And Samuel gave a great sigh. How very simple was the problem, when one had seen it in the light of science. Here he had been worrying and tormenting his brain about the matter; and all the time he was in the hands of Nature—and all he had to do was to lie back and let Nature solve it. “Nature never makes mistakes,” said Professor Stewart.
Of course, in this new light Samuel's own case became plain. “Those who are out of work are those who have failed in the struggle,” he said.
“Precisely,” said the professor.
“And that is because they are unfit.”
“Precisely,” said the professor again. “As Herbert Spencer has phrased it, 'Inability to catch prey must be regarded as a falling short of conduct from its ideal.' And, of course, in an industrial community, the 'prey' is a job.”
“Who is Herbert Spencer?” asked Samuel.
“He is recognized as the authority in such matters,” said the other.
“And then,” pondered Samuel, “those who have jobs must be the fit. And the very rich people—the ones who make the millions and millions—they are the fittest of all.”
“Er—yes,” said the professor.
“And, of course, that makes my problem clear—I'm out of a job, and so I must die.”