eminent victorians-第26章

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men　every　year　out　upon　Salisbury　Plain　and　shoot　them；'　she

said。　After　inspecting　the　hospitals　at　Chatham；　she　smiled

grimly。　'Yes；　this　is　one　more　symptom　of　the　system　which；　in

the　Crimea；　put　to　death　16；000　men。'　Scutari　had　given　her

knowledge；　and　it　had　given　her　power　too：　her　enormous

reputation　was　at　her　back　an　incalculable　force。　Other　work；

other　duties；　might　lie　before　her；　but　the　most　urgent；　the　most

obvious　of　all；　was　to　look　to　the　health　of　the　Army。



One　of　her　very　first　steps　was　to　take　advantage　of　the

invitation　which　Queen　Victoria　had　sent　her　to　the　Crimea；

together　with　the　commemorative　brooch。　Within　a　few　weeks　of　her

return　she　visited　Balmoral；　and　had　several　interviews　with　both

the　Queen　and　the　Prince；　Consort。　'She　put　before　us；'　wrote　the

Prince　in　his　diary；　'all　the　defects　of　our　present　military

hospital　system；　and　the　reforms　that　are　needed。'　She　related

'the　whole　story'　of　her　experiences　in　the　East；　and；　in

addition；　she　managed　to　have　some　long　and　confidential　talks

with　His　Royal　Highness　on　metaphysics　and　religion。　The

impression　which　she　created　was　excellent。　'Sie　gefallt　uns

sehr；'　noted　the　Prince；　'ist　sehr　bescheiden。'　Her　Majesty's

comment　was　different'Such　a　HEAD！　I　wish　we　had　her　at　the　War

Office。'



But　Miss　Nightingale　was　not　at　the　War　Office；　and　for　a　very

simple　reason：　she　was　a　woman。　Lord　Panmure；　however；　was

（though　indeed　the　reason　for　that　was　not　quite　so　simple）；　and

it　was　upon　Lord　Panmure　that　the　issue　of　Miss　Nightingale's

efforts　for　reform　must　primarily　depend。　That　burly　Scottish

nobleman　had　not；　in　spite　of　his　most　earnest　endeavours；　had　a

very　easy　time　of　it　as　Secretary　of　State　for　War。　He　had　come

into　office　in　the　middle　of　the　SebastopolCampaign；　and　had　felt

himself　very　well　fitted　for　the　position；　since　he　had　acquired

in　former　days　an　inside　knowledge　of　the　Armyas　a　Captain　of

Hussars。　It　was　this　inside　knowledge　which　had　enabled　him　to

inform　Miss　Nightingale　with　such　authority　that　'the　British

soldier　is　not　a　remitting　animal'。　And　perhaps　it　was　this　same

consciousness　of　a　command　of　his　subject　which　had　impelled　him

to　write　a　dispatch　to　Lord　Raglan；　blandly　informing　the

Commander…in…Chief　in　the　Field　just　how　he　was　neglecting　his

duties；　and　pointing　out　to　him　that　if　he　would　only　try　he

really　might　do　a　little　better　next　time。



Lord　Raglan's　reply；　calculated　as　it　was　to　make　its　recipient

sink　into　the　earth；　did　not　quite　have　that　effect　upon　Lord

Panmure；　who；　whatever　might　have　been　his　faults；　had　never　been

accused　of　being　supersensitive。　However；　he　allowed　the　matter

to　drop；　and　a　little　later　Lord　Raglan　diedworn　out；　some

people　said；　by　work　and　anxiety。　He　was　succeeded　by　an

excellent　red…nosed　old　gentleman；　General　Simpson；　whom　nobody

has　ever　heard　of；　and　who　took　Sebastopol。　But　Lord　Panmure's

relations　with　him　were　hardly　more　satisfactory　than　his

relations　with　Lord　Raglan；　for；　while　Lord　Raglan　had　been　too

independent；　poor　General　Simpson　erred　in　the　opposite

direction；　perpetually　asked　advice；　suffered　from　lumbago；

doubted　（his　nose　growingredder　and　redder　daily）　whether　he　was

fit　for　his　post；　and；　by　alternate　mails；　sent　in　and　withdrew

his　resignation。　Then；　too；　both　the　General　and　the　Minister

suffered　acutely　from　that　distressingly　useful　new　invention；

the　electric　telegraph。　On　one　occasion　General　Simpson　felt

obliged　actually　to　expostulate。　'I　think；　my　Lord；'　he　wrote；

'that　some　telegraphic　messages　reach　us　that　cannot　be　sent

under　due　authority；　and　are　perhaps　unknown　to　you；　although

under　the　protection　of　your　Lordship's　name。



For　instance；　I　was　called　up　last　night；　a　dragoon　having　come

express　with　a　telegraphic　message　in　these　words；　〃Lord　Panmure

to　General　SimpsonCaptain　Jarvis　has　been　bitten　by　a

centipede。　How　is　he　now？〃'　General　Simpson　might　have　put　up

with　this；　though　to　be　sure　it　did　seem　'rather　too　trifling　an

affair　to　call　for　a　dragoon　to　ride　a　couple　of　miles　in　the

dark　that　he　may　knock　up　the　Commander　of　the　Army　out　of　the

very　small　allowance　of　sleep　permitted；　but　what　was　really　more

than　he　could　bear　was　to　find　'upon　sending　in　the　morning

another　mounted　dragoon　to　inquire　after　Captain　Jarvis；　four

miles　off；　that　he　never　has　been　bitten　at　all；　but　has　had　a

boil；　from　which　he　is　fast　recovering'。　But　Lord　Panmure　had

troubles　of　his　own。　His　favourite　nephew；　Captain　Dowbiggin；　was

at　the　front；　and　to　one　of　his　telegrams　to　the　Commander…in…

Chief　the　Minister　had　taken　occasion　to　append　the　following

carefully　qualified　sentence'I　recommend　Dowbiggin　to　your

notice；　should　you　have　a　vacancy；　and　if　he　is　fit'。

Unfortunately；　in　those　early　days；　it　was　left　to　the　discretion

of　the　telegraphist　to　compress　the　messages　which　passed　through

his　hands；　so　that　the　result　was　that　Lord　Panmure's　delicate

appeal　reached　its　destination　in　the　laconic　form　of　'Look　after

Dowb'。　The　Headquarters　Staff　were　at　first　extremely　puzzled；

they　were　at　last　extremely　amused。　The　story　spread；　and　'Look

after　Dowb'　remained　for　many　years　the　familiar　formula　for

describing　official　hints　in　favour　of　deserving　nephews。



And　now　that　all　this　was　over；　now　that　Sebastopol　had　been；

somehow　or　another；　taken；　now　that　peace　was；　somehow　or

another；　made；　now　that　the　troubles　of　office　might　surely　be

expected　to　be　at　an　end　at　last　here　was　Miss　Nightingale

breaking　in　upon　the　scene　with　her　talk　about　the　state　of　the

hospitals　and　the　necessity　for　sanitary　reform。　It　was　most

irksome；　and　Lord　Panmure　almost　began　to　wish　that　he　was

engaged　upon　some　more　congenial　occupationdiscussing；　perhaps；

the　constitution　of　the　Free　Church　of　Scotlanda　question　in

which　he　was　profoundly　interested。　But　no；　duty　was　paramount；

and　he　set　himself；　with　a　sigh　of　resignation；　to　the　task　of

doing　as　little　of　it　as　he　possibly　could。



'The　Bison'　his　friends　called　him；　and　the　name　fitted　both　his

physical　demeanour　and　his　habit　of　mind。　That　large　low　head

seemed　to　have　been　created　for　butting　rather　than　for　anything

else。　There　he　stood；　four…square　and　menacing　in　the　doorway　of

reform；　and　it　remained　to　be　seen　whether；　the　bulky　mass；　upon

whose　solid　hide　even　the　barbed　arrows　of　Lord　Raglan's　scorn

had　made　no　mark；　would　prove　amenable　to　the　pressure　of　Miss

Nightingale。　Nor　was　he　alone　in　the　doorway。　There　loomed　behind

him　the　whole　phalanx　of　professional　conservatism；　the　stubborn

supporters　of　the　out…of…date；　the　worshippers　and　the　victims　of

War　Office　routine。　Among　these　it　was　only　natural　that　Dr。

Andrew　Smith；　the　head　of　the　Army　Medical　Department；　should

have　been　pre…eminentDr。　Andrew　Smith；　who　had　assured　Miss

Nightingale　before　she　left　England　that　'nothing　was　wanted　at

Scutari'。　Such　were　her　opponents；　but　she　too　was　not　without

allies。　She　had　gained　the　ear　of　Royaltywhich　was　something；

at　any　moment　that　she　pleased　she　could　gain　the　ear　of　the

publicwhich　was　a　great　deal。　She　had　a　host　of　admirers　and

friends；　andto　say　nothing　of　her　personal　qualitiesher

knowledge；　her　tenacity；　her　tactshe　possessed；　too；　one

advantage　which　then；　far　more　even　than　now；　carried　an　immense

weight　she　belonged　to　the　highest　circle　of　society。　She　moved

naturally　among　Peers　and　Cabinet　Ministersshe　was　one　of　their

own　set；　and　in　those　days　their　set　was　a　very　narrow　one。　What

kind　of　attention　would　such　persons　have　paid　to　some　middle…

class　woman　with　whom　they　were　not　acquainted；　who　possessed

great　experience　of　Army　nursing　and　had　decided　views　upon

hospital　reform？　They　would　have　politely　ignored　her；　but　it　was

impossible　to　ignore　Flo　Nightingale。　When　she　spoke；　they　were

obliged　to　listen；　and；　when　they　had　once　begun　to　do　that

what　might　not　follow？　She　knew　her　power；　and　she　used　it。　She

supported　her　weightiest　minutes　with　familiar　witty　little

notes。　The　Bison　began　to　look　grave。　It　might　be　difficultit

might　be　damned　difficultto　put　down　one's　head　against　the

white　hand　of　a　lady。。。



Of　Miss　Nightingale's　friends；　the　most　important　was　Sidney

Herbert。　He　was　a　man　upon　whom　the　good　fairies　seemed　to　have

showered；　as　he　lay　in　his　cradle；　all　their　most　enviable　goods。

Well　born；　handsome；　rich；　the　master　of　Wiltonone　of　those

great　country…houses；　clothed　with　the　glamour　of　a　historic

past；　which　are　the　peculiar　glory　of　Englandhe　possessed

besides　all　these　advantages：　so　charming；　so　lively；　so　gentle　a

disposition　that　no　one　who　had　once　come　near　him　could　ever　be

his　enemy。



He　was；　in　fact；　a　man　of　whom　it　was　difficult　not　to　say　that

he　was　a　perfect　English　gentleman。　For　his　virtues　were　equal

even　to　his　good　fortune。　He　was　religious；　deeply　religious。　'I

am　more　and　more　convinced　every　day；'　he　wrote；　when　he　had　been

for　some　years　a　Cabinet　Minister；　'that　in　politics；　as　in

everything　else；　nothing　can　be　right　which　is　not　in　accordance

with　the　spirit　of　the　Gospel。'　No　one　was　more　unselfish；　he　was

charitable　and　benevolent　to　a　remarkable　degree；　and　he　devoted　

the　whole　of　his　life；　with　an　unwavering　conscientiousness；　to

the　public　service。　With　such　a　character；　with　such

opportunities；　what　high　hopes　must　have　danced　before　him；　what

radiant　visions　of　accomplished　duties；　of　ever…increasing

usefulness；　of　beneficent　power；　of　the　consciousness　of

disinterested　success！　Some　of　those　hopes　and　visions　were；

indeed；　realised；　but；　in　the　end；　the　career　of　Sidney　Herbert

seemed　to　show　that；　with　all　their　generosity；　there　was　some

gift　or　other　what　was　it？some　essential　giftwhich　the　good

fairies　had　withheld；　and　that　even　the　qualities　of　a　perfect

English　gentleman　may　be　no　safeguard　against　anguish；

humiliation；　and　defeat。



That　career　would　certainly　have　been　very　different　if　he　had

never　known　Miss　Nightingale。　The　alliance　between　them　which　had

begun　with　her　appointment　to　Scutari；　which　had　grown　closer　and

closer　while　the　war　lasted；　developed；　after　her　return；　into

one　of　the　most　extraordinary　friendships。　It　was　the　friendship

of　a　man　and　a　woman　intimately　bound　together　by　their　devotion

to　a　public　cause；　mutual　affection；　of　course；　played　a　part　in

it；　but　it　was　an　incidental　part；　the　whole　soul　of　the

relationship　was　a　community　of　work。　Perhaps　out　of　England　such

an　intimacy　could　hardly　have　existedan　intimacy　so　utterly

untinctured　not　only　by　passion　itself　but　by　the　suspicion　of

it。　For　years　Sidney　Herbert　saw　Miss　Nightingale　almost　daily；

for　long　hours　together；　corresponding　with　her　incessantly　when

they　were　apart；　and　the　tongue　of　scandal　was　silent；　and　one　of

the　most　devoted　of　her　admirers　was　his　wife。　But　what　ma