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has cured me of the slightest inclination to marry。〃
Sir Charles did not reply。 It occurred to him that Lady Brandon's
portrait； if nothing else were left of her； might be useful in
the same way。
〃Come； you will marry again one of these days；〃 said Erskine； in
a forced tone of encouragement。
〃It is possible。 Men should marry； especially rich men。 But I
assure you I have no present intention of doing so。〃
Erskine's color deepened； and he moved away to the table where
the albums lay。
〃This is the collection of photographs I spoke of；〃 said
Trefusis； following him and opening one of the books。 〃I took
many of them myself under great difficulties with regard to
lightthe only difficulty that money could not always remove。
This is a view of my father's houseor rather one of his houses。
It cost seventy…five thousand pounds。〃
〃Very handsome indeed；〃 said Sir Charles； secretly disgusted at
being invited to admire a photograph； such as house agents
exhibit； of a vulgarly designed country house； merely because it
had cost seventy…five thousand pounds。 The figures were actually
written beneath the picture。
〃This is the drawing…room； and this one of the best bedrooms。 In
the right…hand corner of the mount you will see a note of the
cost of the furniture； fittings； napery； and so forth。 They were
of the most luxurious description。〃
〃Very interesting；〃 said Sir Charles； hardly disguising the irony
of the comment。
〃Here is a viewthis is the first of my own attemptsof the
apartment of one of the under servants。 It is comfortable and
spacious； and solidly furnished。〃
〃So I perceive。〃
〃These are the stables。 Are they not handsome？〃
〃Palatial。 Quite palatial。〃
〃There is every luxury that a horse could desire； including
plenty of valets to wait on him。 You are noting the figures； I
hope。 There is the cost of the building and the expenditure per
horse per annum。〃
〃I see。〃
〃Here is the exterior of a house。 What do you think of it？〃
〃It is rather picturesque in its dilapidation。〃
〃Picturesque！ Would you like to live in it？〃
〃No；〃 said Erskine。 〃I don't see anything very picturesque about
it。 What induced you to photograph such a wretched old rookery？〃
〃Here is a view of the best room in it。 Photography gives you a
fair idea of the broken flooring and patched windows； but you
must imagine the dirt and the odor of the place。 Some of the
stains are weather stains； others came from smoke and filth。 The
landlord of the house holds it from a peer and lets it out in
tenements。 Three families occupied that room when I photographed
it。 You will see by the figures in the corner that it is more
profitable to the landlord than an average house in Mayfair。 Here
is the cellar； let to a family for one and sixpence a week； and
considered a bargain。 The sun never shines there； of course。 I
took it by artificial light。 You may add to the rent the cost of
enough bad beer to make the tenant insensible to the filth of the
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；