The Conflict [56]
care so much about him as this curious interview and his emotion at its end indicated. But on reflecting his astonishment disappeared, and he took the view that Dorn was simply impressed by his personality and by his ability--was perhaps craftily trying to disarm him and to destroy his political movement which was threatening to destroy the Workingmen's League. ``A very shrewd chap is Dorn,'' thought Davy--why do we always generously concede at least acumen to those we suspect of having a good opinion of us?--``A VERY shrewd chap. It's unfortunate he's cursed with that miserable envy of those better born and better off than he is.''
Davy spent the early evening at the University Club, where he was an important figure. Later on he went to a dance at Mrs. Venable's--and there he was indeed a lion, as an unmarried man with money cannot but be in a company of ladies--for money to a lady is what soil and sun and rain are to a flower--is that without which she must cease to exist. But still later, when he was alone in bed--perhaps with the supper he ate at Mrs. Venable's not sitting as lightly as comfort required--the things Victor Dorn had said came trailing drearily through his mind. What kind of an article would Dorn print? Those facts about the campaign fund certainly would look badly in cold type--especially if Dorn had the proofs. And Hugo Galland-- Beyond question the mere list of the corporations in which Hugo was director or large stockholder would make him absurd as a judge, sitting in that district. And Hugo the son-in-law of the most offensive capitalist in that section of the State! And the deal with House, endorsed by Kelly--how nasty that would look, IF Victor had the proofs. IF Victor had the proofs. But had he?
``I MUST have a talk with Kelly,'' said Davy, aloud.
The words startled him--not his voice suddenly sounding in the profound stillness of his bedroom, but the words themselves. It was his first admission to himself of the vicious truth he had known from the outset and had been pretending to himself that he did not know--the truth that his reform movement was a fraud contrived by Dick Kelly to further the interests of the company of financiers and the gang of politico- criminal thugs who owned the party machinery. It is a nice question whether a man is ever allowed to go in HONEST self-deception decisively far along a wrong road. However this may be, certain it is that David Hull, reformer, was not so allowed. And he was glad of the darkness that hid him at least physically from himself as he strove to convince himself that, if he was doing wrong, it was from the highest motives and for the noblest purposes and would result in the public good-- and not merely in fame and office for David Hull.
The struggle ended as struggles usually end in the famous arena of moral sham battles called conscience; and toward the middle of the following morning Davy, at peace with himself and prepared to make any sacrifice of personal squeamishness or moral idealism for the sake of the public good, sought out Dick Kelly.
Kelly's original headquarters had, of course, been the doggery in and through which he had established himself as a political power. As his power grew and his relations with more respectable elements of society extended he shifted to a saloon and beer garden kept by a reputable German and frequented by all kinds of people--a place where his friends of the avowedly criminal class and his newer friends of the class that does nothing legally criminal, except in emergencies, would feel equally at ease. He retained ownership of the doggery, but took his name down and put up that of his barkeeper. When he won his first big political fight and took charge of the public affairs of Remsen City and made an arrangement with Joe House where-- under Remsen City, whenever it wearied or sickened of Kelly, could take instead Kelly disguised as Joe House --when he thus became a full blown boss he established a secondary headquarters in addition to that at Herrmann's Garden. Every morning
Davy spent the early evening at the University Club, where he was an important figure. Later on he went to a dance at Mrs. Venable's--and there he was indeed a lion, as an unmarried man with money cannot but be in a company of ladies--for money to a lady is what soil and sun and rain are to a flower--is that without which she must cease to exist. But still later, when he was alone in bed--perhaps with the supper he ate at Mrs. Venable's not sitting as lightly as comfort required--the things Victor Dorn had said came trailing drearily through his mind. What kind of an article would Dorn print? Those facts about the campaign fund certainly would look badly in cold type--especially if Dorn had the proofs. And Hugo Galland-- Beyond question the mere list of the corporations in which Hugo was director or large stockholder would make him absurd as a judge, sitting in that district. And Hugo the son-in-law of the most offensive capitalist in that section of the State! And the deal with House, endorsed by Kelly--how nasty that would look, IF Victor had the proofs. IF Victor had the proofs. But had he?
``I MUST have a talk with Kelly,'' said Davy, aloud.
The words startled him--not his voice suddenly sounding in the profound stillness of his bedroom, but the words themselves. It was his first admission to himself of the vicious truth he had known from the outset and had been pretending to himself that he did not know--the truth that his reform movement was a fraud contrived by Dick Kelly to further the interests of the company of financiers and the gang of politico- criminal thugs who owned the party machinery. It is a nice question whether a man is ever allowed to go in HONEST self-deception decisively far along a wrong road. However this may be, certain it is that David Hull, reformer, was not so allowed. And he was glad of the darkness that hid him at least physically from himself as he strove to convince himself that, if he was doing wrong, it was from the highest motives and for the noblest purposes and would result in the public good-- and not merely in fame and office for David Hull.
The struggle ended as struggles usually end in the famous arena of moral sham battles called conscience; and toward the middle of the following morning Davy, at peace with himself and prepared to make any sacrifice of personal squeamishness or moral idealism for the sake of the public good, sought out Dick Kelly.
Kelly's original headquarters had, of course, been the doggery in and through which he had established himself as a political power. As his power grew and his relations with more respectable elements of society extended he shifted to a saloon and beer garden kept by a reputable German and frequented by all kinds of people--a place where his friends of the avowedly criminal class and his newer friends of the class that does nothing legally criminal, except in emergencies, would feel equally at ease. He retained ownership of the doggery, but took his name down and put up that of his barkeeper. When he won his first big political fight and took charge of the public affairs of Remsen City and made an arrangement with Joe House where-- under Remsen City, whenever it wearied or sickened of Kelly, could take instead Kelly disguised as Joe House --when he thus became a full blown boss he established a secondary headquarters in addition to that at Herrmann's Garden. Every morning