eminent victorians-第36章

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his　hands；　so　that　the　result　was　that　Lord　Panmure's　delicate

appeal　reached　its　destination　in　the　laconic　form　of　'Look　after

Dowb'。　The　Headquarters　Staff　were　at　first　extremely　puzzled；

they　were　at　last　extremely　amused。　The　story　spread；　and　'Look

after　Dowb'　remained　for　many　years　the　familiar　formula　for

describing　official　hints　in　favour　of　deserving　nephews。



And　now　that　all　this　was　over；　now　that　Sebastopol　had　been；

somehow　or　another；　taken；　now　that　peace　was；　somehow　or

another；　made；　now　that　the　troubles　of　office　might　surely　be

expected　to　be　at　an　end　at　last　here　was　Miss　Nightingale

breaking　in　upon　the　scene　with　her　talk　about　the　state　of　the

hospitals　and　the　necessity　for　sanitary　reform。　It　was　most

irksome；　and　Lord　Panmure　almost　began　to　wish　that　he　was

engaged　upon　some　more　congenial　occupationdiscussing；　perhaps；

the　constitution　of　the　Free　Church　of　Scotlanda　question　in

which　he　was　profoundly　interested。　But　no；　duty　was　paramount；

and　he　set　himself；　with　a　sigh　of　resignation；　to　the　task　of

doing　as　little　of　it　as　he　possibly　could。



'The　Bison'　his　friends　called　him；　and　the　name　fitted　both　his

physical　demeanour　and　his　habit　of　mind。　That　large　low　head

seemed　to　have　been　created　for　butting　rather　than　for　anything

else。　There　he　stood；　four…square　and　menacing　in　the　doorway　of

reform；　and　it　remained　to　be　seen　whether；　the　bulky　mass；　upon

whose　solid　hide　even　the　barbed　arrows　of　Lord　Raglan's　scorn

had　made　no　mark；　would　prove　amenable　to　the　pressure　of　Miss

Nightingale。　Nor　was　he　alone　in　the　doorway。　There　loomed　behind

him　the　whole　phalanx　of　professional　conservatism；　the　stubborn

supporters　of　the　out…of…date；　the　worshippers　and　the　victims　of

War　Office　routine。　Among　these　it　was　only　natural　that　Dr。

Andrew　Smith；　the　head　of　the　Army　Medical　Department；　should

have　been　pre…eminentDr。　Andrew　Smith；　who　had　assured　Miss

Nightingale　before　she　left　England　that　'nothing　was　wanted　at

Scutari'。　Such　were　her　opponents；　but　she　too　was　not　without

allies。　She　had　gained　the　ear　of　Royaltywhich　was　something；

at　any　moment　that　she　pleased　she　could　gain　the　ear　of　the

publicwhich　was　a　great　deal。　She　had　a　host　of　admirers　and

friends；　andto　say　nothing　of　her　personal　qualitiesher

knowledge；　her　tenacity；　her　tactshe　possessed；　too；　one

advantage　which　then；　far　more　even　than　now；　carried　an　immense

weight　she　belonged　to　the　highest　circle　of　society。　She　moved

naturally　among　Peers　and　Cabinet　Ministersshe　was　one　of　their

own　set；　and　in　those　days　their　set　was　a　very　narrow　one。　What

kind　of　attention　would　such　persons　have　paid　to　some　middle…

class　woman　with　whom　they　were　not　acquainted；　who　possessed

great　experience　of　Army　nursing　and　had　decided　views　upon

hospital　reform？　They　would　have　politely　ignored　her；　but　it　was

impossible　to　ignore　Flo　Nightingale。　When　she　spoke；　they　were

obliged　to　listen；　and；　when　they　had　once　begun　to　do　that

what　might　not　follow？　She　knew　her　power；　and　she　used　it。　She

supported　her　weightiest　minutes　with　familiar　witty　little

notes。　The　Bison　began　to　look　grave。　It　might　be　difficultit

might　be　damned　difficultto　put　down　one's　head　against　the

white　hand　of　a　lady。。。



Of　Miss　Nightingale's　friends；　the　most　important　was　Sidney

Herbert。　He　was　a　man　upon　whom　the　good　fairies　seemed　to　have

showered；　as　he　lay　in　his　cradle；　all　their　most　enviable　goods。

Well　born；　handsome；　rich；　the　master　of　Wiltonone　of　those

great　country…houses；　clothed　with　the　glamour　of　a　historic

past；　which　are　the　peculiar　glory　of　Englandhe　possessed

besides　all　these　advantages：　so　charming；　so　lively；　so　gentle　a

disposition　that　no　one　who　had　once　come　near　him　could　ever　be

his　enemy。



He　was；　in　fact；　a　man　of　whom　it　was　difficult　not　to　say　that

he　was　a　perfect　English　gentleman。　For　his　virtues　were　equal

even　to　his　good　fortune。　He　was　religious；　deeply　religious。　'I

am　more　and　more　convinced　every　day；'　he　wrote；　when　he　had　been

for　some　years　a　Cabinet　Minister；　'that　in　politics；　as　in

everything　else；　nothing　can　be　right　which　is　not　in　accordance

with　the　spirit　of　the　Gospel。'　No　one　was　more　unselfish；　he　was

charitable　and　benevolent　to　a　remarkable　degree；　and　he　devoted　

the　whole　of　his　life；　with　an　unwavering　conscientiousness；　to

the　public　service。　With　such　a　character；　with　such

opportunities；　what　high　hopes　must　have　danced　before　him；　what

radiant　visions　of　accomplished　duties；　of　ever…increasing

usefulness；　of　beneficent　power；　of　the　consciousness　of

disinterested　success！　Some　of　those　hopes　and　visions　were；

indeed；　realised；　but；　in　the　end；　the　career　of　Sidney　Herbert

seemed　to　show　that；　with　all　their　generosity；　there　was　some

gift　or　other　what　was　it？some　essential　giftwhich　the　good

fairies　had　withheld；　and　that　even　the　qualities　of　a　perfect

English　gentleman　may　be　no　safeguard　against　anguish；

humiliation；　and　defeat。



That　career　would　certainly　have　been　very　different　if　he　had

never　known　Miss　Nightingale。　The　alliance　between　them　which　had

begun　with　her　appointment　to　Scutari；　which　had　grown　closer　and

closer　while　the　war　lasted；　developed；　after　her　return；　into

one　of　the　most　extraordinary　friendships。　It　was　the　friendship

of　a　man　and　a　woman　intimately　bound　together　by　their　devotion

to　a　public　cause；　mutual　affection；　of　course；　played　a　part　in

it；　but　it　was　an　incidental　part；　the　whole　soul　of　the

relationship　was　a　community　of　work。　Perhaps　out　of　England　such

an　intimacy　could　hardly　have　existedan　intimacy　so　utterly

untinctured　not　only　by　passion　itself　but　by　the　suspicion　of

it。　For　years　Sidney　Herbert　saw　Miss　Nightingale　almost　daily；

for　long　hours　together；　corresponding　with　her　incessantly　when

they　were　apart；　and　the　tongue　of　scandal　was　silent；　and　one　of

the　most　devoted　of　her　admirers　was　his　wife。　But　what　made　the

connection　still　more　remarkable　was　the　way　in　which　the　parts

that　were　played　in　it　were　divided　between　the　two。　The　man　who

acts；　decides；　and　achieves；　the　woman　who　encourages；　applauds；

andfrom　a　distanceinspires：　the　combination　is　common　enough；

but　Miss　Nightingale　was　neither　an　Aspasia　nor　an　Egeria。　In　her

case　it　is　almost　true　to　say　that　the　roles　were　reversed；　the

qualities　of　pliancy　and　sympathy　fell　to　the　man；　those　of

command　and　initiative　to　the　woman。



There　was　one　thing　only　which　Miss　Nightingale　lacked　in　her

equipment　for　public　life；　she　had　not　she　never　could　have

the　public　power　and　authority　which　belonged　to　the　successful

politician。　That　power　and　authority　Sidney　Herbert　possessed；

that　fact　was　obvious；　and　the　conclusions　no　less　so：　it　was

through　the　man　that　the　woman　must　work　her　will。　She　took　hold

of　him；　taught　him；　shaped　him；　absorbed　him；　dominated　him

through　and　through。　He　did　not　resisthe　did　not　wish　to

resist；　his　natural　inclination　lay　along　the　same　path　as　hers；

only　that　terrific　personality　swept　him　forward　at　her　own

fierce　pace　and　with　her　own　relentless　stride。　Swept　himwhere

to？　Ah！　Why　had　he　ever　known　Miss　Nightingale？　　If　Lord　Panmure

was　a　bison；　Sidney　Herbert；　no　doubt；　was　a　stag　a　comely；

gallant　creature　springing　through　the　forest；　but　the　forest　is

a　dangerous　place。　One　has　the　image　of　those　wide　eyes

fascinated　suddenly　by　something　feline；　something　strong；　there

is　a　pause；　and　then　the　tigress　has　her　claws　in　the　quivering

haunches；　and　then！



Besides　Sidney　Herbert；　she　had　other　friends　who；　in　a　more

restricted　sphere；　were　hardly　less　essential　to　her。　If；　in　her

condition　of　bodily　collapse；　she　were　to　accomplish　what　she　was

determined　that　she　should　accomplish；　the　attentions　and　the

services　of　others　would　be　absolutely　indispensable。　Helpers　and

servers　she　must　have；　and　accordingly　there　was　soon　formed

about　he