第1章

Whenitsturncame，theprivatesecretary，somewhatapologetically，laidtheletterinfrontoftheWisestManinWallStreet。

\"FromMrs。Austin，probationofficer，CourtofGeneralSessions，\"

heexplained。\"WantsaletteraboutSpear。He’sbeenconvictedoftheft。ComesupforsentenceTuesday。\"

\"Spear？\"repeatedArnoldThorndike。

\"Youngfellow，stenographer，usedtodoyourletterslastsummergoinginandoutonthetrain。\"

Thegreatmannodded。\"Iremember。Whatabouthim？\"

Thehabitualgloomoftheprivatesecretarywaslightenedbyagrin。

\"Wentontheloose;hadwithhimaboutfivehundreddollarsbelongingtothefirm;he’swithIsaacs&Sonsnow，shoepeopleonSixthAvenue。Metawoman，andwokeupwithoutthemoney。Thenextmorningheofferedtomakegood，butIsaacscalledinapoliceman。Whentheylookedintoit，theyfoundtheboyhadbeendrunk。Theytriedtowithdrawthecharge，buthe’dbeencommitted。

Now，theprobationofficeristryingtogetthejudgetosuspendsentence。Aletterfromyou，sir，would——\"

Itwasevidentthemindofthegreatmanwaselsewhere。Youngmenwho，drunkorsober，spentthefirm’smoneyonwomenwhodisappearedbeforesunrisedidnotappealtohim。AnotherlettersubmittedthatmorninghadcomefromhisartagentinEurope。InFlorencehehaddiscoveredtheCorreggiohehadbeensenttofind。

Itwasundoubtedlygenuine，andheaskedtobeinstructedbycable。

Thepricewasfortythousanddollars。Withoneeyeclosed，andtheotherkeenlyregardingtheinkstand，Mr。Thorndikedecidedtopaytheprice;andwiththefacilityoflongpracticedismissedtheCorreggio，andsnappedhismindbacktothepresent。

\"Spearhadaletterfromuswhenheleft，didn’the？\"heasked。

\"Whathehasdevelopedinto，SINCEheleftus——\"heshruggedhisshoulders。Thesecretarywithdrewtheletter，andslippedanotherinitsplace。

\"HomerFirth，thelandscapeman，\"hechanted，\"wantspermissiontouseblueflintonthenewroad，withturfgutters，andtoplantsilverfirseachside。Saysitwillruntoaboutfivethousanddollarsamile。\"

\"No！\"protestedthegreatmanfirmly，\"blueflintmakesacountryplacelooklikeacemetery。Minelookstoomuchlikeacemeterynow。Landscapegardeners！\"heexclaimedimpatiently。\"Theironlyideaistoinsultnature。TheplacewasbetterthedayIboughtit，whenitwasrunningwild;youcouldpickflowersallthewaytothegates。\"Pleasedthatitshouldhaverecurredtohim，thegreatmansmiled。\"Why，Spear，\"heexclaimed，\"alwaystookinabunchofthemforhismother。Don’tyouremember，weusedtoseehimbeforebreakfastwanderingaroundthegroundspickingflowers？\"Mr。

Thorndikenoddedbriskly。\"Ilikehistakingflowerstohismother。\"

\"HeSAIDitwastohismother，\"suggestedthesecretarygloomily。

\"Well，hepickedtheflowers，anyway，\"laughedMr。Thorndike。\"Hedidn’tpickourpockets。Andhehadtherunofthehouseinthosedays。Asfarasweknow，\"hedictated，\"hewassatisfactory。

Don’tsaymorethanthat。\"

Thesecretaryscribbledamarkwithhispencil。\"Andthelandscapeman？\"

\"Tellhim，\"commandedThorndike，\"Iwantawoodroad，suitabletoafarm;andtoletthetreesgrowwhereGodplantedthem。\"

AshiscarsliddowntownonTuesdaymorningthemindofArnoldThorndikewasoccupiedwithsuchdetailsofdailyroutineasthepurchaseofarailroad，theJapaneseloan，thenewwingtohisartgallery，andanattackthatmorning，inhisownnewspaper，uponhispettrust。Buthisbusymindwasnottoooccupiedtoreturnthesalutesofthetrafficpolicemenwhoclearedthewayforhim。Or，bysomegeniusofmemory，torecallthefactthatitwasonthismorningyoungSpearwastobesentencedfortheft。Itwasacharmingmorning。Thespringwasatfulltide，andtheairwassweetandclean。Mr。Thorndikeconsideredwhimsicallythattosendamantojailwiththememoryofsuchamorningclingingtohimwasaddingayeartohissentence。Heregrettedhehadnotgiventheprobationofficerastrongerletter。Herememberedtheyoungmannow，andfavorably。Ashy，silentyouth，deftinwork，andatothertimesconsciousandembarrassed。Butthat，onthepartofastenographer，inthepresenceoftheWisestManinWallStreet，wasnotunnatural。Onoccasions，Mr。Thorndikehadputevenroyalty——

frayed，impecuniousroyalty，onthelookoutforaloan——atitsease。

Thehoodofthecarwasdown，andthetasteoftheair，warmedbythesun，wasgrateful。Itwasatthistime，ayearbefore，thatyoungSpearpickedthespringflowerstotaketohismother。A

yearfromnowwherewouldyoungSpearbe？

Itwascharacteristicofthegreatmantoactquickly，soquicklythathisfriendsdeclaredhewasaslavetoimpulse。Itwasthesesameimpulses，leadingsoinvariablytosuccess，thatmadehisenemiescallhimtheWisestMan。Heleanedforwardandtouchedthechauffeur’sshoulder。\"StopattheCourtofGeneralSessions，\"hecommanded。Whatheproposedtodowouldtakebutafewminutes。A

word，apersonalwordfromhimtothedistrictattorney，orthejudge，wouldbeenough。HerecalledthataSundaySpecialhadoncecalculatedthattheworkingtimeofArnoldThorndikebroughthimintwohundreddollarsaminute。Atthatrate，keepingSpearoutofprisonwouldcostathousanddollars。

OutofthesunshineMr。Thorndikesteppedintothegloomofanechoingrotunda，shutinoneveryside，hungbybalconies，lit，manystoriesoverhead，byadirtyskylight。Theplacewasdamp，theairacridwiththesmellofstaletobaccojuice，andfoulwiththepresenceofmanyunwashedhumans。Apoliceman，chewingstolidly，noddedtowardanelevatorshaft，andotherpolicemennoddedhimfurtherontotheofficeofthedistrictattorney。

ThereArnoldThorndikebreathedmorefreely。Hewasagainamonghisownpeople。Hecouldnothelpbutappreciatethedramaticqualitiesofthesituation;thattherichestmaninWallStreetshouldappearinpersontopleadforahumbleandweakerbrother。

Heknewhecouldnotescaperecognition，hisfacewastoowellknown，but，hetrusted，forthesakeofSpear，thereporterswouldmakenodisplayofhisvisit。Withadeprecatorylaugh，heexplainedwhyhehadcome。Buttheoutburstofapprobationhehadanticipateddidnotfollow。

Thedistrictattorneyranhisfingerbrisklydownaprintedcard。

\"HenrySpear，\"heexclaimed，\"that’syourman。PartThree，JudgeFallon。Andrewsisinthatcourt。\"Hewalkedtothedoorofhisprivateoffice。\"Andrews！\"hecalled。

Heintroducedanalert，broad—shoulderedyoungmanofyearsofmuchindiscretionandwithacharmingandinconsequentmanner。

\"Mr。ThorndikeisinterestedinHenrySpear，comingupforsentenceinPartThreethismorning。Wantstospeakforhim。Takehimoverwithyou。\"

Thedistrictattorneyshookhandsquickly，andretreatedtohisprivateoffice。Mr。Andrewstookoutacigaretteand，ashecrossedthefloor，litit。

\"Comewithme，\"hecommanded。Somewhatpuzzled，slightlyannoyed，butenjoyingwithalthenoveltyoftheenvironmentandthecurtnessofhisreception，Mr。Thorndikefollowed。Hedecidedthat，inhisignorance，hehadwastedhisowntimeandthatoftheprosecutingattorney。Heshouldatoncehavesentinhiscardtothejudge。

Asheunderstoodit，Mr。Andrewswasnowconductinghimtothatdignitary，and，inamoment，hewouldbefreetoreturntohisownaffairs，whichweretheaffairsoftwocontinents。ButMr。Andrewsledhimtoanoffice，bareandsmall，andofferedhimachair，andhandedhimamorningnewspaper。Therewerepeoplewaitingintheroom;strangepeople，onlylikethoseMr。Thorndikehadseenonferry—boats。TheyleanedforwardtowardyoungMr。Andrews，fawning，theireyeswidewithapprehension。

Mr。Thorndikerefusedthenewspaper。\"IthoughtIwasgoingtoseethejudge，\"hesuggested。

\"Courtdoesn’topenforafewminutesyet，\"saidtheassistantdistrictattorney。\"Judgeisalwayslate，anyway。\"

Mr。Thorndikesuppressedanexclamation。Hewantedtoprotest，buthisclearmindshowedhimthattherewasnothingagainstwhich，withreason，hecouldprotest。Hecouldnotcomplainbecausethesepeoplewerenotapparentlyawareofthesacrificehewasmaking。

Hehadcomeamongthemtoperformakindlyact。Herecognizedthathemustnotstultifyitbyashowofirritation。Hehadprecipitatedhimselfintoagameofwhichhedidnotknowtherules。Thatwasall。Nexttimehewouldknowbetter。Nexttimehewouldsendaclerk。Buthewasnotwithoutasenseofhumor，andthesituationasitnowwasforceduponhimstruckhimasamusing。Helaughedgood—naturedlyandreachedforthedesktelephone。

\"MayIusethis？\"heasked。HespoketotheWallStreetoffice。

Heexplainedhewouldbeafewminuteslate。Hedirectedwhatshouldbedoneifthemarketopenedinacertainway。Hegaverapidordersonmanydifferentmatters，askedtohavereadtohimacablegramheexpectedfromPetersburg，andonefromVienna。

\"Theyanswereachother，\"washisfinalinstruction。\"Itlookslikepeace。\"

Mr。Andrewswithgenialpatiencehadremainedsilent。Nowheturneduponhisvisitors。ALevantine，burly，unshaven，andsoiled，toweredtruculentlyabovehim。YoungMr。Andrewswithhisswivelchairtiltedback，hishandsclaspedbehindhishead，hiscigarettehangingfromhislips，regardedthemandispassionately。

\"Yougottahellofanervetocometoseeme，\"hecommentedcheerfully。ToMr。Thorndike，theformofgreetingwasnovel。Sogreatlydiditdifferfromtheprocedureofhisownoffice，thathelistenedwithinterest。

\"Wasityou，\"demandedyoungAndrews，inapuzzledtone，\"oryourbrotherwhotriedtoknifeme？\"Mr。Thorndike，unaccustomedtocrossthepavementtohisofficeunlessescortedbybankmessengersandplain—clothesmen，felttheroomgrowingrapidlysmaller;thefigureofthetruculentGreekloomedtoheroicproportions。Thehandofthebankerwentvaguelytohischin，andfromtherefelltohispearlpin，whichhehastilycovered。

\"Getout！\"saidyoungAndrews，\"anddon’tshowyourfacehere——\"

ThedoorslammedupontheflyingGreek。YoungAndrewsswunghisswivelchairsothat，overhisshoulder，hecouldseeMr。

Thorndike。\"Idon’tlikehisface，\"heexplained。

Akindlyeyed，sadwomanwithabasketonherkneesmileduponAndrewswiththefamiliarityofanoldacquaintance。

\"Isthatwomangoingtogetadivorcefrommyson，\"sheasked，\"nowthathe’sintrouble？\"

\"Nowthathe’sinSingSing？\"correctedMr。Andrews。\"IHOPEso！

Shedeservesit。Thatsonofyours，Mrs。Bernard，\"hedeclaredemphatically，\"isnogood！\"

ThebrutalityshockedMr。Thorndike。Forthewomanhefeltathrillofsympathy，butatoncesawthatitwassuperfluous。Fromthesecureandloftyheightsofmotherhood，Mrs。Bernardsmileddownupontheassistantdistrictattorneyasuponanaughtychild。

Shedidnotevendeignaprotest。Shecontinuedmerelytosmile。

ThesmileremindedThorndikeofthesmileonthefaceofamotherinapaintingbyMurillohehadlatelypresentedtothechapelinthecollegehehadgiventohisnativetown。

\"Thatsonofyours，\"repeatedyoungAndrews，\"isaleech。He’srobbedyou，robbedhiswife。BestthingIeverdidforYOUwastosendhimuptheriver。\"

Themothersmileduponhimbeseechingly。

\"Couldyougivemeapass？\"shesaid。

YoungAndrewsflunguphishandsandappealedtoThorndike。

\"Isn’tthatjustlikeamother？\"heprotested。\"Thatsonofhershasbrokenherheart，trampedonher，cheatedher;hasn’tleftheracent;andshecomestomeforapass，soshecankisshimthroughthebars！AndI’llbetshe’sgotacakeforhiminthatbasket！\"

Themotherlaughedhappily;sheknewnowshewouldgetthepass。

\"Mothers，\"explainedMr。Andrews，fromthedepthofhiswisdom，\"arealllikethat;yourmother，mymother。Ifyouwenttojail，yourmotherwouldbejustlikethat。\"

Mr。Thorndikebowedhisheadpolitely。Hehadneverconsideredgoingtojail，orwhether，ifhedid，hismotherwouldbringhimcakeinabasket。Apparentlythereweremanyaspectsandaccidentsoflifenotincludedinhisexperience。

YoungAndrewssprangtohisfeet，and，withtheforceofahoseflushingagutter，swepthissoiledvisitorsintothehall。

\"Comeon，\"hecalledtotheWisestMan，\"thecourtisopen。\"

Inthecorridorsweremanypeople，andwithhiseyesonthebroadshouldersoftheassistantdistrictattorney，Thorndikepushedhiswaythroughthem。Thepeoplewhoblockedhisprogresswereoftheclassunknowntohim。Theirlookswereanxious，furtive，miserable。Theystoodinlittlegroups，listeningeagerlytoasharp—facedlawyer，or，insullendespair，eyingeachother。AtadooratipstafflaidhishandroughlyonthearmofMr。Thorndike。

\"That’sallright，Joe，\"calledyoungMr。Andrews，\"he’swithME。\"

Theyenteredthecourtandpasseddownanaisletoarailedenclosureinwhichwerehighoakchairs。Again，inhisefforttofollow，Mr。Thorndikewashalted，butthefirsttipstaffcametohisrescue。\"Allright，\"hesignalled，\"he’swithMr。Andrews。\"

Mr。Andrewspointedtooneoftheoakchairs。\"Yousitthere，\"hecommanded，\"it’sreservedformembersofthebar，butit’sallright。You’rewithME。\"

Distinctlyannoyed，slightlybewildered，thebankersankbetweenthearmsofachair。Hefelthehadlosthisindividuality。

Andrewshadbecomehissponsor。BecauseofAndrewshewastolerated。BecauseAndrewshadapullhewaspermittedtositasanequalamongpolice—courtlawyers。NolongerwasheArnoldThorndike。Hewasmerelytheman\"withMr。Andrews。\"

ThenevenAndrewsabandonedhim。\"Thejudge’llbehereinaminute，now，\"saidtheassistantdistrictattorney，andwentinsidearailedenclosureinfrontofthejudge’sbench。TherehegreetedanotherassistantdistrictattorneywhoseyearswerethoseofevengreaterindiscretionthantheyearsofMr。Andrews。Seatedontherail，withtheirhandsintheirpocketsandtheirbacksturnedtoMr。Thorndike，theylaughedandtalkedtogether。ThesubjectoftheirdiscoursewasoneMikeDonlin，asheappearedinvaudeville。

ToMr。ThorndikeitwasevidentthatyoungAndrewshadentirelyforgottenhim。Hearose，andtouchedhissleeve。WithinfinitesarcasmMr。Thorndikebegan:\"Myengagementsarenotpressing，but——\"

Acourtattendantbeatwithhispalmupontherail。

\"Sitdown！\"whisperedAndrews。\"Thejudgeiscoming。\"

Mr。Thorndikesatdown。

ThecourtattendantdronedloudlywordsMr。Thorndikecouldnotdistinguish。Therewasarustleofsilk，andfromadoorbehindhimthejudgestalkedpast。Hewasayoungman，thetypeoftheTammanypolitician。Onhisshrewd，alert，Irish—Americanfeatureswasanexpressionofunnaturalgloom。WithasmileMr。Thorndikeobservedthatitwasaslittlesuitedtothecountenanceoftheyoungjudgeaswastherobetohisshoulders。Mr。ThorndikewasstillsmilingwhenyoungAndrewsleanedovertherail。

\"Standup！\"hehissed。Mr。Thorndikestoodup。

Afterthecourtattendanthadutteredmoreunintelligiblewords，everyonesatdown;andthefinancieragainmovedhurriedlytotherail。

\"Iwouldliketospeaktohimnowbeforehebegins，\"hewhispered。

\"Ican’twait。\"

Mr。Andrewsstaredinamazement。Thebankerhadnotbelievedtheyoungmancouldlooksoserious。