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snow…mottled； above a blue…gashed glacier。 All about us the
monstrous rock surfaces rose towards the shining peaks above； and
there were winding moraines from which the ice had receded； and then
dark clustering fir trees far below。
I had an extraordinary feeling of having come out of things； of
being outside。
〃But this is the round world！〃 I said； with a sense of never having
perceived it before； 〃this is the round world！〃
9
That holiday was full of big comprehensive effects； the first view
of the Rhone valley and the distant Valaisian Alps； for example；
which we saw from the shoulder of the mountain above the Gemmi； and
the early summer dawn breaking over Italy as we moved from our
night's crouching and munched bread and chocolate and stretched our
stiff limbs among the tumbled and precipitous rocks that hung over
Lake Cingolo； and surveyed the winding tiring rocky track going down
and down to Antronapiano。
And our thoughts were as comprehensive as our impressions。
Willersley's mind abounded in historical matter； he had an
inaccurate abundant habit of topographical reference； he made me see
and trace and see again the Roman Empire sweep up these winding
valleys； and the coming of the first great Peace among the warring
tribes of men。 。 。 。
In the retrospect each of us seems to have been talking about our
outlook almost continually。 Each of us； you see； was full of the
same question； very near and altogether predominant to us； the
question： 〃What am I going to do with my life？〃 He saw it almost as
importantly as I； but from a different angle； because his choice was
largely made and mine still hung in the balance。
〃I feel we might do so many things；〃 I said； 〃and everything that
calls one； calls one away from something else。〃
Willersley agreed without any modest disavowals。
〃We have got to think out；〃 he said； 〃just what we are and what we
are up to。 We've got to do that now。 And thenit's one of those
questions it is inadvisable to reopen subsequently。〃
He beamed at me through his glasses。 The sententious use of long
words was a playful habit with him； that and a slight deliberate
humour； habits occasional Extension Lecturing was doing very much to
intensify。
〃You've made your decision？〃
He nodded with a peculiar forward movement of his head。
〃How would you put it？〃
〃Social Serviceeducation。 Whatever else matters or doesn't
matter； it seems to me there is one thing we MUST have and increase；
and that is the number of people who can think a littleand have 〃
he beamed again〃 an adequate sense of causation。〃
〃You're sure it's worth while。〃
〃For mecertainly。 I don't discuss that any more。〃
〃I don't limit myself too narrowly；〃 he added。 〃After all； the work
is all one。 We who know； we who feel； are building the great modern
state； joining wall to wall and way to way； the new great England
rising out of the decaying old 。 。 。 we are the real statesmenI
like that use of 'statesmen。'。 。 。〃
〃Yes；〃 I said with many doubts。 〃Yes； of course。 。 。 。〃
Willersley is middle…aged now； with silver in his hair and a
deepening benevolence in his always amiable face； and he has very
fairly kept his word。 He has lived for social service and to do
vast masses of useful； undistinguished； fertilising work。 Think of
the days of arid administrative plodding and of contention still
more arid and unrewarded； that he must have spent！ His little
affectations of gesture and manner； imitative affectations for the
most part； have increased； and the humorous beam and the humorous
intonations have become a thing he puts on every morning like an old
coat。 His devotion is mingled with a considerable whimsicality； and
they say he is easily flattered by subordinates and easily offended
into opposition by colleagues； he has made mistakes at times and
followed wrong courses； still there he is； a flat contradiction to
all the ordinary doctrine of motives； a man who has foregone any
chances of wealth and profit； foregone any easier paths to
distinction； foregone marriage and parentage； in order to serve the
community。 He does it without any fee or reward except his personal
self…satisfaction in doing this work； and he does it without any
hope of future joys and punishments； for he is an implacable
Rationalist。 No doubt he idealises himself a little； and dreams of
recognition。 No doubt he gets his pleasure from a sense of power；
from the spending and husbanding of large sums of public money； and
from the inevitable proprietorship he must feel in the fair； fine；
well…ordered schools he has done so much to develop。 〃But for me；〃
he can say； 〃there would have been a Job about those diagrams； and
that subject or this would have been less ably taught。〃 。 。 。
The fact remains that for him the rewards have been adequate； if not
to content at any rate to keep him working。 Of course he covets the
notice of the world he has served； as a lover covets the notice of
his mistress。 Of course he thinks somewhere； somewhen； he will get
credit。 Only last year I heard some men talking of him； and they
were noting； with little mean smiles； how he had shown himself self…
conscious while there was talk of some honorary degree…giving or
other； it would； I have no doubt； please him greatly if his work
were to flower into a crimson gown in some Academic parterre。 Why
shouldn't it？ But that is incidental vanity at the worst； he goes
on anyhow。 Most men don't。
But we had our walk twenty years and more ago now。 He was oldish
even then as a young man； just as he is oldish still in middle age。
Long may his industrious elderliness flourish for the good of the
world！ He lectured a little in conversation then； he lectures more
now and listens less； toilsomely disentangling what you already
understand； giving you in detail the data you know； these are things
like callosities that come from a man's work。
Our long three weeks' talk comes back to me as a memory of ideas and
determinations slowly growing； all mixed up with a smell of wood
smoke and pine woods and huge precipices and remote gleams of snow…
fields and the sound of cascading torrents rushing through deep
gorges far below。 It is mixed； too； with gossips with waitresses
and fellow travellers； with my first essays in colloquial German and
Italian； with disputes about the way to take； and other things that
I will tell of in another section。 But the white passion of human
service was our dominant theme。 Not simply perhaps nor altogether
unselfishly； but quite honestly； and with at least a frequent self…
forgetfulness； did we want to do fine and noble things； to help in
their developing； to lessen misery； to broaden and exalt life。 It
is very hardperhaps it is impossibleto present in a page or two
the substance an