bt that old man who was here just now is very wise over your
socialism, because he sees that YOU are a fool about it. (Morell's
perplexity deepens markedly. Eugene follows up his advantage, plying
him fiercely with questions.) Does that prove you wrong? Does your
complacent superiority to me prove that I am wrong?

MORELL (turning on Eugene, who stands his ground). Marchbanks: some
devil is putting these words into your mouth. It is easy--terribly
easy--to shake a man's faith in himself. To take advantage of that to
break a man's spirit is devil's work. Take care of what you are doing.
Take care.

MARCHBANKS (ruthlessly). I know. I'm doing it on purpose. I told you I
should stagger you.

(They confront one another threateningly for a moment. Then Morell
recovers his dignity.)

MORELL (with noble tenderness). Eugene: listen to me. Some day, I hope
and trust, you will be a happy man like me. (Eugene chafes
intolerantly, repudiating the worth of his happiness. Morell, deeply
insulted, controls himself with fine forbearance, and continues
steadily, with great artistic beauty of delivery) You will be married;
and you will be working with all your might and valor to make every
spot on earth as happy as your own home. You will be one of the makers
of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth; and--who knows?--you may be a
pioneer and master builder where I am only a humble journeyman; for
don't think, my boy, that I cannot see in you, young as you are,
promise of higher powers than I can ever pretend to. I well know that
it is in the poet that the holy spirit of man--the god within him--is
most godlike. It should make you tremble to think of that--to think
that the heavy burthen and great gift of a poet may be laid upon you.

MARCHBANKS (unimpressed and remorseless, his boyish crudity of
assertion telling sharply against Morell's oratory). It does not make
me tremble. It is the want of it in others that makes me tremble.

MORELL (redoubling his force of style under the stimulus of his genuine
feeling and Eugene's obduracy). Then help to kindle it in them--in
ME---not to extinguish it. In the future--when you are as happy as I
am--I will be your true brother in the faith. I will help you to
believe that God has given us a world that nothing but our own folly
keeps from being a paradise. I will help you to believe that every
stroke of your work is sowing happiness for the great harvest that
all--even the humblest--shall one day reap