the research magnificent-第25章

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　at　large　is　enough　to　excite　the　most　temperate　of　us　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex。　〃If　I　were　you；〃　came　to　be　a　familiar　phrase　in　his　ear。　　This　was　particularly　the　case　with　political　people；　and　they　did　it　not　only　from　the　natural　infirmity　of　humanity；　but　because；　when　they　seemed　reluctant　or　satisfied　with　him　as　he　was；　Lady　Marayne　egged　them　on。　There　was　a　general　assumption　that　he　was　to　go　into　Parliament；　and　most　of　his　counsellors　assumed　further　that　on　the　whole　his　natural　sympathies　would　take　him　into　the　Conservative　party。　　But　it　was　pointed　out　to　him　that　just　at　present　the　Liberal　party　was　the　party　of　a　young　man's　opportunity；　sooner　or　later　the　swing　of　the　pendulum　which　would　weed　the　Conservatives　and　proliferate　Liberals　was　bound　to　come；　there　was　always　more　demand　and　opportunity　for　candidates　on　the　Liberal　side；　the　Tariff　Reformers　were　straining　their　ministerial　majority　to　the　splitting　point；　and　most　of　the　old　Liberal　leaders　had　died　off　during　the　years　of　exile。　　The　party　was　no　longer　dominated；　it　would　tolerate　ideas。　A　young　man　who　took　a　distinctive　lineprovided　it　was　not　from　the　party　point　of　view　a　vexatious　or　impossible　linemight　go　very　rapidly　far　and　high。　　On　the　other　hand；　it　was　urged　upon　him　that　the　Tariff　Reform　adventure　called　also　for　youth　and　energy。　But　there；　perhaps；　there　was　less　scope　for　the　distinctive　line　and　already　they　had　Garvin。　　Quite　a　number　of　Benham's　friends　pointed　out　to　him　the　value　of　working　out　some　special　aspect　of　our　national　political　interests。　　A　very　useful　speciality　was　the　Balkans。　　Mr。　Pope；　the　well…known　publicist；　whose　very　sound　and　considerable　reputation　was　based　on　the　East　Purblow　Labour　Experiment；　met　Benham　at　lunch　and　proposed　to　go　with　him　in　a　spirit　of　instructive　association　to　the　Balkans；　rub　up　their　Greek　together；　and　settle　the　problem　of　Albania。　　He　wanted；　he　said；　a　foreign　speciality　to　balance　his　East　Purblow　interest。　　But　Lady　Beach　Mandarin　warned　Benham　against　the　Balkans；　the　Balkans　were　getting　to　be　too　handy　for　Easter　and　summer　holidays；　and　now　that　there　were　several　good　hotels　in　Servia　and　Montenegro　and　Sofia；　they　were　being　overdone。　　Everybody　went　to　the　Balkans　and　came　back　with　a　pet　nationality。　　She　loathed　pet　nationalities。　　She　believed　most　people　loathed　them　nowadays。　　It　was　stale：　it　was　GLADSTONIAN。　　She　was　all　for　specialization　in　social　reform。　　She　thought　Benham　ought　to　join　the　Fabian　Society　and　consult　the　Webbs。　　Quite　a　number　of　able　young　men　had　been　placed　with　the　assistance　of　the　Webbs。　　They　were；　she　said；　〃a　perfect　fount。　。　。　。〃　Two　other　people；　independently　of　each　other；　pointed　out　to　Benham　the　helpfulness　of　a　few　articles　in　the　half…crown　monthlies。　。　。　。　〃What　are　the　assumptions　underlying　all　this？〃　Benham　asked　himself　in　a　phase　of　lucidity。　And　after　reflection。　　〃Good　God！　　The　assumptions！　　What　do　they　think　will　satisfy　me？　。　。　。〃　Everybody；　however；　did　not　point　to　Parliament。　　Several　people　seemed　to　think　Travel；　with　a　large　T；　was　indicated。　　One　distant　cousin　of　Sir　Godfrey's；　the　kind　of　man　of　the　world　who　has　long　moustaches；　was　for　big　game　shooting。　　〃Get　right　out　of　all　this　while　you　are　young；〃　he　said。　　〃There's　nothing　to　compare　with　stopping　a　charging　lion　at　twenty　yards。　　I've　done　it；　my　boy。　You　can　come　back　for　all　this　pow…wow　afterwards。〃　　He　gave　the　diplomatic　service　as　a　second　choice。　　〃There　you　are；〃　he　said；　〃first…rate　social　position；　nothing　to　do；　theatres；　operas；　pretty　women；　colour；　life。　　The　best　of　good　times。　　Barring　Washington；　that　is。　　But　Washington；　they　say；　isn't　as　bad　as　it　used　to　be　since　Teddy　has　Europeanized　‘em。　。　。　。〃　Even　the　Reverend　Harold　Benham　took　a　subdued　but　thoughtful　share　in　his　son's　admonition。　　He　came　up　to　the　flatdue　precautions　were　taken　to　prevent　a　painful　encounterhe　lunched　at　his　son's　new　club；　and　he　was　visibly　oppressed　by　the　contrast　between　the　young　man's　youthful　fortunes　and　his　own。　　As　visibly　he　bore　up　bravely。　　〃There　are　few　men；　Poff；　who　would　not　envy　you　your　opportunities；〃　he　said。　　〃You　have　the　Feast　of　Life　spread　out　at　your　feet。　。　。　。　　I　hope　you　have　had　yourself　put　up　for　the　Athenaeum。　　They　say　it　takes　years。　　When　I　was　a　young　manand　ambitiousI　thought　that　some　day　I　might　belong　to　the　Athenaeum。　。　。　。　　One　has　to　learn。　。　。　。〃

7

And　with　an　effect　of　detachment；　just　as　though　it　didn't　belong　to　the　rest　of　him　at　all；　there　was　beginning　a　sort　of　backstairs　and　underside　to　Benham's　life。　　There　is　no　need　to　discuss　how　inevitable　that　may　or　may　not　be　in　the　case　of　a　young　man　of　spirit　and　large　means；　nor　to　embark　upon　the　discussion　of　the　temptations　and　opportunities　of　large　cities。　　Several　ladies；　of　various　positions　and　qualities；　had　reflected　upon　his　manifest　need　of　education。　　There　was　in　particular　Mrs。　Skelmersdale；　a　very　pretty　little　widow　with　hazel　eyes；　black　hair；　a　mobile　mouth；　and　a　pathetic　history；　who　talked　of　old　music　to　him　and　took　him　to　a　Dolmetsch　concert　in　Clifford's　Inn；　and　expanded　that　common　interest　to　a　general　participation　in　his　indefinite　outlook。　　She　advised　him　about　his　probable　politicseverybody　did　thatbut　when　he　broke　through　his　usual　reserve　and　suggested　views　of　his　own；　she　was　extraordinarily　sympathetic。　　She　was　so　sympathetic　and　in　such　a　caressing　way　that　she　created　a　temporary　belief　in　her　understanding；　and　it　was　quite　imperceptibly　that　he　was　drawn　into　the　discussion　of　modern　ethical　problems。　　She　herself　was　a　rather　stimulating　instance　of　modern　ethical　problems。　　She　told　him　something　of　her　own　story；　and　then　their　common　topics　narrowed　down　very　abruptly。　　He　found　he　could　help　her　in　several　ways。　　There　is；　unhappily；　a　disposition　on　the　part　of　many　people；　who　ought　to　know　better；　to　regard　a　role　played　by　Joseph　during　his　earlier　days　in　Egypt　as　a　ridiculous　one。　　This　point　of　view　became　very　inopportunely　dominant　in　Benham's　mind　when　he　was　lunching　TETE　A　TETE　with　Mrs。　Skelmersdale　at　her　flat。　。　。　。　The　ensuing　intimacy　was　of　an　entirely　concealed　and　respectable　nature；　but　a　certain　increased　preoccupation　in　his　manner　set　Lady　Marayne　thinking。　　He　had　as　a　matter　of　fact　been　taken　by　surprise。　Still　he　perceived　that　it　is　no　excuse　for　a　man　that　he　has　been　taken　by　surprise。　　Surprises　in　one's　own　conduct　ought　not　to　happen。　　When　they　do　happen　then　an　aristocrat　ought　to　stick　to　what　he　had　done。　　He　was　now　in　a　subtle　and　complicated　relationship　to　Mrs。　Skelmersdale；　a　relationship　in　which　her　pride　had　become　suddenly　a　matter　of　tremendous　importance。　　Once　he　had　launched　himself　upon　this　affair；　it　was　clear　to　him　that　he　owed　it　to　her　never　to　humiliate　her。　　And　to　go　back　upon　himself　now　would　be　a　tremendous　humiliation　for　her。　　You　see；　he　had　helped　her　a　little　financially。　　And　she　looked　to　him；　she　wanted　him。　。　。　。　She　wasn't；　he　knew；　altogether　respectable。　　Indeed；　poor　dear；　her　ethical　problems；　already　a　little　worn；　made　her　seem　at　times　anything　but　respectable。　　He　had　met　her　first　one　evening　at　Jimmy　Gluckstein's　when　he　was　forming　his　opinion　of　Art。　　Her　manifest　want　of　interest　in　pictures　had　attracted　him。　　And　that　had　led　to　music。　　And　to　the　mention　of　a　Clementi　piano；　that　short；　gentle；　sad；　old；　little　sort　of　piano　people　will　insist　upon　calling　a　spinet；　in　her　flat。　And　so　to　this。　。　。　。　It　was　very　wonderful　and　delicious；　this　first　indulgence　of　sense。　It　was　shabby　and　underhand。　The　great　god　Pan　is　a　glorious　god。　　（And　so　was　Swinburne。）　　And　what　can　compare　with　the　warmth　of　blood　and　the　sheen　of　sunlit　limbs？　But　Priapus。　。　。　。　She　was　the　most　subtle；　delightful　and　tender　of　created　beings。　She　had　amazing　streaks　of　vulgarity。　And　some　astonishing　friends。　Once　she　had　seemed　to　lead　the　talk　deliberately　to　money　matters。　She　loved　him　and　desired　him。　　There　was　no　doubt　of　it。　There　was　a　curious　effect　about　her　as　though　when　she　went　round　the　corner　she　would　become　somebody　else。　　And　a　curious　recurrent　feeling　that　round　the　corner　there　was　s