Here, now was this pack of officious idiots blundering in upon him.  Under ordinary circumstances he would have tried to be polite.  As it was, he could hardly bring himself to give them a civil word of welcome.  They caught him on his way from the bath to the garden—­to a succulent breakfast under his favourite pine-tree within view of the Tyrrhenian; and his own flowered silk dressing-gown and gold-embroidered Turkish slippers contrasted oddly with the solemn vestments, savouring of naphthaline, which they had donned for the funeral.  After the barest of apologies for a costume which, he ventured to think, was as suitable as any other for a gentleman at that hour of the morning, he bade them be seated and listened to what the speaker had to say—­blinking ominously the while through his spectacles, like an owl with the sun in its eyes.

CHAPTER XXVI

It was a long and rambling exposition.

Miss Wilberforce must be protected against herself.  They came to him for a contribution, however small, which would enable Mr. van Koppen to fulfil his promise.  It was not a question of meddlesomeness.  It was a question of putting an end to a crying public scandal.  Miss Wilberforce spent her days in sleeping, and her nights in shocking the population of Nepenthe.  The lady should be temporarily secluded in her own interests; she was not fit to be left alone; it was an act of charity to do what one could towards improving her health and prolonging her life.  They were out for a philanthropic object—­to assist in helping a fellow creature.  Miss Wilberforce must be protected against herself.  Mr. van Koppen’s half-million would enable them to compass this end.  His own contribution, however small, would enable Mr. van Koppen to fulfil his promise.  Miss Wilberforce must be protected—­

He quite understood.  Miss Wilberforce must be protected against herself.  And he disagreed heartily.  Nobody must be protected against himself.  The attitude of a man towards his fellows should be that of non-intervention, of benevolent egotism.  Every person of healthy digestion was aware of that cardinal truth.  Unfortunately persons of healthy digestions were not as common as they might be.  That was why straight thinking, on these and other subjects, was at a discount.  Nobody had a right to call himself well-disposed towards society until he had grasped the elementary fact that the only way to improve the universe was to improve oneself, and to leave one’s neighbour alone.  The best way to begin improving oneself was to keep one’s own bowels open, and not trouble about those of anybody else.  Turkey rhubarb, in fact.  The serenity of outlook thereby attained would enable a man to perceive the futility of interfering with the operation of natural selection.