all roads lead to calvary-第39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！
Even its supporters； while reading it because it pandered to their passions； tickled their vices； and flattered their ignorance； despised and disbelieved it。 Here and there； an honest journal advocated a reform； pleaded for the sweeping away of an injustice。 The public shrugged its shoulders。 Another newspaper stunt！ A bid for popularity； for notoriety： with its consequent financial kudos。
She still continued to write for Greyson； but felt she was labouring for the doomed。 Lord Sutcliffe had died suddenly and his holding in the Evening Gazette had passed to his nephew； a gentleman more interested in big game shooting than in politics。 Greyson's support of Phillips had brought him within the net of Carleton's operations； and negotiations for purchase had already been commenced。 She knew that； sooner or later； Greyson would be offered the alternative of either changing his opinions or of going。 And she knew that he would go。 Her work for Mrs。 Denton was less likely to be interfered with。 It appealed only to the few； and aimed at informing and explaining rather than directly converting。 Useful enough work in its way； no doubt； but to put heart into it seemed to require longer views than is given to the eyes of youth。
Besides； her pen was no longer able to absorb her attention； to keep her mind from wandering。 The solitude of her desk gave her the feeling of a prison。 Her body made perpetual claims upon her； as though it were some restless； fretful child； dragging her out into the streets without knowing where it wanted to go； discontented with everything it did： then hurrying her back to fling itself upon a chair； weary； but still dissatisfied。
If only she could do something。 She was sick of thinking。
These physical activities into which women were throwing themselves！ Where one used one's body as well as one's brain hastened to appointments； gathered round noisy tables； met fellow human beings； argued with them； walked with them； laughing and talking； forced one's way through crowds； cheered； shouted； stood up on platforms before a sea of faces； roused applause； filling and emptying one's lungs； met interruptions with swift flash of wit or anger； faced opposition； dangerfelt one's blood surging through one's veins； felt one's nerves quivering with excitement； felt the delirious thrill of passion； felt the mad joy of the loosened animal。
She threw herself into the suffrage movement。 It satisfied her for a while。 She had the rare gift of public speaking； and enjoyed her triumphs。 She was temperate； reasonable； persuasive rather than aggressive； feeling her audience as she went； never losing touch with them。 She had the magnetism that comes of sympathy。 Medical students who came intending to tell her to go home and mind the baby； remained to wonder if man really was the undoubted sovereign of the world； born to look upon woman as his willing subject； to wonder whether under some unwritten whispered law it might not be the other way about。 Perhaps she had the rightwith or without the babyto move about the kingdom； express her wishes for its care and management。 Possibly his doubts may not have been brought about solely by the force and logic of her arguments。 Possibly the voice of Nature is not altogether out of place in discussions upon Humanity's affairs。
She wanted votes for women。 But she wanted them cleanwon without dishonour。 These 〃monkey tricks〃this apish fury and impatience！ Suppose it did hasten by a few months； more or less； the coming of the inevitable。 Suppose； by unlawful methods； one could succeed in dragging a reform a little prematurely from the womb of time； did not one endanger the child's health？ Of what value was woman's influence on public affairs going to be； if she was to boast that she had won the right to exercise it by unscrupulousness and brutality？
They were to be found at every corner： the reformers who could not reform themselves。 The believers in universal brotherhood who hated half the people。 The denouncers of tyranny demanding lamp… posts for their opponents。 The bloodthirsty preachers of peace。 The moralists who had persuaded themselves that every wrong was justified provided one were fighting for the right。 The deaf shouters for justice。 The excellent intentioned men and women labouring for reforms that could only be hoped for when greed and prejudice had yielded place to reason； and who sought to bring about their ends by appeals to passion and self…interest。
And the insincere； the self…seekers； the self…advertisers！ Those who were in the business for even coarser profit！ The lime…light lovers who would always say and do the clever； the unexpected thing rather than the useful and the helpful thing： to whom paradox was more than principle。
Ought there not to be a school for reformers； a training college where could be inculcated self…examination； patience； temperance； subordination to duty； with lectures on the fundamental laws； within which all progress must be accomplished； outside which lay confusion and explosions； with lectures on history； showing how improvements had been brought about and how failure had been invited； thus avoiding much waste of reforming zeal； with lectures on the properties and tendencies of human nature； forbidding the attempt to treat it as a sum in rule of three？
There were the others。 The men and women not in the lime…light。 The lone； scattered men and women who saw no flag but Pity's ragged skirt； who heard no drum but the world's low cry of pain； who fought with feeble hands against the wrong around them； who with aching heart and troubled eyes laboured to make kinder the little space about them。 The great army of the nameless reformers uncheered； unparagraphed； unhonoured。 The unknown sowers of the seed。 Would the reapers of the harvest remember them？
Beyond giving up her visits to the house； she had made no attempt to avoid meeting Phillips； and at public functions and at mutual friends they sometimes found themselves near to one another。 It surprised her that she could see him； talk to him； and even be alone with him without its troubling her。 He seemed to belong to a part of her that lay dead and buriedsomething belonging to her that she had thrust away with her own hands： that she knew would never come back to her。
She was still interested in his work and keen to help him。 It was going to be a stiff fight。 He himself； in spite of Carleton's opposition； had been returned with an increased majority； but the Party as a whole had suffered loss； especially in the counties。 The struggle centred round the agricultural labourer。 If he could be won over the Government would go ahead with Phillips's scheme。 Otherwise there was danger of its being shelved。 The difficulty was the old problem of how to get at the men of the scattered villages； the lonely cottages。 The only papers that they ever saw were those； chiefly of the Carleton group； that the farmers and the gentry took care should come within their reach； that were handed to them at the end of their day's work as a kindly gift； given to the school children to take home with them； supplied in ample numbers to all the little inns and public…houses。 In all these； Phillips was held up as their arch enemy； his proposal explained as a device to lower their wages； decrease their chances of employment； and rob them of the produce of their gardens and allotments。 No arguments were used。 A daily stream of abuse； misrepresentation and deliberate lies； set forth under flaming headlines； served their simple purpose。 The one weekly paper that had got itself established among them； that their fathers had always taken； that dimly they had come to look upon as their one friend； Carleton had at last succeeded in purchasing。 When that； too； pictured Phillips's plan as a diabolical intent to take from them even the little that they had； and give it to the loafing socialist and the bloated foreigner； no room for doubt was left to them。
He had organized volunteer cycle companies of speakers from the towns； young working…men and women and students； to go out on summer evenings and hold meetings on the village greens。 They were winning their way。 But it was slow work。 And Carleton was countering their efforts by a hired opposition that followed them from place to place； and whose interruptions were made use of to represent the whole campaign as a fiasco。
〃He's clever；〃 laughed Phillips。 〃I'd enjoy the fight； if I'd only myself to think of； and life wasn't so short。〃
The laugh died away and a shadow fell upon his face。
〃If I could get a few of the big landlords to come in on my side；〃 he continued； 〃it would make all the difference in the world。 They're sensible men； some of them； and the whole thing could be carried out without injury to any legitimate interest。 I could make them see that； if I could only get them quietly into a corner。〃
〃But they're frightened of me；〃 he added； with a shrug of his broad shoulders； 〃and I don't seem to know how to tackle them。〃
Those drawing…rooms？ Might not something of the sort be possible？ Not； perhaps； the sumptuous salon of her imagination； thronged with the fair and famous； suitably attired。 Something； perhaps； more homely； more immediately attainable。 Some of the women dressed； perhaps； a little dowdily； not all of them young and beautiful。 The men wise； perhaps； rather than persistently witty； a few of them prosy； maybe a trifle ponderous； but solid and influential。 Mrs。 Denton's great empty house in Gower Street？ A central situation and near to the tube。 Lords and ladies had once ruffled there； trod a measure on its spacious floors； filled its echoing stone hall with their greetings and their partings。 The gaping sconces； where their link…boys had extinguished their torches； still capped its grim iron railings。
Seated in the great； sombre library； Joan hazarded the suggestion。 Mrs。 Denton might almost have been waiting for it。 It would be quite easy。 A little opening of long fastened windows； a lighting of chill grates； a little mending of moth…eaten curtains； a sweeping away of long…gathered dust and cobwebs。
Mrs。 Denton knew just the right people。 They might be induced to bring their
