Part 32 (1/2)
”It _is_ Mrs. Randolph's daughter,” I said, withdrawing my hand from his arm. ”I pray you not to forget it.”
”Pray, forgive me!” he said eagerly. ”I was bewildered, and am yet. I did not know where I was. It seems to me I cannot have heard you aright.”
”Quite right, Mr. De Saussure.”
”But just reflect!” he said. ”These creatures, whose cause you are advocating, they are but half human; they cannot take care of themselves; their very happiness is identified with their present position.”
”It is not the view they take of it.”
”They are incapable of forming any judgment on the matter.”
”At least they know what _they_ mean by happiness,” I said; ”and in their mouths it is not a synonym with slavery. And if your words are true, Mr. De Saussure, in the case of some of those poor people, - and I know they are, - it is one of the worst things that can be said of the system. If some of them are brought so low as to be content with being slaves, we have robbed them of their humanity.”
”It is absolutely Northern radicalism!” said Mr. De Saussure to himself.
”No,” I said, - ”it is Christian justice and mercy.”
”You will allow me to represent to you, without any presumption, that there are very many Christians, both at the South and North, who do not look at the matter with your eyes.”
”I suppose they have never really seen it,” I answered sadly.
”People that have always lived close to something, often do not know what it is. My father has never seen it - nor, my mother. _I_ have.”
”They would not agree with you; your views would not harmonise with theirs.”
”And therefore I trust to your honour to keep silence respecting mine.”
”I am bound,” he answered gloomily; and we walked a few minutes in silence.
”You will change your manner of thinking, Miss Randolph,” he began again. ”Yours is the vision of inexperienced eyes and of impulsive generosity. It will not remain what it is.”
”Inexperienced eyes see the clearest,” I answered. ”The habit of wrong is no help towards judging of the right.”
”You will think differently by and by.”
”Not while I am a servant of G.o.d and He commands me to break every yoke, to do as I would be done by, to look not on my own things, but also on the things of others. We owe our poor people not liberty only, but education, and every advantage for restored civilisation; - a great long debt.”
”And is this the reason why you will not look favourably on my suit?” he said after another interval.
”It is a reason why you will not wish to prosecute it, Mr. De Saussure.”
”You are very severe!” he said. ”Do you really think that?”
”You know it is true. I do not wish to be severe.”
”Have you then no kindness for me?”
”Why do you ask?”
”You are so dreadfully calm and cool!” he said. ”One has no chance with you. If this matter were not in the way, would you have any kindness for me, Daisy? Is this all that separates us?”
”It is quite enough, Mr. De Saussure. It is as powerful with you as with me.”