place。 Beer is the chloroform that enables the laborer to endure
the severe operation of living； that is why we can always assure
one another over our wine that the rascal's misery is due to his
habit of drinking。 We are down on him for it； because； if he
could bear his life without beer； we should save his
beer…moneyget him for lower wages。 In short； we should be
richer and he soberer。 Here is the yard； the arrangements are
indescribable。 Seven of the inhabitants of that house had worked
for years in my father's mill。 That is； they had created a
considerable part of the vast sums of money for drawing your
attention to which you were disgusted with me just now。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Sir Charles faintly。
〃You can see how their condition contrasts with that of my
father's horses。 The seven men to whom I have alluded； with three
hundred others； were thrown destitute upon the streets by this。〃
（Here he turned over a leaf and displayed a photograph of an
elaborate machine。） 〃It enabled my father to dispense with their
services； and to replace them by a handful of women and children。
He had bought the patent of the machine for fifty pounds from the
inventor； who was almost ruined by the expenses of his ingenuity；
and would have sacrificed anything for a handful of ready money。
Here is a portrait of my father in his masonic insignia。 He
believed that freemasons generally get on in the world； and as
the main object of his life was to get on； he joined them； and
wanted me to do the same。 But I object to pretended secret
societies and hocus pocus； and would not。 You see what he wasa
portly； pushing； egotistical tradesman。 Mark the successful man；
the merchant prince with argosies on every sea； the employer of
thousands of hands； the munificent contributor to public
charities； the churchwarden； the member of parliament； and the
generous patron of his relatives his self…approbation struggling
with the instinctive sense of baseness in the money…hunter； the
ignorant and greedy filcher of the labor of others； the seller of
his own mind and manhood for luxuries and delicacies that he was
too lowlived to enjoy； and for the society of people who made him
feel his inferiority at every turn。〃
〃And the man to whom you owe everything you possess；〃 said
Erskine boldly。
〃I possess very little。 Everything he left me； except a few
pictures； I spent long ago； and even that was made by his slaves
and not by him。 My wealth comes day by day fresh from the labor
of the wretches who live in the dens I have just shown you； or of
a few aristocrats of labor who are within ten shillings a week of
being worse off。 However； there is some excuse for my father。
Once； at an election riot； I got into a free fight。 I am a
peaceful man； but as I had either to fight or be knocked down and
trampled upon； I exchanged blows with men who were perhaps as
peacefully disposed as I。 My father； launched into a free
competition （free in the sense that the fight is free： that is；
lawless）my father had to choose between being a slave himself
and enslaving others。 He chose the latter； and as he was
applauded and made much of for succeeding； who dare blame him？
Not I。 Besides； he did something to destroy the anarchy that
enabled him to plunder society with impunity。 He furnished me；
its enemy； with the powerful weapon of a large fortune。 Thus our
system of organizing industry sometimes hatches the eggs from
which its destroyers break。 Does Lady Brandon wear much lace？〃
〃INo； that isHow the deuce dO I know； Trefusis？ What an
extraordinary question！〃
〃This is a photograph of a lace school。 It was a filthy room；
twelve feet square。 It was paved with brick； and the children
were not allowed to wear their boots； lest the lace should get
muddy。 However； as there were twenty of them working there for
fifteen hours a dayall girlsthey did not suffer much from
cold。 They were pretty tightly packedmay be still； for aught I
know。 They brought three or four shillings a week sometimes to
their fond parents； and they were very quick…fingered little
creatures； and stuck intensely to their work； as the overseer
always hit them when they looked up or〃
〃Trefusis；〃 said Sir Charles； turning away from the table； 〃I beg
your pardon； but I have no appetite for horrors。 You really must
not ask me to go through your collection。 It is no doubt very
interesting； but I can't stand it。 Have you nothing pleasant to
entertain me with？〃
〃Pooh！ you are squeamish。 However； as you are a novice； let us
put off the rest until you are seasoned。 The pictures are not all
horrible。 Each book refers to a different country。 That one
contains illustrations of modern civilization in Germany； for
instance。 That one is France； that； British India。 Here you have
the United States of America； home of liberty； theatre of manhood
suffrage； kingless and lordless land of Protection；
Republicanism； and the realized Radical Programme； where all the
black chattel slaves were turned into wage…slaves （like my
father's white fellows） at a cost of 800；000 lives and wealth
incalculable。 You and I are paupers in comparison with the great
capitalists of that country； where the laborers fight for bones
with the Chinamen； like dogs。 Some of these great men presented
me with photographs of their yachts and palaces； not anticipating
the use to which I would put them。 Here are some portraits that
will not harrow your feelings。 This is my mother； a woman of good
family； every inch a lady。 Here is a Lancashire lass； the
daughter of a common pitman。 She has exactly the same physical
characteristics as my well…born motherthe same small head；
delicate features； and so forth； they might be sisters。 This
villainous…looking pair might be twin brothers； except that there
is a trace of good humor about the one to the right。 The
good…humored one is a bargee on the Lyvern Canal。 The other is
one of the senior noblemen of the British Peerage。 They
illustrate the fact that Nature； even when perverted by
generations of famine fever； ignores the distinctions we set up
between men。 This group of men and women； all tolerably
intelligent and thoughtful looking； are so…called enemies of
societyNihilists； Anarchists； Communards； members of the
International；and so on。 These other poor devils； worried； stiff；
strumous； awkward； vapid； and rather coarse； with here and there
a passably pretty woman； are European kings； queens； grand…dukes；
and the like。 Here are ship…captains； criminals； poets； men of
science； peers； peasants； political economists； and
representatives of dozens of degrees。 The object of the
collection is to illustrate the natural inequality of man； and
the failure of our artificial inequality to correspond with it。〃
〃It seems to me a sort of infernal collection for the upsetting
of people's ideas；〃 said Erskine。 〃You ought to label it 'A
Portfolio of Paradoxes。'〃
〃In a rational state of society they would be paradoxes； but now
the time gives them prooflike Hamlet's paradox。 It is； however；
a collection of facts； and I will give no fanciful name to it。
You dislike figures； don't you？〃
〃Unless they are by Phidias； yes。〃
〃Here are a few； not by Phidias。 This is the balance sheet of an
attempt I made some years ago to carry out the idea of an
International Association of Laborerscommonly known as THE
Internationalor union of all workmen throughout the world in
defence of the interests of labor。 You see the result。
Expenditure； four thousand five hundred pounds。 Subscriptions
received from working…men； twenty…two pounds seven and ten pence
halfpenny。 The British workmen showed their sense of my efforts
to emancipate them by accusing me of making a good thing out of
the Association for my own pocket； and by mobbing and stoning me
twice。 I now help them only when they show some disposition to
help themselves。 I occupy myself partly in working out a scheme
for the reorganization of industry； and partly in attacking my
own class； women and all； as I am attacking you。〃
〃There is little use in attacking us； I fear；〃 said Sir Charles。
〃Great use；〃 said Trefusis confidently。 〃You have a very
different opinion of our boasted civilization now from that which
you held when I broke your wall down and invited those Land
Nationalization zealots to march across your pleasure ground。 You
have seen in my album something you had not seen an hour ago； and
you are consequently not quite the same man you were an hour ago。
My pictures stick in the mind longer than your scratchy etchings；
or the leaden things in which you fancy you see tender harmonies
in gray。 Erskine's next drama may be about liberty； but its
Patriot Martyrs will have something better to do than spout
balderdash against figure…head kings who in all their lives never
secretly plotted as much dastardly meanness； greed； cruelty； and
tyranny as is openly voted for in London by every half…yearly
meeting of dividend…consuming vermin whose miserable wage…slaves
drudge sixteen hours out of the twenty…four。〃
〃What is going to be the end of it all？〃 said Sir Charles； a
little dazed。
〃Socialism or Smash。 Socialism if the race has at last evolved
the faculty of coordinating the functions of a society too
crowded and complex to be worked any longer on the old haphazard
private…property system。 Unless we reorganize our society
socialisticallyhumanly a most arduous and magnificent
enterprise； economically a most simple and sound oneFree Trade
by itself will ruin England； and I will tell you exactly how。
When my father made his fortune we had the start of all other
nations in the organization of our industry and in our access to
iron and coal。 Other nations bought our products for less than
they must have spent to raise them at home； and yet for so much
more than they cost us； that profits rolled in Atlantic waves
upon our capitalists。 When the workers； by their trades…unions；
demanded a share of the luck in the form of advanced wages； it
paid better to give them the little they dared to ask than to
stop gold…gathering to fight and crush them。 But now our
customers have set up in their own countries improved copies of
our industrial organization； and hav