English
Nextdayprovedwarmandsunny,andwestartedearly,toenjoytheluxuryofagoodlongchatbeforehewouldbeobligedtoleaveme.
“Thisneighbourhoodhasmorethanitsdueproportionoftheverypoor,”Iremarked,aswepassedagroupofhovels,toodilapidatedtodeservethenameof“cottages”.
“Butthefewrich”,Arthurreplied,“givemorethantheirdueproportionofhelpincharity.Sothebalanceiskept.”
“IsupposetheEarldoesagooddeal?”
“Hegivesliberally;buthehasnotthehealthorstrengthtodomore.LadyMurieldoesmoreinthewayofschool-teachingandcottage-visitingthanshewouldlikemetoreveal.”
“Thenshe,atleast,isnotoneofthe‘idlemouths’onesooftenmeetswithamongtheupperclasses.
Ihavesometimesthoughttheywouldhaveahardtimeofit,ifsuddenlycalledontogivetheirraisond’être,andtoshowcausewhytheyshouldbeallowedtoliveanylonger!”
“Thewholesubject”,saidArthur,“ofwhatwemaycall‘idlemouths’(Imeanpersonswhoabsorbsomeofthematerialwealthofacommunity—intheformoffood,clothes,andsoon—withoutcontributingitsequivalentintheformofproductivelabour)isacomplicatedone,nodoubt.I’vetriedtothinkitout.
Anditseemedtomethatthesimplestformoftheproblem,tostartwith,isacommunitywithoutmoney,whobuyandsellbybarteronly;anditmakesityetsimplertosupposethefoodandotherthingstobecapableofkeepingformanyyearswithoutspoiling.”
“Yoursisanexcellentplan,”Isaid.“Whatisyoursolutionoftheproblem?”
“Thecommonesttypeof‘idlemouths’”,saidArthur,“isnodoubtduetomoneybeingleftbyparentstotheirownchildren.
SoIimaginedamaneitherexceptionallyclever,orexceptionallystrongandindustrious—whohadcontributedsomuchvaluablelabourtotheneedsofthecommunitythatitsequivalent,inclothes,etc.,was(say)fivetimesasmuchasheneededforhimself.
Wecannotdenyhisabsoluterighttogivethesuperfluouswealthashechooses.
So,ifheleavesfourchildrenbehindhim(saytwosonsandtwodaughters),withenoughofallthenecessariesoflifetolastthemalife-time,Icannotseethatthecommunityisinanywaywrongediftheychoosetodonothinginlifebutto‘eat,drink,andbemerry’.
Mostcertainly,thecommunitycouldnotfairlysay,inreferencetothem,‘ifamanwillnotwork,neitherlethimeat.’Theirreplywouldbecrushing.
‘Thelabourhasalreadybeendone,whichisafairequivalentforthefoodweareeating;andyouhavehadthebenefitofit.
Onwhatprincipleofjusticecanyoudemandtwoquotasofworkforonequotaoffood?’”
“Yetsurely”,Isaid,“thereissomethingwrongsomewhere,ifthesefourpeoplearewellabletodousefulworkandifthatworkisactuallyneededbythecommunityandtheyelecttositidle?”
“Ithinkthereis,”saidArthur:“butitseemstometoarisefromaLawofGod—thateveryoneshalldoasmuchashecantohelpothers—andnotfromanyrightsonthepartofthecommunity,toexactlabourasanequivalentforfoodthathasalreadybeenfairlyearned.”
“Isupposethesecondformoftheproblemiswheretheidlemouthspossessmoneyinsteadofmaterialwealth?”
“Yes,repliedArthur:“andIthinkthesimplestcaseisthatofpaper-money.
Goldisitselfaformofmaterialwealth;butabank-noteismerelyapromisetohandoversomuchmaterialwealthwhencalledupontodoso.
Thefatherofthesefour‘idlemouths’,haddone(letussay)fivethousandpounds’worthofusefulworkforthecommunity.
Inreturnforthis,thecommunityhadgivenhimwhatamountedtoawrittenpromisetohandover,whenevercalledupontodoso,fivethousandpounds’worthoffood,etc.
Then,ifheonlyusesonethousandpounds’worthhimself,andleavestherestofthenotestohischildren,surelytheyhaveafullrighttopresentthesewrittenpromises,andtosay‘handoverthefood,forwhichtheequivalentlabourhasbeenalreadydone’.
NowIthinkthiscasewellworthstating,publiclyandclearly.
IshouldliketodriveitintotheheadsofthoseSocialistswhoareprimingourignorantpauperswithsuchsentimentsas‘Lookatthembloatedharistocrats!
Doingnotastrokeo’workfortheirselves,andlivingonthesweatofourbrows!’
Ishouldliketoforcethemtoseethatthemoney,whichthose‘haristocrats’arespending,representssomuchlabouralreadydoneforthecommunity,andwhoseequivalent,inmaterialwealth,isduefromthecommunity.”
“MightnottheSocialistsreply‘Muchofthismoneydoesnotrepresenthonestlabouratall.
Ifyoucouldtraceitback,fromownertoowner,thoughyoumightbeginwithseverallegitimatesteps,suchasgifts,orbequeathingbywill,or‘valuereceived’,youwouldsoonreachanownerwhohadnomoralrighttoitbuthadgotitbyfraudorothercrimes;andofcoursehissuccessorsinthelinewouldhavenobetterrighttoitthanhehad.”
“Nodoubt,nodoubt,”Arthurreplied.“Butsurelythatinvolvesthelogicalfallacyofprovingtoomuch?
Itisquiteasapplicabletomaterialwealth,asitistomoney.
Ifweoncebegintogobackbeyondthefactthatthepresentownerofcertainpropertycamebyithonestly,andtoaskwhetheranypreviousowner,inpastages,gotitbyfraudwouldanypropertybesecure?
Afteraminute’sthought,Ifeltobligedtoadmitthetruthofthis.
“Mygeneralconclusion,”Arthurcontinued,“fromthemerestandpointofhumanrights,managainstman,wasthis—thatifsomewealthy‘idlemouth’,whohascomebyhismoneyinalawfulway,eventhoughnotoneatomofthelabouritrepresentshasbeenhisowndoing,choosestospenditonhisownneeds,withoutcontributinganylabourtothecommunityfromwhomhebuyshisfoodandclothes,thatcommunityhasnorighttointerferewithhim.
Butit’squiteanotherthing,whenwecometoconsiderthedivinelaw.
Measuredbythatstandard,suchamanisundoubtedlydoingwrong,ifhefailstouse,forthegoodofthoseinneed,thestrengthortheskill,thatGodhasgivenhim.
Thatstrengthandskilldonotbelongtothecommunity,tobepaidtothemasadebt:theydonotbelongtothemanhimself,tobeusedforhisownenjoyment:theydobelongtoGod,tobeusedaccordingtoHiswill;andwearenotleftindoubtastowhatthiswillis.
‘Dogood,andlend,hopingfornothingagain.’”
“Anyhow,”Isaid,“an‘idlemouth’veryoftengivesawayagreatdealincharity.”
“Inso-called‘charity’,”hecorrectedme.
“ExcusemeifIseemtospeakuncharitably.
Iwouldnotdreamofapplyingthetermtoanyindividual.
ButIwouldsay,generally,thatamanwhogratifieseveryfancythatoccurstohim—denyinghimselfinnothing—andmerelygivestothepoorsomepart,orevenall,ofhissuperfluouswealth,isonlydeceivinghimselfifhecallsitcharity.”
“But,eveningivingawaysuperfluouswealth,hemaybedenyinghimselfthemiser’spleasureinhoarding?”
“Igrantyouthat,gladly,”saidArthur.“Giventhathehasthatmorbidcraving,heisdoingagooddeedinrestrainingit.”
“But,eveninspendingonhimself”,Ipersisted,“ourtypicalrichmanoftendoesgood,byemployingpeoplewhowouldotherwisebeoutofwork:andthatisoftenbetterthanpauperizingthembygivingthemoney.”
“I’mgladyou’vesaidthat!”saidArthur.
“Iwouldnotliketoquitthesubjectwithoutexposingthetwofallaciesofthatstatement—whichhavegonesolonguncontradictedthatSocietynowacceptsitasanaxiom!”
“Whatarethey?”Isaid.“Idon’tevenseeone,myself.”
“Oneismerelythefallacyofambiguity—theassumptionthat’doinggood’(thatis,benefitingsomebody)isnecessarilyagoodthingtodo(thatis,arightthing).
Theotheristheassumptionthat,ifoneoftwospecifiedactsisbetterthananother,itisnecessarilyagoodactinitself.
Ishouldliketocallthisthefallacyofcomparison—meaningthatitassumesthatwhatiscomparativelygoodisthereforepositivelygood.”
“Thenwhatisyourtestofagoodact?”
“Thatitshallbeourbest,”Arthurconfidentlyreplied.
“Andeventhen‘weare‘unprofitableservants’.
Butletmeillustratethetwofallacies.
Nothingillustratesafallacysowellasanextremecase,whichfairlycomesunderit.
SupposeIfindtwochildrendrowninginapond.
Irushin,andsaveoneofthechildren,andthenwalkaway,leavingtheothertodrown.
ClearlyIhave’donegood’,insavingachild’slife?
But—Again,supposingImeetaninoffensivestranger,andknockhimdownandwalkon.
Clearlythatis’better’thanifIhadproceededtojumpuponhimandbreakhisribs?But—”
“Those‘buts’arequiteunanswerable,”Isaid.“ButIshouldlikeaninstancefromreallife.”
“Well,letustakeoneofthoseabominationsofmodernSociety,aCharity-Bazaar.
It’saninterestingquestiontothinkout—howmuchofthemoney,thatreachestheobjectinview,isgenuinecharity;andwhethereventhatisspentinthebestway.
Butthesubjectneedsregularclassification,andanalysis,tounderstanditproperly.”
“Ishouldbegladtohaveitanalysed,”Isaid:“ithasoftenpuzzledme.”
“Well,ifIamreallynotboringyou.LetussupposeourCharity-BazaartohavebeenorganizedtoaidthefundsofsomeHospital:andthatA,B,Cgivetheirservicesinmakingarticlestosell,andinactingassalesmen,whileX,Y,Zbuythearticles,andthemoneysopaidgoestotheHospital.
“TherearetwodistinctspeciesofsuchBazaars:one,wherethepaymentexactedismerelythemarket-valueofthegoodssupplied,thatis,exactlywhatyouwouldhavetopayatashop:theother,wherefancy-pricesareasked.Wemusttaketheseseparately.
“First,the‘market-value’case.HereA,B,Careexactlyinthesamepositionasordinaryshopkeepers;theonlydifferencebeingthattheygivetheproceedstotheHospital.
Practically,theyaregivingtheirskilledlabourforthebenefitoftheHospital.Thisseemstometobegenuinecharity.
AndIdon’tseehowtheycoulduseitbetter.
ButX,Y,Zareexactlyinthesamepositionasanyordinarypurchasersofgoods.
Totalkof‘charity’inconnectionwiththeirshareofthebusiness,issheernonsense.Yettheyareverylikelytodoso.
“Secondly,thecaseof‘fancy-prices’.HereIthinkthesimplestplanistodividethepaymentintotwoparts,the‘market-value’andtheexcessoverthat.
The‘market-value’partisonthesamefootingasinthefirstcase:theexcessisallwehavetoconsider.
Well,A,B,Cdonotearnit;sowemayputthemoutofthequestion:itisagift,fromX,Y,Z,totheHospital.
Andmyopinionisthatitisnotgiveninthebestway:farbetterbuywhattheychoosetobuy,andgivewhattheychoosetogive,astwoseparatetransactions:thenthereissomechancethattheirmotiveingivingmayberealcharity,insteadofamixedmotive—halfcharity,halfself-pleasing.
‘Thetrailoftheserpentisoveritall.’
AndthereforeitisthatIholdallsuchspurious‘Charities’inutterabomination!”
Heendedwithunusualenergy,andsavagelybeheaded,withhisstick,atallthistleattheroad-side,behindwhichIwasstartledtoseeSylvieandBrunostanding.
Icaughtathisarm,buttoolatetostophim.
Whetherthestickreachedthem,ornot,Icouldnotfeelsure:atanyratetheytooknotthesmallestnoticeofit,butsmiledgaily,andnoddedtome:andIsawatoncethattheywereonlyvisibletome:the“eerie”influencehadnotreachedtoArthur.
“Whydidyoutrytosaveit?”hesaid.“That’snotthewheedlingSecretaryofaCharity-Bazaar!Ionlywishitwere!”headdedgrimly.
“Doesooknow,thatstickwentrightfroomyhead!”saidBruno.(Theyhadrunroundtomebythistime,andeachhadsecuredahand.)“Justundermychin!IaregladIaren’tathistle!”
“Well,we’vethreshedthatsubjectout,anyhow!”Arthurresumed.
“I’mafraidI’vebeentalkingtoomuch,foryourpatienceandformystrength.Imustbeturningsoon.Thisisabouttheendofmytether.”
“Take,Oboatman,thricetheyfee;
Take,Igiveitwillingly;
For,invisibletothee,
Spiritstwainhavecrossedwithme!”
Iquoted,involuntarily.
“Forutterlyinappropriateandirrelevantquotations,”laughedArthur,“youare‘ekalledbyfew,andexcelledbynone’!”Andwestrolledon.
Aswepassedtheheadofthelanethatleddowntothebeach,Inoticedasinglefiguremovingslowlyalongit,seawards.
Shewasagoodwayoff,andhadherbacktous:butitwasLadyMuriel,unmistakably.
KnowingthatArthurhadnotseenher,ashehadbeenlooking,intheotherdirection,atagatheringrain-cloud,Imadenoremark,buttriedtothinkofsomeplausiblepretextforsendinghimbackbythesea.
Theopportunityinstantlypresenteditself.“I’mgettingtired,”hesaid.“Idon’tthinkitwouldbeprudenttogofurther.Ihadbetterturnhere.”
Iturnedwithhim,forafewsteps,andasweagainapproachedtheheadofthelane,Isaid,ascarelesslyasIcould,“Don’tgobackbytheroad.It’stoohotanddusty.
Downthislane,andalongthebeach,isnearlyasshort;andyou’llgetabreezeoffthesea.”
“Yes,IthinkIwill,”Arthurbegan;butatthatmomentwecameintosightofLadyMuriel,andhecheckedhimself.“No,it’stoofarround.
Yetitcertainlywouldbecooler”Hestood,hesitating,lookingfirstonewayandthentheother—amelancholypictureofutterinfirmityofpurpose!
Howlongthishumiliatingscenewouldhavecontinued,ifIhadbeentheonlyexternalinfluence,itisimpossibletosay;foratthismomentSylvie,withaswiftdecisionworthyofNapoleonhimself,tookthematterintoherownhands“Yougoanddriveher,upthisway,”shesaidtoBruno.“I’llgethimalong!”
AndshetookholdofthestickthatArthurwascarrying,andgentlypulledhimdownthelane.
Hewastotallyunconsciousthatanywillbuthisownwasactingonthestick,andappearedtothinkithadtakenahorizontalpositionsimplybecausehewaspointingwithit.
“Arenotthoseorchisesunderthehedgethere?”hesaid.“Ithinkthatdecidesme.I’llgathersomeasIgoalong.”
MeanwhileBrunohadrunonbehindLadyMuriel,and,withmuchjumpingaboutandshouting(shoutsaudibletonoonebutSylvieandmyself),muchasifheweredrivingsheep,hemanagedtoturnherroundandmakeherwalk,witheyesdemurelycastupontheground,inourdirection.
Thevictorywasours!And,sinceitwasevidentthatthelovers,thusurgedtogether,mustmeetinanotherminute,Iturnedandwalkedon,hopingthatSylvieandBrunowouldfollowmyexample,asIfeltsurethatthefewerthespectatorsthebetteritwouldbeforArthurandhisgoodangel.
“Andwhatsortofmeetingwasit?”Iwondered,asIpaceddreamilyon.
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