CHAPTER XXII

egreat.Iconsideritadeplorablemisfortune.” Mr.Wilcox,intentonhisbusinesswithMrs.Munt,wasgoingsteadilyon,butthelastremarkmadehimsay:“What?What’sthat?DoyoumeanthatI’mresponsible?” “You’reridiculous,Helen.” “Youseemtothink—”Helookedathiswatch.“Letmeexplainthepointtoyou.Itislikethis.Youseemtoassume,whenabusinessconcernisconductingadelicatenegotiation,itoughttokeepthepublicinformedstagebystage.ThePorphyrion,accordingtoyou,wasboundtosay,‘IamtryingallIcantogetintotheTariffRing.IamnotsurethatIshallsucceed,butitistheonlythingthatwillsavemefrominsolvency,andIamtrying.’MydearHelen—” “Isthatyourpoint?Amanwhohadlittlemoneyhasless—that’smine.” “Iamgrievedforyourclerk.Butitisallintheday’swork.It’spartofthebattleoflife.” “Amanwhohadlittlemoney—”sherepeated,“hasless,owingtous.UnderthesecircumstancesIconsider‘thebattleoflife’ahappyexpression.” “Ohcome,come!”heprotestedpleasantly,“you’renottoblame.Noone’stoblame.” “Isnoonetoblameforanything?” “Iwouldn’tsaythat,butyou’retakingitfartooseriously.Whoisthisfellow?” “Wehavetoldyouaboutthefellowtwicealready,”saidHelen.“Youhaveevenmetthefellow.Heisverypoorandhiswifeisanextravagantimbecile.Heiscapableofbetterthings.We—we,theupperclasses—thoughtwewouldhelphimfromtheheightofoursuperiorknowledge—andhere’stheresult!” Heraisedhisfinger.“Now,awordofadvice.” “Irequirenomoreadvice.” “Awordofadvice.Don’ttakeupthatsentimentalattitudeoverthepoor.Seethatshedoesn’t,Margaret.Thepoorarepoor,andone’ssorryforthem,butthereitis.Ascivilisationmovesforward,theshoeisboundtopinchinplaces,andit’sabsurdtopretendthatanyoneisresponsiblepersonally.Neitheryou,norI,normyinformant,northemanwhoinformedhim,northedirectorsofthePorphyrion,aretoblameforthisclerk’slossofsalary.It’sjusttheshoepinching—noonecanhelpitanditmighteasilyhavebeenworse.” Helenquiveredwithindignation. “Byallmeanssubscribetocharities—subscribetothemlargely—butdon’tgetcarriedawaybyabsurdschemesofSocialReform.Iseeagooddealbehindthescenes,andyoucantakeitfrommethatthereisnoSocialQuestion—exceptforafewjournalistswhotrytogetalivingoutofthephrase.Therearejustrichandpoor,astherealwayshavebeenandalwayswillbe.Pointmeoutatimewhenmenhavebeenequal—” “Ididn’tsay—” “Pointmeoutatimewhendesireforequalityhasmadethemhappi