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followed the visit of Chris Robinson。 Chris Robinson was heralded
by such heroic anticipations； and he was so entirely what we had not
anticipated。
Hatherleigh got him to come； arranged a sort of meeting for him at
Redmayne's rooms in King's； and was very proud and proprietorial。
It failed to stir Cambridge at all profoundly。 Beyond a futile
attempt to screw up Hatherleigh made by some inexpert duffers who
used nails instead of screws and gimlets； there was no attempt to
rag。 Next day Chris Robinson went and spoke at Bennett Hall in
Newnham College； and left Cambridge in the evening amidst the cheers
of twenty men or so。 Socialism was at such a low ebb politically in
those days that it didn't even rouse men to opposition。
And there sat Chris under that flamboyant and heroic Worker of the
poster； a little wrinkled grey…bearded apologetic man in ready…made
clothes； with watchful innocent brown eyes and a persistent and
invincible air of being out of his element。 He sat with his stout
boots tucked up under his chair； and clung to a teacup and saucer
and looked away from us into the fire； and we all sat about on
tables and chair…arms and windowsills and boxes and anywhere except
upon chairs after the manner of young men。 The only other chair
whose seat was occupied was the one containing his knitted woollen
comforter and his picturesque old beach…photographer's hat。 We were
all shy and didn't know how to take hold of him now we had got him；
and； which was disconcertingly unanticipated； he was manifestly
having the same difficulty with us。 We had expected to be gripped。
〃I'll not be knowing what to say to these Chaps；〃 he repeated with a
north…country quality in his speech。
We made reassuring noises。
The Ambassador of the Workers stirred his tea earnestly through an
uncomfortable pause。
〃I'd best tell 'em something of how things are in Lancashire； what
with the new machines and all that；〃 he speculated at last with red
reflections in his thoughtful eyes。
We had an inexcusable dread that perhaps he would make a mess of the
meeting。
But when he was no longer in the unaccustomed meshes of refined
conversation； but speaking with an audience before him； he became a
different man。 He declared he would explain to us just exactly what
socialism was； and went on at once to an impassioned contrast of
social conditions。 〃You young men；〃 he said 〃come from homes of
luxury； every need you feel is supplied〃
We sat and stood and sprawled about him； occupying every inch of
Redmayne's floor space except the hearthrug…platform； and we
listened to him and thought him over。 He was the voice of wrongs
that made us indignant and eager。 We forgot for a time that he had
been shy and seemed not a little incompetent； his provincial accent
became a beauty of his earnest speech； we were carried away by his
indignations。 We looked with shining eyes at one another and at the
various dons who had dropped in and were striving to maintain a
front of judicious severity。 We felt more and more that social
injustice must cease； and cease forthwith。 We felt we could not
sleep upon it。 At the end we clapped and murmured our applause and
wanted badly to cheer。
Then like a lancet stuck into a bladder came the heckling。 Denson；
that indolent； liberal…minded sceptic； did most of the questioning。
He lay contorted in a chair； with his ugly head very low； his legs
crossed and his left boot very high； and he pointed his remarks with
a long thin hand and occasionally adjusted the unstable glasses that
hid his watery eyes。 〃I don't want to carp；〃 he began。 〃The
present system； I admit； stands condemned。 Every present system
always HAS stood condemned in the minds of intelligent men。 But
where it seems to me you get thin； is just where everybody has been
thin； and that's when you come to the remedy。〃
〃Socialism；〃 said Chris Robinson； as if it answered everything； and
Hatherleigh said 〃Hear！ Hear！〃 very resolutely。
〃I suppose I OUGHT to take that as an answer；〃 said Denson； getting
his shoulder…blades well down to the seat of his chair； 〃but I
don't。 I don't； you know。 It's rather a shame to cross…examine you
after this fine address of yours〃Chris Robinson on the hearthrug
made acquiescent and inviting noises〃but the real question
remains how exactly are you going to end all these wrongs？ There
are the admimstrative questions。 If you abolish the private owner；
I admit you abolish a very complex and clumsy way of getting
businesses run； land controlled and things in general administered；
but you don't get rid of the need of administration； you know。〃
〃Democracy；〃 said Chris Robinson。
〃Organised somehow；〃 said Denson。 〃And it's just the How perplexes
me。 I can quite easily imagine a socialist state administered in a
sort of scrambling tumult that would be worse than anything we have
got now。
〃Nothing could be worse than things are now；〃 said Chris Robinson。
〃I have seen little children〃
〃I submit life on an ill…provisioned raft； for example； could easily
be worseor life in a beleagured town。〃
Murmurs。
They wrangled for some time； and it had the effect upon me of coming
out from the glow of a good matinee performance into the cold
daylight of late afternoon。 Chris Robinson did not shine in
conflict with Denson； he was an orator and not a dialectician； and
he missed Denson's points and displayed a disposition to plunge into
untimely pathos and indignation。 And Denson hit me curiously hard
with one of his shafts。 〃Suppose；〃 he said； 〃you found yourself
prime minister〃
I looked at Chris Robinson； bright…eyed and his hair a little
ruffled and his whole being rhetorical； and measured him against the
huge machine of government muddled and mysterious。 Oh！ but I was
perplexed！
And then we took him back to Hatherleigh's rooms and drank beer and
smoked about him while he nursed his knee with hairy wristed hands
that protruded from his flannel shirt； and drank lemonade under the
cartoon of that emancipated Worker； and we had a great discursive
talk with him。
〃Eh！ you should see our big meetings up north？〃 he said。
Denson had ruffled him and worried him a good deal； and ever and
again he came back to that discussion。 〃It's all very easy for your
learned men to sit and pick holes；〃 he said； 〃while the children
suffer and die。 They don't pick holes up north。 They mean
business。〃
He talked； and that was the most interesting part of it all； of his
going to work in a factory when he was twelve〃 when you Chaps were
all with your mammies 〃and how he had educated himself of nights
until he would fall asleep at his reading。
〃It's made many of us keen for all our lives；〃 he remarked； 〃all
that clemming for education。 Why！ I longed all through one winter
to read a bit of Darwin。 I must know about this Darwin if I die for
it； I said。 And I couldno' get the book。〃
Hatherleigh made an enthusiastic noise and drank beer at him with
round eyes over the mug。
〃Well； anyhow I wasted no time on Greek and Latin；〃 said Chris
Robinson。 〃And one learns to go straight at a thing without
splitting straws。 One gets hold of the Elementals。〃
（Well； did they？ That was the gist of my perplexity。）
〃One doesn't quibble；〃 he said； returning to his rankling memory of
Denson； 〃while men decay and starve。〃
〃But suppose；〃 I said； suddenly dropping into opposition； 〃the
alternatve is to risk a worse disasteror do something patently
futile。〃
〃I don't follow that；〃 said Chris Robinson。 〃We don't propose
anything futile； so far as I can see。〃
6
The prevailing force in my undergraduate days was not Socialism but
Kiplingism。 Our set was quite exceptional in its socialistic
profess