第78部分(第1/7 頁)

Very　truly　yours；

H。　Rider　Haggard。

Some　weeks　after　my　return　I　had　a　brief　interview　with　Mr。　Lyttelton　at　the　House　of　mons　—　it　may　have　extended　to　half　an　hour；　though　I　think　it　was　less。　He　expressed　himself　delighted　with　the　Report；　which　was　in　his　hand。　When　I　asked　him　if　he　was　satisfied　with　my　work；　he　replied；　“Satisfied？　I　think　it　splendid；”　adding；　“I　wish　the　Prime　Minister　would　take　it　up。　But　Arthur　won’t　read　it　—　you　know　Arthur　won’t　read　it！”

I　thought　to　myself　then；　and　am　still　thinking；　that　this　“Arthur　won’t　read　it”　was　a　summary　of　much　of　the　action；　or　lack　of　action；　of　the　Government　of　that　day。　Mr。　Balfour；　it　has　always　seemed　to　me；　during　his　ten　years　or　so　of　unquestioned　power；　had　the　greatest　opportunity　which　God　has　given　to　any　Englishman　of　our　generation。　What　exact　use　he　made　of　it　is　not　a　matter　upon　which　I　am　qualified　to　express　a　judgment。　He　and　those　who　were　in　his　counsel　alone　can　answer　that　question。　Yet；　speaking　as　a　mere　member　of　the　public；　it　does　appear　as　though　more　might　have　been　done。　For　instance；　the　House　of　Lords；　which　was；　as　it　were；　in　his　pocket；　might　have　been　reformed；　thereby　averting　all　the　national　dangers　and　terrible　trouble　which　have　ensued；　and　the　final　surrender　to　the　threats　of　the　Radical　party；　made　more　feeble；　some　may　think；　by　the　bold　and　whirling　words　with　which　it　was　preceded。

Again；　a　Redistribution　of　Seats　Bill　might　have　been　passed　—　it　was　not　impossible　with　such　a　majority　—　and　thereby　half　the　Irish　difficulty　obviated。　Local　taxation　might　have　been　equalised；　something；　as　I　for　one　urged　continually；　might　have　been　done　to　better　the　conditions　of　the　land　and　its　inhabitants；　and　so　forth。　Even　such　a　little