the research magnificent-第22节

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　　He　was　trying　to　express　his　Cambridge　view　of　aristocracy　in　terms　of　Finacue　Street；　West。　The　artistic　and　intellectual　movements　of　London　had　made　their　various　demands　upon　his　time　and　energies。　　Art　came　to　him　with　a　noble　assumption　of　his　interest　and　an　intention　that　presently　became　unpleasantly　obvious　to　sell　him　pictures　that　he　did　not　want　to　buy　and　explain　away　pictures　that　he　did。　　He　bought　one　or　two　modern　achievements；　and　began　to　doubt　if　art　and　aristocracy　had　any　necessary　connection。　　At　first　he　had　accepted　the　assumption　that　they　had。　　After　all；　he　reflected；　one　lives　rather　for　life　and　things　than　for　pictures　of　life　and　things　or　pictures　arising　out　of　life　and　things。　　This　Art　had　an　air　of　saying　something；　but　when　one　came　to　grips　with　it　what　had　it　to　say？　Unless　it　was　Yah！　　The　drama；　and　more　particularly　the　intellectual　drama；　challenged　his　attention。　　In　the　hands　of　Shaw；　Barker；　Masefield；　Galsworthy；　and　Hankin；　it；　too；　had　an　air　of　saying　something；　but　he　found　it　extremely　difficult　to　join　on　to　his　own　demands　upon　life　anything　whatever　that　the　intellectual　drama　had　the　air　of　having　said。　　He　would　sit　forward　in　the　front　row　of　the　dress…circle　with　his　cheek　on　his　hand　and　his　brow　slightly　knit。　　His　intentness　amused　observant　people。　　The　drama　that　did　not　profess　to　be　intellectual　he　went　to　with　Lady　Marayne；　and　usually　on　first　nights。　　Lady　Marayne　loved　a　big　first　night　at　St。　James's　Theatre　or　His　Majesty's。　　Afterwards；　perhaps；　Sir　Godfrey　would　join　them　at　a　supper　party；　and　all　sorts　of　clever　and　amusing　people　would　be　there　saying　keen　intimate　things　about　each　other。　　He　met　Yeats；　who　told　amusing　stories　about　George　Moore；　and　afterwards　he　met　George　Moore；　who　told　amusing　stories　about　Yeats；　and　it　was　all；　he　felt；　great　fun　for　the　people　who　were　in　it。　　But　he　was　not　in　it；　and　he　had　no　very　keen　desire　to　be　in　it。　　It　wasn't　his　stuff。　　He　had；　though　they　were　nowadays　rather　at　the　back　of　his　mind；　quite　other　intentions。　　In　the　meanwhile　all　these　things　took　up　his　time　and　distracted　his　attention。　There　was；　as　yet；　no　practicable　aviation　to　beguile　a　young　man　of　spirit；　but　there　were　times　when　Benham　found　himself　wondering　whether　there　might　not　be　something　rather　creditable　in　the　possession　and　control　of　a　motor…car　of　exceptional　power。　　Only　one　might　smash　people　up。　　Should　an　aristocrat　be　deterred　by　the　fear　of　smashing　people　up？　　If　it　is　a　selfish　fear　of　smashing　people　up；　if　it　is　nerves　rather　than　pity？　　At　any　rate　it　did　not　come　to　the　car。

6

Among　other　things　that　delayed　Benham　very　greatly　in　the　development　of　his　aristocratic　experiments　was　the　advice　that　was　coming　to　him　from　every　quarter。　　It　came　in　extraordinary　variety　and　volume；　but　always　it　had　one　unvarying　feature。　　It　ignored　and　tacitly　contradicted　his　private　intentions。　We　are　all　of　us　disposed　to　be　propagandists　of　our　way　of　living；　and　the　spectacle　of　a　wealthy　young　man　quite　at　large　is　enough　to　excite　the　most　temperate　of　us　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex。　〃If　I　were　you；〃　came　to　be　a　familiar　phrase　in　his　ear。　　This　was　particularly　the　case　with　political　people；　and　they　did　it　not　only　from　the　natural　infirmity　of　humanity；　but　because；　when　they　seemed　reluctant　or　satisfied　with　him　as　he　was；　Lady　Marayne　egged　them　on。　There　was　a　general　assumption　that　he　was　to　go　into　Parliament；　and　most　of　his　counsellors　assumed　further　that　on　the　whole　his　natural　sympathies　would　take　him　into　the　Conservative　party。　　But　it　was　pointed　out　to　him　that　just　at　present　the　Liberal　party　was　the　party　of　a　young　man's　opportunity；　sooner　or　later　the　swing　of　the　pendulum　which　would　weed　the　Conservatives　and　proliferate　Liberals　was　bound　to　come；　there　was　always　more　demand　and　opportunity　for　candidates　on　the　Liberal　side；　the　Tariff　Reformers　were　straining　their　ministerial　majority　to　the　splitting　point；　and　most　of　the　old　Liberal　leaders　had　died　off　during　the　years　of　exile。　　The　party　was　no　longer　dominated；　it　would　tolerate　ideas。　A　young　man　who　took　a　distinctive　lineprovided　it　was　not　from　the　party　point　of　view　a　vexatious　or　impossible　linemight　go　very　rapidly　far　and　high。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　urged　upon　him　that　the　Tariff　Reform　adventure　called　also　for　youth　and　energy。　But　there；　perhaps；　there　was　less　scope　for　the　distinctive　line　and　already　they　had　Garvin。　　Quite　a　number　of　Benham's　friends　pointed　out　to　him　the　value　of　working　out　some　special　aspect　of　our　national　political　interests。　　A　very　useful　speciality　was　the　Balkans。　　Mr。　Pope；　the　well…known　publicist；　whose　very　sound　and　considerable　reputation　was　based　on　the　East　Purblow　Labour　Experiment；　met　Benham　at　lunch　and　proposed　to　go　with　him　in　a　spirit　of　instructive　association　to　the　Balkans；　rub　up　their　Greek　together；　and　settle　the　problem　of　Albania。　　He　wanted；　he　said；　a　foreign　speciality　to　balance　his　East　Purblow　interest。　　But　Lady　Beach　Mandarin　warned　Benham　against　the　Balkans；　the　Balkans　were　getting　to　be　too　handy　for　Easter　and　summer　holidays；　and　now　that　there　were　several　good　hotels　in　Servia　and　Montenegro　and　Sofia；　they　were　being　overdone。　　Everybody　went　to　the　Balkans　and　came　back　with　a　pet　nationality。　　She　loathed　pet　nationalities。　　She　believed　most　people　loathed　them　nowadays。　　It　was　stale：　it　was　GLADSTONIAN。　　She　was　all　for　specialization　in　social　reform。　　She　thought　Benham　ought　to　join　the　Fabian　Society　and　consult　the　Webbs。　　Quite　a　number　of　able　young　men　had　been　placed　with　the　assistance　of　the　Webbs。　　They　were；　she　said；　〃a　perfect　fount。　。　。　。〃　Two　other　people；　independently　of　each　other；　pointed　out　to　Benham　the　helpfulness　of　a　few　articles　in　the　half…crown　monthlies。　。　。　。　〃What　are　the　assumptions　underlying　all　this？〃　Benham　asked　himself　in　a　phase　of　lucidity。　And　after　reflection。　　〃Good　God！　　The　assumptions！　　What　do　they　think　will　satisfy　me？　。　。　。〃　Everybody；　however；　did　not　point　to　Parliament。　　Several　people　seemed　to　think　Travel；　with　a　large　T；　was　indicated。　　One　distant　cousin　of　Sir　Godfrey's；　the　kind　of　man　of　the　world　who　has　long　moustaches；　was　for　big　game　shooting。　　〃Get　right　out　of　all　this　while　you　are　young；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　nothing　to　compare　with　stopping　a　charging　lion　at　twenty　yards。　　I've　done　it；　my　boy。　You　can　come　back　for　all　this　pow…wow　afterwards。〃　　He　gave　the　diplomatic　service　as　a　second　choice。　　〃There　you　are；〃　he　said；　〃first…rate　social　position；　nothing　to　do；　theatres；　operas；　pretty　women；　colour；　life。　　The　best　of　good　times。　　Barring　Washington；　that　is。　　But　Washington；　they　say；　isn't　as　bad　as　it　used　to　be　since　Teddy　has　Europeanized　‘em。　。　。　。〃　Even　the　Reverend　Harold　Benham　took　a　subdued　but　thoughtful　share　in　his　son's　admonition。　　He　came　up　to　the　flatdue　precautions　were　taken　to　prevent　a　painful　encounterhe　lunched　at　his　son's　new　club；　and　he　was　visibly　oppressed　by　the　contrast　between　the　young　man's　youthful　fortunes　and　his　own。　　As　visibly　he　bore　up　bravely。　　〃There　are　few　men；　Poff；　who　would　not　envy　you　your　opportunities；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　the　Feast　of　Life　spread　out　at　your　feet。　。　。　。　　I　hope　you　have　had　yourself　put　up　for　the　Athenaeum。　　They　say　it　takes　years。　　When　I　was　a　young　manand　ambitiousI　thought　that　some　day　I　might　belong　to　the　Athenaeum。　。　。　。　　One　has　to　learn。　。　。　。〃

7

And　with　an　effect　of　detachment；　just　as　though　it　didn't　belong　to　the　rest　of　him　at　all；　there　was　beginning　a　sort　of　backstairs　and　underside　to　Benham's　life。　　There　is　no　need　to　discuss　how　inevitable　that　may　or　may　not　be　in　the　case　of　a　young　man　of　spirit　and　large　means；　nor　to　embark　upon　the　discussion　of　the　temptations　and　opportunities　of　large　cities。　　Several　ladies；　of　various　positions　and　qualities；　had　reflected　upon　his　manifest　need　of　education。　　There　was　in　particular　Mrs。　Skelmersdale；　a　very　pretty　little　widow　with　hazel　eyes；　black　hair；　a　mobile　mouth；　and　a　pathetic　history；　who　talked　of　old　music　to　him　and　took　him　to　a　Dolmetsch　concert　in　Clifford's　Inn；　and　expanded　that　common　interest　to　a　general　participation　in　his　indefinite　outlook。　　She　advised　him　about　his　probable　politicseverybody　did　thatbut　when　he　broke　through　his　usual　reserve　and　suggested　views　of　his　own；　she　was　extraordinarily　sympathetic。　　She　was　so　sympathetic　and　in　such　a　caressing　way　that　she　created　a　temporary　belief　in　her　understanding；　and　it　was　quite　imperceptibly　that　he　was　drawn　into　the　discussion　of　modern　ethical　problems。　　She　herself　was　a　rather　stimulating　instance　of　modern　ethical　problems。　　She　told　him　something　of　her　own　story；　and　then　their　common　topics　narrowed　down　very　abruptly。　　He　found　he　could　help　her　in　several　ways。　　There　is；　unhappily；　a　disposition　on　the　part　of　many　people；　who　ought　to　know　better；　to　regard　a　role　played　by　Joseph　during　his　earlier　days　in　Egypt　as　a　ridiculous　one。　　This　point　of　view　became　very　inopportunely　dominant　in　Benham's　mind　when　he　was　lunching　TETE　A　TETE　with　Mrs。　Skelmersdale　at　her　flat。　。　。　。　The　ensuing　intimacy　was　of　an