all roads lead to calvary-第44部分

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　the　school　children　to　take　home　with　them；　supplied　in　ample　numbers　to　all　the　little　inns　and　public…houses。　　In　all　these；　Phillips　was　held　up　as　their　arch　enemy；　his　proposal　explained　as　a　device　to　lower　their　wages；　decrease　their　chances　of　employment；　and　rob　them　of　the　produce　of　their　gardens　and　allotments。　　No　arguments　were　used。　　A　daily　stream　of　abuse；　misrepresentation　and　deliberate　lies；　set　forth　under　flaming　headlines；　served　their　simple　purpose。　　The　one　weekly　paper　that　had　got　itself　established　among　them；　that　their　fathers　had　always　taken；　that　dimly　they　had　come　to　look　upon　as　their　one　friend；　Carleton　had　at　last　succeeded　in　purchasing。　　When　that；　too；　pictured　Phillips's　plan　as　a　diabolical　intent　to　take　from　them　even　the　little　that　they　had；　and　give　it　to　the　loafing　socialist　and　the　bloated　foreigner；　no　room　for　doubt　was　left　to　them。

He　had　organized　volunteer　cycle　companies　of　speakers　from　the　towns；　young　working…men　and　women　and　students；　to　go　out　on　summer　evenings　and　hold　meetings　on　the　village　greens。　　They　were　winning　their　way。　　But　it　was　slow　work。　　And　Carleton　was　countering　their　efforts　by　a　hired　opposition　that　followed　them　from　place　to　place；　and　whose　interruptions　were　made　use　of　to　represent　the　whole　campaign　as　a　fiasco。

〃He's　clever；〃　laughed　Phillips。　　〃I'd　enjoy　the　fight；　if　I'd　only　myself　to　think　of；　and　life　wasn't　so　short。〃

The　laugh　died　away　and　a　shadow　fell　upon　his　face。

〃If　I　could　get　a　few　of　the　big　landlords　to　come　in　on　my　side；〃　he　continued；　〃it　would　make　all　the　difference　in　the　world。　They're　sensible　men；　some　of　them；　and　the　whole　thing　could　be　carried　out　without　injury　to　any　legitimate　interest。　　I　could　make　them　see　that；　if　I　could　only　get　them　quietly　into　a　corner。〃

〃But　they're　frightened　of　me；〃　he　added；　with　a　shrug　of　his　broad　shoulders；　〃and　I　don't　seem　to　know　how　to　tackle　them。〃

Those　drawing…rooms？　　Might　not　something　of　the　sort　be　possible？　Not；　perhaps；　the　sumptuous　salon　of　her　imagination；　thronged　with　the　fair　and　famous；　suitably　attired。　　Something；　perhaps；　more　homely；　more　immediately　attainable。　　Some　of　the　women　dressed；　perhaps；　a　little　dowdily；　not　all　of　them　young　and　beautiful。　The　men　wise；　perhaps；　rather　than　persistently　witty；　a　few　of　them　prosy；　maybe　a　trifle　ponderous；　but　solid　and　influential。　Mrs。　Denton's　great　empty　house　in　Gower　Street？　　A　central　situation　and　near　to　the　tube。　　Lords　and　ladies　had　once　ruffled　there；　trod　a　measure　on　its　spacious　floors；　filled　its　echoing　stone　hall　with　their　greetings　and　their　partings。　　The　gaping　sconces；　where　their　link…boys　had　extinguished　their　torches；　still　capped　its　grim　iron　railings。

Seated　in　the　great；　sombre　library；　Joan　hazarded　the　suggestion。　Mrs。　Denton　might　almost　have　been　waiting　for　it。　　It　would　be　quite　easy。　　A　little　opening　of　long　fastened　windows；　a　lighting　of　chill　grates；　a　little　mending　of　moth…eaten　curtains；　a　sweeping　away　of　long…gathered　dust　and　cobwebs。

Mrs。　Denton　knew　just　the　right　people。　　They　might　be　induced　to　bring　their　sons　and　daughtersit　might　be　their　grandchildren；　youth　being　there　to　welcome　them。　　For　Joan；　of　course；　would　play　her　part。

The　lonely　woman　touched　her　lightly　on　the　hand。　　There　shot　a　pleading　look　from　the　old　stern　eyes。

〃You　will　have　to　imagine　yourself　my　daughter；〃　she　said。　　〃You　are　taller；　but　the　colouring　was　the　same。　　You　won't　mind；　will　you？〃

The　right　people　did　come：　　Mrs。　Denton　being　a　personage　that　a　landed　gentry；　rendered　jumpy　by　the　perpetual　explosion　of　new　ideas　under　their　very　feet；　and　casting　about　eagerly　for　friends；　could　not　afford　to　snub。　　A　kindly；　simple　folk；　quite　intelligent；　some　of　them；　as　Phillips　had　surmised。　　Mrs。　Denton　made　no　mystery　of　why　she　had　invited　them。　　Why　should　all　questions　be　left　to　the　politicians　and　the　journalists？　　Why　should　not　the　people　interested　take　a　hand；　meet　and　talk　over　these　little　matters　with　quiet　voices　and　attentive　ears；　amid　surroundings　where　the　unwritten　law　would　restrain　ladies　and　gentlemen　from　addressing　other　ladies　and　gentlemen　as　blood…　suckers　or　anarchists；　as　grinders　of　the　faces　of　the　poor　or　as　oily…tongued　rogues；　arguments　not　really　conducive　to　mutual　understanding　and　the　bridging　over　of　differences。　　The　latest　Russian　dancer；　the　last　new　musical　revue；　the　marvellous　things　that　can　happen　at　golf；　the　curious　hands　that　one　picks　up　at　bridge；　the　eternal　fox；　the　sacred　bird！　　Excellent　material　for　nine…tenths　of　our　conversation。　　But　the　remaining　tenth？　　Would　it　be　such　excruciatingly　bad　form　for　us　to　be　intelligent；　occasionally；　say；　on　one　or　two　Fridays　during　the　season？　　Mrs。　Denton　wrapped　it　up　tactfully；　but　that　was　her　daring　suggestion。

It　took　them　aback　at　first。　　There　were　people　who　did　this　sort　of　thing。　　People　of　no　class；　who　called　themselves　names　and　took　up　things。　　But　for　people　of　social　standing　to　talk　about　serious　subjectsexcept；　perhaps；　in　bed　to　one's　wife！　　It　sounded　so　un…　English。

With　the　elders　it　was　sense　of　duty　that　prevailed。　　That；　at　all　events；　was　English。　　The　country　must　be　saved。　　To　their　sons　and　daughters　it　was　the　originality；　the　novelty　that　gradually　appealed。　　Mrs。　Denton's　Fridays　became　a　new　sensation。　　It　came　to　be　the　chic　and　proper　thing　to　appear　at　them　in　shades　of　mauve　or　purple。　　A　pushing　little　woman　in　Hanover　Street　designed　the　〃Denton〃　bodice；　with　hanging　sleeves　and　square…cut　neck。　　The　younger　men　inclined　towards　a　coat　shaped　to　the　waist　with　a　roll　collar。

Joan　sighed。　　It　looked　as　if　the　word　had　been　passed　round　to　treat　the　whole　thing　as　a　joke。　　Mrs。　Denton　took　a　different　view。

〃Nothing　better　could　have　happened；〃　she　was　of　opinion。　　〃It　means　that　their　hearts　are　in　it。〃

The　stone　hall　was　still　vibrating　to　the　voices　of　the　last　departed　guests。　　Joan　was　seated　on　a　footstool　before　the　fire　in　front　of　Mrs。　Denton's　chair。

〃It's　the　thing　that　gives　me　greatest　hope；〃　she　continued。　　〃The　childishness　of　men　and　women。　　It　means　that　the　world　is　still　young；　still　teachable。〃

〃But　they're　so　slow　at　their　lessons；〃　grumbled　Joan。　　〃One　repeats　it　and　repeats　it；　and　then；　when　one　feels　that　surely　now　at　least　one　has　drummed　it　into　their　heads；　one　finds　they　have　forgotten　all　that　one　has　ever　said。〃

〃Not　always　forgotten；〃　answered　Mrs。　Denton；　〃mislaid；　it　may　be；　for　the　moment。　　An　Indian　student；　the　son　of　an　old　Rajah；　called　on　me　a　little　while　ago。　　He　was　going　back　to　organize　a　system　of　education　among　his　people。　　'My　father　heard　you　speak　when　you　were　over　in　India；'　he　told　me。　　'He　has　always　been　thinking　about　it。'　　Thirty　years　ago　it　must　have　been；　that　I　undertook　that　mission　to　India。　　I　had　always　looked　back　upon　it　as　one　of　my　many　failures。〃

〃But　why　leave　it　to　his　son；〃　argued　Joan。　　〃Why　couldn't　the　old　man　have　set　about　it　himself；　instead　of　wasting　thirty　precious　years？〃

〃I　should　have　preferred　it；　myself；〃　agreed　Mrs。　Denton。　　〃I　remember　when　I　was　a　very　little　girl　my　mother　longing　for　a　tree　upon　the　lawn　underneath　which　she　could　sit。　　I　found　an　acorn　and　planted　it　just　in　the　right　spot。　　I　thought　I　would　surprise　her。　I　happened　to　be　in　the　neighbourhood　last　summer；　and　I　walked　over。　　There　was　such　a　nice　old　lady　sitting　under　it；　knitting　stockings。　　So　you　see　it　wasn't　wasted。〃

〃I　wouldn't　mind　the　waiting；〃　answered　Joan；　〃if　it　were　not　for　the　sorrow　and　the　suffering　that　I　see　all　round　me。　　I　want　to　get　rid　of　it　right　away；　now。　　I　could　be　patient　for　myself；　but　not　for　others。〃

The　little　old　lady　straightened　herself。　　There　came　a　hardening　of　the　thin；　firm　mouth。

〃And　those　that　have　gone　before？〃　she　demanded。　　〃Those　that　have　won　the　ground　from　where　we　are　fighting。　　Had　they　no　need　of　patience？　　Was　the　cry　never　wrung　from　their　lips：　　'How　long；　oh　Lord；　how　long？'　　Is　it　for　us　to　lay　aside　the　sword　that　they　bequeath　us　because　we　cannot　hope　any　more　than　they　to　see　the　far…off　victory？　　Fifty　years　I　have　fought；　and　what；　a　few　years　hence；　will　my　closing　eyes　still　see　but　the　banners　of　the　foe　still　waving；　fresh　armies　pouring　to　his　standard？〃

She　flung　back　her　head　and　the　grim　mouth　broke　into　a　smile。

〃But　I've　won；〃　she　said。　　〃I'm　dying　further　forward。　　I've　helped　advance　the　line。〃

She　put　out　her　hands　and　drew　Joan　to　her。

〃Let　me　think　of　you；〃　she　said；　〃as　taking　my　place；　pushing　the　outposts　a　little　further　on。〃

Joan　did　not　meet　Hilda　again　till　the　child　had　grown　into　a　womanpractically　speaking。　　She　had　always　been　years　older　than　her　age。　　It　was　at　a　reception　given　in　the　Foreign　Office。　Joan's　dress　had　been　trodden　on　and　torn。　　She　had　struggled　out　of　the　crowd　into　an　empty　room；　and　was　examining　the　damage　somewhat　ruefully；　when　she　heard　a　voice　behind　her；　proffering　help。　　It　was　a　hard；　cold　voice；　that　yet　sounded　familiar；　and　she　turned。

There　was　no　forgetting　those　deep；　burning　eyes；　though　the　face　had　changed。　　The　thin　red　lips　still　remained　its　one　touch　of　colour；