CHAPTER XV

Thesisterswentouttodinnerfulloftheiradventure,andwhentheywerebothfullofthesamesubject,therewerefewdinner-partiesthatcouldstandupagainstthem.Thisparticularone,whichwasallladies,hadmorekickinitthanmost,butsuccumbedafterastruggle.Helenatonepartofthetable,Margaretattheother,wouldtalkofMr.Bastandofnooneelse,andsomewhereabouttheentreetheirmonologuescollided,fellruining,andbecamecommonproperty.Norwasthisall.Thedinner-partywasreallyaninformaldiscussionclubtherewasapaperafterit,readamidcoffee-cupsandlaughterinthedrawing-room,butdealingmoreorlessthoughtfullywithsometopicofgeneralinterest.Afterthepapercameadebate,andinthisdebateMr.Bastalsofigured,appearingnowasabrightspotincivilisation,nowasadarkspot,accordingtothetemperamentofthespeaker.Thesubjectofthepaperhadbeen,“HowoughtItodisposeofmymoney?”thereaderprofessingtobeamillionaireonthepointofdeath,inclinedtobequeathherfortuneforthefoundationoflocalartgalleries,butopentoconvictionfromothersources.Thevariouspartshadbeenassignedbeforehand,andsomeofthespeecheswereamusing.Thehostessassumedtheungratefulroleof“themillionaire’seldestson,”andimploredherexpiringparentnottodislocateSocietybyallowingsuchvastsumstopassoutofthefamily.Moneywasthefruitofself-denial,andthesecondgenerationhadarighttoprofitbytheself-denialofthefirst.Whatrighthad“Mr.Bast”toprofit?TheNationalGallerywasgoodenoughforthelikesofhim.Afterpropertyhadhaditssay—asayingthatisnecessarilyungracious—thevariousphilanthropistssteppedforward.Somethingmustbedonefor“Mr.Bast”hisconditionsmustbeimprovedwithoutimpairinghisindependencehemusthaveafreelibrary,orfreetennis-courtshisrentmustbepaidinsuchawaythathedidnotknowitwasbeingpaiditmustbemadeworthhiswhiletojointheTerritorialshemustbeforciblypartedfromhisuninspiringwife,themoneygoingtoherascompensationhemustbeassignedaTwinStar,somememberoftheleisuredclasseswhowouldwatchoverhimceaselessly(groansfromHelen)hemustbegivenfoodbutnoclothes,clothesbutnofood,athird-returntickettoVenice,withouteitherfoodorclotheswhenhearrivedthere.Inshort,hemightbegivenanythingandeverythingsolongasitwasnotthemoneyitself. AndhereMargaretinterrupted. “Order,order,MissSchlegel!”saidthereaderofthepaper.“Youarehere,Iunderstand,toadvisemeintheinterestsoftheSocietyforthePreservationofPlacesofHistoricInterestorNaturalBeauty.Icannothaveyouspeakingoutofyourrole.Itmakesmypoorheadgoround,andIthinkyouforgetthatIamveryill.” “Yourheadwon’tgoroundifonlyyou’lllistentomyargument,”saidMargaret.“Whynotgivehimthemoneyitself?You’resupposedtohaveaboutthirtythousandayear.” “HaveI?IthoughtIhadamillion.” “Wasn’tamillionyourcapital?Dearme!weoughttohavesettledthat.Still,itdoesn’tmatter.Whateveryou’vegot,Iorderyoutogiveasmanypoormenasyoucanthreehundredayeareach.” “Butthatwouldbepauperisingthem,”saidanearnestgirl,wholikedtheSchlegels,butthoughtthemalittleunspiritualattimes. “Notifyougavethemsomuch.Abigwindfallwouldnotpauperiseaman.Itistheselittledriblets,distributedamongtoomany,thatdotheharm.Money’seducational.It’sfarmoreeducationalthanthethingsitbuys.”Therewasaprotest.“Inasense,”addedMargaret,buttheprotestcontinued.“Well,isn’tthemostcivilizedthinggoing,themanwhohaslearnttowearhisincomeproperly?” “ExactlywhatyourMr.Bastswon’tdo.” “Givethemachance.Givethemmoney.Don’tdolethemoutpoetry-booksandrailway-ticketslikebabies.Givethemthewherewithaltobuythesethings.WhenyourSocialismcomesitmaybedifferent,andwemaythinkintermsofcommoditiesinsteadofcash.Tillitcomesgivepeoplecash,foritisthewarpofcivilisation,whateverthewoofmaybe.Theimaginationoughttoplayuponmoneyandrealiseitvividly,forit’sthe—thesecondmostimportantthingintheworld.Itissoslurredoverandhushedup,thereissolittleclearthinking—oh,politicaleconomy,ofcourse,butsofewo