biographical study of a. w. kinglake-第12部分

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ontains　some　praise；　but　more　abuse。　　Hayward　is　angry　　with　it；　Kinglake　thinks　it　more　friendly　than　could　have　been　　expected　〃to　YOU；　a　friend　of　ME；　their　old　open　enemy：　the　sugar…　plums　were　meant　for　you；　the　sprinklings　of　soot　for　me。〃

Besides　〃Russia　and　England〃　Madame　Novikoff　is　the　author　of　　〃Friends　or　Foes？　…　is　Russia　wrong？〃　and　of　a　〃Life　of　Skobeleff；〃　　the　hero　of　Plevna　and　of　Geok　Tepe。　　From　her　natural　endowments　　and　her　long　familiarity　with　Courts；　she　has　acquired　a　capacity　　for　combining；　controlling；　entertaining　social　〃circles〃　which　　recalls　LES　SALONS　D'AUTREFOIS；　the　drawing…rooms　of　an　Ancelot；　a　　Le　Brun；　a　Recamier。　　Residing　in　several　European　capitals；　she　　surrounds　herself　in　each　with　persons　intellectually　eminent；　in　　England；　where　she　has　long　spent　her　winters；　Gladstone；　Carlyle　　and　Froude；　Charles　Villiers；　Bernal　Osborne；　Sir　Robert　Morier；　　Lord　Houghton；　and　many　more　of　the　same　high　type；　formed　her　　court　and　owned　her　influence。

Kinglake　first　met　her　at　Lady　Holland's　in　1870；　and　mutual　liking　　ripened　rapidly　into　close　friendship。　　During　her　residences　in　　England　few　days　passed　in　which　he　did　not　present　himself　at　her　　drawing…room　in　Claridge's　Hotel：　when　absent　in　Russia　or　on　the　　Continent；　she　received　from　him　weekly　letters；　though　he　used　to　　complain　that　writing　to　a　lady　through　the　POSTE　RESTANTE　was　like　　trying　to　kiss　a　nun　through　a　double　grating。　　These　letters；　all　　faithfully　preserved；　I　have　been　privileged　to　see；　they　remind　　me；　in　their　mixture　of　personal　with　narrative　charm；　of　Swift's　　〃Letters　to　Stella〃；　except　that　Swift's　are　often　coarse　and　　sometimes　prurient；　while　Kinglake's　chivalrous　admiration　for　his　　friend；　though　veiled　occasionally　by　graceful　banter；　is　always　　respectful　and　refined。　　They　even　imitate　occasionally　the　〃little　　language〃　of　the　great　satirist；　if　Swift　was　Presto；　Kinglake　is　　〃Poor　dear　me〃；　if　Stella　was　M。　D。；　Madame　Novikoff　is　〃My　dear　　Miss。〃　　This　last　endearment　was　due　to　an　incident　at　a　London　　dinner　table。　　A　story　told　by　Hayward；　seasoned　as　usual　with　GROS　　SEL；　amused　the　more　sophisticated　English　ladies　present；　but　　covered　her　with　blushes。　　Kinglake　perceived　it；　and　said　to　her　　afterwards；　〃I　thought　you　were　a　hardened　married　woman；　I　am　glad　　that　you　are　not；　I　shall　henceforth　call　you　MISS。〃　　Sometimes　he　　rushes　into　verse。　　In　answer　to　some　pretended　rebuff　received　　from　her　at　Ryde　he　writes


〃There　was　a　young　lady　of　Ryde；　so　awfully　puffed　up　by　pride；　She　felt　grander　by　far　than　the　Son　of　the　Czar；　And　when　he　said；　'Dear；　come　and　walk　on　the　pier；　Oh　please　come　and　walk　by　my　side；'　The　answer　he　got；　was　'Much　better　not；'　from　that　awful　young　　lady　of　Ryde。〃


Oftenest；　the　letters　are　serious　in　their　admiring　compliments；　　they　speak　of　her　superb　organization　of　health　and　life　and　　strength　and　joyousness；　the　delightful　sunshine　of　her　presence；　　her　decision　and　strength　of　will；　her　great　qualities　and　great　　opportunities：　〃away　from　you　the　world　seems　a　blank。〃　　He　is　glad　　that　his　Great　Eltchi　has　been　made　known　to　her；　the　old　statesman　　will　be　impressed；　he　feels　sure；　by　her　〃intense　life；　　graciousness　and　grace；　intellect　carefully　masked；　musical　faculty　　in　talk；　with　that　heavenly　power　of　coming　to　an　end。〃　　He　sends　　playfully　affectionate　messages　from　other　members　of　the　　GERONTAION；　as　he　calls　it；　the　group　of　aged　admirers　who　formed　　her　inner　court；　echoing　their　laments　over　the　universality　of　her　　patronage。　　〃Hayward　can　pardon　your　having　an　ambassador　or　two　at　　your　FEET；　but　to　find　the　way　to　your　HEART　obstructed　by　a　crowd　　of　astronomers；　Russ…expansionists；　metaphysicians；　theologians；　　translators；　historians；　poets；　…　this　is　more　than　he　can　endure。　　　The　crowd　reduces　him；　as　Ampere　said　to　Mme。　Recamier；　to　the　　qualified　blessing　of　being　only　CHEZ　VOUS；　from　the　delight　of　　being　AVEC　VOUS。　　He　hails　and　notifies　additions　to　the　list　of　　her　admirers；　quotes　enthusiastic　praise　of　her　from　Stansfeld　and　　Charles　Villiers；　warm　appreciation　from　Morier；　Sir　Robert　Peel；　　Violet　Fane。　　He　rallies　her　on　her　victims；　jests　at　Froude's　　lover…like　GALANTERIE　…　〃Poor　St。　Anthony！　how　he　hovered　round　the　　flame〃；　…　at　the　devotion　of　that　gay　Lothario；　Tyndall；　whose　　approaching　marriage　will；　he　thinks；　clip　his　wings　for　　flirtation。　　〃It　seems　that　at　the　Royal　Institution；　or　whatever　　the　place　is　called；　young　women　look　up　to　the　Lecturers　as　　priests　of　Science；　and　go　to　them　after　the　lecture　in　what　　churchmen　would　call　the　vestry；　and　express　charming　little　doubts　　about　electricity；　and　pretty　gentle　disquietudes　about　the　solar　　system：　and　then　the　Professors　have　to　give　explanations；　…　and　　then；　somehow；　at　the　end　of　a　few　weeks；　they　find　they　have　　provided　themselves　with　chaperons　for　life。〃　　So　he　pursues　the　　list　of　devotees；　her　son　will　tell　her　that　Caesar　summarized　his　　conquests　in　this　country　by　saying　VENI；　VIDI；　VICI；　but　to　her　it　　is　given　to　say；　VENI；　VIDEBAR；　VICI。

On　two　subjects；　theology　and　politics；　Madame　Novikoff　was；　as　we　　have　seen；　passionately　in　earnest。　　Himself　at　once　an　amateur　　casuist　and　a　consistent　Nothingarian；　whose　dictum　was　that　　〃Important　if　true〃　should　be　written　over　the　doors　of　churches；　　he　followed　her　religious　arguments　much　as　Lord　Steyne　listened　to　　the　contests　between　Father　Mole　and　the　Reverend　Mr。　Trail。　　He　　expresses　his　surprise　in　all　seriousness　that　the　Pharisees；　a　　thoughtful　and　cultured　set　of　men；　who　alone　among　the　Jews　　believed　in　a　future　state；　should　have　been　the　very　men　to　whom　　our　Saviour　was　habitually　antagonistic。　　He　refers　more　lightly　　and　frequently　to　〃those　charming　talks　of　ours　about　our　　Churches〃；　he　thinks　they　both　know　how　to　EFFLEURER　the　surface　of　　theology　without　getting　drowned　in　it。　　Of　existing　Churches　he　　preferred　the　English；　as　〃the　most　harmless　going〃；　disliked　the　　Latin　Church；　especially　when　intriguing　in　the　East；　as　　persecuting　and　as　schismatic；　and　therefore　as　no　Church　at　all。　　　Roman　Catholics；　he　said；　have　a　special　horror　of　being　called　　〃schismatic；〃　and　that　is；　of　course；　a　good　reason　for　so　calling　　them。　　He　would　not　permit　the　use　of　the　word　〃orthodox；〃　because；　　like　a　parson　in　the　pulpit；　it　is　always　begging　the　question。　　He　　refused　historical　reverence　to　the　Athanasian　Creed；　and　was　　delighted　when　Stanley's　review　in　〃The　Times〃　of　Mr。　Ffoulkes'　　learned　book　showed　it　to　have　been　written　by　order　of　Charles　the　　Great　in　800　A。D。　as　what　Thorold　Rogers　used　to　call　〃an　election　　squib。〃　　In　the　〃Filioque〃　controversy；　once　dear　to　Liddon　and　to　　Gladstone；　now；　I　suppose；　obsolete　for　the　English　mind；　but　which　　relates　to　the　chief　dividing　tenet　of　East　from　West；　he　showed　an　　interest　humorous　rather　than　reverent；　took　pains　to　acquaint　　himself　with　the　views　held　on　it　by　Dollinger　and　the　old　　Catholics；　noted　with　amusement　the　perplexity　of　London　ladies　as　　to　the　meaning　of　the　word　when　quoted　in　the　much…read　〃Quarterly〃　　article；　declaring　their　belief　to　be　that　it　was　a　clergyman's　　baby　born　out　of　wedlock。

Madame　Novikoff's　political　influence；　which　he　recognized　to　the　　full；　he　treated　in　the　same　mocking　spirit。　　She　is　at　Berlin；　　received　by　Bismarck；　he　hopes　that　though　the　great　man　may　not　　eradicate　her　Slavophile　heresies；　he　may　manifest　the　weakness　of　　embroiling　nations　on　mere　ethnological　grounds。　　〃Are　even　nearer　　relationships　so　delightful？　would　you　walk　across　the　street　for　a　　third　or　fourth　cousin？　then　why　for　a　millionth　cousin？〃　　Madame　　Novikoff　kindly　sends　to　me　an　〃Imaginary　Conversation〃　between　　herself　and　Gortschakoff；　constructed　by　Kinglake　during　her　stay　　in　St。　Petersburg　in　1879。

〃G。　　Well　…　you　really　have　done　good　service　to　your　country　and　　your　Czar　by　dividing　and　confusing　these　absurd　English；　and　　getting　us　out　of　the　scrape　we　were　in　in　that　…　Balkan　Peninsula。

〃MISS　O。　　Well；　certainly　I　did　my　best；　but　I　fear　I　have　ruined　　the　political　reputation　of　my　English　partizans；　for　in　order　to　　make　them　'beloved　of　the　Slave；'　I　of　course　had　to　make　them；　　poor　souls！　go　against　their　own　country；　and　their　country；　stupid　　as　it　is；　has　now　I　fear　found　them　out。

〃G。　　TANT　PIS　POUR　EUX！　　ENTRE　NOUS；　if　I　had　been　Gladstone；　I　　should　have　preferred　the　love　of　my　own　country　to　the　love　of　　these　…　Slaves　of　yours。　　But；　tell　me；　how　did　you　get　hold　of　　Gladstone？

〃MISS　O。　　RIEN　DE　PLUS　SIMPLE！　　Four　or　five　years　ago　I　asked　what　　was　his　weak　point；　and　was　told　that　he　had　two；　'Effervescence；'　　and　'Theology。'　　With　that　knowledge　I　found　it　all　child's　play　to　　manage　him。　　I　just　sent　him　to　Munich；　and　there　boiled　him　up　in　　a　weak　decoction　of　'Filioque；'　then　kept　him　ready　for　use；　and　　impatiently　awaited　the　moment　when　our　plans　for　getting　up　the　　'Bulgarian　atrocities'　should　be　mature。　　I　say　'impatiently；'　for；　　Heavens；　how　slow　you　all　were！　at　least　so　it　strikes　a　woman。　　　The　arrangement　of　the　'atrocities'　was　begun　by　our　people　in　　1871；　and　yet　till　1876；　though　I　had　Gladstone　ready　in　1875；　　nothing　really　was　done！　　I　assure　you；　Prince；　it　is　a　trying　　thing　to　a　woman　to　be　kept　waiting　for　promised　atrocities　such　an　　unconscionable　time。

〃G。　　That　brother…in…law　of　yours　was　partly　the　cause　of　our　　slowness。　　He　was　always　wanting　to　have　the　orders　for　fire　and　　blood　in　neat　formal　despatches；　signed　by　me；　and　copied　by　　clerks。　　However；　I　hope　you　are　satisfied　now；　with　the　butcheries　　and　the　flames；　and　the　…　？

〃MISS　O。　　POUR　LE　MOMENT！〃

She　is　absent　during　the　sudden　dissolution　of　Parliament　in　1874。　　　〃London　woke　yesterday　morning　and　found　that　your　friend　Gladstone　　had　made　a　COUP…D'ETAT。　　He　has　dissolved　Parliament　at　a　moment　　when　no　human　being　expected　it；　and　my　impression　is　that　he　has　　made　a　good　hit；　and　that　the　renovated　Parliament　will　give　him　a　　great　majority。〃　The　impression　was　wildly　wrong；　and　he　found　a　　cause　for　the　Conservative　majority　in　Gladstone's　tame　foreign　　policy；　and　especially　in　the　pusillanimity　his　government　showed　　when　insult