Morethanthis，theBritishambassadorhadadequatemeansfurnishedhimforexercisingpoliticalinfluence。TheAmericanrepresentativeshadnot;theyhadbeenstintedineveryway。TheBritishambassadorhadalargestaffofthoroughlytrainedsecretariesandattaches，theverybestoftheirkind，——welleducatedtobeginwith，thoroughlytrainedafterward，——servingasantennaeforGreatBritaininRussiansociety;andasthefirstsecretaryofhisembassyhehadnolessapersonagethanHenryHoward，nowSirHenryHoward，ministeratTheHague，oneofthebrightest，best—trained，andmostexperienceddiplomatistsinEurope。TheAmericanrepresentativewasatthattimeprovidedwithonlyonesecretaryoflegation，andhe，thoughengagingandbrilliant，acasualappointmentwhoremainedinthecountryonlyafewmonths。Ihad，indeed，securedahandsomeandcomfortableapartment，andentertainedatdinnerandotherwisetheleadingmembersoftheRussianministryandofthediplomaticcorps，atacostofmorethandoublemysalary;buttheinfluencethusexercisedwas，ofcourse，asnothingcomparedtothatexercisedbyadiplomatistlikeSirRobertMorier，whohadeverysortofresourceathiscommand，whohadbeenforperhapsfortyyearssteadilyintheserviceofhiscountry，andhadlearnedbylongexperiencetoknowthemenwithwhomhehadtodealandthewaysofgettingatthem。HispowerinSt。Petersburgwasfeltinamultitudeofways:allofficialsattheRussianForeignOffice，fromthehighesttothelowest，naturallydesiredtobeongoodtermswithhim。
Theyknewthathisinfluencehadbecomeverygreatandthatitwasbesttohavehisfriendship;theylovedespeciallytobeinvitedtohisdinners，andtheirfamilieslovedtobeinvitedtohisballs。HewasaPOWER。Thequestionabovereferredto，ofsuchimportancetotheUnitedStates，wasnotdecidedbyargument，butsimplybytheweightofsocialandotherinfluence，whichcountssoenormouslyinmattersofthiskindatallEuropeancapitals，andespeciallyinRussia。Thisconditionofthingshassincebeenmodifiedbythechangeofthelegationintoanembassy;but，asnohousehasbeenprovided，theolddifficultyremains。TheUnitedStateshasnottheleastchanceofsuccess，andunderherpresentshabbysystemneverwillhave，incloselycontestedcases，withanyofthegreatpowersoftheearth。Theyprovidefitlyfortheirrepresentatives;theUnitedStatesdoesnot。Therepresentativesofotherpowers，beingthusprovidedfor，aregladtoremainattheirpostsandtodevotethemselvestogettingathoroughmasteryofeverythingconnectedwithdiplomaticbusiness;Americanrepresentatives，obliged，asarule，totakeupwithuncomfortablequarters，findingtheirpositionnotwhatitoughttobeascomparedwiththatoftherepresentativesofothergreatpowers，andobligedtoexpendmuchmorethantheirsalaries，aregenerallygladtoresignafterabriefterm。EspeciallyhasthisbeenthecaseinSt。Petersburg。
Thetermsofourrepresentativestherehavegenerallybeenveryshort。Afewhavestayedthreeorfouryears，butmosthavestayedmuchshorterterms。InonecasearepresentativeoftheUnitedStatesremainedonlythreeorfourmonths，andinanotheronlysixweeks。SomarkedwasthistendencythattheEmperoroncereferredtoitinaconversationwithoneofourrepresentatives，sayingthathehopedthatthisAmericandiplomatistwouldremainlongerthanhispredecessorshadgenerallydone。
TheactionoftheRussianauthoritiesintheBehringSeaquestion，whichisdirectlytraceabletothesuperiorpolicyofGreatBritaininmaintainingapreponderatingdiplomatic，political，andsocialinfluenceattheRussiancapital，costourgovernmentasumwhichwouldhaveboughtsuitablehousesinseveralcapitals，andwouldhavegiventoeachAmericanrepresentativeaproperstaffofassistants。Ihavepresentedthismatterwithreluctance，thoughIfeelnottheslightestresponsibilityformypartinit。Idonotthinkthatanyright—mindedmancanblamemeforit，anymorethan，intherecentSouthAfricanWar，hecouldhaveblamedLordRoberts，theBritishgeneral，ifthelatterhadbeensenttotheTransvaalwithinsufficientmeans，inadequateequipment，andanarmyfarinferiorinnumberstothatofhisenemy。
Iamnotatallinthismatter"amanwithagrievance";forI
knewwhatAmericanrepresentativeshadtoexpect，andwasnotdisappointed。MyfeelingissimplythatofanAmericancitizenwhoseofficiallifeispast，andwhocanlookbackdispassionatelyandtellthetruthplainly。
Thiscaseispresentedsimplyinthehopethatitwilldosomethingtoarousethinkingmeninpubliclife，andespeciallyintheCongressoftheUnitedStates，toprovideatleastasuitablehouseorapartmentfortheAmericanrepresentativeineachofthemoreimportantcapitalsoftheworld，asallothergreatpowersandmanyofthelessernationshavedone。IfIcanaidinbringingaboutthisresult，Icarenothingforanypersonalcriticismwhichmaybebroughtuponme。
CHAPTERXXXIV
INTERCOURSEWITHRUSSIANSTATESMEN——1892—1894
ToreturntoSirRobertMorier。Therehadbeensomefrictionbetweenhisfamilyandthatofoneofmypredecessors，andthishadforsometimealmostendedsocialintercoursebetweenhisembassyandourlegation;butonmyarrivalIignoredthis，andweestablishedverysatisfactorypersonalrelations。HehadheldimportantpositionsinvariouspartsofEurope，andhadbeencloselyassociatedwithmanyofthemostdistinguishedmenofhisownandothercountries。ReadingGrantDuff’s"Memoirs，"IfindthatMorier’sbosomfriend，ofallmenintheworld，wasJowett，thelateheadofOrielCollegeatOxford。ButSirRobertwasatthecloseofhiscareer;histriumphintheBehringSeamatterwashislast。ImethimshortlyafterwardathislastvisittotheWinterPalace:withgreatefforthemountedthestaircase，tookhispositionattheheadofthediplomaticcircle，and，immediatelyafterhisconversationwiththeEmperor，excusedhimselfandwenthome。ThiswasthelasttimeIeversawhim;hereturnedsoonafterwardtoEnglandanddied。Hissuccessor，SirFrankLascelles，morerecentlymycolleagueatBerlin，isaverydifferentcharacter。Hismanneriswinning，hisexperiencelargeandinteresting，hisfirstposthavingbeenatParisduringtheCommune，andhislatestatTeheran。Ourrelationsbecame，andhaveeversinceremained，allthatIcoulddesire。He，too，ineverypost，isprovidedwithallthatisnecessaryforaccomplishingthepurposesofGreatBritain，andwilldoubtlesswingreatsuccessforhiscountry，thoughnotinexactlythesamewayashispredecessor。
TheFrenchambassadorwastheComtedeMontebello，evidentlyamanofability，butwithperhapslessoftheengagingqualitiesthanonegenerallyexpectsinaFrenchdiplomaticrepresentative。
TheTurkishambassador，HusnyPasha，likemostTurkishrepresentativeswhomIhavemet，hadlearnedtomakehimselfveryagreeable;buthispositionwasrathertrying:hehadfoughtintheRusso—TurkishWarandhadseenhiscountrysavedfromthemostabjecthumiliation，ifnotdestruction，onlyatthelastmoment，bytheBerlinConference。HismainvexationinSt。
PetersburgarosefromthereligiousfeelingoftheEmperor。EverygreatofficialceremonyinRussiaisprefaced，asarule，byachurchservice;henceHusnywasexcluded，sincehefeltboundtowearthefez，andthistheEmperorwouldnottolerate;thoughtherewasreallynomoreharminhiswearingthissimplehead—gearinchurchthaninawomanwearingherbonnetorasoldierwearinghishelmet。
Interesting，too，wastheItalianambassador，Marochetti，sonoftheeminentsculptor，someofwhoseartisticabilityhehadinherited。Hewasfondofexercisingthistalent;butitwasgenerallyunderstoodthathisrecallwasfinallyduetothefactthathisdiplomaticworkhadsufferedinconsequence。
TheAustrianambassador，CountWolkenstein，was，inmanythings，themosttrustworthyofcounselors;morethanonce，undertryingcircumstances，Ifoundhisadviceprecious;forheknew，apparently，ineverycourtofEurope，therightmantoapproach，andtherightwaytoapproachhim，oneveryconceivablesubject。
OftheministersplenipotentiarytheDutchrepresentative，VanStoetwegen，wasthebestcounselorIfound。Hewasshrewd，keen，andkindly;buthistonguewassharp——somuchsothatitfinallybroughtabouthisrecall。Hemadearemarkonedaywhichespeciallyimpressedme。Ihadsaidtohim，"IhavejustsentadespatchtomygovernmentdeclaringmyskepticismastotheprobabilityofanywarinEuropeforaconsiderabletimetocome。
WhenIarrivedinBerlinelevenyearsagoalltheknowingpeoplesaidthatageneralEuropeanwarmustbreakoutwithinafewmonths:inthespringtheysaiditmustcomeintheautumn;andintheautumntheysaiditmustcomeinthespring。Alltheseyearshavepassedandthereisstillnosignofwar。Wehearthesamepropheciesdaily，butIlearnedlongsincenottobelieveinthem。Warmaycome，butitseemstomemoreandmoreunlikely。"
Heanswered，"Ithinkyouareright。Iadvisemyowngovernmentinthesamesense。Thefactisthatwarinthesedaysisnotwhatitoncewas;itisinfinitelymoredangerousfromeverypointofview，anditbecomesmoreandmoresoeveryday。Formerlyacrownedhead，whenhethoughthimselfaggrieved，orfeltthathewouldenjoyacampaign，plungedintowargaily。Ifhesucceeded，allwaswell;ifnot，hehauledofftorepairdamages，——verymuchasapugilistwoulddoafterreceivingablackeyeinafistfight，——andinashorttimethelosseswererepairedandallwentonasbefore。Inthesedaysthecaseisdifferent:itisnolongerasimplecontestintheopen，withthepossibilityofablackeyeor，atmost，ofaseverebruise;ithasbecomeamatteroflifeanddeathtowholenations。Insteadofbeinglikeafistfight，itislikeacombatbetweenalotofchampionsarmedwithpoisoneddaggers，andinadarkroom;ifoncethestrugglebegins，nooneknowshowmanywillbedrawnintoitorwhowillbealiveattheendofit;theprobabilitiesarethatallwillbeinjuredterriblyandseveralfatally。Warinthesedaysmeansthecroppingupofamultitudeofquestionsdangerousnotonlytostatesmenbuttomonarchs，andeventosocietyitself。Monarchsandstatesmenknowthiswell;and，nomatterhowtruculenttheymayattimesappear，theyreallydreadwaraboveallthings。"
OneofmycolleaguesatSt。Petersburgwasinterestinginaverydifferentwayfromanyoftheothers。ThiswasPasitch，theServianminister。Hewasamanoffinepresenceand，judgingfromhisconversation，ofacutemind。Hehadsomeyearsbeforebeensentencedtodeathfortreason，butsincethathadbeenprimeminister。LaterhewasagainputontrialforhislifeatBelgrade，chargedwithbeingapartnerintheconspiracywhichresultedinthesecondattemptagainstthelifeofKingMilan。
Hisspeechbeforehisjudges，recentlypublished，wasaneffortworthyofastatesman，andcarriedtheconvictiontomymindthathewasnotguilty。[3]
[3]Hewasfoundguilty，butescapeddeathbyabitterhumiliation:itwasleftforotherstobringaboutMilan’sassassination。
TherepresentativesoftheextremeOrientwerebothinterestingpersonages，butthesamedifferenceprevailedthereaselsewhere:
theChinesewasamandarin，abletospeakonlythroughaninterpreter;theJapanesewastrainedinWesternscience，andabletospeakfluentlybothRussianandFrench。Hissuccessor，whomImetatthePeaceConferenceofTheHague，spokeEnglishadmirably。
Amongthesecretariesandattaches，severalwereveryinteresting;andofthesewasthefirstBritishsecretaryHenryHoward，nowSirHenryHoward，ministeratTheHague。HeandhisAmericanwifewereamongthemostdelightfulofassociates。
AnotherinthiscategorywastheBavariansecretary，...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：