up, will draw all men unto me.'—For life, for life's sake, Lovat, not for work. Lift them up, that they may live."
Richard was silent. He knew it was no good arguing.
"Do you think it can't be done?" asked Kangaroo, his voice growing fuller. "I hope I may live to show you. The working men have not realised yet what love is. The perfect love that men may have for one another, passing the love of women. Oh, Lovat, they still have that to experience. Don't harden your heart. Don't stiffen your neck before your old Jewish Kangaroo. You know it is true. Perfect love casteth out fear, Lovat. Teach a man how to love his mate, with a pure and fearless love. Oh, Lovat, think what can be done that way!"
Somers was very pale, his face set.
"Say you believe me. Say you believe me. And let us bring it to pass together. If I have you with me I know we can do it. If you had been with me this would never have happened to me."
His face changed again as if touched with acid at the thought. Somers sat still, remote. He was distressed, but it made him feel more remote.
"What class do you feel that you belong to, as far as you belong to any class?" asked Kangaroo, his eyes on Richard's face.
"I don't feel I belong to any class. But as far as I do belong—it is to the working classes. I know that. I can't change."
Kangaroo watched him eagerly.
"I wish I did," he said, eagerly. Then, after a pause, he added: "They have never known the full beauty of love, the working classes. They have never admitted it. Work, bread has always stood first. But we can take away that obstacle. Teach them the beauty of love between men, Richard, teach them the highest—greater love than this hath no man—teach them how to love their own mate, and you will solve the problem of work for ever. Richard, this is true, you know it is true. How beautiful it would be! How beautiful it would be! It would complete the perfect circle—"
His voice faded down into a whisper, so that Somers seemed to hear it from far off. And it seemed like some far off voice of annunciation. Yet Richard's face was hard and
