Now I must here, in parenthesis, firmly state that I happen to be a member of the Society for the Suppression of Moral Indignation.  As such, I object to the plain man’s moral indignation against the traveller; and I think that a liability to moral indignation is one of the plain man’s most serious defects.  As such, my endeavour is to avoid being staggered and deeply affronted, or even surprised, by human vagaries.  There are too many plain people who are always rediscovering human nature—­its turpitudes, fatuities, unreason.  They live amid human nature as in a chamber of horrors.  And yet, after all these years, we surely ought to have grown used to human nature!  It may be extremely vile—­that is not the point.  The point is that it constitutes our environment, from which we cannot escape alive.  The man who is capable of being deeply affronted by his inevitable environment ought to have the pluck of his convictions and shoot himself.  The Society would with pleasure pay his funeral expenses and contribute to the support of his wife and children.  Such a man is, without knowing it, a dire enemy of true progress, which can only be planned and executed in an atmosphere from which heated moral superiority is absent.

I offer these parenthetical remarks as a guarantee that I shall not over-righteously sneer at the plain man for his share in the sequel to the conversation with the traveller.  For there was a sequel to the conversation.

“As questions are being asked, where are you going to?” said the traveller.

The plain man answered with assurance: 

“Oh, I know exactly where I’m going to.  I’m going to Timbuctoo.”

“Indeed!” said the traveller.  “And why are you going to Timbuctoo?”

Said the plain man:  “I’m going because it’s the proper place to go to.  Every self-respecting person goes to Timbuctoo.”

“But why?”

Said the plain man: 

“Well, it’s supposed to be just about unique.  You’re contented there.  You get what you’ve always wanted.  The climate’s wonderful.”

“Indeed!” said the traveller again.  “Have you met anybody who’s been there?”

“Yes, I’ve met several.  I’ve met a lot.  And I’ve heard from people who are there.”

“And are their reports enthusiastic?”

“Well—­” The plain man hesitated.

“Answer me.  Are their reports enthusiastic?” the traveller insisted, rather bullyingly.

“Not very,” the plain man admitted.  “Some say it’s very disappointing.  And some say it’s much like other towns.  Every one says the climate has grave drawbacks.”

The traveller demanded: 

“Then why are you going there?”

Said the plain man: 

“It never occurred to me to ask why.  As I say, Timbuctoo’s supposed to be—­”

“Supposed by whom?”

“Well—­generally supposed,” said the plain man, limply.

“Not by the people who’ve been there?” the traveller persevered, with obstinacy.