第77部分(第3/7 頁)

　believing　that　I　am　concerned　with　anything　but　my　own　success　or　failure。　But　all　this　is　of　little　permanent　consequence。　It　is　a　fight　that　must　be　made；　and　is　worth　making；　and　the　event　lies　on　the　knees　of　the　gods。

Faithfully　yours；

Theodore　Roosevelt。

To　this　letter　I　answered：

Ditchingham　House；　Norfolk：

July　14；　1912。

My　dear　Mr。　Roosevelt；　—　I　thank　you　for　your　letter。　。　。　。　I　too　hold　that　the　civilised　world　wallows　in　a　slough　worse；　perhaps；　than　the　primeval　mud　of　the　savage；　that　is　is　possible　（if　not　probable）　that　it　may　be　dragged　from　that　slough；　cleansed　and　clothed　in　white　garments。　That　it　is　the　bounden　duty　of　all　men　as　they　shall　answer　for　it　at　the　last　to　do　their　honest　best　to　bring　this　about；　regardless　of　any　wreaths　of　success；　of　any　dust　of　failure；　regardless　of　everything　save　that　glory　which；　in　all　probability；　will　never　crown　their　individual　strivings；　or；　if　it　es；　be　at　all　identified　with　their　half…forgotten　names。

This；　I　imagine；　is　a　conviction　that　es　home　to　certain　of　us　with　added　force　when　some　of　the　cables　that　bind　us　here　are　slipped　and　our　being　begins　to　thrill　beneath　the　pull　of　that　tide　which　flows　over　the　edge　of　the　World。　At　least　it　has　e　home　to　me；　grieving　in　my　own　impotence；　and　I　am　sure　that　it　has　e　home　to　you。　Our　Faith　then　is　the　same。　How　can　that　Faith　be　—　not　fulfilled　—　but　put　in　the　way　of　fulfilment　by　others　who　e　after？

Let　us　suppose　that　you　succeed　and　reach　great　power；　now　or　later。　I　daresay　you　will　not：　as　you　say；　it　is　on　the　knees　of　the　gods；　or　rather　of　God　—　and　heaven　knows；　I　shall　think　no　differently　of　you　if　you　succeed　or　fail；　but　let　us　suppose　it。　What　could　you　do　—　or　strive　to　do？