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ineffectual changes in the policy of his papers； and a haunting
pursuit by parallel columns in the liberal press that never abashed
him in the slightest degree。 By an accident I plumbed the folly in
himbut I feel I never plumbed his wisdom。 I remember him one day
after a lunch at the Barhams' saying suddenly； out of profound
meditation over the end of a cigar； one of those sentences that seem
to light the whole interior being of a man。 〃Some day；〃 he said
softly； rather to himself than to me； and A PROPOS of nothing〃some
day I will raise the country。〃
〃Why not？〃 I said； after a pause； and leant across him for the
little silver spirit…lamp； to light my cigarette。 。 。 。
Then the Tories had for another section the ancient creations； and
again there were the financial peers； men accustomed to reserve； and
their big lawyers； accustomed towell； qualified statement。 And
below the giant personalities of the party were the young bloods；
young； adventurous men of the type of Lord Tarvrille； who had seen
service in South Africa； who had travelled and hunted； explorers；
keen motorists； interested in aviation； active in army organisation。
Good； brown…faced stuff they were； but impervious to ideas outside
the range of their activities； more ignorant of science than their
chaffeurs； and of the quality of English people than welt…
politicians； contemptuous of school and university by reason of the
Gateses and Flacks and Codgers who had come their way； witty； light…
hearted； patriotic at the Kipling level； with a certain aptitude for
bullying。 They varied in insensible gradations between the noble
sportsmen on the one hand； and men like Gane and the Tories of our
Pentagram club on the other。 You perceive how a man might exercise
his mind in the attempt to strike an average of public
serviceability in this miscellany！ And mixed up with these； mixed
up sometimes in the same man； was the pure reactionary； whose
predominant idea was that the village schools should confine
themselves to teaching the catechism； hat…touching and courtesying；
and be given a holiday whenever beaters were in request。 。 。 。
I find now in my mind as a sort of counterpoise to Evesham the
figure of old Lord Wardingham； asleep in the largest armchair in the
library of Stamford Court after lunch。 One foot rested on one of
those thingsI think they are called gout stools。 He had been
playing golf all the morning and wearied a weak instep； at lunch he
had sat at my table and talked in the overbearing manner permitted
to irascible important men whose insteps are painful。 Among other
things he had flouted the idea that women would ever understand
statecraft or be more than a nuisance in politics； denied flatly
that Hindoos were capable of anything whatever except excesses in
population； regretted he could not censor picture galleries and
circulating libraries； and declared that dissenters were people who
pretended to take theology seriously with the express purpose of
upsetting the entirely satisfactory compromise of the Established
Church。 〃No sensible people； with anything to gain or lose； argue
about religion；〃 he said。 〃They mean mischief。〃 Having delivered
his soul upon these points； and silenced the little conversation to
the left of him from which they had arisen； he became； after an
appreciative encounter with a sanguinary woodcock； more amiable；
responded to some respectful initiatives of Crupp's； and related a
number of classical anecdotes of those blighting snubs； vindictive
retorts and scandalous miscarriages of justice that are so dear to
the forensic mind。 Now he reposed。 He was breathing heavily with
his mouth a little open and his head on one side。 One whisker was
turned back against the comfortable padding。 His plump strong hands
gripped the arms of his chair； and his frown was a little assuaged。
How tremendously fed up he looked！ Honours； wealth； influence；
respect； he had them all。 How scornful and hard it had made his
unguarded expression！
I note without comment that it didn't even occur to me then to wake
him up and ask him what HE was up to with mankind。
9
One countervailing influence to my drift to Toryism in those days
was Margaret's quite religious faith in the Liberals。 I realised
that slowly and with a mild astonishment。 It set me； indeed； even
then questioning my own change of opinion。 We came at last
incidentally； as our way was； to an exchange of views。 It was as
nearly a quarrel as we had before I came over to the Conservative
side。 It was at Champneys； and I think during the same visit that
witnessed my exploration of Lady Forthundred。 It arose indirectly；
I think； out of some comments of mine upon our fellow…guests； but it
is one of those memories of which the scene and quality remain more
vivid than the things said； a memory without any very definite
beginning or end。 It was afternoon； in the pause between tea and
the dressing bell； and we were in Margaret's big silver…adorned；
chintz…bright room； looking out on the trim Italian garden。 。 。 。
Yes； the beginning of it has escaped me altogether； but I remember
it as an odd exceptional little wrangle。
At first we seem to have split upon the moral quality of the
aristocracy； and I had an odd sense that in some way too feminine
for me to understand our hostess had aggrieved her。 She said； I
know； that Champneys distressed her； made her 〃eager for work and
reality again。〃
〃But aren't these people real？〃
〃They're so superficial； so extravagant！〃
I said I was not shocked by their unreality。 They seemed the least
affected people I had ever met。 〃And are they really so
extravagant？〃 I asked； and put it to her that her dresses cost quite
as much as any other woman's in the house。
〃It's not only their dresses；〃 Margaret parried。 〃It's the scale
and spirit of things。〃
I questioned that。 〃They're cynical；〃 said Margaret； staring before
her out of the window。
I challenged her； and she quoted the Brabants； about whom there had
been an ancient scandal。 She'd heard of it from Altiora； and it was
also Altiora who'd given her a horror of Lord Carnaby； who was also
with us。 〃You know his reputation；〃 said Margaret。 〃That Normandy
girl。 Every one knows about it。 I shiver when I look at him。 He
seemsoh！ like something not of OUR civilisation。 He WILL come and
say little things to me。〃
〃Offensive things？〃
〃No； politenesses and things。 Of course his manners arequite
right。 That only makes it worse； I think。 It shows he might have
helpedall that happened。 I do all I can to make him see I don't
like him。 But none of the others make the slightest objection to
him。〃
〃Perhaps these people imagine something might be said for him。〃
〃That's just it；〃 said Margaret。
〃Charity；〃 I suggested。
〃I don't like that sort of toleration。〃
I was oddly annoyed。 〃Like eating with publicans and sinners；〃 I
said。 〃No！ 。 。 。
But scandals； and the contempt for rigid standards their condonation
displayed； weren't more than the sharp edge of the trouble。 〃It's
their whole position； their selfish predominance； their class
conspiracy against the mass of people；〃 said Margaret。 〃When I sit
at dinner in that splendid room； with its glitter and white
reflections and candlelight； and its flowers and its wonderful
service and its candelabra of solid gold； I seem to feel the slums
and the mines and the over…crowded cottages stuffed away under the
table。〃
I reminded Margaret that she was not altogether innocent of unearned
increment。
〃But aren't we doing our best to give it back？〃 she said。
I was moved to question her。 〃Do you really think；〃 I asked； 〃that
the Tories and peers and rich people are to blame for social
injustice a