the path of the king-第43部分

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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。　〃That　is　the　question　I　ask　myself。　We　are　faced　by　such　a　problem　as　no　man　ever　before　had　to　meet。　If　five　and　a　half　million　white　men　deeply　in　earnest　are　resolved　to　secede；　is　there　any　power　on　earth　that　can　prevent　them？　You　may　beat　them　in　battle；　but　can　you　ever　force　them　again　inside　the　confines　of　the　nation？　Remember　Chatham's　saying：　'Conquer　a　free　population　of　three　million　soulsthe　thing　is　impossible。'　They　stand　on　the　rights　of　democracy；　the　right　of　self…government；　the　right　to　decide　their　own　future。〃

Lincoln　passed　a　hand　over　his　brow。　His　face　had　suddenly　became　very　worn　and　weary。

〃I've　been　pondering　a　deal　over　the　position　of　the　South；〃　he　said。　〃I　reckon　I　see　their　point　of　view；　and　I'll　not　deny　there's　sense　in　it。　There's　a　truth　in　their　doctrine　of　State　rights；　but　they've　got　it　out　of　focus。　If　I　had　been　raised　in　South　Carolina；　loving　the　slave…system　because　I　had　grown　up　with　it　and　thinking　more　of　my　State　than　of　the　American　nation；　maybe　I'd　have　followed　Jeff　Davis。　I'm　not　saying　there's　no　honesty　in　the　South；　I'm　not　saying　there's　not　truth　on　their　side；　but　I　do　say　that　ours　is　the　bigger　truth　and　the　better　truth。　I　hold　that　a　nation　is　too　sacred　a　thing　to　tamper　witheven　for　good　reasons。　Why；　man；　if　you　once　grant　the　right　of　a　minority　to　secede　you　make　popular　government　foolish。　I'm　willing　to　fight　to　prevent　democracy　becoming　a　laughing…stock。〃

〃It's　a　fine　point　to　make　war　about；〃　said　the　other。

〃Most　true　points　are　fine　points。　There　never　was　a　dispute　between　mortals　where　both　sides　hadn't　a　bit　of　right。　I　admit　that　the　margin　is　narrow；　but　if　it's　made　of　good　rock　it's　sufficient　to　give　us　a　foothold。　We've　got　to　settle　once　for　all　the　question　whether　in　a　free　Government　the　minority　have　a　right　to　break　up　the　Government　whenever　they　choose。　If　we　fail；　then　we　must　conclude　that　we've　been　all　wrong　from　the　start；　and　that　the　people　need　a　tyrant；　being　incapable　of　governing　themselves。〃

Seward　wrung　his　hands。　〃If　you　put　it　that　way　I　cannot　confute　you。　But；　oh；　Mr。　President；　is　there　not　some　means　of　building　a　bridge？　I　cannot　think　that　honest　Southerners　would　force　war　on　such　a　narrow　issue。

〃They　wouldn't　but　for　this　slavery。　It　is　that　accursed　system　that　obscures　their　reason。　If　they　fight；　the　best　of　them　will　fight　out　of　a　mistaken　loyalty　to　their　State；　but　most　will　fight　for　the　right　to　keep　their　slaves。　。　。　。　　If　you　are　to　have　bridges；　you　must　have　solid　ground　at　both　ends。　I've　heard　a　tale　of　some　church　members　that　wanted　to　build　a　bridge　over　a　dangerous　river。　Brother　Jones　suggested　one　Myers；　and　Myers　answered　that；　if　necessary；　he　could　build　one　to　hell。　This　alarmed　the　church　members；　and　Jones；　to　quiet　them；　said　he　believed　his　friend　Myers　was　so　good　an　architect　that　he　could　do　it　if　he　said　he　could；　though　he　felt　bound　himself　to　express　some　doubt　about　the　abutment　on　the　infernal　side。〃

A　queer　quizzical　smile　had　relieved　the　gravity　of　the　President's　face。　But　Seward　was　in　no　mood　for　tales。

〃Is　there　no　other　way？〃　he　moaned；　and　his　suave　voice　sounded　cracked　and　harsh。

〃There　is　no　other　way　but　to　go　forward。　I've　never　been　a　man　for　cutting　across　lots　when　I　could　go　round　by　the　road；　but　if　the　roads　are　all　shut　we　must　take　to　open　country。　For　it　is　altogether　necessary　to　go　forward。〃

Seward　seemed　to　pull　himself　together。　He　took　a　turn　down　the　room　and　then　faced　Lincoln。

〃Mr。　President；〃　he　said；　〃you　do　not　know　whether　you　have　a　majority　behind　you　even　in　the　North。〃　You　have　no　experience　of　government　and　none　of　war。　The　ablest　men　in　your　party　are　luke…warm　or　　hostile　towards　you。　You　have　no　army　to　speak　of；　and　will　have　to　make　everything　from　the　beginning。　You　feel　as　I　do　about　the　horror　of　war；　and　above　all　the　horrors　of　civil　war。　You　do　not　know　whether　the　people　will　support　you。　You　grant　that　there　is　some　justice　in　the　contention　of　the　South；　and　you　claim　for　your　own　case　only　a　balance　of　truth。　You　admit　that　to　coerce　the　millions　of　the　South　back　into　the　Union　is　a　kind　of　task　which　has　never　been　performed　in　the　world　before　and　one　which　the　wise　of　all　ages　have　pronounced　impossible。　And　yet；　for　the　sake　of　a　narrow　point；　you　are　ready；　if　the　need　arises；　to　embark　on　a　war　which　must　be　bloody　and　long；　which　must　stir　the　deeps　of　bitterness；　and　which　in　all　likelihood　will　achieve　nothing。　Are　you　entirely　resolved？〃

Lincoln's　sad　eyes　rested　on　the　other。　〃I　am　entirely　resolved。　I　have　been　set　here　to　decide　for　the　people　according　to　the　best　of　my　talents；　and　the　Almighty　has　shown　me　no　other　road。〃

Seward　held　out　his　hand。

〃Then；　by　God；　you　must　be　right。　You　are　the　bravest　man　in　this　land；　sir；　and　I　will　follow　you　to　the　other　side　of　perdition。〃

III

The　time　is　two　years　latera　warm　evening　in　early　May。　There　had　been　no　rain　for　a　week　in　Washington；　and　the　President；　who　had　ridden　in　from　his　summer　quarters　in　the　Soldiers'　Home；　had　his　trousers　grey　with　dust　from　the　knees　down。　He　had　come　round　to　the　War　Department；　from　which　in　these　days　he　was　never　long　absent；　and　found　the　Secretary　for　War　busy　as　usual　at　his　high　desk。　There　had　been　the　shortest　of　greetings；　and；　while　Lincoln　turned　over　the　last　telegrams；　Stanton　wrote　steadily。

Stanton　had　changed　much　since　the　night　in　the　Springfield　store。　A　square　beard；　streaked　with　grey；　covered　his　chin；　and　his　face　had　grown　heavier。　There　were　big　pouches　below　the　short…sighted　eyes；　and　deep　lines　on　each　side　of　his　short　shaven　upper　lip。　His　skin　had　an　unheathly　pallor；　like　that　of　one　who　works　late　and　has　little　fresh　air。　The　mouth；　always　obstinate；　was　now　moulded　into　a　settled　grimness。　The　ploughs　of　war　had　made　deep　furrows　on　his　soul。

Lincoln；　too；　had　altered。　He　had　got　a　stoop　in　his　shoulders　as　if　his　back　carried　a　burden。　A　beard　had　been　suffered　to　grow　in　a　ragged　fringe　about　his　jaw　and　cheeks；　and　there　were　silver　threads　in　it。　His　whole　face　seemed　to　have　been　pinched　and　hammered　together；　so　that　it　looked　like　a　mask　of　pale　bronzea　death　mask；　for　it　was　hard　to　believe　that　blood　ran　below　that　dry　tegument。　But　the　chief　change　was　in　his　eyes。　They　had　lost　the　alertness　they　once　possessed；　and　had　become　pits　of　brooding　shade；　infinitely　kind；　infinitely　patient；　infinitely　melancholy。

Yet　there　was　a　sort　of　weary　peace　in　the　face；　and　there　was　still　humour　in　the　puckered　mouth　and　even　in　the　sad　eyes。　He　looked　less　harassed　than　the　Secretary　for　War。　He　drew　a　small　book　from　his　pocket；　at　which　the　other　glanced　malevolently。

I　give　you　fair　warning；　Mr。　President；〃　said　Stanton。　〃If　you've　come　here　to　read　me　the　work　of　one　of　your　tom…fool　funny　men；　I'll　fling　it　out　of　the　window。

〃This　work　is　the　Bible；〃　said　Lincoln；　with　the　artlessness　of　a　mischievous　child。　I　looked　in　to　ask　how　the　draft　was　progressing。〃

〃It　starts　in　Rhode　Island　on　July　7；　and　till　it　starts　I　can　say　nothing。　We've　had　warning　that　there　will　be　fierce　opposition　in　New　York。　It　may　mean　that　we　have　a　second　civil　war　on　our　hands。　And　of　one　thing　I　am　certainit　will　cost　you　your　re…election。〃

The　President　did　not　seem　perturbed。　〃In　this　war　we've　got　to　take　one　step　at　a　time；〃　he　said。　〃Our　job　is　to　save　the　country；　and　to　do　that　we've　got　to　win　battles。　But　you　can't　win　battles　without　armies；　and　if　men　won't　enlist　of　their　own　will　they've　got　to　be　compelled。　What　use　is　a　second　term　to　me　if　I　have　no　country。　。　。　。　　You're　not　weakening　on　the　policy　of　the　draft；　Mr。　Stanton？〃

The　War　Minister　shrugged　his　shoulders。　〃No。　In　March　it　seemed　inevitable。　I　still　think　it　is　essential；　but　I　am　forced　to　admit　the　possibility　that　it　may　be　a　rank　failure。　It　is　the　boldest　step　you　have　taken；　Mr。　President。　Have　you　ever　regretted　it？〃

Lincoln　shook　his　head。　〃It　don't　do　to　start　regretting。　This　war　is　managed　by　the　Almighty；　and　if　it's　his　purpose　that　we　should　win　He　will　show　us　how。　I　regard　our　fallible　reasoning　and　desperate　conclusions　as　part　of　His　way　of　achieving　His　purpose。　But　about　that　draft。　I'll　answer　you　in　the　words　of　a　young　Quaker　woman　who　against　the　rules　had　married　a　military　man。　The　elders　asked　her　if　she　was　sorry；　and　she　replied　that　she　couldn't　truly　say　that　she　was　sorry；　but　that　she　could　say　she　wouldn't　do　it　again。　I　was　for　the　draft；　and　I　was　for　the　war；　to　prevent　democracy　making　itself　foolish。〃

〃You'll　never　succeed　in　that；〃　said　Stanton　gravely。

〃If　Congress　is　democracy；　there　can't　be　a　more　foolish　gathering　outside　a　monkey…house。〃

The　President　grinned　broadly。　He　was　humming　the　air　of　a　nigger　song；　〃The　Blue…tailed　Fly；〃　which　Lamon　had　taught　him。

〃That　reminds　me　of　Artemus　Ward。　He　observes　that　at　the　last　election　he　voted　for　Henry　Clay。　It's　true；　he　says；　that　Henry　was　dead；　but　Since　all　the　politicians　that　he　knew　were　fifteenth…rate　he　preferred　to　vote　for　a　first…class　corpse。〃

Stanton　moved　impatiently。　He　hated　the　President's　pocket　humorists　and　had　small　patience　with　his　tales。　〃Was　ever　a　great　war　fought；〃　he　cried；　with　such　a　camp…following　as　our　Congressmen？〃

Lincoln　looked　comically　surprised。

〃You're　too　harsh；　Mr。　Stanton。　I　admit　there　are　one　or　two　rascals　who'd　be　better　hanged。　But　the　trouble　is　that　most　of　them　are　too　high…principled。　They　are　that　set　on　liberty　that　they　won't　take　the　trouble　to　safeguard　it。　They　would　rather　lose　the　war　than　give　up　their　little　notions。　I've　a　great　regard　for　principles；　but　I　have　no　use　for　them　when　they　get　so　high　that　they　become　foolishness。〃

〃Every　idle　pedant　thinks　he　knows　better　how　to　fight　a　war　than　the　men　who　are　labouring　sixteen　hours　a　day　at　it；〃　said　Stanton　bitterly。

They　want　to　hurry　things　quicker　than　the　Almighty　means　them　to　go。　I　don't　altogether　blame　them　either；　for　I'm　mortally