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godly life； you must at once wear this suit； and come out to
accept your everlasting good fortune。' Did the words bear no
meaning to the mystic of Gravesend？ But he was an English
gentleman； an English officer。 He flung the clothes to the
ground； and trampled on them in the sight of all。 Then； alone； he
went up to the roof of his high palace； and turned the telescope
once more； almost mechanically； towards the north。
But nothing broke the immovability of that hard horizon； and；
indeed； how was it possible that help should come to him now？ He
seemed to be utterly abandoned。 Sir Evelyn Baring had disappeared
into his financial conference。 In England； Mr。 Gladstone had held
firm； had outfaced the House of Commons； had ignored the Press。
He appeared to have triumphed。 Though it was clear that no
preparations of any kind were being made for the relief of
Gordon； the anxiety and agitation of the public； which had risen
so suddenly to such a height of vehemence； had died down。 The
dangerous beast had been quelled by the stern eye of its master。
Other questions became more interestingthe Reform Bill； the
Russians； the House of Lords。 Gordon； silent in Khartoum； had
almost dropped out of remembrance。 And yet； help did come after
all。 And it came from an unexpected quarter。 Lord Hartington had
been for some time convinced that he was responsible for Gordon's
appointment； and his conscience was beginning to grow
uncomfortable。
Lord Hartington's conscience was of a piece with the rest of him。
It was not； like Mr。 Gladstone's； a salamander…consciencean
intangible； dangerous creature； that loved to live in the fire；
nor was it； like Gordon's； a restless conscience； nor； like Sir
Evelyn Baring's； a diplomatic conscience； it was a commonplace
affair。 Lord Hartington himself would have been disgusted by any
mention of it。 If he had been obliged； he would have alluded to
it distantly； he would have muttered that it was a bore not to do
the proper thing。 He was usually boredfor one reason or
another； but this particular form of boredom he found more
intense than all the rest。 He would take endless pains to avoid
it。 Of course； the whole thing was a nuisancean obvious
nuisance； and everyone else must feel just as he did about it。
And yet people seemed to have got it into their heads that he had
some kind of special faculty in such mattersthat there was some
peculiar value in his judgment on a question of right and wrong。
He could not understand why it was； but whenever there was a
dispute about cards in a club； it was brought to him to settle。
It was most odd。 But it was trite。 In public affairs； no less
than in private； Lord Hartington's decisions carried an
extraordinary weight。 The feeling of his idle friends in high
society was shared by the great mass of the English people； here
was a man they could trust。 For indeed he was built upon a
pattern which was very dear to his countrymen。 It was not simply
that he was honest： it was that his honesty was an English
honestyan honest which naturally belonged to one who； so it
seemed to them； was the living image of what an Englishman should
be。
In Lord Hartington they saw； embodied and glorified； the very
qualities which were nearest to their heartsimpartiality；
solidity； common sensethe qualities by which they themselves
longed to be distinguished； and by which； in their happier
moments； they believed they were。 If ever they began to have
misgivings； there； at any rate； was the example of Lord
Hartington to encourage them and guide themLord Hartington who
was never self…seeking； who was never excited； and who had no
imagination at all。 Everything they knew about him fitted into
the picture； adding to their admiration and respect。 His fondness
for field sports gave them a feeling of security； and certainly
there could be no nonsense about a man who confessed to two
ambitionsto become Prime Minister and to win the Derbyand who
put the second above the first。 They loved him for his
casualnessfor his inexactnessfor refusing to make life a cut…
and…dried businessfor ramming an official dispatch of high
importance into his coat…pocket； and finding it there； still
unopened； at Newmarket； several days later。 They loved him for
his hatred of fine sentiments； they were delighted when they
heard that at some function； on a florid speaker's avowing that
'this was the proudest moment of his life'； Lord Hartington had
growled in an undertone 'the proudest moment of my life was when
MY pig won the prize at Skipton Fair'。 Above all； they loved him
for being dull。 It was the greatest comfortwith Lord Hartington
they could always be absolutely certain that he would never； in
any circumstances； be either brilliant； or subtle； or surprising；
or impassioned； or profound。 As they sat； listening to his
speeches； in which considerations of stolid plainness succeeded
one another with complete flatness； they felt； involved and
supported by the colossal tedium； that their confidence was
finally assured。 They looked up； and took their fill of the
sturdy； obvious presence。 The inheritor of a splendid dukedom
might almost have passed for a farm hand。 Almost； but not quite。
For an air that was difficult to explain； of preponderating
authority； lurked in the solid figure； and the lordly breeding of
the House of Cavendish was visible in the large； long； bearded；
unimpressionable face。
One other characteristicthe necessary consequence； or； indeed；
it might almost be said； the essential expression； of all the
rest completes the portrait： Lord Hartington was slow。 He was
slow in movement； slow in apprehension； slow in thought and the
communication of thought； slow to decide； and slow to act。 More
than once this disposition exercised a profound effect upon his
career。 A private individual may； perhaps； be slow with impunity；
but a statesman who is slowwhatever the force of his character
and the strength of his judgmentcan hardly escape unhurt from
the hurrying of Time's winged chariot； can hardly hope to avoid
some grave disaster or some irretrievable mistake。 The fate of
General Gordon； so intricately interwoven with such a mass of
complicated circumstance with the policies of England and of
Egypt； with the fanaticism of the Mahdi； with the
irreproachability of Sir Evelyn Baring； with Mr。 Gladstone's
mysterious passions was finally determined by the fact that
Lord Hartington was slow。 If he had been even a very little
quickerif he had been quicker by two days。。。 but it could not
be。 The ponderous machinery took so long to set itself in motion；
the great wheels and levers； once started； revolved with such a
laborious； such a painful deliberation； that at last their work
was accomplishedsurely； firmly； completely； in the best English
manner； and too late。
Seven stages may be discerned in the history of Lord Hartington's
influence upon the fate of General Gordon。 At the end of the
fir