tracks of a rolling stone-第58部分

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ain　varied　little：　　'How　long　shall　I　cry　and　　Thou　wilt　not　hear？'　…　that　was　the　monotonous　burden　of　the　　moans；　though　sometimes　I　fancied　it　changed　to：　　'Lord　how　　long　shall　the　wicked；　how　long　shall　the　wicked　triumph？'

The　evening　came；　and　then；　as　is　their　habit；　the　deer　began　　to　feed　up　wind。　　The　wounded　stag　seemed　loth　to　stir。　　By　　degrees　the　last　watchful　hind　fed　quietly　out　of　sight。　　　With　throbbing　pulse　and　with　the　instincts　of　a　fox　…　or　　prehistoric　man；　'tis　all　the　same　…　I　crawled　and　dragged　　myself　through　the　peat　bog　and　the　pools　of　water。　　But　　nearer　than　two　hundred　yards　it　was　impossible　to　get；　even　　to　raise　my　head　or　find　a　tussock　whereon　to　rest　the　rifle　　would　have　started　any　deer　but　this　one。　　From　the　hollow　I　　was　in；　the　most　I　could　see　of　him　was　the　outline　of　his　　back　and　his　head　and　neck。　　I　put　up　the　200　yards　sight　and　　killed　him。

A　vivid　description　of　the　body　is　not　desirable。　　It　was　　almost　fleshless；　wasted　away；　except　his　wounded　haunch。　　　That　was　nearly　twice　its　normal　size；　about　one　half　of　it　　was　maggots。　　The　stench　drove　us　all　away。　　This　I　had　done；　　and　I　had　done　it　for　my　pleasure！

After　that　year　I　went　no　more　to　Scotland。　　I　blame　no　one　　for　his　pursuit　of　sport。　　But　I　submit　that　he　must　follow　　it；　if　at　all；　with　Reason's　eyes　shut。　　Happily；　your　true　　sportsman　does　not　violate　his　conscience。　　As　a　friend　of　　mine　said　to　me　the　other　day；　'Unless　you　give　a　man　of　that　　kind　something　to　kill；　his　own　life　is　not　worth　having。'　　　This；　to　be　sure；　is　all　he　has　to　think　about。



CHAPTER　XLVIII



FOR　eight　or　nine　years；　while　my　sons　were　at　school；　I　　lived　at　Rickmansworth。　　Unfortunately　the　Leweses　had　just　　left　it。　　Moor　Park　belonged　to　Lord　Ebury；　my　wife's　uncle；　　and　the　beauties　of　its　magnificent　park　and　the　amenities　of　　its　charming　house　were　at　all　times　open　to　us；　and　freely　　taken　advantage　of。　　During　those　nine　years　I　lived　the　life　　of　a　student；　and　wrote　and　published　the　book　I　have　　elsewhere　spoken　of；　the　'Creeds　of　the　Day。'

Of　the　visitors　of　note　whose　acquaintance　I　made　while　I　was　　staying　at　Moor　Park；　by　far　the　most　illustrious　was　Froude。　　　He　was　too　reserved　a　man　to　lavish　his　intimacy　when　taken　　unawares；　and　if　he　suspected；　as　he　might　have　done　by　my　　probing；　that　one　wanted　to　draw　him　out；　he　was　much　too　　shrewd　to　commit　himself　to　definite　expressions　of　any　kind　　until　he　knew　something　of　his　interviewer。　　Reticence　of　　this　kind；　on　the　part　of　such　a　man；　is　both　prudent　and　　commendable。　　But　is　not　this　habit　of　cautiousness　sometimes　　carried　to　the　extent　of　ambiguity　in　his　'Short　Studies　on　　Great　Subjects'？　　The　careful　reader　is　left　in　no　sort　of　　doubt　as　to　Froude's　own　views　upon　Biblical　criticism；　as　to　　his　theological　dogmas；　or　his　speculative　opinions。　　But　the　　conviction　is　only　reached　by　comparing　him　with　himself　in　　different　moods；　by　collating　essay　with　essay；　and　one　part　　of　an　essay　with　another　part　of　the　same　essay。　　Sometimes　　we　have　an　astute　defence　of　doctrines　worthy　at　least　of　a　　temperate　apologist；　and　a　few　pages　further　on　we　wonder　　whether　the　writer　was　not　masking　his　disdain　for　the　　credulity　which　he　now　exposes　and　laughs　at。　　Neither　　excessive　caution　nor　timidity　are　implied　by　his　editing　of　　the　Carlyle　papers；　and　he　may　have　failed　…　who　that　has　　done　so　much　has　not？　…　in　keeping　his　balance　on　the　swaying　　slack…rope　between　the　judicious　and　the　injudicious。　　In　his　　own　line；　however；　he　is；　to　my　taste；　the　most　scholarly；　　the　most　refined；　and　the　most　suggestive；　of　our　recent　　essayists。　　The　man　himself　in　manner　and　in　appearance　was　　in　perfect　keeping　with　these　attractive　qualities。

While　speaking　of　Moor　Park　and　its　kind　owner　I　may　avail　　myself　of　this　opportunity　to　mention　an　early　reminiscence　　of　Lord　Ebury's　concerning　the　Grosvenor　estate　in　London。

Mr。　Gladstone　was　wont　to　amuse　himself　with　speculations　as　　to　the　future　dimensions　of　London；　what　had　been　its　growth　　within　his　memory；　what　causes　might　arise　to　cheek　its　　increase。　　After　listening　to　his　remarks　on　the　subject　one　　day　at　dinner；　I　observed　that　I　had　heard　Lord　Ebury　talk　of　　shooting　over　ground　which　is　now　Eaton　Square。　　Mr。　　Gladstone　of　course　did　not　doubt　it；　but　some　of　the　young　　men　smiled　incredulously。　　I　afterwards　wrote　to　Lord　Ebury　　to　make　sure　that　I　had　not　erred。　　Here　is　his　reply：


'Moor　Park；　Rickmansworth：　　January　9；　1883。

'MY　dear　Henry；　…　What　you　said　I　had　told　you　about　snipe…　shooting　is　quite　true；　though　I　think　I　ought　to　have　　mentioned　a　space　rather　nearer　the　river　than　Eaton　Square。　　　In　the　year　1815；　when　the　battle　of　Waterloo　was　fought；　　there　was　nothing　behind　Grosvenor　Place　but　the　（…？）　fields　　…　so　called；　a　place　something　like　the　Scrubbs；　where　the　　household　troops　drilled。　　That　part　of　Grosvenor　Place　where　　the　Grosvenor　Place　houses　now　stand　was　occupied　by　the　Lock　　Hospital　and　Chapel；　and　it　ended　where　the　small　houses　are　　now　to　be　found。　　A　little　farther；　a　somewhat　tortuous　lane　　called　the　King's　Road　led　to　Chelsea；　and；　I　think；　where　　now　St。　Peter's；　Pimlico；　was　afterwards　built。　　I　remember　　going　to　a　breakfast　at　a　villa　belonging　to　Lady　　Buckinghamshire。　　The　Chelsea　Waterworks　Company　had　a　sort　　of　marshy　place　with　canals　and　osier　beds；　now；　I　suppose；　　Ebury　Street；　and　here　it　was　that　I　was　permitted　to　go　and　　try　my　hand　at　snipe…shooting；　a　special　privilege　given　to　　the　son　of　the　freeholder。

'The　successful　fox…hunt　terminating　in　either　Bedford　or　　Russell　Square　is　very　strange；　but　quite　appropriate；　　commemorated；　I　suppose；　by　the　statue　there　erected。

Yours　affectionately；

'E。'


The　successful　'fox…hunt　'　was　an　event　of　which　I　told　Lord　　Ebury　as　even　more　remarkable　than　his　snipe…shooting　in　　Belgravia。　　As　it　is　still　more　indicative　of　the　growth　of　　London　in　recent　times　it　may　be　here　recorded。

In　connection　with　Mr。　Gladstone's　forecasts；　I　had　written　　to　the　last　Lord　Digby；　who　was　a　grandson　of　my　father's；　　stating　that　I　had　heard　…　whether　from　my　father　or　not　I　　could　not　say　…　that　he　had　killed　a　fox　where　now　is　Bedford　　Square；　with　his　own　hounds。

Lord　Digby　replied：


'Minterne；　Dorset：　　January　7；　1883。

'My　dear　Henry；　…　My　grandfather　killed　a　fox　with　his　hounds　　either　in　Bedford　or　Russell　Square。　　Old　Jones；　the　　huntsman；　who　died　at　Holkham　when　you　were　a　child；　was　my　　informant。　　I　asked　my　grandfather　if　it　was　correct。　　He　　said　〃Yes〃　…　he　had　kennels　at　Epping　Place；　and　hunted　the　　roodings　of　Essex；　which；　he　said；　was　the　best　scenting…　ground　in　England。

'Yours　affectionately；

'DIGBY。'


（My　father　was　born　in　1754。）


Mr。　W。　S。　Gilbert　had　been　a　much　valued　friend　of　ours　　before　we　lived　at　Rickmansworth。　　We　had　been　his　guests　for　　the　'first　night'　of　almost　every　one　of　his　plays　…　plays　　that　may　have　a　thousand　imitators；　but　the　speciality　of　　whose　excellence　will　remain　unrivalled　and　inimitable。　　His　　visits　to　us　introduced　him；　I　think；　to　the　picturesque　　country　which　he　has　now　made　his　home。　　When　Mr。　Gilbert　　built　his　house　in　Harrington　Gardens　he　easily　persuaded　us　　to　build　next　door　to　him。　　This　led　to　my　acquaintance　with　　his　neighbour　on　the　other　side；　Mr。　Walter　Cassels；　now　well　　known　as　the　author　of　'Supernatural　Religion。'

When　first　published　in　1874；　this　learned　work；　summarising　　and　elaborately　examining　the　higher　criticism　of　the　four　　Gospels　up　to　date；　created　a　sensation　throughout　the　　theological　world；　which　was　not　a　little　intensified　by　the　　anonymity　of　its　author。　　The　virulence　with　which　it　was　　attacked　by　Dr。　Lightfoot；　the　most　erudite　bishop　on　the　　bench；　at　once　demonstrated　its　weighty　significance　and　its　　destructive　force；　while　Mr。　Morley's　high　commendation　of　　its　literary　merits　and　the　scrupulous　equity　of　its　tone；　　placed　it　far　above　the　level　of　controversial　diatribes。

In　my　'Creeds　of　the　Day'　I　had　made　frequent　references　to　　the　anonymous　book；　and　soon　after　my　introduction　to　Mr。　　Cassels　spoke　to　him　of　its　importance；　and　asked　him　whether　　he　had　read　it。　　He　hesitated　for　a　moment；　then　said：

'We　are　very　much　of　the　same　way　of　thinking　on　these　　subjects。　　I　will　tell　you　a　secret　which　I　kept　for　some　　time　even　from　my　publishers　…　I　am　the　author　of　　〃Supernatural　Religion。〃'

From　that　time　forth；　we　became　the　closest　of　allies。　　I　　know　no　man　whose　tastes　and　opinions　and　interests　are　more　　completely　in　accord　with　my　own　than　those　of　Mr。　Walter　　Cassels。　　It　is　one　of　my　greatest　pleasures　to　meet　him　　every　summer　at　the　beautiful　place　of　our　mutual　and　　sympathetic　friend；　Mrs。　Robertson；　on　the　skirts　of　the　　Ashtead　forest；　in　Surrey。

The　winter　of　1888　I　spent　at　Cairo　under　the　roof　of　General　　Sir　Frederick　Stephenson；　then　commanding　the　English　forces　　in　Egypt。　　I　had　known　Sir　Frederick　as　an　ensign　in　the　　Guards。　　He　was　adjutant　of　his　regiment　at　the　Alma；　and　at　　Inkerman。　　He　is　now　Colonel　of　the　Coldstreams　and　Governor　　of　the　Tower。　　He　has　often　been　given　a　still　higher　title；　　that　of　'the　most　popular　man　in　the　army。'

Everybody　in　these　days　has　seen　the　Pyramids；　and　has　been　　up　the　Nile。　　There　is　only　one　name　I　have　to　mention　here；　　and　that　is　one　of　the　best…known　in　the　world。　　Mr。　Thomas　　Cook　was　the　son　of　the　original　inventor　of　the　'Globe…　trotter。'　　But　it　was　the　extraordinary　energy　and　powers　of　　organisation　of　the　son　that　enabled　him　to　develop　to　its　　present　efficiency　the　initial　scheme　of　the　father。

Shortly　before　the　General's　term　expired；　he　invited　Mr。　　Cook　to　dinner。　　The　Nile　share　of　the　Gordon　Relief　　Expedition　had　been　handed　over　to　Cook。　　The　boats；　the　　provisioning　of　them；　and　the　river　transport　service　up　to　　Wady　Halfa；　were　contracted　for　and　undertaken　by　Cook。

A　most　entertaining　account　he　gave　of　the　whole　affair。　　He　　told　us　how　the　Mudir　of　Dongola；　who　was　by　way　of　rendering　　every　possible　assistance；　had　offered　him　an　enormous　bribe　　to　wreck　the　most　valuable　cargoes　on　their　passage　through　　the　Cataracts。

Befo