Коллекционер

           Hesuddenlysaid,haveyoureadMajorBarbara?

           Howitprovedpeoplehadtobesavedfinanciallybeforeyoucouldsavetheirsouls.

           Theyforgotonething,hesaid.TheybroughtintheWelfareState,buttheyforgotBarbaraherself.Affluence,affluence,andnotasoultosee.

           Iknowhe’swrongsomewhere(hewasexaggerating).OnemustbeontheLeft.EverydecentpersonI’veevermethasbeenanti-Tory.ButIseewhathefeels,ImeanIfeelitmyselfmoreandmore,thisawfuldeadweightofthefatlittleNewPeopleoneverything.Corruptingeverything.Vulgarizingeverything.Rapingthecountryside,asDsaysinhissquiremoods.Everythingmass-produced.Mass-everything.

           Iknowwe’resupposedtofacetheherd,controlthestampede—it’slikeaWildWestfilm.Workforthemandtoleratethem.IshallnevergototheIvoryTower,that’sthemostdespicablething,tochoosetoleavelifebecauseitdoesn’tsuityou.Butsometimesitisfrightening,thinkingofthestrugglelifeisifonetakesitseriously.

           Allthisistalk.ProbablyIshallmeetsomeoneandfallinlovewithhimandmarryhimandthingswillseemtochangeandIshan’tcareanymore.IshallbecomeaLittleWoman.Oneoftheenemy.

           ButthisiswhatIfeelthesedays.ThatIbelongtoasortofbandofpeoplewhohavetostandagainstalltherest.