Of course I try to make them understand that this is neglect of
duty. We have no right whatever to live in enjoyment of our
privileges and pay no heed to those less fortunate. Every educated
person is really a missionary, whose duty it is to go forth and
spread the light. I feel it so strongly that I could not, simply
could _not_, be satisfied to pursue my own culture; it seems to me
the worst kind of selfishness. The other day I went, on the business
of our society, into a dreadfully poor home, where the people, I'm
sure, often suffer from hunger. I couldn't give money--for one
thing, I have very little, and then it's so demoralising, and one
never knows whether the people will be offended--but I sat down
and told the poor woman all about the Prologue to the Canterbury
Tales, and you can't think how interested she was, and how grateful!
It quite brightened the day for her. One felt one had done _some_
good."
There was silence. Lady Ogram looked admiringly at the girl. If
anyone else had talked to her in this way, no vehemence of language
would have sufficed to express her scorn; but in May Tomalin such
ideals seemed to her a very amiable trait.
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