the research magnificent-第59部分

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　drink　gin。〃　　And　it　was　under　the　influence　of　Prothero　that　Benham　turned　from　the　haughty　intellectualism；　the　systematized　superiorities　and　refinements；　the　caste　marks　and　defensive　dignities　of　India　to　China；　that　great　teeming　stinking　tank　of　humorous　yellow　humanity。　Benham　had　gone　to　Prothero　again　after　a　bout　of　elevated　idealism。　It　was　only　very　slowly　that　he　reconciled　his　mind　to　the　idea　of　an　entirely　solitary　pursuit　of　his　aristocratic　dream。　　For　some　time　as　he　went　about　the　world　he　was　trying　to　bring　himself　into　relationship　with　the　advanced　thinkers；　the　liberal…minded　people　who　seemed　to　promise　at　least　a　mental　and　moral　co…operation。　　Yet　it　is　difficult　to　see　what　co…operation　was　possible　unless　it　was　some　sort　of　agreement　that　presently　they　should　all　shout　together。　　And　it　was　after　a　certain　pursuit　of　Rabindranath　Tagore；　whom　he　met　in　Hampstead；　that　a　horror　of　perfect　manners　and　perfect　finish　came　upon　him；　and　he　fled　from　that　starry　calm　to　the　rich　uncleanness　of　the　most　undignified　fellow　of　Trinity。　And　as　an　advocate　and　exponent　of　the　richness　of　the　lower　levels　of　life；　as　the　declared　antagonist　of　caste　and　of　the　uttermost　refinements　of　pride；　Prothero　went　with　Benham　by　way　of　Siberia　to　the　Chinese　scene。　Their　controversy　was　perceptible　at　every　dinner…table　in　their　choice　of　food　and　drink。　　Benham　was　always　wary　and　Prothero　always　appreciative。　　It　peeped　out　in　the　distribution　of　their　time；　in　the　direction　of　their　glances。　　Whenever　women　walked　about；　Prothero　gave　way　to　a　sort　of　ethnological　excitement。　〃That　girla　wonderful　racial　type。〃　　But　in　Moscow　he　was　sentimental。　　He　insisted　on　going　again　to　the　Cosmopolis　Bazaar；　and　when　he　had　ascertained　that　Anna　Alexievna　had　vanished　and　left　no　trace　he　prowled　the　streets　until　the　small　hours。　In　the　eastward　train　he　talked　intermittently　of　her。　　〃I　should　have　defied　Cambridge；〃　he　said。　But　at　every　stopping　station　he　got　out　upon　the　platform　ethnologically　alert。　。　。　。　Theoretically　Benham　was　disgusted　with　Prothero。　　Really　he　was　not　disgusted　at　all。　　There　was　something　about　Prothero　like　a　sparrow；　like　a　starling；　like　a　Scotch　terrier。　。　。　。　　These；　too；　are　morally　objectionable　creatures　that　do　not　disgust。　。　。　。　Prothero　discoursed　much　upon　the　essential　goodness　of　Russians。　He　said　they　were　a　people　of　genius；　that　they　showed　it　in　their　faults　and　failures　just　as　much　as　in　their　virtues　and　achievements。　　He　extolled　the　〃germinating　disorder〃　of　Moscow　far　above　the　〃implacable　discipline〃　of　Berlin。　　Only　a　people　of　inferior　imagination；　a　base　materialist　people；　could　so　maintain　its　attention　upon　precision　and　cleanliness。　　Benham　was　roused　to　defence　against　this　paradox。　　〃But　all　exaltation　neglects；〃　said　Prothero。　　〃No　religion　has　ever　boasted　that　its　saints　were　spick　and　span。〃　　This　controversy　raged　between　them　in　the　streets　of　Irkutsk。　　It　was　still　burning　while　they　picked　their　way　through　the　indescribable　filth　of　Pekin。　〃You　say　that　all　this　is　a　fine　disdain　for　material　things；〃　said　Benham。　　〃But　look　out　there！〃　Apt　to　their　argument　a　couple　of　sturdy　young　women　came　shuffling　along；　cleaving　the　crowd　in　the　narrow　street　by　virtue　of　a　single　word　and　two　brace　of　pails　of　human　ordure。　〃That　is　not　a　fine　disdain　for　material　things；〃　said　Benham。　〃That　is　merely　individualism　and　unsystematic　living。〃　〃A　mere　phase　of　frankness。　　Only　frankness　is　left　to　them　now。　The　Manchus　crippled　them；　spoilt　their　roads　and　broke　their　waterways。　　European　intervention　paralyses　every　attempt　they　make　to　establish　order　on　their　own　lines。　　In　the　Ming　days　China　did　not　reek。　。　。　。　　And；　anyhow；　Benham；　it's　better　than　the　silly　waste　of　London。　。　。　。〃　And　in　a　little　while　Prothero　discovered　that　China　had　tried　Benham　and　found　him　wanting；　centuries　and　dynasties　ago。　What　was　this　new…fangled　aristocratic　man；　he　asked；　but　the　ideal　of　Confucius；　the　superior　person；　〃the　son　of　the　King〃？　　There　you　had　the　very　essence　of　Benham；　the　idea　of　self　…examination；　self…　preparation　under　a　vague　Theocracy。　　（〃Vaguer；〃　said　Benham；　〃for　the　Confucian　Heaven　could　punish　and　reward。〃）　　Even　the　elaborate　sham　modesty　of　the　two　dreams　was　the　same。　　Benham　interrupted　and　protested　with　heat。　　And　this　Confucian　idea　of　the　son　of　the　King；　Prothero　insisted；　had　been　the　cause　of　China's　paralysis。　〃My　idea　of　nobility　is　not　traditional　but　expectant；〃　said　Benham。　〃After　all；　Confucianism　has　held　together　a　great　pacific　state　far　longer　than　any　other　polity　has　ever　lasted。　　I'll　accept　your　Confucianism。　　I've　not　the　slightest　objection　to　finding　China　nearer　salvation　than　any　other　land。　　Do　but　turn　it　round　so　that　it　looks　to　the　future　and　not　to　the　past；　and　it　will　be　the　best　social　and　political　culture　in　the　world。　　That；　indeed；　is　what　is　happening。　　Mix　Chinese　culture　with　American　enterprise　and　you　will　have　made　a　new　lead　for　mankind。〃　From　that　Benham　drove　on　to　discoveries。　　〃When　a　man　thinks　of　the　past　he　concentrates　on　self；　when　he　thinks　of　the　future　he　radiates　from　self。　　Call　me　a　neo…Confucian；　with　the　cone　opening　forward　away　from　me；　instead　of　focussing　on　me。　。　。　。〃　〃You　make　me　think　of　an　extinguisher；〃　said　Prothero。　〃You　know　I　am　thinking　of　a　focus；〃　said　Benham。　　〃But　all　your　thought　now　has　become　caricature。　。　。　。　　You　have　stopped　thinking。　You　are　fighting　after　making　up　your　mind。　。　。　。〃　Prothero　was　a　little　disconcerted　by　Benham's　prompt　endorsement　of　his　Chinese　identification。　　He　had　hoped　it　would　be　exasperating。　He　tried　to　barb　his　offence。　　He　amplified　the　indictment。　　All　cultures　must　be　judged　by　their　reaction　and　fatigue　products；　and　Confucianism　had　produced　formalism；　priggishness；　humbug。　。　。　。　　No　doubt　its　ideals　had　had　their　successes；　they　had　unified　China；　stamped　the　idea　of　universal　peace　and　good　manners　upon　the　greatest　mass　of　population　in　the　world；　paved　the　way　for　much　beautiful　art　and　literature　and　living。　　〃But　in　the　end；　all　your　stern　orderliness；　Benham；〃　said　Prothero；　〃only　leads　to　me。　　The　human　spirit　rebels　against　this　everlasting　armour　on　the　soul。　After　Han　came　T'ang。　　Have　you　never　read　Ling　Po？　　There's　scraps　of　him　in　English　in　that　little　book　you　havewhat　is　it？the　LUTE　OF　JADE？　　He　was　the　inevitable　Epicurean；　the　Omar　Khayyam　after　the　Prophet。　　Life　must　relax　at　last。　。　。　。〃　〃No！〃　cried　Benham。　　〃If　it　is　traditional；　I　admit；　yes；　but　if　it　is　creative；　no。　。　。　。〃　Under　the　stimulation　of　their　undying　controversy　Benham　was　driven　to　closer　enquiries　into　Chinese　thought。　　He　tried　particularly　to　get　to　mental　grips　with　English…speaking　Chinese。　　〃We　still　know　nothing　of　China；〃　said　Prothero。　　〃Most　of　the　stuff　we　have　been　told　about　this　country　is　mere　middle…class　tourists'　twaddle。　　We　send　merchants　from　Brixton　and　missionaries　from　Glasgow；　and　what　doesn't　remind　them　of　these　delectable　standards　seems　either　funny　to　them　or　wicked。　　I　admit　the　thing　is　slightly　pot…bound；　so　to　speak；　in　the　ancient　characters　and　the　ancient　traditions；　but　for　all　that；　they　KNOW；　they　HAVE；　what　all　the　rest　of　the　world　has　still　to　find　and　get。　　When　they　begin　to　speak　and　write　in　a　modern　way　and　handle　modern　things　and　break　into　the　soil　they　have　scarcely　touched；　the　rest　of　the　world　will　find　just　how　much　it　is　behind。　。　。　。　　Oh！　not　soldiering；　the　Chinese　are　not　such　fools　as　that；　but　LIFE。　。　。　。〃　Benham　was　won　to　a　half　belief　in　these　assertions。　He　came　to　realize　more　and　more　clearly　that　while　India　dreams　or　wrestles　weakly　in　its　sleep；　while　Europe　is　still　hopelessly　and　foolishly　given　over　to　militant　monarchies；　racial　vanities；　delirious　religious　feuds　and　an　altogether　imbecile　fumbling　with　loaded　guns；　China；　even　more　than　America；　develops　steadily　into　a　massive　possibility　of　ordered　and　aristocratic　liberalism。　。　。　。　The　two　men　followed　their　associated　and　disconnected　paths。　Through　Benham's　chance　speeches　and　notes；　White　caught　glimpses；　as　one　might　catch　glimpses　through　a　moving　trellis；　of　that　bilateral　adventure。　　He　saw　Benham　in　conversation　with　liberal…　minded　mandarins；　grave…faced；　bald…browed　persons　with　disciplined　movements；　who　sat　with　their　hands　thrust　into　their　sleeves　talking　excellent　English；　while　Prothero　pursued　enquiries　of　an　intenser；　more　recondite　sort　with　gentlemen　of　a　more　confidential　type。　　And；　presently；　Prothero　began　to　discover　and　discuss　the　merits　of　opium。　For　if　one　is　to　disavow　all　pride　and　priggishness；　if　one　is　to　find　the　solution　of　life's　problem　in　the　rational　enjoyment　of　one's　sensations；　why　should　one　not　use　opium？　　It　is　art　materialized。　　It　gives　tremendous　experiences　with　a　minimum　of　exertion；　and　if　presently　its　gifts　diminish　one　need　but　increase　the　quantity。　　Moreover；　it　quickens　the　garrulous　mind；　and　steadies　the　happiness　of　love。　　Across　the　varied　adventures　of　Benham's　journey　in　China　fell　the　shadow　first　of　a　suspicion　and　then　of　a　certainty。　。　。　。　The　perfected　and　ancient　vices　of　China　wrapped　about　Prothero　like　some　tainted　but　scented　robe；　and　all　too　late　Benham　sought　to　drag　him　away。　　And　then　in　a　passion　of　disgust　turned　from　him。　〃To　this；〃　cried　Benham；　〃one　comes！　　Save　for　pride　and　fierceness！〃　〃Better　this　than　cruelty；〃　said　Prothero　talking　quickly　and　clearly　because　of　the　evil　thing　in　his　veins。　　〃You　think　that　you　are　the　only　explorer　of　life；　Benham；　but　while　you　toil　up　the　mountains　I　board　the　house…boat　and　float　down　the　stream。　　For　you　the　stars；　for　me　the　music　and　the　lanterns。　　You　are　the　son　of　a　mountaineering　don；　and　I　am　a　Chinese　philosopher　of　the　riper　school。　　You　force　yourself　beyond　fear　of　pain；　and　I　force　myself　beyond　fear　of　consequences。　　What　are　we　either　of　us　but　children　groping　under　the　black　cloak　of　our　Maker？who　will　not　blind　us　with　his　light。　　Did　he　not　give　us　also　these　lusts；　the　keen　knife　and　the　sweetness；　these　sensations　that　are　like　pineapple　smeared　with　saltpetre；　like　salted　olives　from　heaven；　like　being　flayed　with　delight。　。　。　。　　And　did　he　not　give　us　dreams　fantastic　beyo