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〃I don't know about that；〃 said Halidome； more and more superior as
Shelton grew more warm； 〃when you stand on your rights； you do it for
the sake of Society as well as for your own。 If you want to do away
with marriage； why don't you say so？〃
〃But I don't；〃 said Shelton：〃 is it likely？ Why； I'm going…〃 He
stopped without adding the words 〃to be married myself；〃 for it
suddenly occurred to him that the reason was not the most lofty and
philosophic in the world。 〃All I can say is；〃 he went on soberly；
〃that you can't make a horse drink by driving him。 Generosity is the
surest way of tightening the knot with people who've any sense of
decency； as to the rest； the chief thing is to prevent their
breeding。〃
Halidome smiled。
〃You're a rum chap；〃 he said。
Shelton jerked his cigarette into the fire。
〃I tell you what〃for late at night a certain power of vision came
to him〃it's humbug to talk of doing things for the sake of Society；
it's nothing but the instinct to keep our own heads above the water。〃
But Halidome remained unruffled。
〃All right；〃 he said； 〃call it that。 I don't see why I should go to
the wall； it wouldn't do any good。〃
〃You admit； then；〃 said Shelton； 〃that our morality is the sum total
of everybody's private instinct of self…preservation？〃
Halidome stretched his splendid frame and yawned。
〃I don't know；〃 he began； 〃that I should quite call it that〃
But the compelling complacency of his fine eyes； the dignified
posture of his healthy body； the lofty slope of his narrow forehead；
the perfectly humane look of his cultivated brutality； struck Shelton
as ridiculous。
〃Hang it； Hall〃 he cried； jumping from his chair； 〃what an old fraud
you are！ I'll be off。〃
〃No； look here！〃 said Halidome； the faintest shade of doubt had
appeared upon his face； he took Shelton by a lapel： 〃You're quite
wrong…〃
〃Very likely； good…night； old chap！〃
Shelton walked home； letting the spring wind into him。 It was
Saturday； and he passed many silent couples。 In every little patch
of shadow he could see two forms standing or sitting close together；
and in their presence Words the Impostors seemed to hold their
tongues。 The wind rustled the buds； the stars； one moment bright as
diamonds； vanished the next。 In the lower streets a large part of
the world was under the influence of drink； but by this Shelton was
far from being troubled。 It seemed better than Drama； than dressing…
bagged men； unruffled women； and padded points of view； better than
the immaculate solidity of his friend's possessions。
〃So；〃 he reflected； 〃it's right for every reason； social； religious；
and convenient； to inflict one's society where it's not desired。
There are obviously advantages about the married state； charming to
feel respectable while you're acting in a way that in any other walk
of life would bring on you contempt。 If old Halidome showed that he
was tired of me； and I continued to visit him； he'd think me a bit of
a cad； but if his wife were to tell him she couldn't stand him； he'd
still consider himself a perfect gentleman if he persisted in giving
her the burden of his society； and he has the cheek to bring religion
into ita religion that says； 'Do unto others！'〃
But in this he was unjust to Halidome； forgetting how impossible it
was for him to believe that a woman could not stand him。 He reached
his rooms； and； the more freely to enjoy the clear lamplight； the
soft； gusty breeze； and waning turmoil of the streets； waited a
moment before entering。
〃I wonder；〃 thought he； 〃if I shall turn out a cad when I marry； like
that chap in the play。 It's natural。 We all want our money's worth；
our pound of …flesh！ Pity we use such fine words'Society；
Religion； Morality。' Humbug！〃
He went in； and； throwing his window open； remained there a long
time； his figure outlined against the lighted room for the benefit of
the dark square below； his hands in his pockets； his head down； a
reflective frown about his eyes。 A half…intoxicated old ruffian； a
policeman； and a man in a straw hat had stopped below； and were
holding a palaver。
〃Yus；〃 the old ruffian said； 〃I'm a rackety old blank； but what I say
is； if we wus all alike； this would n't be a world！〃
They went their way； and before the listener's eyes there rose
Antonia's face； with its unruffled brow； Halidome's； all health and
dignity； the forehead of the goggle…eyed man； with its line of hair
parted in the centre； and brushed across。 A light seemed to illumine
the plane of their existence； as the electric lamp with the green
shade had illumined the pages of the Matthew Arnold； serene before
Shelton's vision lay that Elysium； untouched by passion or extremes
of any kind； autocratic； complacent； possessive； and well…kept as any
Midland landscape。 Healthy； wealthy； wise！ No room but for
perfection； self…preservation； the survival of the fittest！ 〃The
part of the good citizen；〃 he thought： 〃no； if we were all alike；
this would n't be a world！〃
CHAPTER VI
MARRIAGE SETTLEMENT
My dear Richard〃 （wrote Shelton's uncle the next day）； 〃I shall be
glad to see you at three o'clock to…morrow afternoon upon the
question of your marriage settlement。。。。〃 At that hour accordingly
Shelton made his way to Lincoln's Inn Fields； where in fat black
letters the names 〃Paramor and Herring （Commissioners for Oaths）〃
were written on the wall of a stone entrance。 He ascended the solid
steps with nervousness； and by a small red…haired boy was introduced
to a back room on the first floor。 Here； seated at a table in the
very centre； as if he thereby better controlled his universe； a pug…
featured gentleman； without a beard； was writing。 He paused。
〃Ow； Mr。 Richard！〃 he said； 〃glad to see you； sir。 Take a chair。
Your uncle will be disengaged in 'arf a minute〃； and in the tone of
his allusion to his employer was the satirical approval that comes
with long and faithful service。 〃He will do everything himself；〃 he
went on； screwing up his sly； greenish； honest eyes； 〃and he 's not a
young man。〃
Shelton never saw his uncle's clerk without marvelling at the
prosperity deepening upon his face。 In place of the look of
harassment which on most faces begins to grow after the age of fifty；
his old friend's countenance； as though in sympathy with the nation；
had expandeda little greasily； a little genially； a little
coarselyevery time he met it。 A contemptuous tolerance for people
who were not getting on was spreading beneath its surface； it left
each time a deeper feeling that its owner could never be in the
wrong。
〃I hope you're well； sir；〃 he resumed： 〃most important for you to
have your health now you're going…to〃and； feeling for the delicate
way to put it； he involuntarily winked〃to become a family man。 We
saw it in the paper。 My wife said to me the other morning at
breakfast： 'Bob； here's a Mr。 Richard Paramor Shelton goin' to be
married。 Is that any relative of your Mr。 Shelton？' ' My dear；' I
said to her； ' it's the very man！'〃
It disquieted Shelton to perceive that his old friend did not pass
the whole of his life at that table writing in the centre of the
room； but that somewhere （vistas of little grey houses rose before
his eyes） he actually lived another life where someone called him
〃Bob。〃 Bob！ And this； too； was a revelation。 Bob！ Why； of course；
it was the only name for him！ A bell rang。
〃That's your uncle〃； and again the head clerk's voice sounded
ironical。 〃Good…bye； sir。〃
He seemed to clip off intercourse as one clips off electric light。
Shelton left him writing； and preceded the red…haired boy to an
enormous room in the front where his uncle waited。
Edmund Paramor was a medium…sized and upright man of seventy； whose
brown face was perfectly clean…shaven。 His grey； silky hair was
brushed in a cock's comb from his fine forehead； bald on the left
side。 He stood before the hearth facing the room； and his figure had
the springy abruptness of men who cannot fatten。 There was a certain
youthfulness； too； in his eyes； yet they had a look as though he had
been through fire； and his mouth curled at the corners in surprising
smiles。 The room was like the manmorally large； void of red…tape
and almost void of furniture； no tin boxes were ranged against the
walls； no papers littered up the table； a single bookcase contained a
complete edition of the law reports； and resting on the Law Directory
was a single red rose in a glass of water。 It looked the room of one
with a sober magnanimity； who went to the heart of things； despised
haggling； and before whose smiles the more immediate kinds of humbug
faded。
〃Well； Dick；〃 said he； 〃how's your mother？〃
Shelton replied that his mother was all right。
〃Tell her that I'm going to sell her Easterns after all； and put