roundabout papers-第65部分

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ossessions　by　virtue　of　a　codicil　to　his　lordship's　will；　written；　〃strange　to　say；　upon　a　sheet　of　paper；　bearing　the　'Athenaeum　Club'　mark。〃　It　is　to　this　part　of　the　text；　my　brethren；　that　I　propose　to　address　myself　particularly；　and　if　the　remarks　I　make　are　offensive　to　any　of　you；　you　know　the　doors　of　our　meeting…house　are　open；　and　you　can　walk　out　when　you　will。　　Around　us　are　magnificent　halls　and　palaces　frequented　by　such　a　multitude　of　men　as　not　even　the　Roman　Forum　assembled　together。　　Yonder　are　the　Martium　and　the　Palladium。　Next　to　the　Palladium　is　the　elegant　Viatorium；　which　Barry　gracefully　stole　from　Rome。　　By　its　side　is　the　massive　Reformatorium：　and　thethe　Ultratorium　rears　its　granite　columns　beyond。　　Extending　down　the　street　palace　after　palace　rises　magnificent；　and　under　their　lofty　roofs　warriors　and　lawyers；　merchants　and　nobles；　scholars　and　seamen；　the　wealthy；　the　poor；　the　busy；　the　idle　assemble。　　Into　the　halls　built　down　this　little　street　and　its　neighborhood　the　principal　men　of　all　London　come　to　hear　or　impart　the　news；　and　the　affairs　of　the　state　or　of　private　individuals；　the　quarrels　of　empires　or　of　authors；　the　movements　of　the　court；　or　the　splendid　vagaries　of　fashion；　the　intrigues　of　statesmen　or　of　persons　of　another　sex　yet　more　wily；　the　last　news　of　battles　in　the　great　occidental　continents；　nay；　the　latest　betting　for　the　horse…races；　or　the　advent　of　a　dancer　at　the　theatreall　that　men　do　is　discussed　in　these　Pall　Mall　agorae；　where　we　of　London　daily　assemble。　Now　among　so　many　talkers；　consider　how　many　false　reports　must　fly　about：　in　such　multitudes　imagine　how　many　disappointed　men　there　must　be；　how　many　chatterboxes；　how　many　feeble　and　credulous　（whereof　I　mark　some　specimens　in　my　congregation）；　how　many　mean；　rancorous；　prone　to　believe　ill　of　their　betters；　eager　to　find　fault；　and　then；　my　brethren；　fancy　how　the　words　of　my　text　must　have　been　read　and　received　in　Pall　Mall！　　（I　perceive　several　of　the　congregation　looking　most　uncomfortable。　　One　old　boy　with　a　dyed　moustache　turns　purple　in　the　face；　and　struts　back　to　the　Martium：　another；　with　a　shrug　of　the　shoulder　and　a　murmur　of　〃Rubbish；〃　slinks　away　in　the　direction　of　the　Togatorium；　and　the　preacher　continues。）　　The　will　of　Field…Marshal　Lord　Clydesigned　AT　CHATHAM；　mind；　where　his　lordship　diedis　written；　STRANGE　TO　SAY；　on　a　sheet　of　paper　bearing　the　〃Athenaeum　Club〃　mark！　The　inference　is　obvious。　　A　man　cannot　get　Athenaeum　paper　except　at　the　〃Athenaeum。〃　　Such　paper　is　not　sold　at　Chatham；　where　the　last　codicil　to　his　lordship's　will　is　dated。　　And　so　the　painful　belief　is　forced　upon　us；　that　a　Peer；　a　Field…Marshal；　wealthy；　respected；　illustrious；　could　pocket　paper　at　his　Club；　and　carry　it　away　with　him　to　the　country。　　One　fancies　the　hall…porter　conscious　of　the　old　lord's　iniquity；　and　holding　down　his　head　as　the　Marshal　passes　the　door。　　What　is　that　roll　which　his　lordship　carries？　　Is　it　his　Marshal's　baton　gloriously　won？　　No；　it　is　a　roll　of　foolscap　conveyed　from　the　Club。　　What　has　he　on　his　breast；　under　his　greatcoat？　　Is　it　his　Star　of　India？　　No；　it　is　a　bundle　of　envelopes；　bearing　the　head　of　Minerva；　some　sealing…wax；　and　a　half…score　of　pens。　Let　us　imagine　how　in　the　hall　of　one　or　other　of　these　Clubs　this　strange　anecdote　will　be　discussed。　〃Notorious　screw；〃　says　Sneer。　　〃The　poor　old　fellow's　avarice　has　long　been　known。〃　〃Suppose　he　wishes　to　imitate　the　Duke　of　Marlborough；〃　says　Simper。　〃Habit　of　looting　contracted　in　India；　you　know；　ain't　so　easy　to　get　over；　you　know；〃　says　Snigger。　〃When　officers　dined　with　him　in　India；〃　remarks　Solemn；　〃it　was　notorious　that　the　spoons　were　all　of　a　different　pattern。〃　〃Perhaps　it　isn't　true。　　Suppose　he　wrote　his　paper　at　the　Club？〃　interposes　Jones。　〃It　is　dated　at　Chatham；　my　good　man；〃　says　Brown。　　〃A　man　if　he　is　in　London　says　he　is　in　London。　　A　man　if　he　is　in　Rochester　says　he　is　in　Rochester。　　This　man　happens　to　forget　that　he　is　using　the　Club　paper；　and　he　happens　to　be　found　out：　many　men　DON'T　happen　to　be　found　out。　　I've　seen　literary　fellows　at　Clubs　writing　their　rubbishing　articles；　I　have　no　doubt　they　take　away　reams　of　paper。　They　crib　thoughts：　why　shouldn't　they　crib　stationery？　　One　of　your　literary　vagabonds　who　is　capable　of　stabbing　a　reputation；　who　is　capable　of　telling　any　monstrous　falsehood　to　support　his　party；　is　surely　capable　of　stealing　a　ream　of　paper。〃　〃Well；　well；　we　have　all　our　weaknesses；〃　sighs　Robinson。　　〃Seen　that　article；　Thompson；　in　the　Observer　about　Lord　Clyde　and　the　Club　paper？　　You'll　find　it　up　stairs。　　In　the　third　column　of　the　fifth　page　towards　the　bottom　of　the　page。　　I　suppose　he　was　so　poor　he　couldn't　afford　to　buy　a　quire　of　paper。　　Hadn't　fourpence　in　the　world。　　Oh；　no！〃　〃And　they　want　to　get　up　a　testimonial　to　this　man's　memorya　statue　or　something！〃　cries　Jawkins。　　〃A　man　who　wallows　in　wealth　and　takes　paper　away　from　his　Club！　　I　don't　say　he　is　not　brave。　Brutal　courage　most　men　have。　　I　don't　say　he　was　not　a　good　officer：　a　man　with　such　experience　MUST　have　been　a　good　officer　unless　he　was　a　born　fool。　　But　to　think　of　this　man　loaded　with　honorsthough　of　a　low　originso　lost　to　self…respect　as　actually　to　take　away　the　'Athenaeum'　paper！　　These　parvenus；　sir；　betray　their　originbetray　their　origin。　　I　said　to　my　wife　this　very　morning；　'Mrs。　Jawkins；'　I　said；　'there　is　talk　of　a　testimonial　to　this　man。　　I　will　not　give　one　shilling。　　I　have　no　idea　of　raising　statues　to　fellows　who　take　away　Club　paper。　　No；　by　George；　I　have　not。　　Why；　they　will　be　raising　statues　to　men　who　take　Club　spoons　next！　　Not　one　penny　of　MY　money　shall　they　have！'〃　And　now；　if　you　please；　we　will　tell　the　real　story　which　has　furnished　this　scandal　to　a　newspaper；　this　tattle　to　Club　gossips　and　loungers。　　The　Field…Marshal；　wishing　to　make　a　further　provision　for　a　friend；　informed　his　lawyer　what　he　desired　to　do。　The　lawyer；　a　member　of　the　〃Athenaeum　Club；〃　there　wrote　the　draft　of　such　a　codicil　as　he　would　advise；　and　sent　the　paper　by　the　post　to　Lord　Clyde　at　Chatham。　　Lord　Clyde　finding　the　paper　perfectly　satisfactory；　signed　it　and　sent　it　back：　and　hence　we　have　the　story　of　〃the　codicil　bearing　the　signature　of　Clyde；　F。　M。；　and　written；　strange　to　say；　upon　paper　bearing　the　'Athenaeum　Club'　mark。〃　Here　I　have　been　imagining　a　dialogue　between　a　half…dozen　gossips　such　as　congregate　round　a　Club　fireplace　of　an　afternoon。　　I　wonder　how　many　people　besideswhether　any　chance　reader　of　this　very　page　has　read　and　believed　this　story　about　the　good　old　lord？　　Have　the　country　papers　copied　the　anecdote；　and　our　〃own　correspondents〃　made　their　remarks　on　it？　　If；　my　good　sir；　or　madam；　you　have　read　it　and　credited　it；　don't　you　own　to　a　little　feeling　of　shame　and　sorrow；　now　that　the　trumpery　little　mystery　is　cleared？　　To　〃the　new　inhabitant　of　light；〃　passed　away　and　out　of　reach　of　our　censure；　misrepresentation；　scandal；　dulness；　malice；　a　silly　falsehood　matters　nothing。　　Censure　and　praise　are　alike　to　him

　　　　〃The　music　warbling　to　the　deafened　ear；　　　　　　The　incense　wasted　on　the　funeral　bier；〃

the　pompous　eulogy　pronounced　over　the　gravestone；　or　the　lie　that　slander　spits　on　it。　　Faithfully　though　this　brave　old　chief　did　his　duty；　honest　and　upright　though　his　life　was；　glorious　his　renown　you　see　he　could　write　at　Chatham　on　London　paper；　you　see　men　can　be　found　to　point　out　how　〃strange〃　his　behavior　was。　And　about　ourselves？　　My　good　people；　do　you　by　chance　know　any　man　or　woman　who　has　formed　unjust　conclusions　regarding　his　neighbor？　Have　you　ever　found　yourself　willing；　nay；　eager　to　believe　evil　of　some　man　whom　you　hate？　　Whom　you　hate　because　he　is　successful；　and　you　are　not：　because　he　is　rich；　and　you　are　poor：　because　he　dines　with　great　men　who　don't　invite　you：　because　he　wears　a　silk　gown；　and　yours　is　still　stuff：　because　he　has　been　called　in　to　perform　the　operation　though　you　lived　close　by：　because　his　pictures　have　been　bought　and　yours　returned　home　unsold：　because　he　fills　his　church；　and　you　are　preaching　to　empty　pews？　　If　your　rival　prospers　have　you　ever　felt　a　twinge　of　anger？　　If　his　wife's　carriage　passes　you　and　Mrs。　Tomkins；　who　are　in　a　cab；　don't　you　feel　that　those　people　are　giving　themselves　absurd　airs　of　importance？　　If　he　lives　with　great　people；　are　you　not　sure　he　is　a　sneak？　　And　if　you　ever　felt　envy　towards　another；　and　if　your　heart　has　ever　been　black　towards　your　brother；　if　you　have　been　peevish　at　his　success；　pleased　to　hear　his　merit　depreciated；　and　eager　to　believe　all　that　is　said　in　his　disfavormy　good　sir；　as　you　yourself　contritely　own　that　you　are　unjust；　jealous；　uncharitable；　so；　you　may　be　sure；　some　men　are　uncharitable；　jealous；　and　unjust　regarding　YOU。

The　proofs　and　manuscript　of　this　little　sermon　have　just　come　from　the　printer's；　and　as　I　look　at　the　writing；　I　perceive；　not　without　a　smile；　that　one　or　two　of　the　pages　bear；　〃strange　to　say；〃　the　mark　of　a　Club　of　which　I　have　the　honor　to　be　a　member。　　Those　lines　quoted　in　a　foregoing　page　are　from　some　noble　verses　written　by　one　of　Mr。　Addison's　men；　Mr。　Tickell；　on　the　death　of　Cadogan；　who　was　amongst　the　most　prominent　〃of　Marlborough's　captains　and　Eugenio's　friends。〃　　If　you　are　acquainted　with　the　history　of　those　times；　you　have　read　how　Cadogan　had　his　feuds　and　hatreds　too；　as　Tickell's　patron　had　his；　as　Cadogan's　great　chief　had　his。　　〃The　Duke　of　Marlborough's　character　has　been　so　variously　drawn〃　（writes　a　famous　contemporary　of　the　duke's）；　〃that　it　is　hard　to　pronounce　on　either　side　without　the　suspicion　of　flattery　or　detraction。　　I　shall　say　nothing　of　his　military　accomplishments；　which　the　opposite　reports　of　his　friends　and　enemies　among　the　soldiers　have　rendered　problematical。　　Those　maligners　who　deny　him　personal　valor；　seem　not　to　consider　that　this　accusation　is　charged　at　a　venture；　since　the　person　of　a　general　is　too　seldom　exposed；　and　that　fear　which　is　said　sometimes　to　have　disconcerted　him　before　action　might　probably　be　more　for　his　army　than　himself。〃　　If　Swift　could　hint　a　doubt　of　Marlborough's　courage；　what　wonder　that　a　nameless　scribe　of　our　day　should　question　the　honor　of