25上 | 民主过时了？忠诚这样解？

前文提要

关于跟Kenton关系步步冷淡的描述又告一段落，因为按照常规模式，石黑一雄又要让主人公从回忆跳回现实一会儿了。所以他转回来，讲了自己寄宿在小乡村的一对热情友好的夫妇家里，但是这一晚并不愉快。村民们听说来了一位绅士，都特别稀罕他，接踵而至，上门拜访，都想跟真正的绅士高谈阔论一番。有点像大学生村官一下乡的场面。村民很热情踊跃得表达自己对政治话题和政坛人物比如“丘吉尔”等的看法。显然，他们的很多idea都是我们的大管家严重不认可的，比如说关于我们最熟悉的一个词dignity。其中一个叫哈儿史密斯Harry Smith的提出了他的看法认为：

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Dignity isn't just something gentlemen have. Dignity's something every man and woman in this country can strive for and get. You'll excuse me, sir, but like I said before, we don't stand on ceremony here when it comes to expressing opinions. 

It occurs to me in recalling these words that, of course, many of Lord Darlington's ideas will seem today rather odd - even, at times, unattractive. 
How can one possibly be held to blame in any sense because, say, the passage of time has shown that Lord Darlington's efforts were misguided, even foolish? 

However, if a butler is to be of any worth to anything or anybody in life, there must surely come a time when he ceases his searching; a time when he must say to himself: 'This employer embodies all that I find noble and admirable. I will hereafter devote myself to serving him.' This is loyalty intelligently bestowed. 

...while I simply confined myself, quite properly, to affairs within my own professional realm. And as far as I am concerned, I carried out my duties to the best of my abilities, indeed to a standard which many may consider 'first rate'. It is hardly my fault if his lordship's life and work have turned out today to look, at best, a sad waste - and it is quite illogical that I should feel any regret or shame on my own account.