eminent victorians-第40章

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published　extracts　from　these　voluminous　outpourings　lay　bare　the



inner　history　of　Gordon's　spirit；　and　reveal　the　pious　visionary　

of　Gravesend　in　the　restless　hero　of　three　continents。



His　seclusion　came　to　an　end　in　a　distinctly　providential　manner。



In　accordance　with　a　stipulation　in　the　Treaty　of　Paris；　an　

international　commission　had　been　appointed　to　improve　the　

navigation　of　the　Danube；　and　Gordon；　who　had　acted　on　a　similar　

body　fifteen　years　earlier；　was　sent　out　to　represent　Great　

Britain。　At　Constantinople；　he　chanced　to　meet　the　Egyptian　

minister；　Nubar　Pasha。　The　Governorship　of　the　Equatorial　

Provinces　of　the　Sudan　was　about　to　fall　vacant；　and　Nubar　

offered　the　post　to　Gordon；　who　accepted　it。　'For　some　wise　

design；'　he　wrote　to　his　sister；　'God　turns　events　one　way　or　

another；　whether　man　likes　it　or　not；　as　a　man　driving　a　horse　

turns　it　to　right　or　left　without　consideration　as　to　whether　the



horse　likes　that　way　or　not。　To　be　happy；　a　man　must　be　like　a　

well…broken；　willing　horse；　ready　for　anything。　Events　will　go　as



God　likes。'



And　then　followed　six　years　of　extraordinary；　desperate；　

unceasing；　and　ungrateful　labour。　The　unexplored　and　pestilential



region　of　Equatoria；　stretching　southwards　to　the　Great　Lakes　and



the　sources　of　the　Nile；　had　been　annexed　to　Egypt　by　the　Khedive



Ismail；　who；　while　he　squandered　his　millions　on　Parisian　ballet…

dancers；　dreamt　strange　dreams　of　glory　and　empire。　Those　dim　

tracts　of　swamp　and　forest　in　Central　Africa　were　so　he　

declared　to　be　'opened　up'；　they　were　to　receive　the　blessings　

of　civilisation；　they　were　to　become　a　source　of　eternal　honour　

to　himself　and　Egypt。　The　slave…trade；　which　flourished　there；　

was　to　be　put　down；　the　savage　inhabitants　were　to　become　

acquainted　with　freedom；　justice；　and　prosperity。　Incidentally；　a



government　monopoly　in　ivory　was　to　be　established；　and　the　place



was　to　be　made　a　paying　concern。　Ismail；　hopelessly　in　debt　to　a　

horde　of　European　creditors；　looked　to　Europe　to　support　him　in　

his　schemes。　Europe；　and；　in　particular；　England；　with　her　

passion　for　extraneous　philanthropy；　was　not　averse。　



Sir　Samuel　Baker　became　the　first　Governor　of　Equatoria；　and　now　

Gordon　was　to　carry　on　the　good　work。　In　such　circumstances　it

was　

only　natural　that　Gordon　should　consider　himself　a　special

instrument　

in　God's　band。　To　put　his　disinterestedness　beyond　doubt；　he　

reduced　his　salary；　which　had　been　fixed　at　￡10；000；　to　￡2；000。

He　

took　over　his　new　duties　early　in　1874；　and　it　was　not　long　

before　he　had　a　first　hint　of　disillusionment。　On　his　way　up　the　

Nile；　he　was　received　in　state　at　Khartoum　by　the　Egyptian　

Governor　General　of　the　Sudan；　his　immediate　official　superior。



The　function　ended　in　a　prolonged　banquet；　followed　by　a　mixed　

ballet　of　soldiers　and　completely　naked　young　women；　who　danced　

in　a　circle；　beat　time　with　their　feet；　and　accompanied　their　

gestures　with　a　curious　sound　of　clucking。　At　last　the　Austrian　

Consul；　overcome　by　the　exhilaration　of　the　scene；　flung　himself　

in　a　frenzy　among　the　dancers；　the　Governor…General；　shouting　

with　delight；　seemed　about　to　follow　suit；　when　Gordon　abruptly　

left　the　room；　and　the　party　broke　up　in　confusion。　



When；　1；500　miles　to　the　southward；　Gordon　reached　the　seat　of　

his　government；　and　the　desolation　of　the　Tropics　closed　over　

him；　the　agonising　nature　of　his　task　stood　fully　revealed。　For　

the　next　three　years　he　struggled　with　enormous　difficulties　

with　the　confused　and　horrible　country；　the　appalling　climate；　

the　maddening　insects　and　the　loathsome　diseases；　the　

indifference　of　subordinates　and　superiors；　the　savagery　of　the　

slave…traders；　and　the　hatred　of　the　inhabitants。　One　by　one　the　

small　company　of　his　European　staff　succumbed。　With　a　few　hundred



Egyptian　soldiers　he　had　to　suppress　insurrections；　make　roads；　

establish　fortified　posts；　and　enforce　the　government　monopoly　of



ivory。　All　this　he　accomplished；　he　even　succeeded　in　sending　


enough　money　to　Cairo　to　pay　for　the　expenses　of　the　expedition。　



But　a　deep　gloom　had　fallen　upon　his　spirit。　When；　after　a　series



of　incredible　obstacles　had　been　overcome；　a　steamer　was　launched



upon　the　unexplored　Albert　Nyanza；　he　turned　his　back　upon　the　

lake；　leaving　the　glory　of　its　navigation　to　his　Italian　

lieutenant；　Gessi。　'I　wish；'　he　wrote；　'to　give　a　practical　proof



of　what　I　think　regarding　the　inordinate　praise　which　is　given　to



an　explorer。'　Among　his　distresses　and　self…mortifications；　he　

loathed　the　thought　of　all　such　honours；　and　remembered　the　

attentions　of　English　society　with　a　snarl。　'When；　D。V。；　I　get　

home；　I　do　not　dine　out。　My　reminiscences　of　these　lands　will　

not　be　more　pleasant　to　me　than　the　China　ones。　What　I　shall　have



done；　will　be　what　I　have　done。　Men　think　giving　dinners　is　

conferring　a　favour　on　you。。。　　Why　not　give　dinners　to　those　who　

need　them？'　No！　His　heart　was　set　upon　a　very　different　object。　

'To　each　is　allotted　a　distinct　work；　to　each　a　destined　goal；　to



some　the　seat　at　the　right　hand　or　left　hand　of　the　Saviour。　（It　

was　not　His　to　give；　it　was　already　given　Matthew　xx；　23。

Again；　

Judas　went　to　〃HIS　OWN　PLACE〃Acts　i；　25。）　It　is　difficult　for　

the　flesh　to　accept：　〃Ye　are　dead；　ye　have　naught　to　do　with　the　

world〃。　How　difficult　for　anyone　to　be　circumcised　from　the　

world；　to　be　as　indifferent　to　its　pleasures；　its　sorrows；　and　

its　comforts　as　a　corpse　is！　That　is　to　know　the　resurrection。'



But　the　Holy　Bible　was　not　his　only　solace。　For　now；　under　the　

parching　African　sun；　we　catch　glimpses；　for　the　first　time；　of　

Gordon's　hand　stretching　out　towards　stimulants　of　a　more　

material　quality。　For　months　together；　we　are　told；　he　would　

drink　nothing　but　pure　water；　and　then　。。。　water　that　was　not　so　

pure。　In　his　fits　of　melancholy；　he　would　shut　himself　up　in　his　

tent　for　days　at　a　time；　with　a　hatchet　and　a　flag　placed　at　the　

door　to　indicate　that　he　was　not　to　be　disturbed　for　any　reason　

whatever；　until　at　last　the　cloud　would　lift；　the　signals　would　

be　removed；　and　the　Governor　would　reappear；　brisk　and　cheerful。　



During；　one　of　these　retirements；　there　was　grave　danger　of　a　

native　attack　upon　the　camp。　Colonel　Long；　the　Chief　of　Staff；　

ventured；　after　some　hesitation；　to　ignore　the　flag　and　hatchet；　

and　to　enter　the　forbidden　tent。　He　found　Gordon　seated　at　a　

table；　upon　which　were　an　open　Bible　and　an　open　bottle　of　

brandy。　Long　explained　the　circumstances；　but　could　obtain　no　

answer　beyond　the　abrupt　words'You　are　commander　of　the　camp'

and　was　obliged　to　retire；　nonplussed；　to　deal　with　the　situation



as　best　he　could。　On　the　following　morning；　Gordon；　cleanly　

shaven；　and　in　the　full…dress　uniform　of　the　Royal　Engineers；　

entered　Long's　hut　with　his　usual　tripping　step；　exclaiming　'Old　

fellow；　now　don't　be　angry　with　me。　I　was　very　low　last　night。　

Let's　have　a　good　breakfasta　little　b。　and　s。　Do　you　feel　up　to



it？'　And；　with　these　veering　moods　and　dangerous　restoratives；　

there　came　an　intensification　of　the　queer　and　violent　elements　

in　the　temper　of　the　man。　



His　eccentricities　grew　upon　him。　He　found　it　more　and　more

uncomfortable　

to　follow　the　ordinary　course。　Official　routine　was　an　agony　to

him。　His　

caustic　and　satirical　humour　expressed　itself　in　a　style　that

astounded　

government　departments。　While　he　jibed　at　his　superiors；　his

subordinates　

learned　to　dread　the　explosions　of　his　wrath。　There　were　moments

when　his　

passion　became　utterly　ungovernable；　and　the　gentle　soldier　of

God；　who　

had　spent　the　day　in　quoting　texts　for　the　edification　of　his

sister；　would　

slap　the　face　of　his　Arab　aide…de…camp　in　a　sudden　access　of

fury；　or　set　

upon　his　Alsatian　servant　and　kick　him　until　he　screamed。



At　the　end　of　three　years；　Gordon　resigned　his　post　in　Equatoria；



and　prepared　to　return　home。　But　again　Providence　intervened：　the



Khedive　offered　him；　as　an　inducement　to　remain　in　the　Egyptian　

service；　a　position　of　still　higher　consequence　the　Governor…

Generalship　of　the　whole　Sudan；　and　Gordon　once　more　took　up　his　

task。　Another　three　years　were　passed　in　grappling　with　vast　

revolting　provinces；　with　the　ineradicable　iniquities　of　the　

slave…trade；　and　with　all　the　complications　of　weakness　and　

corruption　incident　to　an　oriental　administration　extending　over　

almost　boundless　tracts　of　savage　territory　which　had　never　been　

effectively　subdued。　His　headquarters　were　fixed　in　the　palace　at



Khartoum；　but　there　were　various　interludes　in　his　government。

Once；　

when　the　Khedive's　finances　had　become　peculiarly　embroiled；　he　

summoned　Gordon　to　Cairo　to　preside　over　a　commission　which　

should　set　matters　to　rights。　



Gordon　accepted　the　post；　but　soon　found　that　his　situation　was　

untenable。　He　was　between　the　devil　and　the　deep　sea　between

the　

unscrupulous　cunning　of　the　Egyptian　Pashas；　and　the　immeasurable



immensity　of　the　Khedive's　debts　to　his　European　creditors。　The

Pashas　

were　anxious　to　use　him　as　a　respectable　mask　for　their　own

nefarious　

dealings；　and　the　representatives　of　the　European　creditors；　who

looked　

upon　him　as　an　irresponsible　intruder；　were　anxious　simply　to　get

rid　

of　him　as　soon　as　they　could。　One　of　these　representatives　was　

Sir　Evelyn　Baring；　whom　Gordon　now　met　for　the　first　time。　An　

immediate　antagonism　flashed　out　between　the　two　men。　But　their　

hostility　had　no　time　to　mature；　for　Gordon；　baffled　on　all　

sides；　and　deserted　even　by　the　Khedive；　precipitately　returned　

to　his　Governor…Generalship。　Whatever　else　Providence　might　have　

decreed；　it　had　certainly　not　decided　that　he　should　be　a　

financier。



His　tastes　and　his　talents　were　indeed　of　a　very　different　kind。　

In　his　absence；　a　rebellion　had　broken　out　in　Darfur　one　of　the



vast　outlying　provinces　of　his　government　where　a　native　

chieftain；　Zobeir；　had　erected；　on　a　basis　of　slave…traffic；　a　

dangerous　military　power。　Zobeir　himself　had　been　lured　to　Cairo；



where　he　was　detained　in　a　state　of　semi…captivity；　but　his　son；　

Suleiman；　ruled　in　his　stead；　and　was　now　defying　the　Governor…

General。　Gordon　determined　upon　a　hazardous　stroke。　He　mounted　a　

camel；　and　rode；　alone；　in　the　blazing　heat；　across　eighty…five　

miles　of　desert；　to　Suleiman's　camp。　His　sudden　apparition　

dumbfounded　the　rebels；　his　imperious　bearing　overawed　them；　he　

signified　to　them　that　in　two　days　they　must　disarm　and　disperse；



and　the　whole　host　obeyed。　Gordon　returned　to　Khartoum　in

triumph。　

But　he　had　not　heard　the　last　of　Suleiman。　Flying　southwards　from



Darfur　to　the　neighbouring　province　of　Bahr…el…Ghazal；　the　young　

man　was　soon　once　more　at　the　head　of　a　fo