Was it possible that a reasonable argument could be made against that man's desolating speech?
He was burning to hear Barrow try it.

He knew how to start him, and keep him going: it was to seem to combat his positions--a process effective with most people.
"What is it you object to in Tompkins's speech, Barrow ?" "Oh, the leaving out of the factor of human nature; requiring another man to do what you wouldn't do yourself." "Do you mean--" "Why here's what I mean; it's very simple.

Tompkins is a blacksmith; has a family; works for wages; and hard, too--fooling around won't furnish the bread.

Suppose it should turn out that by the death of somebody in England he is suddenly an earl--income, half a million dollars a year.
What would he do ?" "Well, I--I suppose he would have to decline to--" "Man, he would grab it in a second!" "Do you really think he would ?" "Think ?--I don't think anything about it, I know it." "Why ?" "Because he's not a fool." "So you think that if he were a fool, he--" "No, I don't.

Fool or no fool, he would grab it.