第 47 节
作者:指点迷津      更新:2021-02-20 05:05      字数:9322
  would have brought me in a profit of over seven hundred and fifty
  pounds; an unearned increment to which I had no righteous claim。
  My solicitor; to whom I mentioned the matter; was of opinion that
  I might justifiably pocket the seven hundred and fifty pounds as
  reward for my mother's benevolence in buying a presumably
  worthless picture from an obscure painter。 But he failed to
  convince me that I ought to be paid for my mother's virtues;
  though we agreed that neither I nor my mother had received any
  return in the shape of pleasure in contemplating the work; which
  had deteriorated considerably by the fading of the colors since
  its purchase。 At last I went to Brown's studio with the picture;
  and told him that it was worth nothing to me; as I thought it a
  particularly bad one; and that he might have it back again for
  fifteen pounds; half the first price。 He at once told me that I
  could get from any dealer more for it than he could afford to
  give me; but he told me too that I had no right to make a profit
  out of his work; and that he would give me the original price of
  thirty pounds。 I took it; and then sent him the man who had
  offered me the eight hundred。 To my discomfiture Brown refused to
  sell it on any terms; because he considered it unworthy of his
  reputation。 The man bid up to fifteen hundred; but Brown held
  out; and I found that instead of putting seven hundred and
  seventy pounds into his pocket I had taken thirty out of it。 I
  accordingly offered to return the thirty pieces。 Brown; taking
  the offer as an insult; declined all further communication with
  me。 I then insisted on the matter being submitted to arbitration;
  and demanded fifteen hundred pounds as the full exchange value of
  the picture。 All the arbitrators agreed that this was monstrous;
  whereupon I contended that if they denied my right to the value
  in exchange; they must admit my right to the value in use。 They
  assented to this after putting off their decision for a fortnight
  in order to read Adam Smith and discover what on earth I meant by
  my values in use and exchange。 I now showed that the picture had
  no value in use to me; as I disliked it; and that therefore I was
  entitled to nothing; and that Brown must take back the thirty
  pounds。 They were glad to concede this also to me; as they were
  all artist friends of Brown; and wished him not to lose money by
  the transaction; though they of course privately thought that the
  picture was; as I described it; a bad one。 After that Brown and I
  became very good friends。 He tolerated my advances; at first lest
  it should seem that he was annoyed by my disparagement of his
  work。 Subsequently he fell into my views much as you have done。〃
  〃That is very interesting;〃 said Sir Charles。 〃What a noble
  thingrefusing fifteen hundred pounds! He could ill afford it;
  probably。〃
  〃Heroicaccording to nineteenth century notions of heroism。
  Voluntarily to throw away a chance of making money! that is the
  ne plus ultra of martyrdom。 Brown's wife was extremely angry with
  him for doing it。〃
  〃It is an interesting storyor might be made so;〃 said Erskine。
  〃But you make my head spin with your confounded exchange values
  and stuff。 Everything is a question of figures with you。〃
  〃That comes of my not being a poet;〃 said Trefusis。 〃But we
  Socialists need to study the romantic side of our movement to
  interest women in it。 If you want to make a cause grow; instruct
  every woman you meet in it。 She is or will one day be a wife; and
  will contradict her husband with scraps of your arguments。 A
  squabble will follow。 The son will listen; and will be set
  thinking if he be capable of thought。 And so the mind of the
  people gets leavened。 I have converted many young women。 Most of
  them know no more of the economic theory of Socialism than they
  know of Chaldee; but they no longer fear or condemn its name。 Oh;
  I assure you that much can be done in that way by men who are not
  afraid of women; and who are not in too great a hurry to see the
  harvest they have sown for。〃
  〃Take care。 Some of your lady proselytes may get the better of
  you some day。 The future husband to be contradicted may be Sidney
  Trefusis。 Ha! ha! ha!〃 Sir Charles had emptied a second large
  goblet of wine; and was a little flushed and boisterous。
  〃No;〃 said Trefusis; 〃I have had enough of love myself; and am
  not likely to inspire it。 Women do not care for men to whom; as
  Erskine says; everything is a question of figures。 I used to
  flirt with women; now I lecture them; and abhor a man…flirt worse
  than I do a woman one。 Some more wine? Oh; you must not waste the
  remainder of this bottle。〃
  〃I think we had better go; Brandon;〃 said Erskine; his mistrust
  of Trefusis growing。 〃We promised to be back before two。〃
  〃So you shall;〃 said Trefusis。 〃It is not yet a quarter past one。
  By…the…bye; I have not shown you Donovan Brown's pet instrument
  for the regeneration of society。 Here it is。 A monster petition
  praying that the holding back from the laborer of any portion of
  the net value produced by his labor be declared a felony。 That is
  all。〃
  Erskine nudged Sir Charles; who said hastily; 〃Thank you; but I
  had rather not sign anything。〃
  〃A baronet sign such a petition!〃 exclaimed Trefusis。 〃I did not
  think of asking you。 I only show it to you as an interesting
  historical document; containing the autographs of a few artists
  and poets。 There is Donovan Brown's for example。 It was he who
  suggested the petition; which is not likely to do much good; as
  the thing cannot be done in any such fashion However; I have
  promised Brown to get as many signatures as I can; so you may as
  well sign it; Erskine。 It says nothing in blank verse about the
  holiness of slaying a tyrant; but it is a step in the right
  direction。 You will not stick at such a trifleunless the
  reviews have frightened you。 Come; your name and address。〃
  Erskine shook his head。
  〃Do you then only commit yourself to revolutionary sentiments
  when there is a chance of winning fame as a poet by them?〃
  〃I will not sign; simply because I do not choose to;〃 said
  Erskine warmly。
  〃My dear fellow;〃 said Trefusis; almost affectionately; 〃if a man
  has a conscience he can have no choice in matters of conviction。
  I have read somewhere in your book that the man who will not shed
  his blood for the liberty of his brothers is a coward and a
  slave。 Will you not shed a drop of inkmy ink; toofor the
  right of your brothers to the work of their hands? I at first
  sight did not care to sign this petition; because I would as soon
  petition a tiger to share his prey with me as our rulers to relax
  their grip of the stolen labor they live on。 But Donovan Brown
  said to me; 'You have no choice。 Either you believe that the
  laborer should have the fruit of his labor or you do not。 If you
  do; put your conviction on record; even if it should be as
  useless as Pilate's washing his hands。' So I signed。〃
  〃Donovan Brown was right;〃 said Sir Charles。 〃I will sign。〃 And
  he did so with a flourish。
  〃Brown will be delighted;〃 said Trefusis。 〃I will write to him
  to…day that I have got another good signature for him。〃
  〃Two more;〃 said Sir Charles。 〃You shall sign; Erskine; hang me
  if you shan't! It is only against rascals that run away without
  paying their men their wages。〃
  〃Or that don't pay them in full;〃 observed Trefusis; with a
  curious smile。 〃But do not sign if you feel uncomfortable about
  it。〃
  〃If you don't sign after me; you are a sneak; Chester;〃 said Sir
  Charles。
  〃I don't know what it means;〃 said Erskine; wavering。 〃I don't
  understand petitions。〃
  〃It means what it says; you cannot be held responsible for any
  meaning that is not expressed in it;〃 said Trefusis。 〃But never
  mind。 You mistrust me a little; I fancy; and would rather not
  meddle with my petitions; but you will think better of that as
  you grow used to me。 Meanwhile; there is no hurry。 Don't sign
  yet。〃
  〃Nonsense! I don't doubt your good faith;〃 said Erskine; hastily
  disavowing suspicions which he felt but could not account for。
  〃Here goes!〃 And he signed。
  〃Well done!〃 said Trefusis。 〃This will make Brown happy for the
  rest of the month。〃
  〃It is time for us to go now;〃 said Erskine gloomily。
  〃Look in upon me at any time; you shall be welcome;〃 said
  Trefusis。 〃You need not stand upon any sort of ceremony。〃
  Then they parted; Sir Charles assuring Trefusis that he had never
  spent a more interesting morning; and shaking hands with him at
  considerable length three times。 Erskine said little until he was
  in the Riverside Road with his friend; when he suddenly burst
  out:
  〃What the devil do you mean by drinking two tumblers of such
  staggering stuff at one o'clock in the day in the house of a
  dangerous man like that? I am very sorry I went into the fellow's
  place。 I had misgivings about it; and they have been fully borne
  out。〃
  〃How so?〃 said Sir Charles; taken aback。
  〃He has overreached us。 I was a deuced fool to sign that paper;
  and so were you。 It was for that that he invited us。〃
  〃Rubbish; my dear boy。 It was not his paper; but Donovan
  Brown's。〃
  〃I doubt it。 Most likely he talked Brown into signing it just as
  he talked us。 I tell you his ways are a