登陆注册
5242300000079

第79章 CHAPTER XXVIII. PATRIOTISM(2)

"And I," Bransome echoed. "It seemed to me that he spoke a little more freely than usual.""He went as near to censure as I have ever heard him when speaking of any of the institutions of our country," the Prime Minister declared. "I will ask him about it directly we get the chance. You shall see how he will evade the point.""You will have to be quick if you mean to get hold of him," the Duke remarked. "See, the game is over and there he goes with Penelope."The Prime Minister rose to his feet and intercepted them on their way to the door.

"Miss Morse," he said, "may we ransom the Prince? We want to talk to him.""Do you insinuate," she laughed, "that he is a captive of mine?""We are all captives of Miss Morse's," Bransome said with a bow, "and all enemies of Somerfield's."Somerfield, hearing his name, came up to them. The Duchess, too, strolled over to the fire. The Prime Minister and Bransome returned with Maiyo towards the corner of the room where they had been sitting.

"Prince," the Prime Minister said, "we have been talking about your speech at the Herrick Club last night."The Prince smiled a little gravely.

"Did I say too much?" he asked. "It all came as a surprise to me--the toast and everything connected with it. I saw my name down to reply, and it seemed discourteous of me not to speak.

But, as yet, I do not altogether understand these functions. Idid not altogether understand, for instance, how much I might say and how much I ought to leave unsaid."""We have read what you said," Bransome remarked. "What we should like to hear, if I may venture to say so, is what you left unsaid."The Prince for a moment was thoughtful. Perhaps he remembered that the days had passed when it was necessary for him to keep so jealously his own counsel. Perhaps his natural love of the truth triumphed. He felt a sudden longing to tell these people who had been kind to him the things which he had seen amongst them, the things which only a stranger coming fresh to the country could perhaps fully comprehend.

"What I said was of little importance," the Prince remarked, "but I felt myself placed in a very difficult position. Before I knew what to expect, I was listening to a glorification of the arms of my country at the expense of Russia. I was being hailed as one of a nation who possess military genius which had not been equalled since the days of Hannibal and Caesar. Many things of that sort were said, many things much too kind, many things which somehow it grieved me to listen to. And when I stood up to reply, I felt that the few words which I must say would sound, perhaps, ungracious, but they must be said. It was one of those occasions which seemed to call for the naked truth."Penelope and the Duchess had joined the little group.

"May we stay?" the former asked. "I read every word of your speech," she added, turning to the Prince. "Do tell us why you spoke so severely, what it was that you objected to so strongly in General Ennison's remarks?"The Prince turned earnestly towards her.

"My dear young lady," he said, "all that I objected to was this over-glorification of the feats of arms accomplished by us.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 你是我的一见如故

    你是我的一见如故

    黎惜晨最幸运和最难过的事都是遇见了黎少擎;明明,都喜欢对方,明明,还是不舍,却始终在某个路口走失。“前面三次,你把我推开,这一次,我自己走”她用无比淡定的语气说着。“好”他回答。我们,无比地喜欢对方;我们,都在为彼此付出;可到最后,我们都因为喜欢伤害了最爱的人。
  • 儿童增高补钙食谱

    儿童增高补钙食谱

    《吃出聪明智慧丛书》针对不同年龄婴幼儿生理特点,系统地介绍了成长发育期婴幼儿食谱的制作方法和营养搭配知识,科学地解决了婴幼儿吃什么、吃多少、怎么吃等营养进食的问题。
  • 离宫风华惊天下:娘娘万福

    离宫风华惊天下:娘娘万福

    大婚之夜,红鸾帐暖,他左拥右抱,凝望她许久,只眸华微漾道:“你是朕宫里最丑的女人!”淡淡一笑间,她颇为无奈道:“污了皇上的眼,是臣妾的罪过……”两年后,当着宫中妃嫔,她褪下凤袍,于他和太后面前裸露臂弯宫砂:“臣妾无德,愧居后位两载,恳请皇上废后!”只这一日,他才真正看了她第一眼!手执废后诏书,她以为与他之间的孽缘终将结束,却从不曾想,缘灭之时,潮起潮涌,那无忧花开的日子,才刚刚开始……
  • 烛火染蝶苏医仙

    烛火染蝶苏医仙

    “主子,小姐又跑了!”“姓牧的!你觉得你的人拦得住本小姐么!”“小蝶他们拦不住还有我啊。”一世毒人无数却败在了一个杀手手里,这让她怎么面对师父。他的仇得报,而得罪了她的人下场又好到过哪里去。
  • 周易参同契分章通真义

    周易参同契分章通真义

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 如何掌控自己的财富和生活

    如何掌控自己的财富和生活

    掌控自己财富的最好方法,就是向在财富上已经取得成功的人学习。本书概括了数十位亿万富翁的财富理念,他们是:比尔·盖茨、洛克菲勒、萨姆·沃尔顿、李嘉诚;犹太人、美国人……这些精彩实用的财富理念,将使你真正掌握获得金钱,保存金钱以及用金钱赚取更多金钱的全部秘密。
  • 来自地狱的死亡诅咒

    来自地狱的死亡诅咒

    &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;年薪50万元但要求是农历七月十四出生的男孩。<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;这个诡异的招聘信息轰动全城。<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;当林子健不顾女友的百般反对,成功应聘进入SHU公司,却意外地发现这家公司隐藏着种种不可告人的秘密。一个棺材般的黑木柜,五个镶着不同照片的骨灰盒,其中一个竟然挂着林子健的照片……<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;这是一家什么鬼公司?到处是杀戮和阴谋么?林子健感觉自己掉进黑暗陷阱,危机重重,一个个身份莫测的同事、一个个匪夷所思的事件相继登场,离奇招聘事件背后的真相又是什么呢?<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;暮光之下,林子健深知探索真相的凶险、恐怖,但他别无他路……<br/>&nbsp;&nbsp;
  • 皇家幼儿园

    皇家幼儿园

    各位朝中的大叔大哥们,把你家的儿子女儿都交给本公主教育吧!保证师资力量雄厚,宰相大人教历史,状元郎教诗书,还有将军大人负责兵法,连女孩子的女工都是太后亲自教导。哪里去找这么厉害的幼儿园?快来速速报名!
  • 企业管理之道

    企业管理之道

    中国的《易经》、《道德经》是宇宙间最大的管理体系,它涵盖了天道、地道和人道,企业的管理无非是人道当中的一个分支。如把现代企业管理比喻成一棵树,中华文化精髓是树根下看不见的滋养,而西方的管理则是树叶、树枝、树干。作者根据多年研修易、道,结合自身的商业实践,以《道德经》为主线,将老子的智慧应用到现代企业管理的十二个方面,并找到一条从根源上提升领导力的途径……
  • 百位世界杰出的思想家(上)(世界名人成功启示录)

    百位世界杰出的思想家(上)(世界名人成功启示录)

    每当历史的巨人跨越一步时,人类就总会在向前暸望的同时,情不自禁地回首流逝的年代,缅怀远去的先人,感悟曾经的岁月。当我们带着崇敬与激情去追思那一位位闪烁着智慧光芒、给人类带来希望和光明的世界杰出人物时,胸中便会油然升腾出一股发自心底的感动,一股追求奋起的冲动。