the burning spear-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



air　in　his　hand；　and　he　went　on　tearing　off　sheet　after　sheet；　hoping　to

find　a　speech　which　would　stay　solid　long　enough　for　him　to　deliver　it。

At　last　a　little　corner　stayed　substantial　in　his　hand；　and　he　called　out

in　a　loud　voice：　〃Heroes！〃



But　at　the　word　the　figures　vanished　with　a　wail；　sinking　into　the　mud；

which　was　left　covered　with　bubbles　iridescent　in　the　light　of　the　star…

shells。　　At　this　moment　one　of　these；　bursting　over　his　head；　turned　into

a　large　bright　moon；　and　Mr。　Lavender　saw　to　his　amazement　that　the

bubbles　were　really　butterflies；　perched　on　the　liquid　moonlit　mud；

fluttering　their　crimson　wings；　and　peering　up　at　him　with　tiny　human

faces。　　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　cried；　〃oh！　who　are　you？〃　　The　butterflies

closed　their　wings；　and　on　each　of　their　little　faces　came　a　look　so　sad

and　questioning　that　Mr。　Lavender's　tears　rolled　down　into　his

breastplate　of　speeches。　　A　whisper　rose　from　them。　　〃We　are　the　dead。〃

And　they　flew　up　suddenly　in　swarms；　and　beat　his　face　with　their　wings。



Mr。　Lavender　woke　up　sitting　in　the　middle　of　the　floor；　with　light

shining　in　on　him　through　a　hole　in　the　curtain；　and　Blink　licking　off

the　tears　which　were　streaming　down　his　face。



〃Blink；〃　he　said；　〃I　have　had　a　horrible　dream。〃　　And　still　conscious　of

that　weight　on　his　chest；　as　of　many　undelivered　speeches；　he　was　afraid

to　go　back　to　bed；　so；　putting　on　some　clothes；　he　went　carefully

downstairs　and　out　of　doors　into　the　morning。　　He　walked　with　his　dog

towards　the　risen　sun；　alone　in　the　silvery　light　of　Hampstead；

meditating　deeply　on　his　dream。　　〃I　have　evidently；〃　he　thought；　〃not　yet

acquired　that　felicitous　insensibility　which　is　needful　for　successful

public　speaking。　　This　is　undoubtedly　the　secret　of　my　dream。　　For　the

sub…conscious　knowledge　of　my　deficiency　explains　the　weight　on　my　chest

and　the　futile　tearing　of　sheet　after　sheet；　which　vanished　as　I　tore

them　away。　　I　lack　the　self…complacency　necessary　to　the　orator　in　any

surroundings；　and　that　golden　certainty　which　has　enchanted　me　in　the

outpourings　of　great　men；　whether　in　ink　or　speech。　　This　is；　however；　a

matter　which　I　can　rectify　with　practice。〃　　And　coming　to　a　little　may…

tree　in　full　blossom；　he　thus　addressed　it：



〃Little　tree；　be　my　audience；　for　I　see　in　you；　tipped　with　the　sunlight；

a　vision　of　the　tranquil　and　beautiful　world；　which；　according　to　every

authority；　will　emerge　out　of　this　carnival　of　blood　and　iron。〃



And　the　little　tree　lifted　up　its　voice　and　answered　him　with　the　song　of

a　blackbird。



Mr。　Lavender's　heart；　deeply　responsive　to　the　voice　of　Nature；　melted

within　him。



〃What　are　the　realms　of　this　earth；　the　dreams　of　statesmen；　and　all

plots　and　policies；〃　he　said；　〃compared　with　the　beauty　of　this　little

tree？　　Sheor　is　it　a　he？breathes；　in　her　wild　and　simple　dress；　just

to　be　lovely　and　loved。　　He　harbours　the　blackbird；　and　shakes　fragrance

into　the　morning；　and　with　her　blossom　catches　the　rain　and　the　sun　drops

of　heaven。　　I　see　in　him　the　witchery　of　God；　and　of　her　prettiness　would

I　make　a　song　of　redemption。〃



So　saying　he　knelt　down　before　the　little　tree；　while　Blink　on　her

haunches；　very　quiet　beside　him；　looked　wiser　than　many　dogs。



A　familiar　gurgling　sound　roused　him　from　his　devotions；　and　turning　his

head　he　saw　his　young　neighbour　in　the　garb　of　a　nurse；　standing　on　the

path　behind　him。　　〃She　has　dropped　from　heaven；〃　he　thought　for　all

nurses　are　angels。



And；　taking　off　his　hat；　he　said：



〃You　surprised　me　at　a　moment　of　which　I　am　not　ashamed；　I　was　communing

with　Beauty。　　And　behold！　　Aurora　is　with　me。〃



〃Say；　rather；　Borealis；〃　said　the　young　lady。　　〃I　was　so　fed…up　with

hospital　that　I　had　to　have　a　scamper　before　turning　in。　　If　you're　going

home　we　might　go　together？〃



〃It　would；　indeed；　be　a　joy；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃The　garb　of　mercy

becomes　you。〃



〃Do　you　think　so？〃　replied　the　young　lady；　in　whose　cheeks　a　lovely　flush

had　not　deepened。　　〃I　call　it　hideous。　　Do　you　always　come　out　and　pray

to　that　tree？〃



〃I　am　ashamed　to　say；〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender；　〃that　I　do　not。　　But　I

intend　to　do　so　in　future；　since　it　has　brought　me　such　a　vision。



And　he　looked　with　such　deferential　and　shining　eyes　at　his　companion

that　she　placed　the　back　of　her　hand　before　her　mouth；　and　her　breast

rose。



〃I'm　most　fearfully　sleepy；〃　she　said。　　〃Have　you　had　any　adventures

latelyyou　and　Samjoe？



〃Samjoe？〃　repeated　Mr。　Lavender。



〃Your　chauffeurI　call　him　that。　　He's　very　like　Sam　Weller　and　Sancho

Panza；　don't　you　think；　Don　Pickwixote？



〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　bewildered；　〃Joe；　you　mean。　　A　good　fellow。　　He

has　in　him　the　sort　of　heroism　which　I　admire　more　than　any　other。〃



〃Which　is　that？〃　asked　the　young　lady。



〃That　imperturbable　humour　in　the　face　of　adverse　circumstances　for　which

our　soldiers　are　renowned。〃



〃You　are　a　great　believer　in　heroics；　Don　Pickwixote；〃　said　the　young

lady。



〃What　would　life　be　without　them？〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃The　war　could

not　go　on　for　a　minute。〃



〃You're　right　there；〃　said　the　young　lady　bitterly。



〃You　surely；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　aghast；　cannot　wish　it　to　stop　until　we

have　destroyed　our　common　enemies？〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　young　lady；〃　I'm　not　a　Pacifist；　but　when　you　see　as

many　people　without　arms　and　legs　as　I　do；　heroics　get　a　bit　off；　don't

you　know。〃　　And　she　increased　her　pace　until　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　not

within　four　inches　of　her　stature；　was　almost　compelled　to　trot。　　〃If　I

were　a　Tommy；〃　she　added；　〃I　should　want　to　shoot　every　man　who　uttered　a

phrase。　　Really；　at　this　time　of　day；　they　are　the　limit。〃



〃Aurora；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃if　you　will　permit　me；　who　am　old　enough

alas！to　be　your　father；　to　call　you　that；　you　must　surely　be　aware　that

phrases　are　the　very　munitions　of　war；　and　certainly　not　less　important

than　mere　material　explosives。　　Take　the　word　'Liberty；'　for　instance；

would　you　deprive　us　of　it？〃



The　young　lady　fixed　on　him　those　large　grey　eyes　which　had　in　them　the

roll　of　genius。　　〃Dear　Don　Pickwixote；〃　she　said；　〃I　would　merely　take　it

from　the　mouths　of　those　who　don't　know　what　it　means；　and　how　much　do

you　think　would　be　left？　　Not　enough　to　butter　the　parsnips　of　a　Borough

Council；　or　fill　one　leader　in　a　month　of　Sundays。　　Have　you　not

discovered；　Don　Pickwixote；　that　Liberty　means　the　special　form　of

tyranny　which　one　happens　to　serve　under；　and　that　our　form　of　tyranny　is

GAS。〃



〃High　heaven！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　〃that　I　should　hear　such　words　from　so

red　lips！〃



〃I've　not　been　a　Pacifist；　so　far；〃　continued　the　young　lady；　stifling　a

yawn；　〃because　I　hate　cruelty；　I　hate　it　enough　to　want　to　be　cruel　to

it。　　I　want　the　Huns　to　lap　their　own　sauce。　　I　don't　want　to　be

revengeful；　but　I　just　can't　help　it。〃



〃My　dear　young　lady；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　soothingly；　〃you　are　notyou

cannot　be　revengeful；　for　every　great　writer　and　speaker　tells　us　that

revengefulness　is　an　emotion　alien　to　the　Allies；　who　are　merely　just。



〃Rats！〃



At　this　familiar　word；　Blink　who　had　been　following　their　conversation

quietly；　threw　up　her　nose　and　licked　the　young　lady's　hand　so

unexpectedly　that　she　started　and　added：



〃Darling！〃



Mr。　Lavender；　who　took　the　expression　as　meant　for　himself；　coloured

furiously。



〃Aurora；〃　he　said　in　a　faint　voice；　〃the　rapture　in　my　heart　prevents　my

taking　advantage　of　your　sweet　words。　　Forgive　me；　and　let　us　go　quietly

in；　with　the　vision　I　have　seen；　for　I　know　my　place。〃



The　young　lady's　composure　seemed　to　tremble　in　the　balance；　and　her　lips

twitched；　then　holding　out　her　hand　she　took　Mr。　Lavender's　and　gave　it　a

good　squeeze。



〃You　really　are　a　dear；〃　she　said。　　〃I　think　you　ought　to　be　in　bed。　　My

name's　Isabel；　you　know。〃



〃Not　to　me；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　You　are　the　Dawn；　nothing　shall　persuade

me　to　the　contrary。　　And　from　henceforth　I　swear　to　rise　with　you　every

morning。〃



〃Oh；　no！〃　cried　the　young　lady　please　don't　imagine　that　I　sniff　the

matutinal　as　a　rule。　　I　just　happened　to　be　in　a　night　shift。〃



〃No　matter；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃I　shall　see　you　with　the　eye　of　faith；

in　your　night　shifts；　and　draw　from　the　vision　strength　to　continue　my

public　work　beckoned　by　the　fingers　of　the　roseate　future。〃



〃Well；〃　murmured　the　young　lady；　〃so　long　for　now；　and　do　go　back　to　bed。

It's　only　about　five。〃　　And　waving　the　tips　of　those　fingers；　she　ran

lightly　up　the　garden…path　and　disappeared　into　her　house。



Mr。　Lavender　remained　for　a　moment　as　if　transfigured；　then　entering　his

garden；　he　stood　gazing　up　at　her　window；　until　the　thought　that　she

might　appear　there　was　too　much　for　him；　and　he　went　in。









XI



BREAKS　UP　A　PEACE　MEETING



While　seated　at　breakfast　on　the　morning　after　he　had　seen　this　vision；

Mr。　Lavender；　who　read　his　papers　as　though　they　had　been　Holy　Writ；　came

on　an　announcement　that　a　meeting　would　be　held　that　evening　at　a　chapel

in　Holloway　under　the　auspices　of　the　〃Free　Speakers'　League；〃　an

association　which　his　journals　had　often　branded　with　a　reputation；　for

desiring　Peace。　　On　reading　the　names　of　the　speakers　Mr。　Lavender　felt

at　once　that　it　would　be　his　duty　to　attend。　　〃There　will；〃　he　thought；

〃very　likely　be　no　one　there　to　register　a　protest。　　For　in　this　country

we　have　pushed　the　doctrine　of　free　speech　to　a　limit　which　threatens　the

noble　virtue　of　patriotism。　　This　is　no　doubt　a　recrudescence　of　that

terrible　horse…sense　in　the　British　people　which　used　to　permit　everybody

to　have　his　say；　no　matter　what　he　said。　　Yet　I　would　rather　stay　at

home；〃　he　mused　〃for　they　will　do　me　violence；　I　expect；　cowardice；

however；　would　not　become　me；　and　I　must　go。〃



He　was　in　a　state　of　flurry　all　day；　thinking　of　his　unpleasant　duty

towards　those　violent　persons；