human
Well, what do you think of it? he asked, looking anxiously into her troubled face.
gpt
I have been feeling strongly now for a month--waiting to see you--also waiting to be dead sure of myself. Now I am sure!
human
Well, she smiled as she spoke,
gpt
Of course, Grant, the Socialists--I mean the revolutionary group--even the direct action people--have their proper place in the scheme of things--but, Grant-- she looked earnestly at him with an anxious face,
human
she spoke sadly,
gpt
No--no--I'm without baggage or equipment. I'm traveling light. I must go forward. They need me there. I must go where the real danger is. I must go to point the way.
human
But what is the way, Grant--what is it? You don't know--any more than we do--what is beyond the next decade's fight! What is the way you are going to point out so fine and gay--what is it?
gpt
I don't know, he answered doggedly.
human
I only know I must go. The scouts never know where they are going. Every great movement has its men who set out blindly, full of faith, full of courage, full of joy, happy to fail even in showing what is not the way--if they cannot find the path. I must go, he cried passionately,
gpt
But, Grant--that's stuff and nonsense--there is no revolution. There can be no Democracy of labor, so long as labor is what it is. We all want to help labor--we know that it needs help. But there can be no Democracy of labor until labor finds itself; until it gets capacity for handling big affairs, until it sees more clearly what is true and what is false. Just now labor is awakening, is growing conscious--a little--but, Grant, come now, my good friend, listen, be sensible, get down to earth. Can't you see your fine pioneering and your grand scouting won't help--not now?
human
And can't you understand, he replied almost angrily,
gpt
I don't know, Grant--I don't know.
human
I only know that I believe in you--you are my faith; you are my social gospel. She paused, hesitated, flushed slightly, and said,
gpt
Where you go I shall go, and your people shall be my people! Only do--Oh, do consider this well before you take the final step.
human
Laura, I must go, he returned stubbornly.
gpt
I am going to preach the revolution of love--the Democracy of labor founded on the theory that the Holy Ghost is in every heart--poor as well as rich--rich as well as poor. I'm not going to preach against the rich--but against the system that makes a few men rich without much regard to their talent, at the expense of all the rest, without much regard to their talents.
human
We must free master as well as slave. For while there is slavery--while the profit system exists--the mind of the slave and the mind of the master will be cursed with it. There can be no love, no justice between slave and master--only deceit and violence on each side, and I'm going out to preach the revolution--to call for the end to a system that keeps love out of the world.
gpt
Well, then, Grant, said the woman as the car jangled its way down Market Street,