"

"Certainly there is."

"In the Bible?"

"In the Bible. Do you know to whom it was addressed?"

Sabre admitted that he didn't.

"To Judas Iscariot." (Smash went the egg!)

Sabre said feebly--he _could_ not handle his arguments--"Well, anyway,
'always with us'--there you are. If you're going to create a place where
life is going to be lived as it should be lived, I don't see how you're
going to shut the poor out of it. Aren't they a part of life? They've
got as much right to get away from mean streets and ugly surroundings as
we have--and a jolly sight more need. Always with us. It doesn't matter
tuppence whom it was said to."

"It happens," pronounced Mr. Boom Bagshaw, "to matter a great deal more
than tuppence. It happens to knock the bottom clean out of your
argument. It was addressed to the Iscariot because the Iscariot was
trying to do just what you are trying to do. He was trying to make duty
to the poor an excuse for grudging service to Christ. Now, listen,
Sabre. If people thought a little less about their duty towards the poor
and a little more about their duty towards themselves, they would be in
a great deal fitter state to help their fellow creatures, poor or rich.
That is what the Garden Home is to do for those who live in it, and that
is what the Garden Home is _going_ to do."

He stabbed sharply with the butt of a dessert knife on the dessert
plate which had just been placed before him. The plate split neatly into
two exact halves. He gazed at them sulkily, put them aside, drew another
plate before him, and remarked to Mabel:

"You know we are moving into the vicarage to-morrow? We are giving an At
Home to-morrow week. You will come."

The plural pronoun included his mother. He was intensely celibate.

IX

The day ended in a blazing row.

In the afternoon Mr. Boom Bagshaw carried off Mabel to view the progress
of the Garden Home. While they dallied over coffee at the luncheon
table, Sabre was fidgeting for Bagshaw to be gone. Mabel, operating
dexterously behind the blue flame of a spirit lamp, Low Jinks hovering
around in well-trained acolyte performances, said, "Now I rather pride
myself on my Turkish coffee, Mr. Boom Bagshaw."

Mr. Bagshaw, who appeared to pride himself at least as much on his
characteristics, replied by sulkily looking at his watch; and a moment
later by sulkily taking a cup, rather as if he were a schoolboy bidden
to take lemonade when mannishly desirous of shandy