At the other end of Galt's Park he came on a new street, flung straight across what he remembered as fields. Following its dreary length, he found himself near the Smallmans' house. It was now completely shut in with little pink brick houses. He turned in at the gate, rang at the bell and asked the maid if he could see the Professor. He was left waiting in the hall where he had seen Linda's green parasol. Here, too, there was no change. The Professor came out looking very mysterious. He took a hat down, seized René by the arm and led him out into the street. "Well, well," he said. "I'm glad to see you, glad to see you. How are you?" "Very well." René felt inclined to laugh. Clearly the Professor was trying not to hurt his feelings and to disguise the fact that he did not think him fit to enter his house, that temple of domesticity. "Tell me about yourself. One doesn't lose interest, you know." This time René did not edit his experiences. "I had heard stories," said the Professor. "I was reluctant to believe them." "Why?" "Well--er-- You know--one expects----" "That every man will do his duty." "It is hardly a subject for satire," said the Professor. René exploded: "Good God! What else is it a subject for? England expects? Does the whole duty of man consist in self-mutilation? Why, then, the noblest man is he who shirks every responsibility, let his mind rot and his feelings wither, so that he can attain a devilish efficiency at the job into which he tumbles before he has begun to develop enough to know what he can do. These are your successful men, your pundits, your Lord Mayors, your merchant princes, your politicians----" "My dear Fourmy, I think you should recollect that you hardly gave yourself time to recognize what Thrigsby stands for, the greatest industrial center in the world." "I had time enough to realize what it has done for my father, my mother, my brother, and myself." "Two wrongs do not make a right, and I do not think you set about remedying matters in the right way. You had every opportunity here. You had escaped the pressure of industrialism. You had good brains." "Brains!" cried René. "I had escaped from industrialism only to talk about it." "We are doing useful work. The defects of the system are slowly being recognized as a result of our investigations." "Can't you realize them without investigation? Aren't they as plain as the nose on your face?" "You can't find a remedy without investigation. That leads to mere sentimental socialism. But why need we quarrel about that? You didn't like the work. I hope you found more satisfaction in your vagabondage."