小说园

第62部分（第2页）

except　as　he　represented　the　Whole。

So　Skrebensky　left　the　girl　out　and　went　his　way；　serving

what　he　had　to　serve；　and　enduring　what　he　had　to　endure；

without　remark。　To　his　own　intrinsic　life；　he　was　dead。　And　he

could　not　rise　again　from　the　dead。　His　soul　lay　in　the　tomb。

His　life　lay　in　the　established　order　of　things。　He　had　his　five

senses　too。　They　were　to　be　gratified。　Apart　from　this；　he

represented　the　great；　established；　extant　Idea　of　life；　and　as

this　he　was　important　and　beyond　question。

The　good　of　the　greatest　number　was　all　that　mattered。　That

which　was　the　greatest　good　for　them　all；　collectively；　was　the

greatest　good　for　the　individual。　And　so；　every　man　must　give

himself　to　support　the　state；　and　so　labour　for　the　greatest

good　of　all。　One　might　make　improvements　in　the　state；　perhaps；

but　always　with　a　view　to　preserving　it　intact。

No　highest　good　of　the　munity；　however；　would　give　him　the

vital　fulfilment　of　his　soul。　He　knew　this。　But　he　did　not

consider　the　soul　of　the　individual　sufficiently　important。　He

believed　a　man　was　important　in　so　far　as　he　represented　all

humanity。

He　could　not　see；　it　was　not　born　in　him　to　see；　that　the

highest　good　of　the　munity　as　it　stands　is　no　longer　the

highest　good　of　even　the　average　individual。　He　thought　that；

because　the　munity　represents　millions　of　people；　therefore

it　must　be　millions　of　times　more　important　than　any　individual；

forgetting　that　the　munity　is　an　abstraction　from　the　many；

and　is　not　the　many　themselves。　Now　when　the　statement　of　the

abstract　good　for　the　munity　has　bee　a　formula　lacking　in

all　inspiration　or　value　to　the　average　intelligence；　then　the

〃mon　good〃　bees　a　general　nuisance；　representing　the

vulgar；　conservative　materialism　at　a　low　level。

And　by　the　highest　good　of　the　greatest　number　is　chiefly

meant　the　material　prosperity　of　all　classes。　Skrebensky　did　not

really　care　about　his　own　material　prosperity。　If　he　had　been

penniless……well；　he　would　have　taken　his　chances。　Therefore