The Bell - Iris Murdoch [44]
Michael, who had had his first unpleasant shock on seeing James armed with a gun, had at last felt that the practice must be put an end to. Again, he felt surprisingly distressed and not able to put his arguments very clearly. It seemed to him improper that a community of this sort should kill animals. Three of its members, Catherine and the Straffords, were vegetarians on religious grounds, and it seemed, to say the least, in bad taste to confront them continually with the spectacle of slaughtered creatures. Michael knew that Catherine especially was thoroughly upset about it, and he found her once in tears over a dead squirrel. She had in any case an extreme horror of firearms. As time went on Michael began to feel far from democratic, and had at last forbidden gunfire upon the estate pending a full discussion. He realized that he was open to a charge of inconsistency. He advocated mechanization because it was natural in that it increased efficiency, but he opposed shooting as improper, although it too increased efficiency. But in this case he was even more sure of being in the right.
James said, 'My view is this. We can't afford to be sentimental. Animals that do serious damage ought to be shot. What we shoot and when and how might need discussing. But after all, as Michael observed a little while ago, we're seriously in business as market-gardeners.' This was as near as James ever came to making a sharp point. He gave Michael a gentle deprecating look as he spoke, to soften the sharpness.
Patchway said, 'A wood pigeon eats its own weight every day.'
Peter Topglass said, 'I think the question is not one of efficiency. We're agreed about that. The fact is that the shooting gives grave offence to some among us.'
Mark Strafford, turning round, said, 'If it's the feelings of the animals that are to be considered one might point out that much more distress is caused to a bird by trapping it and ringing it than by shooting it.' This was a piece of gratuitous polemic, since Strafford was in fact against the shooting too.
Michael, now thoroughly annoyed, said, 'It's the feelings of the human beings we want to consider.'
'I don't see why one side should monopolize the appeal to feeling,' said Mark. 'James and I had very strong feelings about your cultivator.'
There was a disapproving silence. James said 'Come, come,' to dissociate himself from the remark.
Michael was now too angry to trust himself to continue. He said 'Perhaps after all we had better postpone this question again. James has given us his view. Mine is that since a number
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of people here believe on religious grounds that animal life should be respected we ought, since we profess to be a religious community, to allow this view to prevail, as against a mere consideration of efficiency, even if certain other members don't hold it. I might add that I also hold the view that members of the community ought not to possess firearms at all, and if I had my way I'd confiscate the lot!'
'Hear, hear!' said Catherine in a clear voice, speaking for the first time.
After a silence during which Michael had time to appreciate Catherine's contribution and to regret his use of the word 'confiscate', James said 'Well, well, you may even be right. I for one would like to think the matter over again. Perhaps we could discuss it in a week or two. And meanwhile no shooting.'
'Any other business?' said Michael. He felt tired now and not pleased