an unsocial socialist-第15部分

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who　dug　it　and　of　the　engineer　who　designed　it　pay　the　toll　when
they　have　occasion　to　travel　by　it；　or　to　purchase　goods　which
have　been　conveyed　along　it。　I　remember　my　grandfather　well。　He
was　a　well…bred　man；　and　a　perfect　gentleman　in　his　manners；　but；
on　the　whole；　I　think　he　was　wickeder　than　my　father；　who；　after
all；　was　caught　in　the　wheels　of　a　vicious　system；　and　had　either
to　spoil　others　or　be　spoiled　by　them。　But　my　grandfatherthe
old　rascal！was　in　no　such　dilemma。　Master　as　he　was　of　his　bit
of　merry　England；　no　man　could　have　enslaved　him；　and　he　might　at
least　have　lived　and　let　live。　My　father　followed　his　example　in
the　matter　of　the　deer　forest；　but　that　was　the　climax　of　his
wickedness；　whereas　it　was　only　the　beginning　of　my
grandfather's。　Howbeit；　whichever　bears　the　palm；　there　they
were；　the　types　after　which　we　all　strive。〃

〃Not　all；　Sidney。　Not　we　two。　I　hate　tradespeople　and　country
squires。　We　belong　to　the　artistic　and　cultured　classes；　and　we
can　keep　aloof　from　shopkeepers。〃

〃Living；　meanwhile；　at　the　rate　of　several　thousand　a　year　on
rent　and　interest。　No；　my　dear；　this　is　the　way　of　those　people
who　insist　that　when　they　are　in　heaven　they　shall　be　spared　the
recollection　of　such　a　place　as　hell；　but　are　quite　content　that
it　shall　exist　outside　their　consciousness。　I　respect　my　father
moreI　mean　I　despise　him　lessfor　doing　his　own　sweating　and
filching　than　I　do　the　sensitive　sluggards　and　cowards　who　lent
him　their　money　to　sweat　and　filch　with；　and　asked　no　questions
provided　the　interest　was　paid　punctually。　And　as　to　your　friends
the　artists；　they　are　the　worst　of　all。〃

〃Oh；　Sidney；　you　are　determined　not　to　be　pleased。　Artists　don't
keep　factories。〃

〃No；　but　the　factory　is　only　a　part　of　the　machinery　of　the
system。　Its　basis　is　the　tyranny　of　brain　force；　which；　among
civilized　men；　is　allowed　to　do　what　muscular　force　does　among
schoolboys　and　savages。　The　schoolboy　proposition　is：　'I　am
stronger　than　you；　therefore　you　shall　fag　for　me。'　Its　grown　up
form　is：　'I　am　cleverer　than　you；　therefore　you　shall　fag　for
me。'　The　state　of　things　we　produce　by　submitting　to　this；　bad
enough　even　at　first；　becomes　intolerable　when　the　mediocre　or
foolish　descendants　of　the　clever　fellows　claim　to　have　inherited
their　privileges。　Now；　no　men　are　greater　sticklers　for　the
arbitrary　dominion　of　genius　and　talent　than　your　artists。　The
great　painter　is　not　satisfied　with　being　sought　after　and
admired　because　his　hands　can　do　more　than　ordinary　hands；　which
they　truly　can；　but　he　wants　to　be　fed　as　if　his　stomach　needed
more　food　than　ordinary　stomachs；　which　it　does　not。　A　day's　work
is　a　day's　work；　neither　more　nor　less；　and　the　man　who　does　it
needs　a　day's　sustenance；　a　night's　repose；　and　due　leisure；
whether　he　be　painter　or　ploughman。　But　the　rascal　of　a　painter；
poet；　novelist；　or　other　voluptuary　in　labor；　is　not　content　with
his　advantage　in　popular　esteem　over　the　ploughman；　he　also　wants
an　advantage　in　money；　as　if　there　were　more　hours　in　a　day　spent
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