〃Very well; then; it's impossible to employ you。  My men wouldn't stay
with me if I should employ a 'scab;' or 'rat;'〃 or whatever the phrase
was。

Finally; Tracy had a happy thought。  He said; 〃Why the thing for me to
do; of course; is to join a trade…union。〃

〃Yes;〃 Barrow said; 〃that is the thing for you to doif you can。〃

〃If I can?  Is it difficult?〃

〃Well; Yes;〃 Barrow said; 〃it's sometimes difficultin fact; very
difficult。  But you can try; and of course it will be best to try。〃

Therefore Tracy tried; but he did not succeed。  He was refused admission
with a good deal of promptness; and was advised to go back home; where he
belonged; not come here taking honest men's bread out of their mouths。
Tracy began to realize that the situation was desperate; and the thought
made him cold to the marrow。  He said to himself; 〃So there is an
aristocracy of position here; and an aristocracy of prosperity; and
apparently there is also an aristocracy of the ins as opposed to the
outs; and I am with the outs。  So the ranks grow daily; here。  Plainly
there are all kinds of castes here and only one that I belong to; the
outcasts。〃  But he couldn't even smile at his small joke; although he was
obliged to confess that he had a rather good opinion of it。  He was
feeling so defeated and miserable by this time that he could no longer
look with philosophical complacency on the horseplay of the young fellows
in the upper rooms at night。  At first it had been pleasant to see them
unbend and have a good time after having so well earned it by the labors
of the day; but now it all rasped upon his feelings and his dignity。
He lost patience with the spectacle。  When they were feeling good; they
shouted; they scuffled; they sang songs; they romped about the place like
cattle; and they generally wound up with a pillow fight; in which they
banged each other over the head; and threw the pillows in all directions;
and every now and then he got a buffet himself; and they were always
inviting him to join in。  They called him 〃Johnny Bull;〃 and invited him
with excessive familiarity to take a hand。  At first he had endured all
this with good nature; but latterly he had shown by his manner that it
was distinctly distasteful to him; and very soon he saw a change in the
manner of these young people toward him。  They were souring on him as
they would have expressed it in their language。  He had never been what
might be called popular。  That was hardly the phrase for it; he had
merely been liked; but now dislike for him was grow
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!