the new machiavelli-第71节

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to　begin　with；　they　must　be　thought　out　in　this　muddled；　

experimenting　way。　　To　go　into　a　study　to　think　about　statecraft　is　

to　turn　your　back　on　the　realities　you　are　constantly　needing　to　

feel　and　test　and　sound　if　your　thinking　is　to　remain　vital；　to　

choose　an　aim　and　pursue　it　in　despite　of　all　subsequent　

questionings　is　to　bury　the　talent　of　your　mind。　　It　is　no　use　

dealing　with　the　intricate　as　though　it　were　simple；　to　leap　

haphazard　at　the　first　course　of　action　that　presents　itself；　the　

whole　world　of　politicians　is　far　too　like　a　man　who　snatches　a　

poker　to　a　failing　watch。　　It　is　easy　to　say　he　wants　to　〃get　

something　done；〃　but　the　only　sane　thing　to　do　for　the　moment　is　to　

put　aside　that　poker　and　take　thought　and　get　a　better　implement。　。　。　。



One　of　the　results　of　these　fundamental　preoccupations　of　mine　was　a　

curious　irritability　towards　Margaret　that　I　found　difficult　to　

conceal。　　It　was　one　of　the　incidental　cruelties　of　our　position　

that　this　should　happen。　　I　was　in　such　doubt　myself；　that　I　had　no　

power　to　phrase　things　for　her　in　a　form　she　could　use。　　Hitherto　I　

had　stage…managed　our　〃serious〃　conversations。　　Now　I　was　too　much　

in　earnest　and　too　uncertain　to　go　on　doing　this。　　I　avoided　talk　

with　her。　　Her　serene；　sustained　confidence　in　vague　formulae　and　

sentimental　aspirations　exasperated　me；　her　want　of　sympathetic　

apprehension　made　my　few　efforts　to　indicate　my　changing　attitudes　

distressing　and　futile。　　It　wasn't　that　I　was　always　thinking　right；　

and　that　she　was　always　saying　wrong。　　It　was　that　I　was　struggling　

to　get　hold　of　a　difficult　thing　that　was；　at　any　rate；　half　true；　I　

could　not　gauge　how　true；　and　that　Margaret's　habitual　phrasing　

ignored　these　elusive　elements　of　truth；　and　without　premeditation　

fitted　into　the　weaknesses　of　my　new　intimations；　as　though　they　had　

nothing　but　weaknesses。　　It　was；　for　example；　obvious　that　these　big　

people；　who　were　the　backbone　of　Imperialism　and　Conservatism；　were　

temperamentally　lax；　much　more　indolent；　much　more　sensuous；　than　

our　deliberately　virtuous　Young　Liberals。　　I　didn't　want　to　be　

reminded　of　that；　just　when　I　was　in　full　effort　to　realise　the　

finer　elements　in　their　composition。　　Margaret　classed　them　and　

disposed　of　them。　　It　was　our　incurable　differences　in　habits　and　

gestures　of　thought　coming　between　us　again。



The　desert　of　misunderstanding　widened。　　I　was　forced　back　upon　

myself　and　my　own　secret　councils。　　For　a　time　I　went　my　way　alone；　

an　unmixed　evil　for　both　of　us。　　Except　for　that　Pentagram　evening；　

a　series　of　talks　with　Isabel　Rivers；　who　was　now　becoming　more　and　

more　important　in　my　intellectual　life；　and　the　arguments　I　

maintained　with　Crupp；　I　never　really　opened　my　mind　at　all　during　

that　period　of　indecisions；　slow　abandonments；　and　slow　

acquisitions。







CHAPTER　THE　THIRD



SECESSION







1





At　last；　out　of　a　vast　accumulation　of　impressions；　decision　

distilled　quite　suddenly。　　I　succumbed　to　Evesham　and　that　dream　of　

the　right　thing　triumphant　through　expression。　　I　determined　I　would　

go　over　to　the　Conservatives；　and　use　my　every　gift　and　power　on　the　

side　of　such　forces　on　that　side　as　made　for　educational　

reorganisation；　scientific　research；　literature；　criticism；　and　

intellectual　development。　　That　was　in　1909。　　I　judged　the　Tories　

were　driving　straight　at　a　conflict　with　the　country；　and　I　thought　

them　bound　to　incur　an　electoral　defeat。　　I　under…estimated　their　

strength　in　the　counties。　　There　would　follow；　I　calculated；　a　

period　of　profound　reconstruction　in　method　and　policy　alike。　　I　was　

entirely　at　one　with　Crupp　in　perceiving　in　this　an　immense　

opportunity　for　the　things　we　desired。　　An　aristocracy　quickened　by　

conflict　and　on　the　defensive；　and　full　of　the　idea　of　justification　

by　reconstruction；　might　prove　altogether　more　apt　for　thought　and　

high　professions　than　Mrs。　Redmondson's　spoilt　children。　　Behind　the　

now　inevitable　struggle　for　a　reform　of　the　House　of　Lords；　there　

would　be　great　heart　searchings　and　educational　endeavour。　　On　that　

we　reckoned。　。　。　。



At　last　we　talked　it　out　to　the　practical　pitch；　and　Crupp　and　

Shoesmith；　and　I　and　Gane；　made　our　definite　agreement　together。　。　。　。



I　emerged　from　enormous　silences　upon　Margaret　one　evening。



She　was　just　back　from　the　display　of　some　new　musicians　at　the　

Hartsteins。　　I　remember　she　wore　a　dress　of　golden　satin；　very　rich…

looking　and　splendid。　　About　her　slender　neck　there　was　a　rope　of　

gold…set　amber　beads。　　Her　hair　caught　up　and　echoed　and　returned　

these　golden　notes。　　I；　too；　was　in　evening　dress；　but　where　I　had　

been　escapes　me；some　forgotten　dinner；　I　suppose。　　I　went　into　her　

room。　　I　remember　I　didn't　speak　for　some　moments。　　I　went　across　to　

the　window　and　pulled　the　blind　aside；　and　looked　out　upon　the　

railed　garden　of　the　square；　with　its　shrubs　and　shadowed　turf　

gleaming　pallidly　and　irregularly　in　the　light　of　the　big　electric　


standard　in　the　corner。



〃Margaret；〃　I　said；　〃I　think　I　shall　break　with　the　party。〃



She　made　no　answer。　　I　turned　presently；　a　movement　of　enquiry。



〃I　was　afraid　you　meant　to　do　that；〃　she　said。



〃I'm　out　of　touch；〃　I　explained。　　〃Altogether。〃



〃Oh！　I　know。〃



〃It　places　me　in　a　difficult　position；〃　I　said。



Margaret　stood　at　her　dressing…table；　looking　steadfastly　at　herself　

in　the　glass；　and　with　her　fingers　playing　with　a　litter　of　

stoppered　bottles　of　tinted　glass。　　〃I　was　afraid　it　was　coming　to　

this；〃　she　said。



〃In　a　way；〃　I　said；　〃we've　been　allies。　　I　owe　my　seat　to　you。　　I　

couldn't　have　gone　into　Parliament。　。　。　。〃



〃I　don't　want　considerations　like　that　to　affect　us；〃　she　

interrupted。



There　was　a　pause。　　She　sat　down　in　a　chair　by　her　dressing…table；　

lifted　an　ivory　hand…glass；　and　put　it　down　again。



〃I　wish；〃　she　said；　with　something　like　a　sob　in　her　voice；　〃it　were　

possible　that　you　shouldn't　do　this。〃　　She　stopped　abruptly；　and　I　

did　not　look　at　her；　because　I　could　feel　the　effort　she　was　making　

to　control　herself。



〃I　thought；〃　she　began　again；　〃when　you　came　into　Parliament〃



There　came　another　silence。　　〃It's　all　gone　so　differently；〃　she　

said。　　〃Everything　has　gone　so　differently。〃



I　had　a　sudden　memory　of　her；　shining　triumphant　after　the　

Kinghampstead　election；　and　for　the　first　time　I　realised　just　how　

perplexing　and　disappointing　my　subsequent　career　must　have　been　to　

her。



〃I'm　not　doing　this　without　consideration；〃　I　said。



〃I　know；〃　she　said；　in　a　voice　of　despair；　〃I've　seen　it　coming。　　

ButI　still　don't　understand　it。　　I　don't　understand　how　you　can　go　

over。〃



〃My　ideas　have　changed　and　developed；〃　I　said。



I　walked　across　to　her　bearskin　hearthrug；　and　stood　by　the　mantel。



〃To　think　that　you；〃　she　said；　〃you　who　might　have　been　leader〃　　

She　could　not　finish　it。　　〃All　the　forces　of　reaction；〃　she　threw　

out。



〃I　don't　think　they　are　the　forces　of　reaction；〃　I　said。　　〃I　think　I　

can　find　work　to　dobetter　work　on　that　side。〃



〃Against　us！〃　she　said。　　〃As　if　progress　wasn't　hard　enough！　　As　if　

it　didn't　call　upon　every　able　man！〃



〃I　don't　think　Liberalism　has　a　monopoly　of　progress。〃



She　did　not　answer　that。　　She　sat　quite　still　looking　in　front　of　

her。　　〃WHY　have　you　gone　over？〃　she　asked　abruptly　as　though　I　had　

said　nothing。



There　came　a　silence　that　I　was　impelled　to　end。　　I　began　a　stiff　

dissertation　from　the　hearthrug。　　〃I　am　going　over；　because　I　think　

I　may　join　in　an　intellectual　renascence　on　the　Conservative　side。　　

I　think　that　in　the　coming　struggle　there　will　be　a　partial　and　

altogether　confused　and　demoralising　victory　for　democracy；　that　

will　stir　the　classes　which　now　dominate　the　Conservative　party　into　

an　energetic　revival。　　They　will　set　out　to　win　back；　and　win　back。　　

Even　if　my　estimate　of　con…temporary　forces　is　wrong　and　they　win；　

they　will　still　be　forced　to　reconstruct　their　outlook。　　A　war　

abroad　will　supply　the　chastening　if　home　politics　fail。　　The　effort　

at　renascence　is　bound　to　come　by　either　alternative。　　I　believe　I　

can　do　more　in　relation　to　that　effort　than　in　any　other　connexion　

in　the　world　of　politics　at　the　present　time。　　That's　my　case；　

Margaret。〃



She　certainly　did　not　grasp　what　I　said。　　〃And　so　you　will　throw　

aside　all　the　beginnings；　all　the　beliefs　and　pledges〃　Again　her　

sentence　remained　incomplete。　　〃I　doubt　if　even；　once　you　have　gone　

over；　they　will　welcome　you。〃



〃That　hardly　matters。〃



I　made　an　effort　to　resume　my　speech。



〃I　came　into　Parliament；　Margaret；〃　I　said；　〃a　little　prematurely。　　

StillI　suppose　it　was　only　by　coming　into　Parliament　that　I　could　

see　things　as　I　do　now　in　terms　of　personality　and　imaginative　

range。　。　。　。〃　I　stopped。　　Her　stiff；　unhappy；　unlistening