an unsocial socialist-第42部分

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letters　have　gained　the　cordial　assent　and　sympathy　of　Sir
Charles　Brandon？〃

〃Certainly；　certainly。　That　is；　if　my　unknown　name　would　be　of
the　least　interest　to　him。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Trefusis；　filling　his　glass　with　water。　〃Erskine；
let　us　drink　to　our　brother　Social　Democrat。〃

Erskine　laughed　loudly；　but　not　heartily。　〃What　an　ass　you　are；
Brandon！〃　he　said。　〃You；　with　a　large　landed　estate；　and　bags　of
gold　invested　in　railways；　calling　yourself　a　Social　Democrat！
Are　you　going　to　sell　out　and　distributeto　sell　all　that　thou
hast　and　give　to　the　poor？〃

〃Not　a　penny；〃　replied　Trefusis　for　him　promptly。　〃A　man　cannot
be　a　Christian　in　this　country。　I　have　tried　it　and　found　it
impossible　both　in　law　and　in　fact。　I　am　a　capitalist　and　a
landholder。　I　have　railway　shares；　mining　shares；　building
shares；　bank　shares；　and　stock　of　most　kinds；　and　a　great　trouble
they　are　to　me。　But　these　shares　do　not　represent　wealth　actually
in　existence；　they　are　a　mortgage　on　the　labor　of　unborn
generations　of　laborers；　who　must　work　to　keep　me　and　mine　in
idleness　and　luxury。　If　I　sold　them；　would　the　mortgage　be
cancelled　and　the　unborn　generations　released　from　its　thrall？
No。　It　would　only　pass　into　the　hands　of　some　other　capitalist；
and　the　working　class　would　be　no　better　off　for　my
self…sacrifice。　Sir　Charles　cannot　obey　the　command　of　Christ；　I
defy　him　to　do　it。　Let　him　give　his　land　for　a　public　park；　only
the　richer　classes　will　have　leisure　to　enjoy　it。　Plant　it　at　the
very　doors　of　the　poor；　so　that　they　may　at　last　breathe　its　air；
and　it　will　raise　the　value　of　the　neighboring　houses　and　drive
the　poor　away。　Let　him　endow　a　school　for　the　poor；　like　Eton　or
Christ's　Hospital；　and　the　rich　will　take　it　for　their　own
children　as　they　do　in　the　two　instances　I　have　named。　Sir
Charles　does　not　want　to　minister　to　poverty；　but　to　abolish　it。
No　matter　how　much　you　give　to　the　poor；　everything　except　a　bare
subsistence　wage　will　be　taken　from　them　again　by　force。　All　talk
of　practicing　Christianity；　or　even　bare　justice；　is　at　present
mere　waste　of　words。　How　can　you　justly　reward　the　laborer　when
you　cannot　ascertain　the　value　of　what　he　makes；　owing　to　the
prevalent　custom　of　stealing　it？　I　know　this　by　experience。　I
wanted　to　pay　a　just　price　for　my　wife's　tomb；　but　I　could　not
find　out　its　value；　and　never　shall。　The　principle　on　which　we
farm　out　our　national　industry　to　private　marauders；　who
recompense　themselves　by　black…mail；　so　corrupts　and　paralyzes　us
that　we　cannot　be　honest　even　when　we　want　to。　And　the　reason　we
bear　it　so　calmly　is　that　very　few　of　us　really　want　to。〃

〃I　must　study　this　question　of　value；〃　said　Sir　Charles
dubiously；　refilling　his　goblet。　〃Can　you　recommend　me　a　good
book　on　the　subject？〃

〃Any　good　treatise　on　political　economy　will　do；〃　said　Trefusis。
〃In　economics　all　roads　lead　to　Socialism；　although　in　nine　cases
out　of　ten；　so　far；　the　economist　doesn't　recognize　his
destination；　and　incurs　the　malediction　pronounced　by　Jeremiah　on
those　who　justify　the　wicked　for　reward。　I　will　look　you　out　a
book　or　two。　And　if　you　will　call　on　Donovan　Brown　the　next　time
you　are　in　London；　he　will　be　delighted；　I　know。　He　meets　with
very　few　who　are　capable　of　sympathizing　with　him　from　both　his
points　of　viewsocial　and　artistic。〃

Sir　Charles　brightened　on　being　reminded　of　Donovan　Brown。　〃I
shall　esteem　an　introduction　to　him　a　great　honor；〃　he　said。　〃I
had　no　idea　that　he　was　a　friend　of　yours。〃

〃I　was　a　very　practical　young　Socialist　when　I　first　met　him；〃
said　Trefusis。　〃When　Brown　was　an　unknown　and　wretchedly　poor
man；　my　mother；　at　the　petition　of　a　friend　of　his；　charitably
bought　one　of　his　pictures　for　thirty　pounds；　which　he　was　very
glad　to　get。　Years　afterwards；　when　my　mother　was　dead；　and　Brown
famous；　I　was　offered　eight　hundred　pounds　for　this　picture；
which　was；　by…the…bye；　a　very　bad　one　in　my　opinion。　Now；　after
making　the　usual　unjust　allowance　for　interest　on　thirty　pounds
for　twelve　years　or　so　that　had　elapsed；　the　sale　of　the　picture
would　have　brought　me　in　a　profit　of　over　seven　hundred　and　fifty
pounds；　an　unearned　increment　to　which　I　had　no　righteous　claim。
My　solicitor；　to　whom　I　mentioned　the　matter；　was　of　opinion　that
I　might　justifiably　pocket　the　seven　hundred　and　fifty　pounds　as
reward　for　my　mother's　benevolence　in　buying　a　presumably
worthless　picture　from　an　obscure　painter。　But　he　failed　to
convince　me　that　I　ought　to　be　paid　for　my　mother's　virtues；
though　we　agreed　that　neither　I　nor　my　mother　had　received　any
return　in　the　shape　of　pleasure　in　contemplating　the　work；　which
had　deteriorated　considerably　by　the　fading　of　the　colors　since
its　purchase。　At　last　I　went　to　Brown's　studio　with　the　picture；
and　told　him　that　it　was　worth　nothing　to　me；　as　I　thought　it　a
particularly　bad　one；　and　that　he　might　have　it　back　again　for
fifteen　pounds；　half　the　first　price。　He　at　once　told　me　that　I
could　get　from　any　dealer　more　for　it　than　he　could　afford　to
give　me；　but　he　told　me　too　that　I　had　no　right　to　make　a　profit
out　of　his　work；　and　that　he　would　give　me　the　original　price　of
thirty　pounds。　I　took　it；　and　then　sent　him　the　man　who　had
offered　me　the　eight　hundred。　To　my　discomfiture　Brown　refused　to
sell　it　on　any　terms；　because　he　considered　it　unworthy　of　his
reputation。　The　man　bid　up　to　fifteen　hundred；　but　Brown　held
out；　and　I　found　that　instead　of　putting　seven　hundred　and
seventy　pounds　into　his　pocket　I　had　taken　thirty　out　of　it。　I
accordingly　offered　to　return　the　thirty　pieces。　Brown；　taking
the　offer　as　an　insult；　declined　all　further　communication　with
me。　I　then　insisted　on　the　matter　being　submitted　to　arbitration；
and　demanded　fifteen　hundred　pounds　as　the　full　exchange　value　of
the　picture。　All　the　arbitrators　agreed　that　this　was　monstrous；
whereupon　I　contended　that　if　they　denied　my　right　to　the　value
in　exchange；　they　must　admit　my　right　to　the　value　in　use。　They
assented　to　this　after　putting　off　their　decision　for　a　fortnight
in　order　to　read　Adam　Smith　and　discover　what　on　earth　I　meant　by
my　values　in　use　and　exchange。　I　now　showed　that　the　picture　had
no　value　in　use　to　me；　as　I　disliked　it；　and　that　therefore　I　was
entitled　to　nothing；　and　that　Brown　must　take　back　the　thirty
pounds。　They　were　glad　to　concede　this　also　to　me；　as　they　were
all　artist　friends　of　Brown；　and　wished　him　not　to　lose　money　by
the　transaction；　though　they　of　course　privately　thought　that　the
picture　was；　as　I　described　it；　a　bad　one。　After　that　Brown　and　I
became　very　good　friends。　He　tolerated　my　advances；　at　first　lest
it　should　seem　that　he　was　annoyed　by　my　disparagement　of　his
work。　Subsequently　he　fell　into　my　views　much　as　you　have　done。〃

〃That　is　very　interesting；〃　said　Sir　Charles。　〃What　a　noble
thingrefusing　fifteen　hundred　pounds！　He　could　ill　afford　it；
probably。〃

〃Heroicaccording　to　nineteenth　century　notions　of　heroism。
Voluntarily　to　throw　away　a　chance　of　making　money！　that　is　the
ne　plus　ultra　of　martyrdom。　Brown's　wife　was　extremely　angry　with
him　for　doing　it。〃

〃It　is　an　interesting　storyor　might　be　made　so；〃　said　Erskine。
〃But　you　make　my　head　spin　with　your　confounded　exchange　values
and　stuff。　Everything　is　a　question　of　figures　with　you。〃

〃That　comes　of　my　not　being　a　poet；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃But　we
Socialists　need　to　study　the　romantic　side　of　our　movement　to
interest　women　in　it。　If　you　want　to　make　a　cause　grow；　instruct
every　woman　you　meet　in　it。　She　is　or　will　one　day　be　a　wife；　and
will　contradict　her　husband　with　scraps　of　your　arguments。　A
squabble　will　follow。　The　son　will　listen；　and　will　be　set
thinking　if　he　be　capable　of　thought。　And　so　the　mind　of　the
people　gets　leavened。　I　have　converted　many　young　women。　Most　of
them　know　no　more　of　the　economic　theory　of　Socialism　than　they
know　of　Chaldee；　but　they　no　longer　fear　or　condemn　its　name。　Oh；
I　assure　you　that　much　can　be　done　in　that　way　by　men　who　are　not
afraid　of　women；　and　who　are　not　in　too　great　a　hurry　to　see　the
harvest　they　have　sown　for。〃

〃Take　care。　Some　of　your　lady　proselytes　may　get　the　better　of
you　some　day。　The　future　husband　to　be　contradicted　may　be　Sidney
Trefusis。　Ha！　ha！　ha！〃　Sir　Charles　had　emptied　a　second　large
goblet　of　wine；　and　was　a　little　flushed　and　boisterous。

〃No；〃　said　Trefusis；　〃I　have　had　enough　of　love　myself；　and　am
not　likely　to　inspire　it。　Women　do　not　care　for　men　to　whom；　as
Erskine　says；　everything　is　a　question　of　figures。　I　used　to
flirt　with　women；　now　I　lecture　them；　and　abhor　a　man…flirt　worse
than　I　do　a　woman　one。　Some　more　wine？　Oh；　you　must　not　waste　the
remainder　of　this　bottle。〃

〃I　think　we　had　better　go；　Brandon；〃　said　Erskine；　his　mistrust
of　Trefusis　growing。　〃We　promised　to　be　back　before　two。〃

〃So　you　shall；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃It　is　not　yet　a　quarter　past　one。
By…the…bye；　I　have　not　shown　you　Donovan　Brown's　pet　instrument
for　the　regeneration　of　society。　Here　it　is。　A　monster　petition
praying　that　the　holding　back　from　the　laborer　of　any　portion　of
the　net　value　produced　by　his　labor　be　declared　a　felony。　That　is
all。〃

Erskine　nudged　Sir　Charles；　who　said　hastily；　〃Thank　you；　but　I
had　rather　not　sign　anything。〃

〃A　baronet　sign　such　a　petition！〃　exclaimed　Trefusis。　〃I　did　not
think　of　asking　you。　I　only　show　it　to　you　as　an　interesting
historical　document；　containing　the　autographs　of　a　few　artists
and　poets。　There　is　Donovan　Brown's　for　example。　It　was　he　who
suggested　the　petition；　which　is　not　likely　to　do　much　good；　as
the　thing　cannot　be　done　in　any　such　fashion　However；　I　have
promised　Brown　to　get　as　many　signatures　as　I　can；　so　you　may　as
well　sign　it；　Erskine。　It　says　nothing　in　blank　verse　about　the
holiness　of　slaying　a　tyrant；　but　it　is　a　step　in　the　right
direction。　You　will　not　stick　at　such　a　trifleunless　the
reviews　have　frightened　you。　Come；　your　name　and　address。〃

Erskine　shook　his　head。

〃Do　you　then　only　commit　yourself　to　revolutionary　sentiments
when　there　is　a　chance　of　winning　fame　as　a　poet　by　them？〃

〃I　will　not　sign；　simply　because　I　do　not　choose　to；〃　said
Erskine　warmly。

〃My　dear　fellow；〃　said　Trefusis；