The Machine

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The Machine Page 6

by Upton Sinclair


  LAURA. And, father, you told me a falsehood.

  HEGAN. Laura!

  LAURA. I am very sorry, but I have to say it. It was a falsehood; and

  it is but one of many falsehoods that you have told me. I understand

  just why you did it you think I ought not to ask about these things,

  because it will make me unhappy; and so, for my own good, you do not

  hesitate to tell me things that are not true.

  HEGAN. My child, it is your father that you are talking to!

  LAURA. It is my father, and a father who knows that I love him very

  dearly, and who will realize it hurts me to say these things, fully as

  much as it hurts him to hear them. But they must be said . . . and

  said now.

  HEGAN. Why now? Just at this moment . . .

  LAURA. I know what you are going to say. At this moment you are very

  busy . . .

  HEGAN. My dear, the Exchange will open in an hour. And I am in the

  midst of a big campaign. I have important orders for my brokers, and a

  hundred other matters to attend to. And I expect Grimes here any

  minute . . .

  LAURA. Grimes?

  HEGAN. Yes, my dear.

  LAURA. You are not through with him yet, then?

  HEGAN. No, Laura . . .

  LAURA. Well, even so! Mr. Grimes must wait until I have said what I

  have to say to you.

  HEGAN. What is it, Laura?

  LAURA. You are expecting the decision of the Court of Appeals on the

  Grand Avenue Railroad case at noon today.

  HEGAN. Why, yes . . .

  LAURA. The decision will be in your favor. And you and Grimes are

  planning to gamble on it, and to make a great deal of money.

  HEGAN. Yes, my dear.

  LAURA. And you paid Grimes two hundred thousand dollars to fix the

  decision of the Court.

  HEGAN. [Starting violently.] Laura!

  LAURA. Grimes went to judge Porter's house the night before last and

  induced him to change his vote on the case.

  HEGAN. Laura!

  LAURA. And so, what was to have been the minority opinion of the Court

  is to be given out today as the Court's decision.

  HEGAN. My God!

  LAURA. You do not deny that this is the truth?

  HEGAN. You overheard us at the house!

  LAURA. Not one word, father.

  HEGAN. But you must have!

  LAURA. Father, throughout this conversation, you may honor me by

  assuming that I am telling you the absolute truth. And I will be glad

  when you will give me the same privilege.

  HEGAN. Then, how did you learn it?

  LAURA. That, unfortunately, I am not at liberty to tell you.

  HEGAN. Then other people know it?

  LAURA. They do.

  HEGAN. Good God! [Stares at her, dumbfounded.] Who are these people?

  LAURA. I cannot tell you that.

  HEGAN. But, Laura . . . you must!

  LAURA. It is impossible.

  HEGAN. But . . . how can that be?

  LAURA. I cannot discuss the matter.

  HEGAN. But think . . . my dear! I am your father, and you must trust

  me . . . you must help me . . .

  LAURA. Please do not ask me. I have given my word.

  HEGAN. Your word! [Gazes about, distracted.] You take the part of

  others against your own flesh and blood!

  LAURA. Listen, father! Think of me for a minute, and how it seems to

  me. Do not be so ignoble as to think only of the exposure . . .

  HEGAN. But, my child, realize what it will mean if this comes out! Are

  these people among my enemies?

  LAURA. That depends upon circumstances.

  HEGAN. I don't understand you.

  LAURA. I will try to explain, if you will be patient with me.

  HEGAN. Go on! Go on!

  LAURA. Father, you know what has been happening to me during the past

  few months. You know how unhappy I have been. And now you have

  committed a crime . . . a dreadful, dreadful crime!

  HEGAN. My dear!

  LAURA. I wish to make it clear to you . . . I am in desperate earnest.

  I have taken all night to think it over, and I am not making any

  mistake. I have made up my mind that, come what will, and cost what it

  may, I must clear myself of the responsibility for these evils.

  HEGAN. In what way are you responsible?

  LAURA. In every way imaginable. My whole life is based upon them . . .

  everything that I have and enjoy is stained with the guilt of them . .

  . the house in which I live, the clothing that I wear, the food that I

  eat. And I shall never again know what it is to be happy, while I have

  that fact upon my conscience. Don't you see?

  HEGAN. I see.

  LAURA. I tried all night to find you. I wanted to have a chance to

  talk with you, quietly. And, now, instead, I have to do it here, amid

  all the rush and strain of this dreadful Wall Street. But so it is . .

  . I must say it here. Father, I have come to plead with you, to plead

  with you upon my knees. Listen to me . . . don't turn me away!

  HEGAN. What do you wish me to do?

  LAURA. First of all, I wish you to give up this illegal advantage that

  you have gained. I wish you to stop this decision, and give the people

  the victory to which they are entitled.

  HEGAN. But, my dear, that is madness ! How can I...

  LAURA. You compelled Grimes to do this thing . . . you can compel him

  to undo it!

  HEGAN. But, my dear, it would ruin me!

  LAURA. If you do what I ask you to do, ruin will not matter.

  HEGAN. What do you ask me?

  LAURA. I wish you to stop this mad career . . . to give up this money

  game . . . to drop it utterly! To stop selling stocks and manipulating

  markets; to stop buying politicians and franchises . . . to sell out

  everything . . . to withdraw. I want you to do it now . . . today . .

  . this very hour!

  HEGAN. But, my dear . . .

  LAURA. I want you to come with me, and help me to find happiness

  again, by doing some good in the world. I want you to use your power

  and your talents to help people, instead of to destroy them.

  HEGAN. My child! That is something very easy to talk about, but not so

  easy to do!

  LAURA. We will work together, and find ways to do it.

  HEGAN. It seems possible, from your point of view . . . with your

  noble ideals, and your sheltered life . . .

  LAURA. My sheltered life! That is just what I can no longer endure!

  That I should have ease and comfort, while others suffer . . . that my

  father should take part in this mad struggle for money and power, in

  order to give me a sheltered life! I must make it impossible for that

  to continue! I must make you understand that all your money is

  powerless to bring me happiness . . . that it is poisoning my life as

  well as your own!

  HEGAN. [Gravely.] Laura, I have tried to protect you . . . that is the

  natural instinct of a father . . . to keep evil things from his

  daughter's knowledge. If I have told you untruths, as you say, that

  has been the one reason. But since you will not have it so . . . since

  you must face the facts of the world . . .

  LAURA. I Must !

  HEGAN. Very well, then . . . you shall face them. You tell me to give

  up this case . . . to change bac
k the Court's decision, so that the

  public may reap the advantage. Do you realize that the public has

  nothing to do with this suit? . . . That it is a covert attack upon me

  by an unscrupulous enemy?

  LAURA. You mean Murdock?

  HEGAN. Murdock. You know something of his career, perhaps . . .

  something of his private life, too. And if I should turn back, as you

  ask, the public would gain nothing . . . he would be the only one to

  profit. He would raid my securities; he would throw my companies into

  bankruptcy; he would draw my associates away from me . . . in the end,

  he would take my place in the traction field. Is that what you wish to

  bring about?

  LAURA. It is not that that I am thinking of. It is the corrupting of

  the Court . . .

  HEGAN. The Court! Do you know why Grimes and I had to do what we did?

  LAURA. No.

  HEGAN. And yet you have judged me! What would you say if I told you

  that we had information that one of the judges had received a thousand

  shares of Grand Avenue stock from Murdock? And that another had been

  promised a seat in the United States Supreme Court by that eminent

  Republican?

  LAURA. Oh! Horrible!

  HEGAN. You see what the game is?

  LAURA. But, father! The buying and selling of the powers of the

  Government . . .

  HEGAN. The "Government" consisting of politicians who have gotten

  themselves elected for the purpose of selling out to the highest

  bidder. For ten years now I have been in charge of these properties .

  . . I have had the interests of thousands of investors in my keeping .

  . . and all the while I have been like a man surrounded by a pack of

  wolves. I defended myself as I could . . . in the end, I found that

  the best way to defend was by attacking. In other words, I had to go

  into politics, to make the control of the "Government" a part of my

  business. Don't you see?

  LAURA. Yes, I see. But why play such a game?

  HEGAN. Why? Because it is the only game I have ever known . . . the

  only game there is to play. That is the way I have lived my life . . .

  the way I have risen to power and command. I played it for myself, and

  for my friends, and for those I loved.

  LAURA. You played it for me! And, oh! father! father! . . . Can't you

  see what that means to me? To realize that all my life has been based

  upon such things! Don't you see how I can't let it go on . . . how, if

  you refuse to do what I ask you to, it will be impossible for me to

  touch a dollar of your money?

  HEGAN. Laura!

  LAURA. Just that, father! I should never again be able to face my

  conscience!

  HEGAN. [After a pause.] Listen to me, dear. You know that I have

  always meant to withdraw . . .

  LAURA. I know that. And that has been a confession! You know that you

  are wrecking your life-wrecking everything! And if you mean to stop,

  why not stop?

  HEGAN. But, my dear, at this moment . . . in the midst of the battle .

  . .

  LAURA. At this moment you are on the point of doing something that

  will put a brand upon your conscience for the balance of your career.

  And at this moment you are confronted with the realization that you

  are ruining your daughter's life. You see her before you, desperate .

  . . frantic with shame and grief. And you have to make up your mind,

  either to drive her from you, heart- broken . . . or else to turn your

  face from these evils, and to take up a new way of life.

  HEGAN. [Broken and crushed, sits staring at her.] Laura!

  LAURA. [Stretching out her arms to him.] Father! A knock at the door;

  they start.

  GRIMES. [Enters.] Oh! Beg pardon!

  HEGAN. Come in.

  LAURA. [Starting up.] No!

  HEGAN. Come in! You must know it!

  GRIMES. What is it?

  HEGAN. Shut the door! Grimes, the game is up!

  GRIMES. How d'ye mean?

  HEGAN. We've been betrayed. Somebody knows all about the Court

  decision . . . about what passed between you and Porter, and between

  you and me!

  GRIMES. The hell you say!

  HEGAN. We're threatened with exposure!

  GRIMES. Who is it?

  HEGAN. I don't know.

  GRIMES. But, then . . .

  HEGAN. My daughter tells me. But she is not at liberty to give the

  names.

  GRIMES. Well, I'll be damned! [He stares from HEGAN to LAURA; then

  comes and sits, very deliberately, where he can gaze at them. A long

  pause; then, nodding toward

  LAURA.] What's her game?

  HEGAN. [Weakly.] She will tell you.

  GRIMES. [Looking at her.] Well?

  LAURA. I am here to plead with my father to turn back from this

  wickedness.

  GRIMES. [Stares.] And do what, ma'am?

  LAURA. Quit Wall Street, and devote himself to some useful work.

  GRIMES. [After a pause.] And if he won't?

  LAURA. I have told him he must choose between his present career and

  his daughter's love.

  GRIMES. [Gazes at LAURA, then in front of him; slowly shakes his

  head.] I can't make out our young people. When I was a boy, young

  women looked up to their parents. What's your father done to you, that

  you should turn against him?

  LAURA. I have not turned against him, Mr. Grimes.

  GRIMES. [Indicating HEGAN, who sits in an attitude of despair.] Look

  at him!

  [A pause.]

  LAURA. I am pleading with him for his own good . . . to give up this

  cruel struggle . . .

  GRIMES. To turn tail and run from his enemies?

  LAURA. It is of my duty to the public that I am thinking, Mr. Grimes.

  GRIMES. You owe no duty to this world higher than your duty to your

  father.

  LAURA. You think that?

  GRIMES. I think it.

  LAURA. [Hesitates a moment, then turns.] Father! What do you say? Is

  that true?

  HEGAN. [Crushed.] I don't know, my dear.

  GRIMES. God Almighty! And this is Jim Hegan ! [To LAURA.] Where'd you

  get onto these ideas, ma'am?

  LAURA. [In a low voice.] I think, Mr. Grimes, it might be best if you

  did not ask me to discuss this question. Our points of view are too

  different.

  GRIMES. [Shrugs his shoulders.] As you please, ma'am. But you needn't

  mind me . . . I ain't easy to offend. And I'm only trying to

  understand you.

  LAURA. [After a silence.] Mr. Grimes, I had the good fortune to be

  brought up in a beautiful and luxurious home; but not long ago I began

  to go down into the slums and see the homes of the people. I saw

  sights that made me sick with horror.

  GRIMES. No doubt, ma'am.

  LAURA. I found the people in the grip of a predatory organization that

  had bound them hand and foot, and was devouring them alive.

  GRIMES. You've been listening to tales, ma'am. We do a lot for the

  people.

  LAURA. You treat them to free coal and free picnics and free beer, and

  so you get their votes; and then you sell them out to capitalists like

  my father.

  GRIMES. Humph!

  LAURA. You sell them out to any one, high or low
, who will pay for the

  privilege of exploiting them. You sell them to the rum-dealer and the

  dive- keeper and the gambler. You sell them to the white-slave trader.

  GRIMES. There's no such person, Miss Hegan.

  LAURA. You offer an insult to my intelligence, Mr. Grimes. I have met

  with him and his work. There was a girl of the slums . . . her name

  was Annie Rogers. She was a decent girl; and she was lured into a dive

  and drugged and shut up in a brothel, a prisoner. She escaped to the

  street, pursued, and a friend of mine saved her. And, high and low,

  among the authorities of this city, we sought for justice for that

  girl, and there was no justice to be had. Yesterday afternoon I

  learned that she cut her own throat.

  GRIMES. I see.

  LAURA. And that happened, Mr. Grimes! It happened in the City of New

  York! I saw it with my own eyes!

  GRIMES. Such things have been, ma'am.

  LAURA. And you permit them.

  GRIMES. I?

  LAURA. You permit them

  GRIMES. I can't attempt to discuss prostitution with a lady. Such

  things existed long before I was born.

  LAURA. You could use your power to drive the traffic from the city.

  GRIMES. Yes, ma'am; I suppose I could. But if I'd been that sort of a

  man, do you think I'd ever had the power?

  LAURA. How neatly parried! What sort of a man are you, anyway ?

  GRIMES. [Looks at hey fixedly.] I'll tell you the sort of man I am,

  ma'am. [A pause.] I wasn't brought up in a beautiful, luxurious home.

  I was brought up with five brothers, in two rooms on the top floor of

  a rear tenement on Avenue B ; I was a little street "mick," and then I

  was a prize "scrapper," and the leader of a gang. When a policeman

  chased me upstairs, my mother stood at the head and fought him off

  with a rolling-pin. That was the way we stood by our children, ma'am;

  and we looked to them to stand by us. Once, when I was older, my

  enemies tried to do me . . . they charged me with a murder that I

  never done, ma'am. But dye think my old father ever stopped to ask if

  I done it or not, ma'am? Not much. "Don't mention that, Bob, my boy,"

  says he . . . "it's all part of the fight, an' we're wid yer." [A

  pause.] I looked about me at the world, ma'am, and I found it was full

  of all sorts of pleasant things, that I'd never had, and never stood a

  chance of havin'. They were for the rich . . . the people on top. And

  they looked on with scorn . . . I was poor and I was low, and I wasn't

  fit for anything. And so I set to climb, ma'am. I shouldered my way

  up. I met men that fought me; I fought them back, and I won out.

  That's the sort of man I am.

  LAURA. I see. A selfish man, bent upon power at any price! A brutal

  man, profiting by the weakness of others! An unscrupulous man, trading

  upon fear and greed! A man who has stopped at no evil to gain his

  purpose!

  GRIMES. I am what the game has made me.

  LAURA. Not so! Not so! Many another man has been born to a fate like

  yours, and has fought his way up from the pit . . . to be a tower of

  strength for goodness and service, an honor to his people and himself.

  GRIMES. I've not met any such, ma'am.

  LAURA. No; you've not sought for them. You did not need them in your

  business. The men you needed were the thugs and the criminals, who

  could stuff ballot- boxes for you . . . the dive-keepers and the vice-

  sellers, who would contribute to your campaign funds! And you have

  dealt with them . . . you have built up the power they gave you into a

  mighty engine of corruption and wrong! And you are master of it . . .

  you use it to wring tribute from high and low! Selling immunity to

 

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