tracks of a rolling stone-第48部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　to　consider　the　intellectual　cost　to　the　world　　which　such　limitation　entails；　nor　is　the　loss　merely　　negative；　the　specialist　is　unfortunately　too　often　a　bigot；　　when　beyond　his　contracted　sphere。

This；　you　will　say；　is　arguing　in　a　circle。　　The　universal　　must　be　given　up　for　the　detail；　the　detail　for　the　　universal；　we　leave　off　where　we　began。　　Yes；　that　is　the　　dilemma。　　Still；　the　gain　to　science　through　a　devotion　of　a　　whole　life　to　a　mere　group　of　facts；　in　a　single　branch　of　a　　single　science；　may　be　an　incalculable　acquisition　to　human　　knowledge；　to　the　intellectual　capital　of　the　race　…　a　gain　　that　sometimes　far　outweighs　the　loss。　　Even　if　we　narrow　the　　question　to　the　destiny　of　the　individual；　the　sacrifice　of　　each　one　for　the　good　of　the　whole　is　doubtless　the　highest　　aim　the　one　can　have。

But　this　conclusion　scarcely　helps　us；　for　remember；　the　　option　is　not　given　to　all。　　Genius；　or　talent；　or　special　　aptitude；　is　a　necessary　equipment　for　such　an　undertaking。　　　Great　discoverers　must　be　great　observers；　dexterous　　manipulators；　ingenious　contrivers；　and　patient　thinkers。

The　difficulty　we　started　with　was；　what　you　and　I；　my　　friend；　who　perhaps　have　to　row　in　the　same　boat；　and　perhaps　　'with　the　same　sculls；'　without　any　of　these　provisions；　what　　we　should　do？　　What　point　of　the　compass　should　we　steer　for？　　　'Whatever　thy　hand　findeth　to　do；　do　it　with　thy　might。'　　　Truly　there　could　be　no　better　advice。　　But　the　'finding'　is　　the　puzzle；　and　like　the　search　for　truth　it　must；　I　fear；　be　　left　to　each　one's　power　to　do　it。　　And　then　…　and　then　the　　countless　thousands　who　have　the　leisure　without　the　means　…　　who　have　hands　at　least；　and　yet　no　work　to　put　them　to　…　　what　is　to　be　done　for　these？　　Not　in　your　time　or　mine；　dear　　friend；　will　that　question　be　answered。　　For　this；　I　fear　we　　must　wait　till　by　the　'universal　law　of　adaptation'　we　reach　　'the　ultimate　development　of　the　ideal　man。'　　'Colossal　　optimism；'　exclaims　the　critic。



CHAPTER　XXXIX



IN　February；　1855；　Roebuck　moved　for　a　select　committee　to　　inquire　into　the　condition　of　the　Army　before　Sebastopol。　　　Lord　John　Russell；　who　was　leader　of　the　House；　treated　this　　as　a　vote　of　censure；　and　resigned。　　Lord　Palmerston　resisted　　Roebuck's　motion；　and　generously　defended　the　Government　he　　was　otherwise　opposed　to。　　But　the　motion　was　carried　by　a　　majority　of　157；　and　Lord　Aberdeen　was　turned　out　of　office。　　　The　Queen　sent　for　Lord　Derby；　but　without　Lord　Palmerston　he　　was　unable　to　form　a　Ministry。　　Lord　John　was　then　appealed　　to；　with　like　results；　and　the　premiership　was　practically　　forced　upon　Palmerston；　in　spite　of　his　unpopularity　at　　Court。　　Mr。　Horsman　was　made　Chief　Secretary　for　Ireland；　and　　through　Mr。　Ellice　I　became　his　private　secretary。

Before　I　went　to　the　Irish　Office　I　was　all　but　a　stranger　to　　my　chief。　　I　had　met　him　occasionally　in　the　tennis　court；　　but　the　net　was　always　between　us。　　He　was　a　man　with　a　great　　deal　of　manner；　but　with　very　little　of　what　the　French　call　　'conviction。'　　Nothing　keeps　people　at　a　distance　more　　effectually　than　simulated　sincerity；　Horsman　was　a　master　of　　the　art。　　I　was　profoundly　ignorant　of　my　duties。　　But　though　　this　was　a　great　inconvenience　to　me　at　first；　it　led　to　a　　friendship　which　I　greatly　prized　until　its　tragic　end。　　For　　all　information　as　to　the　writers　of　letters；　as　to　Irish　　Members　who　applied　for　places　for　themselves；　or　for　others；　　I　had　to　consult　the　principal　clerk。　　He　was　himself　an　　Irishman　of　great　ability；　and　though　young；　was　either　　personally　or　officially　acquainted；　so　it　seemed　to　me；　with　　every　Irishman　in　the　House　of　Commons；　or　out　of　it。　　His　　name　is　too　well　known　…　it　was　Thomas　Bourke；　afterwards　　Under　Secretary；　and　one　of　the　victims　of　the　Fenian　　assassins　in　the　Phoenix　Park。　　His　patience　and　amiability　　were　boundless；　and　under　his　guidance　I　soon　learnt　the　　tricks　of　my　trade。

During　the　session　we　remained　in　London；　and　for　some　time　　it　was　of　great　interest　to　listen　to　the　debates。　　When　　Irish　business　was　before　the　House；　I　had　often　to　be　in　　attendance　on　my　chief　in　the　reporters'　gallery。　　Sometimes　　I　had　to　wait　there　for　an　hour　or　two　before　our　questions　　came　on；　and　thus　had　many　opportunities　of　hearing　Bright；　　Gladstone；　Disraeli；　and　all　the　leading　speakers。　　After　a　　time　the　pleasure；　when　compulsory；　began　to　pall；　and　I　used　　to　wonder　what　on　earth　could　induce　the　ruck　to　waste　their　　time　in　following；　sheeplike；　their　bell…wethers；　or　waste　　their　money　in　paying　for　that　honour。　　When　Parliament　was　　up　we　moved　to　Dublin。　　I　lived　with　Horsman　in　the　Chief　　Secretary's　lodge。　　And　as　I　had　often　stayed　at　Castle　　Howard　before　Lord　Carlisle　became　Viceroy；　between　the　two　　lodges　I　saw　a　great　deal　of　pleasant　society。

Amongst　those　who　came　to　stay　with　Horsman　was　Sidney　　Herbert；　then　Colonial　Secretary；　a　man　of　singular　nobility　　of　nature。　　Another　celebrity　for　the　day；　but　of　a　very　　different　character；　was　Lord　Cardigan。　　He　had　just　returned　　from　the　Crimea；　and　was　now　in　command　of　the　forces　in　　Ireland。　　This　was　about　six　months　after　the　Balaklava　　charge。　　Horsman　asked　him　one　evening　to　give　a　description　　of　it；　with　a　plan　of　the　battle。　　His　Lordship　did　so；　no　　words　could　be　more　suited　to　the　deed。　　If　this　was　'pell…　mell；　havock；　and　confusion；'　the　account　of　it　was　　proportionately　confounded。　　The　noble　leader　scrawled　and　　inked　and　blotted　all　the　phases　of　the　battle　upon　the　same　　scrap　of　paper；　till　the　batteries　were　at　the　starting…point　　of　the　charge；　the　Light　Brigade　on　the　far　side　of　the　guns；　　and　all　the　points　of　the　compass；　attack　and　defence；　had　　changed　their　original　places；　in　fact；　the　gallant　Earl　　brandished　his　pen　as　valiantly　as　he　had　his　sword。　　When　　quite　bewildered；　like　everybody　else；　I　ventured　mildly　to　　ask；　'But　where　were　you；　Lord　Cardigan；　and　where　were　our　　men　when　it　came　to　this？'

'Where？　　Where？　　God　bless　my　soul！　　How　should　I　know　where　　anybody　was？'　　And　this；　no　doubt；　described　the　situation　to　　a　nicety。

My　office　was　in　the　Castle；　and　the　next　room　to　mine　was　　that　of　the　Solicitor…General　Keogh；　afterwards　Judge。　　We　　became　the　greatest　of　friends。　　It　was　one　of　Horsman's　　peculiarities　to　do　business　circuitously。　　He　was　fond　of　　mysteries　and　of　secrets；　secrets　that　were　to　be　kept　from　　everyone；　but　which　were　generally　known　to　the　office　　messengers。　　When　Keogh　and　I　met　in　the　morning　he　would　　say；　with　admirable　imitation　of　Horsman's　manner；　'Well；　it　　is　all　settled；　the　Viceroy　has　considered　the　question；　and　　has　decided　to　act　upon　my　advice。　　Mind　you　don't　tell　　anyone　…　it　is　a　profound　secret；'　then；　lowering　his　voice　　and　looking　round　the　room；　'His　Excellency　has　consented　to　　score　at　the　next　cricket　match　between　the　garrison　and　the　　Civil　Service。'　　If　it　were　a　constabulary　appointment；　or　　even　a　village　post…office；　the　Attorney　or　the　Solicitor…　General　would　be　strictly　enjoined　not　to　inform　me；　and　I　　received　similar　injunctions　respecting　them。　　In　spite　of　　his　apparent　attention　to　details；　Mr。　Horsman　hunted　three　　days　a　week；　and　stated　in　the　House　of　Commons　that　the　　office　of　Chief　Secretary　was　a　farce；　meaning　when　excluded　　from　the　Cabinet。　　All　I　know　is；　that　his　private　secretary　　was　constantly　at　work　an　hour　before　breakfast　by　candle…　light；　and　never　got　a　single　day's　holiday　throughout　the　　winter。

Horsman　had　hired　a　shooting　…　Balnaboth　in　Scotland；　here；　　too；　I　had　to　attend　upon　him　in　the　autumn；　mainly　for　the　　purpose　of　copying　voluminous　private　correspondence　about　a　　sugar　estate　he　owned　at　Singapore；　then　producing　a　large　　income；　but　the　subsequent　failure　of　which　was　his　ruin。　　　One　year　Sir　Alexander　Cockburn；　the　Lord　Chief　Justice；　came　　to　stay　with　him；　and　excellent　company　he　was。　　Horsman　had　　sometimes　rather　an　affected　way　of　talking；　and　referring　to　　some　piece　of　political　news；　asked　Cockburn　whether　he　had　　seen　it　in　the　'Courier。'　　This　he　pronounced　with　an　accent　　on　the　last　syllable；　like　the　French　'Courrier。'　　Cockburn；　　with　a　slight　twinkle　in　his　eye；　answered　in　his　quiet　way；　　'No；　I　didn't　see　it　in　the　〃Courrier；〃　perhaps　it　is　in　the　　〃Morning　Post；〃'　also　giving　the　French　pronunciation　to　the　　latter　word。

Sir　Alexander　told　us　an　amusing　story　about　Disraeli。　　He　　and　Bernal　Osborne　were　talking　together　about　Mrs。　Disraeli；　　when　presently　Osborne；　with　characteristic　effrontery；　　exclaimed：　　'My　dear　Dizzy；　how　could　you　marry　such　a　　woman？'　　The　answer　was；　'My　dear　Bernal；　you　never　knew　what　　gratitude　was；　or　you　would　not　ask　the　question。'

The　answer　was　a　gracious　one；　and　doubtless　sincere。　　But；　　despite　his　cynicism；　no　one　could　be　more　courteous　or　say　　prettier　things　than　Disraeli。　　Here　is　a　little　story　that　　was　told　me　at　the　time　by　my　sister…in…law；　who　was　a　woman　　of　the　bedchamber；　and　was　present　on　the　occasion。　　When　her　　Majesty　Queen　Alexandra　was　suffering　from　an　accident　to　her　　knee；　and　had　to　use　crutches；　Disraeli　said　to　her：　　'I　have　　heard　of　a　devil　on　two　sticks；　but　never　before　knew　an　　angel　to　use　them。'

Keogh；　Bourke；　and　I；　made　several　pleasant　little　excursions　　to　such　places　as　Bray；　the　Seven　Churches；　Powerscourt；　&c。；　　and；　with　a　chosen　car…driver；　the　wit　and　fun　of　the　three　　clever　Irishmen　was　no　small　treat。　　The　last　time　I　saw　　either　of　my　two　friends　was　at　a　dinner…party　which　Bourke　　gave　at　the　'Windham。'　　We　were　only　four；　to　make　up　a　whist　　party；　the　fourth　was　Fred　Clay；　the　composer。　　It　is　sad　to　　reflect　that　two　of　the　lot　came　to　violent　ends　…　Keogh；　the　　cheeriest　of　men　in　society；　by　his　own　hands。　　Bourke　I　had　　often　spoken　to　of　the　danger　he　ran　in　crossing　the　Phoenix　　Park　nightly　on　his　way　home；　on　foot　and　unarmed。　　He　　laughed　at　me；　and　rather　indignantly　…　for　he　was　a　very　　vain　man；　though　one　of　the　most　good…natured　fellows　in　the　　world。　　In　the　first　place；　he　prided　himself　on　his　physique　　…　he　was　a　tall；　well…built；　handsome　man；　and　a　good　boxer　　and　fencer　to　boot。　　In　the　next　place；　he　prided　himself　　above　all　things　on　bei