tracks of a rolling stone-第15部分

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understand　at　first。　　At　　the　dinner…table　his　amusement　seemed；　I　won't　say　to　make　a　　'butt'　of　me　…　his　banter　was　too　good…natured　for　that　…　but　　he　treated　me　as　Dr。　Primrose　treated　his　son　after　the　　bushel…of…green…spectacles　bargain。　　He　invented　the　most　　wonderful　stories；　and　told　them　with　imperturbable　　sedateness。　　Finding　a　credulous　listener　in　me；　he　drew　all　　the　more　freely　upon　his　invention。　　When；　however；　he　　gravely　asserted　that　Jonas　was　not　the　only　man　who　had　　spent　three　days　and　three　nights　in　a　whale's　belly；　but　　that　he　himself　had　caught　a　whale　with　a　man　inside　it　who　　had　lived　there　for　more　than　a　year　on　blubber；　which；　he　　declared；　was　better　than　turtle　soup；　it　was　impossible　to　　resist　the　fooling；　and　not　forget　that　one　was　the　Moses　of　　the　extravaganza。

In　the　evening　he　proposed　that　his　son　and　daughter　and　I　　should　act　a　charade。　　Napier　was　the　audience；　and　Marryat　　himself　the　orchestra　…　that　is；　he　played　on　his　fiddle　such　　tunes　as　a　ship's　fiddler　or　piper　plays　to　the　heaving　of　　the　anchor；　or　for　hoisting　in　cargo。　　Everyone　was　in　　romping　spirits；　and　notwithstanding　the　cheery　Captain's　　signs　of　fatigue　and　worn　looks；　which　he　evidently　strove　to　　conceal；　the　evening　had　all　the　freshness　and　spirit　of　an　　impromptu　pleasure。

When　I　left；　Marryat　gave　me　his　violin；　with　some　sad　words　　about　his　not　being　likely　to　play　upon　it　more。　　Perhaps　he　　knew　better　than　we　how　prophetically　he　was　speaking。　　　Barely　three　weeks　afterwards　I　learnt　that　the　humorous　　creator　of　'Midshipman　Easy'　would　never　make　us　laugh　again。

In　1846　Lord　John　Russell　succeeded　Sir　Robert　Peel　as　　premier。　　At　the　General　Election；　a　brother　of　mine　was　the　　Liberal　candidate　for　the　seat　in　East　Norfolk。　　He　was　　returned；　but　was　threatened　with　defeat　through　an　　occurrence　in　which　I　was　innocently　involved。

The　largest　landowner　in　this　division　of　the　county；　next　to　　my　brother　Leicester；　was　Lord　Hastings　…　great…grandfather　　of　the　present　lord。　　On　the　occasion　I　am　referring　to；　he　　was　a　guest　at　Holkham；　where　a　large　party　was　then　　assembled。　　Leicester　was　particularly　anxious　to　be　civil　to　　his　powerful　neighbour；　and　desired　the　members　of　his　family　　to　show　him　every　attention。　　The　little　lord　was　an　　exceedingly　punctilious　man：　　as　scrupulously　dapper　in　　manner　as　he　was　in　dress。　　Nothing　could　be　more　courteous；　　more　smiling；　than　his　habitual　demeanour；　but　his　bite　was　　worse　than　his　bark；　and　nobody　knew　which　candidate　his　　agents　had　instructions　to　support　in　the　coming　contest。　　It　　was　quite　on　the　cards　that　the　secret　order　would　turn　the　　scales。

One　evening　after　dinner；　when　the　ladies　had　left　us；　the　　men　were　drawn　together　and　settled　down　to　their　wine。　　It　　was　before　the　days　of　cigarettes；　and　claret　was　plentifully　　imbibed。　　I　happened　to　be　seated　next　to　Lord　Hastings　on　　his　left；　on　the　other　side　of　him　was　Spencer　Lyttelton；　　uncle　of　our　Colonial　Secretary。　　Spencer　Lyttelton　was　a　　notable　character。　　He　had　much　of　the　talents　and　amiability　　of　his　distinguished　family；　but　he　was　eccentric；　　exceedingly　comic；　and　dangerously　addicted　to　practical　　jokes。　　One　of　these　he　now　played　upon　the　spruce　and　　vigilant　little　potentate　whom　it　was　our　special　aim　to　win。

As　the　decanters　circulated　from　right　to　left；　Spencer　　filled　himself　a　bumper；　and　passed　the　bottles　on。　　Lord　　Hastings　followed　suit。　　I；　unfortunately；　was　speaking　to　　Lyttelton　behind　Lord　Hastings's　back；　and　as　he　turned　and　　pushed　the　wine　to　me；　the　incorrigible　joker；　catching　sight　　of　the　handkerchief　sticking　out　of　my　lord's　coat…tail；　　quick　as　thought　drew　it　open　and　emptied　his　full　glass　into　　the　gaping　pocket。　　A　few　minutes　later　Lord　Hastings；　who　　took　snuff；　discovered　what　had　happened。　　He　held　the　　dripping　cloth　up　for　inspection；　and　with　perfect　urbanity　　deposited　it　on　his　dessert　plate。

Leicester　looked　furious；　but　said　nothing　till　we　joined　the　　ladies。　　He　first　spoke　to　Hastings；　and　then　to　me。　　What　　passed　between　the　two　I　do　not　know。　　To　me；　he　said：　　　'Hastings　tells　me　it　was　you　who　poured　the　claret　into　his　　pocket。　　This　will　lose　the　election。　　After　to…morrow；　I　　shall　want　your　room。'　　Of　course；　the　culprit　confessed；　and　　my　brother　got　the　support　we　hoped　for。　　Thus　it　was　that　　the　political　interests　of　several　thousands　of　electors　　depended　on　a　glass　of　wine。



CHAPTER　XII



I　HAD　completed　my　second　year　at　the　University；　when；　in　　October　1848；　just　as　I　was　about　to　return　to　Cambridge　　after　the　long　vacation；　an　old　friend　…　William　Grey；　the　　youngest　of　the　ex…Prime…Minister's　sons　…　called　on　me　at　my　　London　lodgings。　　He　was　attached　to　the　Vienna　Embassy；　　where　his　uncle；　Lord　Ponsonby；　was　then　ambassador。　　Shortly　　before　this　there　had　been　serious　insurrections　both　in　　Paris；　Vienna；　and　Berlin。

Many　may　still　be　living　who　remember　how　Louis　Philippe　fled　　to　England；　how　the　infection　spread　over　this　country；　how　　25；000　Chartists　met　on　Kennington　Common；　how　the　upper　and　　middle　classes　of　London　were　enrolled　as　special　constables；　　with　the　future　Emperor　of　the　French　amongst　them；　how　the　　promptitude　of　the　Iron　Duke　saved　London；　at　least；　from　the　　fate　of　the　French　and　Austrian　capitals。

This；　however；　was　not　till　the　following　spring。　　Up　to　　October；　no　overt　defiance　of　the　Austrian　Government　had　yet　　asserted　itself；　but　the　imminence　of　an　outbreak　was　the　　anxious　thought　of　the　hour。　　The　hot　heads　of　Germany；　　France；　and　England　were　more　than　meditating　…　they　were　　threatening；　and　preparing　for；　a　European　revolution。　　　Bloody　battles　were　to　be　fought；　kings　and　emperors　were　to　　be　dethroned　and　decapitated；　mobs　were　to　take　the　place　of　　parliaments；　the　leaders　of　the　'people'　…　I。E。　the　stump　　orators　…　were　to　rule　the　world；　property　was　to　be　divided　　and　subdivided　down　to　the　shirt　on　a　man's　…　a　rich　man's　…　　back；　and　every　'po'r'　man　was　to　have　his　own；　and　…　　somebody　else's。　　This　was　the　divine　law　of　Nature；　　according　to　the　gospels　of　Saint　Jean　Jacques　and　Mr。　　Feargus　O'Connor。　　We　were　all　naked　under　our　clothes；　which　　clearly　proved　our　equality。　　This　was　the　simple；　the　　beautiful　programme；　once　carried　out；　peace；　fraternal　and　　eternal　peace；　would　reign　…　till　it　ended；　and　the　earthly　　Paradise　would　be　an　accomplished　fact。

I　was　an　ultra…Radical　…　a　younger…son　Radical　…　in　those　　days。　　I　was　quite　ready　to　share　with　my　elder　brother；　I　　had　no　prejudice　in　favour　of　my　superiors；　I　had　often　　dreamed　of　becoming　a　leader　of　the　'people'　…　a　stump　　orator；　I。E。　…　with　the　handsome　emoluments　of　ministerial　　office。

William　Grey　came　to　say　good…bye。　　He　was　suddenly　recalled　　in　consequence　of　the　insurrection。　　'It　is　a　most　critical　　state　of　affairs；'　he　said。　　'A　revolution　may　break　out　all　　over　the　Continent　at　any　moment。　　There's　no　saying　where　it　　may　end。　　We　are　on　the　eve　of　a　new　epoch　in　the　history　of　　Europe。　　I　wouldn't　miss　it　on　any　account。'

'Most　interesting！　most　interesting！'　I　exclaimed。　　'How　I　　wish　I　were　going　with　you！'

'Come；'　said　he；　with　engaging　brevity。

'How　can　I？　　I'm　just　going　back　to　Cambridge。'

'You　are　of　age；　aren't　you？'

I　nodded。

'And　your　own　master？　　Come；　you'll　never　have　such　a　chance　　again。'

'When　do　you　start？'

'To…morrow　morning　early。'

'But　it　is　too　late　to　get　a　passport。'

'Not　a　bit　of　it。　　I　have　to　go　to　the　Foreign　Office　for　my　　despatches。　　Dine　with　me　to…night　at　my　mother's　…　nobody　　else　…　and　I'll　bring　your　passport　in　my　pocket。'

'So　be　it；　then。　　Billy　Whistle　＇the　irreverend　nickname　we　　undergraduates　gave　the　Master　of　Trinity＇　will　rusticate　me　　to　a　certainty。　　It　can't　be　helped。　　The　cause　is　sacred。　　　I'll　meet　you　at　Lady　Grey's　to…night。'

We　reached　our　destination　at　daylight　on　October　9。　　We　had　　already　heard；　while　changing　carriages　at　Breslau　station；　　that　the　revolution　had　broken　out　at　Vienna；　that　the　rails　　were　torn　up；　the　Bahn…hof　burnt；　the　military　defeated　and　　driven　from　the　town。　　William　Grey's　official　papers；　aided　　by　his　fluent　German；　enabled　us　to　pass　the　barriers；　and　　find　our　way　into　the　city。　　He　went　straight　to　the　Embassy；　　and　sent　me　on　to　the　'Erzherzog　Carl'　in　the　Karnthner　Thor　　Strasse；　at　that　time　the　best　hotel　in　Vienna。　　It　being　　still　nearly　dark；　candles　were　burning　in　every　window　by　　order　of　the　insurgents。

The　preceding　day　had　been　an　eventful　one。　　The　　proletariats；　headed　by　the　students；　had　sacked　the　arsenal；　　the　troops　having　made　but　slight　resistance。　　They　then　　marched　to　the　War　Office　and　demanded　the　person　of　the　War　　Minister；　Count　Latour；　who　was　most　unpopular　on　account　of　　his　known　appeal　to　Jellachich；　the　Ban　of　Croatia；　to　　assist；　if　required；　in　putting　down　the　disturbances。　　Some　　sharp　fighting　here　took　place。　　The　rioters　defeated　the　　small　body　of　soldiers　on　the　spot；　captured　two　guns；　and　　took　possession　of　the　building。　　The　unfortunate　minister　　was　found　in　one　of　the　upper　garrets　of　the　palace。　　The　　ruffians　dragged　him　from　his　place　of　concealment；　and　　barbarously　murdered　him。　　They　then　flung　his　body　from　the　　window；　and　in　a　few　minutes　it　was　hanging　from　a　lamp…post　　above　the　heads　of　the　infuriated　and　yelling　mob。

In　1848　the　inner　city　of　Vienna　was　enclosed　within　a　broad　　and　lofty　bastion；　fosse；　and　glacis。　　These　were　levelled　in　　1857。　　As　soon　as　the　troops　were　expelled；　cannon　were　　placed　on　the　Bastei　so　as　to　command　the　approaches　from　　without。　　The　tunnelled　gateways　were　built　up；　and　　barricades　erected　across　every　principal　thoroughfare。　　　Immediately　after　these　events　Ferdinand　I。　abdicated　in　　favour　of　the　present　Emperor　Francis　Joseph；　who　retired　　with　the　Court　to　Schobrunn。　　Foreigners　at　once　took　flight；　　and　the　hotels　were　emptied。　　The　only　person　left　in　the　　'Archduke　Charles'　beside　myself　was　Mr。　Bowen；　afterwards　　Sir　George；　Governor　of　New　Zealand；　with　whom　I　was　glad　to　　fraternise。

These　humble　pages　do　not　aspire　to　the　dignity　of　History；　　but　a　few　words　as　to　what　took　place　are　needful　for