the burning spear-第15部分

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

towards　those　violent　persons；　and　garbishing　up　his　memory　by　reading

such　past　leaders　in　his　five　journals　as　bore　on　the　subject。　　He　spoke

no　word　of　his　intentions；　convinced　that　he　ran　a　considerable　risk　at

the　hands　of　the　Pacifists；　but　too　sensible　of　his　honour　to　assist

anyone　to　put　that　spoke　in　his　wheel　which　he　could　not　help　longing

for。



At　six　o'clock　he　locked　Blink　into　his　study；　and　arming　himself　with

three　leaders；　set　forth　on　his　perilous　adventure。　　Seven　o'clock　saw

him　hurrying　along　the　dismal　road　to　the　chapel；　at　whose　door　he　met

with　an　unexpected　check。



〃Where　is　your　ticket？〃　said　a　large　man。



〃I　have　none；〃　replied　Mt。　Lavender；　disconcerted；　〃for　this　is　a　meeting

of　the　Free　Speakers'　League；　and　it　is　for　that　reason　that

have　come。〃



The　large　man　looked　at　him　attentively。　　〃No　admittance　without　ticket；〃

he　said。



〃I　protest；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃How　can　you　call　yourselves　by　that

name　and　not　let　me　in？〃



The　large　man　smiled。



〃Well；　he　said；　you　haven't　the　strength　ofof　a　rabbitin　you　go！〃



Mr。　Lavender　found　himself　inside　and　some　indignation。



The　meeting　had　begun；　and　a　tall　man　at　the　pulpit　end；　with　the　face　of

a　sorrowful　bull；　was　addressing　an　audience　composed　almost　entirely　of

women　and　old　men；　while　his　confederates　sat　behind　him　trying　to　look

as　if　they　were　not　present。　　At　the　end　of　a　row；　about　half…way　up　the

chapel；　Mr。　Lavender　composed　himself　to　listen；　thinking；　〃However　eager

I　may　be　to　fulfil　my　duty　and　break　up　this　meeting；　it　behoves　me　as　a

fair…minded　man　to　ascertain　first　what　manner　of　meeting　it　is　that　I　am

breaking　up。〃　　But　as　the　speaker　progressed；　in　periods　punctuated　by

applause　from　what；　by　his　experience　at　the　door；　Mr。　Lavender　knew　to

be　a　packed　audience；　he　grew　more　and　more　uneasy。　　It　cannot　be　said

that　he　took　in　what　the　speaker　was　saying；　obsessed　as　he　was　by　the

necessity　of　formulating　a　reply；　and　of　revolving；　to　the　exclusion　of

all　else；　the　flowers　and　phrases　of　the　leaders　which　during　the　day　he

had　almost　learned　by　heart。　　But　by　nature　polite　he　waited　till　the

orator　was　sitting　down　before　he　rose；　and；　with　the　three　leaders

firmly　grasped　in　his　hand；　walked　deliberately　up　to　the　seated

speakers。　　Turning　his　back　on　them；　he　said；　in　a　voice　to　which

nervousness　and　emotion　lent　shrillness：



〃Ladies　and　gentlemen；　it　is　now　your　turn；　in　accordance　with　the

tradition　of　your　society；　to　listen　to　me。　　Let　us　not　mince　matters

with　mealy　mouths。　　There　are　in　our　midst　certain　viperous　persons；　like

that　notorious　gentleman　who　had　the　sulphurous　impudence　to　have　a

French　fatherFrench！　gentlemen；　not　German；　ladies…mark　the　cunning　and

audacity　of　the　fellow；　like　that　renegade　Labour　leader；　who　has　never

led　anything；　yet；　if　he　had　his　will；　would　lead　us　all　into　the　pit　of

destruction；　like　those　other　high…brow　emasculates　who　mistake　their

pettifogging　pedantry　for　pearls　of　price；　and　plaster　the　plain　issue

before　us　with　perfidious　and　Pacifistic　platitudes。　　We　say　at　once；　and

let　them　note　it；　we　will　have　none　of　them　；　we　will　have〃　　Here　his

words　were　drowned　by　an　interruption　greater　even　than　that；　which　was

fast　gathering　among　the　row　of　speakers　behind　him；　and　the　surprised

audience　in　front　；　and　he　could　see　the　large　man　being　forced　from　the

door　and　up　the　aisle　by　a　posse　of　noisy　youths；　till　he　stood　with　arms

pinioned；　struggling　to　turn　round；　just　in　front　of　Mr。　Lavender。

Seeing　his　speech　thus　endangered；　the　latter　cried　out　at　the　top　of　his

voice：　〃Free　speech；　gentlemen；　free　speech；　I　have　come　here　expressly

to　see　that　we　have　nothing　of　the　sort。〃　　At　this　the　young　men；　who　now

filled　the　aisle；　raised　a　mighty　booing。



〃Gentlemen；〃　shouted　Mr。　Lavender；　waving　his　leaders；　〃gentlemen…〃　But

at　this　moment　the　large　man　was　hurled　into　contact　with　what　served　Mr。

Lavender　for　stomach；　and　the　two　fell　in　confusion。　　An　uproar　ensued　of

which　Mr。　Lavender　was　more　than　vaguely　conscious；　for　many　feet　went

over　him。　　He　managed；　however；　to　creep　into　a　corner；　and；　getting　up；

surveyed　the　scene。　　The　young　men　who　had　invaded　the　meeting；　much

superior　in　numbers　and　strength　to　the　speakers；　to　the　large　man；　and

the　three　or　four　other　able…bodied　persons　who　had　rallied　to　them　from

among　the　audience；　were　taking　every　advantage　of　their　superiority　；

and　it　went　to　Mr。　Lavender's　heart　to　see　how　they　thumped　and

maltreated　their　opponents。　　The　sight　of　their　brutality；　indeed；

rendered　him　so　furious　that；　forgetting　all　his　principles　and　his

purpose　in　coming　to　the　meeting；　he　climbed　on　to　a　form；　and　folding

his　arms　tightly　on　his　breast；　called　out　at　the　top　of　his　voice：



〃Cads！　　Do　not　thus　take　advantage　of　your　numbers。　　Cads！〃　　Having　thus

defended　what　in　his　calmer　moments　he　would　have　known　to　be　the　wrong；

he　awaited　his　own　fate　calmly。　　But　in　the　hubbub　his　words　had　passed

unnoticed。　　〃It　is　in　moments　like　these；〃　he　thought；　〃that　the　；great

speaker　asserts　his　supremacy；　quells　the　storm；　and　secures　himself　a

hearing。〃　　And　he　began　to　rack　his　brains　to　remember　how　they　did　it。

〃It　must　require　the　voice　of　an　ox；〃　he　thought；　〃and　the　skin　of　an

alligator。　　Alas！　　How　deficient　I　am　in　public　qualities！〃　　But　his

self…depreciation　was　here　cut　off　with　the　electric　light。　　At　this

sheer　intervention　of　Providence　Mr。　Lavender；　listening　to　the

disentangling　sounds　which　rose　in　the　black　room；　became　aware　that　he

had　a　chance　such　as　he　had　not　yet　had　of　being　heard。



〃Stay；　my　friends！〃　he　said；　〃here　in　darkness　we　can　see　better　the　true

proportions　of　this　great　question　of　free　speech。　　There　are　some　who

contend　that　in　a　democracy　every　opinion　should　be　heard；　that；　just

because　the　good　sense　of　the　majority　will　ever　lead　the　country　into

the　right　paths；　the　minority　should　be　accorded　full　and　fair

expression；　for　they　cannot　deflect　the　country's　course；　and　because

such　expression　acts　as　a　healthful　safety…valve。　　Moreover；　they　say

there　is　no　way　of　preventing　the　minority　from　speaking　save　that　of

force；　which　is　unworthy　of　a　majority；　and　the　negation　of　what　we　are

fighting　for　in　this　war。　　But　I　say；　following　the　great　leader…writers；

that　in　a　time　of　national　danger　nobody　ought　to　say　anything　except

what　is　in　accord　with　the　opinions　of　the　majority；　for　only　in　this　way

can　we　present　a　front　which　will　seem　to　be　united　to　our　common

enemies。　　I　say；　and　since　I　am　the　majority　I　must　be　in　the　right；　that

no　one　who　disagrees　with　me　must　say　anything　if　we　are　to　save　the

cause　of　freedom　and　humanity。　　I　deprecate　violence；　but　I　am　thoroughly

determined　to　stand　no　nonsense；　and　shall　not　hesitate　to　suppress　by

every　means　in　the　power　of　the　majorityincluding；　if　need　be；　Prussian

measuresany　whisper　from　those　misguided　and　unpatriotic　persons　whose

so…called　principles　induce　them　to　assert　their　right　to　have　opinions

of　their　own。　　This　has　ever　been　a　free　country；　and　they　shall　not

imperil　its　freedom　by　their　volubility　and　self…conceit。〃　　Here　Mr。

Lavender　paused　for　breath；　and　in　the　darkness　a　faint　noise；　as　of　a

mouse　scrattling　at　a　wainscot；　attracted　his　attention。　　〃Wonderful；〃　he

thought；　elated　by　the　silence；　〃that　I　should　so　have　succeeded　in

riveting　their　attention　as　to　be　able　to　hear　a　mouse　gnawing。　　I　must

have　made　a　considerable　impression。〃　And；　fearing　to　spoil　it　by　further

speech；　he　set　to　work　to　grope　his　way　round　the　chapel　wall　in　the　hope

of　coming　to　the　door。　　He　had　gone　but　a　little　way　when　his

outstretched　hand　came　into　contact　with　something　warm；　which　shrank

away　with　a　squeal。



〃Oh！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　while　a　shiver　went　down　his　spine；　〃what　is

that？〃



〃Me；〃　said　a　stifled　voice。　　〃Who　are　you？〃



〃A　public　speaker；　madam；〃　answered　Mr。　Lavender；　unutterably　relieved。

Don't　be　alarmed。



〃Ouch！〃　whispered　the　voice。　　That　madman！



〃I　assure　you；　madam；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　striving　to　regain　contact；

〃I　wouldn't　harm　you　for　the　world。　　Can　you　tell　me　in　what　portion　of

the　hall　we　are？〃　And　crouching　down　he　stretched　out　his　arms　and　felt

about　him。　　No　answer　came；　but　he　could　tell　that　he　was　between　two

rows　of　chairs；　and；　holding　to　the　top　of　one；　he　began　to　sidle　along；

crouching；　so　as　not　to　lose　touch　with　the　chairs　behind　him。　　He　had

not　proceeded　the　length　of　six　chairs　in　the　pitchy　darkness　when　the

light　was　suddenly　turned　up；　and　he　found　himself　glaring　over　the　backs

of　the　chairs　in　front　into　the　eyes　of　a　young　woman；　who　was　crouching

and　glaring　back　over　the　same　chairs。



〃Dear　me　said　Mr。　Lavender；　as　with　a　certain　dignity　they　both　rose　to

their　full　height；　〃I　had　no　conception〃



Without　a　word；　the　young　woman　put　her　hand　up　to　her　back　hair；　sidled

swiftly　down　the　row　of　chairs；　ran　down　the　aisle；　and　vanished。　　There

was　no　one　else　in　the　chapel。　　Mr。　Lavender；　after　surveying　the

considerable　wreckage；　made　his　way　to　the　door　and　passed　out　into　the

night。　　〃Like　a　dream；〃　he　thought　；　〃but　I　have　done　my　duty；　for　no

meeting　was　ever　more　completely　broken　up。　　With　a　clear　conscience　and

a　good　appetite　I　can　how　go　home。〃









XII



SPEEDS　UP　TRANSPORT；　AND　SEES　A　DOCTOR



Greatly　cheered　by　his　success　at　the　Peace　meeting；　Mr。　Lavender

searched　his　papers　next　morning　to　find　a　new　field　for　his　activities；

nor　had　he　to　read　far　before　he　came　on　this　paragraph：



　　　　　〃Everything　is　dependent　on　transport；　and　we　cannot　sufficiently

　　　　　urge　that　this　should　be　speeded　up　by

　　　　　every　means　in　our　power。〃



〃How　true！〃　he　thought。　　And；　finishing　his　breakfast　hastily；　he　went