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receptions could be。 Margaret found herself with a weekly houseful
of insoluble problems in intercourse。 One did one's best； but one
got a nightmare feeling as the evening wore on。
It was one of the few unanimities of these parties that every one
should be a little odd in appearance； funny about the hair or the
tie or the shoes or more generally； and that bursts of violent
aggression should alternate with an attitude entirely defensive。 A
number of our guests had an air of waiting for a clue that never
came； and stood and sat about silently； mildly amused but not a bit
surprised that we did not discover their distinctive Open…Sesames。
There was a sprinkling of manifest seers and prophetesses in
shapeless garments； far too many； I thought； for really easy social
intercourse； and any conversation at any moment was liable to become
oracular。 One was in a state of tension from first to last； the
most innocent remark seemed capable of exploding resentment； and
replies came out at the most unexpected angles。 We Young Liberals
went about puzzled but polite to the gathering we had evoked。 The
Young Liberals' tradition is on the whole wonderfully discreet；
superfluous steam is let out far away from home in the Balkans or
Africa； and the neat； stiff figures of the Cramptons； Bunting
Harblow； and Lewis； either in extremely well…cut morning coats
indicative of the House； or in what is sometimes written of as
〃faultless evening dress；〃 stood about on those evenings； they and
their very quietly and simply and expensively dressed little wives；
like a datum line amidst lakes and mountains。
I didn't at first see the connection between systematic social
reorganisation and arbitrary novelties in dietary and costume； just
as I didn't realise why the most comprehensive constructive projects
should appear to be supported solely by odd and exceptional
personalities。 On one of these evenings a little group of rather
jolly…looking pretty young people seated themselves for no
particular reason in a large circle on the floor of my study； and
engaged； so far as I could judge； in the game of Hunt the Meaning；
the intellectual equivalent of Hunt the Slipper。 It must have been
that same evening I came upon an unbleached young gentleman before
the oval mirror on the landing engaged in removing the remains of an
anchovy sandwich from his protruded tonguevisible ends of cress
having misled him into the belief that he was dealing with
doctrinally permissible food。 It was not unusual to be given hand…
bills and printed matter by our guests； but there I had the
advantage over Lewis； who was too tactful to refuse the stuff； too
neatly dressed to pocket it； and had no writing…desk available upon
which he could relieve himself in a manner flattering to the giver。
So that his hands got fuller and fuller。 A relentless； compact
little woman in what Margaret declared to be an extremely expensive
black dress has also printed herself on my memory； she had set her
heart upon my contributing to a weekly periodical in the lentil
interest with which she was associated； and I spent much time and
care in evading her。
Mingling with the more hygienic types were a number of Anti…Puritan
Socialists； bulging with bias against temperance； and breaking out
against austere methods of living all over their faces。 Their
manner was packed with heartiness。 They were apt to choke the
approaches to the little buffet Margaret had set up downstairs； and
there engage in discussions of Determinismit always seemed to be
Determinismwhich became heartier and noisier； but never
acrimonious even in the small hours。 It seemed impossible to settle
about this Determinism of theirsever。 And there were worldly
Socialists also。 I particularly recall a large； active； buoyant；
lady…killing individual with an eyeglass borne upon a broad black
ribbon； who swam about us one evening。 He might have been a
slightly frayed actor； in his large frock…coat； his white waistcoat；
and the sort of black and white check trousers that twinkle。 He had
a high…pitched voice with aristocratic intonations； and he seemed to
be in a perpetual state of interrogation。 〃What are we all he…a
for？〃 he would ask only too audibly。 〃What are we doing he…a？
What's the connection？〃
What WAS the connection？
We made a special effort with our last assembly in June； 1907。 We
tried to get something like a representative collection of the
parliamentary leaders of Socialism； the various exponents of
Socialist thought and a number of Young Liberal thinkers into one
room。 Dorvil came； and Horatio Bulch； Featherstonehaugh appeared
for ten minutes and talked charmingly to Margaret and then vanished
again； there was Wilkins the novelist and Toomer and Dr。 Tumpany。
Chris Robinson stood about for a time in a new comforter； and
Magdeberg and Will Pipes and five or six Labour members。 And on our
side we had our particular little group； Bunting Harblow； Crampton；
Lewis； all looking as broad…minded and open to conviction as they
possibly could； and even occasionally talking out from their bushes
almost boldly。 But the gathering as a whole refused either to
mingle or dispute； and as an experiment in intercourse the evening
was a failure。 Unexpected dissociations appeared between Socialists
one had supposed friendly。 I could not have imagined it was
possible for half so many people to turn their backs on everybody
else in such small rooms as ours。 But the unsaid things those backs
expressed broke out； I remarked； with refreshed virulence in the
various organs of the various sections of the party next week。
I talked； I rememher； with Dr。 Tumpany； a large young man in a still
larger professional frock…coat； and with a great shock of very fair
hair； who was candidate for some North Country constituency。 We
discussed the political outlook； and； like so many Socialists at
that time； he was full of vague threatenings against the Liberal
party。 I was struck by a thing in him that I had already observed
less vividly in many others of these Socialist leaders； and which
gave me at last a clue to the whole business。 He behaved exactly
like a man in possession of valuable patent rights； who wants to be
dealt with。 He had an air of having a corner in ideas。 Then it
flashed into my head that the whole Socialist movement was an
attempted corner in ideas。 。 。 。
8
Late that night I found myself alone with Margaret amid the debris
of the gathering。
I sat before the fire； hands in pockets； and Margaret； looking white
and weary； came and leant upon the mantel。
〃Oh； Lord！〃 said Margaret。
I agreed。 Then I resumed my meditation。
〃Ideas；〃 I said； 〃count for more than I thought in the world。〃
Margaret regarded me with that neutral expression behind which she
was accustomed t