the patrician-第13节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


should　have　its　creed　and　the　country　its　creed；　and　there　should　be
contentment　and　no　complaining　in　her　streets。

And　as　he　walked　down　the　Strand；　a　little　ragged　boy　cheeped　out
between　his　legs：

〃Bloodee　discoveree　in　a　BankGrite　sensytion！　　Pi…er！〃

Miltoun　paid　no　heed　to　that　saying；　yet；　with　it；　the　wind　that
blows　where　man　lives；　the　careless；　wonderful；　unordered　wind；　had
dispersed　his　austere　and　formal　vision。　　Great　was　that　windthe
myriad　aspiration　of　men　and　women；　the　praying　of　the　uncounted
multitude　to　the　goddess　of　Sensationof　Chance；　and　Change。　　A
flowing　from　heart　to　heart；　from　lip　to　lip；　as　in　Spring　the
wistful　air　wanders　through　a　wood；　imparting　to　every　bush　and　tree
the　secrets　of　fresh　life；　the　passionate　resolve　to　grow；　and
becomeno　matter　what！　　A　sighing；　as　eternal　as　the　old　murmuring
of　the　sea；　as　little　to　be　hushed；　as　prone　to　swell　into　sudden
roaring！

Miltoun　held　on　through　the　traffic；　not　looking　overmuch　at　the
present　forms　of　the　thousands　he　passed；　but　seeing　with　the　eyes　of
faith　the　forms　he　desired　to　see。　　Near　St。　Paul's　he　stopped　in
front　of　an　old　book…shop。　　His　grave；　pallid；　not　unhandsome　face；
was　well…known　to　William　Rimall；　its　small　proprietor；　who　at　once
brought　out　his　latest　acquisitiona　Mores　'Utopia。'　That　particular
edition　（he　assured　Miltoun）　was　quite　unprocurablehe　had　never
sold　but　one　other　copy；　which　had　been　literally；　crumbling　away。
This　copy　was　in　even　better　condition。　　It　could　hardly　last　another
twenty　yearsa　genuine　book；　a　bargain。　　There　wasn't　so　much
movement　in　More　as　there　had　been　a　little　time　back。

Miltoun　opened　the　tome；　and　a　small　book…louse　who　had　been　sleeping
on　the　word　'Tranibore；'　began　to　make　its　way　slowly　towards　the
very　centre　of　the　volume。

〃I　see　it's　genuine；〃　said　Miltoun。

〃It's　not　to　read；　my　lord；〃　the　little　man　warned　him：　〃Hardly　safe
to　turn　the　pages。　　As　I　was　sayingI've　not　had　a　better　piece　this
year。　　I　haven't　really！〃

〃Shrewd　old　dreamer；〃　muttered　Miltoun；　〃the　Socialists　haven't　got
beyond　him；　even　now。〃

The　little　man's　eyes　blinked；　as　though　apologizing　for　the　views　of
Thomas　More。

〃Well；〃　he　said；　〃I　suppose　he　was　one　of　them。　　I　forget　if　your
lordship's　very　strong　on　politics？〃

Miltoun　smiled。

〃I　want　to　see　an　England；　Rimall；　something　like　the　England　of
Mores　dream。　　But　my　machinery　will　be　different。　　I　shall　begin　at
the　top。〃

The　little　man　nodded。

〃Quite　so；　quite　so；〃　he　said；　〃we　shall　come　to　that；　I　dare　say。〃

〃We　must；　Rimall。〃　　　And　Miltoun　turned　the　page。

The　little　man's　face　quivered。

〃I　don't　think；〃　he　said；　〃that　book's　quite　strong　enough　for　you；
my　lord；　with　your　taste　for　reading。　　Now　I've　a　most　curious　old
volume　hereon　Chinese　temples。　　It's　rarebut　not　too　old。　　You
can　peruse　it　thoroughly。　　It's　what　I　call　a　book　to　browse　on　just
suit　your　palate。　　Funny　principle　they　built　those　things　on；〃　he
added；　opening　the　volume　at　an　engraving；　〃in　layers。　　We　don't
build　like　that　in　England。〃

Miltoun　looked　up　sharply；　the　little　man's　face　wore　no　signs　of
understanding。

〃Unfortunately　we　don't；　Rimall；〃　he　said；　〃we　ought　to；　and　we
shall。　　I'll　take　this　book。〃

Placing　his　finger　on　the　print　of　the　pagoda；　he　added：　〃A　good
symbol。〃

The　little　bookseller's　eye　strayed　down　the　temple　to　the　secret
price　mark。

〃Exactly；　my　lord；〃　he　said；　〃I　thought　it'd　be　your　fancy。　　The
price　to　you　will　be　twenty…seven　and　six。〃

Miltoun；　pocketing　the　bargain；　walked　out。　　He　made　his　way　into　the
Temple；　left　the　book　at　his　Chambers；　and　passed　on　down　to　the　bank
of　Mother　Thames。　　The　Sun　was　loving　her　passionately　that
afternoon；　he　had　kissed　her　into　warmth　and　light　and　colour。　　And
all　the　buildings　along　　her　banks；　as　far　as　the　towers　at
Westminster；　seemed　to　be　smiling。　　It　was　a　great　sight　for　the　eyes
of　a　lover。　　And　another　vision　came　haunting　Miltoun；　of　a　soft…eyed
woman　with　a　low　voice；　bending　amongst　her　flowers。　　Nothing　would
be　complete　without　her；　no　work　bear　fruit；　no　scheme　could　have
full　meaning。

Lord　Valleys　greeted　his　son　at　dinner　with　good　fellowship　and　a
faint　surprise。

〃Day　off；　my　dear　fellow？　　Or　have　you　come　up　to　hear　Brabrook　pitch
into　us？　　He's　rather　late　this　timewe've　got　rid　of　that　balloon
business　no　trouble　after　all。〃

And　he　eyed　Miltoun　with　that　clear　grey　stare　of　his；　so　cool；
level；　and　curious。　　Now；　what　sort　of　bird　is　this？　　it　seemed
saying。　　Certainly　not　the　partridge　I　should　have　expected　from　its
breeding！

Miltoun's　answer：　〃I　came　up　to　tell　you　some　thing；　sir；〃　riveted
his　father's　stare　for　a　second　longer　than　was　quite　urbane。

It　would　not　be　true　to　say　that　Lord　Valleys　was　afraid　of　his　son。
Fear　was　not　one　of　his　emotions；　but　he　certainly　regarded　him　with
a　respectful　curiosity　that　bordered　on　uneasiness。　　The　oligarchic
temper　of　Miltoun's　mind　and　political　convictions　almost　shocked　one
who　knew　both　by　temperament　and　experience　how　to　wait　in　front。
This　instruction　he　had　frequently　had　occasion　to　give　his　jockeys
when　he　believed　his　horses　could　best　get　home　first　in　that　way。
And　it　was　an　instruction　he　now　longed　to　give　his　son。　　He　himself
had　'waited　in　front'　for　over　fifty　years；　and　he　knew　it　to　be　the
finest　way　of　insuring　that　he　would　never　be　compelled　to　alter　this
desirable　policyfor　something　in　Lord　Valleys'　character　made　him
fear　that；　in　real　emergency；　he　would　exert　himself　to　the　point　of
the　gravest　discomfort　sooner　than　be　left　to　wait　behind。　　A　fellow
like　young　Harbinger；　of　course；　he　understoodversatile；　'full　of
beans；'　as　he　expressed　it　to　himself　in　his　more　confidential
moments；　who　had　imbibed　the　new　wine　（very　intoxicating　it　was）　of
desire　for　social　reform。　　He　would　have　to　be　given　his　head　a
littlebut　there　would　be　no　difficulty　with　him；　he　would　never
'run　out'light　handy　build　of　horse　that　only　required　steadying　at
the　corners。　　He　would　want　to　hear　himself　talk；　and　be　let　feel
that　he　was　doing　something。　　All　very　well；　and　quite　intelligible。
But　with　Miltoun　（and　Lord　Valleys　felt　this　to　be　no；　mere　parental
fancy）　it　was　a　very　different　business。　　His　son　had　a　way　of
forcing　things　to　their　conclusions　which　was　dangerous；　and　reminded
him　of　his　mother…in…law。　　He　was　a　baby　in　public　affairs；　of
course；　as　yet；　but　as　soon　as　he　once　got　going；　the　intensity　of
his　convictions；　together　with　his　position；　and　real　giftnot　of
the　gab；　like　Harbinger'sbut　of　restrained；　biting　oratory；　was
sure　to　bring　him　to　the　front　with　a　bound　in　the　present　state　of
parties。　　And　what　were　those　convictions？　　Lord　Valleys　had　tried　to
understand　them；　but　up　to　the　present　he　had　failed。　　And　this　did
not　surprise　him　exactly；　since；　as　he　often　said；　political
convictions　were　not；　as　they　appeared　on　the　surface；　the　outcome　of
reason；　but　merely　symptoms　of　temperament。　　And　he　could　not
comprehend；　because　he　could　not　sympathize　with；　any　attitude
towards　public　affairs　that　was　not　essentially　level；　attached　to
the　plain；　common…sense　factors　of　the　case　as　they　appeared　to
himself。　　Not　that　he　could　fairly　be　called　a　temporizer；　for　deep
down　in　him　there　was　undoubtedly　a　vein　of　obstinate；　fundamental
loyalty　to　the　traditions　of　a　caste　which　prized　high　spirit　beyond
all　things。　　Still　he　did　feel　that　Miltoun　was　altogether　too　much
the　'pukka'　aristocratno　better　than　a　Socialist；　with　his
confounded　way　of　seeing　things　all　cut　and　dried；　his　ideas　of
forcing　reforms　down　people's　throats　and　holding　them　there　with　the
iron　hand！　　With　his　way　too　of　acting　on　his　principles！　　Why！　　He
even　admitted　that　he　acted　on　his　principles！　　This　thought　always
struck　a　very　discordant　note　in　Lord　Valleys'　breast。　　It　was　almost
indecent；　worse…ridiculous！　　The　fact　was；　the　dear　fellow　had
unfortunately　a　deeper　habit　of　thought　than　was　wanted　in　politics
dangerousvery！　　Experience　might　do　something　for　him！　　And　out　of
his　own　long　experience　the　Earl　of　Valleys　tried　hard　to　recollect
any　politician　whom　the　practice　of　politics　had　left　where　he　was
when　he　started。　　He　could　not　think　of　one。　　But　this　gave　him
little　comfort；　and；　above　a　piece　of　late　asparagus　his　steady　eyes
sought　his　son's。　　What　had　he　come　up　to　tell　him？

The　phrase　had　been　ominous；　he　could　not　recollect　Miltoun's　ever
having　told　him　anything。　　For　though　a　really　kind　and　indulgent
father；　he　hadlike　so　many　men　occupied　with　public　and　other
livesa　little　acquired　towards　his　offspring　the　look　and　manner：
Is　this　mine？　　Of　his　four　children；　Barbara　alone　he　claimed　with
conviction。　　He　admired　her；　and；　being　a　man　who　savoured　life；　he
was　unable　to　love　much　except　where　he　admired。　　But；　the　last
person　in　the　world　to　hustle　any　man　or　force　a　confidence；　he
waited　to　hear　his　son's　news；　betraying　no　uneasiness。

Miltoun　seemed　in　no　hurry。　　He　described　Courtier's　adventure；　which
tickled　Lord　Valleys　a　good　deal。

〃Ordeal　by　red　pepper！　　Shouldn't　have　thought　them　equal　to　that；〃
he　said。　　〃So