The Ant and the Grasshopper

 

The Ant and the Grasshopper

I could not help thinking of this fable when the other day I saw George

Ramsay lunching by himself in a restaurant. I never saw anyone wear an

expression of such deep gloom. He was staring into space. He looked as though the

burden of the whole world sat on his shoulders. I was sorry for him: I suspected

at once that his unfortunate brother had been causing trouble again. I went up

to him and held out my hand.

"How are you?' I asked.

I'm not in hilarious spirits,' he answered.

'Is it Tom again?' He sighed.

'Yes, it's Tom again.

"Why don't you chuck him? You've done everything in the world for him. You

must know by now that he's quite hopeless.'

suppose every family has a black sheep. Tom had been a sore trial to him

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for twenty years. He had begun life decently enough: he went into business,

married, and had two children. The Ramsays were perfectly respectable people

and there was every reason to suppose that Tom Ramsay would have a useful

and honourable career. But one day, without warning, he announced that hedidn't like work and that he wasn't suited for marriage. He wanted to enjoy

himself. He would listen to no expostulations. He left his wife and his office. He

had a little money and he spent two happy years in the various capitals of Europe.

Rumours of his doings reached his relations from time to time and they were

profoundly shocked. He certainly had a very good time. They shook their heads

and asked what would happen when his money was spent. They soon found out:

he borrowed. He was charming and unscrupulous. I have never met anyone to

whom it was more difficult to refuse a loan. He made a steady income from

his friends and he made friends easily. But he always said that the money you

spent on necessities was boring; the money that was amusing to spend was the

money you spent on luxuries. For this he depended on his brother George. He

did not waste his charm on him. George was a serious man and insensible to such

enticements, George was respectable. Once or twice he fell to Tom's promises of

amendment and gave him considerable sums in order that he might make a fresh

start. On these Tom bought a motor-car and some very nice jewellery. But when

circumstances forced George to realize that his brother would never settle dow

and he washed his hands of him, Tom, without a qualm, began to blackmai

him. It was not very nice for a respectable lawyer to find his brother shakin

cocktails behind the bar of his favourite restaurant or to see him waiting on th

box-seat of a taxi outside his club. Tom said that to serve in a bar or to drive 

taxi was a perfectly decent occupation, but if George could oblige him with 

couple of hundred pounds he didn't mind for the honour of the family giving i

up. George paid

Once, Totti'nearly went to prison. George was terribly upset. He went into th

whole discreditáble affair. Really Tom had gone too far. He had been wild

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thoughtless, and selfish, but he had never before done anything dishonest, b

which George meant illegal, and if he were prosecuted he would assuredly b

convicted. But you cannot allow your only brother to go to gaol. The man To

2. Rea

had cheated, a man called Cronshaw, was vindictive. He was determined to tak

the matter into court; he said Tom was a scoundrel and should be punished. I

cost George an infinite deal of trouble and five hundred pounds to settle the b

affair. I have never seen him in such a rage as when he heard that Tom an

Cronshaw ha

gon

off together to Monte Carlo the moment they cashed

cheque. They spent a happy month there