“You think so? Well, I think so too. I should be ashamed not to be able to say that. Why don’t I reform the world? You often speak of Africa. That’s because you don’t know that country, my boy. And I, who am a good man, have not abolished slavery. Why not, do you suppose?”
Walter returned no answer. Holsma was busy with a surgical operation. Is it any wonder that the patient tried to withdraw the member that was being cut away?
“I will present the matter to you differently. Do you hear that knocking and hammering? Listen! That comes from the blacksmith’s shop over there. It isn’t so bad on Sunday; but you can easily imagine that the noise sometimes disturbs me.”
“In case of sickness!”
“Yes, and also when I wish to think. And then I should like to see the blacksmiths swept away—quick—just like that! But why don’t I do it?”
“Because—because you can’t, M’neer.”
“Quite right. For the same reason I have not yet corrected any of the wrongs in Africa. Nor in Asia; nor in America; nor in other countries that I might mention. But yesterday evening, when you were taken sick in the theatre, I brought you home with me and put you to bed. Then I sent a messenger to quiet your mother. That was my duty, wasn’t it?
“No thanks, my boy. It seemed to me to be my duty; and I did it—because I could. Whatever is impossible, is not my duty; and that’s the reason I don’t take those blacksmiths between my thumb and forefinger and transport them to some other clime. For the same reason I don’t fret over doings in Africa. Impossible duty is no duty; and running after the impossible interferes with the performance of real duties. At school did you ever fail to know a lesson?”
“Oh yes, very often! But not lately; because Femke——”
“Leave Femke out of account for the present. I may say something about her another time. When you were neglecting your books at school, you were thinking of other things, things far removed from your work.