And to think that you should have been taken in
by such a swindle!"
"I suppose you do not see how heartless it appears to speak so
lightly of other people's hunger, sitting oneself at such a table as
this?"
"Bravo, Wilhelm! Now you are throwing my prosperity in my teeth like
any advocate of division of property. I trust you have not turned
Socialist yourself? you who used not to have a good word to say for
the lot."
"Never fear--I am not a Socialist. Their doctrines have not been
able to convince me yet. But for years I have seen the distress of
the working people with my own eyes, and I know that every human
being with a heart in his body is in duty bound to help them."
"And who says anything against that? Don't we all do our duty?
Poverty has always existed and always will to the end of time. But,
on the other hand, that is what charity is there for. We have
hospitals for the sick, workhouses and parish relief for the aged
and incapable, for lazy vagabonds who won't work, it is true, only
the treadmill."
"That is all very fine, but what are you going to do with the honest
men who want to work but can find none?"
"Wilhelm, I have always had the highest respect for you, your
wisdom, your intellect, but forgive me if I say that, in this case,
you are talking of things you do not understand.
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