the burning spear-第16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！



　　　　　every　means　in　our　power。〃



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

out　with　Blink　to　think　over　what　he　could　do　to　help。　　〃I　can　exhort；〃

he　mused；　〃anyone　engaged　in　transport　who　is　not　exerting　himself　to　the

utmost。　　It　will　not　be　pleasant　to　do　so；　for　it　will　certainly　provoke

much　ill…feeling。　　I　must　not；　however；　be　deterred　by　that；　for　it　is

the　daily　concomitant　of　public　life；　and　hard　words　break　no　bones；　as

they　say；　but　rather　serve　to　thicken　the　skins　and　sharpen　the　tongues

of　us　public　men；　so　that；　we　are　able　to　meet　our　opponents　with　their

own　weapons。　　I　perceive　before　me；　indeed；　a　liberal　education　in　just

those　public　qualities　wherein　I　am　conscious　of　being　as　yet　deficient。

〃And　his　heart　sank　within　him；　thinking　of　the　carts　on　the　hills　of

Hampstead　and　the　boys　who　drove　them。　　〃What　is　lacking　to　them；〃　he

mused；　〃is　the　power　of　seeing　this　problem　steadily　and　seeing　it　whole。

Let　me　endeavour　to　impart　this　habit　to　all　who　have　any　connection　with

transport。〃



He　had　just　completed　this　reflection　when；　turning　a　corner；　he　came　on

a　large　van　standing　stockstill　at　the　top　of　an　incline。　　The　driver　was

leaning　idly　against　the　hind　wheel　filling　a　pipe。　　Mr。　Lavender　glanced

at　the　near　horse；　and　seeing　that　he　was　not　distressed；　he　thus

addressed　the　man：



〃Do　you　not　know；　my　friend；　that　every　minute　is　of　importance　in　this

national　crisis？　　If　I　could　get　you　to　see　the　question　of　transport

steadily；　and　to　see　it　whole；　I　feel　convinced　that　you　would　not　be

standing　there　lighting　your　pipe　when　perhaps　this　half…hour's　delay　in

the　delivery　of　your　goods　may　mean　the　death　of　one　of　your　comrades　at

the　front。〃



The　man；　who　was　wizened；　weathered；　and　old；　with　but　few　teeth；　looked

up　at　him　from　above　the　curved　hands　with　which　he　was　coaxing　the　flame

of　a　match　into　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　　His　brow　was　wrinkled；　and

moisture　stood　at　the　comers　of　his　eyes。



〃I　assure　you；〃　went　on　Mr。　Lavender；　〃that　we　have　none　of　us　the　right

in　these　days　to　delay　for　a　single　minute　the　delivery　of　anythingnot

even　of　speeches。　　When　I　am　tempted　to　do　so；　I　think　of　our　sons　and

brothers　in　the　trenches；　and　how　every　shell　and　every　word　saves　their

lives；　and　I　deliver〃



The　old　man；　who　had　finished　lighting　his　pipe；　took　a　long　pull　at　it；

and　said　hoarsely：



〃Go　on！〃



〃I　will；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃for　I　perceive　that　I　can　effect　a

revolution　in　your　outlook；　so　that　instead　of　wasting　the　country's　time

by　leaning　against　that　wheel　you　will　drive　on　zealously　and　help　to　win

the　war。〃



The　old　man　looked　at　him；　and　one　side　of　his　face　became　drawn　up　in　a

smile；　which　seemed　to　Mr。　Lavender　so　horrible　that　he　said：　〃Why　do　you

look　at　me　like　that？〃



〃Cawn't　'elp　it；〃　said　the　man。



〃What　makes　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender；　〃pause　here　with　your　job　half

finished？　　It　is　not　the　hill　which　keeps　you　back；　for　you　are　at　the

top；　and　your　horses　seem　rested。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　man；　with　another　contortion　of　his　face；　〃they're

restedleastways；　one　of　'em。〃



〃Then　what　delays　youif　not　that　British　sluggishness　which　we　in

public　life　find　such　a　terrible　handicap　to　our　efforts　in　conducting

the　war？〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　old　man。　　〃But　out　of　one　you　don't　make　two；　guv'nor。

Git　on　the　offside　and　you'll　see　it　a　bit　steadier　and　a　bit　'oler　than

you　'ave　'itherto。〃



Struck　by　his　words；　which　were　accompanied　by　a　painful　puckering　of　the

checks；　Mr。　Lavender　moved　round　the　van　looking　for　some　defect　in　its

machinery；　and　suddenly　became　aware　that　the　off　horse　was　lying　on　the

ground；　with　the　traces　cut。　　It　lay　on　its　side；　and　did　not　move。



〃Oh！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　〃oh！〃　　And　going　up　to　the　horse's　head　he

knelt　down。　　The　animal's　eye　was　glazing。



〃Oh！〃　he　cried　again；　〃poor　horse！　　Don't　die！〃　And　tears　dropped　out　of

his　eyes　on　to　the　horse's　cheek。　　The　eye　seemed　to　give　him　a　look；　and

became　quite　glazed。



〃Dead！〃　said　Mr　Lavender　in　an　awed　whisper。　〃This　is　horrible！　　What　a

thin　horsenothing　but　bones！〃　　And　his　gaze　haunted　the　ridge　and

furrow　of　the　horse's　carcase；　while　the　living　horse　looked　round　and

down　at　its　dead　fellow；　from　whose　hollow　face　a　ragged　forelock　drooped

in　the　dust。



〃I　must　go　and　apologize　to　that　old　man；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　aloud；　〃for

no　doubt　he　is　even　more　distressed　than　I　am。〃



〃Not　'e；　guv'nor；〃　　said　a　voice；　and　looking　beside　him　he　saw　the　aged

driver　standing　beside　him；　〃not　'e；　for　of　all　the　crool　jobs　I　ever

'addrivin'　that　'orse　these　last　three　months　'as　been　the　croolest。

There　'e　lies　and　'es　aht　of　it；　and　that's　where　they'd　all　like　to　be。

Speed；　done　'im　in；　savin'　'is　country's　'time　an'　'is　country's　oats；

that　done　'im　in。　　A　good　old　'orse；　a　willin'　old　'orse；　'as　broke　'is

'eart　tryin'　to　do　'is　bit　on　'alf　rations。　　There　'e　lies；　and　I'm　glad

'e　does。〃　　And　with　the　back　of　his　hand　the　old　fellow　removed　some

brown　moisture　which　was　trembling　on　his　jaw。　　Mr。　Lavender　rose　from

his　knees。



〃Dreadful！monstrous！〃　he　cried；　〃poor　horse！　　Who　is　responsible　for

this？〃



〃Why；〃　said　the　old　driver；　〃the　gents　as　sees　it　steady　and　sees　it　'ole

from　one　side　o'　the　van；　same　as　you。



So　smitten　to　the　heart　was　Mr。　Lavender　by　those　words　that　he　covered

his　ears　with　his　hands　and　almost　ran　from　the　scene；　nor　did　he　stop

till　he　had　reached　the　shelter　of　his　study；　and　was　sitting　in　his　arm…

chair　with　Blink　upon　his　feet。　　〃I　will　buy　a　go…cart；〃　he　thought　Blink

and　I　will　pull　our　weight　and　save　the　poor　horses。　　We　can　at　least

deliver　our　own　milk　and　vegetables。〃



He　had　not　been　sitting　there　for　half…an…hour　revolving　the　painful

complexities　of　national　life　before　the　voice　of　Mrs。　Petty　recalled　him

from　that　sad　reverie。



〃Dr。　Gobang　to　see　you；　sir。〃



At　sight　of　the　doctor　who　had　attended　him　for　alcoholic　poisoning　Mr。

Lavender　experienced　one　or　those　vaguely　disagreeable　sensations　which

follow　on　half…realized　insults。



〃Good…morning；　sir；〃　said　the　doctor；　thought　I'd　just　look　in　and　make

my　mind　easy　about　you。　　That　was　a　nasty　attack。　　Do　you　still　feel　your

back？〃



〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　rather　coldly；　while　Blink　growled。



〃Nor　your　head　？〃



〃I　have　never　felt　my　head；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　still　more　coldly。



〃I　seem　to　remember〃　began　the　doctor。



〃Doctor；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　with　dignity；　surely　you　know　that　public

mendo　not　feeltheir　headsit　would　not　do。　　They　sometimes　suffer

from　their　throats；　but　otherwise　they　have　perfect　health；　fortunately。〃



The　doctor　smiled。



〃Well；　what　do　you　think　of　the　war？〃　he　asked　chattily。



〃Be　quiet；　Blink；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　Then；　in　a　far…away　voice；　he

added：　〃Whatever　the　clouds　which　have　gathered　above　our　heads　for　the

moment；　and　whatever　the　blows　which　Fate　may　have　in　store　for　us；　we

shall　not　relax　our　efforts　till　we　have　attained　our　aims　and　hurled　our

enemies　back。　　Nor　shall　we　stop　there；〃　he　went　on；　warming　at　his　own

words。　　〃It　is　but　a　weak…kneed　patriotism　which　would　be　content　with

securing　the　objects　for　which　we　began　to　fight。　　We　shall　not　hesitate

to　sacrifice　the　last　of　our　men；　the　last　of　our　money；　in　the　sacred

task　of　achieving　the　complete　ruin　of　the　fiendish　Power　which　has

brought　this　great　calamity　on　the　world。　　Even　if　our　enemies　surrender

we　will　fight　on　till　we　have　dictated　terms　on　the　doorsteps　of

Potsdam。〃



The　doctor；　who；　since　Mr。　Lavender　began　to　speak；　had　been　looking　at

him　with　strange　intensity；　dropped　his　eyes。



〃Quite　so；〃　he　said　heartily；　〃quite　so。　　Well；　good…morning。　　I　only

just　ran　in！〃　　And　leaving　Mr。　Lavender　to　the　exultation　he　was

evidently　feeling；　this　singular　visitor　went　out　and　closed　the　door。

Outside　the　garden…gate　he　rejoined　the　nephew　Sinkin。



〃Well？〃　asked　the　latter。



〃Sane　as　you　or　me；〃　said　the　doctor。　　〃A　little　pedantic　in　his　way　of

expressing　himself；　but　quite　all　there；　really。〃



〃Did　his　dog　bite　you？〃　muttered　the　nephew。　　〃No；〃　said　the　doctor

absently。　　〃I　wish　to　heaven　everyone　held　his　views。　　So　long。　　I　must

be　getting　on。〃　　And　they　parted。



But　Mr。　Lavender；　after　pacing　the　room　six　times；　had　sat　down　again　in

his　chair；　with　a　cold　feeling　in　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　such　as　other

men　feel　on　mornings　after　a　debauch。









XIII



ADDRESSES　SOME　SOLDIERS　ON　THEIR　FUTURE



On　pleasant　afternoons　Mr。　Lavender　would　often　take　his　seat　on　one　of

the　benches　which　adorned　the　Spaniard's　Road　to　enjoy　the　beams　of　the

sun　and　the　towers　of　the　City　confused　in　smoky　distance。　　And　strolling

forth　with　Blink　on　the　afternoon　of　the　day　on　which　the　doctor　had　come

to　see　him　he　sat　down　to　read　a　periodical；　which　enjoined　on　everyone

the　necessity　of　taking　the　utmost　interest　in　soldiers　disabled　by　the

war。　　〃Yes；〃　he　thought；　〃it　is　indeed　our　duty　to　force　them；　no　matter

what　their　disablements；　to　continue　and　surpass　the　heroism　they

displayed　out　there；　and　become　superior　to　what　they　once　were。〃　　And　it

seemed　to　him　a　distinct　dispensation　of　Providence　when　the　rest　of　his

bench　was　suddenly　occupied　by　three　soldiers　in　the　blue　garments　and

red　ties　of　hospital　life。　　They　had　been　sitting　there　for　some　minutes；

divided　by　the　iron　bars　necessary　to　the　morals　of　the　neighbourhood；

while　Mr。　Lavender　cudgelled　his　brains　for　an　easy　and　natural　method　of

approach；　before　Blink　supplied　the　necessary　avenue　by　taking　her　stand

before　a　soldier　and　looking　up　into　his　eye。



〃Lord！〃　said　the　one　thus　accosted；　〃what　a　fyce！　　Look　at　her　moustache！

Well；　cocky；　'oo　are　you　starin'　at？〃



〃My　dog；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　perceiving　his　chance；　〃has　an　eye　for