all roads lead to calvary-第25章

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！



〃Yes；　but　when　Phillips　does　speak；　he　speaks　to　the　whole　country；〃　retorted　Joan。

〃Through　the　medium　of　Carleton　and　his　like；　and　just　so　far　as　they　allow　his　influence　to　permeate　beyond　the　platform；〃　answered　Greyson。

〃But　they　report　his　speeches。　　They　are　bound　to；〃　explained　Joan。

〃It　doesn't　read　quite　the　same；〃　he　answered。　　〃Phillips　goes　home　under　the　impression　that　he　has　made　a　great　success　and　has　roused　the　country。　　He　and　millions　of　other　readers　learn　from　the　next　morning's　headlines　that　it　was　'A　Tame　Speech'　that　he　made。　　What　sounded　to　him　'Loud　Cheers'　have　sunk　to　mild　'Hear；　Hears。'　　That　five　minutes'　hurricane　of　applause；　during　which　wildly　excited　men　and　women　leapt　upon　the　benches　and　roared　themselves　hoarse；　and　which　he　felt　had　settled　the　whole　question；　he　searches　for　in　vain。　　A　few　silly　interjections；　probably　pre…arranged　by　Carleton's　young　lions；　become　'renewed　interruptions。'　　The　report　is　strictly　truthful；　but　the　impression　produced　is　that　Robert　Phillips　has　failed　to　carry　even　his　own　people　with　him。　　And　then　follow　leaders　in　fourteen　widely…circulated　Dailies；　stretching　from　the　Clyde　to　the　Severn；　foretelling　how　Mr。　Robert　Phillips　could　regain　his　waning　popularity　by　the　simple　process　of　adopting　Tariff　Reform：　　or　whatever　the　pet　panacea　of　Carleton　and　Co。　may；　at　the　moment；　happen　to　be。〃

〃Don't　make　us　out　all　alike；〃　pleaded　his　sister　with　a　laugh。　〃There　are　still　a　few　old…fashioned　papers　that　do　give　their　opponents　fair　play。〃

〃They　are　not　increasing　in　numbers；〃　he　answered；　〃and　the　Carleton　group　is。　　There　is　no　reason　why　in　another　ten　years　he　should　not　control　the　entire　popular　press　of　the　country。　　He's　got　the　genius　and　he's　got　the　means。〃

〃The　cleverest　thing　he　has　done；〃　he　continued；　turning　to　Joan；　〃is　your　Sunday　Post。　　Up　till　then；　the　working　classes　had　escaped　him。　　With　the　Sunday　Post；　he　has　solved　the　problem。　They　open　their　mouths；　and　he　gives　them　their　politics　wrapped　up　in　pictures　and　gossipy　pars。〃

Miss　Greyson　rose　and　put　away　her　embroidery。　　〃But　what's　his　object？〃　she　said。　　〃He　must　have　more　money　than　he　can　spend；　and　he　works　like　a　horse。　　I　could　understand　it；　if　he　had　any　beliefs。〃

〃Oh；　we　can　all　persuade　ourselves　that　we　are　the　Heaven…ordained　dictator　of　the　human　race；〃　he　answered。　　〃Love　of　power　is　at　the　bottom　of　it。　　Why　do　our　Rockefellers　and　our　Carnegies　condemn　themselves　to　the　existence　of　galley　slaves；　ruining　their　digestions　so　that　they　never　can　enjoy　a　square　meal。　　It　isn't　the　money；　it's　the　trouble　of　their　lives　how　to　get　rid　of　that。　It　is　the　notoriety；　the　power　that　they　are　out　for。　　In　Carleton's　case；　it　is　to　feel　himself　the　power　behind　the　throne；　to　know　that　he　can　make　and　unmake　statesmen；　has　the　keys　of　peace　and　war　in　his　pocket；　is　able　to　exclaim：　　Public　opinion？　It　is　I。〃

〃It　can　be　a　respectable　ambition；〃　suggested　Joan。

〃It　has　been　responsible　for　most　of　man's　miseries；〃　he　answered。　〃Every　world's　conqueror　meant　to　make　it　happy　after　he　had　finished　knocking　it　about。　　We　are　all　born　with　it；　thanks　to　the　devil。〃　　He　shifted　his　position　and　regarded　her　with　critical　eyes。　　〃You've　got　it　badly；〃　he　said。　　〃I　can　see　it　in　the　tilt　of　your　chin　and　the　quivering　of　your　nostrils。　　You　beware　of　it。〃

Miss　Greyson　left　them。　　She　had　to　finish　an　article。　　They　debated　〃Clorinda's〃　views；　and　agreed　that；　as　a　practical　housekeeper；　she　would　welcome　attention　being　given　to　the　question　of　the　nation's　food。　　The　Evening　Gazette　would　support　Phillips　in　principle；　while　reserving　to　itself　the　right　of　criticism　when　it　came　to　details。

〃What's　he　like　in　himself？〃　he　asked　her。　　〃You've　been　seeing　something　of　him；　haven't　you？〃

〃Oh；　a　little；〃　she　answered。　　〃He's　absolutely　sincere；　and　he　means　business。　　He　won't　stop　at　the　bottom　of　the　ladder　now　he's　once　got　his　foot　upon　it。〃

〃But　he's　quite　common；　isn't　he？〃　he　asked　again。　　〃I've　only　met　him　in　public。〃

〃No；　that's　precisely　what　he　isn't；〃　answered　Joan。　　〃You　feel　that　he　belongs　to　no　class；　but　his　own。　　The　class　of　the　Abraham　Lincolns；　and　the　Dantons。〃

〃England's　a　different　proposition；〃　he　mused。　　〃Society　counts　for　so　much　with　us。　　I　doubt　if　we　should　accept　even　an　Abraham　Lincoln：　　unless　in　some　supreme　crisis。　　His　wife　rather　handicaps　him；　too；　doesn't　she？〃

〃She　wasn't　born　to　be　the　chatelaine　of　Downing　Street；〃　Joan　admitted。　　〃But　it's　not　an　official　position。〃

〃I'm　not　so　sure　that　it　isn't；〃　he　laughed。　　〃It's　the　dinner…　table　that　rules　in　England。　　We　settle　everything　round　a　dinner…　table。〃

She　was　sitting　in　front　of　the　fire　in　a　high…backed　chair。　　She　never　cared　to　loll；　and　the　shaded　light　from　the　electric　sconces　upon　the　mantelpiece　illumined　her。

〃If　the　world　were　properly　stage…managed；　that's　what　you　ought　to　be；〃　he　said；　〃the　wife　of　a　Prime　Minister。　　I　can　see　you　giving　such　an　excellent　performance。〃

〃I　must　talk　to　Mary；〃　he　added；　〃see　if　we　can't　get　you　off　on　some　promising　young　Under　Secretary。〃

〃Don't　give　me　ideas　above　my　station；〃　laughed　Joan。　　〃I'm　a　journalist。〃

〃That's　the　pity　of　it；〃　he　said。　　〃You're　wasting　the　most　important　thing　about　you；　your　personality。　　You　would　do　more　good　in　a　drawing…room；　influencing　the　rulers；　than　you　will　ever　do　hiding　behind　a　pen。　　It　was　the　drawing…room　that　made　the　French　Revolution。〃

The　firelight　played　about　her　hair。　　〃I　suppose　every　woman　dreams　of　reviving　the　old　French　Salon；〃　she　answered。　　〃They　must　have　been　gloriously　interesting。〃　　He　was　leaning　forward　with　clasped　hands。　　〃Why　shouldn't　she？〃　he　said。　　〃The　reason　that　our　drawing…rooms　have　ceased　to　lead　is　that　our　beautiful　women　are　generally　frivolous　and　our　clever　women　unfeminine。　　What　we　are　waiting　for　is　an　English　Madame　Roland。〃

Joan　laughed。　　〃Perhaps　I　shall　some　day；〃　she　answered。

He　insisted　on　seeing　her　as　far　as　the　bus。　　It　was　a　soft；　mild　night；　and　they　walked　round　the　Circle　to　Gloucester　Gate。　　He　thought　there　would　be　more　room　in　the　buses　at　that　point。

〃I　wish　you　would　come　oftener；〃　he　said。　　〃Mary　has　taken　such　a　liking　to　you。　　If　you　care　to　meet　people；　we　can　always　whip　up　somebody　of　interest。〃

She　promised　that　she　would。　　She　always　felt　curiously　at　home　with　the　Greysons。

They　were　passing　the　long　sweep　of　Chester　Terrace。　　〃I　like　this　neighbourhood　with　its　early　Victorian　atmosphere；〃　she　said。　　〃It　always　makes　me　feel　quiet　and　good。　　I　don't　know　why。〃

〃I　like　the　houses；　too；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　a　character　about　them。　　You　don't　often　find　such　fine　drawing…rooms　in　London。〃

〃Don't　forget　your　promise；〃　he　reminded　her；　when　they　parted。　　〃I　shall　tell　Mary　she　may　write　to　you。〃

She　met　Carleton　by　chance　a　day　or　two　later；　as　she　was　entering　the　office。　　〃I　want　to　see　you；〃　he　said；　and　took　her　up　with　him　into　his　room。

〃We　must　stir　the　people　up　about　this　food　business；〃　he　said；　plunging　at　once　into　his　subject。　　〃Phillips　is　quite　right。　　It　overshadows　everything。　　We　must　make　the　country　self…supporting。　It　can　be　done　and　must。　　If　a　war　were　to　be　sprung　upon　us　we　could　be　starved　out　in　a　month。　　Our　navy；　in　face　of　these　new　submarines；　is　no　longer　able　to　secure　us。　　France　is　working　day　and　night　upon　them。　　It　may　be　a　bogey；　or　it　may　not。　　If　it　isn't；　she　would　have　us　at　her　mercy；　and　it's　too　big　a　risk　to　run。　　You　live　in　the　same　house　with　him；　don't　you？　　Do　you　often　see　him？〃

〃Not　often；〃　she　answered。

He　was　reading　a　letter。　　〃You　were　dining　there　on　Friday　night；　weren't　you？〃　he　asked　her；　without　looking　up。

Joan　flushed。　　What　did　he　mean　by　cross…examining　her　in　this　way？　She　was　not　at　all　used　to　impertinence　from　the　opposite　sex。

〃Your　information　is　quite　correct；〃　she　answered。

Her　anger　betrayed　itself　in　her　tone；　and　he　shot　a　swift　glance　at　her。

〃I　didn't　mean　to　offend　you；〃　he　said。　　〃A　mutual　friend；　a　Mr。　Airlie；　happened　to　be　of　the　party；　and　he　mentioned　you。〃

He　threw　aside　the　letter。　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　want　you　to　do；〃　he　said