possibly could, and even occasionally talking out from their bushes

almost boldly. But the gathering as a whole refused either to

mingle or dispute, and as an experiment in intercourse the evening

was a failure. Unexpected dissociations appeared between Socialists

one had supposed friendly. I could not have imagined it was

possible for half so many people to turn their backs on everybody

else in such small rooms as ours. But the unsaid things those backs

expressed broke out, I remarked, with refreshed virulence in the

various organs of the various sections of the party next week.

I talked, I rememher, with Dr. Tumpany, a large young man in a still

larger professional frock-coat, and with a great shock of very fair

hair, who was candidate for some North Country constituency. We

discussed the political outlook, and, like so many Socialists at

that time, he was full of vague threatenings against the Liberal

party. I was struck by a thing in him that I had already observed

less vividly in many others of these Socialist leaders, and which

gave me at last a clue to the whole business. Hebehaved exactly

like a man in possession of valuable patent rights, who wants to be

dealt with. He had an air of having a corner in ideas. Then it

flashed into my head that the whole Socialist movement was an

attempted corner in ideas…

8

Late that night I foundmyselfalone with Margaret amid the debris

of the gathering.

I sat before the fire, hands in pockets, and Margaret, looking white

and weary, came and leant upon the mantel.

"Oh, Lord!" said Margaret.

I agreed. Then I resumed mymeditation.

"Ideas," I said, "count for more than Ithought in the world."

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