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to lose altogether that lovable good…nature and readiness to accept
anything one tells them which distinguishes them as individuals。〃
With a slight start； Michael rose to his feet； bowed solemnly；
and sat down again。
〃These persons； if not silent； were at least applausive during the speech
of Mr。 Percy。 He descended to their level with witticisms about rent
and a reserve of labour。 Confiscation； expropriation； arbitration； and such
words with which I cannot soil my lips； recurred constantly。 Some hours
afterward the storm broke。 I had been addressing the meeting for some time；
pointing out the lack of thrift in the working classes； their insufficient
attendance at evening service； their neglect of the Harvest Festival； and of
many other things that might materially help them to improve their lot。
It was； I think； about this time that an extraordinary interruption occurred。
An enormous； powerful man； partly concealed with white plaster；
arose in the middle of the hall； and offered （in a loud； roaring voice；
like a bull's） some observations which seemed to be in a foreign language。
Mr。 Raymond Percy； my colleague； descended to his level by entering into
a duel of repartee； in which he appeared to be the victor。 The meeting
began to behave more respectfully for a little； yet before I had said twelve
sentences more the rush was made for the platform。 The enormous plasterer；
in particular； plunged towards us； shaking the earth like an elephant；
and I really do not know what would have happened if a man equally large；
but not quite so ill…dressed； had not jumped up also and held him away。
This other big man shouted a sort of speech to the mob as he was shoving
them back。 I don't know what he said； but； what with shouting and shoving
and such horseplay； he got us out at a back door； while the wretched people
went roaring down another passage。
〃Then follows the truly extraordinary part of my story。 When he had got
us outside； in a mean backyard of blistered grass leading into a lane
with a very lonely…looking lamp…post； this giant addressed me as follows：
‘You are well out of that； sir； now you'd better come along with me。
I want you to help me in an act of social justice； such as we've all
been talking about。 Come along！' And turning his big back abruptly；
he led us down the lean old lane with the one lean old lamp…post；
we scarcely knowing what to do but to follow him。 He had certainly
helped us in a most difficult situation； and； as a gentleman； I could
not treat such a benefactor with suspicion without grave grounds。
Such also was the view of my Socialistic colleague； who （with all
his dreadful talk of arbitration） is a gentleman also。 In fact；
he comes of the Staffordshire Percies； a branch of the old house；
and has the black hair and pale； clear…cut face of the whole family。
I cannot but refer it to vanity that he should heighten his personal
advantages with black velvet or a red cross of considerable ostentation；
and certainlybut I digress。
〃A fog was coming up the street； and that last lost lamp…post
faded behind us in a way that certainly depressed the mind。
The large man in front of us looked larger and larger in the haze。
He did not turn round； but he said with his huge back to us；
‘All that talking's no good； we want a little practical Socialism。'
〃‘I quite agree；' said Percy； ‘but I always like to understand things
in theory before I put them into practice。'
〃‘Oh； you just leave that to me；' said the practical Socialist；
or whatever he was； with the most terrifying vagueness。
‘I have a way with me。 I'm a Permeator。'
〃‘I could not imagine what he meant； but my companion laughed；
so I was sufficiently reassured to continue the unaccountable journey
for the present。 It led us through most singular ways； out of the lane；
where we were already rather cramped； into a paved passage；
at the end of which we passed through a wooden gate left open。
We then found ourselves； in the increasing darkness and vapour；
crossing what appeared to be a beaten path across a kitchen garden。
I called out to the enormous person going on in front； but he answered
obscurely that it was a short cut。
〃I was just repeating my very natural doubt to my clerical companion
when I was brought up against a short ladder； apparently leading
to a higher level of road。 My thoughtless companion ran up it so
quickly that I could not do otherwise than follow as best I could。
The path on which I then planted my feet was quite unprecedentedly narrow。
I had never had to walk along a thoroughfare so exiguous。
Along one side of it grew what； in the dark and density of air；
I first took to be some short； strong thicket of shrubs。 Then I saw
that they were not short shrubs； they were the tops of tall trees。
I； an English gentleman and clergyman of the Church of EnglandI was
walking along the top of a garden wall like a tom cat。
〃I am glad to say that I stopped within my first five steps；
and let loose my just reprobation； balancing myself as best I
could all the time。
〃‘It's a right…of…way；〃' declared my indefensible informant。
‘It's closed to traffic once in a hundred years。'
〃‘Mr。 Percy； Mr。 Percy！' I called out； ‘you are not going
on with this blackguard？'
〃‘Why； I think so；' answered my unhappy colleague flippantly。
‘I think you and I are bigger blackguards than he is；
whatever he is。'
〃‘I am a burglar；' explained the big creature quite calmly。
‘I am a member of the Fabian Society。 I take back the wealth stolen
by the capitalist； not by sweeping civil war and revolution； but by reform
fitted to the special occasionhere a little and there a little。
Do you see that fifth house along the terrace with the flat roof？
I'm permeating that one to…night。'
〃‘Whether this is a crime or a joke；' I cried； ‘I desire to be quit of it。'
〃‘The ladder is just behind you；' answered the creature
with horrible courtesy； ‘and； before you go； do let me give
you my card。'
〃If I had had the presence of mind to show any proper spirit I
should have flung it away； though any adequate gesture of the kind
would have gravely affected my equilibrium upon the wall。
As it was； in the wildness of the moment； I put it in my
waistcoat pocket； and； picking my way back by wall and ladder；
landed in the respectable streets once more。 Not before； however；
I had seen with my own eyes the two awful and lamentable facts
that the burglar was climbing up a slanting roof towards
the chimneys； and that Raymond Percy （a priest of God and；
what was worse； a gentleman） was crawling up after him。
I have never seen either of them since that day。
〃In consequence of this soul…searching experience I severed
my connection with the wild set。 I am far from saying that
every member of the Christian Social Union must necessarily
be a burglar。 I have no right to bring any such charge。
But it gave me a hint of what courses may lead to in many cases；
and I saw them no more。
〃I have only to add that the photograph you enclose； taken by a
Mr。 Inglewood； is undoubtedly that of the burglar in question。
When I got home that night I looked at his card； and he was inscri