the patrician-第43部分

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angel　or　devil　with　drawn　sword。　　And　then　there　came　to　him　another
thought。　　Since　he　was　being　cast　forth　from　Church　and　State；　could
he　not　play　the　fallen　spirit　like　a　manbe　Lucifer；　and　destroy！
And　instinctively　he　at　once　saw　himself　returning　to　those　towers；
and　beneath　them　crossing　the　floor；　joining　the　revolutionaries；　the
Radicals；　the　freethinkers；　scourging　his　present　Party；　the　party　of
authority　and　institutions。　　The　idea　struck　him　as　supremely　comic；
and　he　laughed　out　loud　in　the　street。。。。

The　Club　which　Lord　Dennis　frequented　was　in　St。　James's　untouched　by
the　tides　of　the　waters　of　fashionsteadily　swinging　to　its　moorings
in　a　quiet　backwater；　and　Miltoun　found　his　uncle　in　the　library。　　He
was　reading　a　volume　of　Burton's　travels；　and　drinking　tea。

〃Nobody　comes　here；〃　he　said；　〃so；　in　spite　of　that　word　on　the　door；
we　shall　talk。　　Waiter；　bring　some　more　tea；　please。〃

Impatiently；　but　with　a　sort　of　pity；　Miltoun　watched　Lord　Dennis's
urbane　movements；　wherein　old　age　was；　pathetically；　trying　to　make
each　little　thing　seem　important；　if　only　to　the　doer。　　Nothing　his
great…uncle　could　say　would　outweigh　the　warning　of　his　picturesque
old　figure！　　To　be　a　bystander；　to　see　it　all　go　past　you；　to　let
your　sword　rust　in　its　sheath；　as　this　poor　old　fellow　had　done！　　The
notion　of　explaining　what　he　had　come　about　was　particularly　hateful
to　Miltoun；　but　since　he　had　given　his　word；　he　nerved　himself　with
secret　anger；　and　began：

〃I　promised　my　mother　to　ask　you　a　question；　Uncle　Dennis。　　You　know
of　my　attachment；　I　believe？〃

Lord　Dennis　nodded。

〃Well；　I　have　joined　my　life　to　this　lady's。　　There　will　be　no
scandal；　but　I　consider　it　my　duty　to　resign　my　seat；　and　leave
public　life　alone。　　Is　that　right　or　wrong　according　to；　your　view？〃

Lord　Dennis　looked　at　his　nephew　in　silence。　　A　faint　flush　coloured
his　brown　cheeks。　　He　had　the　appearance　of　one　travelling　in　mind
over　the　past。

〃Wrong；　I　think；〃　he　said；　at　last。

〃Why；　if　I　may　ask？〃

〃I　have　not　the　pleasure　of　knowing　this　lady；　and　am　therefore
somewhat　in　the　dark；　but　it　appears　to　me　that　your　decision　is　not
fair　to　her。〃

〃That　is　beyond　me；〃　said　Miltoun。

Lord　Dennis　answered　firmly：

〃You　have　asked　me　a　frank　question；　expecting　a　frank　answer；　I
suppose？〃

Miltoun　nodded。

〃Then；　my　dear；　don't　blame　me　if　what　I　say　is　unpalatable。〃

〃I　shall　not。〃

〃Good！　　You　say　you　are　going　to　give　up　public　life　for　the　sake　of
your　conscience。　　I　should　have　no　criticism　to　make　if　it　stopped
there。〃

He　paused；　and　for　quite　a　minute　remained　silent；　evidently
searching　for　words　to　express　some　intricate　thread　of　thought。


〃But　it　won't；　Eustace；　the　public　man　in　you　is　far　stronger　than
the　other。　　You　want　leadership　more　than　you　want　love。　　Your
sacrifice　will　kill　your　affection；　what　you　imagine　is　your　loss　and
hurt；　will　prove　to　be　this　lady's　in　the　end。〃

Miltoun　smiled。

Lord　Dennis　continued　very　dryly　and　with　a　touch　of　malice：

〃You　are　not　listening　to　me；　but　I　can　see　very　well　that　the
process　has　begun　already　underneath。　　There's　a　curious　streak　of
the　Jesuit　in　you；　Eustace。　　What　you　don't　want　to　see；　you　won't
look　at。〃

〃You　advise　me；　then；　to　compromise？〃

〃On　the　contrary；　I　point　out　that　you　will　be　compromising　if　you
try　to　keep　both　your　conscience　and　your　love。　　You　will　be　seeking
to　have；　it　both　ways。〃

〃That　is　interesting。〃

〃And　you　will　find　yourself　having　it　neither；〃　said　Lord　Dennis
sharply。

Miltoun　rose。　　〃In　other　words；　you；　like　the　others；　recommend　me　to
desert　this　lady　who　loves　me；　and　whom　I　love。　　And　yet；　Uncle；　they
say　that　in　your　own　case〃

But　Lord　Dennis　had　risen；　too；　having　lost　all　the　appanage　and
manner　of　old　age。

〃Of　my　own　case；〃　he　said　bluntly；　〃we　won't　talk。　　I　don't　advise
you　to　desert　anyone；　you　quite　mistake　me。　　I　advise　you　to　know
yourself。　　And　I　tell　you　my　opinion　of　youyou　were　cut　out　by
Nature　for　a　statesman；　not　a　lover！　　There's　something　dried…up　in
you；　Eustace；　I'm　not　sure　there　isn't　something　dried…up　in　all　our
caste。　　We've　had　to　do　with　forms　and　ceremonies　too　long。　　We're
not　good　at　taking　the　lyrical　point　of　view。〃

〃Unfortunately；〃　said　Miltoun；　〃I　cannot；　to　fit　in　with　a　theory　of
yours；　commit　a　baseness。〃

Lord　Dennis　began　pacing　up　and　down。　　He　was　keeping　his　lips　closed
very　tight。

〃A　man　who　gives　advice；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃is　always　something　of　a
fool。　　For　all　that；　you　have　mistaken　mine。　　I　am　not　so
presumptuous　as　to　attempt　to　enter　the　inner　chamber　of　your　spirit。
I　have　merely　told　you　that；　in　my　opinion；　it　would　be　more　honest
to　yourself；　and　fairer　to　this　lady；　to　compound　with　your
conscience；　and　keep　both　your　love　and　your　public　life；　than　to
pretend　that　you　were　capable　of　sacrificing　what　I　know　is　the
stronger　element　in　you　for　the　sake　of　the　weaker。　　You　remember　the
saying；　Democritus　I　think：　'each　man's　nature　or　character　is　his
fate　or　God'。　　I　recommend　it　to　you。〃

For　a　full　minute　Miltoun　stood　without　replying；　then　said：

〃I　am　sorry　to　have　troubled　you；　Uncle　Dennis。　　A　middle　policy　is
no　use　to　me。　　Good…bye！〃　　And　without　shaking　hands；　he　went　out。




CHAPTER　XXII

In　the　hall　someone　rose　from　a　sofa；　and　came　towards　him。　　It　was
Courtier。

〃Run　you　to　earth　at　last；〃　he　said；　〃I　wish　you'd　come　and　dine　with
me。　　I'm　leaving　England　to…morrow　night；　and　there　are　things　I　want
to　say。〃

There　passed　through　Miltoun's　mind　the　rapid　thought：　'Does　he
know？'　　He　assented；　however；　and　they　went　out　together。

〃It's　difficult　to　find　a　quiet　place；〃　said　Courtier；　〃but　this
might　do。〃

The　place　chosen　was　a　little　hostel；　frequented　by　racing　men；　and
famed　for　the　excellence　of　its　steaks。　　And　as　they　sat　down
opposite　each　other　in　the　almost　empty　room；　Miltoun　thought：　Yes；
he　does　know！　　Can　I　stand　any　more　of　this？　　He　waited　almost
savagely　for　the　attack　he　felt　was　coming。

〃So　you　are　going　to　give　up　your　seat？〃　said　Courtier。

Miltoun　looked　at　him　for　some　seconds；　before　replying。

〃From　what　town…crier　did　you　hear　that？〃

But　there　was　that　in　Courtier's　face　which　checked　his　anger；　its
friendliness　was　transparent。

〃I　am　about　her　only　friend；〃　Courtier　proceeded　earnestly；　〃and　this
is　my　last　chanceto　say　nothing　of　my　feeling　towards　you；　which；
believe　me；　is　very　cordial。〃

〃Go　on；　then；〃　Miltoun　muttered。

〃Forgive　me　for　putting　it　bluntly。　　Have　you　considered　what　her
position　was　before　she　met　you？〃

Miltoun　felt　the　blood　rushing　to　his　face；　but　he　sat　still；
clenching　his　nails　into　the　palms　of　his　hands。

〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　Courtier；　〃but　that　attitude　of　mindyou　used　to
have　it　yourselfwhich　decrees　either　living　death；　or　spiritual
adultery　to　women；　makes　my　blood　boil。　　You　can't　deny　that　those
were　the　alternatives；　and　I　say　you　had　the　right　fundamentally　to
protest　against　them；　not　only　in　words　but　deeds。　　You　did　protest；
I　know；　but　this　present　decision　of　yours　is　a　climb　down；　as　much
as　to　say　that　your　protest　was　wrong。〃

Miltoun　rose　from　his　seat。　　〃I　cannot　discuss　this；〃　he　said；　〃I
cannot。〃

〃For　her　sake；　you　must。　　If　you　give　up　your　public　work；　you'll
spoil　her　life　a　second　time。〃

Miltoun　again　sat　down。　　At　the　word　'must'　a　steely　feeling　had　come
to　his　aid；　his　eyes　began　to　resemble　the　old　Cardinal's。　　〃Your
nature　and　mine；　Courtier；〃　he　said；　〃are　too　far　apart；　we　shall
never　understand　each　other。〃

〃Never　mind　that；〃　answered　Courtier。　　〃Admitting　those　two
alternatives　to　be　horrible；　which　you　never　would　have　done　unless
the　facts　had　been　brought　home　to　you　personally

〃That；〃　said　Miltoun　icily；　〃I　deny　your　right　to　say。〃

〃Anyway；　you　do　admit　themif　you　believe　you　had　not　the　right　to
rescue　her；　on　what　principle　do　you　base　that　belief？〃

Miltoun　placed　his　elbow　on　the　table；　and　leaning　his　chin　on　his
hand；　regarded　the　champion　of　lost　causes　without　speaking。　　There
was　such　a　turmoil　going　on　within　him　that　with　difficulty　he　could
force　his　lips　to　obey　him。

〃By　what　right　do　you　ask　me　that？〃　he　said　at　last。　　He　saw
Courtier's　face　grow　scarlet；　and　his　fingers　twisting　furiously　at
those　flame…like　moustaches；　but　his　answer　was　as　steadily　ironical
as　usual。

〃Well；　I　can　hardly　sit　still；　my　last　evening　in　England；　without
lifting　a　finger；　while　you　immolate　a　woman　to　whom　I　feel　like　a
brother。　　I'll　tell　you　what　your　principle　is：　Authority；　unjust　or
just；　desirable　or　undesirable；　must　be　implicitly　obeyed。　　To　break
a　law；　no　matter　on　what　provocation；　or　for　whose　sake；　is　to　break
the　commandment〃

〃Don't　hesitatesay；　of　God。〃

〃Of　an　infallible　fixed　Power。　　Is　that　a　true　definition　of　your
principle？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Miltoun；　between　his　teeth；　〃I　think　so。〃

〃Exceptions　prove　the　rule。〃

〃Hard　cases　make　bad　law。〃

Courtier　smiled　：　〃I　knew　you　were　coming　out　with　that。　　I　deny　that
they　do　with　this　law；　which　is　altogether　behind　the　times。　　You　had
the　right　to　rescue　this　woman。〃

〃No；　Courtier；　if　we　must　fight；　let　us　fight　on　the　naked　facts。〃
have　not　rescued　anyone。　　I　have　merely　stolen　sooner　than　starve。
That　is　why　I　cannot　go　on　pretending　to　be　a　pattern。　　If　it　were
known；　I　could　not　retain　my　seat　an　hour；　I　can't　take　advantage　of
an　accidental　secrecy。　　Could　you？〃

Courtier　was　silent；　and　with　his　eyes　Miltoun　pressed　on　him；　as
though　he　would　despatch　him　with　that　glance。

〃I　could；〃　said　Courtier　at　last。　　〃When　this　law；　by　enforcing
spiritual　adultery　on　those　who　have　come　to　hate　their　mates；
destroys　the　sanctity　of　the　married　statethe　very　sanctity　it
professes　to　uphold；　you　must　expect　to　have　it　broken　by　reasoning
men　and　women　without　their　feeling　shame；　or　losing　self…respect。〃

In　Miltoun　there　was　rising　that　vast　and　subtle　passion　for
dialectic　combat；　which　was　of　his　very　fibre。　　He　had　almost　lost
the　feeling　that　this　was　his　own　future　being　discussed。　　He　saw
before　him　in　this　sanguine　man；　whose　voice　and　eyes　had　such　a
white…hot　sound　and　look；　the