CHAPTER VII

tnight,whenweweretalkinguphereroundthefire,Ibegantothinkthattheverysouloftheworldiseconomic,andthatthelowestabyssisnottheabsenceoflove,buttheabsenceofcoin.” “Icallthatrathercynical.” “SodoI.ButHelenandI,weoughttoremember,whenwearetemptedtocriticiseothers,thatwearestandingontheseislands,andthatmostoftheothersaredownbelowthesurfaceofthesea.Thepoorcannotalwaysreachthosewhomtheywanttolove,andtheycanhardlyeverescapefromthosewhomtheylovenolonger.Werichcan.ImaginethetragedylastJune,ifHelenandPaulWilcoxhadbeenpoorpeople,andcouldn’tinvokerailwaysandmotor-carstopartthem.” “That’smorelikeSocialism,”saidMrs.Muntsuspiciously. “Callitwhatyoulike.Icallitgoingthroughlifewithone’shandspreadopenonthetable.I’mtiredoftheserichpeoplewhopretendtobepoor,andthinkitshowsanicemindtoignorethepilesofmoneythatkeeptheirfeetabovethewaves.Istandeachyearuponsixhundredpounds,andHelenuponthesame,andTibbywillstanduponeight,andasfastasourpoundscrumbleawayintotheseatheyarerenewed—fromthesea,yes,fromthesea.Andallourthoughtsarethethoughtsofsix-hundred-pounders,andallourspeechesandbecausewedon’twanttostealumbrellasourselves,weforgetthatbelowtheseapeopledowanttostealthemanddostealthemsometimes,andthatwhat’sajokeuphereisdowntherereality.” “Theretheygo—theregoesFrauleinMosebach.Really,foraGermanshedoesdresscharmingly.Oh!—” “Whatisit?” “HelenwaslookingupattheWilcoxes’flat.” “Whyshouldn’tshe?” “Ibegyourpardon,Iinterruptedyou.Whatwasityouweresayingaboutreality?” “Ihadworkedroundtomyself,asusual,”answeredMargaretintonesthatweresuddenlypreoccupied. “Dotellmethis,atallevents.Areyoufortherichorforthepoor?” “Toodifficult.Askmeanother.AmIforpovertyorforriches?Forriches.Hurrahforriches!” “Forriches!”echoedMrs.Munt,having,asitwere,atlastsecuredhernut. “Yes.Forriches.Moneyforever!” “SoamI,andso,Iamafraid,aremostofmyacquaintancesatSwanage,butIamsurprisedthatyouagreewithus.” “Thankyousomuch,AuntJuley.WhileIhavetalkedtheories,youhavedonetheflowers.” “Notatall,dear.Iwishyouwouldletmehelpyouinmoreimportantthings.” “Well,wouldyoubeverykind?Wouldyoucomeroundwithmetotheregistryoffice?There’sahousemaidwhowon’tsayyesbutdoesn’tsayno.” OntheirwaythithertheytoolookedupattheWilcoxes’flat.Eviewasinthebalcony,“staringmostrudely,”accordingtoMrs.Munt.Ohyes,itwasanuisance,therewasnodoubtofit.Helenwasproofagainstapassingencounter,but—Margaretbegantoloseconfidence.Mightitreawakethedyingnerveifthefamilywereliving