eminent victorians-第26章

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Conclave；　a　Cardinal　suggested　that　Manning　should　succeed　to　the

Papacy。　He　replied　that　he　was　unfit　for　the　position；　because

it　was　essential　for　the　interests　of　the　Holy　See　that　the　next

Pope　should　be　an　Italian。　The　suggestion　was　pressed；　but

Manning　held　firm。　Thus　it　happened　that　the　Triple　Tiara　seemed

to　come；　for　a　moment；　within　the　grasp　of　the　late　Archdeacon　of

Chichester；　and　the　cautious　hand　refrained。　Leo　XIII　was

elected；　and　there　was　a　great　change　in　the　policy　of　the

Vatican。　Liberalism　became　the　order　of　the　day。　And　now　at　last

the　opportunity　seemed　ripe　for　an　act　which；　in　the　opinion　of

the　majority　of　English　Catholics；　had　long　been　due　the

bestowal　of　some　mark　of　recognition　from　the　Holy　See　upon　the

labours　and　the　sanctity　of　Father　Newman。　It　was　felt　that　a

Cardinal's　hat　was　the　one　fitting　reward　for　such　a　life；　and

accordingly　the　Duke　of　Norfolk；　representing　the　Catholic　laity

of　England；　visited　Manning；　and　suggested　that　he　should　forward

the　proposal　to　the　Vatican。　Manning　agreed；　and　then　there

followed　a　curious　series　of　incidents　the　last　encounter　in

the

jarring　lives　of　those　two　men。　A　letter　was　drawn　up　by　Manning

for　the　eye　of　the　Pope；　embodying　the　Duke　of　Norfolk's

proposal；　but　there　was　an　unaccountable　delay　in　the

transmission　of　this　letter；　months　passed；　and　it　had　not

reached　the　Holy　Father。　The　whole　matter　would；　perhaps；　have

dropped　out　of　sight　and　been　forgotten；　in　a　way　which　had

become　customary　when　honours　for　Newman　were　concerned；　had　not

the　Duke　of　Norfolk　himself；　when　he　was　next　in　Rome；　ventured

to　recommend　to　Leo　XIII　that　Dr。　Newman　should　be　made　a

Cardinal。　His　Holiness　welcomed　the　proposal；　but；　he　said；　he

could　do　nothing　until　he　knew　the　views　of　Cardinal　Manning。

Thereupon；　the　Duke　of　Norfolk　wrote　to　Manning；　explaining　what

had　occurred；　shortly　afterwards；　Manning's　letter　of

recommendation；　after　a　delay　of　six　months；　reached　the　Pope；

and　the　offer　of　a　Cardinalate　was　immediately　dispatched　to

Newman。



But　the　affair　was　not　yet　over。　The　offer　had　been　made；　would

it　be　accepted？　There　was　one　difficulty　in　the　way。　Newman　was

now　an　infirm　old　man　of　seventy…eight；　and　it　is　a　rule　that　all

Cardinals　who　are　not　also　diocesan　Bishops　or　Archbishops

reside；　as　a　matter　of　course；　at　Rome。　The　change　would　have

been　impossible　for　one　of　his　years　for　one；　too；　whose　whole

life　was　now　bound　up　with　the　Oratory　at　Birmingham。　But；　of

course；　there　was　nothing　to　prevent　His　Holiness　from　making　an

exception　in　Newman's　case；　and　allowing　him　to　end　his　days　in

England。　Yet　how　was　Newman　himself　to　suggest　this？　The　offer　of

the　Hat　had　come　to　him　as　an　almost　miraculous　token　of　renewed

confidence；　of　ultimate　reconciliation。　The　old；　long；　bitter

estrangement　was　ended　at　last。　'The　cloud　is　lifted　from　me　for

ever！'　he　exclaimed　when　the　news　reached　him。　It　would　be

melancholy　indeed　if　the　cup　were　now　to　be　once　more　dashed　from

his　lips　and　he　was　obliged　to　refuse　the　signal　honour。　In　his

perplexity　he　went　to　the　Bishop　of　Birmingham　and　explained　the

whole　situation。　The　Bishop　assured　him　that　all　would　be　well；

that　he　himself　would　communicate　with　the　authorities；　and　put

the　facts　of　the　case　before　them。　Accordingly；　while　Newman

wrote　formally　refusing　the　Hat；　on　the　ground　of　his

unwillingness　to　leave　the　Oratory；　the　Bishop　wrote　two　letters

to　Manning；　one　official　and　one　private；　in　which　the　following

passages　occurred：



'Dr。　Newman　has　far　too　humble　and　delicate　a　mind　to　dream　of

thinking　or　saying　anything　which　would　look　like　hinting　at　any

kind　of　terms　with　the　Sovereign　Pontiff。　。。。　I　think；　however；

that　I　ought　to　express　my　own　sense　of　what　Dr。　Newman's

dispositions　are；　and　that　it　will　be　expected　of　me。。。　I　am

thoroughly　confident　that　nothing　stands　in　the　way　of　his　most

grateful　acceptance；　except　what　he　tells　me　greatly　distresses

him　namely；　the　having　to　leave　the　Oratory　at　a　critical

period

of　its　existence；　and　the　impossibility　of　his　beginning　a　new

life　at　his　advanced　age。'



And　in　his　private　letter　the　Bishop　said：　'Dr。　Newman　is　very

much　aged；　and　softened　with　age　and　the　trials　he　has　had；

especially　the　loss　of　his　two　brethren；　St。　John　and　Caswall；　he

can　never　refer　to　these　losses　without　weeping　and　becoming

speechless　for　a　time。　He　is　very　much　affected　by　the　Pope's

kindness　and　would；　I　know；　like　to　receive　the　great　honour

offered

him；　but　feels　the　whole　difficulty　at　his　age　of　changing　his

life　or　having　to　leave　the　Oratory　which　I　am　sure　he　could

not　do。　If　the　Holy　Father　thinks　well　to　confer　on　him　the

dignity；　leaving　him　where　he　is；　I　know　how　immensely　he　would

be　gratified；　and　you　will　know　how　generally　the　conferring　on

him　the　Cardinalate　will　be　applauded。'



These　two　letters；　together　with　Newman's　refusal；　reached

Manning　as　he　was　on　the　point　of　starting　for　Rome。　After　he　had

left　England；　the　following　statement　appeared　in　〃The　Times〃：



'Pope　Leo　XIII　has　intimated　his　desire　to　raise　Dr。　Newman　to

the

rank　of　Cardinal；　but　with　expressions　of　deep　respect　for　the

Holy　See；　Dr。　Newman　has　excused　himself　from　accepting　the

Purple。'



When　Newman's　eyes　fell　upon　the　announcement；　he　realised　at

once　that　a　secret　and　powerful　force　was　working　against　him。　He

trembled；　as　he　had　so　often　trembled　before；　and　certainly　the

danger　was　not　imaginary。　In　the　ordinary　course　of　things；　how

could　such　a　paragraph　have　been　inserted　without　his　authority？

And　consequently；　did　it　not　convey　to　the　world；　not　only　an

absolute　refusal　which　he　had　never　intended；　but　a　wish　on　his

part　to　emphasise　publicly　his　rejection　of　the　proffered　honour？

Did　it　not　imply　that　he　had　lightly　declined　a　proposal　for

which　in　reality　he　was　deeply　thankful？　And　when　the　fatal

paragraph　was　read　in　Rome；　might　it　not　actually　lead　to　the

offer　of　the　Cardinalate　being　finally　withheld？



In　great　agitation；　Newman　appealed　to　the　Duke　of　Norfolk。　'As

to　the　statement；'　he　wrote；　'of　my　refusing　a　Cardinal's　Hat；

which　is　in　the　papers；　you　must　not　believe　it；　for　this　reason：



'Of　course；　it　implies　that　an　offer　has　been　made　me；　and　I　have

sent　an　answer　to　it。　Now　I　have　ever　understood　that　it　is　a

point　of　propriety　and　honour　to　consider　such　communications

sacred。　This　statement；　therefore；　cannot　come　from　me。　Nor　could

it　come　from　Rome；　for　it　was　made　public　before　my　answer　got　to

Rome。



'It　could　only　come；　then；　from　someone　who　not　only　read　my

letter；　but；　instead　of　leaving　to　the　Pope　to　interpret　it；　took

upon　himself　to　put　an　interpretation　upon　it；　and　published　that

interpretation　to　the　world。



'A　private　letter；　addressed　to　Roman　Authorities；　is　interpreted

on　its　way　and　published　in　the　English　papers。　How　is　it

possible　that　anyone　can　have　done　this？'



The　crushing　indictment　pointed　straight　at　Manning。　And　it　was

true。　Manning　had　done　the　impossible　deed。　Knowing　what　he　did；

with　the　Bishop　of　Birmingham's　two　letters　in　his　pocket；　he　had

put　it　about　that　Newman　had　refused　the　Hat。　But　a　change　had

come　over　the　spirit　of　the　Holy　See。　Things　were　not　as　they　had

once　been：　Monsignor　Talbot　was　at　Passy；　and　Pio　Nono　was

where？　The　Duke　of　Norfolk　intervened　once　again；　Manning　was

profuse　in　his　apologies　for　having　misunderstood　Newman's

intentions；　and　hurried　to　the　Pope　to　rectify　the　error。　Without

hesitation；　the　Sovereign　Pontiff　relaxed　the　rule　of　Roman

residence；　and　Newman　became　a　Cardinal。



He　lived　to　enjoy　his　glory　for　more　than　ten　years。　Since　he

rarely　left　the　Oratory；　and　since　Manning　never　visited

Birmingham；　the　two　Cardinals　met　only　once　or　twice。　After　one

of　these　occasions；　on　returning　to　the　Oratory；　Cardinal　Newman

said；　'What　do　you　think　Ca