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〃What do you mean by 'too much'？〃
〃When it ceases to be real to a man； when it represents more than his
need； when it drives him and he becomes a slave to it。〃
Involuntarily I thought of my new house；not a soothing reflection。
〃But who is going to decree how much property； a man should have？〃
〃Nobodyeverybody。 That will gradually tend to work itself out as we
become more sensible and better educated； and understand more clearly
what is good for us。〃
I retorted with the stock； common…sense phrase。
〃If we had a division to…morrow； within a few years or so the most
efficient would contrive to get the bulk of it back in their hands。〃
〃That's so；〃 he admitted。 〃But we're not going to have a division to…
morrow。〃
〃Thank God！〃 I exclaimed。
He regarded me。
〃The 'efficient' will have to die or be educated first。 That will take
time。〃
〃Educated！〃
〃Paret； have you ever read any serious books on what you call socialism？〃
he asked。
I threw out an impatient negative。 I was going on to protest that I was
not ignorant of the doctrine。
〃Oh； what you call socialism is merely what you believe to be the more or
less crude and utopian propaganda of an obscure political party。 That
isn't socialism。 Nor is the anomalistic attempt that the Christian
Socialists make to unite modern socialistic philosophy with Christian
orthodoxy； socialism。〃
〃What is socialism； then？〃 I demanded； somewhat defiantly。
〃Let's call it education； science；〃 he said smilingly； 〃economics and
government based on human needs and a rational view of religion。 It has
been taught in German universities； and it will be taught in ours
whenever we shall succeed in inducing your friends； by one means or
another； not to continue endowing them。 Socialism； in the proper sense；
is merely the application of modern science to government。〃
I was puzzled and angry。 What he said made sense somehow； but it sounded
to me like so much gibberish。
〃But Germany is a monarchy；〃 I objected。
〃It is a modern； scientific system with monarchy as its superstructure。
It is anomalous； but frank。 The monarchy is there for all men to see；
and some day it will be done away with。 We are supposedly a democracy；
and our superstructure is plutocratic。 Our people feel the burden； but
they have not yet discovered what the burden is。〃
〃And when they do？〃 I asked； a little defiantly。
〃When they do；〃 replied Krebs； 〃they will set about making the plutocrats
happy。 Now plutocrats are discontented； and never satisfied； the more
they get； the more they want； the more they are troubled by what other
people have。〃
I smiled in spite of myself。
〃Your interest inin plutocrats is charitable； then？〃
〃Why； yes；〃 he said； 〃my interest in all kinds of people is charitable。
However improbable it may seem； I have no reason to dislike or envy
people who have more than they know what to do with。〃 And the worst of
it was he looked it。 He managed somehow simply by sitting there with his
strange eyes fixed upon mein spite of his ridiculous philosophyto
belittle my ambitions； to make of small worth my achievements； to bring
home to me the fact that in spite of these I was neither contented nor
happy though he kept his humour and his poise； he implied an experience
that was far deeper； more tragic and more significant than mine。 I was
goaded into making an injudicious remark。
〃Well； your campaign against Ennerly and Jackson fell through； didn't
it？〃 Ennerly and Jackson were the city officials who had been tried。
〃It wasn't a campaign against them；〃 he answered。 〃And considering the
subordinate part I took in it； it could scarcely be called mine。〃
〃Greenhalge turned to you to get the evidence。〃
〃Well； I got it；〃 he said。
〃What became of it？〃
〃You ought to know。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Just what I say； Paret；〃 he answered slowly。 〃You ought to know； if
anyone knows。〃
I considered this a moment； more soberly。 I thought I might have counted
on my fingers the number of men cognizant of my connection with the case。
I decided that he was guessing。
〃I think you should explain that；〃 I told him。
〃The time may come； when you'll have to explain it。〃
〃Is that a threat？〃 I demanded。
〃A threat？〃 he repeated。 〃Not at all。〃
〃But you are accusing me〃
〃Of what？〃 he interrupted suddenly。
He had made it necessary for me to define the nature of his charges。
〃Of having had some connection with the affair in question。〃
〃Whatever else I may be； I'm not a fool；〃 he said quietly。 〃Neither the
district attorney's office； nor young Arbuthnot had brains enough to get
them out of that scrape。 Jason didn't have influence enough with the
judiciary； and； as I happen to know； there was a good deal of money
spent。〃
〃You may be called upon to prove it；〃 I retorted； rather hotly。
〃So I may。〃
His tone； far from being defiant； had in it a note of sadness。 I looked
at him。 What were his potentialities？ Was it not just possible that I
should have to revise my idea of him； acknowledge that he might become
more formidable than I had thought？
There was an awkward silence。
〃You mustn't imagine； Paret； that I have any personal animus against you；
or against any of the men with whom you're associated；〃 he went on； after
a moment。 〃I'm sorry you're on that side； that's all；I told you so
once before。 I'm not calling you names； I'm not talking about morality
and immorality。 Immorality； when you come down to it； is often just the
opposition to progress that comes from blindness。 I don't make the
mistake of blaming a few individuals for the evils of modern industrial
society； and on the other hand you mustn't blame individuals for the
discomforts of what you call the reform movement； for that movement is
merely a symptoma symptom of a disease due to a change in the structure
of society。 We'll never have any happiness or real prosperity until we
cure that disease。 I was inclined to blame you once； at the capital that
time； because it seemed to me that a man with all the advantages you have
had and a mind like yours didn't have much excuse。 But I've thought
about it since； I realize now that I've had a good many more 'advantages'
than you； and to tell you the truth； I don't see how you could have come
out anywhere else than where you are；all your surroundings and training
were against it。 That doesn't mean that you won't grasp the situation
some dayI have an idea you will。 It's just an idea。 The man who ought
to be condemned isn't the man that doesn't understand what's going on；
but the man who comes to understand and persists in opposing it。〃 He
rose and looked down at me with the queer； disturbing smile I remembered。
〃I get off at this corner；〃 he added； rather diffidently。 〃I hope you'll
forgive me for being personal。 I didn't mean to be； but you rather
forced it on me。〃
〃Oh； that's all right；〃 I replied。 The car stopped； and he hurried off。
I watched his tall figure as it disappeared among the crowd on the
sidewalk。。。。
I returned to my office in one of those moods that are the more
disagreeable because conflicting。 To…day in particular I had been
aroused by what Tom used to call Krebs's 〃crust；〃 and as I sat at my desk
warm waves of resentment went through me at the very notion of his
telling me that my view was limited and that therefore my professional
conduct was to be forgiven！ It was he； the fanatic； who saw things in
the larger scale！ an assumption the more exasperating because at the
moment he made it he almost convinced me that he did； and I was unable to
achieve for him the measure of contempt I desired； for the incident； the
measure of ridicule it deserved。 My real animus was due to the fact that
he had managed to shake my self…confidence； to take the flavour out of my
achievements；a flavour that was in the course of an hour to be
completely restored by one of those interesting coincidences occasionally
occurring in life。 A young member of my staff entered with a telegram； I
tore it open； and sat staring at it a moment before I realized that it
brought to me the greatest honour of my career。
The Banker…Personality in New York had summoned me for consultation。 To
be recognized by him conferred indeed an ennoblement； the Star and
Garter； so to speak； of the only great realm in America； that of high
finance； and the yellow piece of paper I held in my hand instantly re…
magnetized me； renewed my energy； and I hurried home to pack my bag in
order to catch the seven o'clock train。 I announced the news to Maude。
〃I imagine it's because he knows I have made something of a study of the
coal roads situation；〃 I added。
〃I'm glad； Hugh；〃 she said。 〃I suppose it's a great compliment。〃
Never had her inadequacy to appreciate my career been more apparent！ I
looked at her curiously； to realize once more with peculiar sharpness how
far we were apart； but now the resolutions I had madeand never carried
outon that first Christmas in the new home were lacking。 Indeed； it
was the futility of such resolutions that struck me at this moment。 If
her manner had been merely one of indifference； it would in a way have