the illustrious prince-第44节

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The　Prime　Minister　rose　to　his　feet　and　intercepted　them　on　their　way　to　the　door。

〃Miss　Morse；〃　he　said；　〃may　we　ransom　the　Prince？　We　want　to　talk　to　him。〃

〃Do　you　insinuate；〃　she　laughed；　〃that　he　is　a　captive　of　mine？〃

〃We　are　all　captives　of　Miss　Morse's；〃　Bransome　said　with　a　bow；　〃and　all　enemies　of　Somerfield's。〃

Somerfield；　hearing　his　name；　came　up　to　them。　The　Duchess；　too；　strolled　over　to　the　fire。　The　Prime　Minister　and　Bransome　returned　with　Maiyo　towards　the　corner　of　the　room　where　they　had　been　sitting。

〃Prince；〃　the　Prime　Minister　said；　〃we　have　been　talking　about　your　speech　at　the　Herrick　Club　last　night。〃

The　Prince　smiled　a　little　gravely。

〃Did　I　say　too　much？〃　he　asked。　〃It　all　came　as　a　surprise　to　methe　toast　and　everything　connected　with　it。　I　saw　my　name　down　to　reply；　and　it　seemed　discourteous　of　me　not　to　speak。　But；　as　yet；　I　do　not　altogether　understand　these　functions。　I　did　not　altogether　understand；　for　instance；　how　much　I　might　say　and　how　much　I　ought　to　leave　unsaid。〃

〃〃We　have　read　what　you　said；〃　Bransome　remarked。　〃What　we　should　like　to　hear；　if　I　may　venture　to　say　so；　is　what　you　left　unsaid。〃

The　Prince　for　a　moment　was　thoughtful。　Perhaps　he　remembered　that　the　days　had　passed　when　it　was　necessary　for　him　to　keep　so　jealously　his　own　counsel。　Perhaps　his　natural　love　of　the　truth　triumphed。　He　felt　a　sudden　longing　to　tell　these　people　who　had　been　kind　to　him　the　things　which　he　had　seen　amongst　them；　the　things　which　only　a　stranger　coming　fresh　to　the　country　could　perhaps　fully　comprehend。

〃What　I　said　was　of　little　importance；〃　the　Prince　remarked；　〃but　I　felt　myself　placed　in　a　very　difficult　position。　Before　I　knew　what　to　expect；　I　was　listening　to　a　glorification　of　the　arms　of　my　country　at　the　expense　of　Russia。　I　was　being　hailed　as　one　of　a　nation　who　possess　military　genius　which　had　not　been　equalled　since　the　days　of　Hannibal　and　Caesar。　Many　things　of　that　sort　were　said；　many　things　much　too　kind；　many　things　which　somehow　it　grieved　me　to　listen　to。　And　when　I　stood　up　to　reply；　I　felt　that　the　few　words　which　I　must　say　would　sound；　perhaps；　ungracious；　but　they　must　be　said。　It　was　one　of　those　occasions　which　seemed　to　call　for　the　naked　truth。〃

Penelope　and　the　Duchess　had　joined　the　little　group。

〃May　we　stay？〃　the　former　asked。　〃I　read　every　word　of　your　speech；〃　she　added；　turning　to　the　Prince。　〃Do　tell　us　why　you　spoke　so　severely；　what　it　was　that　you　objected　to　so　strongly　in　General　Ennison's　remarks？〃

The　Prince　turned　earnestly　towards　her。

〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　he　said；　〃all　that　I　objected　to　was　this　over…glorification　of　the　feats　of　arms　accomplished　by　us。　People　over　here　did　not　understand。　On　the　one　side　were　the　great　armies　of　Russia；men　drawn；　all　of　them；　from　the　ranks　of　the　peasant；　men　of　low　nerve　force；　men　who　were　not　many　degrees　better　than　animals。　They　came　to　fight　against　us　because　it　was　their　business　to　fight；　because　for　fighting　they　drew　their　scanty　pay；　their　food；　and　their　drink；　and　the　clothes　they　wore。　They　fought　because　if　they　refused　they　faced　the　revolver　bullets　of　their　officers；men　like　themselves；　who　also　fought　because　it　was　their　profession；　because　it　was　in　the　traditions　of　their　family；　but　who　would；　I　think；　have　very　much　preferred　disporting　themselves　in　the　dancing　halls　of　their　cities；　drinking　champagne　with　the　ladies　of　their　choice；　or　gambling　with　cards。　I　do　not　say　that　these　were　not　brave　men；　all　of　them。　I　myself　saw　them　face　death　by　the　hundreds；　but　the　lust　of　battle　was　in　their　veins　then；　the　taste　of　blood　upon　their　palates。　We　do　not　claim　to　be　called　world　conquerors　because　we　overcame　these　men。　If　one　could　have　seen　into　the　hearts　of　our　own　soldiers　as　they　marched　into　battle；　and　seen　also　into　the　hearts　of　those　others　who　lay　there　sullenly　waiting；　one　would　not　have　wondered　then。　There　was；　indeed；　nothing　to　wonder　at。　What　we　cannot　make　you　understand　over　here　is　that　every　Japanese　soldier　who　crept　across　the　bare　plains　or　lay　stretched　in　the　trenches；　who　loaded　his　rifle　and　shot　and　killed　and　waited　for　death；every　man　felt　something　beating　in　his　heart　which　those　others　did　not　feel。　We　have　no　great　army；　Mr。　Haviland；　but　what　we　have　is　a　great　nation　who　have　things　beating　in　their　heart　the　knowledge　of　which　seems　somehow　to　have　grown　cold　amongst　you　Western　people。　The　boy　is　born　with　it；　it　is　there　in　his　very　soul；　as　dear　to　him　as　the　little　home　where　he　lives；　the　blossoming　trees　under　which　he　plays。　It　leads　him　to　the　rifle　and　the　drill　ground　as　naturally　as　the　boys　of　your　country　turn　to　the　cricket　fields　and　the　football　ground。　Over　here　you　call　that　spirit　patriotism。　It　was　something　which　beat　in　the　heart　of　every　one　of　those　hundreds　of　thousands　of　men；　something　which　kept　their　eyes　clear　and　bright　as　they　marched　into　battle；　which　made　them　look　Death　itself　in　the　face；　and　fight　even　while　the　blackness　crept　over　them。　You　see；　your　own　people　have　so　many　interests；　so　many　excitements；　so　much　to　distract。　With　us　it　is　not　so。　In　the　heart　of　the　Japanese　comes　the　love　of　his　parents；　the　love　of　his　wife　and　children；　and；　deepest；　perhaps；　of　all　the　emotions　he　knows；　the　strong　magnificent　background　to　his　life；　the　love　of　the　country　which　bore　him；　which　shelters　them。　It　is　for　his　home　he　fights；　for　his　simple　joys　amongst　those　who　are　dear　to　him；　for　the　great　mysterious　love　of　the　Motherland。　Forgive　me　if　I　have　expressed　myself　badly；　have　repeated　myself　often。　It　is　a　matter　which　I　find　it　so　hard　to　talk　about；　so　hard　here　to　make　you　understand。〃

〃But　you　must　not　think；　Prince；　that　we　over　here　are　wholly　lacking　in　that　same　instinct；〃　the　Duke　said。　〃Remember　our　South　African　war；　and　the　men　who　came　to　arms　and　rallied　round　the　flag　when　their　services　were　needed。〃

〃I　do　remember　that；〃　the　Prince　answered。　〃I　wish　that　I　could　speak　of　it　in　other　terms。　Yet　it　seems　to　me　that　I　must　speak　as　I　find　things。　You　say　that　the　men　came　to　arms。　They　did；　but　how？　Untrained；　unskilled　in　carrying　weapons；　they　rushed　across　the　seas　to　be　the　sport　of　the　farmers　who　cut　them　off　or　shot　them　down；　to　be　a　hindrance　in　the　way　of　the　mercenaries　who　fought　for　you。　Yes；　you　say　they　rallied　to　the　call！　What　brought　them？　Excitement；　necessity；　necessities　of　their　social　standing；　bravado；　cheap　heroismany　one　of　these。　But　I　tell　you　that　patriotism　as　we　understand　it　is　a　deeper　thing。　In　the　land　where　it　flourishes　there　is　no　great　pre…eminence　in　what　you　call　sports　or　games。　It　does　not　come　like　a　whirlwind　on　the　wings　of　disaster。　It　grows　with　the　limbs　and　the　heart　of　the　boy；　grows　with　his　muscles　and　his　brawn。　It　is　part　of　his　conscience；　part　of　his　religion。　As　he　realizes　that　he　has　a　country　of　his　own　to　protect；　a　dear；　precious　heritage　come　down　to　him　through　countless　ages；　so　he　learns　that　it　is　his　sacred　duty　to　know　how　to　do　his　share　in　defending　it。　The　spare　time　of　our　youth；　Mr。　Haviland；　is　spent　learning　to　shoot；　to　scout；　to　bear　hardships；　to　acquire　the　arts　of　war。　I　tell　you　that　there　was　not　one　general　who　went　with　our　troops　to　Manchuria；　but　a　hundred　thousand。　We　have　no　great　army。　We　are　a　nation　of　men　whose　religion　it　is　to　fight　when　their　country's　welfare　is　threatened。〃

There　was　a　short　silence。　The　Prime　Minister　and　Bransome　exchanged　rapid　glances。

〃These；　then；〃　Penelope　said　slowly；　〃were　the　things　you　left　unsaid。〃

The　Prince　raised　his　hand　a　littlea　deprecatory　gesture。

〃Perhaps　even　now；〃　he　said；　〃it　was　scarcely　courteous　of　me　to　say　them；　only　I　know　that　they　come　to　you　as　no　new　thing。　There　are　many　of　your　countrymen　who　are　speaking　to　you　now　in　the　Press　as　I；　a　stranger；　have　spoken。　Sometimes　it　is　harder　to　believe　one　of　your　own　family。　That　is　why　I　have　dared　to　say　so　much；I；　a　foreigner；　eager　and　anxious　only　to　observe　and　to　learn。　I　think；　perhaps；　that　it　is　to　such　that　the　truth　comes　easiest。〃

Of　a　purpose；　the　three　men　who　were　there　said　nothing。　The　Prince　offered　Penelope　his　arm。

〃I　will　not　be　disappointed；〃　he　said。　〃You　promised　that　you　would　show　me　the　palm　garden。　I　have　talked　too　much。〃



CHAPTER　XXIX。　A　RACE

The　Prince；　on　his　way　back　from　his　usual　before…breakfast　stroll；　lingered　for　a　short　time　amongst　the　beds　of　hyacinths　and　yellow　crocuses。　Somehow　or　other；　these　spring　flowers；　stiffly　set　out　and　with　shrivelled　edgesa　little　reminiscent　of　the　last　east　windstill　seemed　to　him；　in　their　perfume　at　any　rate；　to　being　him　memories　of　his　own　country。　Pink　and　blue　and　yellow；　in　all　manner　of　sizes　and　shapes；　the　beds　spread　away　along　the　great　front　below　the　terrace　of　the　castle。　This　morning　the　wind　was　coming　from　the　west。　The　sun；　indeed；　seemed　already　to　have　gained　some　strength。　The　Prince　sat　for　a　moment　or　two　upon　the　gray　stone　balustrade；　looking　to　where　the　level　country　took　a　sudden　ascent　and　ended　in　a　thick　belt　of　pine　trees。　Beyond　lay　the　sea。　As　he　sat　there　with　folded　arms；　he　was　surely　a　fatalist。　The　question　as　to