other. To generalize was a youthful practice that one took
off as one takes certain garments off babies when they come to years of
discretion. But since he seemed to be in for it, he answered rather
shortly: "Not at all."

Nedda sighed again.

"Nor do I. They make me ashamed of myself."

John, whose dislike of the Bigwigs was that of the dogged worker of this
life for the dogged talkers, wrinkled his brows:

"How's that?"

"They make me feel as if I were part of something heavy sitting on
something else, and all the time talking about how to make things lighter
for the thing it's sitting on."

A vague recollection of somebody--some writer, a dangerous one--having
said something of this sort flitted through John.

"Do YOU think England is done for, Uncle--I mean about 'the Land'?"

In spite of his conviction that 'the country was in a bad way,' John was
deeply, intimately shocked by that simple little question. Done for!
Never! Whatever might be happening underneath, there must be no
confession of that. No! the country would keep its form. The country
would breathe through its nose, even if it did lose the race. It must
never know, or let others know, even if it were beaten. And he said:

"What on earth put that into your head?"

"Only that it seems funny, if we're getting richer and richer, and yet
all the time farther and farther away from the life that every one agrees
is the best for health and happiness. Father put it into my head, making
me look at the little, towny people in Transham this afternoon. I know I
mean to begin at once to learn about farm work."

"You?" This pretty young thing with the dark head and the pale, slim
shoulders! Farm work! Women were certainly getting queer. In his
department he had almost daily evidence of that!

"I should have thought art was more in your line!"

Nedda looked up at him; and he was touched by that look, so straight and
young.

"It's this. I don't believe Derek will be able to stay in England. When
you feel very strongly about things it must be awfully difficult to."

In bewilderment John answered:

"Why! I should have said this was the country of all others for
movements, and social work, and--and--cranks--" he paused.

"Yes; but those are all for curing the skin, and I suppose we're really
dying of heart disease, aren't we? Derek feels that, anyway, and, you
see, he's not a bit wise, not even patient--so I expect he'll have to go.
I me