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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
first stage； he had become convinced that he was responsible for
Gordon's appointment to Khartoum。 At the end of the second； he
had perceived that his conscience would not allow him to remain
inactive in the face of Gordon's danger。 At the end of the third；
he had made an attempt to induce the Cabinet to send an
expedition to Gordon's relief。 At the end of the fourth； he had
realised that the Cabinet had decided to postpone the relief of
Gordon indefinitely。 At the end of the fifth； he had come to the
conclusion that he must put pressure upon Mr。 Gladstone。 At the
end of the sixth； he had attempted to put pressure upon Mr。
Gladstone； and had not succeeded。 At the end of the seventh； he
had succeeded in putting pressure upon Mr。 Gladstone； the relief
expedition had been ordered； he could do no more。
The turning…point in this long and extraordinary process occurred
towards the end of April； when the Cabinet； after the receipt of
Sir Evelyn Baring's final dispatch； decided to take no immediate
measures for Gordon's relief。 From that moment it was clear that
there was only one course open to Lord Hartington to tell Mr。
Gladstone that he would resign unless a relief expedition was
sent。 But it took him more than three months to come to this
conclusion。 He always found the proceedings at Cabinet meetings
particularly hard to follow。 The interchange of question and
answer； of proposal and counterproposal； the crowded counsellors；
Mr。 Gladstone's subtleties； the abrupt and complicated
resolutionsthese things invariably left him confused and
perplexed。 After the crucial Cabinet at the end of April； he came
away in a state of uncertainty as to what had occurred； he had to
write to Lord Granville to find out； and by that time； of course；
the Government's decision had been telegraphed to Egypt。 Three
weeks later； in the middle of May； he had grown so uneasy that he
felt himself obliged to address a circular letter to the Cabinet
proposing that preparations for a relief expedition should be set
on foot at once。 And then he began to understand that nothing
would ever be done until Mr。 Gladstone； by some means or other；
had been forced to give his consent。 A singular combat followed。
The slippery old man perpetually eluded the cumbrous grasp of his
antagonist。 He delayed； he postponed； he raised interminable
difficulties； he prevaricated； he was silent； he disappeared。
Lord Hartington was dauntless。 Gradually； inch by inch； he drove
the Prime Minister into a corner。 But in the meantime many weeks
had passed。 On July 1st； Lord Hartington was still remarking that
he 'really did not feel that he knew the mind or intention of the
Government in respect of the relief of General Gordon'。 The month
was spent in a succession of stubborn efforts to wring from Mr。
Gladstone some definite statement upon the question。 It was
useless。 On July 31st； Lord Hartington did the deed。 He stated
that； unless an expedition was sen