One of Our Conquerors - World eBook Library

One of Our Conquerors
pitched at them, and help to set good women facing away
from them, are pious dolts or rascal dogs of hypocrites. They,
if you’ll let me quote Colney Durance to you to-day—and
how is it he is not in favour?—they are tempting the Lord to
turn the pillars of Society into pillars of salt. Down comes
the house. And priests can rest in sight of it!—They ought
to be dead against the sanctimony that believes it excommunicates
when it curses. The relationship is not dissolved so
cheaply, though our Society affects to think it is. Barmby’s
off to the East End of this London, Victor informs me:—
good fellow! And there he’ll be groaning over our vicious
nature. Nature is not more responsible for vice than she is
for inhumanity. Both bad, but the latter’s the worse of the
two.’
Nataly interposed: ‘I see the contrast, and see whom it’s to
strike.’
Dartrey sent a thought after his meaning. ‘Hardly that.
Let it stand. He ‘s only one with the world: but he shares the
criminal infamy for crushing hope out of its frailest victims.
They’re that—no sentiment. What a world, too, look behind
it!—brutal because brutish. The world may go hang:
we expect more of your gentleman. To hear of Nesta down
there, and doubt that she was about good work; and come
complaining! He had the privilege of speaking to her, remonstrating,
if he wished. There are men who think—
men!—the plucking of sinners out of the mire a dirty business.
They depute it to certain officials. And your women—
it’s the taste of the world to have them educated so, that they
can as little take the humane as the enlightened view. Except,
by the way, sometimes, in secret;—they have a sisterly
breast. In secret, they do occasionally think as they feel. In
public, the brass mask of the Idol they call Propriety commands
or supplies their feelings and thoughts. I won’t repeat
my reasons for educating them differently. At present we have
but half the woman to go through life with—and thank you.’
Dartrey stopped. ‘Don’t be disturbed,’ he added. ‘There’s
no ground for alarm. Not of any sort.’
Nataly said: ‘What name?’
‘Her name is Mrs. Marsett.’
‘The name is … ?’
‘Captain Marsett: will be Sir Edward. He came back from
the Continent yesterday.’
360