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countrymen in the mass wounded his susceptibilities. Phil-
ip wondered what it was that made people do things which
were so contrary to all their theories of life. It would have
been reasonable for Hayward to stand aside and watch with
a smile while the barbarians slaughtered one another. It
looked as though men were puppets in the hands of an un-
known force, which drove them to do this and that; and
sometimes they used their reason to justify their actions;
and when this was impossible they did the actions in de-
spite of reason.
‘People are very extraordinary,’ said Philip. ‘I should nev-
er have expected you to go out as a trooper.’
Hayward smiled, slightly embarrassed, and said noth-
ing.
‘I was examined yesterday,’ he remarked at last. ‘It was
worth while undergoing the gene of it to know that one was
perfectly fit.’
Philip noticed that he still used a French word in an af-
fected way when an English one would have served. But just
then Macalister came in.
‘I wanted to see you, Carey,’ he said. ‘My people don’t feel
inclined to hold those shares any more, the market’s in such
an awful state, and they want you to take them up.’
Philip’s heart sank. He knew that was impossible. It
meant that he must accept the loss. His pride made him an-
swer calmly.
‘I don’t know that I think that’s worth while. You’d bet-
ter sell them.’
‘It’s all very fine to say that, I’m not sure if I can. The mar-
0 Of Human Bondage