Aristocracy (Social class) -- Fiction; Upper class -- England -- Fiction
Miltoun held on through the traffic, not looking overmuch at the present
forms of the thousands he passed, but seeing with the eyes of faith the
forms he desired to see. Near St. Paul's he stopped in front of an old
book-shop. His grave, pallid, not unhandsome face, was well-known to
William Rimall, its small proprietor, who at once brought out his
latest acquisition—a Mores 'Utopia.' That particular edition (he assured
Miltoun) was quite unprocurable—he had never sold but one other copy,
which had been literally, crumbling away. This copy was in even better
condition. It could hardly last another twenty years—a genuine book,
a bargain. There wasn't so much movement in More as there had been a
little time back.
Miltoun opened the tome, and a small book-louse who had been sleeping
on the word 'Tranibore,' began to make its way slowly towards the very
centre of the volume.
“I see it's genuine,” said Miltoun.
“It's not to read, my lord,” the little man warned him: “Hardly safe to
turn the pages. As I was saying—I've not had a better piece this year. I
haven't really!”
“Shrewd old dreamer,” muttered Miltoun; “the Socialists haven't got
beyond him, even now.”
The little man's eyes blinked, as though apologizing for the views of
Thomas More.
“Well,” he said, “I suppose he was one of them. I forget if your
lordship's very strong on politics?”
Miltoun smiled.
“I want to see an England, Rimall, something like the England of Mores
dream. But my machinery will be different. I shall begin at the top.”
The little man nodded.
“Quite so, quite so,” he said; “we shall come to that, I dare say.”
“We must, Rimall.” And Miltoun turned the page.
The little man's face quivered.
“I don't think,” he said, “that book's quite strong enough for you, my
lord, with your taste for reading. Now I've a most curious old volume
here—on Chinese temples. It's rare—but not too old. You can peruse it
thoroughly. It's what I call a book to browse on just suit your palate.
Funny principle they built those things on,” he added, opening the
volume at an engraving, “in layers. We don't build like that in
England.”
Miltoun looked up sharply; the little man's face wore no signs of
understanding.
“Unfortunately we don't, Rimall,” he said; “we ought to, and we shall.
I'll take this book.”
Placing his finger on the print of the pagoda, he added: “A good
symbol.”
The little bookseller's eye strayed down the temple to the secret price
mark.
“Exactly, my lord,” he said; “I thought it'd be your fancy. The price to
you will be twenty-seven and six.”
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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