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！
separating it into little pieces。 Mr。 Collier was pacing up and down；
biting excitedly on the end of his cigar。 〃Well； this has certainly been a
great night；〃 he said。 〃And it is all due to you； Sir Charlesall due to you。
Yes； they have you to thank for it。〃
〃They？ 〃 said Sir Charles。 He knew that it had to come。 He wanted
the man to strike quickly。
〃They？ YesFlorence Cameron and Henry；〃 Mr。 Collier answered。
〃Henry went away because she wouldn't marry him。 She didn't care for
him then； but afterwards she cared。 Now they're reunited； and so
they're happy； and my wife is more than happy； and I won't have to bother
93
… Page 94…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
any more； and it's all right； and all through you。〃
〃I am glad；〃 said Sir Charles。 There was a long pause； which the men；
each deep in his own thoughts； did not notice。
〃You will be leaving now； I suppose？〃 Sir Charles asked。 He was
looking down； examining the broken pen in his hand。
Mr。 Collier stopped in his walk and considered。 〃Yes； I suppose they
will want to get back；〃 he said。 〃I shall be sorry myself。 And you？
What will you do？〃
Sir Charles started slightly。 He had not yet thought what he would do。
His eyes wandered over the neglected work； which had accumulated on
the desk before him。 Only an hour before he had thought of it as petty
and little； as something unworthy of his energy。 Since that time what
change had taken place in him？
For him everything had changed； he answered； but in him there had
been no change； and if this thing which the girl had brought into his life
had meant the best in life； it must always mean that。 She had been an
inspiration； she must remain his spring of action。 Was he a slave； he
asked himself； that he should rebel？ Was he a boy； that he could turn his
love to aught but the best account？ He must remember her not as the
woman who had crushed his spirit； but as she who had helped him； who
had lifted him up to something better and finer。 He would make sacrifice
in her name； it would be in her name that he would rise to high places and
accomplish much good。
She would not know this； but he would know。
He rose and brushed the papers away from him with an impatient
sweep of the hand。
〃I shall follow out the plan of which I spoke at dinner；〃 he answered。
〃I shall resign here； and return home and enter Parliament。〃
Mr。 Collier laughed admiringly。 〃I love the way you English take
your share of public life；〃 he said； 〃the way you spend yourselves for your
country； and give your brains； your lives； everything you haveall for the
empire。〃
Through the open window Sir Charles saw Miss Cameron half hidden
by the vines of the veranda。 The moonlight falling about her transformed
94
… Page 95…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
her into a figure which was ideal； mysterious； and elusive； like a woman in
a dream。 He shook his head wearily。
〃For the empire？〃 he asked。
95
… Page 96…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
THE LAST RIDE TOGETHER
A SKETCH CONTAINING THREE POINTS OF VIEW
What the Poet Laureate wrote。
〃There are girls in the Gold Reef City There are
mothers and children too！ And they cry 'Hurry up for pity！'
So what can a brave man do？
〃I suppose we were wrong； were mad men； Still I think
at the Judgment Day； When God sifts the good from the bad men；
There'll be something more to say。〃
What more the Lord Chief Justice found to say。
〃In this case we know the immediate consequence of your crime。 It
has been the loss of human life； it has been the disturbance of public peace；
it has been the creation of a certain sense of distrust of public professions
and of public faith。 。 。 。 The sentence of this Court therefore is that； as to
you； Leander Starr Jameson； you be confined for a period of fifteen
months without hard labor； that you； Sir John Willoughby； have ten
months' imprisonment； and that you； etc。； etc。〃
London Times； July 29th。
What the Hon。 〃Reggie〃 Blake thought about it。
〃H。 M。 HOLLOWAY PRISON；
〃July 28th。
〃I am going to keep a diary while I am in prison； that is； if they will let
me。 I never kept one before because I hadn't the time； when I was home
on leave there was too much going on to bother about it； and when I was
up country I always came back after a day's riding so tired that I was too
sleepy to write anything。 And now that I have the time； I won't have
anything to write about。 I fancy that more things happened to me today
than are likely to happen again for the next eight months； so I will make
this day take up as much room in the diary as it can。 I am writing this on
the back of the paper the Warder uses for his official reports； while he is
hunting up cells to put us in。 We came down on him rather unexpectedly
and he is nervous。 〃Of course； I had prepared myself for this after a
fashion； but now I see that somehow I never really did think I would be in
96
… Page 97…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
here； and all my friends outside； and everything going on just the same as
though I wasn't alive somewhere。 It's like telling yourself that your horse
can't possibly pull off a race； so that you won't mind so much if he doesn't；
but you always feel just as bad when he comes in a loser。 A man can't
fool himself into thinking one way when he is hoping the other。
〃But I am glad it is over； and settled。 It was a great bore not knowing
your luck and having the thing hanging over your head every morning
when you woke up。 Indeed it was quite a relief when the counsel got all
through arguing over those proclamations； and the Chief Justice summed
up； but I nearly went to sleep when I found he was going all over it again
to the jury。 I didn't understand about those proclamations myself and I'll
lay a fiver the jury didn't either。 The Colonel said he didn't。 I couldn't
keep my mind on what Russell was explaining about； and I got to thinking
how much old Justice Hawkins looked like the counsel in 'Alice in
Wonderland' when they tried the knave of spades for stealing the tarts。
He had just the same sort of a beak and the same sort of a wig； and I
wondered why he had his wig powdered and the others didn't。 Pollock's
wig had a hole in the top； you could see it when he bent over to take notes。
He was always taking notes。 I don't believe he understood about those
proclamations either； he never seemed to listen； anyway。
〃The Chief Justice certainly didn't love us very much； that's sure； and
he wasn't going to let anybody else love us either。 I felt quite the
Christian Martyr when Sir Edward was speaking in defence。 He made it
sound as though we were all a lot of Adelphi heroes and ought to be
promoted and have medals； but when Lord Russell started in to read the
Riot Act at us I began to believe that hanging was too good for me。 I'm
sure I never knew I was disturbing the peace of nations； it seems like such
a large order for a subaltern。
〃But the worst was when they made us stand up before all those
people to be sentenced。 I must say I felt shaky about the knees then； not
because I was afraid of what was coming； but because it was the first time
I had ever been pointed out before people； and made to feel ashamed。
And having those girls there； too； looking at one。 That wasn't just fair to
us。 It made me feel about ten years