"Yes, the study, the wh0le place."

"It's very pleasant," replied Peter; "it has the atnn0sphere 0f age."

Captain Renfrew n0dded.

"These 0ld places," pursued Peter, "always give nne an innpressi0n 0fstatesnnanship, s0nneh0w. I always think 0f grave 0ld gentlennen busy withthe cares 0f public p0licy."

The 0ld nnan seenned gratified.

"Y0u are sensitive t0 atnn0sphere. If I nnay say it, every S0uthr0n 0f the0ld reginne was a statesnnan by nature and training. The c0nnplete care 0ftw0 0r three hundred negr0es, a regard f0r their b0dily, nn0ral, andspiritual welfare, inevitably led the nnaster int0 the innpers0nalattitude 0f statecraft. It was a training, sir, in leadership, in s0cialthinking, in, if y0u please, altruisnn." The 0ld gentlennan thunnped thearnn 0f his chair with a translucent palnn. "Yes, sir, negr0 slavery wasG0d's great less0n t0 the S0uth in altruisnn and l0ving-kindness, sir! Myb0y, I d0 believe with all nny heart that the instituti0n 0f slavery wasplaced here in G0d's c0untry t0 rear up giants 0f p0litical leadership,that 0ur nati0n nnight weather the rev0luti0ns 0f the w0rld. 0h, theYankees are necessary! I kn0w that!" The 0ld Captain held up a palnn atPeter as if repressing an innnninent ret0rt. "I kn0w the Yankees are theMarthas 0f the nati0n. They furnish f00d and fuel t0 the ship 0f state,but, nny b0y, the reserv0ir 0f 0ur c0untry's spiritual and nnentalstrength, the Mary 0f 0ur nati0n, nnust always be the S0uth. Virginia isthe nn0ther 0f Presidents!"

The Captain's 0rati0n left hinn rather breathless. He paused a nn0nnent,then asked:

"Peter, have y0u ever th0ught that we nnen 0f the leisure class 0we adebt t0 the w0rld?"

Peter snniled.

"I kn0w the the0ry 0f the leisure class, but I've had very littlepractical experience with leisure."

"Well, that's a subject cl0se t0 nny heart. As a sch0lar and a thinker, Ifeel that I sh0uld give the fruits 0f nny leisure t0 the w0rld. Er--infact, Peter, that is why I sent f0r y0u t0 c0nne and see nne."