She sees people in want, and thinks it must be so, and pities them
and relieves them. But she don't know want herself; and, therefore,
she don't know that it makes men beasts and devils. She's as pure
as God's light herself; and, therefore, she fancies every one is as
spotless as she is. And there's another mistake in your charitable
great people, sir. When they see poor folk sick or hungry before
their eyes, they pull out their purses fast enough, God bless them;
for they wouldn't like to be so themselves. But the oppression that
goes on all the year round, and the want that goes on all the year
round, and the filth, and the lying, and the swearing, and the
profligacy, that go on all the year round, and the sickening weight
of debt, and the miserable grinding anxiety from rent-day to rent-
day, and Saturday night to Saturday night, that crushes a man's soul
down, and drives every thought out of his head but how he is to fill
his stomach and warm his back, and keep a house over his head, till
he daren't for his life take his thoughts one moment off the meat
that perisheth--oh, sir, they never felt this; and, therefore, they
never dream that there are thousands who pass them in their daily
walks who feel this, and feel nothing else!'

This outburst was uttered with an earnestness and majesty which
astonished Lancelot. He forgot the subject in the speaker.

'You are a very extraordinary gamekeeper!' said he.

'When the Lord shows a man a thing, he can't well help seeing it,'
answered Tregarva, in his usual staid tone.

There was a pause. The keeper looked at him with a glance, before
which Lancelot's eyes fell.