Of course Samuel might have gone out and bought some food with the few
pennies he had in his pocket. But that would have been merely to
postpone the decision, and what was the use of that? And to make
matters ten times worse, he owed money to the Stedmans--for he had
lived upon the expectation of his salary!
In the end it was not so much hunger that moved him, as it was pure
reason. For Samuel, as we know, was a person who took an idea
seriously; and there was no answer to be found to Charlie's argument.
Doubtless the reader will find a supply of them, but Samuel racked his
wits in vain. If, as the learned professor had said, life is a
struggle for existence, and those who have put money in their purses
are the victors; and if they have nothing to do for the unemployed
save to let them starve or put them in jail; then on the other hand,
it would seem to be up to the unemployed to take measures for their
own survival. And apparently the only proof of their fitness would be
to get some money away from those who had it. Had not Herbert Spencer,
the authority in such matters, stated that "inability to catch prey
shows a falling short of conduct from its ideal"? And if the good
people let themselves be starved to death by the wicked, would that
not mean that only the wicked would be left alive? It was thoughts
like this that were driving Samuel--he had Bertie Lockman's taunts
ringing in his ears, and for the life of him he could not see why he
should vacate the earth in favor of Bertie Lockman!
So breakfast time passed, and dinner time passed, and supper time
came.
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