eminent victorians-第16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！



expected　that　Monsignor　Talbot　should　be　remarkable　either　for　a

delicate　sense　of　conscientiousness　or　for　an　extreme　refinement

of　feeling；　but　then　it　was　not　for　those　qualities　that　Manning

was　in　search　when　he　went　up　the　winding　stair。　He　was　looking

for　the　man　who　had　the　ear　of　Pio　Nono；　and；　on　the　other　side

of　the　low…arched　door；　he　found　him。　Then　he　put　forth　all　his

efforts；　his　success　was　complete；　and　an　alliance　began　which

was　destined　to　have　the　profoundest　effect　upon　Manning's

career；　and　was　only　dissolved　when；　many　years　later；　Monsignor

Talbot　was　unfortunately　obliged　to　exchange　his　apartment　in　the

Vatican　for　a　private　lunatic　asylum　at　Passy。



It　was　determined　that　the　coalition　should　be　ratified　by　the

ruin　of　Dr。　Errington。　When　the　moment　of　crisis　was　seen　to　be

approaching；　Wiseman　was　summoned　to　Rome；　where　he　began　to　draw

up　an　immense　scrittura　containing　his　statement　of　the　case。　For

months　past；　the　redoubtable　energies　of　the　Archbishop　of

Trebizond　had　been　absorbed　in　a　similar　task。　Folio　was　being

piled　upon　folio；　when　a　sudden　blow　threatened　to　put　an　end　to

the　whole　proceeding　in　a　summary　manner。　The　Cardinal　was　seized

by　violent　illness；　and　appeared　to　be　upon　his　deathbed。　Manning

thought　for　a　moment　that　his　labours　had　been　in　vain　and　that

all　was　lost。　But　the　Cardinal　recovered；　Monsignor　Talbot　used

his　influence　as　he　alone　knew　how；　and　a　papal　decree　was　issued

by　which　Dr。　Errington　was　'liberated'　from　the　Coadjutorship　of

Westminster；　together　with　the　right　of　succession　to　the　See。



It　was　a　supreme　act　of　authoritya　'colpo　di　stato　di

Dominiddio'；　as　the　Pope　himself　saidand　the　blow　to　the　Old

Catholics　was　correspondingly　severe。　They　found　themselves

deprived　at　one　fell　swoop　both　of　the　influence　of　their　most

energetic　supporter　and　of　the　certainty　of　coming　into　power　at

Wiseman's　death。　And　in　the　meantime；　Manning　was　redoubling　his

energies　at　Bayswater。　Though　his　Oblates　had　been　checked　over

St。　Edmund's；　there　was　still　no　lack　of　work　for　them　to　do。

There　were　missions　to　be　carried　on；　schools　to　be　managed；

funds　to　be　collected。　Several　new　churches　were　built；　a

community　of　most　edifying　nuns　of　the　Third　Order　of　St。　Francis

was　established；　and　￡30；000；　raised　from　Manning's　private

resources　and　from　those　of　his　friends；　was　spent　in　three

years。　'I　hate　that　man；'　one　of　the　Old　Catholics　exclaimed；　'he

is　such　a　forward　piece。'　The　words　were　reported　to　Manning；　who

shrugged　his　shoulders。　'Poor　man；'　he　said；　'what　is　he　made　of？

Does　he　suppose；　in　his　foolishness；　that　after　working　day　and

night　for　twenty　years　in　heresy　and　schism；　on　becoming　a

Catholic；　I　should　sit　in　an　easy…chair　and　fold　my　hands　all　the

rest　of　my　life？'　But　his　secret　thoughts　were　of　a　different

caste。　'I　am　conscious　of　a　desire；'　he　wrote　in　his　Diary；　'to

be　in　such　a　position：　（I）　as　I　had　in　times　past；　（2）　as　my

present　circumstances　imply；　（3）　as　my　friends　think　me　fit　for；

and　（4）　as　I　feel　my　own　faculties　tend　to。



'But；　God　being　my　helper；　I　will　not　seek　it　by　the　lifting　of　a

finger　or　the　speaking；　of　a　word。'



So　Manning　wrote；　and　thought；　and　prayed；　but　what　are　words；

and　thoughts；　and　even　prayers；　to　the　mysterious　and　relentless

powers　of　circumstance　and　character？　Cardinal　Wiseman　was　slowly

dying；　the　tiller　of　the　Church　was　slipping　from　his　feeble

hand；　and　Manning　was　beside　him；　the　one　man　with　the　energy；

the　ability；　the　courage；　and　the　conviction　to　steer　the　ship

upon　her　course。　More　than　that；　there　was　the　sinister　figure　of

a　Dr。　Errington　crouching　close　at　hand；　ready　to　seize　the　helm

and　make　straightwho　could　doubt　it？for　the　rocks。　In　such　a

situation　the　voice　of　self…abnegation　must　needs　grow　still　and

small　indeed。　Yet　it　spoke　on；　for　it　was　one　of　the　paradoxes　in

Manning's　soul　that　that　voice　was　never　silent。　Whatever　else　he

was；　he　was　not　unscrupulous。　Rather；　his　scruples　deepened　with

his　desires；　and　he　could　satisfy　his　most　exorbitant　ambitions

in　a　profundity　of　self…abasement。　And　so　now　he　vowed　to　Heaven

that　he　would　SEEK　nothing　no；　not　by　the　lifting　of　a　finger

or　the　speaking　of　a　word。　But；　if　something　came　to　him？　He

had　vowed　not　to　seek；　he　had　not　vowed　not　to　take。　Might　it　not

be　his　plain　duty　to　take？　Might　it　not　be　the　will　of　God？



Something；　of　course；　did　come　to　him；　though　it　seemed　for　a

moment　that　it　would　elude　his　grasp。　Wiseman　died；　and　there

ensued　in　Rome　a　crisis　of　extraordinary　intensity。　'Since　the

creation　of　the　hierarchy；'　Monsignor　Talbot　wrote；　it　is　the

greatest　moment　for　the　Church　that　I　have　yet　seen。'　It　was　the

duty　of　the　Chapter　of　Westminster　to　nominate　three　candidates

for　succession　to　the　Archbishopric；　they　made　one　last　effort；

and　had　the　temerity　to　place　upon　the　list；　besides　the　names　of

two　Old　Catholic　bishops；　that　of　Dr。　Errington。　It　was　a　fatal

blunder。　Pius　IX　was　furious；　the　Chapter　had　committed　an

'insulta　al　Papa'；　he　exclaimed；　striking　his　breast　three　times

in　his　rage。　'It　was　the　Chapter　that　did　it；'　said　Manning；

afterwards；　but　even　after　the　Chapter's　indiscretion；　the　fatal

decision　hung　in　the　balance　for　weeks。　'The　great　point　of

anxiety　with　me；　wrote　Monsignor　Talbot　to　Manning；　'is　whether　a

Congregation　will　be　held；　or　whether　the　Holy　Father　will

perform　a　Pontifical　act。　He　himself　is　doubting。　I　therefore　say

mass　and　pray　every　morning　that　he　may　have　the　courage　to

choose　for　himself；　instead　of　submitting　the　matter　to　a

Congregation。　Although　the　Cardinals　are　determined　to　reject　Dr。

Errington；　nevertheless　I　am　afraid　that　they　should　select　one

of　the　others。　You　know　very　well　that　Congregations　are　guided

by　the　documents　that　are　placed　before　them；　it　is　for　this

reason　that　I　should　prefer　the　Pope's　acting　himself。'



But　the　Holy　Father　himself　was　doubting。　In　his　indecision；　he

ordered　a　month　of　prayers　and　masses。　The　suspense　grew　and

grew。　Everything　seemed　against　Manning。　The　whole　English

episcopate　was　opposed　to　him；　he　had　quarrelled　with　the

Chapter；　he　was　a　convert　of　but　few　years'　standing；　even　the

congregated　Cardinals　did　not　venture　to　suggest　the　appointment

of　such　a　man。　But　suddenly；　the　Holy　Father's　doubts　came　to　an

end。　He　heard　a　voice　a　mysterious　inward　voice　whispering

something　in　his　ear。　'Mettetelo　li！　Mettetelo　li！'　　the　voice

repeated；　over　and　over　again。　Mettetelo　li！　It　was　an

inspiration；　and　Pius　IX；　brushing　aside　the　recommendations　of

the　Chapter　and　the　deliberations　of　the　Cardinals；　made　Manning；

by　a　Pontifical　act；　Archbishop　of　Westminster。



Monsignor　Talbot's　felicity　was　complete；　and　he　took　occasion　in

conveying　his　congratulations　to　his　friend；　to　make　some

illuminating　reflections　upon　the　great　event。　'MY　policy

throughout；'　he　wrote；　'was　never　to　propose　you　DIRECTLY　to　the

Pope；　but；　to　make　others　do　so；　so　that　both　you　and　I　can

always　say　that　it　was　not　I　who　induced　the　Holy　Father　to　name

you　which　would　lessen　the　weight　of　your　appointment。　This　I

say；　because　many　have　said　that　your　being　named　was　all　my

doing。　I　do　not　say　that　the　Pope　did　not　know　that　I　thought　you

the　only　man　eligible　as　I　took　care　to　tell　him　over　and　over

again　what　was　against　all　the　other　candidates　and　in

consequence；　he　was　almost　driven　into　naming　you。　After　he　had

named　you；　the　Holy　Father　said　to　me；　〃What　a　diplomatist　you

are；　to　make　what　you　wished　come　to　pass！〃



'Nevertheless；'　concluded　Monsignor　Talbot；　'I　believe　your

appointment　was　specially　directed　by　the　Holy　Ghost。'



Manning　himself　was　apparently　of　the　same　opinion。　'My　dear

Child；'　he　wrote　to　a　lady　penitent；　'I　have　in　these　last　three

weeks　felt　as　if　our　Lord　had　called　me　by　name。　Everything　else　

has　passed　out　of　my　mind。　The　firm　belief