The Ascendancy

Third Veneris, Aphiel, 261ke

Quite considerably has the stagnation of the Ascendancy’s progress halted recent innovations. The interminable hamlet, focused primarily on the manufacturing of 'larvish’ industrial resources, lacks now in both workers and motive. Below the steaming factories lie winding streets rather similar, where reside forlorn people rather similar, no different from one another than the ‘birds of a feather’ (as Mr. Crossfield refers to his neighbours and acquaintances). When walking at late hours, past the rusted metal and broken stones of the factory walls, the production of abhorrent sounds I find less disturbing than the production of the attitudes gathered by the workers. Then comes Richard Smith, with a stagnant grin, informing me after an eight hour, break-less shift: ‘Our production is as grand as ever.’ A deplorable, uniform (especially uniform) phrase which hides the dissatisfaction of Mr. Smith’s career haunts too Edward Boyle and the wife of prodigious James Sharp, who there inform me, ‘Our production is as grand as ever.’ When I go to Mr. Boyle’s abode for dinner, he then states, ‘Our production is as grand as ever’, and when I arrive to discuss protestant ideals with Mr. Allen, he reminds me, ‘Our production is as grand as ever.’ Mr. Smith, upon the notion that our production is not as grand as ever, argues: ‘If Mr. Boyle agrees, and Mrs. Sharp agrees, and Mr. Allen agrees, and I am to agree, then it is a fact that our production is as grand as ever. Such a fact should be accepted!’. If this fact, that ‘our production is grand as ever’, is so widely regarded as a simple principle of truth in the city, to abide by the morals of the common man means to nod and agree.