CHAPTER II. CLAYTON.

ussel,"toamanwithyourtasteformartyrdom.Butwhatareyougoingtodo?" "WhatanyChristianmanshoulddowhofindsfourhundredoddofhisfellowmenandwomenplacedinastateofabsolutedependenceonhim.I'mgoingtoeducateandfitthemforfreedom.Thereisn'tasublimerpoweronearththanGodhasgiventous,masters.Thelawgivesusabsoluteandunlimitedcontrol.Aplantationsuchasaplantationmightbewouldbe'alighttolightentheGentiles.'ThereisawonderfulandbeautifuldevelopmentlockedupinthisEthiopianrace,anditisworthbeingalife-objecttounlockit.Theraisingofcottonistobetheleastofthething.Iregardmyplantationasasphereforraisingmenandwomen,anddemonstratingthecapabilitiesofarace." "Selah!"saidRussel. Claytonlookedangry. "Ibegyourpardon,Clayton.Thisisallsuperb,sublime!Thereisjustoneobjectiontoit—itiswhollyimpossible." "Everygoodandgreatthinghasbeencalledimpossiblebeforeitisdone." "Well,letmetellyou,Clayton,justhowitwillbe.Youwillbeamarkforarrows,bothsides.Youwilloffendallyourneighborsbydoingbetterthantheydo.Youwillbringyournegroesuptoapointinwhichtheywillmeetthecurrentofthewholecommunityagainstthem,andmeanwhileyouwillgetnocreditwiththeAbolitionists.Theywillcallyouacutthroat,pirate,sheep-stealer,andalltherestoftheirelegantlittlelistofembellishments,allthesame.You'llgetastateofthingsthatnobodycanmanagebutyourself,andyoubythehardestandthenyou'lldie,andit'llallruntothedevilfasterthanyourunitup.Now,ifyouwoulddothethingbyhalves,itwouldn'tbesobadbutIknowyouofold.Youwon'tbesatisfiedwithteachingacatechismandafewhymns,parrot-wise,whichIthinkisarespectablereligiousamusementforourwomen.You'llteach'emalltoread,andwrite,andthink,andspeak.Ishouldn'twondertohearofanimportationofblack-boardsandspelling-books.You'llwantalyceumanddebatingsociety.Pray,whatdoessisterAnnesaytoallthis?Anneisasensiblegirlnow,butI'llwarrantyou'vegothertogoinforit." "AnneisasmuchinterestedasI,butherpracticaltactisgreaterthanmine,andsheisofuseindetectingdifficultiesthatIdonotsee.Ihaveanexcellentman,whoentersfullyintomyviews,whotakeschargeofthebusinessinterestsoftheplantation,insteadofoneofthesescoundreloverseers.Thereistobeagraduatedsystemofworkandwagesintroduced—asystemthatshallteachthenatureandrightsofpropertyandtraintohabitsofindustryandfrugality,bymakingeveryman'sacquirementsequaltohisindustryandgoodconduct." "Andwhatsortofasupportdoyouexpecttomakeoutofallthis?Areyougoingtoliveforthem,ortheyforyou?" "Ishallsetthemtheexampleoflivingforthem,andtrusttoawakenthegoodthatisinthem,inreturn.Thestrongoughttolivefortheweak—thecultivatedfortheignorant." "Well,Clayton,theLordhelpyou!I'minearnestnow—fact!ThoughIknowyouwon'tdoit,yetIwishyoucould.It'sapity,Clayton,youwereborninthisworld.Itisn'tyou,butourplanetandplanetaryways,thatareinfault.Yourmindisasplendidstorehouse—goldandgemsofOphir—buttheyareallupinthefifthstory,andnostaircasetoget'emdownintocommonlife.NowI'vejustenoughappreciationofthesortofthingthat'sinyou,nottolaughatyou.Nineoutoftenwould.Totellyouthetruth,ifIwerealreadysetupinlife,andhadasdefiniteapositionasyouhave,—family,friends,influence,andmeans,—why,perhapsImightaffordtocultivatethisstyleofthing.ButItellyouwhatitis,Clayton,suchaconscienceasyoursiscursedlyexpensivetokeep.It'slikeacarriage—afellowmustn'tsetitupunlesshecanaffordit.It'soneoftheluxuries." "It'sanecessaryoflife,withme,"saidClayton,dryly. "Well,that'syournature.Ican'taffordit.I'vegotmywaytomake.Imustsucceed,andwithyourultranotionsIcouldn'tsucceed.Sothereitis.Afterall,Icanbeasreligiousasdozensofyourmostrespectablemen,whohavetakentheirseatsinthenight-trainforParadise,andkeepthedaylightfortheirownbusiness." "Idaresayyoucan." "Yes,andIshallgetallIaimatandyou,Clayton,willbealwaysanunhappy,dissatisfiedaspirantaftersomethingtoohighformortality.There'sjustthedifferencebetweenus." Theconversationwashereinterruptedbythereturnofthefamilyparty.