the burning spear-第3部分

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redoubled　her　efforts　to　comfort　him。　　〃Nothing　becomes　one　more　than　the

practice　of　philosophy；〃　he　thought。　　〃I　always　admired　those　great

public　men　who　in　moments　of　national　peril　can　still　dine　with　a　good

appetite。　　We　will　sit　in　the　car　a　little；　for　I　have　rather　a　pain；　and

think　over　a　speech。〃　　So　musing　he　mounted　the　car；　followed　by　his　dog；

and　sat　down　in　considerable　discomfort。



〃What　subject　can　I　choose　for　a　Garden　City？〃　he　thought；　and

remembering　that　he　had　with　him　the　speech　of　a　bishop　on　the　subject　of

babies；　he　dived　into　his　bundle　of　literature；　and　extracting　a　pamphlet

began　to　con　its　periods。　　A　sharp　blow　from　a　hammer　on　the　bottom　of　the

car　just　below　where　Blink　was　sitting　caused　him　to　pause　and　the　dog　to

rise　and　examine　her　tiny　tail。



〃Curious；〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender　dreamily；　〃how　Joe　always　does　the　right

thing　in　the　wrong　place。　　He　is　very　English。〃　　The　hammering　continued；

and　the　dog；　who　traced　it　to　the　omnipotence　of　her　master；　got　up　on

the　seat　where　she　could　lick　his　face。　　Mr。　Lavender　was　compelled　to

stop。



〃Joe；〃　he　said；　leaning　out　and　down；　〃must　you？〃



The　face　of　Joe；　very　red；　leaned　out　and　up。　　〃What's　the　matter　now；

sir？〃



〃I　am　preparing　a　speech；　must　you　hammer？〃



〃No；〃returned　Joe；　〃I　needn't。〃



〃I　don't　wish　you　to　waste　your　time；〃　said　Mr　Lavender。



〃Don't　worry　about　that；　sir；〃　replied　Joe；　〃there's　plenty　to　do。〃



〃In　that　case　I　shall　be　glad　to　finish　my　speech。〃



Mr。　Lavender　resumed　his　seat　and　Blink　her　position　on　the　floor；　with

her　head　on　his　feet。　The　sound　of　his　voice　soon　rose　again　in　the　car

like　the　buzzing　of　large　flies。　　〃'If　we　are　to　win　this　war　we　must

have　an　ever…increasing　population。　　In　town　and　countryside；　in　the

palace　and　the　slum；　above　all　in　the　Garden　City；　we　must　have　babies。'〃



Here　Blink；　who　had　been　regarding　him　with　lustrous　eyes；　leaped　on　to

his　knees　and　licked　his　mouth。　　Again　Mr。　Lavender　was　compelled　to

stop。



〃Down；　Blink；　down！　　I　am　not　speaking　to　you。　　'The　future　of　our

country　depends　on　the　little　citizens　born　now。　I　especially　appeal　to

women。　It　is　to　them　we　must　look'〃



〃Will　you　'ave　a　glass；　sir？〃



Mr。　Lavender　saw　before　him　a　tumbler　containing　a　yellow　fluid。



〃Joe；〃　he　said　sadly；　〃you　know　my　rule〃



〃'Ere's　the　exception；　sir。〃



Mr。　Lavender　sighed。　　〃　No；　no；　I　must　practise　what　I　preach。　　I　shall

soon　be　rousing　the　people　on　the　liquor　question；　too。〃



Well；　'ere's　luck；〃　said　Joe；　draining　the　glass。　　〃Will　you　'ave　a　slice

of　'am？〃



〃That　would　not　be　amiss；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　taking　Joe's　knife　with　the

slice　of　ham　upon　its　point。　　　〃'It　is　to　them　that　we　must　look；'〃　he

resumed；　〃'to　rejuvenate　the　Empire　and　make　good　the　losses　in　the

firing…line。'〃　　And　he　raised　the　knife　to　his　mouth。　　No　result

followed；　while　Blink　wriggled　on　her　base　and　licked　her　lips。



〃Blink！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　reproachfully。　〃Joe！〃



〃Sir！〃



〃When　you've　finished　your　lunch　and　repaired　the　car　you　will　find　me　in

the　Town　Hall　or　market…place。　　Take　care　of　Blink。　　I'll　tie　her　up。

Have　you　some　string？〃



Having　secured　his　dog　to　the　handle　of　the　door　and　disregarded　the

intensity　of　her　gaze；　Mr。　Lavender　walked　back　towards　the　Garden　City

with　a　pamphlet　in　one　hand　and　a　crutch…handled　stick　in　the　other。

Restoring　the　ham　to　its　nest　behind　his　feet；　Joe　finished　the　bottle　of

Bass。　　〃This　is　a　bit　of　all　right！〃　he　thought　dreamily。　　Lie　down；　you

bitch！　　Quiet！　　How　can　I　get　my　nap　while　you　make　that　row？　　Lie　down！

That's　better。〃



Blink　was　silent；　gnawing　at　her　string。　　The　smile　deepened　on　Joe's

face；　his　head　fell　a　little　one　side　his　mouth　fell　open　a　fly　flew　into

it。



〃Ah！〃　he　thought；　spitting　it　out；　〃dog's　quiet　now。〃　　He　slept。









III



MR。　LAVENDER　ADDRESSES　A　CROWD　OF　HUNS



〃'Give　them　ginger！'〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　approaching　the　first　houses。

〃My　first　task；　however；　will　be　to　collect　them。〃



〃Can　you　tell　me；〃　he　said　to　a　dustman；　〃where　the　market…place　is？〃



〃Ain't　none。〃



〃The　Town　Hall；　then？〃



〃Likewise。〃



〃What　place　is　there；　then；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；〃　where　people

congregate？〃



〃They　don't。〃



〃Do　they　never　hold　public　meetings　here？〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　dustman　mysteriously。



〃I　wish　to　address　them　on　the　subject　of　babies。〃



〃Bill！　Gent　abaht　babies。　　Where'd　he　better　go？〃



The　man　addressed；　however；　who　carried　a　bag　of　tools；　did　not　stop。



〃You；'ear？〃　said　the　dustman；　and　urging　his　horse；　passed　on。



〃How　rude！〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender。　　Something　cold　and　wet　was　pressed

against　his　hand；　he　felt　a　turmoil；　and　saw　Blink　moving　round　and　round

him；　curved　like　a　horseshoe；　with　a　bit　of　string　dangling　from　her

white　neck。　　At　that　moment　of　discouragement　the　sight　of　one　who

believed　in　him　gave　Mr。　Lavender　nothing　but　pleasure。　　〃How　wonderful

dogs　are！〃　he　murmured。　　The　sheep…dog　responded　by　bounds　and

ear…splitting　barks；　so　that　two　boys　and　a　little　girl　wheeling　a

perambulator　stopped　to　look　and　listen。



〃She　is　like　Mercury；〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　and　taking　advantage　of　her

interest　in　his　hat；　which　she　had　knocked　off　in　her　effusions；　he

placed　his　hand　on　her　head　and　crumpled　her　ear。　　The　dog　passed　into　an

hypnotic　trance；　broken　by　soft　grumblings　of　pleasure。　　〃The　most

beautiful　eyes　in　the　world！〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　replacing　his　hat；

〃the　innocence　and　goodness　of　her　face　are　entrancing。〃



In　his　long　holland　coat；　with　his　wide…brimmed　felt　hat　all　dusty；　and

the　crutch…handled　stick　in　his　hand；　he　had　already　arrested　the

attention　of　five　boys；　the　little　girl　with　the　perambulator；　a　postman；

a　maid…servant；　and　three　old　ladies。



〃What　a　beautiful　dog　yours　is！〃　said　one　of　the　old　ladies；　〃dear

creature！　　Are　you　a　shepherd？〃



Mr。　Lavender　removed　his　hat。



〃No；　madam；〃　he　said；　〃a　public　speaker。〃



〃How　foolish　of　me！〃　replied　the　old　lady。



〃Not　at　all；　madam；　the　folly　is　mine。〃　　And　Mr。　Lavender　bowed。

〃I　have　come　here　to　give　an　address　on　babies。〃



The　old　lady　looked　at　him　shrewdly；　and；　saying　something　in　a　low　voice

to　her　companions；　passed　on；　to　halt　again　a　little　way　off。



In　the　meantime　the　rumour　that　there　was　a　horse　down　in　the　Clemenceau

Road　had　spread　rapidly；　and　more　boys；　several　little　girls；　and　three

soldiers　in　blue；　with　red　ties；　had　joined　the　group　round　Mr。　Lavender；

to　whom　there　seemed　something　more　than　providential　in　this　rapid

assemblage。　　Looking　round　him　for　a　platform　from　which　to　address　them；

he　saw　nothing　but　the　low　wall　of　the　little　villa　garden　outside　which

he　was　standing。　　Mounting　on　this；　therefore；　and　firmly　grasping　the

branch　of　a　young　acacia　tree　to　steady　himself；　he　stood　upright；　while

B1ink；　on　her　hind　legs；　scratched　at　the　wall；　whining　and　sniffing　his　feet。

Encouraged　by　the　low　murmur　of　astonishment；　which　swelled　idly

into　a　shrill　cheer；　Mr。　Lavender　removed　his　hat；　and　spoke　as　follows：



〃Fellow　Britons；　at　this　crisis　in　the　history　of　our　country　I　make　no

apology　for　addressing　myself　to　the　gathering　I　see　around　me。　　Here；　in

the　cradle　of　patriotism　and　the　very　heart　of　Movements；　I　may　safely

assume　that　you　are　aware　of　the　importance　of　Man…power。　　At　a　moment

when　every　man　of　a　certain　age　and　over　is　wanted　at　the　front；　and

every　woman　of　marrigeable　years　is　needed　in　hospitals；　in　factories；　on

the　land；　or　where　not；　we　see　as　never　before　the　paramount　necessity　of

mobilizing　the　forces　racial　progress　and　increasing　the　numbers　of　our

population。　　Not　a　man；　not　a　woman　can　be　spared　from　the　great　task　in

which　they　are　now　engaged；　of　defeating　the　common　enemy。　　Side　by　side

with　our　American　cousins；　with　la　belle　France；　and　the　Queen　of　the

Adriatic；　we　are　fighting　to　avert　the　greatest　menace　which　ever

threatened　civilization。　　Our　cruel　enemies　are　strong　and　ruthless。

While　I　have　any　say　in　this　matter；　no　man　or　woman　shall　be　withdrawn

from　the　sacred　cause　of　victory；　better　they　should　die　to　the　last　unit

than　that　we　should　take　our　hands　from　the　plough。　　But；　ladies　and

gentlemen；　we　must　never　forget　that　in　the　place　of　every　one　who　dies

we　must　put　two。　　Do　not　be　content　with　ordinary　measures；　these　are　no

piping　times　of　peace。　　Never　was　there　in　the　history　of　this　country

such　a　crying　need　forfor　twins；　if　I　may　put　it　picturesquely。　　In

each　family；　in　each　home　where　there　are　no　families；　let　there　be　two

babies　where　there　was　one；　for　thus　only　can　we　triumph　over　the

devastation　of　this　war。〃　　At　this　moment　the　now　considerable　audience；

which　had　hitherto　been　silent；　broke　into　a　shrill　〃'Ear；　'ear！〃　and　Mr。

Lavender；　taking　his　hand　from　the　acacia　branch　to　silence　them；　fell

off　the　wall　into　the　garden。　　Seeing　her　master　thus　vanish；　Blink；　who

had　never　ceased　to　whine　and　sniff　his　toes；　leaped　over　and　landed　on

his　chest。　　Rising　with　difficulty；　Mr。　Lavender　found　himself　in　front

of　an　elderly　man　with　a　commercial　cast　of　countenance；　who　said：

〃You're　trespassing！〃



〃I　am　aware　of　it；〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender　and　I　beg　your　pardon。　　It　was

quite　inadvertent；　however。



〃Rubbish！〃　said　the　man。



〃I　fell　off　the　wall。〃



〃Whose　wall　do　you　think　it　is？〃　　said　the　man。



〃How　should　I　know？〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃I　am　a　stranger。〃



〃Out　you　go；〃　said　the　man；　applying　his　boot　to　Blink。



〃Mr。　Lavender's　eyes　blazed。〃　　You　may　insult　me；〃　he　said；　〃but　you　must

not　kick　my　dog；　or　I　shall　do　you　an　injury。



〃Try！〃　said　the　man。



〃I　will；〃　responded　Mr。　Lavender；　taking　off　his　holland　coat。



To　what　extremities　he　would　have　proceeded　cannot　be　told；　for　at　this

moment　the　old　lady　who　had　taken　him