biographical study of a. w. kinglake-第8节

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　squandered　life　　and　treasure　lapsed　in　swift　succession　during　twenty　sequent　　years；　until　the　last　sheet　of　the　treaty　which　secured　them　was　　contemptuously　torn　up　by　Gortschakoff　in　1870。　　But　a　right　sense　　of　historical　proportion　is　in　no　time　the　heritage　of　the　many；　　and　is　least　of　all　attainable　while　the　memory　of　a　campaign　is　　fresh。　　On　Englishmen　who　welcomed　home　their　army　in　1855；　the　　strife　from　which　shattered　but　victorious　it　had　returned；　loomed　　as　epoch…making　and　colossal；　as　claiming　therefore　permanent　　record　from　some　eloquent　artist　of　attested　descriptive　power。　　　Soon　the　report　gained　ground　that　the　destined　chronicler　was　　Kinglake；　and　all　men　hailed　the　selection；　yet　the　sceptic　who　in　　looking　back　to…day　decries　the　greatness　of　the　campaign　may　　perhaps　no　less　hesitate　to　approve　the　fitness　of　its　chosen　　annalist。　　His　fame　was　due　to　the　perfection　of　a　single　book；　he　　ranked　as　a　potentate　in　STYLE。　　But　literary　perfection；　whether　　in　prose　or　poetry；　is　a　fragile　quality；　an　AFFLATUS　irregular；　　independent；　unamenable　to　orders；　the　official　tributes　of　a　　Laureate　we　compliment　at　their　best　with　the　northern　farmer's　　verdict　on　the　pulpit　performances　of　his　parson：


〃An'　I　niver　knaw'd　wot　a　mean'd　but　I　thow't　a　'ad　summut　to　saay；　And　I　thowt　a　said　wot　a　owt　to　'a　said　an'　I　comed　awaay。〃


Set　to　compile　a　biography　from　thirty　years　of　〃Moniteurs；〃　the　　author　of　Waverley；　like　Lord　Chesterfield's　diamond　pencil；　　produced　one　miracle　of　dulness；　it　might　well　be　feared　that　　Kinglake's　volatile　pen；　when　linked　with　forceful　feeling　and　　bound　to　rigid　task…work；　might　lose　the　charm　of　casual　epigram；　　easy　luxuriance；　playful　egotism；　vagrant　allusion；　which　　established　〃Eothen〃　as　a　classic。　　On　the　other　hand；　he　had　been　　for　twenty　years　conversant　with　Eastern　history；　geography；　　politics；　was；　more　than　most　professional　soldiers；　an　adept　in　　military　science；　had　sate　in　the　centre　of　the　campaign　as　its　　general's　guest　and　comrade；　was　intrusted；　above　all；　by　Lady　　Raglan　with　the　entire　collection　of　her　husband's　papers：　her　　wish；　implied　though　not　expressed；　that　they　should　be　utilized　　for　the　vindication　of　the　great　field…marshal's　fame；　he　accepted　　as　a　sacred　charge；　her　confidence　not　only　governed　his　decision　　to　become　the　historian　of　the　war；　but　imparted　a　personal　　character　to　the　narrative。

In　order；　therefore；　rightly　to　appreciate　〃The　Invasion　of　the　　Crimea；〃　we　must　look　upon　it　as　a　great　prose　epic；　its　argument；　　machinery；　actors；　episodes；　subordinate　to　a　predominant　ever　　present　hero。　　In　its　fine　preamble　Lord　Raglan　sits　enthroned　high　　above　generals；　armies；　spectators；　conflicts；　on　the　quality　of　　his　mind　the　fate　of　two　great　hosts　and　the　fame　of　two　great　　nations　hang。　　He　checks　St。　Arnaud's　wild　ambition；　overrules　the　　waverings　of　the　Allies；　against　his　own　judgment；　but　in　dutiful　　obedience　to　home　instruction　carries　out　the　descent　upon　the　Old　　Fort　coast。　　The　successful　achievement　of　the　perilous　flank　march　　is　ascribed　to　the　undivided　command　which；　during　forty…eight　　hours；　accident　had　conferred　upon　him。　　From　his　presence　in　　council　French　and　English　come　away　convinced　and　strengthened；　　his　calm　in　action　imparts　itself　to　anxious　generals　and　panic…　stricken　aides…de…camp。　　Through　Alma　fight；　from　the　high　knoll　to　　which　happy　audacity　had　carried　him　he　rides　the　whirlwind　and　　directs　the　storm。　　In　the　terrible　crisis　which　sees　the　Russians　　breaking　over　the　crest　of　Inkerman；　in　the　ill…fated　attack　on　the　　Great　Redan　where　Lacy　Yea　is　killed；　his　apparent　freedom　from　　anxiety　infects　all　around　him　and　achieves　redemption　from　　disaster。　（16）　　We　see　him　in　his　moments　of　vexation　and　　discomfiture；　dissembling　pain　and　anger　under　the　stress　of　the　　French　alliance；　galled　by　Cathcart's　disobedience；　by　the　loss　of　　the　Light　Brigade；　by　Lord　Panmure's　insulting；　querulous；　　unfounded　blame。　　We　read　his　last　despatch；　framed　with　wonted　　grace　and　clearness；　then　…　on　the　same　day　…　we　see　the　outworn　　frame　break　down；　and　follow　mournfully　two　days　later　the　　afflicting　details　of　his　death。　　As　the　generals　and　admirals　of　　the　allied　forces　stand　round　the　dead　hero's　form；　as　the　palled　　bier；　draped　in　the　flag　of　England；　is　carried　from　headquarters　　to　the　port；　as　the　〃Caradoc；〃　steaming　away　with　her　honoured　　freight；　flies　out　her　〃Farewell〃　signal；　the　narrative　abruptly　　ends。　　The　months　of　the　siege　which　still　remained　might　be　left　　to　other　hands　or　lapse　untold。　　Troy　had　still　to　be　taken　when　　Hector　died；　but　with　his　funeral　dirge　the　Iliad　closed；　the　blind　　bard's　task　was　over：


〃Such　honours　Ilion　to　her　hero　paid；　And　peaceful　slept　the　mighty　Hector's　shade。〃


If　the　framework　of　the　narrative　is　epic；　its　treatment　is　　frequently　dramatic。　　The　〃Usage　of　Europe〃　in　the　opening　pages　is　　not　so　much　a　record　as　a　personification　of　unwritten　Law：　the　　Great　Eltchi　tramps　the　stage　with　a　majesty　sometimes　bordering　on　　fustian。　　Dramatic　is　the　story　of　the　sleeping　Cabinet。　　〃It　was　　evening　…　a　summer　evening〃　…　one　thinks　of　a　world…famous　passage　　in　the　〃De　Corona〃　…　when　the　Duke　of　Newcastle　carried　to　Richmond　　Lodge　the　fateful　despatch　committing　England　to　the　war。　　〃Before　　the　reading　of　the　Paper　had　long　continued；　all　the　members　of　the　　Cabinet　except　a　small　minority　were　overcome　with　sleep〃；　the　few　　who　remained　awake　were　in　a　quiet；　assenting　frame　of　mind；　and　　the　despatch　〃received　from　the　Cabinet　the　kind　of　approval　which　　is　awarded　to　an　unobjectionable　Sermon。〃　　Not　less　dramatic　is　　Nolan's　death；　the　unearthly　shriek　of　the　slain　corpse　erect　in　　saddle　with　sword　arm　high　in　air；　as　the　dead　horseman　rode　still　　seated　through　the　13th　Light　Dragoons；　the　〃Minden　Yell〃　of　the　　20th　driving　down　upon　the　Iakoutsk　battalion；　the　sustained　and　　scathing　satire　on　the　Notre　Dame　Te　Deum　for　the　Boulevard　　massacre。　　A　simple　dialogue；　a　commonplace　necessary　act；　is　　staged　sometimes　for　effect。　　〃Then　Lord　Stratford　apprised　the　　Sultan　that　he　had　a　private　communication　to　make　to　him。　　The　　pale　Sultan　listened。〃　。　。　。　〃Whose　was　the　mind　which　had　freshly　　come　to　bear　upon　this　part　of　the　fight？　　Sir　Colin　Campbell　was　　sitting　in　his　saddle；　the　veteran　was　watching　his　time。〃　。　。　。　　〃The　Emperor　Nicholas　was　alone　in　his　accustomed　writing…room。　　He　　took　no　counsel；　he　rang　a　bell。　　Presently　an　officer　of　his　staff　　stood　before　him。　　To　him　he　gave　his　order　for　the　occupation　of　　the　Principalities。〃　　This　overpasses　drama　…　it　is　melodrama。

To　the　personal　element　which　pervades　the　volumes　great　part　of　　their　charm　is　due。　　The　writer　never　obtrudes　himself；　but　leaves　　his　presence　to　be　discerned　by　the　touches　which　attest　an　eye…　witness。　　Through　his　observant　nearness　we　watch　the　Chief's　　demeanour　and　hear　his　words；　see　him　〃turn　scarlet　with　shame　and　　anger〃　when　the　brutal　Zouaves　carry　outrage　into　the　friendly　　Crimean　village；　witness　his　personal　succour　of　the　wounded　　Russian　after　Inkerman；　hear　his　arch　acceptance　of　the　French　　courtesy；　so　careful　always　to　yield　the　post　of　danger　to　the　　English；　his　〃Go　quietly〃　to　the　excited　aide…de…camp；　（17）　his　　good…humoured　reception　of　the　scared　and　breathless　messenger　from　　D'Aurelle's　brigade；　the　〃five　words〃　spoken　to　Airey　commanding　　the　long　delayed　advance　across　the　Alma；　the　〃tranquil　low　voice〃　　which　gave　the　order　rescuing　the　staff　from　its　unforeseen　　encounter　with　the　Russian　rear。　　He　records　Codrington's　leap　on　　his　grey　Arab　into　the　breast…work　of　the　Great　Redoubt；　Lacy　Yea's　　passionate　energy　in　forcing　his　clustered　regiment　to　open　out；　　Miller's　stentorian　〃Rally〃　in　reforming　the　Scots　Greys　after　the　　Balaclava　charge；　Clarke　losing　his　helmet　in　the　same　charge；　and　　creating　amongst　the　Russians；　as　he　plunged　in　bareheaded　amongst　　their　ranks；　the　belief　that　he　was　sheltered　by　some　Satanic　　charm。　　He　notes　on　the　Alma　the　singular　pause　of　sound　maintained　　by　both　armies　just　before　the　cannonade　began；　the　first　death　…　　of　an　artilleryman　riding　before　his　gun　…　a　new　sight　to　nine…　tenths　of　those　who　witnessed　it；　（18）　the　weird　scream　of　　exploding　shells　as　they　rent　the　air　around。　　He　crossed　the　Alma　　close　behind　Lord　Raglan；　cantering　after　him　to　the　summit　of　a　　conspicuous　hillock　in　the　heart　of　the　enemy's　position；　whence　　the　mere　sight　of　plumed　English　officers　scared　the　Russian　　generals；　and；　followed　soon　by　guns　and　troops；　governed　the　issue　　of　the　fight。　　The　general's　manner　was　〃the　manner　of　a　man　　enlivened　by　the　progress　of　a　great　undertaking　without　being　　robbed　of　his　leisure。　　He　spoke　to　me；　I　remember；　about　his　　horse。　　He　seemed　like　a　man　who　had　a　clue　of　his　own　and　knew　his　　way　through　the　battle。〃　　When　the　last　gun　was　fired　Kinglake　　followed　the　Chief　back；　witnessed　the　wild　burst　of　cheering　　accorded　to　him　by　the　whole　British　army；　a　manifestation；　Lord　　Burghersh　tells　us；　which　greatly　distressed　his　modesty　…　and　　dined　alone　with　him　in　his　tent　on　the　evening　of　the　eventful　　day。

If　Lord　Raglan　was　the　Hect