the patrician-第48节

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〃You　are　not　listening　to　me；　but　I　can　see　very　well　that　the
process　has　begun　already　underneath。　　There's　a　curious　streak　of
the　Jesuit　in　you；　Eustace。　　What　you　don't　want　to　see；　you　won't
look　at。〃

〃You　advise　me；　then；　to　compromise？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　point　out　that　you　will　be　compromising　if　you
try　to　keep　both　your　conscience　and　your　love。　　You　will　be　seeking
to　have；　it　both　ways。〃

〃That　is　interesting。〃

〃And　you　will　find　yourself　having　it　neither；〃　said　Lord　Dennis
sharply。

Miltoun　rose。　　〃In　other　words；　you；　like　the　others；　recommend　me　to
desert　this　lady　who　loves　me；　and　whom　I　love。　　And　yet；　Uncle；　they
say　that　in　your　own　case〃

But　Lord　Dennis　had　risen；　too；　having　lost　all　the　appanage　and
manner　of　old　age。

〃Of　my　own　case；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃we　won't　talk。　　I　don't　advise
you　to　desert　anyone；　you　quite　mistake　me。　　I　advise　you　to　know
yourself。　　And　I　tell　you　my　opinion　of　youyou　were　cut　out　by
Nature　for　a　statesman；　not　a　lover！　　There's　something　dried…up　in
you；　Eustace；　I'm　not　sure　there　isn't　something　dried…up　in　all　our
caste。　　We've　had　to　do　with　forms　and　ceremonies　too　long。　　We're
not　good　at　taking　the　lyrical　point　of　view。〃

〃Unfortunately；〃　said　Miltoun；　〃I　cannot；　to　fit　in　with　a　theory　of
yours；　commit　a　baseness。〃

Lord　Dennis　began　pacing　up　and　down。　　He　was　keeping　his　lips　closed
very　tight。

〃A　man　who　gives　advice；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃is　always　something　of　a
fool。　　For　all　that；　you　have　mistaken　mine。　　I　am　not　so
presumptuous　as　to　attempt　to　enter　the　inner　chamber　of　your　spirit。
I　have　merely　told　you　that；　in　my　opinion；　it　would　be　more　honest
to　yourself；　and　fairer　to　this　lady；　to　compound　with　your
conscience；　and　keep　both　your　love　and　your　public　life；　than　to
pretend　that　you　were　capable　of　sacrificing　what　I　know　is　the
stronger　element　in　you　for　the　sake　of　the　weaker。　　You　remember　the
saying；　Democritus　I　think：　'each　man's　nature　or　character　is　his
fate　or　God'。　　I　recommend　it　to　you。〃

For　a　full　minute　Miltoun　stood　without　replying；　then　said：

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　troubled　you；　Uncle　Dennis。　　A　middle　policy　is
no　use　to　me。　　Good…bye！〃　　And　without　shaking　hands；　he　went　out。




CHAPTER　XXII

In　the　hall　someone　rose　from　a　sofa；　and　came　towards　him。　　It　was
Courtier。

〃Run　you　to　earth　at　last；〃　he　said；　〃I　wish　you'd　come　and　dine　with
me。　　I'm　leaving　England　to…morrow　night；　and　there　are　things　I　want
to　say。〃

There　passed　through　Miltoun's　mind　the　rapid　thought：　'Does　he
know？'　　He　assented；　however；　and　they　went　out　together。

〃It's　difficult　to　find　a　quiet　place；〃　said　Courtier；　〃but　this
might　do。〃

The　place　chosen　was　a　little　hostel；　frequented　by　racing　men；　and
famed　for　the　excellence　of　its　steaks。　　And　as　they　sat　down
opposite　each　other　in　the　almost　empty　room；　Miltoun　thought：　Yes；
he　does　know！　　Can　I　stand　any　more　of　this？　　He　waited　almost
savagely　for　the　attack　he　felt　was　coming。

〃So　you　are　going　to　give　up　your　seat？〃　said　Courtier。

Miltoun　looked　at　him　for　some　seconds；　before　replying。

〃From　what　town…crier　did　you　hear　that？〃

But　there　was　that　in　Courtier's　face　which　checked　his　anger；　its
friendliness　was　transparent。

〃I　am　about　her　only　friend；〃　Courtier　proceeded　earnestly；　〃and　this
is　my　last　chanceto　say　nothing　of　my　feeling　towards　you；　which；
believe　me；　is　very　cordial。〃

〃Go　on；　then；〃　Miltoun　muttered。

〃Forgive　me　for　putting　it　bluntly。　　Have　you　considered　what　her
position　was　before　she　met　you？〃

Miltoun　felt　the　blood　rushing　to　his　face；　but　he　sat　still；
clenching　his　nails　into　the　palms　of　his　hands。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Courtier；　〃but　that　attitude　of　mindyou　used　to
have　it　yourselfwhich　decrees　either　living　death；　or　spiritual
adultery　to　women；　makes　my　blood　boil。　　You　can't　deny　that　those
were　the　alternatives；　and　I　say　you　had　the　right　fundamentally　to
protest　against　them；　not　only　in　words　but　deeds。　　You　did　protest；
I　know；　but　this　present　decision　of　yours　is　a　climb　down；　as　much
as　to　say　that　your　protest　was　wrong。〃

Miltoun　rose　from　his　seat。　　〃I　cannot　discuss　this；〃　he　said；　〃I
cannot。〃

〃For　her　sake；　you　must。　　If　you　give　up　your　public　work；　you'll
spoil　her　life　a　second　time。〃

Miltoun　again　sat　down。　　At　the　word　'must'　a　steely　feeling　had　come
to　his　aid；　his　eyes　began　to　resemble　the　old　Cardinal's。　　〃Your
nature　and　mine；　Courtier；〃　he　said；　〃are　too　far　apart；　we　shall
never　understand　each　other。〃

〃Never　mind　that；〃　answered　Courtier。　　〃Admitting　those　two
alternatives　to　be　horrible；　which　you　never　would　have　done　unless
the　facts　had　been　brought　home　to　you　personally

〃That；〃　said　Miltoun　icily；　〃I　deny　your　right　to　say。〃

〃Anyway；　you　do　admit　themif　you　believe　you　had　not　the　right　to
rescue　her；　on　what　principle　do　you　base　that　belief？〃

Miltoun　placed　his　elbow　on　the　table；　and　leaning　his　chin　on　his
hand；　regarded　the　champion　of　lost　causes　without　speaking。　　There
was　such　a　turmoil　going　on　within　him　that　with　difficulty　he　could
force　his　lips　to　obey　him。

〃By　what　right　do　you　ask　me　that？〃　he　said　at　last。　　He　saw
Courtier's　face　grow　scarlet；　and　his　fingers　twisting　furiously　at
those　flame…like　moustaches；　but　his　answer　was　as　steadily　ironical
as　usual。

〃Well；　I　can　hardly　sit　still；　my　last　evening　in　England；　without
lifting　a　finger；　while　you　immolate　a　woman　to　whom　I　feel　like　a
brother。　　I'll　tell　you　what　your　principle　is：　Authority；　unjust　or
just；　desirable　or　undesirable；　must　be　implicitly　obeyed。　　To　break
a　law；　no　matter　on　what　provocation；　or　for　whose　sake；　is　to　break
the　commandment〃

〃Don't　hesitatesay；　of　God。〃

〃Of　an　infallible　fixed　Power。　　Is　that　a　true　definition　of　your
principle？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miltoun；　between　his　teeth；　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Exceptions　prove　the　rule。〃

〃Hard　cases　make　bad　law。〃

Courtier　smiled　：　〃I　knew　you　were　coming　out　with　that。　　I　deny　that
they　do　with　this　law；　which　is　altogether　behind　the　times。　　You　had
the　right　to　rescue　this　woman。〃

〃No；　Courtier；　if　we　must　fight；　let　us　fight　on　the　naked　facts。〃
have　not　rescued　anyone。　　I　have　merely　stolen　sooner　than　starve。
That　is　why　I　cannot　go　on　pretending　to　be　a　pattern。　　If　it　were
known；　I　could　not　retain　my　seat　an　hour；　I　can't　take　advantage　of
an　accidental　secrecy。　　Could　you？〃

Courtier　was　silent；　and　with　his　eyes　Miltoun　pressed　on　him；　as
though　he　would　despatch　him　with　that　glance。

〃I　could；〃　said　Courtier　at　last。　　〃When　this　law；　by　enforcing
spiritual　adultery　on　those　who　have　come　to　hate　their　mates；
destroys　the　sanctity　of　the　married　statethe　very　sanctity　it
professes　to　uphold；　you　must　expect　to　have　it　broken　by　reasoning
men　and　women　without　their　feeling　shame；　or　losing　self…respect。〃

In　Miltoun　there　was　rising　that　vast　and　subtle　passion　for
dialectic　combat；　which　was　of　his　very　fibre。　　He　had　almost　lost
the　feeling　that　this　was　his　own　future　being　discussed。　　He　saw
before　him　in　this　sanguine　man；　whose　voice　and　eyes　had　such　a
white…hot　sound　and　look；　the　incarnation　of　all　that　he
temperamentally　opposed。

〃That；〃　he　said；　〃is　devil's　advocacy。　　I　admit　no　individual　as
judge　in　his　own　case。〃

〃Ah！　Now　we're　coming　to　it。　　By　the　way；　shall　we　get　out　of　this
heat？〃

They　were　no　sooner　in　the　cooler　street；　than　the　voice　of　Courtier
began　again：

〃Distrust　of　human　nature；　fearit's　the　whole　basis　of　action　for
men　of　your　stamp。　　You　deny　the　right　of　the　individual　to　judge；
because　you've　no　faith　in　the　essential　goodness　of　men；　at　heart
you　believe　them　bad。　　You　give　them　no　freedom；　you　allow　them　no
consent；　because　you　believe　that　their　decisions　would　move
downwards；　and　not　upwards。　　Well；　it's　the　whole　difference　between
the　aristocratic　and　the　democratic　view　of　life。　　As　you　once　told
me；　you　hate　and　fear　the　crowd。〃

Miltoun　eyed　that　steady　sanguine　face　askance：

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　believe　that　men　are　raised　in　spite　of
themselves。〃

〃You're　honest。　　By　whom？〃

Again　Miltoun　felt　rising　within　him　a　sort　of　fury。　　Once　for　all　he
would　slay　this　red…haired　rebel；　he　answered　with　almost　savage
irony：

〃Strangely　enough；　by　that　Being　to　mention　whom　you　objectworking
through　the　medium　of　the　best。〃

〃High…Priest！　　Look　at　that　girl　slinking　along　there；　with　her　eye
on　us；　suppose；　instead　of　withdrawing　your　garment；　you　went　over
and　talked　to　her；　got　her　to　tell　you　what　she　really　felt　and
thought；　you'd　find　things　that　would　astonish　you。　　At　bottom；
mankind　is　splendid。　　And　they're　raised；　sir；　by　the　aspiration
that's　in　all　of　them。　　Haven't　you　ever　noticed　that　public
sentiment　is　always　in　advance　of　the　Law？〃

〃And　you；〃　said　Miltoun；　〃are　the　man　who　is　never　on　the　side　of　the
majority？〃

The　champion　of　lost　causes　uttered　a　short　laugh。

〃Not　so　logical　as　all　that；〃　he　answered；　〃the　wind　still　blows；　and
Life's　not　a　set　of　rules　hung　up　in　an　office。　　Let's　see；　where　are
we？〃　　They　had　been　brought　to　a　stand…still　by　a　group　on　the
pavement　in　front　of　the　Queen's　Ha