the new machiavelli-第47部分

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measure　femininity。　　She　was　my　perfect　friend。　　Could　I　have　

foreseen；　had　my　world　been　more　wisely　planned；　to　this　day　we　

might　have　been　such　friends。



She　seemed　at　that　time　unconscious　of　sex；　though　she　has　told　me　

since　how　full　she　was　of　protesting　curiosities　and　restrained　

emotions。　　She　spoke；　as　indeed　she　has　always　spoken；　simply；　

clearly；　and　vividly；　schoolgirl　slang　mingled　with　words　that　

marked　ample　voracious　reading；　and　she　moved　quickly　with　the　free　

directness　of　some　graceful　young　animal。　　She　took　many　of　the　easy　

freedoms　a　man　or　a　sister　might　have　done　with　me。　　She　would　touch　

my　arm；　lay　a　hand　on　my　shoulder　as　I　sat；　adjust　the　lapel　of　a　

breast…pocket　as　she　talked　to　me。　　She　says　now　she　loved　me　always　

from　the　beginning。　　I　doubt　if　there　was　a　suspicion　of　that　in　her　

mind　those　days。　　I　used　to　find　her　regarding　me　with　the　clearest；　

steadiest　gaze　in　the　world；　exactly　like　the　gaze　of　some　nice　

healthy　innocent　animal　in　a　forest；　interested；　inquiring；　

speculative；　but　singularly　untroubled。　。　。　。







5





Polling　day　came　after　a　last　hoarse　and　dingy　crescendo。　　The　

excitement　was　not　of　the　sort　that　makes　one　forget　one　is　tired　

out。　　The　waiting　for　the　end　of　the　count　has　left　a　long　blank　

mark　on　my　memory；　and　then　everyone　was　shaking　my　hand　and　

repeating：　〃Nine　hundred　and　seventy…six。〃



My　success　had　been　a　foregone　conclusion　since　the　afternoon；　but　

we　all　behaved　as　though　we　had　not　been　anticipating　this　result　

for　hours；　as　though　any　other　figures　but　nine　hundred　and　seventy…

six　would　have　meant　something　entirely　different。　　〃Nine　hundred　

and　seventy…six！〃　said　Margaret。　　〃They　didn't　expect　three　

hundred。〃



〃Nine　hundred　and　seventy…six；〃　said　a　little　short　man　with　a　

paper。　　〃It　means　a　big　turnover。　　Two　dozen　short　of　a　thousand；　

you　know。〃



A　tremendous　hullaboo　began　outside；　and　a　lot　of　fresh　people　came　

into　the　room。



Isabel；　flushed　but　not　out　of　breath；　Heaven　knows　where　she　had　

sprung　from　at　that　time　of　night！　was　running　her　hand　down　my　

sleeve　almost　caressingly；　with　the　innocent　bold　affection　of　a　

girl。　　〃Got　you　in！〃　she　said。　　〃It's　been　no　end　of　a　lark。〃



〃And　now；〃　said　I；　〃I　must　go　and　be　constructive。〃



〃Now　you　must　go　and　be　constructive；〃　she　said。



〃You've　got　to　live　here；〃　she　added。



〃By　Jove！　yes；〃　I　said。　　〃We'll　have　to　house　hunt。〃



〃I　shall　read　all　your　speeches。〃



She　hesitated。



〃I　wish　I　was　you；〃　she　said；　and　said　it　as　though　it　was　not　

exactly　the　thing　she　was　meaning　to　say。



〃They　want　you　to　speak；〃　said　Margaret；　with　something　unsaid　in　

her　face。



〃You　must　come　out　with　me；〃　I　answered；　putting　my　arm　through　

hers；　and　felt　someone　urging　me　to　the　French　windows　that　gave　on　

the　balcony。



〃If　you　think〃　she　said；　yielding　gladly



〃Oh；　RATHER！〃　said　I。



The　Mayor　of　Kinghamstead；　a　managing　little　man　with　no　great　

belief　in　my　oratorical　powers；　was　sticking　his　face　up　to　mine。



〃It's　all　over；〃　he　said；　〃　and　you've　won。　　Say　all　the　nice　things　

you　can　and　say　them　plainly。〃



I　turned　and　handed　Margaret　out　through　the　window　and　stood　

looking　over　the　Market…place；　which　was　more　than　half　filled　with　

swaying　people。　　The　crowd　set　up　a　roar　of　approval　at　the　sight　of　

us；　tempered　by　a　little　booing。　　Down　in　one　corner　of　the　square　a　

fight　was　going　on　for　a　flag；　a　fight　that　even　the　prospect　of　a　

speech　could　not　instantly　check。　　〃Speech！〃　cried　voices；　〃Speech！〃　

and　then　a　brief　〃boo…oo…oo〃　that　was　drowned　in　a　cascade　of　shouts　

and　cheers。　　The　conflict　round　the　flag　culminated　in　the　smashing　

of　a　pane　of　glass　in　the　chemist's　window　and　instantly　sank　to　

peace。



〃Gentlemen　voters　of　the　Kinghamstead　Division；〃　I　began。



〃Votes　for　Women！〃　yelled　a　voice；　amidst　laughterthe　first　time　I　

remember　hearing　that　memorable　war…cry。



〃Three　cheers　for　Mrs。　Remington！〃



〃Mrs。　Remington　asks　me　to　thank　you；〃　I　said；　amidst　further　uproar　

and　reiterated　cries　of　〃Speech！〃



Then　silence　came　with　a　startling　swiftness。



Isabel　was　still　in　my　mind；　I　suppose。　　〃I　shall　go　to　

Westminster；〃　I　began。　　I　sought　for　some　compelling　phrase　and　

could　not　find　one。　　〃To　do　my　share；〃　I　went　on；　〃in　building　up　a　

great　and　splendid　civilisation。〃



I　paused；　and　there　was　a　weak　gust　of　cheering；　and　then　a　renewal　

of　booing。



〃This　election；〃　I　said；　〃　has　been　the　end　and　the　beginning　of　

much。　　New　ideas　are　abroad〃



〃Chinese　labour；〃　yelled　a　voice；　and　across　the　square　swept　a　

wildfire　of　booting　and　bawling。



It　is　one　of　the　few　occasions　when　I　quite　lost　my　hold　on　a　

speech。　　I　glanced　sideways　and　saw　the　Mayor　of　Kinghamstead　

speaking　behind　his　hand　to　Parvill。　　By　a　happy　chance　Parvill　

caught　my　eye。



〃What　do　they　want？〃　I　asked。



〃Eh？〃



〃What　do　they　want？〃



〃Say　something　about　general　fairnessthe　other　side；〃　prompted　

Parvill；　flattered　but　a　little　surprised　by　my　appeal。　　I　pulled　

myself　hastily　into　a　more　popular　strain　with　a　gross　eulogy　of　my　

opponent's　good　taste。



〃Chinese　labour！〃　cried　the　voice　again。



〃You've　given　that　notice　to　quit；〃　I　answered。



The　Market…place　roared　delight；　but　whether　that　delight　expressed　

hostility　to　Chinamen　or　hostility　to　their　practical　enslavement　no　

student　of　the　General　Election　of　1906　has　ever　been　able　to　

determine。　　Certainly　one　of　the　most　effective　posters　on　our　side　

displayed　a　hideous　yellow　face；　just　that　and　nothing　more。　　There　

was　not　even　a　legend　to　it。　　How　it　impressed　the　electorate　we　did　

not　know；　but　that　it　impressed　the　electorate　profoundly　there　can　

be　no　disputing。







6





Kinghamstead　was　one　of　the　earliest　constituencies　fought；　and　we　

came　backit　must　have　been　Saturdaytriumphant　but　very　tired；　to　

our　house　in　Radnor　Square。　　In　the　train　we　read　the　first　

intimations　that　the　victory　of　our　party　was　likely　to　be　a　

sweeping　one。



Then　came　a　period　when　one　was　going　about　receiving　and　giving　

congratulations　and　watching　the　other　men　arrive；　very　like　a　boy　

who　has　returned　to　school　with　the　first　batch　after　the　holidays。　　

The　London　world　reeked　with　the　General　Election；　it　had　invaded　

the　nurseries。　　All　the　children　of　one's　friends　had　got　big　maps　

of　England　cut　up　into　squares　to　represent　constituencies　and　were　

busy　sticking　gummed　blue　labels　over　the　conquered　red　of　Unionism　

that　had　hitherto　submerged　the　country。　　And　there　were　also　orange　

labels；　if　I　remember　rightly；　to　represent　the　new　Labour　party；　

and　green　for　the　Irish。　　I　engaged　myself　to　speak　at　one　or　two　

London　meetings；　and　lunched　at　the　Reform；　which　was　fairly　tepid；　

and　dined　and　spent　one　or　two　tumultuous　evenings　at　the　National　

Liberal　Club；　which　was　in　active　eruption。　　The　National　Liberal　

became　feverishly　congested　towards　midnight　as　the　results　of　the　

counting　came　dropping　in。　　A　big　green…baize　screen　had　been　fixed　

up　at　one　end　of　the　large　smoking…room　with　the　names　of　the　

constituencies　that　were　voting　that　day；　and　directly　the　figures　

came　to　hand；　up　they　went；　amidst　cheers　that　at　last　lost　their　

energy　through　sheer　repetition；　whenever　there　was　record　of　a　

Liberal　gain。　　I　don't　remember　what　happened　when　there　was　a　

Liberal　loss；　I　don't　think　that　any　were　announced　while　I　was　

there。



How　packed　and　noisy　the　place　was；　and　what　a　reek　of　tobacco　and　

whisky　fumes　we　made！　　Everybody　was　excited　and　talking；　making　

waves　of　harsh　confused　sound　that　beat　upon　one's　ears；　and　every　

now　and　then　hoarse　voices　would　shout　for　someone　to　speak。　　Our　

little　set　was　much　in　evidence。　　Both　the　Cramptons　were　in；　Lewis；　

Bunting　Harblow。　　We　gave　brief　addresses　attuned　to　this　excitement　

and　the　late　hour；　amidst　much　enthusiasm。



Now　we　can　DO　things！〃　I　said　amidst　a　rapture　of　applause。　　Men　I　

did　not　know　from　Adam　held　up　glasses　and　nodded　to　me　in　solemn　

fuddled　approval　as　I　came　down　past　them　into　the　crowd　again。



Men　were　betting　whether　the　Unionists　would　lose　more　or　less　than　

two　hundred　seats。



〃I　wonder　just　what　we　shall　do　with　it　all；〃　I　heard　one　sceptic　

speculating。　。　。　。



After　these　orgies　I　would　get　home　very　tired　and　excited；　and　find　

it　difficult　to　get　to　sleep。　　I　would　lie　and　speculate　about　what　

it　was　we　WERE　going　to　do。　　One　hadn't　anticipated　quite　such　a　

tremendous　accession　to　power　for　one's　party。　　Liberalism　was　

swirling　in　like　a　flood。　。　。　。



I　found　the　next　few　weeks　very　unsatisfactory　and　distressing。　　I　

don't　clearly　remember　what　it　was　I　had　expected；　I　suppose　the　

fuss　and　strain　of　the　General　Election　had　built　up　a　feeling　that　

my　return　would　in　some　way　put　power　into　my　hands；　and　instead　I　

found　myself　a　mere　undistinguished　unit　in　a　vast　but　rather　vague　

majority。　　There　were　moments　when　I　felt　very　distinctly　that　a　

majority　could　be　too　big　a　crowd　altogether。　　I　had　all　my　work　

still　before　me；　I　had　achieved　nothing　as　yet　but　opportunity；　and　

a　very　crowded　opportunity　it　was　at　that。　　Everyone　about　me　was　

chatting　Parliament　and　appointments；　one　breathed　distracting　and　

irritating　speculations　as　to　what　would　be　done　and　who　would　be　

asked　to　do　it。　　I　was　chiefly　impressed　by　what　was　unlikely　to　be　

done　and　by　the　absence　of　any　general　plan　of　legislation　to　hold　

us　all　together。　　I　found　the　talk　about　Parliamentary　procedure　and　

etiquette　particularly　trying。　　We　dined　with　the　elder　Cramptons　

one　evening；　and　old　Sir　Edward　was　lengthily　sage　about　what　the　

House　liked；　what　it　didn't　like；　what　made　a　good　impression　and　

what　a　bad　one。　　〃A　man　shouldn