Page:The Princess Casamassima (London and New York, Macmillan & Co., 1886), Volume 3.djvu/80

 to that his hostess went on to mention some of the phases of life they had observed; describing with great vividness, but at the same time with a kind of argumentative moderasion, several scenes which did little honour to 'our boasted civilisation.' 'What wonder is it, then, that he should tell me that things cannot go on any longer as they are?' he asked, when she had finished. 'He said only the other day that he should regard himself as one of the most contemptible of human beings if he should do nothing to alter them, to better them.'

'What wonder, indeed? But if he said that, he was in one of his bad days. He changes constantly, and his impressions change. The misery of the people is by no means always weighing on his heart. You tell me what he has told you; well, he has told me that the people may perish over and over, rather than the conquests of civilisation shall be sacrificed to them. He declares, at such moments, that they will be sacrificed—sacrificed utterly—if the ignorant masses get the upper hand.'

'He needn't be afraid! That will never happen.'

'I don't know. We can at least try!'

'Try what you like, madam, but, for God's sake, get the boy out of his mess!'

The Princess had suddenly grown excited, in speaking of the cause she believed in, and she gave, for the moment, no heed to this appeal, which broke from Mr. Vetch's lips with a sudden passion of anxiety. Her beautiful head raised itself higher, and the deep expression that was always in her eyes became an extraordinary radiance. 'Do you know what I say to Mr. Robinson when he makes such remarks as that to me? I ask him what he means by civilisation.