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The Egotist Becomes a Personage
Grantedthathisgeneration,howeverbruisedanddecimatedfromthisVictorianwar,weretheheirsofprogress.Wavingasidepettydifferencesofconclusionswhich,althoughtheymightoccasionallycausethedeathsofseveralmillionsofyoungmen,mightbeexplainedaway—supposingthatafterallBernardShawandBernhardi,BonarLawandBethmann-Hollwegweremutualheirsofprogressifonlyinagreeingagainsttheduckingofwitches—waivingtheantithesesandapproachingindividuallythesemenwhoseemedtobetheleaders,hewasrepelledbythediscrepanciesandcontradictionsinthementhemselves.
Therewas,forexample,ThorntonHancock,respectedbyhalftheintellectualworldasanauthorityonlife,amanwhohadverifiedandbelievedthecodehelivedby,aneducatorofeducators,anadvisertoPresidents—yetAmoryknewthatthismanhad,inhisheart,leanedonthepriestofanotherreligion.
AndMonsignor,uponwhomacardinalrested,hadmomentsofstrangeandhorribleinsecurity—inexplicableinareligionthatexplainedevendisbeliefintermsofitsownfaith:ifyoudoubtedthedevilitwasthedevilthatmadeyoudoubthim.AmoryhadseenMonsignorgotothehousesofstolidphilistines,readpopularnovelsfuriously,saturatehimselfinroutine,toescapefromthathorror.
Andthispriest,alittlewiser,somewhatpurer,hadbeen,Amoryknew,notessentiallyolderthanhe.
Amorywasalone—hehadescapedfromasmallenclosureintoagreatlabyrinth.
