"Money thrown away, I assure you; they are a rascally set. If a man is willing to work there is work to be had."
"I disagree, sir; work is most difficult to obtain. A character is needed. Many of these poor, suffering creatures have no recommendation that might entitle them to recognition at the hands of Christ's followers. And most of them are not in a condition to work. They have neither clothes, nor health, nor hope. Could you build with your feet through your boots? Could you lift heavy weights with no strength in your body and no hope in your soul?"
"You forget I am not one of the unemployed," he said, smiling.
"No? What do you do then?"
"Well, I do not exactly do anything."
"Then you are unemployed."
"I have no regular work; but I try to follow in Christ's steps. I am a Christian like yourself. I believe that He was God, and worship Him as such."
"Sir, I fear His would have been a poor, useless martyrdom if you were indeed a Christian. Go home and read
His life; see what He says about the poor whom you despise. There, forgive me, I did not mean to say so much. But I think you are in the wrong. Good-night."
"What an awful girl you introduced me to, Lady R——! She was positively insulting; a regular windbag, not a flower."