the burning spear-第22部分

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〃It　is　not　at　all　like　a　little　bird；〃　he　thought；　but　rather　resembles　a

slow　train　on　the　surface　of　the　sea；　or　a　horse　on　a　switchback　merry…

go…round。　　I　feel；　however；　that　my　spirit　will　soon　be　free；　for　the

earth　is　becoming　like　a　board　whereon　a　game　is　played　by　an　unseen

hand；　and　I　am　leaving　it。〃　　And　craning　his　head　out　a　little　too　far　he

felt　his　chin　knock　against　his　spine。　　Drawing　it　in　with　difficulty　he

concentrated　his　attention　upon　that　purification　of　his　spirit　which　was

the　object　of　his　journey。



〃I　am　now；〃　he　thought；　〃in　the　transcendent　ether。　　It　should　give　me　an

amazing　power　of　expression　such　as　only　the　greatest　writers　and　orators

attain；　and；　divorced　as　I　am　rapidly　becoming　from　all　sordid　reality；

truth　will　appear　to　me　like　one　of　those　stars　towards　which　I　am

undoubtedly　flying　though　I　cannot　as　yet　see　it。



Blink；　who　between　his　legs　had　hitherto　been　unconscious　of　their

departure　from　the　earth；　now　squirmed　irresistibly　up　till　her　forepaws

were　on　her　master's　chest；　and　gazed　lugubriously　at　the　fearful

prospect。　　Mr。　Lavender　clasped　her　convulsively。　　They　were　by　now

rapidly　nearing　a　flock　of　heavenly　sheep；　which　as　they　approached

became　ever　more　gigantic　till　they　were　transformed　into　monstrous　snow…

fleeces　intersected　by　wide　drifts　of　blue。



〃Can　it　be　that　we　are　to　adventure　above　them？〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender。

〃I　hope　not；　for　they　seem　to　me　fearful。〃　　His　alarm　was　soon　appeased；

for　the　machine　began　to　take　a　level　course　a　thousand　feet；　perhaps；

below　the　clouds；　whence　little　wraiths　wandering　out　now　and　again

dimmed　Mr。　Lavender's　vision　and　moistened　his　brow。



Blink　having　retired　again　between　her　master's　legs；　a　sense　of　security

and　exaltation　was　succeeding　to　the　natural　trepidation　of　Mr。

Lavender's　mood。　　〃I　am　now；〃　he　thought；　〃lifted　above　all　petty　plots

and　passions　on　the　wings　of　the　morning。　　Soon　will　great　thoughts　begin

to　jostle　in　my　head；　and　I　shall　see　the　truth　of　all　things　made　clear

at　last。〃



But　the　thoughts　did　not　jostle；　a　curious　lethargy　began　stealing　over

him　instead；　so　that　his　head　fell　back；　and　his　mouth　fell　open。　　This

might　have　endured　until　he　returned　to　earth　had　not　the　airman　stopped

the　engines　so　that　they　drifted　ruminantly　in　space　below　the　clouds。

With　the　cessation　of　the　noise　Mr。　Lavender's　brain　regained　its

activity；　and　he　was　enchanted　to　hear　the　voice　of　his　pilot　saying：



〃How　are　you　getting　on；　sir？〃



〃As　regards　the　sensation；〃　Mr。　Lavender　replied；　〃it　is　marvellous；　for

after　the　first　minute　or　two；　during　which　the　unwonted　motion　causes　a

certain　inconvenience；　one　grasps　at　once　the　exhilaration　and　joy　of

this　great　adventure。　　To　be　in　motion　towards　the　spheres；　and　see　the

earth　laid　out　like　a　chess…board　below　you；　to　feel　the　lithe　creature

beneath　your　body　responding　so　freely　to　every　call　of　its　gallant　young

pilot；　to　be　filled　with　the　scream　of　the　engines；　as　of　an　eagle　at

sport；　to　know　that　at　the　least　aberration　of　the　intrepid　airman　we

should　be　dashed　into　a　million　pieces；　all　this　is　largely　to　experience

an　experience　so　unforgettable　that　one　will　neverererforget　it。〃



〃Gosh！〃　said　the　young　airman。



〃Yes；〃　pursued　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　now　unconsciously　reading　himself　in

his　morning's　paper；　〃one　can　only　compare　the　emotion　to　that　which　the

disembodied　spirit　might　feel　passing　straight　from　earth　to　heaven。　　We

saw　at　a　great　depth　below　us　on　a　narrow　white　riband　of　road　two

crawling　black　specks；　and　knew　that　they　were　human　beings；　the　same　and

no　more　than　we　had　been　before　we　left　that　great　common　place　called

Earth。〃



〃Gum！〃　said　the　young　airman；　as　Lavender　paused；　〃you're　getting　it

fine；　sir！　　Where　will　it　appear？〃



〃Those　great　fleecy　beings　the　clouds；〃　went　on　Mr。　Lavender；　without

taking　on　the　interruption；　〃seemed　to　await　our　coming　in　the　morning

glory　of　their　piled…up　snows；　and　we；　with　the　rarefied　air　in　our

lungs；　felt　that　we　must　shout　to　them。〃　　And　so　carried　away　was　Mr。

Lavender　by　his　own　style　that　he　really　did　begin　to　address　the　clouds：

〃Ghosts　of　the　sky；　who　creep　cold　about　this　wide　blue　air；　we　small

adventuring　mortals　great…hearted　salute　you。　　Humbly　proud　of　our　daring

have　we　come　to　sport　with　you　and　the　winds　of　Ouranos；　and；　in　the

rapturous　corridors　between　you；　play　hide…and　seek；　avoiding　your

glorious　moisture　with　the　dips　and　curves　and　skimming　of　our　swallow

flightswe；　the　little　unconquerable　Spirits　of　the　Squirth！〃



The　surprise　which　Mr。　Lavender　felt　at　having　uttered　so　peculiar　a

word；　in　the　middle　of　such　a　flow　of　poetry　reduced　him　to　sudden

silence。



〃Golly！〃　said　the　airman　with　sudden　alarm　in　his　voice。　　〃Hold　tight！〃

And　they　began　to　shoot　towards　earth　faster　than　they　had　risen。　　They

came　down；　by　what　seemed　a　miracle　to　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　still

contemplative；　precisely　where　they　had　gone　up。　　A　little　group　was

collected　there；　and　as　they　stepped　out　a　voice　said；　〃I　beg　your

pardon；〃　in　a　tone　so　dry　that　it　pierced　even　the　fogged　condition　in

which　Mr。　Lavender　alighted。　　The　gentleman　who　spoke　had　a　dark

moustache　and　thick　white　hair；　and；　except　that　he　wore　a　monocle；　and

was　perhaps　three　inches　taller；　bore　a　striking　resemblance　to　himself。



〃Thank　you；〃　he　replied；　〃certainly。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃not　at　allon　the　contrary；　Who　the　hell　are

you？〃



〃A　public　man；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　surprised；　〃at　least；〃　he　added

conscientiously；　〃I　am　not　quite　certain。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃you've　jolly　well　stolen　my　stunt。〃



〃Who；　then；　are　you？〃　asked　Mr。　Lavender。



〃I？〃　replied　the　gentleman；　evidently　intensely　surprised　that　he　was　not

known；　〃Imy　name〃



But　at　this　moment　Mr。　Lavender's　attention　was　diverted　by　the　sight　of

Blink　making　for　the　horizon；　and　crying　out　in　a　loud　voice：　〃My　dog！〃

he　dropped　the　coat　in　which　he　was　still　enveloped　and　set　off　running

after　her　at　full　speed；　without　having　taken　in　the　identity　of　the

gentleman　or　disclosed　his　own。　　Blink；　indeed；　scenting　another　flight

in　the　air；　had　made　straight　for　the　entrance　of　the　enclosure；　and

finding　a　motor　cab　there　with　the　door　open　had　bolted　into　it；　taking

it　for　her　master's　car。　　Mr。　Lavender　sprang　in　after　her。　　At　the　shake

which　this　imparted　to　the　cab；　the　driver；　who　had　been　dozing；　turned

his　head。



〃Want　to　go　back；　sir？〃　he　said。



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　breathless；　〃London。〃









XVIII



SEES　TRUTH　FACE　TO　FACE



〃I　fear；〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　as　they　sped　towards　Town；　〃that　I　have

inadvertently　taken　a　joy…ride　which　belonged　to　that　distinguished

person　with　the　eyeglass。　　No　matter；　my　spirit　is　now　bright　for　the

adventure　I　have　in　hand。　　If　only　I　knew　where　I　could　find　the　Unseen

Powerbut　possibly　its　movements　may　be　recorded　in　these　journals。

〃And　taking　from　his　pocket　his　morning　papers；　which　he　had　not　yet　had

time　to　peruse；　he　buried　himself　in　their　contents。　　He　was　still　deeply

absorbed　when　the　cab　stopped　and　the　driver　knocked　on　the　window。　　Mr。

Lavender　got　out；　followed　by　Blink；　and　was　feeling　in　his　pocket　for

the　fare　when　an　exclamation　broke　from　the　driver：



〃Gorblimy！　I've　brought　the　wrong　baby！〃



And　before　Mr。　Lavender　had　recovered　from　his　surprise；　he　had　whipped

the　car　round　and　was　speeding　back　towards　the　flying　ground。



〃How　awkward！〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　extremely　nice　in　money

matters；　〃what　shall　I　do　now？〃　　And　he　looked　around　him。　　There；　as　it

were　by　a　miracle；　was　the　office　of　a　great　journal；　whence　obviously

his　distinguished　colleague　had　set　forth　to　the　flying　grounds；　and　to

which　he　had　been　returned　in　error　by　the　faithful　driver。



Perceiving　in　all　this　the　finger　of　Providence；　Mr。　Lavender　walked　in。

Those　who　have　followed　his　experiences　so　far　will　readily　understand

how　no　one　could　look　on　Mr。　Lavender　without　perceiving　him　to　be　a　man

of　extreme　mark；　and　no　surprise　need　be　felt　when　he　was　informed　that

the　Personage　he　sought　was　on　the　point　of　visiting　Brighton　to　open　a

hospital；　and　might　yet　be　overtaken　at　Victoria　Station。



With　a　beating　heart　he　took　up　the　trail　in　another　taxi…cab；　and；

arriving　at　Victoria；　purchased　tickets　for　himself　and　Blink；　and

inquired　for　the　Brighton　train。



〃Hurry　up！〃　replied　the　official。　　Mr。　Lavender　ran；　searching　the

carriage　windows　for　any　indication　of　his　objective。　　The　whistle　had

been　blown；　and　he　was　in　despair；　when　his　eye　caught　the　label

〃Reserved〃　on　a　first…class　window；　and　looking　in　he　saw　a　single　person

evidently　of　the　highest　consequence　smoking　a　cigar；　surrounded　by

papers。　　Without　a　moment's　hesitation　he　opened　the　door；　and；　preceded

by　Blink；　leaped　in。　　〃This　carriage　is　reserved；　sir；〃　said　the

Personage；　as　the　train　moved　out。



〃I　know；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　who　had　fallen　on　to　the　edge　of　the　seat

opposite；　〃and　only　the　urgency　of　my　business　would　have　caused　me　to

violate　the　sanctity　of　your　retreat；　for；　believe　me；　I　have　the

instincts　if　not　the　habits　of　a　gentleman。〃



The　Personage；　who　had　made　a　move　of　his　hand　as　if　to　bring　the　train

to　a　standstill；　abandoning　his　design；　replaced　his　cigar；　and

contemplated　Mr。　Lavender　from　above　it。



The　latter　remained　silent；　returning　that　remarkable　stare；　while　Blink

withdrew　beneath　the　seat　and　pressed　her　chin　to　the　ground；　savouring

the　sensation　of　a　new　motion。



〃Yes；〃　he　thought；　〃those　eyes　have　an　almost　superhuman　force　and

cunning。　　They　are　the　eyes　of　a　spider　in　the　centre　of　a　great　web。

They　seem　to　draw　me。〃



〃You　are　undoubtedly　the　Unseen　Power；　sir；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃and　I

have　reached　the　heart　of　the　mystery。　　From　your　own　lip