* * * * *

“What I regret in the business,” remarked Fatfloat as he put down his glass, “is the ill fortune of Mr. Nixon.  There is much of good honesty about that gentleman; he is high-minded and proud; I cannot but sympathize with him in his present plight.”

“And yet,” observed Enfield, mildly, “Mr. Nixon should have avoided that trap of an empty leadership.  Mr. Nixon is no stripling; he knew Tammany and those elements of mendacity and muddy intrigue which are called its ‘control’; he knew Mr. Croker, who in these last days was faithful to no promise and loyal to no man.  Why did he permit himself to be flattered, cozened and destroyed?  Why?  He added inexperience to vanity and betrayed himself.  It was the old story—­the conference of that leadership on Mr. Nixon—­the old story of the Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood, with Mr. Croker as Wolf and Mr. Nixon the innocent who was eaten up.  No, no; he might have better guided himself.  Mr. Nixon—­were all about the friendliest—­was still unfit for the place.  It was like putting a horse in a tree-top; it gave the horse no grace nor glory and offered a sole assurance of his finally falling out.”

* * * * *

“Isn’t Mr. Nixon himself an honest man?” asked Van Addle.

“Were it to be merely a question of honesty,” replied Enfield, “Mr. Nixon would make perfect answer.  Broadly, he is an honest man.  But that, politically, is all.  And there be enterprises, such as Tammany Hall and the Stock Market, wherein to be merely honest is not a complete equipment.  Moreover, in this business of his so-called ‘leadership,’ Mr. Nixon might have carried himself with a more sensitive integrity and been bettered vastly thereby.  You will recall that when Mr. Nixon performed as chairman of the Tammany anti-vice committee, he discovered in its entire membership that combine of blackmail and extortion which, standing at the head of Tammany and doing its foul work through the police, fostered crime in the community for a round return of four millions a year.  Mr. Nixon called these evil folk by name and pointed to them.  He could still relate that roll and never miss an individual.  And if he did not put actual hand on the sly presiding genius, I warrant you he might, were he so inclined, indite a letter to him and get the address right.”

“And the postage would be five cents,” interjected Lemon.

“With this knowledge,” continued Enfield without heeding Lemon’s interruption, “and with his record as a foe of corruption, Mr. Nixon, had he been wise as a captain, or true to himself as a man, would have called about him the cleaner elements.  He would have reminded them of the people’s verdict of November and told them plainly that the rogues must go.  He should have been loyal to himself.  He should have made the issue against the corruptionists; he should have waged prompt and bitter war, and either destroyed them or died like