THE GOOD MAN
A certain Good Man possessed many Virtues of character by right of inheritance, so that my Critical Friend remarked, “It is easy for him to be good.”
Now the Good Man was by no means satisfied with his inherited virtues, and with Ceaseless Diligence and Long Effort he strove to acquire more, and in due season acquired them, abundantly, so that even my Critical Friend allowed these virtues were of some credit to him.
Nevertheless, being critical, he criticized the Good Man, to my grief and amazement.
“How can you criticize this Great White Soul?” I cried. “He has never committed a crime.”
“Neither have you or I,” interrupted my Critical Friend.
“He has never sinned,” I continued, “he has not a single vice, he has not even a fault! And as to his Virtues!”
“What are his Virtues?” asked my Critical Friend.
Then I considered the Virtues of that Great Man and was lost in admiration and amazement. “He is unimpeachably Honest, Trustworthy and True,” said I. “He is Humble and Modest even in his Superiority, and has Hope of Improvement; he is Brave in meeting adversity and Patient in bearing it. He is Chaste and Temperate, he is Generous and Unselfish and Self-sacrificing, he is Persevering and Diligent, Faithful and Enduring. He is good.”
“Yes?” said my Critical Friend. “What good is he?”
“What good?” said I.
“Yes, what good? What does he do?“
“What do you mean?” I asked. “His business?”
“Of course. What’s his business? What does he do in the world?”
“He’s a business man,” said I, “and a very good business man, if that is what you mean.”
My Critical friend grinned unfeelingly. “What use is he?” he asked. “Whom does he serve? Of what use to humanity is his work? In what may the human race be benefited by his business? What will the world lose when he is gone?”
“They will lose a Good Man,” said I, a little angrily.
And my Critical Friend subsided, merely grunting once more, in that tiresome way of his, “What good?”