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the new machiavelli-第89章

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must practise a tainted goodness。〃



These questions need discussiona magnificent frankness of 

discussionif any standards are again to establish an effective 

hold upon educated people。  Discretions; as I have said already; 

will never hold any one worth holdinglonger than they held us。  

Against every 〃shalt not〃 there must be a 〃why not〃 plainly put;

the 〃why not〃 largest and plainest; the law deduced from its 

purpose。  〃You and I; Isabel;〃 I said; 〃have always been a little 

disregardful of duty; partly at least because the idea of duty comes 

to us so ill…clad。  Oh! I know there's an extravagant insubordinate 

strain in us; but that wasn't all。  I wish humbugs would leave duty 

alone。  I wish all duty wasn't covered with slime。  That's where the 

real mischief comes in。  Passion can always contrive to clothe 

itself in beauty; strips itself splendid。  That carried us。  But for 

all its mean associations there is this duty。 。 。 。



〃Don't we come rather late to it?〃



〃Not so late that it won't be atrociously hard to do。〃



〃It's queer to think of now;〃 said Isabel。  〃Who could believe we 

did all we have done honestly?  Well; in a manner honestly。  Who 

could believe we thought this might be hidden?  Who could trace it 

all step by step from the time when we found that a certain boldness 

in our talk was pleasing?  We talked of love。 。 。 。  Master; there's 

not much for us to do in the way of Apologia that any one will 

credit。  And yet if it were possible to tell the very heart of our 

story。 。 。 。



〃Does Margaret really want to go on with you?〃 she asked〃shield 

youknowing of 。 。 。 THIS?〃



〃I'm certain。  I don't understandjust as I don't understand 

Shoesmith; but she does。  These people walk on solid ground which is 

just thin air to us。  They've got something we haven't got。  

Assurances?  I wonder。〃 。 。 。



Then it was; or later; we talked of Shoesmith; and what her life 

might be with him。



〃He's good;〃 she said; 〃he's kindly。  He's everything but magic。  

He's the very image of the decent; sober; honourable life。  You 

can't say a thing against him or Iexcept that somethingsomething 

in his imagination; something in the tone of his voicefails for 

me。  Why don't I love him?he's a better man than you!  Why don't 

you?  IS he a better man than you?  He's usage; he's honour; he's 

the right thing; he's the breed and the tradition;a gentleman。  

You're your erring; incalculable self。  I suppose we women will 

trust this sort and love your sort to the very end of time。 。 。 。〃



We lay side by side and nibbled at grass stalks as we talked。  It 

seemed enormously unreasonable to us that two people who had come to 

the pitch of easy and confident affection and happiness that held 

between us should be obliged to part and shun one another; or murder 

half the substance of their lives。  We felt ourselves crushed and 

beaten by an indiscriminating machine which destroys happiness in 

the service of jealousy。  〃The mass of people don't feel these 

things in quite the same manner as we feel them;〃 she said。  〃Is it 

because they're different in grain; or educated out of some 

primitive instinct?〃



〃It's because we've explored love a little; and they know no more 

than the gateway;〃 I said。  〃Lust and then jealousy; their simple 

conceptionand we have gone past all that and wandered hand in 

hand。 。 。 。〃



I remember that for a time we watched two of that larger sort of 

gull; whose wings are brownish…white; circle and hover against the 

blue。  And then we lay and looked at a band of water mirror clear 

far out to sea; and wondered why the breeze that rippled all the 

rest should leave it so serene。



〃And in this State of ours;〃 I resumed。



〃Eh!〃 said Isabel; rolling over into a sitting posture and looking 

out at the horizon。  〃Let's talk no more of things we can never see。  

Talk to me of the work you are doing and all we shall doafter we 

have parted。  We've said too little of that。  We've had our red 

life; and it's over。  Thank Heaven!though we stole it!  Talk about 

your work; dear; and the things we'll go on doingjust as though we 

were still together。  We'll still be together in a sensethrough 

all these things we have in common。〃



And so we talked of politics and our outlook。  We were interested to 

the pitch of self…forgetfulness。  We weighed persons and forces; 

discussed the probabilities of the next general election; the steady 

drift of public opinion in the north and west away from Liberalism 

towards us。  It was very manifest that in spite of Wardenham and the 

EXPURGATOR; we should come into the new Government strongly。  The 

party had no one else; all the young men were formally or informally 

with us; Esmeer would have office; Lord Tarvrille; I 。 。 。 and very 

probably there would be something for Shoesmith。  〃And for my own 

part;〃 I said; 〃I count on backing on the Liberal side。  For the 

last two years we've been forcing competition in constructive 

legislation between the parties。  The Liberals have not been long in 

following up our Endowment of Motherhood lead。  They'll have to give 

votes and lip service anyhow。  Half the readers of the BLUE WEEKLY; 

they say; are Liberals。 。 。 。



〃I remember talking about things of this sort with old Willersley;〃 

I said; 〃ever so many years ago。  It was some place near Locarno; 

and we looked down the lake that shone welteringjust as now we 

look over the sea。  And then we dreamt in an indistinct featureless 

way of all that you and I are doing now。〃



〃I!〃 said Isabel; and laughed。



〃Well; of some such thing;〃 I said; and remained for awhile silent; 

thinking of Locarno。



I recalled once more the largeness; the release from small personal 

things that I had felt in my youth; statecraft became real and 

wonderful again with the memory; the gigantic handling of gigantic 

problems。  I began to talk out my thoughts; sitting up beside her; 

as I could never talk of them to any one but Isabel; began to 

recover again the purpose that lay under all my political ambitions 

and adjustments and anticipations。  I saw the State; splendid and 

wide as I had seen it in that first travel of mine; but now it was 

no mere distant prospect of spires and pinnacles; but populous with 

fine…trained; bold…thinking; bold…doing people。  It was as if I had 

forgotten for a long time and now remembered with amazement。



At first; I told her; I had been altogether at a loss how I could do 

anything to battle against the aimless muddle of our world; I had 

wanted a clueuntil she had come into my life questioning; 

suggesting; unconsciously illuminating。  〃But I have done nothing;〃 

she protested。  I declared she had done everything in growing to 

education under my eyes; in reflecting again upon all the processes 

that had made myself; so that instead of abstractions and blue…books 

and bills and devices; I had realised the world of mankind as a 

crowd needing before all things fine women and men。  We'd spoilt 

ourselves in learning that; but anyhow we had our lesson。  Before 

her I was in a nineteenth…century darkness; dealing with the nation 

as if it were a crowd of selfish men; forgetful of women and 

children and that shy wild thing in the hearts of men; love; which 

must be drawn upon as it has never been drawn upon before; if the 

State is to live。  I saw now how it is possible to bring the loose 

factors of a great realm together; to create a mind of literature 

and thought in it; and the expression of a purpose to make it self…

conscious and fine。  I had it all clear before me; so that at a 

score of points I could presently begin。  The BLUE WEEKLY was a 

centre of force。  Already we had given Imperialism a criticism; and 

leavened half the press from our columns。  Our movement consolidated 

and spread。  We should presently come into power。  Everything moved 

towards our hands。  We should be able to get at the schools; the 

services; the universities; the church; enormously increase the 

endowment of research; and organise what was sorely wanted; a 

criticism of research; contrive a closer contact between the press 

and creative intellectual life; foster literature; clarify; 

strengthen the public consciousness; develop social organisation and 

a sense of the State。  Men were coming to us every day; brilliant 

young peers like Lord Dentonhill; writers like Carnot and Cresswell。  

It filled me with pride to win such men。  〃We stand for so much more 

than we seem to stand for;〃 I said。  I opened my heart to her; so 

freely that I hesitate to open my heart even to the reader; telling 

of projects and ambitions I cherished; of my consciousness of great 

powers and widening opportunities。 。 。 。



Isabel watched me as I talked。



She too; I think; had forgotten these things for a while。  For it is 

curious and I think a very significa
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