The push of life, its pressure, drives us to think. Out
of thought grow new hopes and a broader vision."
"And then?"
"Pretty soon the thought will flood the world that we make our own
poverty, that God and nature have nothing to do with it. After
that we'll proceed to eliminate it."
"By means of Mr. Marchant's perfect state?"
"Not by any revolution of an hour probably. Society cannot change
its nature in a day. We'll pass gradually from our present state
to a better one, the new growing out of the old by generations of
progress. But I think we will pass into a form of socialism. It
will be necessary to repress the predatory instinct in us that has
grown strong under the present system. I don't much care whether
you call it democracy or socialism. We must recognize how
interdependent we are and work together for the common good."
They had come to the car line that would take her home. Up the
hill a trolley car was coming.
"May I not see you home?" Jeff dared to ask.
"You may."
They left the car at Lakeview Park and crossed it to The Brakes.
Every step of that walk led Jeff deeper into an excursion of
endearment. It was amazingly true that he trod beside her an
acknowledged friend, a secret lover.
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