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centipede。 How is he now？〃' General Simpson might have put up
with this； though to be sure it did seem 'rather too trifling an
affair to call for a dragoon to ride a couple of miles in the
dark that he may knock up the Commander of the Army out of the
very small allowance of sleep permitted； but what was really more
than he could bear was to find 'upon sending in the morning
another mounted dragoon to inquire after Captain Jarvis； four
miles off； that he never has been bitten at all； but has had a
boil； from which he is fast recovering'。 But Lord Panmure had
troubles of his own。 His favourite nephew； Captain Dowbiggin； was
at the front； and to one of his telegrams to the Commander…in…
Chief the Minister had taken occasion to append the following
carefully qualified sentence'I recommend Dowbiggin to your
notice； should you have a vacancy； and if he is fit'。
Unfortunately； in those early days； it was left to the discretion
of the telegraphist to compress the messages which passed through
his hands； so that the result was that Lord Panmure's delicate
appeal reached its destination in the laconic form of 'Look after
Dowb'。 The Headquarters Staff were at first extremely puzzled；
they were at last extremely amused。 The story spread； and 'Look
after Dowb' remained for many years the familiar formula for
describing official hints in favour of deserving nephews。
And now that all this was over； now that Sebastopol had been；
somehow or another； taken； now that peace was； somehow or
another； made； now that the troubles of office might surely be
expected to be at an end at last here was Miss Nightingale
breaking in upon the scene with her talk about the state of the
hospitals and the necessity for sanitary reform。 It was most
irksome； and Lord Panmure almost began to wish that he was
engaged upon some more congenial occupationdiscussing； perhaps；
the constitution of the Free Church of Scotlanda question in
which he was profoundly interested。 But no； duty was paramount；
and he set himself； with a sigh of resignation； to the task of
doing as little of it as he possibly could。
'The Bison' his friends called him； and the name fitted both his
physical demeanour and his habit of mind。 That large low head
seemed to have been created for butting rather than for anything
else。 There he stood； four…square and menacing in the doorway of
reform； and it remained to be seen whether； the bulky mass； upon
whose solid hide even the barbed arrows of Lord Raglan's scorn
had made no mark； would prove amenable to the pressure of Miss
Nightingale。 Nor was he alone in the doorway。 There loomed behind
him the whole phalanx of professional conservatism； the stubborn
supporters of the out…of…date； the worshippers and the victims of
War Office routine。 Among these it was only natural that Dr。
Andrew Smith； the head of the Army Medical Department； should
have been pre…eminentDr。 Andrew Smith； who had assured Miss
Nightingale before she left England that 'nothing was wanted at
Scutari'。 Such were her opponents； but she too was not without
allies。 She had gained the ear of Royaltywhich was something；
at any moment that she pleased she could gain the ear of the
publicwhich was a great deal。 She had a host of admirers and
friends； andto say nothing of her personal qualitiesher
knowledge； her tenacity； her tactshe possessed； too； one
advantage which then； far more even than now； carried an immense
weight she belonged to the highest circle of society。 She moved
naturally among Peers and Cabinet Ministersshe was one of their
own set； and in those days their set was a very narrow one。 What
kind of attention would such persons have paid to some middle…
class woman with whom they were not acquainted； who possessed
great experience of Army nursing and had decided views upon
hospital reform？ They would have politely ignored her； but it was
impossible to ignore Flo Nightingale。 When she spoke； they were
obliged to listen； and； when they had once begun to do that
what might not follow？ She knew her power； and she used it。 She
supported her weightiest minutes with familiar witty little
notes。 The Bison began to look grave。 It might be difficultit
might be damned difficultto put down one's head against the
white hand of a lady。。。
Of Miss Nightingale's friends； the most important was Sidney
Herbert。 He was a man upon whom the good fairies seemed to have
showered； as he lay in his cradle； all their most enviable goods。
Well born； handsome； rich； the master of Wiltonone of those
great country…houses； clothed with the glamour of a historic
past； which are the peculiar glory of Englandhe possessed
besides all these advantages： so charming； so lively； so gentle a
disposition that no one who had once come near him could ever be
his enemy。
He was； in fact； a man of whom it was difficult not to say that
he was a perfect English gentleman。 For his virtues were equal
even to his good fortune。 He was religious； deeply religious。 'I
am more and more convinced every day；' he wrote； when he had been
for some years a Cabinet Minister； 'that in politics； as in
everything else； nothing can be right which is not in accordance
with the spirit of the Gospel。' No one was more unselfish； he was
charitable and benevolent to a remarkable degree； and he devoted
the whole of his life； with an unwavering conscientiousness； to
the public service。 With such a character； with such
opportunities； what high hopes must have danced before him； what
radiant visions of accomplished duties； of ever…increasing
usefulness； of beneficent power； of the consciousness of
disinterested success！ Some of those hopes and visions were；
indeed； realised； but； in the end； the career of Sidney Herbert
seemed to show that； with all their generosity； there was some
gift or other what was it？some essential giftwhich the good
fairies had withheld； and that even the qualities of a perfect
English gentleman may be no safeguard against anguish；
humiliation； and defeat。
That career would certainly have been very different if he had
never known Miss Nightingale。 The alliance between them which had
begun with her appointment to Scutari； which had grown closer and
closer while the war lasted； developed； after her return； into
one of the most extraordinary friendships。 It was the friendship
of a man and a woman intimately bound together by their devotion
to a public cause； mutual affection； of course； played a part in
it； but it was an incidental part； the whole soul of the
relationship was a community of work。 Perhaps out of England such
an intimacy could hardly have existedan intimacy so utterly
untinctured not only by passion itself but by the suspicion of
it。 For years Sidney Herbert saw Miss Nightingale almost daily；
for long hours together； corresponding with her incessantly when
they were apart； and the tongue of scandal was silent； and one of
the most devoted of her admirers was his wife。 But what made the
connection still more remarkable was the way in which the parts
that were played in it were divided between the two。 The man who
acts； decides； and achieves； the woman who encourages； applauds；
andfrom a distanceinspires： the combination is common enough；
but Miss Nightingale was neither an Aspasia nor an Egeria。 In her
case it is almost true to say that the roles were reversed； the
qualities of pliancy and sympathy fell to the man； those of
command and initiative to the woman。
There was one thing only which Miss Nightingale lacked in her
equipment for public life； she had not she never could have
the public power and authority which belonged to the successful
politician。 That power and authority Sidney Herbert possessed；
that fact was obvious； and the conclusions no less so： it was
through the man that the woman must work her will。 She took hold
of him； taught him； shaped him； absorbed him； dominated him
through and through。 He did not resisthe did not wish to
resist； his natural inclination lay along the same path as hers；
only that terrific personality swept him forward at her own
fierce pace and with her own relentless stride。 Swept himwhere
to？ Ah！ Why had he ever known Miss Nightingale？ If Lord Panmure
was a bison； Sidney Herbert； no doubt； was a stag a comely；
gallant creature springing through the forest； but the forest is
a dangerous place。 One has the image of those wide eyes
fascinated suddenly by something feline； something strong； there
is a pause； and then the tigress has her claws in the quivering
haunches； and then！
Besides Sidney Herbert； she had other friends who； in a more
restricted sphere； were hardly less essential to her。 If； in her
condition of bodily collapse； she were to accomplish what she was
determined that she should accomplish； the attentions and the
services of others would be absolutely indispensable。 Helpers and
servers she must have； and accordingly there wa