my memories of eighty years-第48节

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s　of　the　British　Government　than　either　England；　Scotland；　or　Wales。〃

Incidental　to　the　division　in　Mr。　Gladstone's　Cabinet；　which　had　not　at　this　time　broken　out；　was　the　great　vogue　which　a　story　of　mine　had。　　I　was　dining　with　Earl　Spencer。　　He　had　been　lord　lieutenant　of　Ireland　and　was　very　popular。　　His　wife　especially　had　been　as　great　a　success　as　the　vice…regent。　　He　was　called　the　Red　Earl　because　of　his　flowing　auburn　beard。　　He　was　a　very　serious　man；　devoted　to　the　public　service　and　exceedingly　capable。　He　almost　adored　Gladstone　and　grieved　over　the　growing　opposition　in　the　Cabinet。

The　guests　at　the　dinner　were　all　GIadstonians　and　lamenting　these　differences　and　full　of　apprehension　they　might　result　in　a　split　in　the　party。　　The　earl　asked　me　if　we　ever　had　such　conditions　in　the　United　States。　　I　answered：　　〃Yes。〃　　Mr。　Blaine；　at　that　time　at　the　head　of　President　Harrison's　Cabinet　as　secretary　of　state；　had　very　serious　differences　with　his　chief；　and　the　people　wondered　why　he　remained。　　Mr。　Blaine　told　me　this　story　apropos　of　the　situation：　　The　author　of　a　play　invited　a　friend　of　his　to　witness　the　first　production　and　sent　him　a　complimentary　ticket。　　During　the　first　act　there　were　signs　of　disapproval；　which　during　the　second　act　broke　out　into　a　riot。　　An　excited　man　sitting　alongside　the　guest　of　the　playwright　said：　　〃Stranger；　are　you　blind　or　deaf；　or　do　you　approve　of　the　play？〃　　The　guest　replied：　　〃My　friend；　my　sentiments　and　opinion　in　regard　to　this　play　do　not　differ　from　yours　and　the　rest；　but　I　am　here　on　a　free　ticket。　　If　you　will　wait　a　little　while　till　I　go　out　and　buy　a　ticket；　I　will　come　back　and　help　you　raise　hell。〃

The　most　brilliant　member　of　Mr。　Gladstone's　Cabinet　and　one　of　the　most　accomplished；　versatile；　and　eloquent　men　in　Great　Britain　was　Lord　Rosebery。　　I　saw　much　of　him　when　he　was　foreign　minister　and　also　after　he　became　prime　minister。　　Lord　Rosebery　was　not　only　a　great　debater　on　political　questions；　he　was　also　the　most　scholarly　orator　of　his　country　on　educational；　literary；　and　patriotic　subjects。　　He　gathered　about　him　always　the　people　whom　a　stranger　pre…eminently　desired　to　meet。

I　recall　one　of　my　week…end　visits　to　his　home　at　Mentmore；　which　is　one　of　the　most　delightful　of　my　reminiscences　abroad。　　He　had　taken　down　there　the　leaders　of　his　party。　　The　dinner　lasted；　the　guests　all　being　men；　except　Lady　Rosebery；　who　presided；　until　after　twelve　o'clock。　　Every　one　privileged　to　be　there　felt　that　those　four　hours　had　passed　more　quickly　and　entertainingly　than　any　in　their　experience。

It　was　a　beautiful　moonlight　night　and　the　very　best　of　English　weather；　and　we　adjourned　to　the　terrace。　　There　were　recalled　personal　experiences；　incidents　of　travel　from　men　who　had　been　all　over　the　world　and　in　critical　situations　in　many　lands；　diplomatic　secrets　revealing　crises　seriously　threatening　European　wars；　and　how　these　had　been　averted；　alliances　made　and　territories　acquired；　adventures　of　thrilling　interest　and　personal　episodes　surpassing　fiction。　　The　company　reluctantly　separated　when　the　rising　sun　admonished　them　that　the　night　had　passed。

It　has　been　my　good　fortune　to　be　the　guest　of　eminent　men　in　many　lands　and　on　occasions　of　memorable　interest；　but　the　rarest　privilege　for　any　one　was　to　be　the　guest　of　Lord　Rosebery；　either　at　his　city　house　or　one　of　his　country　residences。　　The　wonderful　charm　of　the　host；　his　tact　with　his　guests；　his　talent　for　drawing　people　out　and　making　them　appear　at　their　best；　linger　in　their　memories　as　red…letter　days　and　nights　of　their　lives。

All　Americans　took　great　interest　in　the　career　of　Lord　Randolph　Churchill。　　His　wife　was　one　of　the　most　beautiful　and　popular　women　in　English　society；　and　an　American。　　I　knew　her　father；　Leonard　Jerome；　very　well。　　He　was　a　successful　banker　and　a　highly　educated　and　cultured　gentleman。　　His　brother；　William　Jerome；　was　for　a　long　time　the　best　story…teller　and　one　of　the　wittiest　of　New　Yorkers。

Lord　Randolph　Churchill　advanced　very　rapidly　in　British　politics　and　became　not　only　one　of　the　most　brilliant　debaters　but　one　of　the　leaders　of　the　House　of　Commons。　　On　one　of　my　visits　abroad　I　received　an　invitation　from　the　Churchills　to　visit　them　at　their　country　place。　　When　I　arrived　I　found　that　they　occupied　a　castle　built　in　the　time　of　Queen　Elizabeth；　and　in　which　few　modern　alterations　had　been　made。　　It　was　historically　a　very　unique　and　interesting　structure。　　Additions　had　been　made　to　it　by　succeeding　generations；　each　being　another　house　with　its　own　methods　of　ingress　and　egress。　　Lord　Randolph　said：　　〃I　welcome　you　to　my　ancestral　home；　which　I　have　rented　for　three　months。〃

Though　this　temporary　residence　was　very　ancient；　yet　its　hospitalities　were　dispensed　by　one　of　the　most　up…to…date　and　progressive　couples　in　the　kingdom。　　In　the　intimacy　of　a　house…party；　not　too　large；　one　could　enjoy　the　versatility；　the　charm；　the　wide　information；　the　keen　political　acumen　of　this　accomplished　and　magnetic　British　statesman。　　It　was　unfortunate　for　his　country　that　from　overwork　he　broke　down　so　early　in　life。

No　one　during　his　period　could　surpass　Baron　Alfred　Rothschild　as　host。　　His　dinners　in　town；　followed　by　exquisite　musicales；　were　the　social　events　of　every　season。　　He　was；　however；　most　attractive　at　his　superb　place　in　the　country。　　A　week…end　with　him　there　met　the　best　traditions　of　English　hospitality。　　In　the　party　were　sure　to　be　men　and　women　of　distinction；　and　just　the　ones　whom　an　American　had　read　about　and　was　anxious　to　meet。

Baron　Rothschild　was　a　famous　musician　and　an　ardent　lover　of　music。　　He　had　at　his　country　place　a　wonderfully　trained　orchestra　of　expert　musicians。　　In　the　theatre　he　gave　concerts　for　the　enjoyment　of　his　guests；　and　led　the　orchestra　himself。　　Among　the　company　was　sure　to　be　one　or　more　of　the　most　famous　artists　from　the　opera　at　Covent　Garden；　and　from　these　experts　his　own　leadership　and　the　performance　of　his　perfectly　trained　company　received　unstinted　praise　and　applause。　　Baron　Rothschild　had　the　art　so　necessary　for　the　enjoyment　of　his　guests　of　getting　together　the　right　people。　　He　never　risked　the　harmony　of　his　house　by　inviting　antagonists。

Lord　Rothschild；　the　head　of　the　house；　differed　entirely　from　his　amiable　and　accomplished　brother。　　While　he　also　entertained；　his　mind　was　engrossed　in　business　and　affairs。　　I　had　a　conference　with　him　at　the　time　of　the　Spanish…American　War；　which　might　have　been　of　historical　importance。　　He　asked　me　to　come　and　see　him　in　the　Rothschild　banking…house；　where　the　traditions　of　a　century　are　preserved　and　unchanged。　　He　said　to　me：　　〃We　have　been　for　a　long　time　the　bankers　of　Spain。　　We　feel　the　responsibility　for　their　securities；　which　we　have　placed　upon　the　market。　　The　United　States　is　so　all…powerful　in　its　resources　and　spirit　that　it　can　crush　Spain。　　This　we　desire　to　avert。　　Spain；　though　weak　and　poor　compared　to　the　United　States；　has　nevertheless　the　proudest　people　in　the　world；　and　it　is　a　question　of　Spanish　pride　we　have　to　deal　with。〃

In　answering　him　I　said：　　〃Lord　Rothschild；　it　seems　to　me　that　if　you　had　any　proposition　you　should　take　it　to　Mr。　John　Hay；　our　accomplished　minister。〃

〃No；〃　he　said；　〃then　it　would　become　a　matter　of　diplomacy　and　publicity。　　Now　the　Spanish　Government　is　willing　to　comply　with　every　demand　the　United　States　can　make。　　The　government　is　willing　to　grant　absolute　independence　to　Cuba；　or　what　it　would　prefer；　a　self…governing　colony；　with　relations　like　that　of　Canada　to　Great　Britain。　　Spain　is　willing　to　give　to　the　United　States　Porto　Rico　and　the　Philippine　Islands；　but　she　must　know　beforehand　if　these　terms　will　be　accepted　before　making　the　offer　because　if　an　offer　so　great　as　this　and　involving　such　a　loss　of　territory　and　prestige　should　be　rejected　by　the　United　States　there　would　be　a　revolution　in　Spain　which　might　overthrow　not　only　the　government　but　the　monarchy。　　What　would　be　regarded　as　an　insult　would　be　resented　by　every　Spaniard　to　the　bitter　end。　　That　is　why　I　have　asked　you　to　come　and　wish　you　to　submit　this　proposition　to　your　president。　　Of　course；　I　remain　in　a　position；　if　there　should　be　any　publicity　about　it；　to　deny　the　whole　thing。〃

The　proposition　unfortunately　came　too　late；　and　Mr。　McKinley　could　not　stop　the　war。　　It　was　well　known　in　Washington　that　he　was　exceedingly　averse　to　hostilities　and　believed　the　difficulties　could　be　satisfactorily　settled　by　diplomacy；　but　the　people　were　aroused　to　such　an　extent　that　they　were　determined　not　only　to　free　Cuba　but　to　punish　those　who　were　oppressing　the　Cubans。

One　incident　which　received　little　publicity　at　the　time　was　in　all　probability　the　match　which　fired　the　magazine。　　One　of　the　ablest　and　most　level…headed　members　of　the　Senate　was　Senator　Redfield　Proctor；　of　Vermont。　　The　solidity　of　his　character　and　acquirements　and　his　known　sense　and　conservatism　made　him　a　power　in　Congress；　and　he　had　the　confidence　of　the　people。　　He　visited　Cuba　and　wrote　a　report　in　which　he　detailed　as　an　eyewitness　the　atrocities　which　the　government　and　the　soldiers　were　perpetra