'Better,' we think, 'a
corrupt church than none at all.' Moreover, those who in my country
would step into the church's shoes are as corrupt as the church, and more
exacting. They are also more dangerous, for the masses distrust the
church, and are on their guard against aggression, whereas they do not
suspect the doctrinaires and faddists, who, if they could, would
interfere in every concern of our lives.
"Let me return to yourselves. You Musical Bank Managers are very much
such a body of men as your country needs--but when I was here before you
had no figurehead; I have unwittingly supplied you with one, and it is
perhaps because you saw this, that you good people of Bridgeford took up
with me. Sunchildism is still young and plastic; if you will let the
cock-and-bull stories about me tacitly drop, and invent no new ones,
beyond saying what a delightful person I was, I really cannot see why I
should not do for you as well as any one else.
"There. What I have said is nine-tenths of it rotten and wrong, but it
is the most practicable rotten and wrong that I can suggest, seeing into
what a rotten and wrong state of things you have drifted. And now, Mr.
Mayor, do you not think we may join the Mayoress and Mrs. Humdrum?"
"As you please, Mr. Higgs," answered the Mayor.
"Then let us go, for I have said too much already, and your son George
tells me that we must be starting shortly.
Pages:
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285