CHAPTER XV

fusthinkclearlyaboutourownprivateincomes,andadmitthatindependentthoughtsareinninecasesoutoftentheresultofindependentmeans.Money:giveMr.Bastmoney,anddon’tbotherabouthisideals.He’llpickupthoseforhimself.” Sheleantbackwhilethemoreearnestmembersoftheclubbegantomisconstrueher.Thefemalemind,thoughcruellypracticalindailylife,cannotbeartohearidealsbelittledinconversation,andMissSchlegelwasaskedhowevershecouldsaysuchdreadfulthings,andwhatitwouldprofitMr.Bastifhegainedthewholeworldandlosthisownsoul.Sheanswered,“Nothing,buthewouldnotgainhissouluntilhehadgainedalittleoftheworld.”Thentheysaid,“No,wedonotbelieveit,”andsheadmittedthatanoverworkedclerkmaysavehissoulinthesuperterrestrialsense,wheretheeffortwillbetakenforthedeed,butshedeniedthathewilleverexplorethespiritualresourcesofthisworld,willeverknowtherarerjoysofthebody,orattaintoclearandpassionateintercoursewithhisfellows.OthershadattackedthefabricofSociety—Property,Interest,etc.sheonlyfixedhereyesonafewhumanbeings,toseehow,underpresentconditions,theycouldbemadehappier.Doinggoodtohumanitywasuseless:themany-colouredeffortstheretospreadingoverthevastarealikefilmsandresultinginanuniversalgrey.Todogoodtoone,or,asinthiscase,toafew,wastheutmostshedarehopefor. Betweentheidealists,andthepoliticaleconomists,Margarethadabadtime.Disagreeingelsewhere,theyagreedindisowningher,andinkeepingtheadministrationofthemillionaire’smoneyintheirownhands.Theearnestgirlbroughtforwardaschemeof“personalsupervisionandmutualhelp,”theeffectofwhichwastoalterpoorpeopleuntiltheybecameexactlylikepeoplewhowerenotsopoor.Thehostesspertinentlyremarkedthatshe,aseldestson,mightsurelyrankamongthemillionaire’slegatees.Margaretweaklyadmittedtheclaim,andanotherclaimwasatoncesetupbyHelen,whodeclaredthatshehadbeenthemillionaire’shousemaidforoverfortyyears,overfedandunderpaidwasnothingtobedoneforher,socorpulentandpoor?Themillionairethenreadoutherlastwillandtestament,inwhichsheleftthewholeofherfortunetotheChancelloroftheExchequer.Thenshedied.Theseriouspartsofthediscussionhadbeenofhighermeritthantheplayful—inamen’sdebateisthereversemoregeneral?—butthemeetingbrokeuphilariouslyenough,andadozenhappyladiesdispersedtotheirhomes. HelenandMargaretwalkedwiththeearnestgirlasfarasBatterseaBridgeStation,arguingcopiouslyalltheway.Whenshehadgonetheywereconsciousofanalleviation,andofthegreatbeautyoftheevening.TheyturnedbacktowardsOakleyStreet.Thelampsandtheplane-trees,followingthelineoftheembankment,struckanoteofdignitythatisrareinEnglishcities.Theseats,almostdeserted,werehereandthereoccupiedbygentlefolkineveningdress,whohadstrolledoutfromthehousesbehindtoenjoyfreshairandthewhisperoftherisingtide.ThereissomethingcontinentalaboutChelseaEmbankment.Itisanopenspaceusedrightly,ablessingmorefrequentinGermanythanhere.AsMargaretandHelensatdown,thecitybehindthemseemedtobeavasttheatre,anopera-houseinwhichsomeendlesstrilogywasperforming,andtheythemselvesapairofsatisfiedsubscribers,whodidnotmindlosingalittleofthesecondact. “Cold?” “No.” “Tired?” “Doesn’tmatter.” Theearnestgirl’strainrumbledawayoverthebridge. “Isay,Helen—” “Well?” “ArewereallygoingtofollowupMr.Bast?” “Idon’tknow.” “Ithinkwewon’t.” “Asyoulike.” “It’snogood,Ithink,unlessyoureallymeantoknowpeople.Thediscussionbroughtthathometome.Wegotonwellenoughwithhiminaspiritofexcitement,butthinkofrationalintercourse.Wemustn’tplayatfriendship.No,it’snogood.” “There’sMrs.Lanoline,too,”Helenyawned.“Sodull.” “Justso,andpossiblyworsethandull.” “Ishouldliketoknowhowhegotholdofyourcard.” “Buthesaid—somethingaboutaconcertandanumbrella.” “Thendidthecardseethewife—” “Helen,cometobed.” “No,justalittlelonger,itissobeautiful.Tellmeohyesdidyous