第46章

“Taketheexamplewhichwehavenowinview，“pursuedSirPatrick——“theexampleofanaverageyounggentlemanofourtime，blestwitheveryadvantagethatphysicalcultivationcanbestowonhim。Letthismanbetriedbyatemptationwhichinsidiouslycallsintoaction，inhisowninterests，thesavageinstinctslatentinhumanity——theinstinctsofself-seekingandcrueltywhichareatthebottomofallcrime。Letthismanbeplacedtowardsomeotherperson，guiltlessofinjuringhim，inapositionwhichdemandsoneoftwosacrifices：thesacrificeoftheotherperson，orthesacrificeofhisowninterestsandhisowndesires。Hisneighbor’shappiness，orhisneighbor’slife，stands，letussay，betweenhimandtheattainmentofsomethingthathewants。Hecanwreckthehappiness，orstrikedownthelife，without，tohisknowledge，anyfearofsufferingforithimself。Whatistopreventhim，beingthemanheis，fromgoingstraighttohisend，onthoseconditions？Willtheskillinrowing，theswiftnessinrunning，theadmirablecapacityandenduranceinotherphysicalexercises，whichhehasattained，byastrenuouscultivationinthiskindthathasexcludedanysimilarlystrenuouscultivationinotherkinds——willthesephysicalattainmentshelphimtowinapurelymoralvictoryoverhisownselfishnessandhisowncruelty？Theywon’tevenhelphimtoseethatit_is_selfishness，andthatit_is_cruelty。Theessentialprincipleofhisrowingandracing(aharmlessprincipleenough，ifyoucanbesureofapplyingittorowingandracingonly)hastaughthimtotakeeveryadvantageofanothermanthathissuperiorstrengthandsuperiorcunningcansuggest。

Therehasbeennothinginhistrainingtosoftenthebarbaroushardnessinhisheart，andtoenlightenthebarbarousdarknessinhismind。Temptationfindsthismandefenseless，whentemptationpasseshisway。Idon’tcarewhoheis，orhowhighhestandsaccidentallyinthesocialscale——heis，toallmoralintentsandpurposes，anAnimal，andnothingmore。Ifmyhappinessstandsinhisway——andifhecandoitwithimpunitytohimself——hewilltrampledownmyhappiness。Ifmylifehappenstobethenextobstacleheencounters——andifhecandoitwithimpunitytohimself——hewilltrampledownmylife。Not，Mr。Delamayn，inthecharacterofavictimtoirresistiblefatality，ortoblindchance；butinthecharacterofamanwhohassowntheseed，andreapstheharvest。That，Sir，isthecasewhichIputasanextremecaseonly，whenthisdiscussionbegan。Asanextremecaseonly——butasaperfectlypossiblecase，atthesametime——I

restateitnow。“

Beforetheadvocatesoftheothersideofthequestioncouldopentheirlipstoreply，Geoffreysuddenlyflungoffhisindifference，andstartedtohisfeet。

“Stop!“hecried，threateningtheothers，inhisfierceimpatiencetoanswerforhimself，withhisclenchedfist。

Therewasageneralsilence。

GeoffreyturnedandlookedatSirPatrick，asifSirPatrickhadpersonallyinsultedhim。

“Whoisthisanonymousman，whofindshiswaytohisownends，andpitiesnobodyandsticksatnothing？“heasked。“Givehimaname!“

“Iamquotinganexample，“saidSirPatrick。“Iamnotattackingaman。“

“Whatrighthaveyou，“criedGeoffrey——utterlyforgetful，inthestrangeexasperationthathadseizedonhim，oftheinterestthathehadincontrollinghimselfbeforeSirPatrick——“whatrighthav