第28章

’AndnowsupposeforamomentthatIhadthispower，anduseditasyouwish:isn’titclearthatitwouldbeagreatabuse？Certainmenareemployedinwritingforthepublicpress；andiftheyareinducedeithertowriteortoabstainfromwritingbyprivatemotives，surelythepublicpresswouldsoonbeoflittlevalue。Lookattherecognisedworthofdifferentnewspapers，andseeifitdoesnotmainlydependontheassurancewhichthepublicfeelthatsuchapaperis，orisnot，independent。YoualludedtoTheJupiter:surelyyoucannotbutseethattheweightofTheJupiteristoogreattobemovedbyanyprivaterequest，eventhoughitshouldbemadetoamuchmoreinfluentialpersonthanmyself:you’veonlytothinkofthis，andyou’llseethatIamright。’ ThediscretionofTomTowerswasboundless:therewasnocontradictingwhathesaid，noarguingagainstsuchpropositions。 Hetooksuchhighgroundthattherewasnogettingonit。’Thepublicisdefrauded，’saidhe，’wheneverprivateconsiderationsareallowedtohaveweight。’Quitetrue，thougreatestoracleofthemiddleofthenineteenthcentury，thousententiousproclaimerofthepurityofthepress——thepublicisdefraudedwhenitispurposelymisled。Poorpublic！howoftenisitmisled！againstwhataworldoffraudhasittocontend！ Boldtookhisleave，andgotoutoftheroomasquicklyashecould，inwardlydenouncinghisfriendTomTowersasaprigandahumbug。’Iknowhewrotethosearticles，’saidBoldtohimself。’Iknowhegothisinformationfromme。Hewasreadyenoughtotakemywordforgospelwhenitsuitedhisownviews，andtosetMrHardingupbeforethepublicasanimpostoronnoothertestimonythanmychanceconversation； butwhenIofferhimrealevidenceopposedtohisownviews，hetellsmethatprivatemotivesaredetrimentaltopublicjustice！Confoundhisarrogance！Whatisanypublicquestionbutaconglomerationofprivateinterests？Whatisanynewspaperarticlebutanexpressionoftheviewstakenbyoneside？Truth！ittakesanagetoascertainthetruthofanyquestion！TheideaofTomTowerstalkingofpublicmotivesandpurityofpurpose！Why，itwouldn’tgivehimamoment’suneasinesstochangehispoliticstomorrow，ifthepaperrequiredit。’ SuchwereJohnBold’sinwardexclamationsashemadehiswayoutofthequietlabyrinthoftheTemple；andyettherewasnopositionofworldlypowersocovetedinBold’sambitionasthatheldbythemanofwhomhewasthinking。ItwastheimpregnabilityoftheplacewhichmadeBoldsoangrywiththepossessorofit，anditwasthesamequalitywhichmadeitappearsodesirable。 PassingintotheStrand，hesawinabookseller’swindowanannouncementofthefirstnumberofTheAlmshouse；sohepurchasedacopy，andhurryingbacktohislodgings，proceededtoascertainwhatMrPopularSentimenthadtosaytothepubliconthesubjectwhichhadlatelyoccupiedsomuchofhisownattention。 Informertimesgreatobjectswereattainedbygreatwork。 Whenevilsweretobereformed，reformerssetabouttheirheavytaskwithgravedecorumandlaboriousargument。Anagewasoccupiedinprovingagrievance，andphilosophicalresearcheswereprintedinfoliopages，whichittookalifetowrite，andaneternitytoread。Wegetonnowwithalighterstep，andquicker:ridiculeisfoundtobemoreconvincingthanargument，imaginaryagoniestouchmorethantruesorrows，andmonthlynovelsconvince，whenlearnedquartosfailtodoso。Iftheworldistobesetright，theworkwillbedonebyshillingnumbers。 OfallsuchreformersMrSentimentisthemostpowerful。 Itisincrediblethenumberofevilpracticeshehasputdown: itistobefearedhewillsoonlacksubjects，andthatwhenhehasmadetheworkingclassescomfortable，andgotbitterbeerputintoproper-sizedpintbottles，therewillbenothingfurtherforhimlefttodo。MrSentimentiscertainlyaverypowerfulman，andperhapsnotthelesssothathisgoodpoorpeoplearesoverygood；hishardrichpeoplesoveryhard；andthegenuinelyhonestsoveryhonest。Namby-pambyinthesedaysisnotthrownawayifitbeintroducedintheproperquarters。 Divinepeeressesarenolongerinteresting，thoughpossessedofeveryvirtue；butapatternpeasantoranimmaculatemanufacturingheromaytalkasmuchtwaddleasoneofMrsRatcliffe’sheroines，andstillbelistenedto。Perhaps，however，MrSentiment’sgreatattractionisinhissecond-ratecharacters。 Ifhisheroesandheroineswalkuponstilts，asheroesandheroines，Ifear，evermust，theirattendantsatellitesareasnaturalasthoughonemettheminthestreet:theywalkandtalklikemenandwomen，andliveamongourfriendsarattling，livelylife；yes，live，andwilllivetillthenamesoftheircallingshallbeforgottenintheirown，andBuckettandMrsGampwillbetheonlywordslefttoustosignifyadetectivepoliceofficeroramonthlynurse。 TheAlmshouseopenedwithasceneinaclergyman’shouse。 Everyluxurytobepurchasedbywealthwasdescribedasbeingthere:alltheappearancesofhouseholdindulgencegenerallyfoundamongstthemostself-indulgentoftherichwerecrowdedintothisabode。Herethereaderwasintroducedtothedemonofthebook，theMephistophelesofthedrama。Whatstorywaseverwrittenwithoutademon？Whatnovel，whathistory，whatworkofanysort，whatworld，wouldbeperfectwithoutexistingprinciplesbothofgoodandevil？ThedemonofTheAlmshousewastheclericalownerofthiscomfortableabode。 Hewasamanwellstrickeninyears，butstillstrongtodoevil: hewasonewholookedcruellyoutofahot，passionate，bloodshoteye；whohadahugerednosewithacarbuncle，thicklips，andagreatdouble，flabbychin，whichswelledoutintosolidsubstance，likeaturkey-cock’scomb，whensuddenangerinspiredhim:hehadahot，furrowed，lowbrow，fromwhichafewgrizzledhairswerenotyetrubbedoffbythefrictionofhishandkerchief:heworealooseunstarchedwhitehandkerchief，blacklooseill-madeclothes，andhugelooseshoes，adaptedtomanycornsandvariousbunions:hishuskyvoicetoldtalesofmuchdailyportwine，andhislanguagewasnotsodecorousasbecameaclergyman。SuchwasthemasterofMrSentiment’sAlmshouse。Hewasawidower，butatpresentaccompaniedbytwodaughters，andathinandsomewhatinsipidcurate。Oneoftheyoungladieswasdevotedtoherfatherandthefashionableworld，andsheofcoursewasthefavourite；theotherwasequallyaddictedtoPuseyismandthecurate。 Thesecondchapterofcourseintroducedthereadertothemoreespecialinmatesofthehospital。Herewerediscoveredeightoldmen；anditwasgiventobeunderstoodthatfourvacanciesremainedunfilled，throughtheperverseill-natureoftheclericalgentlemanwiththedoublechin。Thestateoftheseeightpauperswastouchinglydreadful:sixpence-farthingadayhadbeensufficientfortheirdietwhenthealmshousewasfounded；andonsixpence-farthingadayweretheystilldoomedtostarve，thoughfoodwasfourtimesasdear，andmoneyfourtimesasplentiful。Itwasshockingtofindhowtheconversationoftheseeightstarvedoldmenintheirdormitoryshamedthatoftheclergyman’sfamilyinhisrichdrawing- room。TheabsolutewordstheyutteredwerenotperhapsspokeninthepurestEnglish，anditmightbedifficulttodistinguishfromtheirdialecttowhatpartofthecountrytheybelonged；thebeautyofthesentiment，however，amplyatonedfortheimperfectionofthelanguage；anditwasreallyapitythattheseeightoldmencouldnotbesentthroughthecountryasmoralmissionaries，insteadofbeingimmuredandstarvedinthatwretchedalmshouse。 Boldfinishedthenumber；andashethrewitaside，hethoughtthatthatatleasthadnodirectappliancetoMrHarding，andthattheabsurdlystrongcolouringofthepicturewoulddisenabletheworkfromdoingeithergoodorharm。Hewaswrong。Theartistwhopaintsforthemillionmustuseglaringcolours，asnooneknewbetterthanMrSentimentwhenhedescribedtheinhabitantsofhisalmshouse；andtheradicalreformwhichhasnowsweptoversuchestablishmentshasowedmoretothetwentynumbersofMrSentiment’snovel，thantoallthetruecomplaintswhichhaveescapedfromthepublicforthelasthalfcentury。 ALongDayinLondonThewardenhadtomakeuseofallhisverymoderatepowersofintriguetogivehisson-in-lawtheslip，andgetoutofBarchesterwithoutbeingstoppedonhisroad。Noschoolboyeverranawayfromschoolwithmoreprecautionandmoredreadofdetection；noconvict，slippingdownfromaprisonwall，everfearedtoseethegaolermoreentirelythanMrHardingdidtoseehisson-in-lawashedroveupintheponycarriagetotherailwaystation，onthemorningofhisescapetoLondon。 Theeveningbeforehewenthewroteanotetothearchdeacon，explainingthatheshouldstartonthemorrowonhisjourney；thatitwashisintentiontoseetheattorney-generalifpossible，andtodecideonhisfutureplansinaccordancewithwhatheheardfromthatgentleman；heexcusedhimselfforgivingDrGrantlynoearliernotice，bystatingthathisresolvewasverysudden；andhavingentrustedthisnotetoEleanor，withtheperfect，thoughnotexpressed，understandingthatitwastobesentovertoPlumsteadEpiscopiwithouthaste，hetookhisdeparture。 HealsopreparedandcarriedwithhimanoteforSirAbrahamHaphazard，inwhichhestatedhisname，explainingthathewasthedefendantinthecaseof’TheQueenonbehalfoftheWool-cardersofBarchesterv。TrusteesunderthewillofthelateJohnHiram，’forsowasthesuitdenominated，andbeggedtheillustriousandlearnedgentlemantovouchsafetohimtenminutes’audienceatanyhouronthenextday。 MrHardingcalculatedthatforthatonedayhewassafe；hisson-in-law，hehadnodoubt，wouldarriveintownbyanearlytrain，butnotearlyenoughtoreachthetruanttillheshouldhaveescapedfromhishotelafterbreakfast；andcouldhethusmanagetoseethelawyeronthatveryday，thedeedmightbedonebeforethearchdeaconcouldinterfere。 Onhisarrivalintownthewardendrove，aswashiswont。 totheChapterHotelandCoffeeHouse，nearStPaul’s。HisvisitstoLondonoflatehadnotbeenfrequent；butinthosehappydayswhenHarding’sChurchMusicwasgoingthroughthepress，hehadbeenoftenthere；andasthepublisher’shousewasinPaternosterRow，andtheprinter’spressinFleetStreet，theChapterHotelandCoffeeHousehadbeenconvenient。 Itwasaquiet，sombre，clericalhouse，beseemingsuchamanasthewarden，andthusheafterwardsfrequentedit。Hadhedared，hewouldonthisoccasionhavegoneelsewheretothrowthearchdeaconfurtheroffthescent；buthedidnotknowwhatviolentstepshisson-in-lawmighttakeforhisrecoveryifhewerenotfoundathisusualhaunt，andhedeemeditnotprudenttomakehimselftheobjectofahuntthroughLondon。 Arrivedathisinn，heordereddinner，andwentforthtotheattorney-general’schambers。TherehelearntthatSirAbrahamwasinCourt，andwouldnotprobablyreturnthatday。HewouldgodirectfromCourttotheHouse；allappointmentswere，asarule，madeatthechambers；theclerkcouldbynomeanspromiseaninterviewforthenextday；wasable，ontheotherhand，tosaythatsuchinterviewwas，hethought，impossible；butthatSirAbrahamwouldcertainlybeattheHouseinthecourseofthenight，whereananswerfromhimselfmightpossiblybeelicited。