interrupted by his exclamations when certain figures went by in the
corridor。
〃Say； Hugh； do you know who that was？〃
〃No。〃
〃Miller Gorse。〃
〃Who's he？〃
〃Do you mean to say you never heard of Miller Gorse？〃
〃I've been away a long time；〃 I would answer apologetically。 A person of
some importance among my contemporaries at Harvard； I had looked forward
to a residence in my native city with the complacency of one who has seen
something of the world；only to find that I was the least in the new
kingdom。 And it was a kingdom。 Larry opened up to me something of the
significance and extent of it； something of the identity of the men who
controlled it。
〃Miller Gorse；〃 he said impressively； 〃is the counsel for the railroad。〃
〃What railroad？ You mean the〃 I was adding； when he interrupted me
pityingly。
〃After you've been here a while you'll find out there's only one railroad
in this state； so far as politics are concerned。 The Ashuela and
Northern； the Lake Shore and the others don't count。〃
I refrained from asking any more questions at that time； but afterwards I
always thought of the Railroad as spelled with a capital。
〃Miller Gorse isn't forty yet；〃 Larry told me on another occasion。
〃That's doing pretty well for a man who comes near running this state。〃
For the sake of acquiring knowledge； I endured Mr。 Weed's patronage。 I
inquired how Mr。 Gorse ran the state。
〃Oh； you'll find out soon enough；〃 he assured me；
〃But Mr。 Barbour's president of the Railroad。〃
〃Sure。 Once in a while they take something up to him； but as a rule he
leaves things to Gorse。〃
Whereupon I resolved to have a good look at Mr。 Gorse at the first
opportunity。 One day Mr。 Watling sent out for some papers。
〃He's in there now；〃 said Larry。 〃You take 'em。〃
〃In there〃 meant Mr。 Watling's sanctum。 And in there he was。 I had only
a glance at the great man； for； with a kindly but preoccupied 〃Thank you；
Hugh；〃 Mr。 Watling took the papers and dismissed me。 Heaviness；
blackness and impassivity；these were the impressions of Mr。 Gorse which
I carried away from that first meeting。 The very solidity of his flesh
seemed to suggest the solidity of his position。 Such； say the
psychologists； is the effect of prestige。
I remember well an old…fashioned picture puzzle in one of my boyhood
books。 The scene depicted was to all appearances a sylvan； peaceful one；
with two happy lovers seated on a log beside a brook； but presently； as
one gazed at the picture； the head of an animal stood forth among the
branches； and then the body； more animals began to appear； bit by bit； a
tiger； a bear； a lion； a jackal； a fox； until at last； whenever I looked
at the page； I did not see the sylvan scene at all； but only the
predatory beasts of the forest。 So； one by one； the figures of the real
rulers of the city superimposed themselves for me upon the simple and
democratic design of Mayor； Council； Board of Aldermen； Police Force；
etc。； that filled the eye of a naive and trusting electorate which fondly
imagined that it had something to say in government。 Miller Gorse was
one of these rulers behind the screen； and Adolf Scherer； of the Boyne
Iron Works； another； there was Leonard Dickinson of the Corn National
Bank； Frederick Grierson； becoming wealthy in city real estate； Judah B。
Tallant； who； though outlawed socially； was deferred to as the owner of
the Morning Era； and even Ralph Hambleton； rapidly superseding the
elderly and conservative Mr。 Lord； who had hitherto managed the great
Hambleton estate。 Ralph seemed to have become； in a somewhat gnostic
manner； a full…fledged financier。 Not having studied law； he had been
home for four years when I became a legal fledgling； and during the early
days of my apprenticeship I was beholden to him for many 〃eye openers〃
concerning the conduct of great affairs。 I remember him sauntering into
my room one morning when Larry Weed had gone out on an errand。
〃Hello； Hughie；〃 he said； with his air of having nothing to do。
〃Grinding it out？ Where's Watling？〃
〃Isn't he in his office？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； what can we do for you？〃 I asked。
Ralph grinned。
〃Perhaps I'll tell you when you're a little older。 You're too young。〃
And he sank down into Larry Weed's chair； his long legs protruding on the
other side of the table。 〃It's a matter of taxes。 Some time ago I found
out that Dickinson and Tallant and others I could mention were paying a
good deal less on their city property than we are。 We don't propose to
do it any morethat's all。〃
〃How can Mr。 Watling help you？〃 I inquired。
〃Well； I don't mind giving you a few tips about your profession； Hughie。
I'm going to get Watling to fix it up with the City Hall gang。 Old Lord
doesn't like it； I'll admit； and when I told him we had been contributing
to the city long enough； that I proposed swinging into line with other
property holders； he began to blubber about disgrace and what my
grandfather would say if he were alive。 Well； he isn't alive。 A good
deal of water has flowed under the bridges since his day。 It's a mere
matter of business； of getting your respectable firm to retain a City
Hall attorney to fix it up with the assessor。〃
〃How about the penitentiary？〃 I ventured； not too seriously。
〃I shan't go to the penitentiary； neither will Watling。 What I do is to
pay a lawyer's fee。 There isn't anything criminal in that； is there？〃
For some time after Ralph had departed I sat reflecting upon this new
knowledge； and there came into my mind the bitterness of Cousin Robert
Breck against this City Hall gang； and his remarks about lawyers。 I
recalled the tone in which he had referred to Mr。 Watling。 But Ralph's
philosophy easily triumphed。 Why not be practical； and become master of
a situation which one had not made； and could not alter； instead of being
overwhelmed by it？ Needless to say； I did not mention the conversation
to Mr。 Watling； nor did he dwindle in my estimation。 These necessary
transactions did not interfere in any way with his personal
relationships； and his days were filled with kindnesses。 And was not Mr。
Ripon； the junior partner； one of the evangelical lights of the
community； conducting advanced Bible classes every week in the Church of
the Redemption？。。。 The unfolding of mysteries kept me alert。 And I
understood that； if I was to succeed； certain esoteric knowledge must be
acquired； as it were； unofficially。 I kept my eyes and ears open； and
applied myself； with all industry； to the routine tasks with which every
young man in a large legal firm is familiar。 I recall distinctly my
pride when； the Board of Aldermen having passed an ordinance lowering the
water rates； I was intrusted with the responsibility of going before the
court in behalf of Mr。 Ogilvy's water company； obtaining a temporary
restricting order preventing the ordinance from going at once into
effect。 Here was an affair in point。 Were it not for lawyers of the
calibre of Watling； Fowndes and Ripon； hard…earned private property would
soon be confiscated by the rapacious horde。 Once in a while I was made
aware that Mr。 Watling had his eye on me。
〃Well； Hugh；〃 he would say； 〃how are you getting along？ That's right；
stick to it； and after a while we'll hand the drudgery over to somebody
else。〃
He possessed the supreme quality of a leader of men in that he took pains
to inform himself concerning the work of the least of his subordinates；
and he had the gift of putting fire into a young man by a word or a touch
of the hand on the shoulder。 It was not difficult for me； therefore； to
comprehend Larry Weed's hero…worship； the loyalty of other members of the
firm or of those occupants of the office whom I have not mentioned。 My
first impression of him； which I had got at Jerry Kyme's； deepened as
time went on； and I readily shared the belief of those around me that his
legal talents easily surpassed those of any of his contemporaries。 I can
recall； at this time； several noted cases in the city when I sat in court
listening to his arguments with thrills of pride。 He made us all feel
no matter how humble may have been our contributions to the preparation
that we had a share in his triumphs。 We remembered his manner with
judges and juries； and strove to emulate it。 He spoke as if there could
be no question as to his being right as to the law and the facts； and
yet； in some subtle way that bated analysis； managed not to antagonize
the court。 Victory was in the air in that office。 I do not mean to say
there were not defeats； but frequently these defeats； by resourcefulness；
by a never…say…die spirit； by a consummate knowledge； not only of the
law； but of other things at which I have hinted； were turned into
ultimate victories。 We fought cases from one court to another； until our
opponents were worn out or the decision was reversed。 We won； and that
spirit of winning got into the blood。 What was most impressed on me in
those early years； I think； was the discovery that there was always a
pathif one were clever enough to find itfrom one terrace to the next
higher。 Staying power was the most prized of all the virtues。 One could
always； by adroitness； compel a legal opponent to fight the matter out
all over again on new ground； or at least on ground partially new。 If
the Court of Appeals should fail one； there was the Supreme Court； there
was the opportunity； also； to shift from the state to the federal courts；
and likewise the much…prized device known as a change of venue； when a
judge was supposed to be 〃prejudiced。〃
IX。
As my apprenticeship advanced I grew more and more to the inhabitants of
our city into two kinds； the who were served； and the inefficient； who
were separate efficient； neglected； but the mental process of which the
classification was the result was not so deliberate as may be supposed。
Sometimes； when an important client would get into trouble； the affair
took me into the police court； where I saw the riff…raff of the city
penned up； waiting to have justice doled out to them： weary women who had
spent the night in cells； indifferent now as to the front they presented
to the world； the