an unsocial socialist-第14章

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in　the　studio　or　library　than　in　the　field；　or　as　if　he　needed
more　food　to　enable　him　to　do　his　work　than　the　ploughman　to
enable　him　to　do　his。　He　talks　of　the　higher　quality　of　his　work；
as　if　the　higher　quality　of　it　were　of　his　own　makingas　if　it
gave　him　a　right　to　work　less　for　his　neighbor　than　his　neighbor
works　for　himas　if　the　ploughman　could　not　do　better　without
him　than　he　without　the　ploughmanas　if　the　value　of　the　most
celebrated　pictures　has　not　been　questioned　more　than　that　of　any
straight　furrow　in　the　arable　worldas　if　it　did　not　take　an
apprenticeship　of　as　many　years　to　train　the　hand　and　eye　of　a
mason　or　blacksmith　as　of　an　artistas　if；　in　short；　the　fellow
were　a　god；　as　canting　brain　worshippers　have　for　years　past　been
assuring　him　he　is。　Artists　arc　the　high　priests　of　the　modern
Moloch。　Nine　out　of　ten　of　them　are　diseased　creatures；　just　sane
enough　to　trade　on　their　own　neuroses。　The　only　quality　o？theirs
which　extorts　my　respect　is　a　certain　sublime　selfishness　which
makes　them　willing　to　starve　and　to　let　their　families　starve
sooner　than　do　any　work　they　don't　like。〃

〃INDEED　you　are　quite　wrong；　Sidney。　There　was　a　girl　at　the
Slade　school　who　supported　her　mother　and　two　sisters　by　her
drawing。　Besides；　what　can　you　do？　People　were　made　so。〃

〃Yes；　I　was　made　a　landlord　and　capitalist　by　the　folly　of　the
people；　but　they　can　unmake　me　if　they　will。　Meanwhile　I　have
absolutely　no　means　of　escape　from　my　position　except　by　giving
away　my　slaves　to　fellows　who　will　use　them　no　better　than　I；　and
becoming　a　slave　myself；　which；　if　you　please；　you　shall　not
catch　me　doing　in　a　hurry。　No；　my　beloved；　I　must　keep　my　foot　on
their　necks　for　your　sake　as　well　as　for　my　own。　But　you　do　not
care　about　all　this　prosy　stuff。　I　am　consumed　with　remorse　for
having　bored　my　darling。　You　want　to　know　why　I　am　living　here
like　a　hermit　in　a　vulgar　two…roomed　hovel　instead　of　tasting　the
delights　of　London　society　with　my　beautiful　and　devoted　young
wife。〃

〃But　you　don't　intend　to　stay　here；　Sidney？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；　and　I　will　tell　you　why。　I　am　helping　to　liberate
those　Manchester　laborers　who　were　my　father's　slaves。　To　bring
that　about；　their　fellow　slaves　all　over　the　world　must　unite　in
a　vast　international　association　of　men　pledged　to　share　the
world's　work　justly；　to　share　the　produce　of　the　work　justly；　to
yield　not　a　farthingcharity　apartto　any　full…grown　and
able…bodied　idler　or　malingerer；　and　to　treat　as　vermin　in　the
commonwealth　persons　attempting　to　get　more　than　their　share　of
wealth　or　give　less　than　their　share　of　work。　This　is　a　very
difficult　thing　to　accomplish；　because　working…men；　like　the
people　called　their　betters；　do　not　always　understand　their　own
interests；　and　will　often　actually　help　their　oppressors　to
exterminate　their　saviours　to　the　tune　of　'Rule　Britannia；'　or
some　such　lying　doggerel。　We　must　educate　them　out　of　that；　and；
meanwhile；　push　forward　the　international　association　of　laborers
diligently。　I　am　at　present　occupied　in　propagating　its
principles。　Capitalism；　organized　for　repressive　purposes　under
pretext　of　governing　the　nation；　would　very　soon　stop　the
association　if　it　understood　our　aim；　but　it　thinks　that　we　are
engaged　in　gunpowder　plots　and　conspiracies　to　assassinate
crowned　heads；　and　so；　whilst　the　police　are　blundering　in　search
of　evidence　of　these；　our　real　work　goes　on　unmolested。　Whether　I
am　really　advancing　the　cause　is　more　than　I　can　say。　I　use　heaps
of　postage　stamps；　pay　the　expenses　of　many　indifferent
lecturers；　defray　the　cost　of　printing　reams　of　pamphlets　and
hand…bills　which　hail　the　laborer　flatteringly　as　the　salt　of　the
earth；　write　and　edit　a　little　socialist　journal；　and　do　what
lies　in　my　power　generally。　I　had　rather　spend　my　ill…gotten
wealth　in　this　way　than　upon　an　expensive　house　and　a　retinue　of
servants。　And　I　prefer　my　corduroys　and　my　two…roomed　chalet　here
to　our　pretty　little　house；　and　your　pretty　little　ways；　and　my
pretty　little　neglect　of　the　work　that　my　heart　is　set　upon。　Some
day；　perhaps；　I　will　take　a　holiday；　and　then　we　shall　have　a　new
honeymoon。〃

For　a　moment　Henrietta　seemed　about　to　cry。　Suddenly　she
exclaimed　with　enthusiasm：　〃I　will　stay　with　you；　Sidney。　I　will
share　your　work；　whatever　it　may　be。　I　will　dress　as　a　dairymaid；
and　have　a　little　pail　to　carry　milk　in。　The　world　is　nothing　to
me　except　when　you　are　with　me；　and　I　should　love　to　live　here
and　sketch　from　nature。〃

He　blenched；　and　partially　rose；　unable　to　conceal　his　dismay。
She；　resolved　not　to　be　cast　off；　seized　him　and　clung　to　him。
This　was　the　movement　that　excited　the　derision　of　Wickens's　boy
in　the　adjacent　gravel　pit。　Trefusis　was　glad　of　the
interruption；　and；　when　he　gave　the　boy　twopence　and　bade　him
begone；　half　hoped　that　he　would　insist　on　remaining。　But　though
an　obdurate　boy　on　most　occasions；　he　proved　complaisant　on　this；
and　withdrew　to　the　high　road；　where　he　made　over　one　of　his
pennies　to　a　phantom　gambler；　and　tossed　with　him　until　recalled
from　his　dual　state　by　the　appearance　of　Fairholme's　party。

In　the　meantime；　Henrietta　urgently　returned　to　her　proposition。

〃We　should　be　so　happy；〃　she　said。　〃I　would　housekeep　for　you；
and　you　could　work　as　much　as　you　pleased。　Our　life　would　be　a
long　idyll。〃

〃My　love；〃　he　said；　shaking　his　head　as　she　looked　beseechingly
at　him；　〃I　have　too　much　Manchester　cotton　in　my　constitution　for
long　idylls。　And　the　truth　is；　that　the　first　condition　of　work
with　me　is　your　absence。　When　you　are　with　me；　I　can　do　nothing
but　make　love　to　you。　You　bewitch　me。　When　I　escape　from　you　for
a　moment；　it　is　only　to　groan　remorsefully　over　the　hours　you
have　tempted　me　to　waste　and　the　energy　you　have　futilized。〃

〃If　you　won't　live　with　me　you　had　no　right　to　marry　me。〃

〃True。　But　that　is　neither　your　fault　nor　mine。　We　have　found
that　we　love　each　other　too　much　that　our　intercourse　hinders
our　usefulnessand　so　we　must　part。　Not　for　ever；　my　dear；　only
until　you　have　cares　and　business　of　your　own　to　fill　up　your
life　and　prevent　you　from　wasting　mine。〃

〃I　believe　you　are　mad；〃　she　said　petulantly。　〃The　world　is　mad
nowadays；　and　is　galloping　to　the　deuce　as　fast　as　greed　can　goad
it。　I　merely　stand　out　of　the　rush；　not　liking　its　destination。
Here　comes　a　barge；　the　commander　of　which　is　devoted　to　me
because　he　believes　that　I　am　organizing　a　revolution　for　the
abolition　of　lock　dues　and　tolls。　We　will　go　aboard　and　float
down　to　Lyvern；　whence　you　can　return　to　London。　You　had　better
telegraph　from　the　junction　to　the　college；　there　must　be　a　hue
and　cry　out　after　us　by　this　time。　You　shall　have　my　address；　and
we　can　write　to　one　another　or　see　one　another　whenever　we
please。　Or　you　can　divorce　me　for　deserting　you。〃

〃You　would　like　me　to；　I　know；〃　said　Henrietta；　sobbing。

〃I　should　die　of　despair；　my　darling；〃　he　said　complacently。　
〃Ship　aho…o…o…y！　Stop　crying；　Hetty；　for　God's　sake。　You　lacerate
my　very　soul。〃

〃Ah…o…o…o…o…o…o…oy；　master！〃　roared　the　bargee。

〃Good　arternoon；　sir；〃　said　a　man　who；　with　a　short　whip　in　his
hand；　trudged　beside　the　white　horse　that　towed　the　barge。　〃Come
up！〃　he　added　malevolently　to　the　horse。

〃I　want　to　get　on　board；　and　go　up　to　Lyvern　with　you；〃　said
Trefusis。　〃He　seems　a　well　fed　brute；　that。〃

〃Better　fed　nor　me；〃　said　the　man。　〃You　can't　get　the　work　out　of
a　hunderfed　'orse　that　you　can　out　of　a　hunderfed　man　or　woman。
I've　bin　in　parts　of　England　where　women　pulled　the　barges。　They
come　cheaper　nor　'orses；　because　it　didn't　cost　nothing　to　get
new　ones　when　the　old　ones　we　wore　out。〃

〃Then　why　not　employ　them？〃　said　Trefusis；　with　ironical　gravity。
〃The　principle　of　buying　laborforce　in　the　cheapest　market　and
selling　its　product　in　the　dearest　has　done　much　to　make
Englishmenwhat　they　are。〃

〃The　railway　comp'nies　keeps　'orspittles　for　the　like　of　'IM；〃
said　the　man；　with　a　cunning　laugh；　indicating　the　horse　by
smacking　him　on　the　belly　with　the　butt　of　the　whip。　〃If　ever　you
try　bein'　a　laborer　in　earnest；　governor；　try　it　on　four　legs。
You'll　find　it　far　preferable　to　trying　on　two。〃

〃This　man　is　one　of　my　converts；〃　said　Trefusis　apart　to
Henrietta。　〃He　told　me　the　other　day　that　since　I　set　him
thinking　he　never　sees　a　gentleman　without　feeling　inclined　to
heave　a　brick　at　him。　I　find　that　socialism　is　often
misunderstood　by　its　least　intelligent　supporters　and　opponents
to　mean　simply　unrestrained　indulgence　of　our　natural　propensity
to　heave　bricks　at　respectable　persons。　Now　I　am　going　to　carry
you　along　this　plank。　If　you　keep　quiet；　we　may　reach　the　barge。
If　not；　we　shall　reach　the　bottom　of　the　canal。〃

He　carried　her　safely　over；　and　exchanged　some　friendly　words
with　the　bargee。　Then　he　took　Henrietta　forward；　and　stood
watching　the　water　as　they　were　borne　along　noiselessly　between
the　hilly　pastures　of　the　country。　

〃This　would　be　a　fairy　journey；〃　he　said；　〃if　one　could　forget
the　woman　down　below；　cooking　her　husband's　dinner　in　a　stifling
hole　about　as　big　as　your　wardrobe；　and〃

〃Oh；　don't　talk　any　more　of　these　things；〃　she　said　crossly；　〃I
cannot　help　them。　I　have　my　own　troubles　to　think　of。　HER　husband
lives　with　her。〃

〃She　will　change　places　with　you；　my　dear；　if　you　make　her　the
offer。〃

She　had　no　answer　ready。　After　a　pause　he　began　to　speak
poetically　of　the　scenery　and　to　offer　her　loverlike　speeches　and
compliments。　But　she　felt　that　he　intended　to　get　rid　of　her；　and
he　knew　that　it　was　useless　to　try　to　hide　that　design　from　her。
She　turned　away　and　sat　down　on　a　pile　of　bricks；　only　writhing
angrily　when　he　pressed　her　for　a　word。　As　they　neared　the　end　of
her　voyage；　and　her　intense　protest　against　desertion　remained；
as　she　thought；　only　half　expressed；　her　sense　of　injury　grew
almost　unbearable。

They　landed　on　a　wharf；　and　went　through　an　unswept；
deeply…rutted　lane　up　to　the　main　street　of　Lyvern。　Here　he
became　Smilash　again；　walking　deferentially　a　little　before　her；
as　if　she　had　hired　him　to　point　out　the　way。　She　then　saw　that
her　last　opportunity　of　appealing　to　him　had　gone　by；　and　she
nearly　burst　into　tears　at　the　thought。　It　occurred　to　her　that
she　might　prevail　upon　him　by　making　a　scene　in　public。　But　the
street　was　a　busy　one；　and　she　was　a　little　afraid　of　him。
Neither　consideration　would　have　checked　her　in　one　of　her
ungovernable　moods；　but　now　she　was　in　an　abject　one。　Her　moods
seemed　to　come　only　when　they　were　harmful　to　her。　She　suffered
herself　to　be　put　into　the　railway　omnibus；　which　was　on　the
point　of　starting　from　the　innyard　when　they　arrived　there；　and
though　he　touched　his　hat；　asked　whether　she　had　any　message　to
give　him；　and　in　a　tender　whisper　wished　her　a　safe　journey；　she
would　not　look　at　or　speak　to　him。　So　they　parted；　and　he
returned　alone　to　the　chalet；　where　he　was　received　by　the　two
policemen　who　subsequently　brought　him　to　the　college。



CHAPTER　VI

The　year　wore　on；　and　the　long　winter　evenings　set　in。　The
studious　young　ladies　at　Alton　College；　elbows　on　desk　and　hands
over　ears；　shuddered　chillily　in　fur　tippets　whilst　they　loaded
their　memories　wi