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displayed at times a quite wicked unscrupulousness in the use of his
subtle mind。 I would sit on the Liberal benches and watch him； and
listen to his urbane voice； fascinated by him。 Did he really care？
Did anything matter to him？ And if it really mattered nothing； why
did he trouble to serve the narrowness and passion of his side？ Or
did he see far beyond my scope； so that this petty iniquity was
justified by greater； remoter ends of which I had no intimation？
They accused him of nepotism。 His friends and family were certainly
well cared for。 In private life he was full of an affectionate
intimacy； he pleased by being charmed and pleased。 One might think
at times there was no more of him than a clever man happily
circumstanced； and finding an interest and occupation in politics。
And then came a glimpse of thought； of imagination； like the sight
of a soaring eagle through a staircase skylight。 Oh； beyond
question he was great！ No other contemporary politician had his
quality。 In no man have I perceived so sympathetically the great
contrast between warm； personal things and the white dream of
statecraft。 Except that he had it seemed no hot passions； but only
interests and fine affections and indolences； he paralleled the
conflict of my life。 He saw and thought widely and deeply； but at
times it seemed to me his greatness stood over and behind the
reality of his life； like some splendid servant； thinking his own
thoughts； who waits behind a lesser master's chair。 。 。 。
8
Of course； when Evesham talked of this ideal of the organised state
becoming so finely true to practicability and so clearly stated as
to have the compelling conviction of physical science； he spoke
quite after my heart。 Had he really embodied the attempt to realise
that； I could have done no more than follow him blindly。 But
neither he nor I embodied that； and there lies the gist of my story。
And when it came to a study of others among the leading Tories and
Imperialists the doubt increased； until with some at last it was
possible to question whether they had any imaginative conception of
constructive statecraft at all； whether they didn't opaquely accept
the world for what it was； and set themselves single…mindedly to
make a place for themselves and cut a figure in it。
There were some very fine personalities among them： there were the
great peers who had administered Egypt； India； South Africa；
FramboyaCromer； Kitchener； Curzon； Milner； Gane； for example。 So
far as that easier task of holding sword and scales had gone； they
had shown the finest qualities； but they had returned to the
perplexing and exacting problem of the home country； a little
glorious； a little too simply bold。 They wanted to arm and they
wanted to educate； but the habit of immediate necessity made them
far more eager to arm than to educate； and their experience of
heterogeneous controls made them overrate the need for obedience in
a homogeneous country。 They didn't understand raw men； ill…trained
men； uncertain minds； and intelligent women； and these are the
things that matter in England。 。 。 。 There were also the great
business adventurers； from Cranber to Cossington （who was now Lord
Paddockhurst）。 My mind remained unsettled； and went up and down the
scale between a belief in their far…sighted purpose and the
perception of crude vanities； coarse ambitions； vulgar
competitiveness； and a mere habitual persistence in the pursuit of
gain。 For a time I saw a good deal of CossingtonI wish I had kept
a diary of his talk and gestures； to mark how he could vary from day
to day between a POSEUR； a smart tradesman； and a very bold and
wide…thinking political schemer。 He had a vanity of sweeping
actions； motor car pounces； Napoleonic rushes； that led to violent
ineffectual changes in the policy of his papers； and a haunting
pursuit by parallel columns in the liberal press that never abashed
him in the slightest degree。 By an accident I plumbed the folly in
himbut I feel I never plumbed his wisdom。 I remember him one day
after a lunch at the Barhams' saying suddenly； out of profound
meditation over the end of a cigar； one of those sentences that seem
to light the whole interior being of a man。 〃Some day；〃 he said
softly； rather to himself than to me； and A PROPOS of nothing〃some
day I will raise the country。〃
〃Why not？〃 I said； after a pause； and leant across him for the
little silver spirit…lamp； to light my cigarette。 。 。 。
Then the Tories had for another section the ancient creations； and
again there were the financial peers； men accustomed to reserve； and
their big lawyers； accustomed towell； qualified statement。 And
below the giant personalities of the party were the young bloods；
young； adventurous men of the type of Lord Tarvrille； who had seen
service in South Africa； who had travelled and hunted； explorers；
keen motorists； interested in aviation； active in army organisation。
Good； brown…faced stuff they were； but impervious to ideas outside
the range of their activities； more ignorant of science than their
chaffeurs； and of the quality of English people than welt…
politicians； contemptuous of school and university by reason of the
Gateses and Flacks and Codgers who had come their way； witty； light…
hearted； patriotic at the Kipling level； with a certain aptitude for
bullying。 They varied in insensible gradations between the noble
sportsmen on the one hand； and men like Gane and the Tories of our
Pentagram club on the other。 You perceive how a man might exercise
his mind in the attempt to strike an average of public
serviceability in this miscellany！ And mixed up with these； mixed
up sometimes in the same man； was the pure reactionary； whose
predominant idea was that the village schools should confine
themselves to teaching the catechism； hat…touching and courtesying；
and be given a holiday whenever beaters were in request。 。 。 。
I find now in my mind as a sort of counterpoise to Evesham the
figure of old Lord Wardingham； asleep in the largest armchair in the
library of Stamford Court after lunch。 One foot rested on one of
those thingsI think they are called gout stools。 He had been
playing golf all the morning and wearied a weak instep； at lunch he
had sat at my table and talked in the overbearing manner permitted
to irascible important men whose insteps are painful。 Among other
things he had flouted the idea that women would ever understand
statecraft or be more than a nuisance in politics； denied flatly
that Hindoos were capable of anything whatever except excesses in
population； regretted he could not censor picture galleries and
circulating libraries； and declared that dissenters were people who
pretended to take theology seriously with the express purpose of
upsetting the entirely satisfactory compromise of the Established
Church。 〃No sensible people； with anything to gain or lose； argue
about religion；〃 he said。 〃They mean mischief。〃 Having delivered
his soul upon these points； and silenced the little conversation to
the left of him from which they had arisen； he became； after an
appreciative encounter with a sanguinary woodcock； more amiable；
responded to some respectful initiatives of Crupp's； and related a
number of classical anecdotes of those blighting snubs； vindictive
retorts and scandalous miscarriages of justice that are so dear to
the forensic mind。 Now he reposed。 He was breathing heavily with
his mouth a little open and his head on one side。 One whisker was
turned back against the comfortable padding。 His plump strong hands
gripped the arms of his chair； and his frown was a little assuaged。
How tremendously fed up he looked！ Honours； wealth； influence；
respect； he had them all。 How scornful and hard it had made his
unguarded expression！
I note without comment that it didn't even occur to me then to wake
him up and ask him what HE was up to with mankind。
9
One countervailing influence to my drift to Toryism in those days
was Margaret's quite religious faith in the Liberals。 I realised
that slowly and with a mild astonishment。 It set me； indeed； even
then questioning my own change of opinion。 We came at last
incidentally； as our way was； to an exchange of views。 It was as
nearly a quarrel as we had before I came over to the Conservative
side。 It was at Champneys； and I think during the same visit that
witnessed my exploration of Lady Forthundred。 It arose indirectly；
I think； out of some comments of mine upon our fellow…guests； but it
is one of those memories of which the scene and quality remain more
vivid than the things said； a memory without any very definite
beginning or end。 It was afternoon； in the pause between tea and
the dressing bell； and w