California, Southern -- Fiction; Motion picture industry -- Fiction; Petroleum industry and trade -- Fiction; Political fiction
Rachel insisted that Bunny was one person in a million, capable of
believing what was contrary to his economic interests. But Bunny had no
awareness of anything extraordinary about himself. Instead of being a
conspicuous and shining leader, as his high destiny directed, he was
always looking for some one he could lean on, some one who was positive,
and whom he could trust. He found some of this in Henrietta Ashleigh,
who knew exactly what was proper; and he found some more of it in Rachel
Menzies, who knew exactly what was true, and said it with energy and
frankness that were like flashes of lightning in the twilight of
Southern Pacific culture.
The only trouble was, the contradiction between his two authorities; it
appeared almost as if what was true was not proper and what was proper
was not true! For Henrietta considered Rachel an impossible person, and
was cold as a corpse in her presence; while Rachel’s idea of being
insulting was to tell Bunny that it was with Henrietta he really
belonged, his Creator had made him to take her to church.
II
Amid this perplexity, Bunny found comfort in the backing of Billy
George, who was Anglo-Saxon and broad-shouldered, and a senior besides.
Billy assured him he was right, and suggested that they take some steps
to make their ideas understood to the rest of the student body. Why not
organize a little group, the Society for the Study of Russian Problems,
or something of that sort? Bunny should ask Mr. Irving to advise them,
and perhaps join them—it would be much better if they could have the
backing of one of the teachers. So Bunny went to Mr. Irving, who said at
once that he could not give any advice on the subject, for the reason
that it would jeopardize his position to do so; the students would have
to follow their own judgment. The young instructor did add this much,
they ought surely not use the name “Russian,” but take some inoffensive
title, the “Liberal Club,” or the “Social Problems Society.”
Bunny took that advice to the others, meeting in one of the class-rooms
after hours. Billy George said it didn’t seem very “spunky” of Mr.
Irving; whereupon Rachel Menzies flared up, he had no right to hint at
such a thing, they all knew what the teacher’s position was, and he had
a perfect right to keep out of trouble. What business had Mr. George to
be finding fault, when he himself had done nothing publicly?
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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