Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Wasitthusfamewasachieved?ForawhilehewastemptedtocrossthecontinentandgotoNewYorkandtherecomeuntohisown,enjoyingthetriumphthatawaitedhim.Butsoonhedeniedhimselfthischeapreward.Nowhewastoomuchinearnest.HewantedtohelphisPeople,thecommunityinwhichhelived—thelittleworldoftheSanJoaquin,atgrappleswiththeRailroad.Thestrugglehadfounditspoet.Hetoldhimselfthathisplacewashere.Onlythewordsofthemanagerofalecturebureautroubledhimforamoment.Torangetheentirenation,tellingallhiscountrymenofthedramathatwasworkingitselfoutonthisfringeofthecontinent,thisignoredanddistantPacificCoast,rousingtheirinterestandstirringthemuptoaction—appealedtohim.Itmightdogreatgood.Todevotehimselfto“theCause,”acceptingnopennyofremuneration;togivehislifetoloosingthegripoftheiron-heartedmonsterofsteelandsteamwouldbebeyondquestionheroic.OtherStatesthanCaliforniahadtheirgrievances.Alloverthecountrythefamilyofcyclopswasgrowing.HewoulddeclarehimselfthechampionofthePeopleintheiroppositiontotheTrust.Hewouldbeanapostle,aprophet,amartyrofFreedom.

           ButPresleywasessentiallyadreamer,notamanofaffairs.Hehesitatedtoactatthisprecisepsychologicalmoment,strikingwhiletheironwasyethot,andwhilehehesitated,otheraffairsnearathandbegantoabsorbhisattention.

           Onenight,aboutanhourafterhehadgonetobed,hewasawakenedbythesoundofvoicesontheporchoftheranchhouse,and,descending,foundMrs.DyketherewithSidney.