From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [201]
Holmes laughed.
“You know,” Sam Slater said. “I’ve tried to explain this to old Jake a hundred times. I’ve been explaining it to him ever since I hit this Rock. Jake has a great deal of ability, if he would only learn how to use it.”
“He’s pretty old,” Holmes said cautiously.
“Too old,” Sam Slater said. “If I’ve ever seen a man who’s lost and groping in the dark its old Jake Delbert. And you’d think that if anybody had the background and the training to see the trend of our time, Jake Delbert would be one. But no, he’s still afraid. Afraid, and so much of a moralist that he would rather spend his life believing the sentimental memos he writes his troops, instead of trying to help humanity. And relieving himself (as with a bowel movement when the moral guts become too full) by throwing these stags.
“Not that I dislike them, mind you. I think they’re fine and I enjoy them. In their place. But a man cannot make them his life work. Not without going rotten. A man must have something bigger than himself to believe in.”
“Thats it,” Holmes said excitedly. “Something bigger than himself. And where in this world today can he find it?”
“Nowhere,” Sam Slater said. “Except in reason. You know, you’re pretty old for a Captain, Dynamite, but you would still be young for a Major. At your age I was only a Major myself, see? And I hadnt even begun to learn the new logic. If a smart man had not picked me out as a protege I’d still be a Major, and a Jake Delbert, today.”
“The thing with you, though,” Holmes pointed out. “You were willing to listen to reason, when it was shown you.”
“Exactly,” Sam Slater said. “And we have great need of proteges who can learn that lesson in our profession, today. And we’re going to need them a lot worse, a little later on. There is absolutely no limit to the possibilities open to them.”
“I dont care about the rank,” Holmes said. He had, he knew, said that before. But this time it was true, this time he really meant it. “All I care about,” he said, “is to find a truly firm ground, a foundation a thinking man can stand on, a sound logic that will not let you down. Give me that and the rank can go to hell.”
“Thats exactly the way I felt myself,” Sam Slater said. He smiled thinly. “You know, I can use a man like you. God knows I’ve got enough stupid dolts on my staff. I need at least one good man. How would you like to transfer to Brigade and work for me?”
“If you really think I could really do it,” Holmes said modestly. He was thinking what would Karen say to this? Ha, if she had her way he would never have gone to any of these stags, at all. And then where would he be? He could just see Jake Delbert’s face!
“Do it, hell,” Sam Slater said. “Listen, if you want it its yours, see? I’ll look into it for you tomorrow.
“You know,” he said, “actually the thing with this man Prewitt is important only insofar as it affects you personally. Not for the boxing squad, not even for your prestige. In reality its only a springboard for testing and developing your character.”
“I never thought of it that way before.”
“I dont think it would be good for you to transfer out until after you handle that thing, just for your own good, see? Then after you handled that and transferred, you could drop the whole damned boxing squad altogether. We’ll have better uses for your energy.”
“Yes, I could do that,” Holmes said, wondering if he wanted to quit coaching.
“Well,” Sam Slater grinned, getting up. “I need another drink and I think we’ve talked damn near enough, dont you? We’re wasting valuable time, hey? I’m going to find those goddamned women.” He stepped over to the syphon bottle and was very suddenly no longer the philosopher, it was as if part of his mind had been turned off like a spigot.
Capt Holmes was startled, then almost frightened. Because he could not forget it all so easily. He had seen a picture of a new power that would make a brand new world, a world with real meaning based on logic, not just the meaning of the moralists. This was a meaning that would work out in practice, based on a realistic power. A power of great kindness with potentialities to do great good, to raise humanity to new heights despite humanity’s own mulishness and inertia. A power that was tragic in its kindness because it would always be misunderstood by the masses who wanted only to fornica