Mr. Flitch will put me in an omnibus at London Bridge. You must
see those reporters. You've read the evening papers, haven't you?"
Brooks nodded.
"Yes. I knew we should have opposition. This isn't even the beginning
of it. It won't hurt us."
Nevertheless Brooks was anxious to be properly understood, and he talked
for a long time with the reporter, whom he found awaiting him in Jermyn
Street--a pleasant young fellow just back from the war, with the easy
manner and rattling conversation of his order.
"You ought to call in and have a chat with the chief, Mr. Brooks," he
said. "He'd be delighted to hear your views personally, I'm sure, and
I believe you'd convert him. He's a bit old-fashioned, you know, that
is for a sub--believes in the orthodox societies, and makes a great
point of not encouraging idleness."
"I'd be glad to some time," Brooks answered. "But I can tell you this.
If we can get the money, and I haven't asked for a penny yet, nothing in
the shape of popular opinion is going to stop us. Idleness and
drunkenness, deceit and filthy-mindedness, and all those vices which I
admit are like a pestilence amongst these people, are sins which we are
responsible for, not them, and, of course, we must suffer to some
extent from them.
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