there, immaculately dressed in morning clothes, his long face pale as
ever, his manner absolutely and entirely composed. He was swinging his
eyeglass by its narrow black ribbon, and leaning a little forward.

"Sir," he said, once more addressing Macheson, "as one of the audience
whose shortcomings have so--er--profoundly impressed you, may I take the
liberty of asking you a question? I ask it of you publicly because I
imagine that there are many others here besides myself to whom your
answer may prove interesting."

Macheson came slowly to the front of the platform.

"Ask your question, sir, by all means," he said.

Deyes bowed.

"You remind me, if I may be permitted to say so," he continued, "of the
prophet who went about with sackcloth and ashes on his head, crying
'Woe! woe! woe!' but who was either unable or unwilling to suggest any
means by which that doleful cry might be replaced by one of more
cheerful import. In plain words, sir, according to your lights--what
must we do to be saved?"

There was a murmur of interest amongst the audience. There were many
upon whom Macheson's stinging words and direct denunciation had left
their mark. They sat up eagerly and waited for his answer. He came to
the edge of the platform and looked thoughtfully into their faces.

"In this city," he said, "it should not be necessary for any one to ask
that question. My answer may seem trite and hackneyed. Yet if you will
accept it, you may come to the truth. Take a hansom cab, and drive as
far, say, as Whitechapel. Walk--in any direction--for half a mile. Look
into the faces of the men, the women and the children. Then go home and
think. You will say at first nothing can be done for these people. They
have dropped down too low, they have lost their humanity, they only
justify the natural law of the survival of the fittest. Think again! A
hemisphere may divide the East and the West of this great city; but
these are human beings as you are a human being, they are your brothers
and your sisters. Consider for a moment this natural law of yours. It is
based upon the principle of the see-saw. Those who are down, are down
because the others are up. Those men are beasts, those women are
unsexed, those children are growing up with dirt upon their bodies and
sin in their hearts, because you others are what you are. Because!
Consider that. Consider it well, and take up your responsibility. They
die that you may flourish! Do you think that