“Absolutely!” said Tommy, “But also, it seems to me a perfect description of the whole of the industrial ideal. It’s the factory-owner’s ideal in a nutshell; except that he would deny that the driving power was hate. Hate it is, all the same: hate of life itself. Just look at these Midlands, if it isn’t plainly written up⁠ ⁠… but it’s all part of the life of the mind, it’s a logical development.”

“I deny that Bolshevism is logical, it rejects the major part of the premises,” said Hammond.

“My dear man, it allows the material premise; so does the pure mind⁠ ⁠… exclusively.”

“At least Bolshevism has got down to rock bottom,” said Charlie.

“Rock bottom! The bottom that has no bottom! The Bolshevists will have the finest army in the world in a very short time, with the finest mechanical equipment.”

“But this thing can’t go on⁠ ⁠… this hate business. There must be a reaction.⁠ ⁠…” said Hammond.