Pagettwasfarfromsatisfiedwiththis，andwishedtohavetheoldgentleman’sopinionontheproprietyofmanagingallIndianaffairsonthebasisofanelectivesystem。
Ordedidhisbesttoexplain，butitwasplainthevisitorwasboredandbewilder~dFrankly，hedidn’tthinkmuchofcommittees；theyhadaMu-
nicipalCommitteeatLahoreandhadelectedamenialservant，anorderly，asamemberHehadbeeninformedofthisongoodauthority，andafterthat，committeeshadceasedtointeresthim。
ButallwasaccordingtotheruleofGovernment，and，pleaseGod，itwasallforthebest。
“Whatanoldfossilitis！”criedPagett，asOrdereturnedfromseeinghisguesttothedoor；“justlikesomeoldblue-bloodedhidalgoofSpainWhatdoeshereallythinkoftheCongressafterall，andoftheelectivesystem？”
“HatesitalllikepoisonWhenyouaresureofamajority，electionisafinesystem；butyoucanscarcelyexpecttheMahommedans，themastmasterfulandpowerfulminorityinthecountry，tocontemplatetheirownextinctionwithjoyTheworstofitisthatheandhisco-religionists，whoaremany，andthelandedproprietors，also，ofHindurace，arefrightenedandputoutbythiselectiopbusinessandbytheimportancewehavebestowedonlawyers，pleaders，writers，andthelike，whohave，uptonow，beeninabjectsubmissiontothem。
Theysaylittle，hutafteralltheyarethemostimportantfagotsinthegreatbundleofcommunities，andalltheglibbunkumintheworldwouldnotpayfortheirestrangementTheyhavecontrolledtheland。”
“ButIamassuredthatexperienceoflocalself-gov~rnmentinyourmunicipalitieshasbeenmostsatisfactory，andwhenoncetheprincipleisacceptedinyourcentres，don’tyouknow，itisboundtospread，andthese~mportant——ah’mpeopleofyourswouldlearnitliketherestIseenodifficultyatall。”andthesmoothlipsclosedwiththecomplacent256
WORKSOFRUDYARDKIPLING
snaphabitualtoPagett，M。P。，the“manofcheerfulyesterdaysandconfidentto-morrows。”
Ordelookedathimwithadrearysmile。
’~Tbeprivilegeofelectionhasbeenmostreluctantlywithdrawnfromscoresofmunicipalities，othershavehadtobesummarilysuppressed，and，outsidethePresidencytowns，theactualworkdonehasbeenbadlyperformedThisisoflessmoment，perhaps-itonlysendsupthelocaldeath-rates-thanthefactthatthepublicinterestinmunicipalelections，neververystrong，haswaned，andiswaning，inspiteofcarefulnursingonthepartofGovernmentservants。”
“Canyouexplainthislackofinterest？”saidPagett，puttingasidetherestofOrde’sremarks。
’~YoumayfindawardofthekeyinthefactthatonlyoneineverythousandafourpopulationcanspellThentheyareinfinitelymoreinterestedinreligionandcastequestionsthaninanysortofpoliticsWhenthebusinessofmereexistenceisover，theirmindsareoccupiedbyaseriesofinterests，pleasures，rituals，superstitions，andthelike，basedoncenturiesoftraditionandusageYou，perhaps，findithardtoconceiveofpeopleabsolutelydevoidofcuriosity，towhomthebook，thedailypaper，andtheprintedspeechareunknown，andyouwoulddescribetheirlifeasblankThat’saprofoundmistakeYouareinanotherland，anothercentury，downonthebed-rockofsociety，wherethefamilymerely，andnotthecommunity，isall-importantTheaverageOrientalcannotbebroughttolookbeyondhisclanHislife，too，isnaorecompleteandself-sufficing，andlesssordidandlow-thoughtedthanyoumightimagineItisbovineandslowinsomerespects，butitisneveremptyYouandIareinclinedtoputthecartbeforethehorse，andtoforgetthatitisthemanthatiselemental，notthebook。
’Thecornandthecattleareallmycare，AndtherestisthewillofGod。’
Whyshouldsuchfolklookupfromtheirimmemoriallyappointedroundofdutyandintereststomeddlewiththeunknownandfusswithvoting-papersHowwouldyou，atopofallyourinterestscaretoconductevenone-tenthofyourlifeaccord...完整阅读请扫描二维码下载丁香书院APP免费看：