the burning spear-第6部分

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terrible　sights　she　has　seen！〃　　But　at　that　moment　the　young　lady　rose

and　ran　as　if　demented　into　her　castle。　　Mr。　Lavender　stayed　transfixed。

〃Who　would　not　be　ill　for　the　pleasure　of　drinking　from　a　cup　held　by　her

hand？〃　he　thought。　　〃I　am　fortunate　to　have　received　injuries　in　trying

to　save　her　from　confusion。　　Down；　Blink；　down！〃



For　his　dog；　who　had　once　more　leaped　from　the　window；　was　frantically

endeavouring　to　lick　his　face。　　Soothing　her；　and　feeling　his　anatomy；

Mr。　Lavender　became　conscious　that　he　was　not　alone。　　An　old　lady　was

standing　on　the　gardenpath　which　led　to　the　front　gate；　holding　in　her

hand　a　hat。　　Mr。　Lavender　sat　down　at　once；　and　gathering　his　nightshirt

under　him；　spoke　as　follows：



〃There　are　circumstances；　madam；　which　even　the　greatest　public　servants

cannot　foresee；　and　I；　who　am　the　humblest　of　them；　ask　you　to　forgive　me

for　receiving　you　in　this　costume。〃



〃I　have　brought　your　hat　back；　〃　said　the　old　lady　with　a　kindling　eye；

〃they　told　me　you　lived　here　and　I　was　anxious　to　know　that　you　and　your

dear　dog　were　none　the　worse。



〃Madam；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　〃I　am　infinitely　obliged　to　you。　　Would

you　very　kindly　hang　my；　hat　up　on　theerweeping　willow。　　tree？〃



At　this　moment　a　little　white　dog；　who　accompanied　the　old　lady；　began

sniffing　round　Mr。　Lavender；　and　Blink；　wounded　in　her　proprietary

instincts；　placed　her　paws　at　once　on　her　master's　shoulders；　so　that　he

fell　prone。　　When　he　recovered　a　sitting　posture　neither　the　old　lady　nor

the　little　dog　were　in　sight；　but　his　hat　was　hanging　on　a　laurel　bush。

〃There　seems　to　be　something　fateful　about　this　morning；〃　he　mused；　〃I

had　better　go　in　before　the　rest　of　the　female　population〃　and

recovering　his　feet　with　difficulty；　he　took　his　hat；　and　was　about　to

enter　the　house　when　he　saw　the　young　lady　watching　him　from　an　upper

window　of　the　adjoining　castle。　　Thinking　to　relieve　her　anxiety；　he　said

at　once：



〃My　dear　young　lady；　I　earnestly　beg　you　to　believe　that　such　a　thing

never　happens　to　me；　as　a　rule。〃



Her　face　was　instantly　withdrawn；　and；　sighing　deeply；　Mr。　Lavender

entered　the　house　and　made　his　way　upstairs。　　〃　Ah！〃　he　thought；

painfully　recumbent　in　his　bed　once　more；　〃though　my　bones　ache　and　my

head　burns　I　have　performed　an　action　not　unworthy　of　the　traditions　of

public　life。　　There　is　nothing　more　uplifting　than　to　serve　Youth　and

Beauty　at　the　peril　of　one's　existence。　　Humanity　and　Chivalry　have　ever

been　the　leading　characteristics　of　the　British　race；〃　and；　really　half…

delirious　now；　he　cried　aloud：　〃This　incident　will　for　ever　inspire　those

who　have　any　sense　of　beauty　to　the　fulfilment　of　our　common　task。

Believe　me；　we　shall　never　sheathe　the　sword　until　the　cause　of　humanity

and　chivalry　is　safe　once　more。〃



Blink；　ever　uneasy　about　sounds　which　seemed　to　her　to　have　no　meaning；

stood　up　on　her　hind　legs　and　endeavoured　to　stay　them　by　licking　his

face；　and　Mr。　Lavender；　who　had　become　so　stiff　that　he　could　not　stir

without　great　pain；　had　to　content　himself　by　moving　his　head　feebly　from

side　to　side　until　his　dog；　having　taken　her　fill；　resumed　the

examination　of　her　bone。　　Perceiving　presently　that　whenever　he　began　to…

talk　she　began　to　lick　his　face；　he　remained　silent；　with　his　mouth　open

and　his　eyes　shut；　in　an　almost　unconscious　condition；　from　which　he　was

roused　by　a　voice　saying：



〃He　is　suffering　from　alcoholic　poisoning。〃



The　monstrous　injustice　of　these　words　restored　his　faculties；　and　seeing

before　him　what　he　took　to　be　a　large　concourse　of　people　composed　in

reality　of　Joe　Petty；　Mrs。　Petty；　and　the　doctorhe　thus　addressed　them

in　a　faint；　feverish　voice：



〃The　pressure　of　these　times；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　brings　to　the　fore

the　most　pushing　and　obstreperous　blackguards。　　We　have　amongst　us

persons　who；　under　the　thin　disguise　of　patriotism；　do　not　scruple　to

bring　hideous　charges　against　public　men。　　Such　but　serve　the　blood…

stained　cause　of　our　common　enemies。　　Conscious　of　the　purity　of　our

private　lives；　we　do　not　care　what　is　said　of　us　so　long　as　we　can　fulfil

our　duty　to　our　country。　　Abstinence　from　every　form　of　spirituous　liquor

has　been　the　watchword　of　all　public　men　since　this　land　was　first

threatened　by　the　most　stupendous　cataclysm　which　ever　hung　over　the

heads　of　a　great　democracy。　　We　have　never　ceased　to　preach　the　need　for

it；　and　those　who　say　the　contrary　are　largely　Germans　or　persons　lost　to

a　sense　of　decency。〃　　So　saying；　he　threw　off　all　the　bedclothes；　and

fell　back　with　a　groan。



〃Easy；　easy；　my　dear　sir！〃　said　the　voice。



〃Have　you　a　pain　in　your　back？〃



〃I　shall　not　submit；〃　returned　our　hero；　〃to　the　ministrations　of　a　Hun；

sooner　will　I　breathe　my　last。〃



〃Turn　him　over；〃　said　the　voice。　　And　Mr。　Lavender　found　himself　on　his

face。



〃Do　you　feel　that？〃　said　the　voice。



Mr。　Lavender　answered　faintly　into　his　pillow：



〃It　is　useless　for　you　to　torture　me。　　No　German　hand　shall　wring　from　me

a　groan。〃



〃Is　there　mania　in　his　family？〃　asked　the　voice。　　At　this　cruel　insult

Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　nearly　smothered；　made　a　great　effort；　and　clearing

his　mouth　of　the　pillow；　said：



〃Since　we　have　no　God　nowadays；　I　call　the　God　of　my　fathers　to　witness

that　there　is　no　saner　public　man　than　I。〃



It　was；　however；　his　last　effort；　for　the　wriggle　he　had　given　to　his

spine　brought　on　a　kind　of　vertigo；　and　he　relapsed　into　unconsciousness。









V



IS　CONVICTED　OF　A　NEW　DISEASE



Those　who　were　assembled　round　the　bed　of　Mr。　Lavender　remained　for　a

moment　staring　at　him　with　their　mouths　open；　while　Blink　growled　faintly

from　underneath。



〃Put　your　hand　here；〃　said　the　doctor　at　last。



There　is　a　considerable　swelling；　an　appearance　of　inflammation；　and　the

legs　are　a　curious　colour。　　You　gave　him　three…quarters　of　a　tumbler　of

rumhow　much　honey？〃



Thus　addressed；　Joe　Petty；　leaning　his　head　a　little　to　one　side；

answered：



〃Not　'alf　a　pot；　sir。〃



〃Um！　　There　are　all　the　signs　here　of　something　quite　new。　　He's　not　had

a　fall；　has　he？〃



〃Has　he？〃　said　Mrs。　Petty　severely　to　her　husband。



〃No；〃　replied　Joe。



〃Singular！〃　said　the　doctor。　　Turn　him　back　again；　I　want　to　feel　his

head。　　Swollen；　it　may　account　for　his　curious　way　of　talking。　　Well；

shove　in　quinine；　and　keep　him　quiet；　with　hot　bottles　to　his　feet。　　I

think　we　have　come　on　a　new　war　disease。　　I'll　send　you　the　quinine。

Good　morning。



〃Wot　oh！〃　said　Joe　to　his　wife；　when　they　were　left　alone　with　the

unconscious　body　of　their　master。　　〃Poor　old　Guv。！　　Watch　and　pray！〃



〃However　could　you　have　given　him　such　a　thing？〃



〃Wet　outside；　wet　your　inside；〃　muttered　Joe　sulkily；　〃'as　always　been　my

motto。　　Sorry　I　give　'im　the　honey。　　Who'd　ha'　thought　the　product　of　an

'armless　insect　could　'a　done　'im　in　like　this？〃



Fiddle　said　Mrs。　Petty。　　〃In　my　belief　it's　come　on　through　reading　those

newspapers。　　If　I　had　my　way　I'd　bum　the　lot。　　Can　I　trust　you　to　watch

him　while　I　go　and　get　the　bottles　filled？〃



Joe　drooped　his　lids　over　his　greenish　eyes；　and；　with　a　whisk　of　her

head；　his　wife　left　the　room。



〃Gawd　'elp　us！〃　thought　Joe；　gazing　at　his　unconscious　master；　and

fingering　his　pipe；　〃'ow　funny　women　are！　　If　I　was　to　smoke　in　'ere

she'd　have　a　fit。　　I'll　just　'ave　a　whiff　in　the　window；　though！〃　　And；

leaning　out；　he　drew　the　curtains　to　behind　him　and　lighted　his　pipe。



The　sound　of　Blink　gnawing　her　bone　beneath　the　bed　alone　broke　the

silence。



〃I　could　do　with　a　pint　o'　bitter；〃　thought　Joe；　and；　noticing　the　form

of　the　weekly　gardener　down　below；　he　said　softly：



〃'Ello；　Bob！〃



〃'Ello？〃　replied　the　gardener。　　〃'Ow's　yours？〃



〃Nicely。〃



〃Goin'　to　'ave　some　rain？〃



〃Ah！〃



〃What's　the；　matter　with　that？〃



〃Good　for　the　crops。〃



〃Missis　well？〃



〃So；　so。〃



〃Wish　mine　was。〃



〃Wot's　the　matter　with　her？〃



〃Busy！〃　replied　Joe；　sinking　his　voice。　　Never　'ave　a　woman　permanent；

that's　my　experience。



The　gardener　did　not　reply；　but　stood　staring　at　the　lilac…bush　below　Joe

Petty's　face。　　He　was　a　thin　man；　rather　like　an　old　horse。



〃Do　you　think　we　can　win　this　war？〃　resumed　Joe。



〃Dunno；〃　replied　the　gardener　apathetically。



〃We　seem　to　be　goin'　back　nicely　all　the　time。〃



Joe　wagged　his　head。　　〃You've　'it　it；〃　he　said。　　And；　jerking　his　head

back　towards　the　room　behind　him；　〃Guv'nor's　got　it　now。〃



〃What？〃



〃The　new　disease。〃



〃What　new　disease？〃



〃Wy；　the　Run…abaht…an…tell…'em…'ow…to…do…it。〃



〃Ah！〃



〃'E's　copped　it　fair。　　In　bed。〃



〃You　don't　say！〃



〃Not　'alf！〃　Joe　sank　his　voice　still　lower。　　〃Wot'll　you　bet　me　I　don't

ketch　it　soon？〃



The　gardener　uttered　a　low　gurgle。



〃The　cats　'ave　been　in　that　laylock；〃　he　replied；　twisting　off　a　broken

branch。　　〃I'll　knock　off　now　for　a　bit　o'　lunch。〃



But　at　that　moment　the　sound　of　a　voice　speaking　as　it　might　be　from　a

cavern；　caused　him　and　Joe　Petty　to　stare　at　each　other　as　if　petrified。



〃Wot　is　it？〃　whispered　Joe　at　last。



The　gardener　jerked　his　head　towards　a　window　on　the　ground　floor。



〃Someone　in　pain；〃　he　said。



〃Sounds　like　the　Guv'nor's　voice。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　gardener。



〃Alf　a　mo'！〃　　And；　drawing　in　his　head；　Joe　peered　through　the　curtains。

The　bed　was　empty　and　the　door　open。



〃Watch　it！　'E's　loose！〃　　he　called　to　the　gardener；　and　descended　the

stairs　at　a　run。



In　fact；　Mr。　Lavender　had　come　out　of　his　coma　at　the　words；　〃　D'you

think　we　can　win　this　war？〃　　And；　at　once　conscious　that　he　had　not　read

the　morning　papers；　had　got　out　of　bed。　　Sallying　forth　just　as　he　was　he

had　made　his　way　downstairs；　followed　by　Blink。　　Seeing　the　journals

lying　on　the　chest　in　the　hall；　he　took　all　five　to　where　he　usually