To allow any business to be run on my estates which does not contribute to the general upkeep, is to protect and really pauperize a portion of my tenants at the expense of the rest; it must therefore be false economics and a secret sort of socialism. Further, if logically followed out, it might end in my ruin, and to allow that, though I might not personally object, would be to imply that I do not believe that I am by virtue of my traditions and training, the best machinery through which the State can work to secure the welfare of the people....
When he had reached that point in his consideration of the question, his mind, or rather perhaps, his essential self, had not unnaturally risen up and said: Which is absurd!
Impersonality was in fashion, and as a rule he believed in thinking impersonally. There was a point, however, where the possibility of doing so ceased, without treachery to oneself, one's order, and the country. And to the argument which he was quite shrewd enough to put to himself, sooner than have it put by anyone else, that it was disproportionate for a single man by a stroke of the pen to be able to dispose of the livelihood of hundreds whose senses and feelings were similar to his own--he had answered: "If I didn't, some plutocrat or company would--or, worse still, the State!" Cooperative enterprise being, in his opinion, foreign to the spirit of the country, there was, so far as he could see, no other alternative.
Facts were facts and not to be got over!
Notwithstanding all this, the necessity for the decision made him sorry, for if he had no great sense of proportion, he was at least humane.
He was still smoking his pipe and staring at a sheet of paper covered with small figures when his wife entered. Though she had come to ask his advice on a very different subject, she saw at once that he was vexed, and said:
" What's the matter, Geoff?"
Lord Valleys rose, went to the hearth, deliberately tapped out his pipe, then held out to her the sheet of paper.
"That quarry! Nothing for it--must go!"
Lady Valleys' face changed.
"Oh, no! It will mean such dreadful distress."Lord Valleys stared at his nails. "It's putting a drag on the whole estate," he said.
"I know, but how could we face the people--I should never be able to go down there. And most of them have such enormous families."Since Lord Valleys continued to bend on his nails that slow, thought-forming stare, she went on earnestly:
"Rather than that I'd make sacrifices. I'd sooner Pendridny were let than throw all those people out of work. I suppose it would let.""Let? Best woodcock shooting in the world."Lady Valleys, pursuing her thoughts, went on:
"In time we might get the people drafted into other things. Have you consulted Miltoun?""No," said Lord Valleys shortly, "and don't mean to--he's too unpractical.""He always seems to know what he wants very well.""I tell you," repeated Lord Valleys, "Miltoun's no good in a matter of this sort--he and his ideas throw back to the Middle Ages."Lady Valleys went closer, and took him by the lapels of his collar.
"Geoff-really, to please me; some other way!"Lord Valleys frowned, staring at her for some time; and at last answered: