“Then what’s the use of writing anything?” he asked. “And when you come to that, what’s the use of living?”
“Really, my dear fellow, you are very simple!” said the Philosopher. “Pathetically so! There is of course no use in living. But, unhappily, we have no choice in the matter. We are born,—without our own specific consent—and we die—in the same attitude of non-volition. Apparently we come into life for the purpose of propagating our kind—to no special end. Those who decline to propagate human units are considered ridiculous—even if they propagate thoughts,—through literature, painting or music,—the world does not want literature, music or painting so much as it wants squalling, guzzling babies who will grow up into squalling, guzzling men and women—most of them having no aim in life except to squall and guzzle. I have chosen a path for myself out of the squall and guzzle track—I live my own life of studious contemplation, and though I fully recognise its uselessness in common with the general futility of things, I manage to endure existence comfortably.”
His friend looked at him,—and was about to say, “At other people’s expense!” but checked the remark in time.
“You don’t—er—you don’t—er seem to care about any one?” he hinted, hesitatingly.
The Philosopher elevated his grizzled eyebrows ironically.
“Care?” he echoed. “Care about any one?... Surely a cryptic utterance!”
“I mean”—pursued the other man—“you’ve no woman—”
“Woman!” The Philosopher laughed. “My good fellow, what do you take me for! Woman? Women? As well ask me if I keep midges for amusement! No, no! I’ve ‘no woman’ as you rather clumsily put it—I might marry—it is possible—”
“Oh, really? You might?”
“Money—and good looks together might persuade me,” resumed the Philosopher judiciously. “But I should endeavor to make myself very sure that my own special manners and customs would not be interfered with by the procedure. The first aim of life—considering its farcical ineptitude—should be personal comfort,—anything that interfered with that should be rigorously avoided.”