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take Mr。 Arkwright away from us； Stanton？〃 he asked； smiling。
Stanton shrugged his shoulders and sat down again； and there was a
moment's pause。 It was broken by the man in the overcoat； who laughed。
〃He's paying you a compliment； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said。 He pointed
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with his cigar to the gentleman at Arkwright's side。
〃I don't understand；〃 Arkwright answered doubtfully。
〃It's a compliment to your eloquencehe's afraid to leave you alone
with the senator。 Livingstone's been telling us that you are a better talker
than Stanton。〃 Arkwright turned a troubled countenance toward the men
about the table； and then toward Livingstone； but that young man had his
eyes fixed gravely on the glasses before him and did not raise them。
Arkwright felt a sudden； unreasonable fear of the circle of strong…
featured； serene and confident men about him。 They seemed to be
making him the subject of a jest； to be enjoying something among
themselves of which he was in ignorance； but which concerned him
closely。 He turned a white face toward Stanton。
〃You don't mean；〃 he began piteously； 〃thatthat you are not going？
Is that ittell meis that what you wanted to say？〃
Stanton shifted in his chair and muttered some words between his lips；
then turned toward Arkwright and spoke quite clearly and distinctly。
〃I am very sorry； Mr。 Arkwright；〃 he said； 〃but I am afraid I'll have to
disappoint you。 Reasons I cannot now explain have arisen which make
my going impossiblequite impossible；〃 he added firmly〃not only now；
but later；〃 he went on quickly； as Arkwright was about to interrupt him。
Arkwright made no second attempt to speak。 He felt the muscles of
his face working and the tears coming to his eyes； and to hide his
weakness he twisted in his chair and sat staring ahead of him with his back
turned to the table。 He heard Livingstone's voice break the silence with
some hurried question； and immediately his embarrassment was hidden in
a murmur of answers and the moving of glasses as the men shifted in their
chairs and the laughter and talk went on as briskly as before。 Arkwright
saw a sideboard before him and a servant arranging some silver on one of
the shelves。 He watched the man do this with a concentrated interest as
though the dull； numbed feeling in his brain caught at the trifle in order to
put off； as long as possible； the consideration of the truth。
And then beyond the sideboard and the tapestry on the wall above it；
he saw the sun shining down upon the island of Cuba； he saw the royal
palms waving and bending； the dusty columns of Spanish infantry
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crawling along the white roads and leaving blazing huts and smoking
cane…fields in their wake； he saw skeletons of men and women seeking for
food among the refuse of the street； he heard the order given to the firing
squad； the splash of the bullets as they scattered the plaster on the prison
wall； and he saw a kneeling figure pitch forward on its face； with a useless
bandage tied across its sightless eyes。
Senator Stanton brought him back with a sharp shake of the shoulder。
He had also turned his back on the others； and was leaning forward with
his elbows on his knees。 He spoke rapidly； and in a voice only slightly
raised above a whisper。
〃I am more than sorry； Arkwright；〃 he said earnestly。 〃You mustn't
blame me altogether。 I have had a hard time of it this afternoon。 I
wanted to go。 I really wanted to go。 The thing appealed to me； it
touched me； it seemed as if I owed it to myself to do it。 But they were
too many for me；〃 he added with a backward toss of his head toward the
men around his table。
〃If the papers had not told on me I could have got well away；〃 he went
on in an eager tone； 〃but as soon as they read of it； they came here straight
from their offices。 You know who they are； don't you？〃 he asked； and
even in his earnestness there was an added touch of importance in his tone
as he spoke the name of his party's leader； of men who stood prominently
in Wall Street and who were at the head of great trusts。
〃You see how it is；〃 he said with a shrug of his shoulders。 〃They
have enormous interests at stake。 They said I would drag them into war；
that I would disturb values； that the business interests of the country would
suffer。 I'm under obligations to most of them； they have advised me in
financial matters； and they threatenedthey threatened to make it
unpleasant for me。〃 His voice hardened and he drew in his breath
quickly； and laughed。 〃You wouldn't understand if I were to tell you。
It's rather involved。 And after all； they may be right； agitation may be
bad for the country。 And your party leader after all is your party leader；
isn't he； and if he says 'no' what are you to do？ My sympathies are just as
keen for these poor women and children as ever； but as these men say；
'charity begins at home；' and we mustn't do anything to bring on war prices
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again； or to send stocks tumbling about our heads； must we？〃 He leaned
back in his chair again and sighed。 〃Sympathy is an expensive luxury； I
find；〃 he added。
Arkwright rose stiffly and pushed Stanton away from him with his
hand。 He moved like a man coming out of a dream。
〃Don't talk to me like that；〃 he said in a low voice。 The noise about
the table ended on the instant； but Arkwright did not notice that it had
ceased。 〃You know I don't understand that；〃 he went on； 〃what does it
matter to me！〃 He put his hand up to the side of his face and held it there；
looking down at Stanton。 He had the dull； heavy look in his eyes of a
man who has just come through an operation under some heavy drug。
〃'Wall Street；' 'trusts；' 'party leaders；'〃 he repeated； 〃what are they to me？
The words don't reach me； they have lost their meaning； it is a language I
have forgotten； thank God！〃 he added。 He turned and moved his eyes
around the table； scanning the faces of the men before him。
〃Yes； you are twelve to one；〃 he said at last； still speaking dully and in
a low voice； as though he were talking to himself。 〃You have won a
noble victory； gentlemen。 I congratulate you。 But I do not blame you；
we are all selfish and self…seeking。 I thought I was working only for
Cuba； but I was working for myself； just as you are。 I wanted to feel that
it was I who had helped to bring relief to that plague…spot； that it was
through my efforts the help had come。 Yes； if he had done as I asked； I
suppose I would have taken the credit。〃
He swayed slightly； and to steady himself caught at the back of his
chair。 But at the same moment his eyes glowed fiercely and he held
himself erect again。 He pointed with his finger at the circle of great men
who sat looking up at him in curious silence。
〃You are like a ring of gamblers around a gaming table；〃 he cried
wildly； 〃who see nothing but the green cloth and the wheel and the piles of
money before them； who forget in watching the money rise and fall； that
outside the sun is shining； that human beings are sick and suffering； that
men are giving their lives for an idea； for a sentiment； for a flag。 You are
the money… changers in the temple of this great republic and the day will
come； I pray to God； when you will be scourged and driven out with whips。
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Do you think you can form combines and deals that will cheat you into
heaven？