the path of the king-第42部分

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ckled　by　the　weather。　But　in　the　dimness　the　rows　of　crosses　and　slabs　seemed　to　extend　into　the　far　distance；　and　the　moon　gave　them　a　cold；　eerie　whiteness　as　if　they　lay　in　the　light　of　another　world。　A　great　sign　came　from　Lincoln；　and　Stanton　thought　that　he　had　never　seen　on　mortal　countenance　such　infinite　sadness。

〃Ambition！〃　he　said。　〃How　dare　we　talk　of　ambition；　when　this　is　the　end　of　it？　All　these　peopledecent　people；　kind　people；　once　full　of　joy　and　purpose；　and　now　all　forgotten！　It　is　not　the　buried　bodies　I　mind；　it　is　the　buried　hearts。　。　。　。I　wonder　if　it　means　peace。　。　。　。〃

He　stood　there　with　head　bowed　and　he　seemed　to　be　speaking　to　himself。　Stanton　caught　a　phrase　or　two　and　found　it　was　versebanal　verses；　which　were　there　and　then　fixed　in　his　fly…paper　memory。　〃Tell　me；　my　secret　soul；〃　it　ran：

　　　　　〃Oh；　tell　me；　Hope　and　Faith；　　　　　　Is　there　no　resting…place　　　　　　From　sorrow；　sin；　and　death？　　　　　　Is　there　no　happy　spot　　　　　　Where　mortals　may　be　blessed；　　　　　　Where　grief　may　find　a　balm　　　　　　And　weariness　a　rest？〃

The　figure　murmuring　these　lines　seemed　to　be　oblivious　of　his　companion。　He　stood　gazing　under　the　moon；　like　a　gaunt　statue　of　melancholy。　Stanton　spoke　to　him　but　got　no　answer；　and　presently　took　his　own　road　home。　He　had　no　taste　for　histrionic　scenes。　And　as　he　went　his　way　he　meditated。　Mad；　beyond　doubt。　Not　without　power　in　him；　but　unbalanced；　hysterical；　alternating　between　buffoonery　and　these　schoolgirl　emotions。　He　reflected　that　if　the　American　nation　contained　much　stuff　of　this　kind　it　might　prove　a　difficult　team　to　drive。　He　was　thankful　that　he　was　going　home　next　day　to　his　orderly　life。

II

Eighteen　years　have　gone；　and　the　lanky　figure　of　Speed's　store　is　revealed　in　new　surroundings。　In　a　big　square　room　two　men　sat　beside　a　table　littered　with　the　debris　of　pens；　foolscap；　and　torn　fragments　of　paper　which　marked　the　end　of　a　Council。　It　was　an　evening　at　the　beginning　of　April；　and　a　fire　burned　in　the　big　grate。　One　of　the　two　sat　at　the　table　with　his　elbows　on　the　mahogany；　and　his　head　supported　by　a　hand。　He　was　a　man　well　on　in　middle　life　with　a　fine　clean…cut　face　and　the　shapely　mobile　lips　of　the　publicist　and　orator。　It　was　the　face　of　one　habituated　to　platforms　and　assemblies；　full　of　a　certain　selfconscious　authority。　But　to…night　its　possessor　seemed　ill　at　ease。　His　cheeks　were　flushed　and　his　eye　distracted。

The　other　had　drawn　his　chair　to　the　fire；　so　that　one　side　of　him　was　lit　by　the　late　spring　sun　and　one　by　the　glow　from　the　hearth。　That　figure　we　first　saw　in　the　Springfield　store　had　altered　little　in　the　eighteen　years。　There　was　no　grey　in　the　coarse　black　hair；　but　the　lines　in　the　sallow　face　were　deeper；　and　there　were　dark　rings　under　the　hollow。　eyes。　The　old　suit　of　blue　jeans　had　gone；　and　he　wore　now　a　frock…coat；　obviously　new；　which　was　a　little　too　full　for　his　gaunt　frame。　His　tie；　as　of　old；　was　like　a　boot…lace。　A　new　silk　hat；　with　the　nap　badly　ruffled；　stood　near　on　the　top　of　a　cabinet。

He　smiled　rather　wearily。　〃We're　pretty　near　through　the　appointments　now；　Mr。　Secretary。　It's　a　mean　business；　but　I'm　a　minority　President　and　I've　got　to　move　in　zig…zags　so　long　as　I　don't　get　off　the　pike。　I　reckon　that　honest　statesmanship　is　just　the　employment　of　individual　meannesses　for　the　public　good。　Mr。　Sumner　wouldn't　agree。　He　calls　himself　the　slave　of　principles　and　says　he　owns　no　other　master。　Mr。　Sumner's　my　notion　of　a　bishop。〃

The　other　did　not　seem　to　be　listening。　〃Are　you　still　set　on　re…enforcing　Fort　Sumter？〃　he　asked；　his　bent　brows　making　a　straight　line　above　his　eyes。

Lincoln　nodded。　He　was　searching　in　the　inside　pocket　of　his　frock…coat；　from　which　he　extracted　a　bundle　of　papers。　Seward　saw　what　he　was　after；　and　his　self…consciousness　increased。

〃You　have　read　my　letter？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have；〃　said　Lincoln；　fixing　a　pair　of　cheap　spectacles　on　his　nose。　He　had　paid　thirty…seven　cents　for　them　in　Bloomington　five　years　before。　〃A　mighty　fine　letter。　Full　of　horse　sense。〃

〃You　agree　with　it？〃　asked　the　other　eagerly。

〃Why；　no。　I　don't　agree　with　it；　but　I　admire　it　a　lot　and　I　admire　its　writer。〃

〃Mr。　President；〃　said　Seward　solemnly；　〃on　one　point　I　am　adamant。　We　cannot　suffer　the　dispute　to　be　about　slavery。　If　we　fight　on　that　issue　we　shall　have　the　Border　States　against　us。〃

〃I'm　thinking　all　the　time　about　the　Border　States。　We've　got　to　keep　them。　If　there's　going　to　be　trouble　I'd　like　to　have　the　Almighty　on　my　side；　but　I　must　have　Kentucky。〃

〃And　yet　you　will　go　forward　about　Sumter；　which　is　regarded　by　everyone　as　a　slavery　issue。〃

〃The　issue　is　as　God　has　made　it。　You　can't　go　past　the　bed…rock　facts。　I　am　the　trustee　for　the　whole　property　of　the　nation；　of　which　Sumter　is　a　piece；　and　if　I　give　up　one　stick　or　stone　to　a　rebellious　demand　I　am　an　unfaithful　steward。　Surely；　Mr。　Secretary；　if　you　want　to　make　the　issue　union　or　disunion　you　can't　give　up　Sumter　without　fatally　prejudicing　your　case。〃

〃It　means　war。〃

Lincoln　looked　again　at　the　document　in　his　hand。　〃It　appears　that　you　are　thinking　of　war　in　any　event。　You　want　to　pick　a　quarrel　with　France　over　Mexico　and　with　Spain　over　St。　Domingo；　and　unite　the　nation　in　a　war　against　foreigners。　I　tell　you　honestly　I　don't　like　the　proposal。　It　seems　to　me　downright　wicked。

If　the　Lord　sends　us　war；　we　have　got　to　face　it　like　men；　but　God　forbid　we　should　manufacture　war；　and　use　it　as　an　escape　from　our　domestic　difficulties。　You　can　t　expect　a　blessing　on　that。〃

The　Secretary　of　State　flushed。　〃Have　you　considered　the　alternative；　Mr。　President？〃　he　cried。　〃It　is　civil　war；　war　between　brothers　in　blood。　So　soon　as　the　South　fires　a　shot　against　Sumter　the　sword　is　unsheathed。　You　cannot　go　back　then。〃

〃I　am　fully　aware　of　it。　I　haven't　been　sleeping　much　lately；　and　I've　been　casting　up　my　accounts。　It　s　a　pretty　weak　balance　sheet。　I　would　like　to　tell　you　the　main　items；　Mr。　Secretary；　so　that　you　may　see　that　I'm　not　walking　this　road　blindfold。〃

The　other　pushed　back　his　chair　from　the　table　with　a　gesture　of　despair。　But　he　listened。　Lincoln　had　risen　and　stood　in　front　of　the　fire；　his　shoulders　leaning　on　the　mantelpiece；　and　his　head　against　the　lower　part　of　the　picture　of　George　Washington。

〃First；〃　he　said；　〃I'm　a　minority　President；　elected　by　a　minority　vote　of　the　people　of　the　United　States。　I　wouldn't　have　got　in　if　the　Democrats　hadn't　been　split。　I　haven't　a　majority　in　the　Senate。　Yet　I've　got　to　decide　for　the　nation　and　make　the　nation　follow　me。　Have　I　the　people's　confidence？　I　reckon　I　haven'tyet。　I　haven't　even　got　the　confidence　of　the　Republican　party。〃

Seward　made　no　answer。　He　clearly　assented。

〃Next；　I　haven't　got　much　in　the　way　of　talents。　I　reckon　Jeff　Davis　a　far　abler　man　than　me。　My　friends　tell　me　I　haven't　the　presence　and　dignity　for　a　President。　My　shaving…glass　tells　me　I'm　a　common…looking　fellow。〃　He　stopped　and　smiled。　〃But　perhaps　the　Lord　prefers　common…looking　people；　and　that's　why　He　made　so　many　of　them。

〃Next；〃　he　went　on；　〃I've　a　heap　of　critics　and　a　lot　of　enemies。　Some　good　men　say　I've　no　experience　in　Government；　and　that's　about　true。　Up　in　New　England　the　papers　are　asking　who　is　this　political　huckster；　this　county　court　advocate？　Mr。　Stanton　says　I'm　an　imbecile；　and　when　he's　cross　calls　me　the　original　gorilla；　and　wonders　why　fools　wander　about　in　Africa　when　they　could　find　the　beast　they　are　looking　for　in　Washington。　The　pious　everywhere　don't　like　me；　because　I　don't　hold　that　national　policy　can　be　run　on　the　lines　of　a　church　meeting。　And　the　Radicals　are　looking　for　me　with　a　gun；　because　I'm　not　prepared　right　here　and　now　to　abolish　slavery。　One　of　them　calls　me　'the　slave　hound　of　Illinois。'　I'd　like　to　meet　that　man；　for　I　guess　he　must　be　a　humorist。〃

Mr。　Seward　leaned　forward　and　spoke　earnestly。　〃Mr。　President；　no　man　values　your　great　qualities　more　than　I　do　or　reprobates　more　heartily　such　vulgar　libels。　But　it　is　true　that　you　lack　executive　experience。　I　have　been　the　Governor　of　the　biggest　State　in　the　Union；　and　possess　some　knowledge　of　the　task。　It　is　all　at　your　service。　Will　you　not　allow　me　to　ease　your　burden？〃

Lincoln　smiled　down　kindly　upon　the　other。　〃I　thank　you　with　all　my　heart。　You　have　touched　on　that　matter　in　your　letter。　。　。　。　　But；　Mr。　Secretary；　in　the　inscrutable　providence　of　God　it　is　I　who　have　been　made　President。　I　cannot　shirk　the　duty。　I　look　to　my　Cabinet；　and　notably　to　you　for　advice　and　loyal　assistance；　and　I　am　confident　that　I　shall　get　it。　But　in　the　end　I　and　I　only　must　decide。〃

Seward　looked　up　at　the　grave　face　and　said　nothing。　Lincoln　went　on：

〃I　have　to　make　a　decision　which　may　bring　warcivil　war。　I　don't　know　anything　about　war；　though　I　served　a　month　or　two　in　the　Black　Hawk　campaign　and　yet；　if　war　comes；　I　am　the　Commander…in…Chief　of　the　Union。　Who　among　us　knows　anything　of　the　business。　General　Scott　is　an　old　man；　and　he　doesn't　just　see　eye　to　eye　with　me；　for　I'm　told　he　talks　about　'letting　the　wayward　sisters　go　in　peace。'　Our　army　and　navy's　nothing　much　to　boast　of；　and　the　South　is　far　better　prepared。　You　can't　tell　how　our　people　will　take　war；　for　they're　all　pulling　different　ways　just　now。　Blair　says　the　whole　North　will　spring　to　arms；　but　I　guess　they've　first　got　to　find　the　arms　to　spring　to。　。　。　。　　I　was　reviewing　some　militia　the　other　day；　and　they　looked　a　deal　more　like　a　Fourth　of　July　procession　than　a　battlefield。　Yes；　Mr。　Secretary；　if　we　have　to　fight；　we've　first　got　to　make　an　army。〃

Remember；　too；　that　it　will　he　civil　warkin　against　kin；　brother　against　brother。〃

〃I　remember。　All　war　is　devilish；　but　ours　will　be　the　most　devilish　that　the　world　has　ever　known。　It　isn't　only　the　feeding　of　fresh　young　boys　to　rebel　batteries　that　grieves　me；　though　God　knows　that's　not　a　thing　that　bears　thinking　about。　It's　the　bitterness　and　hate　within　the　people。　Will　it　ever　die　down；　Mr。　Secretary？〃

Lincoln　was　very　grave；　and　his　face　was　set　like　a　man　in　anguish。　Seward；　deeply　moved；　rose　and　stood　beside　him；　laying　a　hand　on　his　shoulder

〃And　for　what；　Mr。　President？〃　he　cried。　〃Th