登陆注册
26196100000077

第77章 THE FOURTH(4)

The precise place I had to fill and the precise functions I had to discharge were not as yet very clear, but all that, we felt sure, would become plain as things developed.

A few brief months of vague activities of "nursing" gave place to the excitements of the contest that followed the return of Mr.

Camphell-Bannerman to power in 1905.So far as the Kinghamstead Division was concerned it was a depressed and tepid battle.I went about the constituency ****** three speeches that were soon threadbare, and an odd little collection of people worked for me;two solicitors, a cheap photographer, a democratic parson, a number of dissenting ministers, the Mayor of Kinghamstead, a Mrs.Bulger, the widow of an old Chartist who had grown rich through electric traction patents, Sir Roderick Newton, a Jew who had bought Calersham Castle, and old Sir Graham Rivers, that sturdy old soldier, were among my chief supporters.We had headquarters in each town and village, mostly there were empty shops we leased temporarily, and there at least a sort of fuss and a coming and going were maintained.The rest of the population stared in a state of suspended judgment as we went about the business.The country was supposed to be in a state of intellectual conflict and deliberate decision, in history it will no doubt figure as a momentous conflict.Yet except for an occasional flare of bill-sticking or a bill in a window or a placard-plastered motor-car or an argumentative group of people outside a public-house or a sluggish movement towards the schoolroom or village hall, there was scarcely a sign that a great empire was revising its destinies.Now and then one saw a canvasser on a doorstep.For the most part people went about their business with an entirely irresponsible confidence in the stability of the universe.At times one felt a little absurd with one's flutter of colours and one's air of saving the country.

My opponent was a quite undistinguished Major-General who relied upon his advocacy of Protection, and was particularly anxious we should avoid "personalities" and fight the constituency in a gentlemanly spirit.He was always writing me notes, apologising for excesses on the part of his supporters, or pointing out the undesirability of some course taken by mine.

My speeches had been planned upon broad lines, but they lost touch with these as the polling approached.To begin with I made a real attempt to put what was in my mind before the people I was to supply with a political voice.I spoke of the greatness of our empire and its destinies, of the splendid projects and possibilities of life and order that lay before the world, of all that a resolute and constructive effort might do at the present time."We are building a state," I said, "secure and splendid, we are in the dawn of the great age of mankind." Sometimes that would get a solitary "'Ear!

'ear!" Then having created, as I imagined, a fine atmosphere, Iturned upon the history of the last Conservative administration and brought it into contrast with the wide occasions of the age;discussed its failure to control the grasping financiers in South Africa, its failure to release public education from sectarian squabbles, its misconduct of the Boer War, its waste of the world's resources....

It soon became manifest that my opening and my general spaciousness of method bored my audiences a good deal.The richer and wider my phrases the thinner sounded my voice in these non-resonating gatherings.Even the platform supporters grew restive unconsciously, and stirred and coughed.They did not recognise themselves as mankind.Building an empire, preparing a fresh stage in the history of humanity, had no appeal for them.They were mostly everyday, toiling people, full of small personal solicitudes, and they came to my meetings, I think, very largely as a relaxation.

This stuff was not relaxing.They did not think politics was a great constructive process, they thought it was a kind of dog-fight.

They wanted fun, they wanted spice, they wanted hits, they wanted also a chance to say "'Ear', 'ear!" in an intelligent and honourable manner and clap their hands and drum with their feet.The great constructive process in history gives so little scope for clapping and drumming and saying "'Ear, 'ear!" One might as well think of hounding on the solar system.

So after one or two attempts to lift my audiences to the level of the issues involved, I began to adapt myself to them.I cut down my review of our imperial outlook and destinies more and more, and developed a series of hits and anecdotes and--what shall I call them?--"crudifications" of the issue.My helper's congratulated me on the rapid improvement of my platform style.I ceased to speak of the late Prime Minister with the respect I bore him, and began to fall in with the popular caricature of him as an artful rabbit-witted person intent only on keeping his leadership, in spite of the vigorous attempts of Mr.Joseph Chamberlain to oust him therefrom.

I ceased to qualify my statement that Protection would make food dearer for the agricultural labourer.I began to speak of Mr.

Alfred Lyttelton as an influence at once insane and diabolical, as a man inspired by a passionate desire to substitute manacled but still criminal Chinese for honest British labourers throughout the world.

And when it came to the mention of our own kindly leader, of Mr.

John Burns or any one else of any prominence at all on our side Ifell more and more into the intonation of one who mentions the high gods.And I had my reward in brighter meetings and readier and readier applause.

One goes on from phase to phase in these things.

同类推荐
  • 大光明藏

    大光明藏

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 六十种曲彩毫记

    六十种曲彩毫记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 小八义

    小八义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • Howards End

    Howards End

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 混元圣记

    混元圣记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 我给青春一个界

    我给青春一个界

    佛曰:一花一世界,一木一浮生。一画说:我当下的浮生里,看不到万紫千红,更没有饕餮盛宴。如果我给青春一个界,是不是我就能很快得到圆满?佛说:你-太有想象力了。
  • The Countess of Saint Geran

    The Countess of Saint Geran

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 步步仙路

    步步仙路

    在这修仙界蝼蚁无数,且看如何从一界庶女一步步登顶仙途。
  • 勋鹿之那年依稀的记忆

    勋鹿之那年依稀的记忆

    “呜呜呜,好大的虫子啊。吴世勋,好可怕呀。”“......没事的,不就是一只虫子吗。”“可是真的很可怕呀。TAT”“大不了我帮你弄死它啊。不过,你先从我身上下来好吧?”“哦。”【灿白会来串场滴,当然还有其他滴欧巴们来串场。】
  • 无忧郡主我不从

    无忧郡主我不从

    战云婧若有来生我绝不生于皇家。”战云婧只是笑着看着我倒下去,“无忧郡主皇后疯了。”我笑着看着她们,皇后疯了?不,战云婧她比谁都清醒,她拿她肚子里面的孩子来赌,她早就知道皇上爱上了自己的亲妹妹,所以才一而再再而三的想杀我,可正真的无忧其实早就死了,我想逃,步步算计终归算计不过他。“无忧你这辈子都别想再逃宫!”我抬起头苦笑的看着他,即使是天下人都反对你还不放过我吗?仓离你疯了,你比谁都疯。木莲紧紧的抱着道:“你不是无忧,也不是郡主,你只是我所认识的仓璃。”我看着他的脸,“别说话,最后看着我。”木莲的血不停的流着,为了救我出去,为我挡箭真的是为了当年的恩情吗?我什么都知道,我不敢面对所有的感情,我怕死更怕我在乎的人流血流泪。“谢谢你木莲。”“是你害死了我哥哥。”我看着木语,我害死了他?我笑的眼泪都快掉下来了。“木语若当年我没有将你们领入宫中你们会活到这时候?”......若有来生我绝不生于皇家。
  • 珩书界

    珩书界

    他叫萧珩,他是全球特工队、杀手界、医学界顶尖的存在。你可以不知道哪个哪个国家主席名字但是【萧珩】你不能不知道。
  • 血源vampire

    血源vampire

    世间没有真相,世间只有谎言。"有人说追逐太阳的代价是根植黑暗,那我如果去到最深的黑暗,是否就能再见到太阳呢?未。”“不会的,大人,因为我们是血族。”
  • 医女覃蓁传

    医女覃蓁传

    这是一部突遭灭门之祸的孤女奋斗史。
  • 透过阴谋咬紧你

    透过阴谋咬紧你

    她像只饥饿的野猫,摆荡尾巴,瞳孔闪烁,露出尖牙盯着猎物,不停为对方变化各种属性,按照百度经验和两性书籍里的要求,时而温柔、时而撒娇、时而傲娇..单桔:“我说,韦也,你也差不多该动点心了吧!”韦也置身事外:“我说,单桔,与其增加这些白痴属性,你要不要增加点智商再来试试?”
  • 大秦游历传

    大秦游历传

    在一次暗杀中,他干掉了张龙所有手下的特务,自己也被战后的爆炸带走了生命。但是他却没有死,而是遇到了重生,穿越,来到了两千多年前的大秦。在大秦建立自己的地盘和军队,,,,,,,