Before the meal was over he had inspired me with loyalty and pride；
enlisted the admiration of Jerry and Conybear and Johnnie Laurens； we
followed him into the smoking…room； sitting down in a row on a leather
lounge behind our elders。
Here； now that the gentlemen were alone； there was an inspiring largeness
in their talk that fired the imagination。 The subject was investments；
at first those of coal and iron in my own state； for Mr。 Watling； it
appeared； was counsel for the Boyne Iron Works。
〃It will pay you to keep an eye on that company； Mr。 Kyme；〃 he said；
knocking the ashes from his cigar。 〃Now that old Mr。 Durrett's gone〃
〃You don't mean to say Nathaniel Durrett's dead！〃 said Mr。 Kyme。
The lawyer nodded。
〃The old regime passed with him。 Adolf Scherer succeeds him； and you may
take my word for it； he's a coming man。 Mr。 Durrett； who was a judge of
men； recognized that。 Scherer was an emigrant； he had ideas； and rose to
be a foreman。 For the last few years Mr。 Durrett threw everything on his
shoulders。。。。〃
Little by little the scope of the discussion was enlarged until it ranged
over a continent； touching lightly upon lines of railroad； built or
projected； across the great west our pioneers had so lately succeeded in
wresting from the savages； upon mines of copper and gold hidden away
among the mountains； and millions of acres of forest and grazing lands
which a complacent government would relinquish provided certain
technicalities were met： touching lightly； too； very lightly；upon
senators and congressmen at Washington。 And for the first time I learned
that not the least of the functions of these representatives of the
people was to act as the medium between capital and investment； to
facilitate the handing over of the Republic's resources to those in a
position to develop them。 The emphasis was laid on development； or
rather on the resulting prosperity for the country： that was the
justification； and it was taken for granted as supreme。 Nor was it new
to me； this cult of prosperity。 I recalled the torch…light processions
of the tariff enthusiasts of my childhood days； my father's championship
of the Republican Party。 He had not idealized politicians； either。 For
the American； politics and ethics were strangers。
Thus I listened with increasing fascination to these gentlemen in evening
clothes calmly treating the United States as a melon patch that existed
largely for the purpose of being divided up amongst a limited and favored
number of persons。 I had a feeling of being among the initiated。 Where；
it may be asked； were my ideals？ Let it not be supposed that I believed
myself to have lost them。 If so； the impression I have given of myself
has been wholly inadequate。 No； they had been transmuted； that is all；
transmuted by the alchemy of Weathersfield； by the personality of
Theodore Watling into brighter visions。 My eyes rarely left his face； I
hung on his talk； which was interspersed with native humour； though he
did not always join in the laughter； sometimes gazing at the fire； as
though his keen mind were grappling with a problem suggested。 I noted
the respect in which his opinions were held； and my imagination was fired
by an impression of the power to be achieved by successful men of his
profession； by the evidence of their indispensability to capital
itself。。。。 At last when the gentlemen rose and were leaving the room；
Mr。 Watling lingered； with his hand on my arm。
〃Of course you're going through the Law School； Hugh；〃 he said。
〃Yes； sir；〃 I replied。
〃Good！〃 he exclaimed emphatically。 〃The law； to…day； is more of a career
than ever； especially for a young man with your antecedents and
advantages； and I know of no city in the United States where I would
rather start practice； if I were a young man； than ours。 In the next
twenty years we shall see a tremendous growth。 Of course you'll be going
into your father's office。 You couldn't do better。 But I'll keep an eye
on you； and perhaps I'll be able to help you a little； too。〃
I thanked him gratefully。
A famous artist； who started out in youth to embrace a military career
and who failed to pass an examination at West Point； is said to have
remarked that if silicon had been a gas he would have been a soldier。 I
am afraid I may have given the impression that if I had not gone to
Weathersfield and encountered Mr。 Watling I might not have been a lawyer。
This impression would be misleading。 And while it is certain that I have
not exaggerated the intensity of the spiritual experience I went through
at Cambridge； a somewhat belated consideration for the truth compels me
to register my belief that the mood would in any case have been
ephemeral。 The poison generated by the struggle of my nature with its
environment had sunk too deep； and the very education that was supposed
to make a practical man of me had turned me into a sentimentalist。 I
became； as will be seen； anything but a practical man in the true sense；
though the world in which I had been brought up and continued to live
deemed me such。 My father was greatly pleased when I wrote him that I
was now more than ever convinced of the wisdom of choosing the law as my
profession； and was satisfied that I had come to my senses at last。 He
had still been prepared to see me 〃go off at a tangent；〃 as he expressed
it。 On the other hand； the powerful effect of the appeal made by
Weathersfield and Mr。 Watling must not be underestimated。 Here in one
object lesson was emphasized a host of suggestions each of which had made
its impression。 And when I returned to Cambridge Alonzo Cheyne knew that
he had lost me。。。。
I pass over the rest of my college course； and the years I spent at the
Harvard Law School； where were instilled into me without difficulty the
dictums that the law was the most important of all professions； that
those who entered it were a priestly class set aside to guard from
profanation that Ark of the Covenant； the Constitution of the United
States。 In short； I was taught law precisely as I had been taught
religion；scriptural infallibility over again；a static law and a
static theology；a set of concepts that were supposed to be equal to any
problems civilization would have to meet until the millennium。 What we
are wont to call wisdom is often naively innocent of impending change。
It has no barometric properties。
I shall content myself with relating one incident only of this period。
In the January of my last year I went with a party of young men and girls
to stay over Sunday at Beverly Farms； where Mrs。 Fremantlea young
Boston matron had opened her cottage for the occasion。 This 〃cottage；〃 a
roomy； gabled structure； stood on a cliff； at the foot of which roared
the wintry Atlantic； while we danced and popped corn before the open
fires。 During the daylight hours we drove about the country in sleighs；
or made ridiculous attempts to walk on snow…shoes。
On Sunday afternoon； left temporarily to my own devices； I wandered along
the cliff； crossing into the adjoining property。 The wind had fallen；
the waves； much subdued； broke rhythmically against the rocks； during the
night a new mantle of snow had been spread； and the clouds were still low
and menacing。 As I strolled I became aware of a motionless figure ahead
of me；one that seemed oddly familiar； the set of the shabby overcoat on
the stooping shoulders； the unconscious pose contributed to a certain
sharpness of individuality； in the act of challenging my memory； I
halted。 The man was gazing at the seascape； and his very absorption gave
me a sudden and unfamiliar thrill。 The word absorption precisely
expresses my meaning； for he seemed indeed to have become a part of his
surroundings；an harmonious part。 Presently he swung about and looked
at me as though he had expected to find me thereand greeted me by name。
〃Krebs！〃 I exclaimed。
He smiled； and flung out his arm； indicating the scene。 His eyes at that
moment seemed to reflect the sea；they made the gaunt face suddenly
beautiful。
〃This reminds me of a Japanese print；〃 he said。
The words； or the tone in which he spoke； curiously transformed the
picture。 It was as if I now beheld it； anew； through his vision： the
grey water stretching eastward to melt into the grey sky； the massed；
black trees on the hillside； powdered with white； the snow in rounded；
fantastic patches on the huge boulders at the foot of the cliff。 Krebs
did not seem like a stranger； but like one whom I had known always；one
who stood in a peculiar relationship between me and something greater I
could not define。 The impression was fleeting； but real。。。。 I remember
wondering how he could have known anything about Japanese prints。
〃I didn't think you were still in this part of the country；〃 I remarked
awkwardly。
〃I'm a reporter on a Boston newspaper； and I've been sent up here to
interview old Mr。 Dome； who lives in that house；〃 and he pointed to a
roof above the trees。 〃There is a rumour； which I hope to verify； that
he has just given a hundred thousand dollars to the University。〃
〃Andwon't he see you？〃
〃At present he's taking a nap；〃 said Krebs。 〃