“What does money do for you?” went on Lucio, his eyes dilating with that strange and wistful expression which had often excited my curiosity—“The world is at your feet, perhaps; yes—but what a world! What a trumpery clod of kickable matter! Wealth acts merely as a kind of mirror to show you human nature at its worst. Men skulk and fawn about you, and lie twenty times in as many hours in the hope to propitiate you and serve their own interests; princes of the blood willingly degrade themselves and their position to borrow cash of you,—your intrinsic merit (if you have any) is thought nothing of,—your full pockets are your credentials with kings, prime ministers and councillors! You may talk like a fool, laugh like a hyena and look like a baboon, but if the chink-chink of your gold be only sufficiently loud, you may soon find yourself dining with the Queen if such be your ambition. If, on the contrary you happen to be truly great, brave, patient, and enduring, with a spark in you of that genius which strengthens life and makes it better worth living,—if you have thoughts which take shape in work that shall endure when kingdoms are swept away like dust before the wind, and if, with all this you are yet poor in current coin, why then,—you shall be spurned by all the crowned dummies of the world,—you shall be snubbed by the affluent starch-maker and the Crœsus who lives on a patent pill,—the tradesman from whom you buy bedsteads and kitchen ware, can look down upon you with lordly scorn, for does he not by virtue of his wealth alone, drive a four-in-hand, and chat on easy and almost patronizing terms with the Prince of Wales? The wealthy denizens of Snob-land delight in ignoring Nature’s elected noblemen.”
[p 131]
“But supposing” said Miss Chesney quickly, “you happen to be a Nature’s nobleman yourself, and have the advantage of wealth besides, surely you must fairly allow that to be rather a good thing, mustn’t you?”
Lucio laughed a little—
“I will retort upon you in your own words fair lady, and say ‘I guess you mean compliments.’ What I venture to imply however, is that even when wealth does fall to the lot of one of these ‘Nature’s noblemen,’ it is not because of his innate nobility that he wins social distinction. It is simply because he is rich. That is what vexes me. I for example, have endless friends who are not my friends so much as the friends of my income. They do not trouble to inquire as to my antecedents,—what I am or where I came from is of no importance. Neither are they concerned in how I live or what I do; whether I am sick or well, happy or unhappy, is equally with them a matter of indifference. If they knew more about me, it would perhaps be better in the long run. But they do not want to know,—their aims are simple and unconcealed,—they wish to make as much out of me, and secure as much advantage to themselves by their acquaintance with me as possible. And I give them their full way,—they get all they want,—and more!”
His musical voice lingered with a curiously melancholy impressiveness on the last word,—and this time, not only Miss Chesney, but we all, looked at him as though drawn by some irresistible magnetic spell, and for a moment there was silence.
“Very few people have any real friends,”—said Lord Elton presently. “And in that respect I suppose we’re none of us worse off than Socrates, who used to keep two chairs only in his house ‘one for myself, and another for a friend—when I find him!’ But you are a universal favourite Lucio,—a most popular fellow—and I think you’re rather hard on your set. People must look after themselves you know—eh?”
Lucio bowed his head gravely.
[p 132]
“They must indeed,” he replied—“Especially as the latest news of science is that God has given up the business.”
Miss Fitzroy looked displeased,—but the Earl laughed uproariously. At that moment a step was heard outside, approaching the open doorway of the drawing-room, and Miss Chesney’s quick ears caught the sound. She shook herself out of her reclining attitude instantly and sat erect.
“It’s Sibyl!” she said with a half-laughing half-apologetic flash of her brown eyes at us all—“I never can loll before Sibyl!”