But here an outburst from Mr. Wilkinson to Mr. Brimby drowned Walter’s voice. Mr. Wilkinson raised his clenched fist, but only for emphasis, and not in order to strike Mr. Brimby.
“Stuff and nonsense! There you go, Brimby, trimming again. We’ve heard all that: ‘A great deal to be said on both sides,’”—(Mr. Wilkinson all but mimicked Mr Brimby). “There isn’t—not if you’re going to do anything! There’s only one side. You’ve got to shoot or be shot. I’m a shooter. Give me five hundred real men and plenty of barricade stuff——”
“Oh, oh, oh, my dear friend!” Mr. Brimby protested. “Why, if your principles were universally applied——”
“Who said anything about applying ’em universally? Hang your universal applications! I’m talking about the Industrial Revolution. I’ll tell you what’s the matter with you, Brimby: you don’t like the sight of blood. I’m not blaming you. Some men are like that. But it’s in every page of your writing. You’ve got a bloodless style. I don’t mind admitting that I liked some of your earlier work, while there still seemed a chance of your making up your mind some day——”
But here Mr. Wilkinson in his turn was drowned, this time by an incredulous laugh from Cosimo, who had joined Dickie and Laura.
“Van Gogh says that?” his voice mounted high. “Really? You’re sure he wasn’t joking? Ha ha, ha ha!... But it’s rather pathetic really. One would think Amory’d never painted ‘Barrage,’ nor the ‘White Slave,’ nor that—,” he pointed to the unfinished canvas of “The Triumph of Humane Government” on the wall. “By Jove, I must make an Appendix of that!... Here—Walter!—Have you told him, Dickie?—Walter!——”
But Walter was now at deadly grips with the man who had forgotten his miner’s lamp.
“I tell you I never used Saturnalia in that sense at all!——”
But the miner stood his ground.
“Happen ye didn’t, but I’ll ask ye one question: Have ye ever been to Blackpool of a August Bank Holiday?——”