CHAPTER XXXVII. THE TIE BREAKS.

roughttwoorthreeofficerswithme,incasethereshouldbeanynecessityforenforcingorder." "WhenwillMr.Gordonbehere?"saidClayton. "To-morrow,Ibelieve,"saidMr.Jekyl."Youngman,"headded,turningtoHarry,"youcanproducethepapersandbooks,andIcanbeattendingtotheaccounts." Claytonroseandlefttheroom,leavingHarrywiththeimperturbableMr.Jekyl,whoplungedbrisklyintothebusinessoftheaccounts,talkingtoHarrywithasmuchfreedomandcomposureasifhehadnotjustbeendestroyingthehopesofhiswholelifetime. If,byanykindofinwardclairvoyance,orsuddenclearingofhismentalvision,Mr.Jekylcouldhavebeenmadetoappreciatetheanguishwhichatthatmomentoverwhelmedthesoulofthemanwithwhomhewasdealing,wedeemitquitepossiblethathemighthavebeenmovedtoatransientemotionofpity.Evenathorough-pacedpoliticaleconomistmaysometimesbesurprisedinthisway,bythenearviewofacaseofactualirremediabledistressbuthewouldsoonhaveconsoledhimselfbyaspeciesofmentalalgebra,thatthegreatestgoodofthegreatestnumberwasneverthelesssecurethereforetherewasnooccasiontobetroubledaboutinfinitesimalamountsofsuffering.Inthiswaypeoplecanreasonawayeverykindofdistressbuttheirownforitisveryremarkablethatevensoslightanailmentasamoderatetoothachewillputthiskindofphilosophyentirelytorout. "Itappearstome,"saidMr.Jekyl,lookingatHarry,afterawhile,withmoreattentionthanhehadyetgivenhim,"thatsomethingisthematterwithyou,thismorning.Aren'tyouwell?" "Inbody,"saidHarry,"Iamwell." "Well,whatisthematter,then?"saidMr.Jekyl. "Thematteris,"saidHarry,"thatIhaveallmylifebeentoilingformyliberty,andthoughtIwascomingnearertoiteveryyearandnow,atthirty-fiveyearsofage,Ifindmyselfstillaslave,withnohopeofgettingfree!" Mr.Jekylperceivedfromtheoutsidethattherewassomethingthematterinsideofhishumanbrothersomeunknownquantityinthewayofsuffering,suchashisalgebragavenoruleforascertaining.Hehadaconfusednotionthatthiswasanaffliction,andthatwhenpeoplewereinafflictiontheymustbetalkedtoandheproceededaccordinglytotalk. "Myboy,thisisadispensationofDivineProvidence!" "Icallitadispensationofhumantyranny!"saidHarry. "ItpleasedtheLord,"continuedMr.Jekyl,"toforedoomtheraceofHam"— "Mr.Jekyl,thathumbugdon'tgodownwithme!I'mnomoreoftheraceofHamthanyouare!I'mColonelGordon'soldestson—aswhiteasmybrother,whoyousayownsme!Lookatmyeyes,andmyhair,andsayifanyoftherulesaboutHampertaintome!" "Well,"saidMr.Jekyl,"myboy,youmustn'tgetexcited.Everythingmustgo,youknow,bygeneralrules.Wemusttakethatcoursewhichsecuresthegreatest