按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
such folk were supposed to haunt this very desert of which I was writing。
Imagine； therefore； my astonishment when； in a copy of his “Notes de Voyage” for 1909 which Sir Gaston Maspero kindly sent me — “The Way of the Spirit” was written in 1905 — I found the following passage：
Ces quatre…la sont…ils allies aux quatre afrites musiciens； deux joueurs de flute et deux joueurs de tambourin ou de darabouka； qui hantent le desert dans les memes parages？ Ils jouent sur le passage des voyageurs et c’est toujours un mauvais presage que de les rencontrer： si on s’eloigne vite sans leur adresser la parole et； autant que possible； sans les regarder； on a quelque chance d’echapper au mauvais sort； sinon l’on est perdu。
It will be observed that here everything is the same； mise en scene； misfortune； all。 There is but one difference。 Of Sir Gaston’s afrites； or musical ghosts； there were four； of my wandering players； five。 I have added a third flutist by way of interest on the capital of the true legend。
Perhaps these examples of literary coincidence in my own books may suffice； though I think there are more。 Indeed I recall two in connection with “Heart of the World” and “Ayesha” respectively； which are curious enough in their way。 Also as I write it es back to me that there are yet two others which； as I am on the subject； I may as well state quite briefly。
The first of these is to be found in “Montezuma’s Daughter。” Here the hero； a certain Thomas Wingfield； is stated to have lived near Bungay in the reign of Elizabeth； and to have been a doctor by trade； having learned his business from another leech in this immediate neighbourhood。 After many adventures he dies here a rich man and leaves charities to the poor。 Certainly I did think it strange when； subsequent to the writing of the book； I discovered from Mr。 Herbert Hartcup； the lawyer； who is a trustee of the Bungay Charities； that a man called Thomas Wingfield did live and die at that exact time； that he was a doctor who served his apprenticeship with another local leech； that in some way or other he did accumulate wealth of which he bequeathed a portion to the poor that they enjoy to this day； and that his will； which I have since seen； was just such a one as might have been written by the imaginary Thomas。 Almost am I tempted to believe that the true Wingfield must have visited Mexico in the days of Cortes； and that； if one were to dig up his bones； among them would be found the necklace of great emeralds which was given to him by Guatemoc in the hiding…place of Montezuma’s treasure。
The last specimen is very simple。 While visiting an old church in Suffolk I conceived the idea of my novel； “Joan Haste；” of which it is unnecessary to set out the plot。 After reading it a connection of mine remarked that he had been much interested by the book； though he did not think that the A。…Z。‘s； whom he knew well； would altogether appreciate such an accurate report of a passage in their family history whereof they did not often speak。 Also he was nervous lest it should be supposed by them that he had told me a story which was municated to him in confidence。 On further investigation it transpired that these A。…Z。‘s were buried in the very churchyard where I had imagined my tale； and that their family owned and still own all the land by which it is surrounded。
It needs no great stretch of fancy to believe that in some subtle way the bones beneath the soil of that churchyard had imparted some of their history to my mind while； touched by the place； I stood there evolving the material for another book。
Before I finally leave the subject of romance…writing I should like to say a few words upon a certain point。 I have been a good deal attacked because there is much fighting in many of my more imaginative works； which fighting necessarily involves the death of men； the inference being that to write of such things is not desirable。 I would ask； Why not？ However painful the fact； it remains true that man is a fighting animal； and that from the time of Homer down； and probably for tens of thousands of years before it； some of his finest qualities — such as patriotism； courage； obedience to authority； patience in disaster； fidelity to friends and a noble cause； endurance； and so forth — have been evolved in the presence of war； as we need go no further than the pages of the Old Testament to learn。 Is it not better to write of hard； clean； honest fighting than； for instance； of treacherous and sickening murder？ Will any young man be the worse for the lesson that his hands were given him to defend his head； and； if need be； his country’s honour； with that of all who are dear to him？ I think not。
It is true that in such a book as “Nada the Lily” there is much slaughter。 But all this is a matter of history。 A tale of the days of Chaka which left out his slayings and battles would be false to the facts and merely ludicrous。 Omelets cannot be made without the breaking of eggs。 Would such critics then argue that this tale and others like it should be left untold？ If so； I hold that they are wrong； since these give a picture which； from the circumstances of my youth； perhaps I alone in the world can paint； not only of some very remarkable men； but of a state of savage society which has now passed away and may never recur。
Further； is there not some hypocrisy in such cavilling in an age when all the great nations of the world are arming themselves to the teeth for that Armageddon which one day must e？ And do not some of the very papers in which it appears fill their columns with nauseous and most particular accounts of dreadful and degrading crimes； such as the betrayal and butchery of a defenceless woman； dilating on them from day to day till the reader is sickened？ Of which is it the more harmful to read — of a fight between the splendid Zulu impis； faithful to death； of old Umslopogaas holding the stair against overpowering odds； or； let us say； of the dismemberment of a wife or the massacre of little children by some human brute or lunatic？
Personally I hate war； and all killing； down to the destruction of the lower animals for the sake of sport； has bee abominable to me。 But while the battle…clouds bank up I do not think that any can be harmed by reading of heroic deeds or of frays in which brave men lose their lives。
What I deem undesirable are the tales of lust； crime； and moral perversion with which the bookstalls are strewn by dozens。
Chapter 17 POLITICS AND TOWN LIFE
H。 R。 H。‘s political views — Bred a Tory — Cross…bench mind — Strong Imperialist — Asked to stand for King’s Lynn — Declined — Co…director of African Review — Undertook later to contest East Norfolk — Difficult constituency for Conservative — Beaten by 198 votes — Stood in the agricultural interest — Specially interested in S。 African affairs — Cecil Rhodes — Retired from African Review — Death of H。 R。 H。‘s father — Elected chairman of local bench — Major Burnham — Some of his adventures — Major Cheyne。
Ever since I came to manhood I have taken an interest in politics； though at first it was the foreign branch of the subject that attracted me most。 Like most country squires my father was a Tory to the backbone； and； although one of them broke away； all his sons were brought up in the strictest sect of that somewhat fossilised creed。 People generally remain in the political fold wherein they chance to be born； much as they generally remain Protestants or Roman Catholics； or Wesleyans or Unitarians； according to the faith of their fathers。 Now I understand that I never was a real Tory — that； in short； as a party man I am the most miserable failure。 As a politician I should have been useless from any whip’s point of view。 He would — well； have struck me off his list as neither hot nor cold； as a dangerous and undesirable individual who； refusing to swallow the shibboleths of his tribe with shut eyes； actually dared to think for himself and to possess that hateful thing； “a cross…bench mind。”
I believe in conscription。 I think it would be the grandest gift that Heaven could give to Britain； that it would lighten the terrible burden of anxiety which haunts many of us26 by at least one…half； that it would make men of tens of thousands among us who are now but loafers without ambition； without prospects； save such as the relief that State or private charity may afford； that it would inculcate patriotism and the sense of discipline； lacking which every country must in time e to an inglorious end。 Indeed my greatest grudge against Mr。 Balfour and his colleagues is that they did not take the opportunity given to them during the dark days of the South African War to introduce this reform； which would then； I believe； have been passed without a murmur。 Of course I understand that they feared lest a bold step of the sort should tell against them at the polls。 How superfluous were their fears was shown by the ultimate disaster to which their do…nothing policy led the party at last。 At the best； failure was in front of them； and it would have been better to fail with something done； if such should prove their fate； leaving a great name behind them which ere long their country would have crowned with the honour it deserved。
25 Written in 1912。
These are sentiments which； however much they were disapproved of by the party manager on the hunt for votes； would； if adequately presented； probably provoke a cheer from a Conservative audience。 But suppose that I were the speaker on such an occasion； and followed that up by stating that I had grave misgivings as to the authorised programme of Protection； alias Tariff Reform？ Suppose I pointed out that in my view； which is possibly quite erroneous； duties on food…stuffs are scarcely practicable in this land of city…dwellers； who not unnaturally object to paying more for the necessaries of life； as； however moderate those duties might be； the British middle…man would be careful to see they did？ Suppose； further； that I showed what I take to be an unanswerable fact； that any scheme of Tariff Reform which omitted duties on food…stuffs would result in the final ruin of British agriculture； and in the consequent progressive deterioration of the race； what would the Conservative Party say then？ That they had no use for me； I imagine！
In the same way； what place is there in politics for a man like myself who has the most earnest sympathies with the poor and who desires to advance their lot in every reasonable way； but who loathes and detests the Radical method of attempting to set class against class； and of aiming all their artillery at the middle section of society — the real prop of the race — for the reason that it is Conservative in its instincts and votes against them at the polls？ Again； what would be thought of one who； posing as a member of the Tory party； yet earnestly advocated the division of the land amongst about ten times as many as hold it at present； thereby spoiling a great many great estates； and often enough interfering with the interests and pleasures of those who shoot and hunt； or who seek this road to social success？ Assuredly for such a one there is no standing…room upon any of our political platforms。 “Away with him！” would be the cry。