of incontrovertible demonstration. It was as if the monstrosity of the
man, with his candid infant's eyes and a fat angelic smile, had
fascinated her. She had come to believe almost his theory of the future,
since it was not repugnant to her prejudices. She disliked the new
element of plutocracy in the social compound, and industrialism as a
method of human development appeared to her singularly repulsive in its
mechanical and unfeeling character. The humanitarian hopes of the mild
Michaelis tended not towards utter destruction, but merely towards the
complete economic ruin of the system. And she did not really see where
was the moral harm of it. It would do away with all the multitude of the
"parvenus," whom she disliked and mistrusted, not because they had
arrived anywhere (she denied that), but because of their profound
unintelligence of the world, which was the primary cause of the crudity
of their perceptions and the aridity of their hearts. With the
annihilation of all capital they would vanish too; but universal ruin
(providing it was universal, as it was revealed to Michaelis) would leave
the social values untouched. The disappearance of the last piece of
money could not affect people of position. She could not conceive how it
could affect her position, for instance. She had developed these
discoveries to the Assistant Commissioner with all the serene
fearlessness of an old woman who had escaped the blight of indifference.
He had made for himself the rule to receive everything of that sort in a
silence which he took care from policy and inclination not to make
offensive. He had an affection for the aged disciple of Michaelis, a
complex sentiment depending a little on her prestige, on her personality,
but most of all on the instinct of flattered gratitude. He felt himself
really liked in her house. She was kindness personified. And she was
practically wise too, after the manner of experienced women. She made
his married life much easier than it would have been without her
generously full recognition of his rights as Annie's husband. Her
influence upon his wife, a woman devoured by all sorts of small
selfishnesses, small envies, small jealousies, was excellent.
Unfortunately, both her kindness and her wisdom were of unreasonable
complexion, distinctly feminine, and difficult to deal with. She
remained a perfect woman all along her full tale of years, and not as
some of them do become--a sort of slip