第21章

ThesepreparationstoEmilyweresosadasalmosttobreakherheart。Shehadneverasyetpackedupherwidow’sweeds。Shehadneverasyetcontemplatedthenecessityofcomingdowntodinnerinthembeforeothereyesthanthoseofherfatherandbrother。Shehadasyetmadenoneofthosestruggleswithwhichwidowsseektolessenthedeformityoftheircostume。Itwasincumbentonhernowtogetaribbonortwolessghastlythanthoseweeperswhichhad，forthelastfivemonths，hungaboutherfaceandshoulders。Andthenhowwouldshelookifheweretobethere？ItwasnottobeexpectedthattheWhartonsshouldsecludethemselvesbecauseofhergrief。Thisverychangeinthecircumstancesofthepropertywouldbesure，ofitself，tobringtheFletcherstoWharton，——andthenhowshouldshelookathim，howanswerhim，ifhespoketohertenderly？Itisveryhardforawomantotellalietoamanwhensheloveshim。Shemayspeakthewords。Shemaybeabletoassurehimthatheisindifferenttoher。Butwhenawomanreallylovesaman，asshelovedthisman，thereisadesiretotouchhimwhichquiversatherfingers’

ends，alongingtolookathimwhichshecannotkeepoutofhereyes，aninclinationtobenearhimwhichaffectseverymotionofherbody。Shecannotrefrainherselffromexcessiveattentiontohiswords。Shehasagodtoworship，andshecannotcontrolheradmiration。OfallthisEmilyherselffeltmuch，——butfeltatthesametimethatshewouldneverpardonherselfifshebetrayedherlovebyagleamofhereye，bythetoneofaword，orthemovementofafinger。What，——shouldshebeknowntoloveagainaftersuchamistakeashers，aftersuchacatastrophe？

TheeveningbeforetheystartedwhoshouldbustleintothehousebutEveretthimself。Itwasaboutsixo’clock，andhewasgoingtoleaveLondonbythenightmail。Thatheshouldbealittlegiventobustleonsuchanoccasionmayperhapsbeforgivenhim。

HehadheardthenewsdownontheScotchcoast，andhadflownuptoLondon，telegraphingashedidsobackwardsandforwardstoWharton。Ofcoursehefeltthatthedestructionofhiscousinamongtheglaciers，——whetherbybrandyoricehedidnotmuchcare，——hadmadehimforthenonceoneoftheimportantpeopleoftheworld。Theyoungmanwhowouldnotsofeelmightbethebetterphilosopher，butonemightdoubtwhetherhewouldbethebetteryoungman。Hequiteagreedwithhisfatherthatitwashissister’sdutytogotoWharton，andhewasnowinapositiontospeakwithauthorityastothedutiesofthemembersofhisfamily。Hecouldnotwait，evenforonenight，inorderthathemighttravelwiththem。SirAluredwasimpatient。SirAluredwantedhiminHertfordshire。SirAluredhadsaidthatonsuchanoccasionhe，theheir，oughttobeonthepropertywiththeshortestpossibledelay。Hisfathersmiled——butwithanapprovingsmile。Everettthereforestartedbythenightmail，leavinghisfatherandsistertofollowhimonthemorrow。

CHAPTER68

THEPRIMEMINISTER’SPOLITICALCREED。

TheDuke，beforehewenttoMatching，twiceremindedPhineasFinnthathewasexpectedthereinadayortwo。’TheDuchesssaysthatyourwifeiscomingto-morrow，’saidtheDukeonthedayofhisdeparture。ButPhineascouldnotgothen。Hisservicestothecountrywererequiredamongthedockyardsandships，andhepostponedhisvisittilltheendofSeptember。ThenhestartedforMatching，havingthedoublepleasurebeforehimofmeetinghiswifeandhisnoblehostandhostess。Hefoundasmallpartythere，butnotsosmallastheDuchesshadoncesuggestedtohim。

’Yourwifewillbethere，ofcourse，MrFinn。Sheistoogoodtodesertmeinmytroubles。AndtherewillprobablybeLadyRosinaDeCourcy。LadyRosinaistotheDukewhatyourwifeistome。

Idon’tsupposetherewillbeanybodyelse，——except，perhapsMrWarburton！’ButLadyRosinawasnotthere。InplaceofLadyRosinathereweretheDukeandDuchessofStBungay，withtheirdaughters，twoorthreePalliseroffshoots，withtheirwives，andBarringtonErle。Therewere，too，theBishopofthediocesewithhiswife，threeorfourothers，comingandgoing，sothatthepartyneverseemedtobetoosmall。’WeaskedMrRattler，’saidtheDuchessinawhispertoPhineas，’buthedeclined，withastringoffloridcompliments。WhenMrRattlerwon’tcometothePrimeMinister’shouse，youmaydependthatsomethingisgoingtohappen。Itislikepigscarryingstrawsintheirmouths。MrRattlerismypig。’PhineasonlylaughedandsaidthathedidnotbelieveRattlertobeabetterpigthananybodyelse。

ItwassoonapparenttoPhineasthattheDuke’smannertohimwasentirelyaltered，somuchsothathewascompelledtoacknowledgetohimselfthathehadnothithertoreadtheDuke’scharacteraright。HithertohehadneverfoundtheDukepleasantinconversation。LookingbackhecouldhardlyrememberthathehadintrutheverconversedwiththeDuke。Themanhadseemedtoshuthimselfupassoonashehadutteredcertainwordswhichthecircumstancesofthemomenthaddemanded。WhetheritwasarroganceorshynessPhineashadnotknown。HiswifehadsaidthattheDukewasshy。Hadhebeenarroganttheeffectwouldhavebeenthesame。Hewasunbending，hard，andlucidonlywhenhespokeonsomedetailofbusiness，oronsomepointofpolicy。

Butnowhesmiled，and，thoughhesitatingalittleatfirst，verysoonfellintothewaysofapleasantcountryhost。’Youshoot，’

saidtheDuke。Phineasdidshoot，butcaredverylittleaboutit。’Butyouhunt。’Phineaswasveryfondofridingtohounds。

’Iambeginningtothink，’saidtheDuke，’thatIhavemadeamistakeinnotcaringforsuchthings。WhenIwasveryyoungI

gavethemup，becauseitappearedthatothermendevotedtoomuchtimetothem。Onemightaswellnoteatbecausemenaregluttons。’

’Onlythatyouwoulddieifyoudidnoteat。’

’Bread，Isuppose，wouldkeepmealive，butstilloneeatsmeatwithoutbeingaglutton。Iveryoftenregretthewantofamusements，andparticularlyofthosewhichwouldthrowmemoreamongmyfellow-creatures。Amanisalonewhenreading，alonewhenwriting，alonewhenthinking。EvensittinginParliamentheisverymuchalone，thoughtherebeacrowdaroundhim。Nowamancanhardlybethoroughlyusefulunlessheknowshisfellow-

men，andhowishetoknowthemifheshutshimselfup？IfIhadtobeginagainIthinkIwouldcultivatetheamusementsofthetime。’

NotlongafterthistheDukeaskedhimwhetherhewasgoingtojointheshootingmenonthatmorning。Phineasdeclaredthathishandsweretoofullofbusinessforanyamusementbeforelunch。

’Then，’saidtheDuke，’willyouwalkwithmethisafternoon？

ThereisnothingIreallylikesomuchasawalk。Therearesomeveryprettypointswheretheriverskirtsthepark。AndIwillshowyouthespotonwhichSirGuydePalliserperformedthefeatforwhichthekinggavehimthisproperty。Itwasagrandtimewhenamancouldgethalf-a-dozenparishesbecausehetickledtheking’sfancy。’

’Butsupposehedidn’ttickletheking’sfancy？’

’Ah，thenindeed，itmightgootherwisewithhim。ButIamgladtosaythatSirGuywasanaccomplishedcourtier。’

Thewalkwastaken，andtheprettybendsoftheriverwereseen。

buttheywerelookedatwithoutmuchearnestness，andSirGuy’sgreatdeedwasnotagainmentioned。Theconversationwentawaytoothermatters。OfcourseitwasnotlongbeforethePrimeMinisterwasdeepindiscussingtheprobabilitiesofthenextSession。ItwassoonapparenttoPhineasthattheDukewasnolongerdesirousofresigning，thoughhespokeveryfreelyoftheprobablenecessitytheremightbeforhimtodoso。Atthepresentmomenthewasinhisbesthumour。Hisfeetwereonhisownproperty。Hecouldseetheprosperityaroundhim。Thespotwastheonewhichhelovedthebestintheworld。Helikedhispresentcompanion，whowasonetowhomhewasentitledtospeakwithfreedom。Buttherewasstillpresenttohimthesenseofsomeinjuryfromwhichhecouldnotfreehimself。OfcoursehedidnotknowthathehadbeenhaughtytoSirOrlando，toSirTimothy，andothers。Buthedidknowthathehadintendedtobetrue，andhethoughtthattheyhadbeentreacherous。Twelvemonthsagotherehadbeenagoalbeforehimwhichhemightattain，awinning-postwhichwasstillwithinhisreach。Therewasinstoreforhimthetranquillityofretirementwhichhewouldenjoyassoonasasenseofdutywouldpermithimtoseizeit。Butnowtheprospectofthathappinesshadgraduallyvanishedfromhim。Thatretirementwasnolongerawinning-postforhim。Thepoisonofplaceandpoweranddignityhadgotintohisblood。Ashelookedforwardhefearedratherthansighedforretirement。’Youthinkitwillgoagainstus？’hesaid。

Phineasdidthinkso。Therewashardlyamanhighupinthepartywhodidnotthinkso。WhenonebranchoftheCoalitionhasgraduallydroppedoff，theotherbranchwillhardlyflourishlong。AndthenthetintsofapoliticalCoalitionaresoneutralandunalluringthatmenwillonlyendurethemwhentheyfeelthatnomorepronouncedcoloursarewithintheirreach。’Afterall，’

saidPhineas，’theinningshasnotbeenabadone。Ithasbeenofservicetothecountry，andhaslastedlongerthanmostexpected。’

’Ifithasbeenofservicetothecountry，thatiseverything。

Itshouldatleastbeeverything。Withthestatesmantowhomitisnoteverythingtheremustbesomethingwrong。’TheDuke，ashesaidthis，waspreachingtohimself。Hewastellinghimselfthat，thoughhesawthebetterway，hewasallowinghimselftowalkonthatwhichwasworse。ForitwasnotonlyPhineaswhowouldseethechange，——ortheoldDuke，ortheDuchess。Itwasapparenttothemanhimself，thoughhecouldnotpreventit。’I

sometimesthink，’hesaid，’thatwewhomchancehasledtobemeddlersinthegameofpoliticssometimesgiveourselveshardlytimeenoughtothinkwhatweareabout。’

’Amanmayhavetoworksohard，’saidPhineas，’thathehasnotimeforthinking。’

’Ormoreprobably，maybesoeagerinpartyconflictthathewillhardlykeephismindcoolenoughforthought。Itseemstomethatmanymen，——menwhomyouandIknow，——embracetheprofessionofpoliticsnotonlywithoutpoliticalconvictions，butwithoutseeingthatitisproperthattheyshouldentertainthem。Chancebringsayoungmanundertheguidanceofthisorthatelderman。HehascomeofaWhigfamily，aswasmycase，——

orfromsomeoldTorystock。andloyaltykeepshimtruetotheinterestswhichhavefirstpushedhimforwardintotheworld。

Thereisnoconvictionthere。’

’Convictionsgrow。’

’Yes——theconvictionthatitistheman’sdutytobeastaunchLiberal，butnotthereasonwhy。Oramanseeshisopeningonthissideoronthat，——asisthecasewiththelawyers。Orhehasabodyofmenathisbackreadytosupporthimonthissideorthat，asweseewithcommercialmen。Orperhapshehassomevagueideathataristocracyispleasant，andhebecomesaConservative，——orthatdemocracyisprospering，andhebecomesaLiberal。YouareaLiberal，MrFinn。’

’Certainly，Duke。’

’Why？’

’Well——afterwhatyouhavesaidIwillnotboastofmyself。

Experience，however，seemstoshowmethatLiberalismisdemandedbythecountry。’

’So，perhaps，atcertainepochs，maytheDevilandallhisworks。

butyouwillhardlysaythatyouwillcarrytheDevil’scolours，becausethecountrymayliketheDevil。Itisnotsufficient，I

think，tosaythatLiberalismisdemanded。YoushouldfirstknowwhatLiberalismmeans，andthenassureyourselfthatthethingitselfisgood。Idaresayyouhavedoneso，butIseesomewhonevermaketheinquiry。’

’Iwillnotclaimtobebetterthanmyneighbours，——Imeanmyrealneighbours。’

’Iunderstand。Iunderstand，’saidtheDukelaughing。’YouprefersomegoodSamaritanontheOppositionbenchestoSirTimothyandthePharisees。Itishardtocomewoundedoutofthefight，andthentoseehimwhowouldbeyourfriendnotonlywalkingbyontheotherside，butflingingastoneatyouashegoes。ButIdidnotmeanjustnowtoalludetothedetailsofrecentmisfortunes，thoughthereisnoonetowhomIcoulddosomoreopenlythantoyou。IwastryingyesterdaytoexplaintomyselfwhyIhave，allmylife，satonwhatiscalledtheLiberalsideoftheHousetowhichIhavebelonged。’

’Didyousucceed？’

’Ibeganlifewiththemisfortuneofaready-madepoliticalcreed。TherewasaseatintheHouseformewhenIwastwenty-

one。Nobodytookthetroubletoaskmemyopinions。ItwasamatterofcoursethatIshouldbeaLiberal。Myuncle，whomnothingcouldeverinducetoenterpoliticshimself，tookitforgrantedthatIshouldrunstraight，——ashewouldhavesaid。Itwasatraditionofthefamily，andwasainseparablefromitasanyofthetitleswhichhehadinherited。Thepropertymightbesoldorsquandered，——butthepoliticalcreedwasfixedasadamant。Idon’tknowthatIeverhadawishtorebel，butI

thinkthatItookitatfirstverymuchasamatterofcourse。’

’Amanseldominquiresverydeeplyattwenty-one。’

’Andifhedoesitistentoonebuthecomestoawrongconclusion。ButsincethenIhavesatisfiedmyselfthatchanceputmeintotherightcourse。Ithasbeen，Idaresay，thesamewithyouaswithme。Webothwentintoofficeearly，andtheanxietytodospecialdutieswellprobablydeterredusbothfromthinkingmuchofthegreatquestion。WhenamanhastobeonthealerttokeepIrelandquiet，ortopreventpeculationinthedockyards，ortoraisetherevenuewhilehelowersthetaxes，hefeelshimselftobesavedfromthenecessityofinvestigatingprinciples。InthiswayIsometimesthinkthatministers，ortheywhohavebeenministersandwhohavetowatchtheministersfromtheOppositionbenches，havelessopportunityofbecomingrealpoliticiansthanthenewmenwhositinParliamentwithemptyhandsandwithtimeattheirowndisposal。ButwhenamanhasbeenplacedbycircumstancesasIamnow，hedoesbegintothink。’

’Andyetyouhavenotemptyhands。’

’Theyarenotsofull，perhaps，asyouthink。AtanyrateI

cannotcontentmyselfwithasinglebranchofpublicserviceasI

usedtoinolddays。DonotsupposethatIclaimtohavemadeanygrandpoliticalinvention，butIthinkthatIhaveatleastlabelledmyownthoughts。Isupposewhatwealldesireistoimprovetheconditionofthepeoplebywhomweareemployed，andtoadvanceorcountry，oratanyratetosaveitfromregression。’

’Thatofcourse。’

’Somuchisofcourse。IgivecredittomyopponentsinParliamentforthatdesirequiteasreadilyasIdotomycolleaguesortomyself。Theideathatpoliticalvirtueisallononesideisbothmischievousandabsurd。Weallowourselvestotalkinthatwaybecauseindignation，scorn，andsometimes，I

fear，vituperation，arethefuelwithwhichthenecessaryheatofdebateismaintained。’

’Therearesomemenwhoareveryfondofpokingthefire，’saidPhineas。

’Well。Iwon’tnameanyoneatpresent，’saidtheDuke，’butI

haveseengentlemenofyourcountryveryhandywiththepokers。’

Phineaslaughed，knowingthathehadbeenconsideredbysometohavebeenalittleviolentwhendefendingtheDuke。’Butweputallthatasidewhenwereallythink，andcangivetheConservativecreditforpatriotismasreadilyastheLiberal。

TheConservativewhohashadanyideaofthemeaningofthenamewhichhecarries，wishes，Isuppose，tomaintainthedifferencesandthedistanceswhichseparatethehighlyplacedfromtheirlowerbrethren。HethinksthatGodhasdividedtheworldashefindsitdivided，andthathemaybestdohisdutybymakingtheinferiormanyhappyandcontentedinhisposition，teachinghimthattheplacewhichheholdsishisbyGod’sordinance。’

’Anditisso。’

’HardlyinthesensethatImean。ButthatisthegreatConservativelesson。Thatlessonseemstometobehardlycompatiblewithcontinualimprovementintheconditionofthelowerman。ButwiththeConservativeallsuchimprovementistobebasedontheideaofthemaintenanceofthosedistances。IasaDukeamtobekeptasfarapartfromthemanwhodrivesmyhorsesaswasmyancestorfromthemanwhodrovehis，orwhorodeafterhimtothewars，——andthatistogoonforever。Thereismuchtobesaidforsuchascheme。Letthelordsbe，allofthem，menwithlovinghearts，andclearintellect，andnobleinstincts，anditispossiblethattheyshouldusetheirpowerssobeneficentlyastospreadhappinessovertheearth。Itisoneofthemillenniumswhichthemindofmancanconceive，andseemstobethatwhichtheConservativeminddoesconceive。’

’Buttheothermenwhoarenotlordsdon’twantthatkindofhappiness。’

’Ifsuchhappinesswereattainableitmightwellbetoconstrainmentoacceptit。Butthelordsofthisworldarefalliblemen。

andthoughasunitstheyoughttobeandperhapsarebetterthanthoseotherswhohavefeweradvantages，theyaremuchmorelikelyasunitstogoastrayinopinionthanthebodiesofmenwhomtheywouldseektogovern。Weknowthatpowerdoescorrupt，andthatwecannottrustkingstohavelovinghearts，andclearintellects，andnobleinstincts。Menastheycometothinkaboutitandtolookforward，andtolookback，willnotbelieveinsuchamillenniumasthat。’

’Dotheybelieveinanymillennium？’

’Ithinktheydoafterafashion，andIthinkthatIdomyself。

ThatismyideaofConservatism。ThedoctrineofLiberalismis，ofcourse，thereverse。TheLiberal，ifhehaveanyfixedideaatall，must，Ithink，haveconceivedtheideaoflesseningdistances，——ofbringingthecoachmanandthedukenearertogether，——nearerandnearer，tillamillenniumshallbereachedby——’

’Byequality？’askedPhineas，eagerlyinterruptingthePrimeMinister，andshowinghisdissentbythetoneofhisvoice。

’Ididnotusetheword，whichisopentomanyobjections。Inthefirstplacethemillennium，whichIhaveperhapsrashlynamed，issodistantthatweneednoteventhinkofitaspossible。Men’sintellectsareatpresentsovariousthatwecannotevenrealizetheideaofequality，andhereinEnglandwehavebeentaughttohatethewordbytheevileffectsofthoseabsurdattemptswhichhavebeenmadeelsewheretoproclaimitasafactaccomplishedbythescratchofapenorthechiselofastone。Wehavebeeninjuredinthat，becauseagoodwordsignifyingagrandideahasbeendrivenoutofthevocabularyofgoodmen。Equalitywouldbeaheaven，ifwecouldattainit。

Howcanwetowhomsomuchhasbeengivendaretothinkotherwise？Howcanyoulookatthebowedbackandbentlegsandabjectfaceofthepoorploughman，whowinterandsummerhastodraghisrheumaticlimbstohiswork，whileyougoa-huntingorsitinprideofplaceamongtheforemostfewofthecountry，andsaythatitisallthatitoughttobe？YouareaLiberalbecauseyouknowthatitisallnotasitoughttobe，andbecauseyouwouldstillmarchontosomenearerapproachtoequality。thoughthethingitselfissogreat，soglorious，sogodlike，——nay，soabsolutelydivine，——thatyouhavebeendisgustedbytheverypromiseofit，becauseitsperfectionisunattainable。Menhaveassertedamockequalitytilltheveryideaofequalitystinksinmen’snostrils。’

TheDukeinhisenthusiasmhadthrownoffhishat，andwassittingonawoodenseatwhichtheyhadreached，lookingupamongtheclouds。Hislefthandwasclenched，andfromtimetotimewithhisrightherubbedthethinhairsonhisbrow。Hehadbeguninalowvoice，withasomewhatslipshodenunciationofhiswords，buthadgraduallybecomeclear，resonant，andeveneloquent。PhineasknewthattherewerestoriestoldofcertainburstsofwordswhichhadcomefromhiminformerdaysintheHouseofCommons。ThesehadoccasionallysurprisedmenandinducedthemtodeclarethatPlantyPall，——ashewasthenoftencalled，——wasadarkhorse。Buttheyhadbeenfewandfarbetween，andPhineashadneverheardthem。Nowhegazedathiscompanioninsilence，wonderingwhetherthespeakerwouldgoonwithhisspeech。Butthefacechangedonasudden，andtheDukewithanawkwardmotionsnatcheduphishat。’Ihopeyouain’tcold？’hesaid。

’Notatall，’saidPhineas。

’Icameherebecauseofthatbendoftheriver。Iamalwaysveryfondofthatbend。Wedon’tgoovertheriver。ThatisMrUpjohn’sproperty。’

’Thememberforthecounty？’

’Yes。andaverygoodmember，heis，thoughhedoesn’tsupportus——anold-schoolTory，butagreatfriendofmyuncle，who，afterall，hadagooddealofToryabouthim。Iwonderwhetherheisathome。ImustremindtheDuchesstoaskhimtodinner。

Youknowhim，ofcourse。’

’OnlybyseeinghimintheHouse。’

’You’dlikehimverymuch。Whenheisinthecountryhealwayswearskneebreechesandgaiters，whichIthinkisaverycomfortabledress。’

’Troublesome，Duk