Oscar Wilde, Volume 2 | Page 8

Ruggles Brise. No one could have
shown me warmer sympathy, or more discriminating comprehension. I
made my report to him and left the matter in his hands with perfect
confidence. I took care to describe Oscar's condition to his friends
while assuring them that his circumstances would soon be bettered. A
little later I heard that the governor of the prison had been changed, that
Oscar had got books and writing materials, and was allowed to have the
gas burning in his cell to a late hour when it was turned down but not
out. In fact, from that time on he was treated with all the kindness
possible, and soon we heard that he was bearing the confinement and
discipline better than could have been expected. Sir Evelyn Ruggles
Brise had evidently settled the difficulty in the most humane spirit.
Later still I was told that Oscar had begun to write "De Profundis" in
prison, and I was very hopeful about that too: no news could have
given me greater pleasure. It seemed to me certain that he would justify
himself to men by turning the punishment into a stepping-stone. And in
this belief when the time came I ventured to call on Sir Ruggles Brise
with another petition.
"Surely," I said, "Oscar will not be imprisoned for the full term; surely
four or five months for good conduct will be remitted?"
Sir Ruggles Brise listened sympathetically, but warned me at once that
any remission was exceptional; however, he would let me know what
could be done, if I would call again in a week. Much to my surprise, he
did not seem certain even about the good conduct.
I returned at the end of the week, and had another long talk with him.
He told me that good conduct meant, in prison parlance, absence of
punishment, and Oscar had been punished pretty often. Of course his
offenses were minor offenses; nothing serious; childish faults indeed
for the most part: he was often talking, and he was often late in the
morning; his cell was not kept so well as it might be, and so forth;
peccadilloes, all; yet a certificate of "good conduct" depended on such
trifling observances. In face of Oscar's record Sir Ruggles Brise did not
think that the sentence would be easily lessened. I was thunder-struck.
But then no rules to me are sacrosanct; indeed, they are only tolerable

because of the exceptions. I had such a high opinion of Ruggles
Brise--his kindness and sense of fair play--that I ventured to show him
my whole mind on the matter.
"Oscar Wilde," I said to him, "is just about to face life again: he is more
than half reconciled to his wife; he has begun a book, is shouldering the
burden. A little encouragement now and I believe he will do better
things than he has ever done. I am convinced that he has far bigger
things in him than we have seen yet. But he is extraordinarily sensitive
and extraordinarily vain. The danger is that he may be frightened and
blighted by the harshness and hatred of the world. He may shrink into
himself and do nothing if the wind be not tempered a little for him. A
hint of encouragement now, the feeling that men like yourself think
him worthful and deserving of special kindly treatment, and I feel
certain he will do great things. I really believe it is in your hands to
save a man of extraordinary talent, and get the best out of him, if you
care to do it."
"Of course I care to do it," he cried. "You cannot doubt that, and I see
exactly what you mean; but it will not be easy."
"Won't you see what can be done?" I persisted. "Put your mind to
discover how it should be done, how the Home Secretary may be
induced to remit the last few months of Wilde's sentence."
After a little while he replied:
"You must believe that the authorities are quite willing to help in any
good work, more than willing, and I am sure I speak for the Home
Secretary as well as for myself; but it is for you to give us some reason
for acting--a reason that could be avowed and defended."
I did not at first catch his drift; so I persevered:
"You admit that the reason exists, that it would be a good thing to
favour Wilde, then why not do it?"
"We live," he said, "under parliamentary rule. Suppose the question

were asked in the House, and I think it very likely in the present state of
public opinion that the question would be asked: what should we
answer? It would not be an avowable reason that we hoped Wilde
would write new