We are in a fair way to be rich."
"They don't want to lose you, evidently," she said. "But why does this make
you sad? We are independent now--absolutely independent, both of us."
"Yes--we are rich. Together we have more than thirty-five thousand a year.
But it is not what I wanted. I wanted to be free. Can a man be free who is
rich, and rich in the way we are? Will my mind be open? Shall I dare to act
and speak the truth? Or will our property, our environment, speak for me?"
"I can't imagine you a slave to mere dollars."
"Can't you? Well, I am afraid--I'm really afraid. I have always said that
if I wished to--enslave a people I would make them prosperous, would give
them property, make them dependent upon their dollars. Then the fear of
losing their dollars, their investments, would make them endure any
oppression. Freedom's battles were never fought by men with full stomachs
and full purses."
"But rich men have given up everything for freedom--Washington was a rich
man."
"Ah, but how many Washingtons has the world produced? I see the time coming
when I shall have to choose. I see it and--I dread it."
She rose and stood behind him leaning over with her arms about his neck and
her check against his.
"You are brave. You are strong," she whispered.
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