an unsocial socialist-第29章

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an　average　successful　painter。　Again；　consider　our　implements　of
musicour　pianofortes；　for　example。　Nobody　but　an　acrobat　will
voluntarily　spend　years　at　such　a　difficult　mechanical　puzzle　as
the　keyboard；　and　so　we　have　to　take　our　impressions　of
Beethoven's　sonatas　from　acrobats　who　vie　with　each　other　in　the
rapidity　of　their　prestos；　or　the　staying　power　of　their　left
wrists。　Thoughtful　men　will　not　spend　their　lives　acquiring
sleight…of…hand。　Invent　a　piano　which　will　respond　as　delicately
to　the　turning　of　a　handle　as　our　present　ones　do　to　the　pressure
of　the　fingers；　and　the　acrobats　will　be　driven　back　to　their
carpets　and　trapezes；　because　the　sole　faculty　necessary　to　the
executant　musician　will　be　the　musical　faculty；　and　no　other　will
enable　him　to　obtain　a　hearing。〃

The　company　were　somewhat　overcome　by　this　unexpected　lecture。
Sir　Charles；　feeling　that　such　views　bore　adversely　on　him；　and
were　somehow　iconoclastic　and　low…lived；　was　about　to　make　a
peevish　retort；　when　Erskine　forestalled　him　by　asking　Trefusis
what　idea　he　had　formed　of　the　future　of　the　arts。　He　replied
promptly。　〃Photography　perfected　in　its　recently　discovered　power
of　reproducing　color　as　well　as　form！　Historical　pictures
replaced　by　photographs　of　tableaux　vivants　formed　and　arranged
by　trained　actors　and　artists；　and　used　chiefly　for　the
instruction　of　children。　Nine…tenths　of　painting　as　we　understand
it　at　present　extinguished　by　the　competition　of　these
photographs；　and　the　remaining　tenth　only　holding　its　own　against
them　by　dint　of　extraordinary　excellence！　Our　mistuned　and
unplayable　organs　and　pianofortes　replaced　by　harmonious
instruments；　as　manageable　as　barrel　organs！　Works　of　fiction
superseded　by　interesting　company　and　conversation；　and　made
obsolete　by　the　human　mind　outgrowing　the　childishness　that
delights　in　the　tales　told　by　grownup　children　such　as　novelists
and　their　like！　An　end　to　the　silly　confusion；　under　the　one　name
of　Art；　of　the　tomfoolery　and　make…believe　of　our　play…hours　with
the　higher　methods　of　teaching　men　to　know　themselves！　Every
artist　an　amateur；　and　a　consequent　return　to　the　healthy　old
disposition　to　look　on　every　man　who　makes　art　a　means　of
money…getting　as　a　vagabond　not　to　be　entertained　as　an　equal　by
honest　men！〃

〃In　which　case　artists　will　starve；　and　there　will　be　no　more
art。〃

〃Sir；〃　said　Trefusis；　excited　by　the　word；　〃I；　as　a　Socialist；
can　tell　you　that　starvation　is　now　impossible；　except　where；　as
in　England；　masterless　men　are　forcibly　prevented　from　producing
the　food　they　need。　And　you；　as　an　artist；　can　tell　me　that　at
present　great　artists　invariably　do　starve；　except　when　they　are
kept　alive　by　charity；　private　fortune；　or　some　drudgery　which
hinders　them　in　the　pursuit　of　their　vocation。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Erskine。　〃Then　Socialists　have　some　little　sympathy
with　artists　after　all。〃

〃I　fear；〃　said　Trefusis；　repressing　himself　and　speaking　quietly
again；　〃that　when　a　Socialist　hears　of　a　hundred　pounds　paid　for
a　drawing　which　Andrea　del　Sarto　was　glad　to　sell　for　tenpence；
his　heart　is　not　wrung　with　pity　for　the　artist's　imaginary　loss
as　that　of　a　modern　capitalist　is。　Yet　that　is　the　only　way
nowadays　of　enlisting　sympathy　for　the　old　masters。　Frightful
disability；　to　be　out　of　the　reach　of　the　dearest　market　when　you
want　to　sell　your　drawings！　But；〃　he　added；　giving　himself　a
shake；　and　turning　round　gaily；　〃I　did　not　come　here　to　talk
shop。　Sopending　the　delugelet　us　enjoy　ourselves　after　our
manner。〃

〃No；〃　said　Jane。　〃Please　go　on　about　Art。　It's　such　a　relief　to
hear　anyone　talking　sensibly　about　it。　I　hate　etching。　It　makes
your　eyes　soreat　least　the　acid　gets　into　Sir　Charles's；　and
the　difference　between　the　first　and　second　states　is　nothing　but
imagination；　except　that　the　last　state　is　worse　than　thehere's
luncheon！〃

They　went　downstairs　then。　Trefusis　sat　between　Agatha　and　Lady
Brandon；　to　whom　he　addressed　all　his　conversation。　They　chatted
without　much　interruption　from　the　business　of　the　table；　for
Jane；　despite　her　amplitude；　had　a　small　appetite；　and　was
fearful　of　growing　fat；　whilst　Trefusis　was　systematically
abstemious。　Sir　Charles　was　unusually　silent。　He　was　afraid　to
talk　about　art；　lest　he　should　be　contradicted　by　Trefusis；　who；
he　already　felt；　cared　less　and　perhaps　knew　more　about　it　than
he。　Having　previously　commented　to　Agatha　on　the　beauty　of　the
ripening　spring；　and　inquired　whether　her　journey　had　fatigued
her；　he　had　said　as　much　as　he　could　think　of　at　a　first　meeting。
For　her　part；　she　was　intent　on　Trefusis；　who；　though　he　must
know；　she　thought；　that　they　were　all　hostile　to　him　except　Jane；
seemed　as　confident　now　as　when　he　had　befooled　her　long　ago。
That　thought　set　her　teeth　on　edge。　She　did　not　doubt　the
sincerity　of　her　antipathy　to　him　even　when　she　detected　herself
in　the　act　of　protesting　inwardly　that　she　was　not　glad　to　meet
him　again；　and　that　she　would　not　speak　to　him。　Gertrude；
meanwhile；　was　giving　short　answers　to　Erskine　and　listening　to
Trefusis。　She　had　gathered　from　the　domestic　squabbles　of　the
last　few　days　that　Lady　Brandon；　against　her　husband's　will；　had
invited　a　notorious　demagogue；　the　rich　son　of　a　successful
cotton…spinner；　to　visit　the　Beeches。　She　had　made　up　her　mind　to
snub　any　such　man。　But　on　recognizing　the　long…forgotten　Smilash；
she　had　been　astonished；　and　had　not　known　what　to　do。　So；　to
avoid　doing　anything　improper；　she　had　stood　stilly　silent　and
done　nothing；　as　the　custom　of　English　ladies　in　such　cases　is。
Subsequently；　his　unconscious　self…assertion　had　wrought　with　her
as　with　the　others；　and　her　intention　of　snubbing　him　had　faded
into　the　limbo　of　projects　abandoned　without　trial。　Erskine　alone
was　free　from　the　influence　of　the　intruder。　He　wished　himself
elsewhere；　but　beside　Gertrude　the　presence　or　absence　of　any
other　person　troubled　him　very　little。

〃How　are　the　Janseniuses？〃　said　Trefusis；　suddenly　turning　to
Agatha。

〃They　are　quite　well；　thank　you；〃　she　said　in　measured　tones。

〃I　met　John　Jansenius　in　the　city　lately。　You　know　Jansenius？〃　he
added　parenthetically　to　Sir　Charles。　〃Cotman's　bankthe　last
Cotman　died　out　of　the　firm　before　we　were　born。　The　Chairman　of
the　Transcanadian　Railway　Company。〃

〃I　know　the　name。　I　am　seldom　in　the　city。〃

〃Naturally；〃　assented　Trefusis；　〃for　who　would　sadden　himself　by
pushing　his　way　through　a　crowd　of　such　slaves；　if　he　could　help
it？　I　mean　slaves　of　Mammon；　of　course。　To　run　the　gauntlet　of
their　faces　in　Cornhill　is　enough　to　discourage　a　thoughtful　man
for　hours。　Well；　Jansenius；　being　high　in　the　court　of　Mammon；　is
looking　out　for　a　good　post　in　the　household　for　his　son。
Jansenius；　by…the…bye　is　Miss　Wylie's　guardian　and　the　father　of
my　late　wife。〃

Agatha　felt　inclined　to　deny　this；　but；　as　it　was　true；　she　had
to　forbear。　Resolved　to　show　that　the　relations　between　her
family　and　Trefusis　were　not　cordial　ones；　she　asked
deliberately；　〃Did　Mr。　Jansenius　speak　to　you？〃

Gertrude　looked　up；　as　if　she　thought　this　scarcely　ladylike。

〃Yes；〃　said　Trefusis。　〃We　are　the　best　friends　in　the　worldas
good　as　possible；　at　any　rate。　He　wanted　me　to　subscribe　to　a
fund　for　relieving　the　poor　at　the　east　end　of　London　by
assisting　them　to　emigrate。〃

〃I　presume　you　subscribed　liberally；〃　said　Erskine。　〃It　was　an
opportunity　of　doing　some　practical　good。〃

〃I　did　not；〃　said　Trefusis；　grinning　at　the　sarcasm。　〃This
Transcanadian　Railway　Company；　having　got　a　great　deal　of　spare
land　from　the　Canadian　government　for　nothing；　thought　it　would
be　a　good　idea　to　settle　British　workmen　on　it　and　screw　rent　out
of　them。　Plenty　of　British　workmen；　supplanted　in　their
employment　by　machinery；　or　cheap　foreign　labor；　or　one　thing　or
another；　were　quite　willing　to　go；　but　as　they　couldn't　afford　to
pay　their　passages　to　Canada；　the　Company　appealed　to　the
benevolent　to　pay　for　them　by　subscription；　as　the　change　would
improve　their　miserable　condition。　I　did　not　see　why　I　should　pay
to　provide　a　rich　company　with　tenant　farmers；　and　I　told
Jansenius　so。　He　remarked　that　when　money　and　not　talk　was
required；　the　workmen　of　England　soon　found　out　who　were　their
real　friends。〃

〃I　know　nothing　about　these　questions；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　with　an
air　of　conclusiveness；　〃but　I　see　no　objection　to　emigration〃　The
fact　is；〃　said　Trefusis；　〃the　idea　of　emigration　is　a　dangerous
one　for　us。　Familiarize　the　workman　with　it；　and　some　day　he　may
come　to　see　what　a　capital　thing　it　would　be　to　pack　off　me；　and
you；　with　the　peerage；　and　the　whole　tribe　of　unprofitable
proprietors　such　as　we　are；　to　St。　Helena；　making　us　a　handsome
present　of　the　island　by　way　of　indemnity！　We　are　such　a
restless；　unhappy　lot；　that　I　doubt　whether　it　would　not　prove　a
good　thing　for　us　too。　The　workmen　would　lose　nothing　but　the
contemplation　of　our　elegant　persons；　exquisite　manners；　and
refined　tastes。　They　might　provide　against　that　loss　by　picking
out　a　few　of　us　to　keep　for　ornament's　sake。　No　nation　with　a
sense　of　beauty　would　banish　Lady　Brandon；　or　Miss　Lindsay；　or
Miss　Wylie。〃

〃Such　nonsense！〃　said　Jane。

〃You　would　hardly　believe　how　much　I　have　spent　in　sending
workmen　out　of　the　country　against　my　own　view　of　the　country's
interest；〃　continued　Trefusis；　addressing　Erskine。　〃When　I　make　a
convert　among　the　working　classes；　the　first　thing　he　does　is　to
make　a　speech　somewhere　declaring　his　new　convictions。　His
employer　immediately　discharges　him'gives　him　the　sack'　is　the
technical　phrase。　The　sack　is　the　sword　of　the　capitalist；　and
hunger　keeps　it　sharp　for　him。　His　shield　is　the　law；　made　for
the　purpose　by　his　own　class。　Thus　equipped；　he　gives　the　worst
of　it　to　my　poor　convert；　who　comes　ruined　to　me　for　assistance。
As　I　cannot　afford　to　pension　him　for　life；　I　get　rid　of　him　by
assisting　him　to　emigrate。　Sometimes　he　prospers　and　repays　me；
sometimes　I　hear　no　more　of　him；　sometimes　he　comes　back　with　his
habits　unsettled。　One　man　whom　I　sent　to　America　made　his
fortune；　but　he　was　not　a　social　democrat；　he　was　a　clerk　who　had
embezzled；　and　who　applied　to　me　for　assistance　under　the
impression　that　I　considered　it　rather　meritorious　to　rob　the
till　of　a　capitalist。〃

〃He　was　a　practical　Socialist；　in　fact；〃　said　Erskine。

〃On　the　contrary；　he　was　a　somewhat　too　grasping　Individualist。
Howbeit；　I　enabled　him　to　make　good　his　defalcationin　the　city
they　consider　a　defalcation　made　good　when　the　money　is
replacedand　to　go　to　New　York。　I　recommended　him　not　to　go
there；　but　he　knew　better　than　I；　for　he　made　a　fortune　by
speculating　with　money　that　existed　only　in　the　imagination　of
those　with　whom　he　dealt。　He　never　repaid　me；　he　is　probably　far
too　good　a　man　of　business　to　pay　money　that　cannot　be　extracted
from　him　by　an　appeal　to　the　law　or　to　his　commercial　credit。　Mr。
Erskine；〃　added　Trefusis；　lowering　his　voice；　and　turning　to　the
poet；　〃you　are　wrong　to　take　part　with　hucksters　and
money…hunters　against　your　own　nature；　even　though　the　attack
upon　them　is　led　by　a　man　who　prefers　photography　to　etching。〃

〃But　I　assure　youYou　quite　mistake　me；〃　said　Erskine；　take