the days of my life-第66章

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　their　votes　could　be　legally　recorded。　I　remember　a　piteous　letter　from　a　gentleman　who　had　travelled　all　the　way　from　Cornwall；　reaching　Norwich　somewhere　about　7　P。M。；　only　to　discover　that　he　must　vote　at　Yarmouth　within　an　hour；　which　of　course　he　was　unable　to　do。　When　one　considers　how　paratively　small　was　the　number　of　votes　necessary　to　turn　the　scale　in　my　favour；　it　is　easy　to　understand　what　this　blundering　meant　to　me。　Still；　for　reasons　that　I　have　already　given；　I　do　honestly　believe　that　all　was　for　the　best。
Although　I　might　have　done　so　more　than　once；　never　again　have　I　stood　for　Parliament。　To　tell　the　truth；　the　whole　business　disgusts　me　with　its　atmosphere　of　falsehood；　or　at　the　least　of　prevarication；　and　its　humiliating　quest　of　support。　In　such　struggles　in　Britain　there　is；　it　is　true；　little　actual　corruption；　but　of　indirect　corruption　there　is　still　a　great　deal。　From　the　moment　a　candidate　appears　on　the　field　he　is　fair　game；　and　every　man’s　hand　is　in　his　pocket。　Demands　for　“your　patronage　and　support”　fall　on　him；　thick　as　leaves　in　Vallombrosa。　I　remember　that　I　was　even　pestered　to　supply　voters　with　wooden　legs！　Why　should　an　election　in　a　county　division　cost；　as　this　one　did；　something　over　2000　pounds　in　all？
Some　years　before　this　time　my　brother　Alfred　conceived　the　plan　of　obtaining　some　great　concession　of　land　and　minerals　from　Lobengula。　He　was；　I　recollect；　angry　with　me　because　I　would　not　enter　into　his　scheme　with　enthusiasm；　and　I　think　has　never　quite　forgiven　me　my　backwardness。　But　I　knew　a　good　deal　about　the　Matabele；　also　I　held　that　Lobengula　would　never　grant　him　what　he　wanted　unless　it　was　wrung　from　him　by　force　of　arms。　Indeed　I　am　convinced　to　this　day　that　no　one　except　Cecil　Rhodes；　with　his　vast　mand　of　money；　could　have　dispossessed　this　tyrant　and　annexed　those　great　territories。
I　did　not　know　Cecil　Rhodes　in　Africa；　where　we　never　crossed　each　other’s　paths；　indeed　I　think　he　arrived　there　only　towards　the　end　of　my　time。　We　first　met　in　London；　I　believe　somewhere　about　the　year　1888；　when　I　was　asked　to　meet　him　at　the　National　Liberal　Club。　At　that　time　he　was　little　known；　I　do　not　think　that　I　had　ever　heard　of　him　before。　He　impressed　me　a　good　deal；　and　I　remember　his　explaining　to　me　in　great　detail　the　provisions　of　a　measure　he　was　introducing　into　the　Cape　Parliament　—　I　think　it　was　the　Glen　Grey　Act　—　in　such　detail；　indeed；　that　I　lost　the　thread　of　the　thing　and　grew　bewildered。　Rhodes　could　rarely　be　persuaded　to　write　a　letter；　but　my　recollection　is　that　he　could　talk　at　a　great　pace　when　he　was　in　the　mood。
When　he　was　in　England；　just　before　the　Jameson　Raid；　I　saw　Rhodes　several　times；　for　it　was　then　that　the　African　people　were　anxious　that　I　should　stand　for　Parliament。　I　remember　going　to　breakfast　with　him　at　the　Burlington　Hotel。　He　was　then　at　the　height　of　his　success；　and　the　scene　was　very　curious。　Already　before　breakfast　a　number　of　people；　some　of　them　well　known；　who　were　not　asked　to　that　meal；　were　waiting　about　in　ante…rooms　on　the　chance　of　getting　a　word　with　or　favour　from　the　great　man。　It　reminded　me　of　a　picture　I　have　seen　of　Dr。　Johnson　and　others　hanging　about　in　the　vestibule　of；　I　think；　Lord　Chesterfield’s　apartment　for　a　like　object。　There　was　the　same　air　of　patient　expectancy　upon　their　faces。　In　a　china　bowl　on　a　table　I　observed　a　great　accumulation　of　unopened　letters；　most　of　which　had　a　kind　of　society　look　about　them；　probably　they　were　invitations　and　so　forth。　It　was；　I　have　understood；　one　of　the　habits　of　the　Rhodes　entourage　not　to　trouble　to　open　letters　that　came　by　post。　Unless　these　were　of　known　importance　they　only　attended　to　those　that　were　sent　by　hand；　or　to　telegrams；　and　the　replies　were　generally　verbal　or　telegraphic。　Perhaps　this　was　owing　to　press　of　business；　or　perhaps　to　a　pose；　or　to　a　bination　of　both。
The　last　time　that　I　ever　saw　Rhodes　must　have　been　about　a　year　later；　probably　when　he　was　in　England　after　the　Jameson　Raid　affair。　I　went　to　call　on　him　on　some　matter　—　I　entirely　forget　what　it　was　—　at　the　Burlington　Hotel；　and　found　him　alone。　We　talked　for　a　long　while；　though　again　I　forget　the　subject　of　our　conversation。　What　I　remember　is　the　appearance　of　the　man　as　he　paced　restlessly　up　and　down　the　long　room　like　a　lion　in　a　cage；　throwing　out　his　words　in　jerky；　isolated　sentences；　and　in　a　curious　high　voice　that　sometimes　almost　attained　to　a　falsetto。　He　gave　me　the　idea　of　being　in　a　very　nervous　state；　as　I　dare　say　was　the　case。
His　was　one　of　those　big；　mixed　natures　of　which　it　is　extremely　difficult　to　form　a　just　opinion。　My　own；　for　what　it　is　worth；　is　that　he　loved　his　country　and　desired　above　all　things　to　advance　her　interests；　also　that　he　was　personally　very　ambitious。　He　set　great　ends　before　himself　and　went　to　work　to　attain　them　at　any　cost。　To　begin　with；　he　saw　that　money　was　necessary；　so　he　rubbed　shoulders　with　speculators；　with　Jews；　with　anybody　who　was　useful；　and　by　means　of　this　deal　or　that　deal　made　the　money；　not　for　its　own　sake；　but　that　he　might　use　it　to　fulfil　the　purposes　of　his　busy　and　far…reaching　brain。　He　outwitted　Kruger；　he　destroyed　the　Matabele；　he　seized　the　vast　territories　of　Rhodesia；　and　persuaded　the　British　public　to　find　him　the　gold　wherewith　to　finance　them；　most　of　which　the　British　public　has；　I　imagine；　lost。　But　the　Empire　has　gained；　for　Rhodesia　does　not　run　away；　like　the　capital；　in　over…financed　and　unremunerative　panies。　One　day　it　may　be　a　great　asset　of　the　Crown；　if　the　Imperial　possessions　hold　together。
It　would　almost　seem　as　though　Rhodes　was　one　of　those　men　who　have　been　and　still　are　raised　up　by　that　Power；　of　the　existence　of　which　he　seems　to　have　been　dubious；　to　fulfil　certain　designs　of　Its　own。　There　have　been　a　good　many　with　somewhat　similar　characteristics。　Alexander；　Caesar；　Napoleon；　Chaka；　e　to　my　mind　as　I　write。　Roosevelt；　though　his　is　a　finer　mind；　may　or　may　not　prove　another：　at　the　moment　it　rather　looks　as　though　his　cards　were　played；　but　who　knows？
Had　it　not　been　for　Rhodes　I　incline　to　the　belief　that　the　Germans　would　have　taken　Rhodesia；　perhaps　after　a　preliminary　occupation　by　the　Boers。　That　danger；　I　think；　was　present　to　his　thoughts　and　was　one　of　the　reasons　which　induced　him　to　strike；　and　strike　hard；　caring　nothing　for　the　blood　that　splashed　up　from　the　blow。　In　the　same　way　he　wished　to　seize　the　Transvaal　by　a　coup　de　main；　or　rather　a　coup　d’epee；　but　here　he　miscalculated　the　strength　of　the　opposing　forces。　Or　perhaps；　as　he　himself　said；　Jameson　—　whom　I　also　knew　and　who　possesses；　I　think；　in　some　ways　a　higher　nature　than　did　Rhodes　—　upset　his　“apple…cart。”　At　least；　whatever　his　faults；　he　was　a　great　figure　in　his　generation；　and　his　name　must　always　be　remembered　if　only　by　that　of　the　vast　territory　he　seized；　which　he　still　surveys　from　his　tomb…eyrie　on　the　Matoppos。
Rhodes　had　his　weaknesses；　like　other　men。　A　few　years　ago　I　was　staying　with　Lord　Carrington；　now　the　Marquis　of　Lincolnshire。　He　told　me　a　little　story　with　reference　to　Rhodes’　declaration；　which　Lord　Carrington　said　he　had　often　made；　to　the　effect　that　he　would　accept　no　title　or　favour　from　Royalty。　They　were　both　of　them　manded　to　Windsor　at　the　same　time；　and　Lord　Carrington　gave　me　a　lively　description　of　the　intense　amusement　of　the　pany　e　down　to　dinner　and　in　a　very　marked　manner　asked　one　of　the　gentlemen…inwaiting　whether　he　had　been　careful　to　see　that　the　“Right　Honourable　gentleman；”　pointing　to　Cecil　Rhodes；　had　been　made　fortable　in　every　way；　thereby　indicating　the　conferring　of　a　Privy　Councillorship　upon　him；　which　he　had　not　refused。
My　City　labours　endured　but　for　nine　months；　after　which　time　I　was　delivered。　During　those　tumultuous　days　I　toiled　in　a　fine　office　in　London；　where　thousands　were　talked　of　as　of　no　account。　It　was　the　period　of　the　great　African　boom；　and　the　business　machine　hummed　merrily。　We　made　money；　I　remember；　also　we　lost　money。　But　it　was　all　much　too　speculative　and　nerve…racking　for　me；　while　the　burden　of　those　panies　weighed　upon　my　mind　heavily。　The　true…bred　City　man　cares　little　for　such　things；　which　to　him　are　all　part　of　the　day’s　work；　as　writing　a　chapter　of　a　book　might　be　to　me。　He　is　accustomed　to　take　risks；　and　an　adept　at　getting　out　of　difficult　situations。
At　last　came　a　time　in　my　own　instance　when　my　partner；　an　excellent　and　very　able　gentleman　in　his　own　way　and　one　for　whom　I　retain　the　most　friendly　feelings；　announced　that　he　meant　to　depart　for　South　Africa　for　a　year　or　so；　leaving　me　to　conduct　all　the　extremely　intricate　affairs　with　which　he　was　connected。　This　was　too　much　for　me；　and　then　and　there　I　had　the　presence　of　mind　to　strike。
All　men　make　mistakes；　but　afterwards；　so　far　as　my　observation　goes；　they　may　be　divided　into　two　classes：　those　who　know　when　to　get　out　of　them；　and　those　who　do　not。
Well；　in　this　case　I　had　sufficient　sense　and　courage　to　appreciate　my　mistake　and　to　retire　while　there　was　yet　time。　Of　course　there　was　some　difficulty；　as　under　the　deed　of　partnership　I　was　bound　for　a　period。　But；　when　he　saw　that　I　was　determined　to　go；　my　partner　behaved　very　well　and　kindly　signed　a　dissolution。
I　should　add　that　the　period　which　this　chapter　covers　was　marked　by　several　events　that　were　more　or　less　important　to　me。　In　1893　my　dear　father　died　as　the　result　of　a　chill　which　he　caught　in　waiting　about　for　the　poll　to　be　declared　at　an　election　in　cold　weather。　It　was　sad　to　see　a　man　of　his　great　strength　and　energy　fading　away　and　being　so　subdued　and　gentle；　qualities　which　were　not　natural　to　him。　After　one　extraordinary　recovery　from　the　jaundice；　or　whatever　it　was　that　had　attacked　him；　believing　himself　to　be　strong　again；　he　began　to　travel　and　pay　visits　in　winter；　and　thus　brought　on　a　return　of　his　ailment。　I　was　not　actually　present　at　his　death…bed；　as　I　could　only　reach　Bradenham　on　the　following　day。　He　left　me　one　of　his　executors　and；　as　he　was　dying；　told　our　old　servant　Hocking　to　give　me　his　watch　and　chain；　which　I　think　had　been　his　father’s　before　him。　I　have　it　now；　still　marking　the　hour　at　which　it　ran　down　under　his　pillow　on　that　night。　His　last　words；　spoken　almost　as　he　expired；　were：
“God　is　everywhere！　He　is　in　this　room；　is　He　not？”
He　looked　fine　and　peaceful　in　death；　as　I　think　I　have　said；　he　was　very　handsome；　and　in　many　ways　a　remarkable　man。　I　never　knew　anyone　who　resembled　him　in　the　least　or　who　was　the　possessor　of　half　his　energy。　God　rest　him！
Sir　Theophilus　Shepstone　died　in　the　same　year；　and；　I　think；　at　almost　exactly　the　same　age。　I　mourned　my　old　chief　very　sincerely。
In　1893　or　the　previous　year　I　was　elected　Chairman　of　my　local　bench　of　magistrates；　an　office　which　I　have　filled　ever　since。　Indeed；　when　I　wished　to　resign　it　the　other　day；　on　my　appointment　to　the　Dominions　Royal　mission；　that；　all　being　well；　will　necessitate　long　absences　from　England　during　which　I　shall　be　unable　to　attend　to　the　business　of　the　bench；　my　colleagues　unanimously　requested　me　to　retain　the　position　and　appointed　my　old　friend　and　neighbour；　Captain　Meade　of　Earsham　Hall；　to　act　for　me　when　I　was　a