all roads lead to calvary-第26章

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He　threw　aside　the　letter。　　〃I'll　tell　you　what　I　want　you　to　do；〃　he　said。　　〃It's　nothing　to　object　to。　　Tell　him　that　you've　seen　me　and　had　a　talk。　　I　understand　his　scheme　to　be　that　the　country　should　grow　more　and　more　food　until　it　eventually　becomes　self…　supporting；　and　that　the　Government　should　control　the　distribution。　　Tell　him　that　with　that　I'm　heart　and　soul　in　sympathy；　and　would　like　to　help　him。〃　　He　pushed　aside　a　pile　of　papers　and；　leaning　across　the　desk；　spoke　with　studied　deliberation。　　〃If　he　can　see　his　way　to　making　his　policy　dependent　upon　Protection；　we　can　work　together。〃

〃And　if　he　can't？〃　suggested　Joan。

He　fixed　his　large；　colourless　eyes　upon　her。　　〃That's　where　you　can　help　him；〃　he　answered。　　〃If　he　and　I　combine　forces；　we　can　pull　this　through　in　spite　of　the　furious　opposition　that　it　is　going　to　arouse。　　Without　a　good　Press　he　is　helpless；　and　where　is　he　going　to　get　his　Press　backing　if　he　turns　me　down？　　From　half　a　dozen　Socialist　papers　whose　support　will　do　him　more　harm　than　good。　　If　he　will　bring　the　working　class　over　to　Protection　I　will　undertake　that　the　Tariff　Reformers　and　the　Agricultural　Interest　shall　accept　his　Socialism。　　It　will　be　a　victory　for　both　of　us。

〃If　he　gain　his　end；　what　do　the　means　matter？〃　he　continued；　as　Joan　did　not　answer。　　〃Food　may　be　dearer；　the　Unions　can　square　that　by　putting　up　wages；　while　the　poor　devil　of　a　farm　labourer　will　at　last　get　fair　treatment。　　We　can　easily　insist　upon　that。　What　do　you　think；　yourself？〃

〃About　Protection；〃　she　answered。　　〃It's　one　of　the　few　subjects　I　haven't　made　up　my　mind　about。〃

He　laughed。　　〃You　will　find　all　your　pet　reforms　depend　upon　it；　when　you　come　to　work　them　out；〃　he　said。　　〃You　can't　have　a　minimum　wage　without　a　minimum　price。〃

They　had　risen。

〃I'll　give　him　your　message；〃　said　Joan。　　〃But　I　don't　see　him　exchanging　his　principles　even　for　your　support。　　I　admit　it's　important。〃

〃Talk　it　over　with　him；〃　he　said。　　〃And　bear　this　in　mind　for　your　own　guidance。〃　　He　took　a　step　forward；　which　brought　his　face　quite　close　to　hers：　　〃If　he　fails；　and　all　his　life's　work　goes　for　nothing；　I　shall　be　sorry；　but　I　shan't　break　my　heart。　　He　will。〃

Joan　dropped　a　note　into　Phillips's　letter…box　on　her　return　home；　saying　briefly　that　she　wished　to　see　him；　and　he　sent　up　answer　asking　her　if　she　would　come　to　the　gallery　that　evening；　and　meet　him　after　his　speech；　which　would　be　immediately　following　the　dinner　hour。

It　was　the　first　time　he　had　risen　since　his　appointment；　and　he　was　received　with　general　cheers。　　He　stood　out　curiously　youthful　against　the　background　of　grey…haired　and　bald…headed　men　behind　him；　and　there　was　youth　also　in　his　clear；　ringing　voice　that　not　even　the　vault…like　atmosphere　of　that　shadowless　chamber　could　altogether　rob　of　its　vitality。　　He　spoke　simply　and　good…　humouredly；　without　any　attempt　at　rhetoric；　relying　chiefly　upon　a　crescendo　of　telling　facts　that　gradually；　as　he　proceeded；　roused　the　House　to　that　tense　stillness　that　comes　to　it　when　it　begins　to　think。

〃A　distinctly　dangerous　man；〃　Joan　overheard　a　little　old　lady　behind　her　comment　to　a　friend。　　〃If　I　didn't　hate　him；　I　should　like　him。〃

He　met　her　in　the　corridor；　and　they　walked　up　and　down　and　talked；　too　absorbed　to　be　aware　of　the　curious　eyes　that　were　turned　upon　them。　　Joan　gave　him　Carleton's　message。

〃It　was　clever　of　him　to　make　use　of　you；〃　he　said。　　〃If　he'd　sent　it　through　anybody　else；　I'd　have　published　it。〃

〃You　don't　think　it　even　worth　considering？〃　suggested　Joan。

〃Protection？〃　he　flashed　out　scornfully。　　〃Yes；　I've　heard　of　that。　I've　listened；　as　a　boy；　while　the　old　men　told　of　it　to　one　another；　in　thin；　piping　voices；　round　the　fireside；　how　the　labourers　were　flung　eight…and…sixpence　a　week　to　die　on；　and　the　men　starved　in　the　towns；　while　the　farmers　kept　their　hunters；　and　got　drunk　each　night　on　fine　old　crusted　port。　　Do　you　know　what　their　toast　was　in　the　big　hotels　on　market　day；　with　the　windows　open　to　the　street：　　'To　a　long　war　and　a　bloody　one。'　　It　would　be　their　toast　to…morrow；　if　they　had　their　way。　　Does　he　think　I　am　going　to　be　a　party　to　the　putting　of　the　people's　neck　again　under　their　pitiless　yoke？〃

〃But　the　people　are　more　powerful　now；〃　argued　Joan。　　〃If　the　farmer　demanded　higher　prices；　they　could　demand　higher　wages。〃

〃They　would　never　overtake　the　farmer；〃　he　answered；　with　a　laugh。　〃And　the　last　word　would　always　be　with　him。　　I　am　out　to　get　rid　of　the　landlords；〃　he　continued；　〃not　to　establish　them　as　the　permanent　rulers　of　the　country；　as　they　are　in　Germany。　　The　people　are　more　powerfuljust　a　little；　because　they　are　no　longer　dependent　on　the　land。　　They　can　say　to　the　farmer；　'All　right；　my　son；　if　that's　your　figure；　I'm　going　to　the　shop　next　doorto　South　America；　to　Canada；　to　Russia。'　　It　isn't　a　satisfactory　solution。　　I　want　to　see　England　happy　and　healthy　before　I　bother　about　the　Argentine。　　It　drives　our　men　into　the　slums　when　they　might　be　living　fine　lives　in　God's　fresh　air。　　In　the　case　of　war　it　might　be　disastrous。　　There；　I　agree　with　him。　　We　must　be　able　to　shut　our　door　without　fear　of　having　to　open　it　ourselves　to　ask　for　bread。　　How　would　Protection　accomplish　that？　　Did　he　tell　you？〃

〃Don't　eat　me；〃　laughed　Joan。　　〃I　haven't　been　sent　to　you　as　a　missionary。　　I'm　only　a　humble　messenger。　　I　suppose　the　argument　is　that；　good　profits　assured　to　him；　the　farmer　would　bustle　up　and　produce　more。〃

〃Can　you　see　him　bustling　up？〃　he　answered　with　a　laugh；　〃organizing　himself　into　a　body；　and　working　the　thing　out　from　the　point　of　view　of　the　public　weal？　　I'll　tell　you　what　nine…tenths　of　him　would　do：　　grow　just　as　much　or　little　as　suited　his　own　purposes；　and　then　go　to　sleep。　　And　Protection　would　be　his　security　against　ever　being　awakened。〃

〃I'm　afraid　you　don't　like　him；〃　Joan　commented。

〃He　will　be　all　right　in　his　proper　place；〃　he　answered：　　〃as　the　servant　of　the　public：　　told　what　to　do；　and　turned　out　of　his　job　if　he　doesn't　do　it。　　My　scheme　does　depend　upon　Protection。　　You　can　tell　him　that。　　But　this　time；　it's　going　to　be　Protection　for　the　people。〃

They　were　at　the　far　end　of　the　corridor；　and　the　few　others　still　promenading　were　some　distance　away。　　She　had　not　delivered　the　whole　of　her　message。　　She　crossed　to　a　seat；　and　he　followed　her。　She　spoke　with　her　face　turned　away　from　him。

〃You　have　got　to　consider　the　cost　of　refusal；〃　she　said。　　〃His　offer　wasn't　help　or　neutrality：　　it　was　help　or　opposition　by　every　means　in　his　power。　　He　left　me　in　no　kind　of　doubt　as　to　that。　　He's　not　used　to　being　challenged　and　he　won't　be　squeamish。　You　will　have　the　whole　of　his　Press　against　you；　and　every　other　journalistic　and　political　influence　that　he　possesses。　　He's　getting　a　hold　upon　the　working　classes。　　The　Sunday　Post　has　an　enormous　sale　in　the　manufacturing　towns；　and　he's　talking　of　starting　another。　　Are　you　strong　enough　to　fight　him？〃

She　very　much　wanted　to　look　at　him；　but　she　would　not。　　It　seemed　to　her　quite　a　time　before　he　replied。

〃Yes；〃　he　answered；　〃I'm　strong　enough　to　fight　him。　　Shall　rather　enjoy　doing　it。　　And　it's　time　that　somebody　did。　　Whether　I'm　strong　enough　to　win　has　got　to　be　seen。〃

She　turned　and　looked　at　him　then。　　She　wondered　why　she　had　ever　thought　him　ugly。

〃You　can　face　it；〃　she　said：　　〃the　possibility　of　all　your　life's　work　being　wasted？〃

〃It　won't　be　wasted；〃　he　answered。　　〃The　land　is　there。　　I've　seen　it　from　afar　and　it's　a　good　land；　a　land　where　no　man　shall　go　hungry。　　If　not　I；　another　shall　lead　the　people　into　it。　　I　shall　have　prepared　the　way。〃

She　liked　him　for　that　touch　of　exaggeration。　　She　was　so　tired　of　the　men　who　make　out　all　things　little；　including　themselves　and　their　own　work。　　After　all；　was　it　exaggeration？　　Might　he　not　have　been　chosen　to　lead　the　people　out　of　bondage　to　a　land　where　there　should　be　no　more　fear。

〃You're　not　angry　with　me？〃　he　asked。　　〃I　haven't　been　rude；　have　I？〃

〃Abominably　rude；〃　she　answered；　〃you've　defied　my　warnings；　and　treated　my　embassy　with　contempt。〃　　She　turned　to　him　and　their　eyes　met。　　〃I　should