The Second-Story Man | Page 7

murdered his wife and his two children. We have turned him into a tramp and a criminal. We have climbed to success on top of him . . . we have made our fortune out of his blood! This house . . . this furniture . . . these pictures . . . all this beauty and comfort . . . all this we have coined out of his tears and agony . . . out of the lives of his sick wife and his two little babies! And you have done this for me . . . you have made me the cause of it . . . you have put the guilt of it upon my young life . . . a thing that I must carry through the world with me until I die!
AUSTIN. [Starting toward her.] Helen!
MRS. AUSTIN. No! Don't touch me! Speak to HIM! It is with him you have to do! What have you to say to him? Don't think about me!
AUSTIN. My dear, be reasonable!
MRS. AUSTIN. What have you to say to him? That is what I want to know! Harvey! Don't you understand it is your character that is up for judgment?
AUSTIN. It can't be as bad as you say.
MRS. AUSTIN. Why can't it? Find out.
AUSTIN. [After a long pause, turns to Jim.] Faraday.
JIM. Well?
AUSTIN. Is what my wife says true?
JIM. It's true.
AUSTIN. You got no damages from the company?
JIM. Didn't you fix it yourself? What do they pay you for?
AUSTIN. And had you no money saved?
JIM. My family had to live on it.
AUSTIN. And didn't you get your job back?
JIM. Until the shut-down, I did.
AUSTIN. Oh, that's so. I forgot that.
JIM. Humph!
AUSTIN. That's too bad. I will have to do something for you.
JIM. Will that bring my wife and babies back to life?
AUSTIN. Oh, your family died! My God . . . that's terrible! [A pause.] Faraday, I can't help that. What can I do? Listen, man . . . you see how unhappy my wife is . . . you don't want to make the thing impossible for me, do you?
JIM. I ain't doing anything.
AUSTIN. Be reasonable, and let me atone for the mistake. We'll say nothing about this . . . about tonight. We'll start over, and I'll see that you get a good job, and a fair chance.
Jim. Humph!
AUSTIN. Will you do that? I'm honestly sorry about it. And perhaps if I can give you some money for a start. .
[Takes out purse.]
JIM. Put up your money. It ain't likely you've got as much there as I'd have got from the company.
AUSTIN. Oh, is that it? Well, maybe that is fair. I'll fix it up with you on that basis.
JIM. And what about the other fellows, hey?
AUSTIN. The other fellows?
JIM. That you've done out the same way you done me. What about Dan Kearney, that lost his life the day after . . and you and the rest of the company sharks fixed it up so that his widow couldn't prove how it was that he got hurt!
MRS. AUSTIN. Harvey!
JIM. Yes, ma'am, they done that. And it ain't the first time they done it, either . . . nor the last. And they've bought juries . . . and judges, too, I reckon . . . there ain't much work of a dirty sort that the Empire Steel Company ain't tried in this city . . . and you can bet their smart young lawyers know all the game! I'm sorry for you, lady . . . you're white, and I'd be glad to help you. But I've seen too much of the company and its ways, and I won't lie down and lick its hand . . . not for any money! I ain't so low I've got the value of my wife and two little babies figured out and ready to hand. I reckon I'll stay on the outside of the fence and take my chances. I'll wind up in jail, I suppose; but there's many a better man than me done the same. So I guess I'll go, and we'll call it off.
[Starts away.]
MRS. AUSTIN. Harvey!
AUSTIN. My dear . . .
MRS. AUSTIN. Is that all you can say to him? You will let him go? [To JIM.] Listen to me. You are right. We can never undo what we have done. We cannot repay you. But at least we must do what we can. We cannot let the evil go on. You yourself have no right to do it . . . you have no right to give up your life.
JIM. I see what you mean, lady; and I'm sorry for you. I'd help you if I could. But it's too late . . . I know that. There can't anybody save me. I'm rotten