a hazard of new fortunes v1-第2部分

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was　more　an　accident　than　anything　else　that　I　got　into　the　insurance
business。　　I　suppose　I　secretly　hoped　that　if　I　made　my　living　by
something　utterly　different；　I　could　come　more　freshly　to　literature
proper　in　my　leisure。〃

〃I　see；　and　you　found　the　insurance　business　too　many；　for　you。　　Well；
anyway；　you've　always　had　a　hankering　for　the　inkpots；　and　the　fact　that
you　first　gave　me　the　idea　of　this　thing　shows　that　you've　done　more　or
less　thinking　about　magazines。〃

〃Yesless。〃

〃Well；　all　right。　　Now　don't　you　be　troubled。　　I　know　what　I　want；
generally；　speaking；　and　in　this　particular　instance　I　want　you。　　I　might
get　a　man　of　more　experience；　but　I　should　probably　get　a　man　of　more
prejudice　and　self…conceit　along　with　him；　and　a　man　with　a　following　of
the　literary　hangers…on　that　are　sure　to　get　round　an　editor　sooner　or
later。　　I　want　to　start　fair；　and　I've　found　out　in　the　syndicate
business　all　the　men　that　are　worth　having。　　But　they　know　me；　and　they
don't　know　you；　and　that's　where　we　shall　have　the　pull　on　them。　　They
won't　be　able　to　work　the　thing。　　Don't　you　be　anxious　about　the
experience。　　I've　got　experience　enough　of　my　own　to　run　a　dozen　editors。
What　I　want　is　an　editor　who　has　taste；　and　you've　got　it；　and
conscience；　and　you've　got　it；　and　horse　sense；　and　you've　got　that。
And　I　like　you　because　you're　a　Western　man；　and　I'm　another。　　I　do
cotton　to　a　Western　man　when　I　find　him　off　East　here；　holding　his　own
with　the　best　of　'em；　and　showing　'em　that　he's　just　as　much　civilized　as
they　are。　　We　both　know　what　it　is　to　have　our　bright　home　in　the　setting
sun；　heigh？〃

〃I　think　we　Western　men　who've　come　East　are　apt　to　take　ourselves　a
little　too　objectively　and　to　feel　ourselves　rather　more　representative
than　we　need；〃　March　remarked。

Fulkerson　was　delighted。　　〃You've　hit　it！　　We　do！　　We　are！〃

〃And　as　for　holding　my　own；　I'm　not　very　proud　of　what　I've　done　in　that
way；　it's　been　very　little　to　hold。　　But　I　know　what　you　mean；　Fulkerson；
and　I've　felt　the　same　thing　myself；　it　warmed　me　toward　you　when　we
first　met。　　I　can't　help　suffusing　a　little　to　any　man　when　I　hear　that
he　was　born　on　the　other　side　of　the　Alleghanies。　　It's　perfectly　stupid。
I　despise　the　same　thing　when　I　see　it　in　Boston　people。〃

Fulkerson　pulled　first　one　of　his　blond　whiskers　and　then　the　other；　and
twisted　the　end　of　each　into　a　point；　which　he　left　to　untwine　itself。
He　fixed　March　with　his　little　eyes；　which　had　a　curious　innocence　in
their　cunning；　and　tapped　the　desk　immediately　in　front　of　him。　　〃What　I
like　about　you　is　that　you're　broad　in　your　sympathies。　　The　first　time　I
saw　you；　that　night　on　the　Quebec　boat；　I　said　to　myself　：　'There's　a　man
I　want　to　know。　　There's　a　human　being。'　　I　was　a　little　afraid　of　Mrs。
March　and　the　children；　but　I　felt　at　home　with　youthoroughly
domesticatedbefore　I　passed　a　word　with　you；　and　when　you　spoke　first；
and　opened　up　with　a　joke　over　that　fellow's　tableful　of　light　literature
and　Indian　moccasins　and　birch…bark　toy　canoes　and　stereoscopic　views；
I　knew　that　we　were　brothers…spiritual　twins。　　I　recognized　the　Western
style　of　fun；　and　I　thought；　when　you　said　you　were　from　Boston；　that　it
was　some　of　the　same。　　But　I　see　now　that　its　being　a　cold　fact；　as　far
as　the　last　fifteen　or　twenty　years　count；　is　just　so　much　gain。　　You
know　both　sections；　and　you　can　make　this　thing　go；　from　ocean　to　ocean。〃

〃We　might　ring　that　into　the　prospectus；　too；〃　March　suggested；　with　a
smile。　　〃You　might　call　the　thing　'From　Sea　to　Sea。'　　By…the…way；　what
are　you　going　to　call　it？〃

〃I　haven't　decided　yet；　that's　one　of　the　things　I　wanted　to　talk　with
you　about。　　I　had　thought　of　'The　Syndicate'；　but　it　sounds　kind　of　dry；
and　doesn't　seem　to　cover　the　ground　exactly。　　I　should　like　something
that　would　express　the　co…operative　character　of　the　thing；　but　I　don't
know　as　I　can　get　it。〃

〃Might　call　it　'The　Mutual'。〃

〃They'd　think　it　was　an　insurance　paper。　　No；　that　won't　do。　　But　Mutual
comes　pretty　near　the　idea。　　If　we　could　get　something　like　that；　it
would　pique　curiosity；　and　then　if　we　could　get　paragraphs　afloat
explaining　that　the　contributors　were　to　be　paid　according　to　the　sales；
it　would　be　a　first…rate　ad。〃

He　bent　a　wide；　anxious；　inquiring　smile　upon　March；　who　suggested；
lazily：　〃You　might　call　it　'The　Round…Robin'。　　That　would　express　the
central　idea　of　irresponsibility。　　As　I　understand；　everybody　is　to　share
the　profits　and　be　exempt　from　the　losses。　　Or；　if　I'm　wrong；　and　the
reverse　is　true；　you　might　call　it　'The　Army　of　Martyrs'。　　Come；　that
sounds　attractive；　Fulkerson！　　Or　what　do　you　think　of　'The　Fifth　Wheel'？
That　would　forestall　the　criticism　that　there　are　too　many　literary
periodicals　already。　　Or；　if　you　want　to　put　forward　the　idea　of　complete
independence；　you　could　call　it　'The　Free　Lance'；　or〃

〃Or　'The　Hog　on　Ice'either　stand　up　or　fall　down；　you　know；〃　Fulkerson
broke　in　coarsely。　　〃But　we'll　leave　the　name　of　the　magazine　till　we　get
the　editor。　　I　see　the　poison's　beginning　to　work　in　you；　March；　and　if　I
had　time　I'd　leave　the　result　to　time。　　But　I　haven't。　　I've　got　to　know
inside　of　the　next　week。　　To　come　down　to　business　with　you；　March；　I
sha'n't　start　this　thing　unless　I　can　get　you　to　take　hold　of　it。〃

He　seemed　to　expect　some　acknowledgment；　and　March　said；　〃Well；　that's
very　nice　of　you；　Fulkerson。〃

〃No；　sir；　no；　sir！　I've　always　liked　you　and　wanted　you　ever　since　we　met
that　first　night。　　I　had　this　thing　inchoately　in　my　mind　then；　when　I
was　telling　you　about　the　newspaper　syndicate　businessbeautiful　vision
of　a　lot　of　literary　fellows　breaking　loose　from　the　bondage　of
publishers　and　playing　it　alone〃

〃You　might　call　it　'The　Lone　Hand'；　that　would　be　attractive；〃　March
interrupted。　　〃The　whole　West　would　know　what　you　meant。〃

Fulkerson　was　talking　seriously；　and　March　was　listening　seriously；　but
they　both　broke　off　and　laughed。　　Fulkerson　got　down　off　the　table　and
made　some　turns　about　the　room。　　It　was　growing　late；　the　October　sun　had
left　the　top　of　the　tall　windows；　it　was　still　clear　day；　but　it　would
soon　be　twilight；　they　had　been　talking　a　long　time。　　Fulkerson　came　and
stood　with　his　little　feet　wide　apart；　and　bent　his　little　lean；　square
face　on　March。　　〃See　here！　How　much　do　you　get　out　of　this　thing　here；
anyway？〃

〃The　insurance　business？〃　March　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　said；　with　a
certain　effort　of　reserve；　〃At　present　about　three　thousand。〃　　He　looked
up　at　Fulkerson　with　a　glance；　as　if　he　had　a　mind　to　enlarge　upon　the
fact；　and　then　dropped　his　eyes　without　saying　more。

Whether　Fulkerson　had　not　thought　it　so　much　or　not；　he　said：　〃Well；　I'll
give　you　thirty…five　hundred。　　Come！　　And　your　chances　in　the　success。〃

〃We　won't　count　the　chances　in　the　success。　　And　I　don't　believe
thirty…five　hundred　would　go　any　further　in　New　York　than　three　thousand
in　Boston。〃

〃But　you　don't　live　on　three　thousand　here？〃

〃No；　my　wife　has　a　little　property。〃

〃Well；　she　won't　lose　the　income　if　you　go　to　New　York。　　I　suppose　you
pay　ten　or　twelve　hundred　a　year　for　your　house　here。　　You　can　get　plenty
of　flats　in　New　York　for　the　same　money；　and　I　understand　you　can　get　all
sorts　of　provisions　for　less　than　you　pay　nowthree　or　four　cents　on　the
pound。　　Come！〃

This　was　by　no　means　the　first　talk　they　had　had　about　the　matter；　every
three　or　four　months　during　the　past　two　years　the　syndicate　man　had
dropped　in　upon　March　to　air　the　scheme　and　to　get　his　impressions　of　it。
This　had　happened　so　often　that　it　had　come　to　be　a　sort　of　joke　between
them。　　But　now　Fulkerson　clearly　meant　business；　and　March　had　a　struggle
to　maintain　himself　in　a　firm　poise　of　refusal。

〃I　dare　say　it　wouldn'tor　it　needn't…cost　so　very　much　more；　but　I
don't　want　to　go　to　New　York；　or　my　wife　doesn't。　　It's　the　same　thing。〃

〃A　good　deal　samer；〃　Fulkerson　admitted。

March　did　not　quite　like　his　candor；　and　he　went　on　with　dignity。
〃It's　very　natural　she　shouldn't。　　She　has　always　lived　in　Boston；　she's
attached　to　the　place。　　Now；　if　you　were　going　to　start　'The　Fifth　Wheel'
in　Boston〃

Fulkerson　slowly　and　sadly　shook　his　head；　but　decidedly。　　〃Wouldn't　do。
You　might　as　well　say　St。　Louis　or　Cincinnati。　　There's　only　one　city
that　belongs　to　the　whole　country；　and　that's　New　York。〃

〃Yes；　I　know；〃　sighed　March；　〃and　Boston　belongs　to　the　Bostonians；　but
they　like　you　to　make　yourself　at　home　while　you're　visiting。〃

〃If　you'll　agree　to　make　phrases　like　that；　right　along；　and　get　them
into　'The　Round…Robin'　somehow；　I'll　say　four　thousand；〃　said　Fulkerson。
〃You　think　it　over　now；　March。　　You　talk　it　over　with　Mrs。　March；　I　know
you　will；　anyway；　and　I　might　as　well　make　a　virtue　of　advising　you　to　do
it。　　Tell　her　I　advised　you　to　do　it；　and　you　let　me　know　before　next
Saturday　what　you've　decided。〃

March　shut　down　the　rolling　top　of　his　desk　in　the　corner　of　the　room；
and　walked　Fulkerson　out　before　him。　　It　was　so　late　that　the　last　of　the
chore…women　who　washed　down　the　marble　halls　and　stairs　of　the　great
building　had　wrung　out　her　floor…cloth　and　departed；　leaving　spotless
stone　and　a　clean；　damp　smell　in　the　darkening　corridors　behind　her。

〃Couldn't　offer　you　such　swell　quarters　in　New　York；　March；〃　Fulkerson
said；　as　he　went　tack…tacking　down　the　steps　with　his　small　boot…heels。
〃But　I've　got　my　eye　on　a　little　house　round　in　West　Eleventh　Street　that
I'm　going　to　fit　up　for　my　bachelor's　hall　in　the　third　story；　and　adapt
for　'The　Lone　Hand'　in　the　first　and　second；　if　this　thing　goes　through；
and　I　guess　we'll　be　pretty　comfortable。　　It's　right　on　the　Sand　Strip
no　malaria　of　any　kind。〃

〃I　don't　know　that　I'm　going　to　share　its　salubrity　with　you　yet；〃　March
sighed；　in　an　obvious　travail　which　gave　Fulkerson　hopes。

〃Oh　yes；　you　are；〃　he　coaxed。　　〃Now；　you　talk　it　over　with　your　wife。
You　give　her　a　fair；　unprejudiced　chance　at　the　thing　on　its　merits；　and
I'm　very　much　mistaken　in　Mrs。　March　if　she　doesn't　tell　you　to　go　in　and
win。　　We're　bound　to　win！〃

They　stood　on　the　outside　steps　of　the　vast　edifice　beetling　like　a
granite　crag　abov