CHAPTER III.

hadbeendiscoveredatall!”sheexclaimed.“Really,ourgirlshavenochancenowadays.Itismostunfair.” “Perhaps,afterall,Americaneverhasbeendiscovered,”saidMr.Erskine“Imyselfwouldsaythatithadmerelybeendetected.” “Oh!butIhaveseenspecimensoftheinhabitants,”answeredtheduchessvaguely.“Imustconfessthatmostofthemareextremelypretty.Andtheydresswell,too.TheygetalltheirdressesinParis.IwishIcouldaffordtodothesame.” “TheysaythatwhengoodAmericansdietheygotoParis,”chuckledSirThomas,whohadalargewardrobeofHumour’scast-offclothes. “Really!AndwheredobadAmericansgotowhentheydie?”inquiredtheduchess. “TheygotoAmerica,”murmuredLordHenry. SirThomasfrowned.“Iamafraidthatyournephewisprejudicedagainstthatgreatcountry,”hesaidtoLadyAgatha.“Ihavetravelledalloveritincarsprovidedbythedirectors,who,insuchmatters,areextremelycivil.Iassureyouthatitisaneducationtovisitit.” “ButmustwereallyseeChicagoinordertobeeducated?”askedMr.Erskineplaintively.“Idon’tfeeluptothejourney.” SirThomaswavedhishand.“Mr.ErskineofTreadleyhastheworldonhisshelves.Wepracticalmenliketoseethings,nottoreadaboutthem.TheAmericansareanextremelyinterestingpeople.Theyareabsolutelyreasonable.Ithinkthatistheirdistinguishingcharacteristic.Yes,Mr.Erskine,anabsolutelyreasonablepeople.IassureyouthereisnononsenseabouttheAmericans.” “Howdreadful!”criedLordHenry.“Icanstandbruteforce,butbrutereasonisquiteunbearable.Thereissomethingunfairaboutitsuse.Itishittingbelowtheintellect.” “Idonotunderstandyou,”saidSirThomas,growingratherred. “Ido,LordHenry,”murmuredMr.Erskine,withasmile. “Paradoxesareallverywellintheirway....”rejoinedthebaronet. “Wasthataparadox?”askedMr.Erskine.“Ididnotthinkso.Perhapsitwas.Well,thewayofparadoxesisthewayoftruth.Totestrealitywemustseeitonthetightrope.Whentheveritiesbecomeacrobats,wecanjudgethem.” “Dearme!”saidLadyAgatha,“howyoumenargue!IamsureInevercanmakeoutwhatyouaretalkingabout.Oh!Harry,Iamquitevexedwithyou.WhydoyoutrytopersuadeourniceMr.DorianGraytogiveuptheEastEnd?Iassureyouhewouldbequiteinvaluable.Theywouldlovehisplaying.” “Iwanthimtoplaytome,”criedLordHenry,smiling,andhelookeddownthetableandcaughtabrightansweringglance. “ButtheyaresounhappyinWhitechapel,”continuedLadyAgatha. “Icansympathizewitheverythingexceptsuffering,”saidLordHenry,shrugginghisshoulders.“Icannotsympathizewiththat.Itistoougly,toohorrible,toodistressing.Thereissomethingterriblymorbidinthemodernsympathywithpain.Oneshouldsympathizewiththecolour,thebeauty,thejoyoflife.Thelesssaidaboutlife’ssores,thebetter.” “Still,theEastEndisaveryimportantproblem,”remarkedSirThomaswithagraveshakeofthehead. “Quiteso,”answeredtheyounglord.“Itistheproblemofslavery,andwetrytosolveitbyamusingtheslaves.” Thepoliticianlookedathimkeenly.“Whatchangedoyoupropose,then?”heasked. LordHenrylaughed.“Idon’tdesiretochangeanythinginEnglandexcepttheweather,”heanswered.“Iamquitecontentwithphilosophiccontemplation.But,asthenineteenthcenturyhasgonebankruptthroughanover-expenditureofsympathy,Iwouldsuggestthatweshouldappealtosciencetoputusstraight.Theadvantageoftheemotionsisthattheyleadusastray,andtheadvantageofscienceisthatitisnotemotional.” “Butwehavesuchgraveresponsibilities,”venturedMrs.Vandeleurtimidly. “Terriblygrave,”echoedLadyAgatha. LordHenrylookedoveratMr.Erskine.“Humanitytakesitselftooseriously.Itistheworld’soriginalsin.Ifthecavemanhadknownhowtolaugh,historywouldhavebeendifferent.” “Youarereallyverycomforting,”warbledtheduchess.“IhavealwaysfeltratherguiltywhenIcametoseeyourdearaunt,forItakenointerestatallintheEastEnd.ForthefutureIshallbeabletolookherinthefacewithoutablush.” “Ablushisverybecoming,Duchess,”remarkedLordHenry. “Onlywhenoneisyoung,”sheanswered.“Whenanoldwomanlikemyselfblushes,itisaverybadsign.Ah!LordHenry,Iwishyouwouldtellmehowtobecomeyoungagain.” Hethoughtforamoment.“Canyourememberanygreaterrorthatyoucommittedinyourearlydays,Duchess?”heasked,lookingatheracrossthetable. “Agreatmany,Ifear,”shecried. “Thencommitthemoveragain,”hesaidgravely.“Togetbackone’syouth,onehasmerelytorepeatone’sfollies.” “Adelightfultheory!”sheexclaimed.“Imustputitintopractice.” “Adang