the new machiavelli-第34章

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percentages；　you　found　men　who　were　to　frame　or　amend　bills　in　grave　

and　intimate　exchange　with　Bailey's　omniscience；　you　heard　Altiora　

canvassing　approaching　resignations　and　possible　appointments　that　

might　make　or　mar　a　revolution　in　administrative　methods；　and　doing　

it　with　a　vigorous　directness　that　manifestly　swayed　the　decision；　

and　you　felt　you　were　in　a　sort　of　signal　box　with　levers　all　about　

you；　and　the　world　outside　there；　albeit　a　little　dark　and　

mysterious　beyond　the　window；　running　on　its　lines　in　ready　

obedience　to　these　unhesitating　lights；　true　and　steady　to　trim　

termini。



And　then　with　all　this　administrative　fizzle；　this　pseudo…scientific　

administrative　chatter；　dying　away　in　your　head；　out　you　went　into　

the　limitless　grimy　chaos　of　London　streets　and　squares；　roads　and　

avenues　lined　with　teeming　houses；　each　larger　than　the　Chambers　

Street　house　and　at　least　equally　alive；　you　saw　the　chaotic　clamour　

of　hoardings；　the　jumble　of　traffic；　the　coming　and　going　of　

mysterious　myriads；　you　heard　the　rumble　of　traffic　like　the　noise　

of　a　torrent；　a　vague　incessant　murmur　of　cries　and　voices；　wanton　

crimes　and　accidents　bawled　at　you　from　the　placards；　imperative　

unaccountable　fashions　swaggered　triumphant　in　dazzling　windows　of　

the　shops；　and　you　found　yourself　swaying　back　to　the　opposite　

conviction　that　the　huge　formless　spirit　of　the　world　it　was　that　

held　the　strings　and　danced　the　puppets　on　the　Bailey　stage。　。　。　。



Under　the　lamps　you　were　jostled　by　people　like　my　Staffordshire　

uncle　out　for　a　spree；　you　saw　shy　youths　conversing　with　

prostitutes；　you　passed　young　lovers　pairing　with　an　entire　

disregard　of　the　social　suitability　of　the　〃types〃　they　might　blend　

or　create；　you　saw　men　leaning　drunken　against　lamp…posts　whom　you　

knew　for　the　〃type〃　that　will　charge　with　fixed　bayonets　into　the　

face　of　death；　and　you　found　yourself　unable　to　imagine　little　

Bailey　achieving　either　drunkenness　or　the　careless　defiance　of　

annihilation。　　You　realised　that　quite　a　lot　of　types　were　

underrepresented　in　Chambers　Street；　that　feral　and　obscure　and　

altogether　monstrous　forces　must　be　at　work；　as　yet　altogether　

unassimilated　by　those　neat　administrative　reorganisations。







5





Altiora；　I　remember；　preluded　Margaret's　reappearance　by　announcing　

her　as　a　〃new　type。〃



I　was　accustomed　to　go　early　to　the　Baileys'　dinners　in　those　days；　

for　a　preliminary　gossip　with　Altiora　in　front　of　her　drawing…room　

fire。　　One　got　her　alone；　and　that　early　arrival　was　a　little　sign　

of　appreciation　she　valued。　　She　had　every　woman's　need　of　followers　

and　servants。



〃I'm　going　to　send　you　down　to…night；〃　she　said；　〃with　a　very　

interesting　type　indeedone　of　the　new　generation　of　serious　gals。　　

Middle…class　originand　quite　well　off。　　Rich　in　fact。　　Her　step…

father　was　a　solicitor　and　something　of　an　ENTREPRENEUR　towards　the　

end；　I　fancyin　the　Black　Country。　　There　was　a　little　brother　

died；　and　she's　lost　her　mother　quite　recently。　　Quite　on　her　own；　

so　to　speak。　　She's　never　been　out　into　society　very　much；　and　

doesn't　seem　really　very　anxious　to　go。　。　。　。　　Not　exactly　an　

intellectual　person；　you　know；　but　quiet；　and　great　force　of　

character。　　Came　up　to　London　on　her　own　and　came　to　ussomeone　had　

told　her　we　were　the　sort　of　people　to　advise　herto　ask　what　to　

do。　　I'm　sure　she'll　interest　you。〃



〃What　CAN　people　of　that　sort　do？〃　I　asked。　　〃Is　she　capable　of　

investigation？〃



Altiora　compressed　her　lips　and　shook　her　head。　　She　always　did　

shake　her　head　when　you　asked　that　of　anyone。



〃Of　course　what　she　ought　to　do；〃　said　Altiora；　with　her　silk　dress　

pulled　back　from　her　knee　before　the　fire；　and　with　a　lift　of　her　

voice　towards　a　chuckle　at　her　daring　way　of　putting　things；　〃is　to　

marry　a　member　of　Parliament　and　see　he　does　his　work。　。　。　。　　

Perhaps　she　will。　　It's　a　very　exceptional　gal　who　can　do　anything　

by　herselfquite　exceptional。　　The　more　serious　they　arewithout　

being　exceptionalthe　more　we　want　them　to　marry。〃



Her　exposition　was　truncated　by　the　entry　of　the　type　in　question。



〃Well！〃　cried　Altiora　turning；　and　with　a　high　note　of　welcome；　

〃HERE　you　are！〃



Margaret　had　gained　in　dignity　and　prettiness　by　the　lapse　of　five　

years；　and　she　was　now　very　beautifully　and　richly　and　simply　

dressed。　　Her　fair　hair　had　been　done　in　some　way　that　made　it　seem　

softer　and　more　abundant　than　it　was　in　my　memory；　and　a　gleam　of　

purple　velvet…set　diamonds　showed　amidst　its　mist　of　little　golden　

and　brown　lines。　　Her　dress　was　of　white　and　violet；　the　last　trace　

of　mourning　for　her　mother；　and　confessed　the　gracious　droop　of　her　

tall　and　slender　body。　　She　did　not　suggest　Staffordshire　at　all；　

and　I　was　puzzled　for　a　moment　to　think　where　I　had　met　her。　　Her　

sweetly　shaped　mouth　with　the　slight　obliquity　of　the　lip　and　the　

little　kink　in　her　brow　were　extraordinarily　familiar　to　me。　　But　

she　had　either　been　prepared　by　Altiora　or　she　remembered　my　name。　　

〃We　met；〃　she　said；　〃while　my　step…father　was　aliveat　Misterton。　　

You　came　to　see　us〃；　and　instantly　I　recalled　the　sunshine　between　

the　apple　blossom　and　a　slender　pale　blue　girlish　shape　among　the　

daffodils；　like　something　that　had　sprung　from　a　bulb　itself。　　I　

recalled　at　once　that　I　had　found　her　very　interesting；　though　I　did　

not　clearly　remember　how　it　was　she　had　interested　me。



Other　guests　arrivedit　was　one　of　Altiora's　boldly　blended　

mixtures　of　people　with　ideas　and　people　with　influence　or　money　who　

might　perhaps　be　expected　to　resonate　to　them。　　Bailey　came　down　

late　with　an　air　of　hurry；　and　was　introduced　to　Margaret　and　said　

absolutely　nothing　to　herthere　being　no　information　either　to　

receive　or　impart　and　nothing　to　dobut　stood　snatching　his　left　

cheek　until　I　rescued　him　and　her；　and　left　him　free　to　congratulate　

the　new　Lady　Snape　on　her　husband's　K。　C。　B。



I　took　Margaret　down。　　We　achieved　no　feats　of　mutual　expression；　

except　that　it　was　abundantly　clear　we　were　both　very　pleased　and　

interested　to　meet　again；　and　that　we　had　both　kept　memories　of　each　

other。　　We　made　that　Misterton　tea…party　and　the　subsequent　

marriages　of　my　cousins　and　the　world　of　Burslem　generally；　matter　

for　quite　an　agreeable　conversation　until　at　last　Altiora；　following　

her　invariable　custom；　called　me　by　name　imperatively　out　of　our　

duologue。　　〃Mr。　Remington；〃　she　said；　〃we　want　your　opinion〃　in　

her　entirely　characteristic　effort　to　get　all　the　threads　of　

conversation　into　her　own　hands　for　the　climax　that　always　wound　up　

her　dinners。　　How　the　other　women　used　to　hate　those　concluding　

raids　of　hers！　　I　forget　most　of　the　other　people　at　that　dinner；　

nor　can　I　recall　what　the　crowning　rally　was　about。　　It　didn't　in　

any　way　join　on　to　my　impression　of　Margaret。



In　the　drawing…room　of　the　matting　floor　I　rejoined　her；　with　

Altiora's　manifest　connivance；　and　in　the　interval　I　had　been　

thinking　of　our　former　meeting。



〃Do　you　find　London；〃　I　asked；　〃give　you　more　opportunity　for　doing　

things　and　learning　things　than　Burslem？〃



She　showed　at　once　she　appreciated　my　allusion　to　her　former　

confidences。　　〃I　was　very　discontented　then；〃　she　said　and　paused。　　

〃I've　really　only　been　in　London　for　a　few　months。　　It's　so　

different。　　In　Burslem；　life　seems　all　business　and　gettingwithout　

any　reason。　　One　went　on　and　it　didn't　seem　to　mean　anything。　　At　

least　anything　that　mattered。　。　。　。　　London　seems　to　be　so　full　of　

meaningsall　mixed　up　together。〃



She　knitted　her　brows　over　her　words　and　smiled　appealingly　at　the　

end　as　if　for　consideration　for　her　inadequate　expression；　

appealingly　and　almost　humorously。



I　looked　understandingly　at　her。　　〃We　have　all；〃　I　agreed；　〃to　come　

to　London。〃



〃One　sees　so　much　distress；〃　she　added；　as　if　she　felt　she　had　

completely　omitted　something；　and　needed　a　codicil。



〃What　are　you　doing　in　London？〃



〃I'm　thinking　of　studying。　　Some　social　question。　　I　thought　perhaps　

I　might　go　and　study　social　conditions　as　Mrs。　Bailey　did；　go　

perhaps　as　a　work…girl　or　see　the　reality　of　living　in；　but　Mrs。　

Bailey　thought　perhaps　it　wasn't　quite　my　work。〃



〃Are　you　studying？〃



〃I'm　going　to　a　good　many　lectures；　and　perhaps　I　shall　take　up　a　

regular　course　at　the　Westminster　School　of　Politics　and　Sociology。　　

But　Mrs。　Bailey　doesn't　seem　to　believe　very　much　in　that　either。〃



Her　faintly　whimsical　smile　returned。　　〃I　seem　rather　indefinite；〃　

she　apologised；　〃but　one　does　not　want　to　get　entangled　in　things　

one　can't　do。　　Oneone　has　so　many　advantages；　one's　life　seems　to　

be　such　a　trust　and　such　a　responsibility〃



She　stopped。



〃A　man　gets　driven　into　work；〃　I　said。



〃It　must　be　splendid　to　be　Mrs。　Bailey；〃　she　replied　with　a　glance　

of　envious　admiration　across　the　room。



〃SHE　has　no　doubts；　anyhow；〃　I　remarked。



〃She　HAD；〃　said　Margaret　with　the　pride　of　one　who　has　received　

great　confidences。







6





〃You've　met　before？〃　said　Altiora；　a　day　or　so　later。



I　explained　when。



〃You　find　her　interesting？〃



I　saw　in　a　flash　that　Altiora　meant　to　marry　me　to　Margaret。



Her　intention　became　much　clearer　as　the　year　developed。　　Altiora　

was　systematic　even　in　matters　that　evade　system。　　I　was　to　marry　

Margaret；　and　freed　from　the　need　of　making　an　income　I　was　to　come　

into　politicsas　an　exponent　of　Baileyism。　　She　put　it　down　with　

the　other　excellent　and　advantageous　things　that　should　occupy　her　

summer　holiday。　　It　was　her　pride　and　glory　to　put　things　down　and　

plan　them　out　in　detail　beforehand；　and　I'm　not　quite　sure　that　she　

did　not　even　mark　off　the　day　upon　which　the　engagement　was　to　be　

declared。　　If　she　did；　I　disappointed　her。　　We　didn't　come　to　an　

engagement；　in　spite　of　the　broadest　hints　and　the　glaring　

obviousness　of　everything；　that　summer。



Every　summer　the　Baileys　went　out　of　London　to　some　house　they　hired　

or　borrowed；　leaving　their　secretaries　toiling　behind；　and　they　went　

on　working　hard　in　the　mornings　and　evenings　and　taking　exercise　in　

the　open　air　in　the　afternoon。　　They　cycled　assiduously　and　went　for　

long　walks　at　a　trot；　and　raided　and　studied　（and　incidentally　

explained　themselves　to）　any　social　〃types〃　that　lived　in　the　

neighbourhood。　　One　invaded　type；　resentful　under　research；　

described　them　with　a　dreadful　aptness　as　Donna　Quixote　and　Sancho　

Panzaand　himself　as　a　harmless　windmill；　hurting　no　one　and　

signifying　nothing。　　She　did　rather　tilt　at　things。　　This　particular　

summer　they　were　at　a　pleasant　farmhouse　in　level　country　near　

Pangbourne；　belonging　to　the　Hon。　Wilfrid　Winchester；　and　they　asked　

me　to　come　down　to　rooms　in　the　neighbourhoodAltiora　took　them　for　

a　month　for　me　in　Augustand　board　with　th