the new machiavelli-第86节

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comparison；　to　dare　to　play　the　judge　to　me。　　And　then　I　had　an　open　

slight　from　Mrs。　Millingham；　whom　I　had　counted　on　as　one　counts　

upon　the　sunrise。　　I　had　not　expected　things　of　that　sort；　they　were　

disconcerting　beyond　measure；　it　was　as　if　the　world　were　giving　way　

beneath　my　feet；　as　though　something　failed　in　the　essential　

confidence　of　life；　as　though　a　hand　of　wet　ice　had　touched　my　

heart。　　Similar　things　were　happening　to　Isabel。　　Yet　we　went　on　

working；　visiting；　meeting；　trying　to　ignore　this　gathering　of　

implacable　forces　against　us。



For　a　time　I　was　perplexed　beyond　measure　to　account　for　this　

campaign。　　Then　I　got　a　clue。　　The　centre　of　diffusion　was　the　

Bailey　household。　　The　Baileys　had　never　forgiven　me　my　abandonment　

of　the　young　Liberal　group　they　had　done　so　much　to　inspire　and　

organise；　their　dinner…table　had　long　been　a　scene　of　hostile　

depreciation　of　the　BLUE　WEEKLY　and　all　its　allies；　week　after　week　

Altiora　proclaimed　that　I　was　〃doing　nothing；〃　and　found　other　

causes　for　our　bye…election　triumphs；　I　counted　Chambers　Street　a　

dangerous　place　for　me。　　Yet；　nevertheless；　I　was　astonished　to　find　

them　using　a　private　scandal　against　me。　　They　did。　　I　think　

Handitch　had　filled　up　the　measure　of　their　bitterness；　for　I　had　

not　only　abandoned　them；　but　I　was　succeeding　beyond　even　their　

power　of　misrepresentation。　　Always　I　had　been　a　wasp　in　their　

spider's　web；　difficult　to　claim　as　a　tool；　uncritical；　

antagonistic。　　I　admired　their　work　and　devotion　enormously；　but　I　

had　never　concealed　my　contempt　for　a　certain　childish　vanity　they　

displayed；　and　for　the　frequent　puerility　of　their　political　

intrigues。　　I　suppose　contempt　galls　more　than　injuries；　and　anyhow　

they　had　me　now。　　They　had　me。　　Bailey；　I　found；　was　warning　fathers　

of　girls　against　me　as　a　〃reckless　libertine；〃　and　Altiora；　flushed；　

roguish；　and　dishevelled；　was　sitting　on　her　fender　curb　after　

dinner；　and　pledging　little　parties　of　five　or　six　women　at　a　time　

with　infinite　gusto　not　to　let　the　matter　go　further。　　Our　cell　was　

open　to　the　world；　and　a　bleak；　distressful　daylight　streaming　in。



I　had　a　gleam　of　a　more　intimate　motive　in　Altiora　from　the　reports　

that　came　to　me。　　Isabel　had　been　doing　a　series　of　five　or　six　

articles　in　the　POLITICAL　REVIEW　in　support　of　our　campaign；　the　

POLITICAL　REVIEW　which　had　hitherto　been　loyally　Baileyite。　　Quite　

her　best　writing　up　to　the　present；　at　any　rate；　is　in　those　papers；　

and　no　doubt　Altiora　had　had　not　only　to　read　her　in　those　invaded　

columns；　but　listen　to　her　praises　in　the　mouths　of　the　tactless　

influential。　　Altiora；　like　so　many　people　who　rely　on　gesture　and　

vocal　insistence　in　conversation；　writes　a　poor　and　slovenly　prose　

and　handles　an　argument　badly；　Isabel　has　her　University　training　

behind　her　and　wrote　from　the　first　with　the　stark　power　of　a　clear…

headed　man。　　〃Now　we　know；〃　said　Altiora；　with　just　a　gleam　of　

malice　showing　through　her　brightness；　〃now　we　know　who　helps　with　

the　writing！〃



She　revealed　astonishing　knowledge。



For　a　time　I　couldn't　for　the　life　of　me　discover　her　sources。　　I　

had；　indeed；　a　desperate　intention　of　challenging　her；　and　then　I　

bethought　me　of　a　youngster　named　Curmain；　who　had　been　my　

supplemental　typist　and　secretary　for　a　time；　and　whom　I　had　sent　on　

to　her　before　the　days　of　our　breach。　　〃Of　course！〃　said　I；　

〃Curmain！〃　　He　was　a　tall；　drooping；　sidelong　youth　with　sandy　hair；　

a　little　forward　head；　and　a　long　thin　neck。　　He　stole　stamps；　and；　

I　suspected；　rifled　my　private　letter　drawer；　and　I　found　him　one　

day　on　a　turn　of　the　stairs　looking　guilty　and　ruffled　with　a　pretty　

Irish　housemaid　of　Margaret's　manifestly　in　a　state　of　hot　

indignation。　　I　saw　nothing；　but　I　felt　everything　in　the　air　

between　them。　　I　hate　this　pestering　of　servants；　but　at　the　same　

time　I　didn't　want　Curmain　wiped　out　of　existence；　so　I　had　packed　

him　off　without　unnecessary　discussion　to　Altiora。　　He　was　quick　and　

cheap　anyhow；　and　I　thought　her　general　austerity　ought　to　redeem　

him　if　anything　could；　the　Chambers　Street　housemaid　wasn't　for　any　

man's　kissing　and　showed　it；　and　the　stamps　and　private　letters　were　

looked　after　with　an　efficiency　altogether　surpassing　mine。　　And　

Altiora；　I've　no　doubt　left　now　whatever；　pumped　this　young　

undesirable　about　me；　and　scenting　a　story；　had　him　to　dinner　alone　

one　evening　to　get　to　the　bottom　of　the　matter。　　She　got　quite　to　

the　bottom　of　it；it　must　have　been　a　queer　duologue。　　She　read　

Isabel's　careless；　intimate　letters　to　me；　so　to　speak；　by　this　

proxy；　and　she　wasn't　ashamed　to　use　this　information　in　the　service　

of　the　bitterness　that　had　sprung　up　in　her　since　our　political　

breach。　　It　was　essentially　a　personal　bitterness；　it　helped　no　

public　purpose　of　theirs　to　get　rid　of　me。　　My　downfall　in　any　

public　sense　was　sheer　waste；the　loss　of　a　man。　　She　knew　she　was　

behaving　badly；　and　so；　when　it　came　to　remonstrance；　she　behaved　

worse。　　She'd　got　names　and　dates　and　places；　the　efficiency　of　her　

information　was　irresistible。　　And　she　set　to　work　at　it　

marvellously。　　Never　before；　in　all　her　pursuit　of　efficient　ideals；　

had　Altiora　achieved　such　levels　of　efficiency。　　I　wrote　a　protest　

that　was　perhaps　ill…advised　and　angry；　I　went　to　her　and　tried　to　

stop　her。　　She　wouldn't　listen；　she　wouldn't　think；　she　denied　and　

lied；　she　behaved　like　a　naughty　child　of　six　years　old　which　has　

made　up　its　mind　to　be　hurtful。　　It　wasn't　only；　I　think；　that　she　

couldn't　bear　our　political　and　social　influence；　she　alsoI　

realised　at　that　interview　couldn't　bear　our　loving。　　It　seemed　to　

her　the　sickliest　thing；a　thing　quite　unendurable。　　While　such　

things　were；　the　virtue　had　gone　out　of　her　world。



I've　the　vividest　memory　of　that　call　of　mine。　　She'd　just　come　in　

and　taken　off　her　hat；　and　she　was　grey　and　dishevelled　and　tired；　

and　in　a　business…like　dress　of　black　and　crimson　that　didn't　suit　

her　and　was　muddy　about　the　skirts；　she'd　a　cold　in　her　head　and　

sniffed　penetratingly；　she　avoided　my　eye　as　she　talked　and　

interrupted　everything　I　had　to　say；　she　kept　stabbing　fiercely　at　

the　cushions　of　her　sofa　with　a　long　hat…pin　and　pretending　she　was　

overwhelmed　with　grief　at　the　DEBACLE　she　was　deliberately　

organising。



〃Then　part；〃　she　cried；　〃part。　　If　you　don't　want　a　smashing　up；

part！　　You　two　have　got　to　be　parted。　　You've　got　never　to　see　each　

other　ever；　never　to　speak。〃　　There　was　a　zest　in　her　voice。　　〃We're　

not　circulating　stories；〃　she　denied。　　〃No！　　And　Curmain　never　told　

us　anythingCurmain　is　an　EXCELLENT　young　man；　oh！　a　quite　

excellent　young　man。　　You　misjudged　him　altogether。〃　。　。　。



I　was　equally　unsuccessful　with　Bailey。　　I　caught　the　little　wretch　

in　the　League　Club；　and　he　wriggled　and　lied。　　He　wouldn't　say　where　

he　had　got　his　facts；　he　wouldn't　admit　he　had　told　any　one。　　When　I　

gave　him　the　names　of　two　men　who　had　come　to　me　astonished　and　

incredulous；　he　attempted　absurdly　to　make　me　think　they　had　told　

HIM。　　He　did　his　horrible　little　best　to　suggest　that　honest　old　

Quackett；　who　had　just　left　England　for　the　Cape；　was　the　real　

scandalmonger。　　That　struck　me　as　mean；　even　for　Bailey。　　I've　still　

the　odd　vivid　impression　of　his　fluting　voice；　excusing　the　

inexcusable；　his　big；　shifty　face　evading　me；　his　perspiration…

beaded　forehead；　the　shrugging　shoulders；　and　the　would…be　

exculpatory　gesturesHoundsditch　gesturesof　his　enormous　ugly　

hands。



〃I　can　assure　you；　my　dear　fellow；〃　he　said；　〃I　can　assure　you　we've　

done　everything　to　shield　youeverything。〃　。　。　。







3





Isabel　came　after　dinner　one　evening　and　talked　in　the　office。　　She　

made　a　white…robed；　dusky　figure　against　the　deep　blues　of　my　big　

window。　　I　sat　at　my　desk　and　tore　a　quill　pen　to　pieces　as　I　

talked。



〃The　Baileys　don't　intend　to　let　this　drop；〃　I　said。　　〃They　mean　

that　every　one　in　London　is　to　know　about　it。〃



〃I　know。〃



〃Well！〃　I　said。



〃Dear　heart；〃　said　Isabel；　facing　it；　〃it's　no　good　waiting　for　

things　to　overtake　us；　we're　at　the　parting　of　the　ways。〃



〃What　are　we　to　do？〃



〃They　won't　let　us　go　on。〃



〃Damn　them！〃



〃They　are　ORGANISING　scandal。〃



〃It's　no　good　waiting　for　things　to　overtake　us；〃　I　echoed；　〃they　

have　overtaken　us。〃　　I　turned　on　her。　　〃What　do　you　want　to　do？〃



〃Everything；〃　she　said。　　〃Keep　you　and　have　our　work。　　Aren't　we　

Mates？〃



〃We　can't。〃



〃And　we　can't！〃



〃I've　got　to　tell　Margaret；〃　I　said。



〃Margaret！〃



〃I　can't　bear　the　idea　of　any　one　else　getting　in　front　with　it。　　

I've　been　wincing　about　Margaret　secretly〃



〃I　know。　　You'll　have　to　tell　herand　make　your　peace　with　her。〃



She　leant　back　against　the　bookcases　under　the　window。



〃We've　had　some　good　times；　Master；〃　she　said；　with　a　si