...Yes, they're
decent enough considering they're rotten poisoned by money and thinkin'
themselves better'n the mass; and I like their affection for one another.
But they could be all that in the socialist state and more too. They'd have
to cut out drink and gambling, and a few other diversions some of 'em'll
drift into, if one or two of 'em haven't already--just through being bored
to death."
"Do you honestly think socialism means universal virtue?"
"No, I don't. I'm no such greenhorn; though there's some that does, or
pretends to....But I mean there'd be no _drifting_ into vice like there
is now, no indulgence of any old weakness because temptation was always
following them about or just round the corner. That's the trouble
now....But in the most perfect state some would be watching out for their
chance, just because the old Adam was too strong in spite of the fact that
all the old reminders had disappeared."
"More likely they'd all murder one another because they were some ten
thousand times more bored than that poor little group whose brains you are
addling."
"I don't like to hear you talk like that, Miss Gora. You ought to give
that pen of yours to socialism. There would be all the revenge you could
want--and it's what you're entitled to. Then I could call you Comrade
Gora."
"Call me Comarade by all means if it hurts you to say Miss to a fellow
worker.
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