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！
fortnight in his house； and to share his study； his beloved study； with
him。 This must truly have cost him dear； as any author of fixed habits
will understand。 Happily the man of letters was a good fellow； and knew
how to prize the favor…done him； but if he had been otherwise； it would
have been the same to Lowell。 He not only endured； but did many things
for the weaker brethren； which were amusing enough to one in the secret
of his inward revolt。 Yet in these things he was considerate also of the
editor whom he might have made the sharer of his self…sacrifice； and he
seldom offered me manuscripts for others。 The only real burden of the
kind that he put upon me was the diary of a Virginian who had travelled
in New England during the early thirties； and had set down his
impressions of men and manners there。 It began charmingly； and went on
very well under Lowell's discreet pruning； but after a while he seemed to
fall in love with the character of the diarist so much that he could not
bear to cut anything。
IX。
He had a great tenderness for the broken and ruined South； whose sins he
felt that he had had his share in visiting upon her； and he was willing
to do what he could to ease her sorrows in the case of any particular
Southerner。 He could not help looking askance upon the dramatic shows of
retribution which some of the Northern politicians were working； but with
all his misgivings he continued to act with the Republican party until
after the election of Hayes； he was away from the country during the
Garfield campaign。 He was in fact one of the Massachusetts electors
chosen by the Republican majority in 1816； and in that most painful hour
when there was question of the policy and justice of counting Hayes in
for the presidency； it was suggested by some of Lowell's friends that he
should use the original right of the electors under the constitution；
and vote for Tilden； whom one vote would have chosen president over
Hayes。 After he had cast his vote for Hayes； he quietly referred to the
matter one day； in the moment of lighting his pipe； with perhaps the
faintest trace of indignation in his tone。 He said that whatever the
first intent of the constitution was； usage had made the presidential
electors strictly the instruments of the party which chose them； and that
for him to have voted for Tilden when he had been chosen to vote for
Hayes would have…been an act of bad faith。
He would have resumed for me all the old kindness of our relations before
the recent year of his absence； but this had inevitably worked a little
estrangement。 He had at least lost the habit of me； and that says much
in such matters。 He was not so perfectly at rest in the Cambridge
environment； in certain indefinable ways it did not so entirely suffice
him； though he would have been then and always the last to allow this。
I imagine his friends realized more than he； that certain delicate but
vital filaments of attachment had frayed and parted in alien air； and
left him heart…loose as he had not been before。
I do not know whether it crossed his mind after the election of Hayes
that he might be offered some place abroad； but it certainly crossed the
minds of some of his friends； and I could not feel that I was acting for
myself alone when I used a family connection with the President； very
early in his term； to let him know that I believed Lowell would accept a
diplomatic mission。 I could assure him that I was writing wholly without
Lowell's privity or authority； and I got back such a letter as I could
wish in its delicate sense of the situation。 The President said that he
had already thought of offering Lowell something； and he gave me the
pleasure； a pleasure beyond any other I could imagine； of asking Lowell
whether he would accept the mission to Austria。 I lost no time carrying
his letter to Elmwood； where I found Lowell over his coffee at dinner。
He saw me at the threshold； and called to me through the open door to
come in； and I handed him the letter； and sat down at table while he ran
it through。 When he had read it； he gave a quick 〃 Ah！〃 and threw it
over the length of the table to Mrs。 Lowell。 She read it in a smiling
and loyal reticence； as if she would not say one word of all she might
wish to say in urging his acceptance； though I could see that she was
intensely eager for it。 The whole situation was of a perfect New England
character in its tacit significance； after Lowell had taken his coffee we
turned into his study without further allusion to the matter。
A day or two later he came to my house to say that he could not accept
the Austrian mission； and to ask me to tell the President so for him； and
make his acknowledgments； which he would also write himself。 He remained
talking a little while of other things； and when he rose to go； he said
with a sigh of vague reluctance； 〃I should like to see a play of
Calderon；〃 as if it had nothing to do with any wish of his that could
still be fulfilled。 〃Upon this hint I acted；〃 and in due time it was
found in Washington； that the gentleman who had been offered the Spanish
mission would as lief go to Austria； and Lowell was sent to Madrid。
X。
When we met in London； some years later； he came almost every afternoon
to my lodging； and the story of our old…time Cambridge walks began again
in London phrases。 There were not the vacant lots and outlying fields of
his native place； but we made shift with the vast； simple parks； and we
walked on the grass as we could not have done in an American park； and
were glad to feel the earth under our feet。 I said how much it was like
those earlier tramps； and that pleased him； for he wished； whenever a
thing delighted him； to find a Cambridge quality in it。
But he was in love with everything English； and was determined I should
be so too； beginning with the English weather； which in summer cannot be
overpraised。 He carried； of course； an umbrella； but he would not put it
up in the light showers that caught us at times； saying that the English
rain never wetted you。 The thick short turf delighted him； he would
scarcely allow that the trees were the worse for foliage blighted by a
vile easterly storm in the spring of that year。 The tender air； the
delicate veils that the moisture in it cast about all objects at the
least remove； the soft colors of the flowers； the dull blue of the low
sky showing through the rifts of the dirty white clouds； the hovering
pall of London smoke； were all dear to him； and he was anxious that I
should not lose anything of their charm。
He was anxious that I should not miss the value of anything in England；
and while he volunteered that the aristocracy had the corruptions of
aristocracies everywhere； he insisted upon my respectful interest in it
because it was so historical。 Perhaps there was a touch of irony in this
demand； but it is certain that he was very happy in England。 He had come
of the age when a man likes smooth； warm keeping； in which he need make
no struggle for his comfort； disciplined and obsequious service； society；
perfectly ascertained within the larger society which we call
civil