an unsocial socialist-第19章

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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　the