登陆注册
15324100000058

第58章

But one of Magnus's strongest instincts, one of his keenest desires, was to be, if only for a short time, the master.To control men had ever been his ambition; submission of any kind, his greatest horror.His energy stirred within him, goaded by the lash of his anger, his sense of indignity, of insult.Oh for one moment to be able to strike back, to crush his enemy, to defeat the railroad, hold the Corporation in the grip of his fist, put down S.Behrman, rehabilitate himself, regain his self-respect.To be once more powerful, to command, to dominate.His thin lips pressed themselves together; the nostrils of his prominent hawk-like nose dilated, his erect, commanding figure stiffened unconsciously.For a moment, he saw himself controlling the situation, the foremost figure in his State, feared, respected, thousands of men beneath him, his ambition at length gratified; his career, once apparently brought to naught, completed; success a palpable achievement.What if this were his chance, after all, come at last after all these years.His chance! The instincts of the old-time gambler, the most redoubtable poker player of El Dorado County, stirred at the word.Chance! To know it when it came, to recognise it as it passed fleet as a wind-flurry, grip at it, catch at it, blind, reckless, staking all upon the hazard of the issue, that was genius.Was this his Chance? All of a sudden, it seemed to him that it was.But his honour! His cherished, lifelong integrity, the unstained purity of his principles? At this late date, were they to be sacrificed? Could he now go counter to all the firm built fabric of his character? How, afterward, could he bear to look Harran and Lyman in the face? And, yet--and, yet--back swung the pendulum--to neglect his Chance meant failure; a life begun in promise, and ended in obscurity, perhaps in financial ruin, poverty even.To seize it meant achievement, fame, influence, prestige, possibly great wealth.

"I am so sorry to interrupt," said Mrs.Derrick, as she came up.

"I hope Mr.Annixter will excuse me, but I want Magnus to open the safe for me.I have lost the combination, and I must have some money.Phelps is going into town, and I want him to pay some bills for me.Can't you come right away, Magnus? Phelps is ready and waiting."Annixter struck his heel into the ground with a suppressed oath.

Always these fool feemale women came between him and his plans, mixing themselves up in his affairs.Magnus had been on the very point of saying something, perhaps committing himself to some course of action, and, at precisely the wrong moment, his wife had cut in.The opportunity was lost.The three returned toward the ranch house; but before saying good-bye, Annixter had secured from Magnus a promise to the effect that, before coming to a definite decision in the matter under discussion, he would talk further with him.

Presley met him at the porch.He was going into town with Phelps, and proposed to Annixter that he should accompany them.

"I want to go over and see old Broderson," Annixter objected.

But Presley informed him that Broderson had gone to Bonneville earlier in the morning.He had seen him go past in his buckboard.The three men set off, Phelps and Annixter on horseback, Presley on his bicycle.

When they had gone, Mrs.Derrick sought out her husband in the office of the ranch house.She was at her prettiest that morning, her cheeks flushed with excitement, her innocent, wide-open eyes almost girlish.She had fastened her hair, still moist, with a black ribbon tied at the back of her head, and the soft mass of light brown reached to below her waist, making her look very young.

"What was it he was saying to you just now," she exclaimed, as she came through the gate in the green-painted wire railing of the office."What was Mr.Annixter saying? I know.He was trying to get you to join him, trying to persuade you to be dishonest, wasn't that it? Tell me, Magnus, wasn't that it?"Magnus nodded.

His wife drew close to him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"But you won't, will you? You won't listen to him again; you won't so much as allow him--anybody--to even suppose you would lend yourself to bribery? Oh, Magnus, I don't know what has come over you these last few weeks.Why, before this, you would have been insulted if any one thought you would even consider anything like dishonesty.Magnus, it would break my heart if you joined Mr.Annixter and Mr.Osterman.Why, you couldn't be the same man to me afterward; you, who have kept yourself so clean till now.

And the boys; what would Lyman say, and Harran, and every one who knows you and respects you, if you lowered yourself to be just a political adventurer!"For a moment, Derrick leaned his head upon his hand, avoiding her gaze.At length, he said, drawing a deep breath: "I am troubled, Annie.These are the evil days.I have much upon my mind.""Evil days or not," she insisted, "promise me this one thing, that you will not join Mr.Annixter's scheme."She had taken his hand in both of hers and was looking into his face, her pretty eyes full of pleading.

"Promise me," she repeated; "give me your word.Whatever happens, let me always be able to be proud of you, as I always have been.Give me your word.I know you never seriously thought of joining Mr.Annixter, but I am so nervous and frightened sometimes.Just to relieve my mind, Magnus, give me your word.""Why--you are right," he answered."No, I never thought seriously of it.Only for a moment, I was ambitious to be--Idon't know what--what I had hoped to be once--well, that is over now.Annie, your husband is a disappointed man.""Give me your word," she insisted."We can talk about other things afterward."Again Magnus wavered, about to yield to his better instincts and to the entreaties of his wife.He began to see how perilously far he had gone in this business.He was drifting closer to it every hour.Already he was entangled, already his foot was caught in the mesh that was being spun.Sharply he recoiled.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 浮沧录

    浮沧录

    北有大魏,南有齐梁。西夏东关浩瀚,南海北原苍莽。四海之内,皆为江湖。只因身负天缺绝症的小殿下北上要寻长生。于是这片江湖,便不再太平。
  • 还好这次遇到你

    还好这次遇到你

    他是少年时候的何思安,是青年时期的顾纪何,不管是哪一个,却把最好的都给了她。他说:千乐,还好这次遇到你......
  • 神魔道主

    神魔道主

    人道喜创世,引五道窥伺,鬼子流落人界,杀手寻访人间,这里有魔法,有秘术,凡人逆天修行,引天劫,经生死劫,少年骑地狱三目犬一步步迈向六道轮回,展开了惊心动魄的故事。
  • 我们3班的事

    我们3班的事

    那年的校园中有我,有你,有他,也有她,更有我们。这是所有人都经历过的一段时光,它是最美,最好,最……(希望所有人都可以找到自己或朋友的身影)
  • 我们的青春不曾空白

    我们的青春不曾空白

    回望青春,想想那时年少的我们还真是天真,都说等老了才会知道,什么叫做后悔,什么叫做青春。其实仔细一下,那是你从没后悔过。我们的花季年代,只留给现在不留给未来。注意;有些其实人家打情骂俏,我写这么多干嘛?我不能乱写吧!名字是他们名字的缩写╮(╯_╰)╭
  • 一生的忠告大全集(优秀青少年必读)

    一生的忠告大全集(优秀青少年必读)

    本书是英国著名政治家查斯特菲尔德伯爵写给儿子的书信集,其中涉及到的学习、礼仪、处世、成功等话题,是当下年轻人关注的焦点话题,也是他们步入社会、走向成功必须学会的人生哲理。虽然查斯特菲尔德所处的时代与今天已相距甚远,但如果我们结合当今现实,这些书信中的一些观点与道理,对大家的处世、交友、立业仍是大有裨益的。翻开本书,开始一段处世、社交的阅读之旅,拨开心灵的迷雾,开启青春的航程。扬帆迈向成功的彼岸!
  • 盛世汐妃

    盛世汐妃

    前世,她是21世纪的s级杀手,被心爱的男人和自己一手带大的妹妹亲手杀死,附身到了这个时代的云府嫡女身上!从此,斗姨娘,斗渣男,走上一条宅斗的不归路……一顾倾人城,再顾倾人国!执子之手,与子偕老。她不是纯洁善良的小白兔,栽在她手上的人也不算少数,偏偏就有那么一个“不怕死”的妖孽天天来骚扰腻歪。“我要的是一生一世一双人,你,给得起么!”朱唇微张,冰冷地声音幽幽传来。
  • 文圣玩转都市

    文圣玩转都市

    “本座是天灵星系,81个行政星阴间主宰,言灵你本是13120年前死亡鬼魂,只因你死前中指朝天,一句‘顶你个肺’的言咒,触动天道刑罚,打入时空轮回,来到了13120年后的今天。时光万载,本座也无从再定你罪责,故遵从《第2748版星际阴间法规》,第444444条法令追加条例第666条,‘任何经不可抗力进入星际阴间的鬼魂,阴司当判定其为1级阴差,打回原籍服役,但享受同等星际阴间公务员待遇’。”“遵此条例,本座判定如下:言灵打回原籍,任星际阴司1级阴差,配YL9型魂念仪,即时启程!”这是一个拥有“金口玉言乌鸦嘴”天赋的星际阴差,被车撞死穿到万年后,又被天道时空轮罚打回4年前,开始在漫长万年时空流浪的故事……
  • 裁命师

    裁命师

    命是头颅,命是灵魂。砍掉头颅是裁命,失去灵魂也是裁命,平凡是自己乱丢命。陆小宁不想掉脑袋,也不想当个提线木偶,更不希望自己的命被乱丢在臭水沟里。有人说:“陆小宁的经历最传奇”,有人说:“陆小宁是神一般的存在”,也有人说:“他是个叛逆者”,更有甚者说他应该下地狱。在无数评价中,陆小宁最喜欢的还是这句“他不是裁命师,他只是个浪子。”命是自己的,要裁也只能自己用刀割。浪子人生,走天涯、喝大酒、睡女人、甩拳头,灵魂和身体的行走者。
  • 聂耳:人之初

    聂耳:人之初

    远远地,褐红油绿幽蓝火黄一片斑斓。是20世纪初叶边陲小城昆明起伏的山峦树林湖泊田野。近了,能看到滇池,看到睡美人山,看到松林,看到荞麦地油菜田,看到红泥土墼农舍,看到绣花围腰村妇喂鸡,看到斗笠农夫盘田……这一切与红土高原的红泥土做出强烈又沉稳的色彩对比。