an unsocial socialist-第24章

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statements。　It　was　reported　that　he　had　followed　up　his　former
misconduct　by　calling　his　father…in…law　a　liar；　and　that　he　had
ordered　a　common　tombstone　from　some　cheap…jack　at　the　East…end。
He　had；　in　fact；　spoken　contemptuously　of　the　monumental
tradesman　as　an　〃exploiter〃　of　labor；　and　had　asked　a　young
working　mason；　a　member　of　the　International　Association；　to
design　a　monument　for　the　gratification　of　Jansenius。

The　mason；　with　much　pains　and　misgiving；　produced　an　original
design。　Trefusis　approved　of　it；　and　resolved　to　have　it　executed
by　the　hands　of　the　designer。　He　hired　a　sculptor's　studio；
purchased　blocks　of　marble　of　the　dimensions　and　quality
described　to　him　by　the　mason；　and　invited　him　to　set　to　work
forthwith。

Trefusis　now　encountered　a　difficulty。　He　wished　to　pay　the　mason
the　just　value　of　his　work；　no　more　and　no　less。　But　this　he
could　not　ascertain。　The　only　available　standard　was　the　market
price；　and　this　he　rejected　as　being　fixed　by　competition　among
capitalists　who　could　only　secure　profit　by　obtaining　from　their
workmen　more　products　than　they　paid　them　for；　and　could　only
tempt　customers　by　offering　a　share　of　the　unpaid…for　part　of　the
products　as　a　reduction　in　price。　Thus　he　found　that　the　system
of　withholding　the　indispensable　materials　for　production　and
subsistence　from　the　laborers；　except　on　condition　of　their
supporting　an　idle　class　whilst　accepting　a　lower　standard　of
comfort　for　themselves　than　for　that　idle　class；　rendered　the
determination　of　just　ratios　of　exchange；　and　consequently　the
practice　of　honest　dealing；　impossible。　He　had　at　last　to　ask　the
mason　what　he　would　consider　fair　payment　for　the　execution　of
the　design；　though　he　knew　that　the　man　could　no　more　solve　the
problem　than　he；　and　that；　though　he　would　certainly　ask　as　much
as　he　thought　he　could　get；　his　demand　must　be　limited　by　his
poverty　and　by　the　competition　of　the　monumental　tradesman。
Trefusis　settled　the　matter　by　giving　double　what　was　asked；　only
imposing　such　conditions　as　were　necessary　to　compel　the　mason　to
execute　the　work　himself；　and　not　make　a　profit　by　hiring　other
men　at　the　market　rate　of　wages　to　do　it。

But　the　design　was；　to　its　author's　astonishment；　to　be　paid　for
separately。　The　mason；　after　hesitating　a　long　time　between
two…pounds…ten　and　five　pounds；　was　emboldened　by　a
fellow…workman；　who　treated　him　to　some　hot　whiskey　and　water；　to
name　the　larger　sum。　Trefusis　paid　the　money　at　once；　and　then
set　himself　to　find　out　how　much　a　similar　design　would　have　cost
from　the　hands　of　an　eminent　Royal　Academician。　Happening　to　know
a　gentleman　in　this　position；　he　consulted　him；　and　was　informed
that　the　probable　cost　would　be　from　five　hundred　to　one　thousand
pounds。　Trefusis　expressed　his　opinion　that　the　mason's　charge
was　the　more　reasonable；　somewhat　to　the　indignation　of　his
artist　friend；　who　reminded　him　of　the　years　which　a　Royal
Academician　has　to　spend　in　acquiring　his　skill。　Trefusis
mentioned　that　the　apprenticeship　of　a　mason　was　quite　as　long；
twice　as　laborious；　and　not　half　so　pleasant。　The　artist　now
began　to　find　Trefusis's　Socialistic　views；　with　which　he　had
previously　fancied　himself　in　sympathy；　both　odious　and
dangerous。　He　demanded　whether　nothing　was　to　be　allowed　for
genius。　Trefusis　warmly　replied　that　genius　cost　its　possessor
nothing；　that　it　was　the　inheritance　of　the　whole　race
incidentally　vested　in　a　single　individual；　and　that　if　that
individual　employed　his　monopoly　of　it　to　extort　money　from
others；　he　deserved　nothing　better　than　hanging。　The　artist　lost
his　temper；　and　suggested　that　if　Trefusis　could　not　feel　that
the　prerogative　of　art　was　divine；　perhaps　he　could　understand
that　a　painter　was　not　such　a　fool　as　to　design　a　tomb　for　five
pounds　when　he　might　be　painting　a　portrait　for　a　thousand。
Trefusis　retorted　that　the　fact　of　a　man　paying　a　thousand　pounds
for　a　portrait　proved　that　he　had　not　earned　the　money；　and　was
therefore　either　a　thief　or　a　beggar。　The　common　workman　who
sacrificed　sixpence　from　his　week's　wages　for　a　cheap　photograph
to　present　to　his　sweet。　heart；　or　a　shilling　for　a　pair　of
chromolithographic　pictures　or　delft　figures　to　place　on　his
mantelboard；　suffered　greater　privation　for　the　sake　of
possessing　a　work　of　art　than　the　great　landlord　or　shareholder
who　paid　a　thousand　pounds；　which　he　was　too　rich　to　miss；　for　a
portrait　that；　like　Hogarth's　Jack　Sheppard；　was　only　interesting
to　students　of　criminal　physiognomy。　A　lively　quarrel　ensued；
Trefusis　denouncing　the　folly　of　artists　in　fancying　themselves　a
priestly　caste　when　they　were　obviously　only　the　parasites　and
favored　slaves　of　the　moneyed　classes；　and　his　friend
（temporarily　his　enemy）　sneering　bitterly　at　levellers　who　were
for　levelling　down　instead　of　levelling　up。　Finally；　tired　of
disputing；　and　remorseful　for　their　acrimony；　they　dined　amicably
together。

The　monument　was　placed　in　Highgate　Cemetery　by　a　small　band　of
workmen　whom　Trefusis　found　out　of　employment。　It　bore　the
following　inscription：


THIS　IS　THE　MONUMENT　OF　HENRIETTA　JANSENIUS　WHO　WAS　BORN　ON　THE
26TH　JULY；　1856；　MARRIED　TO　SIDNEY　TREFUSIS　ON　THE　23RD　AUGUST；
1875；　AND　WHO　DIED　ON　THE　21ST　DECEMBER　IN　THE　SAME　YEAR。

Mr。　Jansenius　took　this　as　an　insult　to　his　daughter's　memory；
and；　as　the　tomb　was　much　smaller　than　many　which　had　been
erected　in　the　cemetery　by　families　to　whom　the　Janseniuses
claimed　superiority；　cited　it　as　an　example　of　the　widower's
meanness。　But　by　other　persons　it　was　so　much　admired　that
Trefusis　hoped　it　would　ensure　the　prosperity　of　its　designer。
The　contrary　happened。　When　the　mason　attempted　to　return　to　his
ordinary　work　he　was　informed　that　he　had　contravened　trade
usage；　and　that　his　former　employers　would　have　nothing　more　to
say　to　him。　On　applying　for　advice　and　assistance　to　the
trades…union　of　which　he　was　a　member　he　received　the　same　reply；
and　was　further　reproached　for　treachery　to　his　fellow…workmen。
He　returned　to　Trefusis　to　say　that　the　tombstone　job　had　ruined
him。　Trefusis；　enraged；　wrote　an　argumentative　letter　to　the
〃Times；〃　which　was　not　inserted；　a　sarcastic　one　to　the
trades…union；　which　did　no　good；　and　a　fierce　one　to　the
employers；　who　threatened　to　take　an　action　for　libel。　He　had　to
content　himself　with　setting　the　man　to　work　again　on
mantelpieces　and　other　decorative　stone…work　for　use　in　house
property　on　the　Trefusis　estate。　In　a　year　or　two　his　liberal
payments　enabled　the　mason　to　save　sufficient　to　start　as　an
employer；　in　which　capacity　he　soon　began　to　grow　rich；　as　he
knew　by　experience　exactly　how　much　his　workmen　could　be　forced
to　do；　and　how　little　they　could　be　forced　to　take。　Shortly　after
this　change　in　his　circumstances　he　became　an　advocate　of　thrift；
temperance；　and　steady　industry；　and　quitted　the　International
Association；　of　which　he　had　been　an　enthusiastic　supporter　when
dependent　on　his　own　skill　and　taste　as　a　working　mason。

During　these　occurrences　Agatha's　school…life　ended。　Her
resolution　to　study　hard　during　another　term　at　the　college　had
been　formed；　not　for　the　sake　of　becoming　learned；　but　that　she
might　become　more　worthy　of　Smilash；　and　when　she　learned　the
truth　about　him　from　his　own　lips；　the　idea　of　returning　to　the
scene　of　that　humiliation　became　intolerable　to　her。　She　left
under　the　impression　that　her　heart　was　broken；　for　her　smarting
vanity；　by　the　law　of　its　own　existence；　would　not　perceive　that
it　was　the　seat　of　the　injury。　So　she　bade　Miss　Wilson　adieu；　and
the　bee　on　the　window　pane　was　heard　no　more　at　Alton　College。

The　intelligence　of　Henrietta's　death　shocked　her　the　more
because　she　could　not　help　being　glad　that　the　only　other　person
who　knew　of　her　folly　with　regard　to　Smilash　（himself　excepted）
was　now　silenced　forever。　This　seemed　to　her　a　terrible　discovery
of　her　own　depravity。　Under　its　influence　she　became　almost
religious；　and　caused　some　anxiety　about　her　health　to　her
mother；　who　was　puzzled　by　her　unwonted　seriousness；　and；　in
particular；　by　her　determination　not　to　speak　of　the　misconduct
of　Trefusis；　which　was　now　the　prevailing　topic　of　conversation
in　the　family。　She　listened　in　silence　to　gossiping　discussions
of　his　desertion　of　his　wife；　his　heartless　indifference　to　her
decease；　his　violence　and　bad　language　by　her　deathbed；　his
parsimony；　his　malicious　opposition　to　the　wishes　of　the
Janseniuses；　his　cheap　tombstone　with　the　insulting　epitaph；　his
association　with　common　workmen　and　low　demagogues；　his　suspected
connection　with　a　secret　society　for　the　assassination　of　the
royal　family　and　blowing　up　of　the　army；　his　atheistic　denial；　in
a　pamphlet　addressed　to　the　clergy；　of　a　statement　by　the
Archbishop　of　Canterbury　that　spiritual　aid　alone　could　improve
the　condition　of　the　poor　in　the　East…end　of　London；　and　the
crowning　disgrace　of　his　trial　for　seditious　libel　at　the　Old
Bailey；　where　he　was　condemned　to　six　months'　imprisonment；　a
penalty　from　which　he　was　rescued　by　the　ingenuity　of　his
counsel；　who　discovered　a　flaw　in　the　indictment；　and　succeeded；
at　great　cost　to　Trefusis；　in　getting　the　sentence　quashed。
Agatha　at　last　got　tired　of　hearing　of　his　misdeeds。　She　believed
him　to　be　heartless；　selfish；　and　misguided；　but　she　knew　that　he
was　not　the　loud；　coarse；　sensual；　and　ignorant　brawler　most　of
her　mother's　gossips　supposed　him　to　be。　She　even　felt；　in　spite
of　herself；　an　emotion　of　gratitude　to　the　few　who　ventured　to
defend　him。

Preparation　for　her　first　season　helped　her　to　forget　her
misadventure。　She　〃came　out〃　in　due　time；　and　an　extremely　dull
season　she　found　it。　So　much　so；　that　she　sometimes　asked　herself
whether　she　should　ever　be　happy　again。　At　the　college　there　had
been　good　fellowship；　fun；　rules；　and　duties　which　were　a　source
of　strength　when　observed　and　a　source　of　delicious　excitement
when　violated；　freedom　from　ceremony；　toffee　making；　flights　on
the　banisters；　and　appreciative　audiences　for　the　soldier　in　the
chimney。

In　society　there　were　silly　conversations　lasting　half　a　minute；
cool　acquaintanceships　founded　on　such　half…minutes；　general
reciprocity　of　suspicion；　overcrowding；　insufficient　ventilation；
bad　music　badly　executed；　late　hours；　unwholesome　food；
intoxicating　liquors；　jealous　competition　in　useless　expenditure；
husband…hunting；　flirting；　dancing；　theatres；　and　concerts。　The
last　three；　which　Agatha　liked；　helped　to　make　the　contrast
between　Alton　and　London　tolerable　to　her；　but　they　had　their
drawbacks；　for　good　partners　at　the　dances；　and　good　performances
at　the　spiritless　opera　and　concerts；　were　disappointingly
scarce。　Flirting　she　could　not　endure；　she　drove　men　away　when
they　became　tender；　seeing　in　them　the　falsehood　of　Smilash
without　his　wit。　She　was　considered　rude　by　the　younger　gentlemen
of　her　circle。　They　discussed　her　bad　manners　among　themselves；
and　agreed　to　punish　her　by　not　asking　her　to　dance。　She　thus　got
rid；　without　knowing　why；　of　the　attentions　she　cared　for　least
（she　retained　a　schoolgirl's　cruel　contempt　for　〃boys〃）；　and
enjoyed　herself　as　best　she　could　with　such　of　the　older　or　more