an unsocial socialist-第36章

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November。〃

Sir　Charles　laughed　at　the　trouble　Trefusis　took　to　prove　his
case；　and　said　soothingly；　〃My　dear　fellow；　kings　are　used　to　it；
and　expect　it；　and　like　it。〃

〃And　probably　do　not　see　themselves　as　I　see　them；　any　more　than
common　people　do；〃　assented　Trefusis。

〃What　an　exquisite　face！〃　exclaimed　Erskine　suddenly；　catching
sight　of　a　photograph　in　a　rich　gold　and　coral　frame　on　a
miniature　easel　draped　with　ruby　velvet。　Trefusis　turned　quickly；
so　evidently　gratified　that　Sir　Charles　hastened　to　say；
〃Charming！〃　Then；　looking　at　the　portrait；　he　added；　as　if　a
little　startled；　〃It　certainly　is　an　extraordinarily　attractive
face。〃

〃Years　ago；〃　said　Trefusis；　〃when　I　saw　that　face　for　the　first
time；　I　felt　as　you　feel　now。〃

Silence　ensued；　the　two　visitors　looking　at　the　portrait；
Trefusis　looking　at　them。

〃Curious　style　of　beauty；〃　said　Sir　Charles　at　last；　not　quite　so
assuredly　as　before。

Trefusis　laughed　unpleasantly。　〃Do　you　recognize　the　artistthe
enthusiastic　amateurin　her？〃　he　said；　opening　another　drawer
and　taking　out　a　bundle　of　drawings；　which　he　handed　to　be
examined。

〃Very　clever。　Very　clever　indeed；〃　said　Sir　Charles。　〃I　should
like　to　meet　the　lady。〃

〃I　have　often　been　on　the　point　of　burning　them；〃　said　Trefusis；
〃but　there　they　are；　and　there　they　are　likely　to　remain。　The
portrait　has　been　much　admired。〃

〃Can　you　give　us　an　introduction　to　the　original；　old　fellow？〃
said　Erskine。

〃No；　happily。　She　is　dead。〃

Disagreeably　shocked；　they　looked　at　him　for　a　moment　with
aversion。　Then　Erskine；　turning　with　pity　and　disappointment　to
the　picture；　said；　〃Poor　girl！　Was　she　married？〃

〃Yes。　To　me。〃

〃Mrs。　Trefusis！〃　exclaimed　Sir　Charles。　〃Ah！　Dear　me！〃

Erskine；　with　proof　before　him　that　it　was　possible　for　a
beautiful　girl　to　accept　Trefusis；　said　nothing。

〃I　keep　her　portrait　constantly　before　me　to　correct　my　natural
amativeness。　I　fell　in　love　with　her　and　married　her。　I　have
fallen　in　love　once　or　twice　since　but　a　glance　at　my　lost　Hetty
has　cured　me　of　the　slightest　inclination　to　marry。〃

Sir　Charles　did　not　reply。　It　occurred　to　him　that　Lady　Brandon's
portrait；　if　nothing　else　were　left　of　her；　might　be　useful　in
the　same　way。

〃Come；　you　will　marry　again　one　of　these　days；〃　said　Erskine；　in
a　forced　tone　of　encouragement。

〃It　is　possible。　Men　should　marry；　especially　rich　men。　But　I
assure　you　I　have　no　present　intention　of　doing　so。〃

Erskine's　color　deepened；　and　he　moved　away　to　the　table　where
the　albums　lay。

〃This　is　the　collection　of　photographs　I　spoke　of；〃　said
Trefusis；　following　him　and　opening　one　of　the　books。　〃I　took
many　of　them　myself　under　great　difficulties　with　regard　to
lightthe　only　difficulty　that　money　could　not　always　remove。
This　is　a　view　of　my　father's　houseor　rather　one　of　his　houses。
It　cost　seventy…five　thousand　pounds。〃

〃Very　handsome　indeed；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　secretly　disgusted　at
being　invited　to　admire　a　photograph；　such　as　house　agents
exhibit；　of　a　vulgarly　designed　country　house；　merely　because　it
had　cost　seventy…five　thousand　pounds。　The　figures　were　actually
written　beneath　the　picture。

〃This　is　the　drawing…room；　and　this　one　of　the　best　bedrooms。　In
the　right…hand　corner　of　the　mount　you　will　see　a　note　of　the
cost　of　the　furniture；　fittings；　napery；　and　so　forth。　They　were
of　the　most　luxurious　description。〃

〃Very　interesting；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　hardly　disguising　the　irony
of　the　comment。

〃Here　is　a　viewthis　is　the　first　of　my　own　attemptsof　the
apartment　of　one　of　the　under　servants。　It　is　comfortable　and
spacious；　and　solidly　furnished。〃

〃So　I　perceive。〃

〃These　are　the　stables。　Are　they　not　handsome？〃

〃Palatial。　Quite　palatial。〃

〃There　is　every　luxury　that　a　horse　could　desire；　including
plenty　of　valets　to　wait　on　him。　You　are　noting　the　figures；　I
hope。　There　is　the　cost　of　the　building　and　the　expenditure　per
horse　per　annum。〃

〃I　see。〃

〃Here　is　the　exterior　of　a　house。　What　do　you　think　of　it？〃

〃It　is　rather　picturesque　in　its　dilapidation。〃

〃Picturesque！　Would　you　like　to　live　in　it？〃

〃No；〃　said　Erskine。　〃I　don't　see　anything　very　picturesque　about
it。　What　induced　you　to　photograph　such　a　wretched　old　rookery？〃

〃Here　is　a　view　of　the　best　room　in　it。　Photography　gives　you　a
fair　idea　of　the　broken　flooring　and　patched　windows；　but　you
must　imagine　the　dirt　and　the　odor　of　the　place。　Some　of　the
stains　are　weather　stains；　others　came　from　smoke　and　filth。　The
landlord　of　the　house　holds　it　from　a　peer　and　lets　it　out　in
tenements。　Three　families　occupied　that　room　when　I　photographed
it。　You　will　see　by　the　figures　in　the　corner　that　it　is　more
profitable　to　the　landlord　than　an　average　house　in　Mayfair。　Here
is　the　cellar；　let　to　a　family　for　one　and　sixpence　a　week；　and
considered　a　bargain。　The　sun　never　shines　there；　of　course。　I
took　it　by　artificial　light。　You　may　add　to　the　rent　the　cost　of
enough　bad　beer　to　make　the　tenant　insensible　to　the　filth　of　the
place。　Beer　is　the　chloroform　that　enables　the　laborer　to　endure
the　severe　operation　of　living；　that　is　why　we　can　always　assure
one　another　over　our　wine　that　the　rascal's　misery　is　due　to　his
habit　of　drinking。　We　are　down　on　him　for　it；　because；　if　he
could　bear　his　life　without　beer；　we　should　save　his
beer…moneyget　him　for　lower　wages。　In　short；　we　should　be
richer　and　he　soberer。　Here　is　the　yard；　the　arrangements　are
indescribable。　Seven　of　the　inhabitants　of　that　house　had　worked
for　years　in　my　father's　mill。　That　is；　they　had　created　a
considerable　part　of　the　vast　sums　of　money　for　drawing　your
attention　to　which　you　were　disgusted　with　me　just　now。〃

〃Not　at　all；〃　said　Sir　Charles　faintly。

〃You　can　see　how　their　condition　contrasts　with　that　of　my
father's　horses。　The　seven　men　to　whom　I　have　alluded；　with　three
hundred　others；　were　thrown　destitute　upon　the　streets　by　this。〃
（Here　he　turned　over　a　leaf　and　displayed　a　photograph　of　an
elaborate　machine。）　〃It　enabled　my　father　to　dispense　with　their
services；　and　to　replace　them　by　a　handful　of　women　and　children。
He　had　bought　the　patent　of　the　machine　for　fifty　pounds　from　the
inventor；　who　was　almost　ruined　by　the　expenses　of　his　ingenuity；
and　would　have　sacrificed　anything　for　a　handful　of　ready　money。
Here　is　a　portrait　of　my　father　in　his　masonic　insignia。　He
believed　that　freemasons　generally　get　on　in　the　world；　and　as
the　main　object　of　his　life　was　to　get　on；　he　joined　them；　and
wanted　me　to　do　the　same。　But　I　object　to　pretended　secret
societies　and　hocus　pocus；　and　would　not。　You　see　what　he　wasa
portly；　pushing；　egotistical　tradesman。　Mark　the　successful　man；
the　merchant　prince　with　argosies　on　every　sea；　the　employer　of
thousands　of　hands；　the　munificent　contributor　to　public
charities；　the　churchwarden；　the　member　of　parliament；　and　the
generous　patron　of　his　relatives　his　self…approbation　struggling
with　the　instinctive　sense　of　baseness　in　the　money…hunter；　the
ignorant　and　greedy　filcher　of　the　labor　of　others；　the　seller　of
his　own　mind　and　manhood　for　luxuries　and　delicacies　that　he　was
too　lowlived　to　enjoy；　and　for　the　society　of　people　who　made　him
feel　his　inferiority　at　every　turn。〃

〃And　the　man　to　whom　you　owe　everything　you　possess；〃　said
Erskine　boldly。

〃I　possess　very　little。　Everything　he　left　me；　except　a　few
pictures；　I　spent　long　ago；　and　even　that　was　made　by　his　slaves
and　not　by　him。　My　wealth　comes　day　by　day　fresh　from　the　labor
of　the　wretches　who　live　in　the　dens　I　have　just　shown　you；　or　of
a　few　aristocrats　of　labor　who　are　within　ten　shillings　a　week　of
being　worse　off。　However；　there　is　some　excuse　for　my　father。
Once；　at　an　election　riot；　I　got　into　a　free　fight。　I　am　a
peaceful　man；　but　as　I　had　either　to　fight　or　be　knocked　down　and
trampled　upon；　I　exchanged　blows　with　men　who　were　perhaps　as
peacefully　disposed　as　I。　My　father；　launched　into　a　free
competition　（free　in　the　sense　that　the　fight　is　free：　that　is；
lawless）my　father　had　to　choose　between　being　a　slave　himself
and　enslaving　others。　He　chose　the　latter；　and　as　he　was
applauded　and　made　much　of　for　succeeding；　who　dare　blame　him？
Not　I。　Besides；　he　did　something　to　destroy　the　anarchy　that
enabled　him　to　plunder　society　with　impunity。　He　furnished　me；
its　enemy；　with　the　powerful　weapon　of　a　large　fortune。　Thus　our
system　of　organizing　industry　sometimes　hatches　the　eggs　from
which　its　destroyers　break。　Does　Lady　Brandon　wear　much　lace？〃

〃INo；　that　isHow　the　deuce　dO　I　know；　Trefusis？　What　an
extraordinary　question！〃

〃This　is　a　photograph　of　a　lace　school。　It　was　a　filthy　room；
twelve　feet　square。　It　was　paved　with　brick；　and　the　children
were　not　allowed　to　wear　their　boots；　lest　the　lace　should　get
muddy。　However；　as　there　were　twenty　of　them　working　there　for
fifteen　hours　a　dayall　girlsthey　did　not　suffer　much　from
cold。　They　were　pretty　tightly　packedmay　be　still；　for　aught　I
know。　They　brought　three　or　four　shillings　a　week　sometimes　to
their　fond　parents；　and　they　were　very　quick…fingered　little
creatures；　and　stuck　intensely　to　their　work；　as　the　overseer
always　hit　them　when　they　looked　up　or〃

〃Trefusis；〃　said　Sir　Charles；　turning　away　from　the　table；　〃I　beg
your　pardon；　but　I　have　no　appetite　for　horrors。　You　really　must
not　ask　me　to　go　through　your　collection。　It　is　no　doubt　very
interesting；　but　I　can't　stand　it。　Have　you　nothing　pleasant　to
entertain　me　with？〃

〃Pooh！　you　are　squeamish。　However；　as　you　are　a　novice；　let　us
put　off　the　rest　until　you　are　seasoned。　The　pictures　are　not　all
horrible。　Each　book　refers　to　a　different　country。　That　one
contains　illustrations　of　modern　civilization　in　Germany；　for
instance。　That　one　is　France；　that；　British　India。　Here　you　have
the　United　States　of　America；　home　of　liberty；　theatre　of　manhood
suffrage；　kingless　and　lordless　land　of　Protection；
Republicanism；　and　the　realized　Radical　Programme；　where　all　the
black　chattel　slaves　were　turned　into　wage…slaves　（like　my
father's　white　fellows）　at　a　cost　of　800；000　lives　and　wealth
incalculable。　You　and　I　are　paupers　in　comparison　with　the　great
capitalists　of　that　country；　where　the　laborers　fight　for　bones
with　the　Chinamen；　like　dogs。　Some　of　these　great　men　presented
me　with　photographs　of　their　yachts　and　palaces；　not　anticipating
the　use　to　which　I　would　put　them。　Here　are　some　portraits　that
will　not　harrow　your　feelings。　This　is　my　mother；　a　woman　of　good
family；　every　inch　a　lady。　Here　is　a　Lancashire　lass；　the
daughter　of　a　common　pitman。　She　has　exactly　the　same　physical
characteristics　as　my　well…born　motherthe　same　small　head；
delicate　features；　and　so　forth；　they　might　be　sisters。　This
villainous…looking　pair　might　be　twin　brothers；　except　that　there
is　a　trace　of　good　humor　about　the　one　to　the　right。　The
good…humored　one　is　a　bargee　on　the　Lyvern　Canal。　The　other　is
one　of　the　senior　noblemen　of　the　British　Peerage。　They
illustrate　the　fact　that　Nature；　even　when　perverted　by
generations　of　famine　fever；　ignores　the　distinctions　we　set　up
between　men。　This　group　of　men　and　women；　all　tolerably
intelligent　and　thoughtful　looking；　are　so…called　enemies