my memories of eighty years-第35部分

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cases　recently　before　them。　　He　said　that　in　the　discussion　in　which　Mr。　Phelps　was　asked　to　participate；　the　view　which　the　United　States　minister　presented　was　so　forcible　that　the　decision；　which　had　been　practically　agreed　upon；　was　changed　to　meet　Mr。　Phelps's　view。　　I　was　at　several　of　Mr。　Phelps's　dinners。　　They　were　remarkable　gatherings　of　the　best　in　almost　every　department　of　English　life。

At　one　of　his　dinners　I　had　a　delightful　talk　with　Browning；　the　poet。　　Browning　told　me　that　as　a　young　man　he　was　several　times　a　guest　at　the　famous　breakfasts　of　the　poet　and　banker；　Samuel　Rogers。　　Rogers；　he　said；　was　most　arbitrary　at　these　breakfasts　with　his　guests；　and　rebuked　him　severely　for　venturing　beyond　the　limits　within　which　he　thought　a　young　poet　should　be　confined。

Mr。　Browning　said　that　nothing　gratified　him　so　much　as　the　popularity　of　his　works　in　the　United　States。　　He　was　especially　pleased　and　also　embarrassed　by　our　Browning　societies；　of　which　there　seemed　to　be　a　great　many　over　here。　　They　sent　him　papers　which　were　read　by　members　of　the　societies；　interpreting　his　poems。　These　American　friends　discovered　meanings　which　had　never　occurred　to　him；　and　were　to　him　an　entirely　novel　view　of　his　own　productions。　　He　also　mentioned　that　every　one　sent　him　presents　and　souvenirs；　all　of　them　as　appreciations　and　some　as　suggestions　and　help。　　Among　these　were　several　cases　of　American　wine。　　He　appreciated　the　purpose　of　the　gifts；　but　the　fluid　did　not　appeal　to　him。

He　told　me　he　was　a　guest　at　one　time　at　the　dinners　given　to　the　Shah　of　Persia。　　This　monarch　was　a　barbarian；　but　the　British　Foreign　Office　had　asked　and　extended　to　him　every　possible　courtesy；　because　of　the　struggle　then　going　on　as　to　whether　Great　Britain　or　France　or　Russia　should　have　the　better　part　of　Persia。　　France　and　Russia　had　entertained　him　with　lavish　military　displays　and　other　governmental　functions；　which　a　democratic　country　like　Great　Britain　could　not　duplicate。　　So　the　Foreign　Office　asked　all　who　had　great　houses　in　London　or　in　the　country；　and　were　lavish　entertainers；　to　do　everything　they　could　for　the　Shah。

Browning　was　present　at　a　great　dinner　given　for　the　Shah　at　Stafford　House；　the　home　of　the　Duke　of　Sutherland；　and　the　finest　palace　in　London。　　Every　guest　was　asked；　in　order　to　impress　the　Shah；　to　come　in　all　the　decorations　to　which　they　were　entitled。　The　result　was　that　the　peers　came　in　their　robes；　which　they　otherwise　would　not　have　thought　of　wearing　on　such　an　occasion；　and　all　others　in　the　costumes　of　honor　significant　of　their　rank。　Browning　said　he　had　received　a　degree　at　Oxford　and　that　entitled　him　to　a　scarlet　cloak。　　He　was　so　outranked；　because　the　guests　were　placed　according　to　rank；　that　he　sat　at　the　foot　of　the　table。　　The　Shah　said　to　his　host：　　〃Who　is　that　distinguished　gentleman　in　the　scarlet　cloak　at　the　other　end　of　the　table？〃　The　host　answered：　　〃That　is　one　of　our　greatest　poets。〃　　〃That　is　no　place　for　a　poet；〃　remarked　the　Shah；　〃bring　him　up　here　and　let　him　sit　next　to　me。〃　　So　at　the　royal　command　the　poet　took　the　seat　of　honor。　　The　Shah　said　to　Browning：　　〃I　am　mighty　glad　to　have　you　near　me；　for　I　am　a　poet　myself。〃

It　was　at　this　dinner　that　Browning　heard　the　Shah　say　to　the　Prince　of　Wales；　who　sat　at　the　right　of　the　Shah：　　〃This　is　a　wonderful　palace。　　Is　it　royal？〃　　The　Prince　answered：　　〃No；　it　belongs　to　one　of　our　great　noblemen；　the　Duke　of　Sutherland。〃　〃Well；〃　said　the　Shah；　〃let　me　give　you　a　point。　　When　one　of　my　noblemen　or　subjects　gets　rich　enough　to　own　a　palace　like　this；　I　cut　off　his　head　and　take　his　fortune。〃

A　very　beautiful　English　lady　told　me　that　she　was　at　Ferdinand　Rothschild's；　where　the　Shah　was　being　entertained。　In　order　to　minimize　his　acquisitive　talents；　the　wonderful　treasures　of　Mr。　Rothschild's　house　had　been　hidden。　　The　Shah　asked　for　an　introduction　to　this　lady　and　said　to　her：　　〃You　are　the　most　beautiful　woman　I　have　seen　since　I　have　been　in　England。　　I　must　take　you　home　with　me。〃　　〃But；〃　she　said；　〃Your　Majesty；　I　am　married。〃　　〃Well；〃　he　replied；　〃bring　your　husband　along。　　When　we　get　to　Teheran；　my　capital；　I　will　take　care　of　him。〃

Mr。　Phelps's　talent　as　a　speaker　was　quite　unknown　to　his　countrymen　before　he　went　abroad。　　While　he　was　a　minister　he　made　several　notable　addresses；　which　aroused　a　great　deal　of　interest　and　admiration　in　Great　Britain。　　He　was　equally　happy　in　formal　orations　and　in　the　field　of　after…dinner　speeches。　　Mrs。　Phelps　had　such　a　phenomenal　success　socially　that；　when　her　husband　was　recalled　and　they　left　England；　the　ladies　of　both　the　great　parties　united；　and　through　Lady　Rosebery；　the　leader　of　the　Liberal；　and　Lady　Salisbury；　of　the　Conservative；　women；　paid　her　a　very　unusual　and　complimentary　tribute。

During　John　Hay's　term　as　United　States　minister　to　Great　Britain　my　visits　to　England　were　very　delightful。　　Hay　was　one　of　the　most　charming　men　in　public　life　of　his　period。　　He　had　won　great　success　in　journalism；　as　an　author；　and　in　public　service。　　At　his　house　in　London　one　would　meet　almost　everybody　worth　while　in　English　literary；　public；　and　social　life。

In　the　hours　of　conversation　with　him；　when　I　was　posting　him　on　the　latest　developments　in　America；　his　comments　upon　the　leading　characters　of　the　time　were　most　racy　and　witty。　　Many　of　them　would　have　embalmed　a　statesman；　if　the　epigram　had　been　preserved；　like　a　fly　in　amber。　　He　had　officially　a　very　difficult　task　during　the　Spanish　War。　　The　sympathies　of　all　European　governments　were　with　Spain。　　This　was　especially　true　of　the　Kaiser　and　the　German　Government。　　It　was　Mr。　Hay's　task　to　keep　Great　Britain　neutral　and　prevent　her　joining　the　general　alliance　to　help　Spain；　which　some　of　the　continental　governments　were　fomenting。

Happily；　Mr。　Balfour；　the　British　foreign　minister；　was　cordially　and　openly　our　friend。　　He　prevented　this　combination　against　the　United　States。

During　part　of　my　term　as　a　senator　John　Hay　was　secretary　of　state。　To　visit　his　office　and　have　a　discussion　on　current　affairs　was　an　event　to　be　remembered。　　He　made　a　prediction；　which　was　the　result　of　his　own　difficulties　with　the　Senate；　that　on　account　of　the　two…thirds　majority　necessary　for　the　ratification　of　a　treaty；　no　important　treaty　sent　to　the　Senate　by　the　president　would　ever　again　be　ratified。　　Happily　this　gloomy　view　has　not　turned　out　to　be　entirely　correct。

Mr。　Hay　saved　China；　in　the　settlement　of　the　indemnities　arising　out　of　the　Boxer　trouble；　from　the　greed　of　the　great　powers　of　Europe。　　One　of　his　greatest　achievements　was　in　proclaiming　the　open　door　for　China　and　securing　the　acquiescence　of　the　great　powers。　　It　was　a　bluff　on　his　part；　because　he　never　could　have　had　the　active　support　of　the　United　States；　but　he　made　his　proposition　with　a　confidence　which　carried　the　belief　that　he　had　no　doubt　on　that　subject。　　He　was　fortunately　dealing　with　governments　who　did　not　understand　the　United　States　and　do　not　now。　　With　them；　when　a　foreign　minister　makes　a　serious　statement　of　policy；　it　is　understood　that　he　has　behind　him　the　whole　military；　naval；　and　financial　support　of　his　government。　　But　with　us　it　is　a　long　road　and　a　very　rocky　one；　before　action　so　serious；　with　consequences　so　great；　can　receive　the　approval　of　the　war…making　power　in　Congress。

I　called　on　Hay　one　morning　just　as　Cassini；　the　Russian　ambassador；　was　leaving。　　Cassini　was　one　of　the　shrewdest　and　ablest　of　diplomats　in　the　Russian　service。　　It　was　said　that　for　twelve　years　he　had　got　the　better　of　all　the　delegations　at　Pekin　and　controlled　that　extraordinary　ruler　of　China；　the　dowager　queen。　Cassini　told　me　that　from　his　intimate　associations　with　her　he　had　formed　the　opinion　that　she　was　quite　equal　to　Catherine　of　Russia；　whom　he　regarded　as　the　greatest　woman　sovereign　who　ever　lived。

Hay　said　to　me：　　〃I　have　just　had　a　very　long　and　very　remarkable　discussion　with　Cassini。　　He　is　a　revelation　in　the　way　of　secret　diplomacy。　　He　brought　to　me　the　voluminous　instructions　to　him　of　his　government　on　our　open…door　policy。　　After　we　had　gone　over　them　carefully；　he　closed　his　portfolio　and；　pushing　it　aside；　said：　　'Now；　Mr。　Secretary；　listen　to　Cassini。'　　He　immediately　presented　an　exactly　opposite　policy　from　the　one　in　the　instructions；　and　a　policy　entirely　favorable　to　us；　and　said：　'That　is　what　my　government　will　do。'〃　　It　was　a　great　loss　to　Russian　diplomacy　when　he　died　so　early。

As　senator　I　did　all　in　my　power　to　bring　about　the　appointment　of　Whitelaw　Reid　as　ambassador　to　Great　Britain。　　He　and　I　had　been　friends　ever　since　his　beginning　in　journalism　in　New　York　many　years　before。　　Reid　was　then　the　owner　and　editor　of　the　New　York　Tribune；　and　one　of　the　most　brilliant　journalists　in　the　country。　　He　was　also　an　excellent　public　speaker。　　His　long　and　intimate　contact　with　public　affairs　and　intimacy　with　public　men　ideally　fitted　him　for　the　appointment。　　He　had　already　served　with　great　credit　as　ambassador　to　France。

The　compensation　of　our　representatives　abroad　always　has　been　and　still　is　entirely　inadequate　to　enable　them　to　maintain；　in　comparison　with　t