CHAPTER XVII

aid,andadded:“Didn’tyoutalkratherlikethattoyourofficeboy?” “DidI?—ImeanIdid,moreorless.Italkthesamewaytoeveryone—ortryto.” “Yes,Iknow.Andhowmuchofitdoyousupposeheunderstood?” “That’shislookout.Idon’tbelieveinsuitingmyconversationtomycompany.Onecandoubtlesshituponsomemediumofexchangethatseemstodowellenough,butit’snomoreliketherealthingthanmoneyislikefood.There’snonourishmentinit.Youpassittothelowerclasses,andtheypassitbacktoyou,andthisyoucall‘socialintercourse’or‘mutualendeavour,’whenit’smutualpriggishnessifit’sanything.OurfriendsatChelseadon’tseethis.Theysayoneoughttobeatallcostsintelligible,andsacrifice—” “Lowerclasses,”interruptedMr.Wilcox,asitwerethrustinghishandintoherspeech.“Well,youdoadmitthattherearerichandpoor.That’ssomething.” Margaretcouldnotreply.Washeincrediblystupid,ordidheunderstandherbetterthansheunderstoodherself? “Youdoadmitthat,ifwealthwasdividedupequally,inafewyearstherewouldberichandpooragainjustthesame.Thehard-workingmanwouldcometothetop,thewastrelsinktothebottom.” “Everyoneadmitsthat.” “YourSocialistsdon’t.” “MySocialistsdo.Yoursmayn’tbutIstronglysuspectyoursofbeingnotSocialists,butninepins,whichyouhaveconstructedforyourownamusement.Ican’timagineanylivingcreaturewhowouldbowloverquitesoeasily.” Hewouldhaveresentedthishadshenotbeenawoman.Butwomenmaysayanything—itwasoneofhisholiestbeliefs—andheonlyretorted,withagaysmile:“Idon’tcare.You’vemadetwodamagingadmissions,andI’mheartilywithyouinboth.” Intimetheyfinishedlunch,andMargaret,whohadexcusedherselffromtheHippodrome,tookherleave.Eviehadscarcelyaddressedher,andshesuspectedthattheentertainmenthadbeenplannedbythefather.Heandshewereadvancingoutoftheirrespectivefamiliestowardsamoreintimateacquaintance.Ithadbegunlongago.Shehadbeenhiswife’sfriendand,assuch,hehadgivenherthatsilvervinaigretteasamemento.Itwasprettyofhimtohavegiventhatvinaigrette,andhehadalwayspreferredhertoHelen—unlikemostmen.Buttheadvancehadbeenastonishinglately.Theyhaddonemoreinaweekthanintwoyears,andwerereallybeginningtoknoweachother. ShedidnotforgethispromisetosampleEustaceMiles,andaskedhimassoonasshecouldsecureTibbyashischaperon.Hecame,andpartookofbody-buildingdisheswithhumility. NextmorningtheSchlegelsleftforSwanage.Theyhadnotsucceededinfindinganewhome.