biographical study of a. w. kinglake-第13节

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How　could　one　clear　harp；　men　asked　themselves　as　they　read；　have　　produced　so　diverse　tones？　　The　riddle　is　solved　when　we　learn　that　　the　first　part　only　was　from　Kinglake's　pen：　having　vindicated　his　　friend's　ability　and　good　faith；　her　right　to　speak　and　to　be　heard　　attentively；　he　left　the　survey　of　her　views；　with　which　he　　probably　disagreed；　to　the　originally　assigned　reviewer。　　The　　article；　Madame　Novikoff　tells　us　in　the　〃Nouvelle　Revue；〃　was　　received　AVEC　UNE　STUPEFACTION　UNANIME。　　It　formed　the　general　talk　　for　many　days；　was　attributed　to　Lord　Salisbury；　was　supposed　to　　have　been　inspired　by　Prince　Gortschakoff。　　The　name　standing　　against　it　in　Messrs。　Murray's　books；　as　they　kindly　inform　me；　is　　that　of　a　writer　still　alive；　and　better　known　now　than　then；　but　　they　never　heard　that　Kinglake　had　a　hand　in　it；　the　editor　would　　seem　to　have　kept　his　secret　even　from　the　publishers。　　Kinglake　　sent　the　article　in　proof　to　the　lady；　hoped　that　the　facts　he　had　　imparted　and　the　interpolations　he　had　inserted　would　please　her；　　he　could　have　made　the　attack　on　Russia　more　pointed　had　he　written　　it；　she　would　think　the　leniency　shows　a　fault　on　the　right　side；　　he　did　not　know　the　writer　of　this　latter　part。　　He　begged　her　to　　acquaint　her　friends　in　Moscow　what　an　important　and　majestic　organ　　is　〃The　Quarterly；〃　how　weighty　therefore　its　laudation　of　herself。　　　She　recalls　his　bringing　her　soon　afterwards　an　article　on　her；　　written；　he　said；　in　an　adoring　tone　by　Laveleye　in　the　〃Revue　des　　Deux　Mondes；〃　and　directing　her　to　a　paper　in　〃Fraser；〃　by　Miss　　Pauline　Irby；　a　passionate　lover　of　the　〃Slav　ragamuffins；〃　and　a　　worshipper　of　Madame　Novikoff。　　He　quotes　with　delight　Chenery's　　approbation　of　her　〃Life　of　Skobeleff〃；　he　spoke　of　you　〃with　a　　gleam　of　kindliness　in　his　eyes　which　really　and　truly　I　had　never　　observed　before。〃　　〃The　Times〃　quotes　her　as　the　〃eloquent　　authoress　of　'Russia　and　England'〃；　〃fancy　that　from　your　enemy！　　you　are　getting　even　'The　Times'　into　your　net。〃　　A　later　article　　on　O。　K。　contains　some　praise；　but　more　abuse。　　Hayward　is　angry　　with　it；　Kinglake　thinks　it　more　friendly　than　could　have　been　　expected　〃to　YOU；　a　friend　of　ME；　their　old　open　enemy：　the　sugar…　plums　were　meant　for　you；　the　sprinklings　of　soot　for　me。〃

Besides　〃Russia　and　England〃　Madame　Novikoff　is　the　author　of　　〃Friends　or　Foes？　…　is　Russia　wrong？〃　and　of　a　〃Life　of　Skobeleff；〃　　the　hero　of　Plevna　and　of　Geok　Tepe。　　From　her　natural　endowments　　and　her　long　familiarity　with　Courts；　she　has　acquired　a　capacity　　for　combining；　controlling；　entertaining　social　〃circles〃　which　　recalls　LES　SALONS　D'AUTREFOIS；　the　drawing…rooms　of　an　Ancelot；　a　　Le　Brun；　a　Recamier。　　Residing　in　several　European　capitals；　she　　surrounds　herself　in　each　with　persons　intellectually　eminent；　in　　England；　where　she　has　long　spent　her　winters；　Gladstone；　Carlyle　　and　Froude；　Charles　Villiers；　Bernal　Osborne；　Sir　Robert　Morier；　　Lord　Houghton；　and　many　more　of　the　same　high　type；　formed　her　　court　and　owned　her　influence。

Kinglake　first　met　her　at　Lady　Holland's　in　1870；　and　mutual　liking　　ripened　rapidly　into　close　friendship。　　During　her　residences　in　　England　few　days　passed　in　which　he　did　not　present　himself　at　her　　drawing…room　in　Claridge's　Hotel：　when　absent　in　Russia　or　on　the　　Continent；　she　received　from　him　weekly　letters；　though　he　used　to　　complain　that　writing　to　a　lady　through　the　POSTE　RESTANTE　was　like　　trying　to　kiss　a　nun　through　a　double　grating。　　These　letters；　all　　faithfully　preserved；　I　have　been　privileged　to　see；　they　remind　　me；　in　their　mixture　of　personal　with　narrative　charm；　of　Swift's　　〃Letters　to　Stella〃；　except　that　Swift's　are　often　coarse　and　　sometimes　prurient；　while　Kinglake's　chivalrous　admiration　for　his　　friend；　though　veiled　occasionally　by　graceful　banter；　is　always　　respectful　and　refined。　　They　even　imitate　occasionally　the　〃little　　language〃　of　the　great　satirist；　if　Swift　was　Presto；　Kinglake　is　　〃Poor　dear　me〃；　if　Stella　was　M。　D。；　Madame　Novikoff　is　〃My　dear　　Miss。〃　　This　last　endearment　was　due　to　an　incident　at　a　London　　dinner　table。　　A　story　told　by　Hayward；　seasoned　as　usual　with　GROS　　SEL；　amused　the　more　sophisticated　English　ladies　present；　but　　covered　her　with　blushes。　　Kinglake　perceived　it；　and　said　to　her　　afterwards；　〃I　thought　you　were　a　hardened　married　woman；　I　am　glad　　that　you　are　not；　I　shall　henceforth　call　you　MISS。〃　　Sometimes　he　　rushes　into　verse。　　In　answer　to　some　pretended　rebuff　received　　from　her　at　Ryde　he　writes


〃There　was　a　young　lady　of　Ryde；　so　awfully　puffed　up　by　pride；　She　felt　grander　by　far　than　the　Son　of　the　Czar；　And　when　he　said；　'Dear；　come　and　walk　on　the　pier；　Oh　please　come　and　walk　by　my　side；'　The　answer　he　got；　was　'Much　better　not；'　from　that　awful　young　　lady　of　Ryde。〃


Oftenest；　the　letters　are　serious　in　their　admiring　compliments；　　they　speak　of　her　superb　organization　of　health　and　life　and　　strength　and　joyousness；　the　delightful　sunshine　of　her　presence；　　her　decision　and　strength　of　will；　her　great　qualities　and　great　　opportunities：　〃away　from　you　the　world　seems　a　blank。〃　　He　is　glad　　that　his　Great　Eltchi　has　been　made　known　to　her；　the　old　statesman　　will　be　impressed；　he　feels　sure；　by　her　〃intense　life；　　graciousness　and　grace；　intellect　carefully　masked；　musical　faculty　　in　talk；　with　that　heavenly　power　of　coming　to　an　end。〃　　He　sends　　playfully　affectionate　messages　from　other　members　of　the　　GERONTAION；　as　he　calls　it；　the　group　of　aged　admirers　who　formed　　her　inner　court；　echoing　their　laments　over　the　universality　of　her　　patronage。　　〃Hayward　can　pardon　your　having　an　ambassador　or　two　at　　your　FEET；　but　to　find　the　way　to　your　HEART　obstructed　by　a　crowd　　of　astronomers；　Russ…expansionists；　metaphysicians；　theologians；　　translators；　historians；　poets；　…　this　is　more　than　he　can　endure。　　　The　crowd　reduces　him；　as　Ampere　said　to　Mme。　Recamier；　to　the　　qualified　blessing　of　being　only　CHEZ　VOUS；　from　the　delight　of　　being　AVEC　VOUS。　　He　hails　and　notifies　additions　to　the　list　of　　her　admirers；　quotes　enthusiastic　praise　of　her　from　Stansfeld　and　　Charles　Villiers；　warm　appreciation　from　Morier；　Sir　Robert　Peel；　　Violet　Fane。　　He　rallies　her　on　her　victims；　jests　at　Froude's　　lover…like　GALANTERIE　…　〃Poor　St。　Anthony！　how　he　hovered　round　the　　flame〃；　…　at　the　devotion　of　that　gay　Lothario；　Tyndall；　whose　　approaching　marriage　will；　he　thinks；　clip　his　wings　for　　flirtation。　　〃It　seems　that　at　the　Royal　Institution；　or　whatever　　the　place　is　called；　young　women　look　up　to　the　Lecturers　as　　priests　of　Science；　and　go　to　them　after　the　lecture　in　what　　churchmen　would　call　the　vestry；　and　express　charming　little　doubts　　about　electricity；　and　pretty　gentle　disquietudes　about　the　solar　　system：　and　then　the　Professors　have　to　give　explanations；　…　and　　then；　somehow；　at　the　end　of　a　few　weeks；　they　find　they　have　　provided　themselves　with　chaperons　for　life。〃　　So　he　pursues　the　　list　of　devotees；　her　son　will　tell　her　that　Caesar　summarized　his　　conquests　in　this　country　by　saying　VENI；　VIDI；　VICI；　but　to　her　it　　is　given　to　say；　VENI；　VIDEBAR；　VICI。

On　two　subjects；　theology　and　politics；　Madame　Novikoff　was；　as　we　　have　seen；　passionately　in　earnest。　　Himself　at　once　an　amateur　　casuist　and　a　consistent　Nothingarian；　whose　dictum　was　that　　〃Important　if　true〃　should　be　written　over　the　doors　of　churches；　　he　followed　her　religious　arguments　much　as　Lord　Steyne　listened　to　　the　contests　between　Father　Mole　and　the　Reverend　Mr。　Trail。　　He　　expresses　his　surprise　in　all　seriousness　that　the　Pharisees；　a　　thoughtful　and　cultured　set　of　men；　who　alone　among　the　Jews　　believed　in　a　future　state；　should　have　been　the　very　men　to　whom　　our　Saviour　was　habitually　antagonistic。　　He　refers　more　lightly　　and　frequently　to　〃those　charming　talks　of　ours　about　our　　Churches〃；　he　thinks　they　both　know　how　to　EFFLEURER　the　surface　of　　theology　without　getting　drowned　in　it。　　Of　existing　Churches　he　　preferred　the　English；　as　〃the　most　harmless　going〃；　disliked　the　　Latin　Church；　especially　when　intriguing　in　the　East；　as　　persecuting　and　as　schismatic；　and　therefore　as　no　Church　at　all。　　　Roman　Catholics；　he　said；　have　a　special　horror　of　being　called　　〃schismatic；〃　and　that　is；　of　course；　a　good　reason　for　so　calling　　them。　　He　would　not　permit　the　use　of　the　word　〃orthodox；〃　because；　　like　a　parson　in　the　pulpit；　it　is　always　begging　the　question。　　He　　refused　historical　reverence　to　the　Athanasian　Creed；　and　was　　delighted　when　Stanley's　review　in　〃The　Times〃　of　Mr。　Ffoulkes'　　learned　book　showed　it　to　have　been　written　by　order　of　Charles　the　　Great　in　800　A。D。　as　what　Thorold　Rogers　used　to　call　〃an　election　　squib。〃　　In　the　〃Filioque〃　controversy；　once　dear　to　Liddon　and　to　　Gladstone；　now；　I　suppose；　obsolete　for　the　English　mind；　but　which　　relates　to　the　chief　dividing　tenet　of　East　from　West；　he　showed　an　　interest　humorous　rather　than　reverent；　took　pains　to　acquaint　　himself　with　the　views　held　on　it　by　Dollinger　and　the　old　　Catholics；　noted　with　amusement　the　perplexity　of　London　ladies　as　　to　the　meaning　of　the　word　when　quoted　in　the　much…read　〃Quarterly〃　　article；　declaring　their　belief　to　be　that　it