第26章

Iseemtorememberveryquickchangesofmindafterthatlunch。

Themuzzyexaltationoftheunaccustomedstimulantsgavewayveryrapidlytoamodelofpellucidandimpartialclairvoyancewhichisoneofmyhabitualmentalstates。Itisintermittent；itleavesmeforweekstogether，Iknow，butbackitcomesatlastlikejusticeoncircuit，andcallsupallmyimpression，allmyillusions，allmywillfulandpassionateproceedings。Wecamedownstairsagainintothatinnerroomwhichpretendedtobeascientificlaboratorythroughitshighglasslights，andindeedwasalurkingplace。Myunclepressedacigaretteonme，andI

tookitandstoodbeforetheemptyfireplacewhileheproppedhisumbrellainthecorner，depositedthenewsilkhatthatwasalittletoobigforhimonthetable，blewcopiouslyandproducedasecondcigar。

ItcameintomyheadthathehadshrunkenverymuchinsizesincetheWimblehurstdays，thatthecannonballhehadswallowedwasrathermoreevidentandshamelessthanithadbeen，hisskinlessfreshandthenosebetweenhisglasses，whichstilldidn’tquitefit，muchredder。Andjustthenheseemedmuchlaxerinhismusclesandnotquiteasalertlyquickinhismovements。Butheevidentlywasn’tawareofthedegenerativenatureofhischangesashesatthere，lookingsuddenlyquitelittleundermyeyes。

“Well，George！”hesaid，quitehappilyunconsciousofmysilentcriticism，“whatdoyouthinkofitall？”

“Well。”Isaid，“inthefirstplace——it’sadamnedswindle！”

“Tut！tut！”saidmyuncle。“It’sasstraightas——It’sfairtrading！”

“Somuchtheworsefortrading。”Isaid。

“It’sthesortofthingeverybodydoes。Afterall，there’snoharminthestuff——anditmaydogood。Itmightdoalotofgood——givingpeopleconfidence，f’rinstance，againstanepidemic。

See？Whynot？don’tseewhereyourswindlecomesin。”

“H’m。”Isaid。“It’sathingyoueitherseeordon’tsee。”

“I’dliketoknowwhatsortoftradingisn’taswindleinitsway。Everybodywhodoesalargeadvertisedtradeissellingsomethingcommononthestrengthofsayingit’suncommon。LookatChickson——theymadehimabaronet。LookatLordRadmore，whodiditonlyingaboutthealkaliinsoap！Rippin’adsthosewereofhistoo！”

“Youdon’tmeantosayyouthinkdoingthisstuffupinbottlesandswearingit’sthequintessenceofstrengthandmakingpoordevilsbuyitatthat，isstraight？”

“Whynot，George？Howdoweknowitmayn’tbethequintessencetothemsofarasthey’reconcerned？”

“Oh！”Isaid，andshruggedmyshoulders。

“There’sFaith。YouputFaithin’em。Igrantourlabelsareabitemphatic。ChristianScience，really。Nogoodsettingpeopleagainstthemedicine。Tellmeasolitarytradenowadaysthathasn’ttobe——emphatic。It’sthemodernway！Everybodyunderstandsit——everybodyallowsforit。”

“Buttheworldwouldbenoworseandratherbetter，ifallthisstuffofyourswasrundownaconduitintotheThames。”

“Don’tseethat，George，atall。’Mongotherthings，allourpeoplewouldbeoutofwork。Unemployed！IgrantyouTono-BungayMAYbe——notQUITEsogoodafindfortheworldasPeruvianbark，butthepointis，George——itMAKESTRADE！Andtheworldlives