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！
mutton or boiled fowl and milk pudding； with nothing to drink but
whisky and soda； and hot and cold water； and milk and lemonade。
Everybody was soon very glad indeed to come to that。 She boasted
how little her housekeeping cost her； and sought constantly for
fresh economies that would enable her； she said； to sustain an
additional private secretary。 Secretaries were the Baileys' one
extravagance； they loved to think of searches going on in the
British Museum； and letters being cleared up and precis made
overhead； while they sat in the little study and worked together；
Bailey with a clockwork industry； and Altiora in splendid flashes
between intervals of cigarettes and meditation。 〃All efficient
public careers；〃 said Altiora； 〃consist in the proper direction of
secretaries。〃
〃If everything goes well I shall have another secretary next year；〃
Altiora told me。 〃I wish I could refuse people dinner napkins。
Imagine what it means in washing！ I dare most things。 。 。 。 But as
it is； they stand a lot of hardship here。〃
〃There's something of the miser in both these people；〃 said Esmeer；
and the thing was perfectly true。 For； after all； the miser is
nothing more than a man who either through want of imagination or
want of suggestion misapplies to a base use a natural power of
concentration upon one end。 The concentration itself is neither
good nor evil； but a power that can be used in either way。 And the
Baileys gathered and reinvested usuriously not money； but knowledge
of the utmost value in human affairs。 They produced an effect of
having found themselvescompletely。 One envied them at times
extraordinarily。 I was attracted； I was dazzledand at the same
time there was something about Bailey's big wrinkled forehead； his
lisping broad mouth； the gestures of his hands and an uncivil
preoccupation I could not endure。 。 。 。
3
Their effect upon me was from the outset very considerable。
Both of them found occasion on that first visit of mine to talk to
me about my published writings and particularly about my then just
published book THE NEW RULER； which had interested them very much。
It fell in indeed so closely with their own way of thinking that I
doubt if they ever understood how independently I had arrived at my
conclusions。 It was their weakness to claim excessively。 That
irritation； however； came later。 We discovered each other
immensely； for a time it produced a tremendous sense of kindred and
cooperation。
Altiora； I remember； maintained that there existed a great army of
such constructive…minded people as ourselvesas yet undiscovered by
one another。
〃It's like boring a tunnel through a mountain；〃 said Oscar； 〃and
presently hearing the tapping of the workers from the other end。〃
〃If you didn't know of them beforehand；〃 I said； 〃it might be a
rather badly joined tunnel。〃
〃Exactly；〃 said Altiora with a high note； 〃and that's why we all
want to find out each other。 。 。 。〃
They didn't talk like that on our first encounter； but they urged me
to lunch with them next day； and then it was we went into things。 A
woman Factory Inspector and the Educational Minister for New
Banksland and his wife were also there； but I don't remember they
made any contribution to the conversation。 The Baileys saw to that。
They kept on at me in an urgent litigious way。
〃We have read your book；〃 each beganas though it had been a joint
function。 〃And we consider〃
〃Yes；〃 I protested； 〃I think〃
That was a secondary matter。
〃They did not consider；〃 said Altiora； raising her voice and going
right over me； that I had allowed sufficiently for the inevitable
development of an official administrative class in the modern
state。〃
〃Nor of its importance；〃 echoed Oscar。
That； they explained in a sort of chorus； was the cardinal idea of
their lives； what they were up to； what they stood for。 〃We want to
suggest to you；〃 they saidand I found this was a stock opening of
theirs〃that from the mere necessities of convenience elected
bodies MUST avail themselves more and more of the services of expert
officials。 We have that very much in mind。 The more complicated
and technical affairs become； the less confidence will the elected
official have in himself。 We want to suggest that these expert
officials must necessarily develop into a new class and a very
powerful class in the community。 We want to organise that。 It may
be THE power of the future。 They will necessarily have to have very
much of a common training。 We consider ourselves as amateur unpaid
precursors of such a class。〃 。 。 。
The vision they displayed for my consideration as the aim of public…
spirited endeavour； seemed like a harder； narrower； more specialised
version of the idea of a trained and disciplined state that
Willersley and I had worked out in the Alps。 They wanted things
more organised； more correlated with government and a collective
purpose； just as we did； but they saw it not in terms of a growing
collective understanding； but in terms of functionaries； legislative
change； and methods of administration。 。 。 。
It wasn't clear at first how we differed。 The Baileys were very
anxious to win me to co…operation； and I was quite prepared at first
to identify their distinctive expressions with phrases of my own；
and so we came very readily into an alliance that was to last some
years； and break at last very painfully。 Altiora manifestly liked
me； I was soon discussing with her the perplexity I found in placing
myself efficiently in the world； the problem of how to take hold of
things that occupied my thoughts； and she was sketching out careers
for my consideration； very much as an architect on his first visit
sketches houses； considers requirements； and puts before you this
example and that of the more or less similar thing already done。 。 。 。
4
It is easy to see how much in common there was between the Baileys
and me； and how natural it was that I should become a constant
visitor at their house and an ally of theirs in many enterprises。
It is not nearly so easy to define the profound antagonism of spirit
that also held between us。 There was a difference in texture； a
difference in quality。 How can I express it？ The shapes of our
thoughts were the same； but the substance quite different。 It was
as if they had made in china or cast iron what I had made in
transparent living matter。 （The comparison is manifestly from my
point of view。） Certain things never seemed to show through their
ideas that were visible； refracted perhaps and distorted； but
visible always through mine。
I thought for a time the essential difference lay in our relation to
beauty。 With me beauty is quite primary in life； I like truth；
order and goodness； wholly because they are beautiful or lead
straight to beautiful consequences。 The Baileys either hadn't got
that or they didn't see it。 They seemed at times to prefer things
harsh and ugly。 That puzzled me extremely。 The esthetic quality of
many of their proposals； the 〃manners〃 of their work； so to speak；
were at times as dreadful aswell； War Office barrack architecture。
A caricature by its exaggerated statements will sometimes serve to
point a truth by antagonising falsity and falsity。 I remember
talking to a prominent museum official in need of more public funds
for the work he had in hand。 I mentioned the possibility of
enlisting Bailey's influence。
〃Oh； we don't want Philistines like that infernal Bottle…Imp running
us；〃 he said hastily； and would hear of no concerted action for the
end he had in view。 〃I'd rather not have the extension。
〃You see；〃 he went on to explain； 〃Bailey's wanting in the
essentials。〃
〃What essentials？〃 said I。
〃Oh！ he'd be like