lyithasbeenappliedtousfromgenerationtogenerationwehavefinenosesforabuseswescentascoundrelamileoffwearereformersborn,radicalreformersanditwasimpossibleformetoliveinthesametownwithCrimsworth,tocomeintoweeklycontactwithhim,towitnesssomeofhisconducttoyou(forwhompersonallyIcarenothingIonlyconsiderthebrutalinjusticewithwhichheviolatedyournaturalclaimtoequality)—Isayitwasimpossibleformetobethussituatedandnotfeeltheangelorthedemonofmyraceatworkwithinme.Ifollowedmyinstinct,opposedatyrant,andbrokeachain.”
Nowthisspeechinterestedmemuch,bothbecauseitbroughtoutHunsden’scharacter,andbecauseitexplainedhismotivesitinterestedmesomuchthatIforgottoreplytoit,andsatsilent,ponderingoverathrongofideasithadsuggested.
“Areyougratefultome?”heasked,presently.
InfactIwasgrateful,oralmostso,andIbelieveIhalflikedhimatthemoment,notwithstandinghisprovisothatwhathehaddonewasnotoutofregardforme.Buthumannatureisperverse.Impossibletoanswerhisbluntquestionintheaffirmative,soIdisclaimedalltendencytogratitude,andadvisedhimifheexpectedanyrewardforhischampionship,tolookforitinabetterworld,ashewasnotlikelytomeetwithithere.Inreplyhetermedme“adry-heartedaristocraticscamp,”whereuponIagainchargedhimwithhavingtakenthebreadoutofmymouth.
“Yourbreadwasdirty,man!”criedHunsden—“dirtyandunwholesome!Itcamethroughthehandsofatyrant,forItellyouCrimsworthisatyrant,—atyranttohisworkpeople,atyranttohisclerks,andwillsomedaybeatyranttohiswife.”
“Nonsense!breadisbread,andasalaryisasalary.I’velostmine,andthroughyourmeans.”
“There’ssenseinwhatyousay,afterall,”rejoinedHunsden.“ImustsayIamratheragreeablysurprisedtohearyoumakesopracticalanobservationasthatlast.Ihadimaginednow,frommypreviousobservationofyourcharacter,thatthesentimentaldelightyouwouldhavetakeninyournewlyregainedlibertywould,forawhileatleast,haveeffacedallideasofforethoughtandprudence.Ithinkbetterofyouforlookingsteadilytotheneedful.”
“Lookingsteadilytotheneedful!HowcanIdootherwise?Imustlive,andtoliveImusthavewhatyoucall‘