the burning spear-第7部分

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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　went

at　this　time　of　the　morning；　and　sat　down　to　read。　　Once　there；　the　pain

he　was　in；　added　to　the　disorder　occasioned　in　his　brain　by　the　five

leaders；　caused　him　to　give　forth　a　summary　of　their　contents；　while

Blink　pressed　his　knees　with　her　chin　whenever　the　rising　of　his　voice

betokened　too　great　absorption；　as　was　her　wont　when　she　wanted　him　to

feed　her。　　Joe　Petty　joined　the　gardener　in　considerable　embarrassment。



〃Shan't　I　not　'alf　cop　it　from　the　Missis？〃　he　murmured。　　〃The　door's

locked。〃



The　voice　of　Mr。　Lavender　maintained　its　steady　flow；　rising　and　falling

with　the　tides　of　his　pain　and　his　feelings。　　〃What；　then；　is　our　duty？

Is　it　not　plain　and　simple？　　We　require　every　man　in　the　Army；　for　that

is　the　'sine　qua　non'　of　victory。　　We　must　greatly　reinforce　the　ranks　of

labour　in　our　shipyardsships；　ships；　ships；　always　more　ships；　for

without　them　we　shall　infallibly　be　defeated。　　We　cannot　too　often　repeat

that　we　must　see　the　great　drama　that　is　being　played　before　our　eyes

steadily；　and　we　must　see　it　whole。。。。　　Not　a　man　must　be　taken　from　the

cultivation　of　our　soil；　for　on　that　depends　our　very　existence　as　a

nation。　　Without　abundant　labour　of　the　right　sort　on　the　land　we　cannot

hope　to　cope　with　the　menace　of　the　pirate　submarine。　　We　must　have　the

long　vision；　and　not　be　scuppered　by　the　fears　of　those　who　would　deplete

our　most　vital　industry　。　　。　　。　　。　　In　munition　works；〃　wailed　Mr。

Lavender's　voice；　as　he　reached　the　fourth　leader；　〃we　still　require　the

maximum　of　effort；　and　a　considerable　reinforcement　of　manpower　will　in

that　direction　be　necessary　to　enable　us　to　establish　the　'overwhelming

superiority　in　the　air　and　in　guns　which　alone　can　ensure　the　defeat

of　our　enemies〃。。。。　　He　reached　the　fifth　in　what　was　almost　a　scream。

〃Every　man　up　to　sixty　must　be　mobilized　but　here　we　would　utter　the　most

emphatic　caveat。　　In　the　end　this　war　will　be　won　by　the　country　whose

financial　position　stands　the　strain　best。　　The　last　copper　bullet　will

be　the　deciding　factor。　　Our　economic　strength　must　on　no　account　be

diminished。　　We　cannot　at　this　time　of　day　afford　to　deplete　the　ranks　of

trade　and　let　out　the　very　life…blood　in　our　veins。　　〃We　must　see；〃

groaned　Mr。　Lavender；　〃the　problem　steadily；　and　see　it　whole。〃



〃Poor　old　geyser！〃　said　the　gardener；　〃'e　do　seem　bad。〃



〃Old　me！〃　said　Joe。



〃I'll　get　on　the　sill　and　see　what　I　can　do　through　the　top　o'　the

window。〃



He　got　up；　and；　held　by　the　gardener；　put　his　arm　through。　　There　was　the

sound　of　considerable　disturbance；　and　through　the　barking　of　Blink；　Mr。

Lavender's　voice　was　heard　again：　〃　Stanch　in　the　middle　of　the

cataclysm；　unruffled　by　the　waters　of　heaven　and　hell；　let　us　be　captains

of　our　souls。　　Down；　Blink；　down！〃



〃He's　out！〃　said　Joe；　rejoining　the　gardener。　　〃Now　for　it；　before　my

missis　comes！〃　and　he　ran　into　the　house。



Mr。　Lavender　was　walking　dazedly　in　the　hall　with　the　journals　held　out

before　him。



〃Joe；〃　he　said；　catching　sight　of　his　servant；　〃get　the　car　ready。

I　must　be　in　five　places　at　once；　for　only　thus　can　we　defeat　the

greatest　danger　which　ever　threatened　the　future　of　civilization。〃



〃Right…o；　sir；〃　replied　Joe；　and；　waiting　till　his　master　turned　round；

he　seized　him　round　the　legs；　and　lifting　that　thin　little　body　ascended

the　stairs；　while　Mr。　Lavender；　with　the　journals　waving　fanlike　in　his

hands；　his　white　hair　on　end；　and　his　legs　kicking；　endeavoured　to　turn

his　head　to　see　what　agency　was　moving　him。



At　the　top　of　the　stairs　they　came　on　Mrs。　Petty；　who；　having　Scotch

blood　in　her　veins；　stood　against　the　wall　to　let　them　pass；　with　a　hot

bottle　in　either　hand。　　Having　placed　Mr。　Lavender　in　his　bed　and　drawn

the　clothes　up　to　his　eyes；　Joe　Petty　passed　the　back　of　his　hand　across

his　brow；　and　wrung　it　out。



〃Phew！〃　he　gasped；　〃he's　artful！〃



His　wife；　who　had　followed　them　in；　was　already　fastening　her　eyes　on　the

carpet。



〃What's　that？〃　she　said；　sniffing。



〃That？〃　repeated　Joe；　picking　up　his　pipe；　〃why；　I　had　to　run　to　ketch

'im；　and　it　fell　out　o'　me　pocket。〃



〃And　lighted　itself；〃　said　Mrs。　Petty；　darting；　at　the　floor　and　taking

up　a　glowing　quid　which　had　burned　a　little　round　hole　in　the　carpet。

〃You're　a　pretty　one！〃



〃You　can't　foresee　those　sort　o'　things；〃　said　Joe。



〃You　can't　foresee　anything；〃　replied　his　wife；　〃you　might　be　a

Government。　　Here！　hold　the　clothes　while　I　get　the　bottles　to　his　feet。

Well　I　never！　　If　he　hasn't　got〃　　And　from　various　parts　of　Mr。

Lavender's　body　she　recovered　the　five　journals。　　〃For　putting　things　in

the　wrong　place；　Joe　Petty；　I've　never　seen　your　like！〃



〃They'll　keep　'im　warm；〃　said　Joe。



Mr。　Lavender　who；　on　finding　himself　in　bed；　had　once　more　fallen　into　a

comatose　condition；　stirred；　and　some　words　fell　from　his　lips。　　〃Five　in

one；　and　one　in　five。〃



〃What　does　he　say？〃　said　Mrs。　Petty；　tucking　him　up。



〃It's　the　odds　against　Candelabra　for　the　Derby。〃



〃Only　faith；〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　〃　can　multiply　exceedingly。〃



〃Here；　take　them　away！〃　muttered　Mrs。　Petty；　and　dealing　the　journals　a

smart　slap；　she　handed　them　to　Joe。



〃Faith！〃　repeated　Mr。　Lavender；　and　fell　into　a　doze。



〃About　this　new　disease；〃　　said　Joe。　　〃D'you　think　it's　ketchin'？　　I　feel

rather　funny　meself。〃



〃Stuff！〃　returned　his　wife。　　〃Clear　away　those　papers　and　that　bone；　and

go　and　take　Blink　out；　and　sit　on　a　seat；　it's　all　you're　fit　for。　　Of

all　the　happy…go…luckys　you're　the　worst。〃



〃Well；　I　never　could　worry；〃　said　Joe　from　the　doorway；　〃'tisn't　in　me。

So　long！〃



And；　dragging　Blink　by　the　collar；　he　withdrew。



Alone　with　her　patient；　Mrs。　Petty；　an　enthusiast　for　cleanliness　and

fresh　air；　went　on　her　knees；　and；　having　plucked　out　the　charred　ring　of

the　little　hole　in　the　carpet；　opened　the　window　wider　to　rid　the　room　of

the　smell　of　burning。　　〃If　it　wasn't　for　me；〃　she　thought；　leaning　out

into　the　air；　〃I　don't　know　what'd　become　of　them。



A　voice　from　a　few　feet　away　said：



〃I　hope　he's　none　the　worse。　　What　does　the　doctor　say？〃



Looking　round　in　astonishment；　Mrs。　Petty　saw　a　young　lady　leaning　out　of

a　window　on　her　right。



〃We　can't　tell　at　present；〃　she　said；　with　a　certain　reserve　he　is　going

on　satisfactory。



〃It's　not　hydrophobia；　is　it？〃　asked　the　young　lady。　　〃You　know　he　fell

out　of　the　window？



〃What！〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Petty。



〃Where　the　lilac's　broken。　　If　I　can　give　you　a　hand　I　shall　be　very

glad。　　I'm　a　V。A。D。〃



〃Thank　you；　I'm　sure；〃　said　Mrs。　Petty　stiffly；　for　the　passion　of

jealousy；　to　which　she　was　somewhat　prone；　was　rising　in　her；　〃there　is

no　call。〃　　And　she　thought；　〃V。A。　indeed！　　I　know　them。〃



Poor　dear　said　the　young　lady。　　〃He　did　come　a　bump。　　It　was　awfully

funny！　　Is　heer？〃　　And　she　touched　her　forehead；　where　tendrils　of

fair　hair　were　blowing　in　the　breeze。



Inexpressibly　outraged　by　such　a　question　concerning　one　for　whom　she　had

a　proprietary　reverence；　Mrs。　Petty　answered　acidly：



〃Oh　dear　no！　　He　is　much　wiser　than　some　people！〃



〃It　was　only　that　he　mentioned　the　last　man　and　the　last　dollar；　you

know；〃　said　the　young　lady；　as　if　to　herself；　〃but；　of　course；　that's　no

real　sign。〃　And　she　uttered　a　sudden　silvery　laugh。



Mrs。　Petty　became　aware　of　something　tickling　her　left　ear；　and　turning

round；　found　her　master　leaning　out　beside　her；　in　his　dressing…gown。



Leave　me；　Mrs。　Petty；〃　he　said　with　such　dignity　that　she　instinctively

recoiled。　　〃It　may　seem　to　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender；　addressing　the

young　lady；　〃indelicate　on　my　part　to　resume　my　justification；　but　as　a

public　man；　I　suffer；　knowing　that　I　have　committed　a　breach　of　decorum。〃



〃Don't　you　think　you　ought　to　keep　quiet　in　bed？〃　　Mrs。　Petty　heard　the

young　lady　ask。



〃My　dear　young　lady；　〃Mr。　Lavender　replied；　〃the　thought　of　bed　is

abhorrent　to　me　at　a　time　like　this。　　What　more　ignoble　fate　than　to　die

in；　one's　bed？



〃I'm　only　asking　you　to　live　in　it；〃　said　the　young　lady；　while　Mrs。

Petty　grasped　her　master　by　the　skirts　of　his　gown。



〃Down；　Blink；　down！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　leaning　still　further　out。



〃For　pity's　sake；　〃　wailed　the　young　lady；　don't　fall　out　again；　or　I

shall　burst。〃



〃Ah；　believe　me；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　in　a　receding　voice；　〃I　would　not

pain　you　further　for　the　world〃



Mrs。　Petty；　exerting　all　her　strength；　had　hauled　him　in。



〃Aren't　you　ashamed　of　yourself；　sir；〃　she　said　severely；　〃talking　to　a

young　lady　like　that　in　your　dressing…gown？



〃Mrs。　Petty；〃　said　Mr　Lavender　mysteriously；　〃it　might　have　been

worse。。。。　　I　should　like　some　tea　with　a　little　lemon　in　it。



Taking　this　for　a　sign　of　returning　reason　Mrs。　Petty　drew　him　gently

towards　the　bed；　and；　having　seen　him　get　in；　tucked　him　up　and　said：



〃Now；　sir；　you　never　break　your　word；　do　you？〃



〃No　public　man〃　began　Mr。　Lavender。



〃Oh；　bother！　　Now；　promise　me　to　stay　quiet　in　bed　while　I　get　you　that

tea。〃



〃I　certainly　shall；〃　replied　our　hero；　〃for　I　feel　rather　faint。〃



〃That's　right；〃　said　Mrs。　Petty。　　〃I　trust　you。〃　　And；　bolting　the

window；　she　whisked　out　of　the　room　and　locked　the　door　behind　her。



Mr。　Lavender　lay　with　his　eyes　fixed　on　the；　ceiling；　clucking　his

parched　tongue。　　〃God；〃　he　thought；　〃for　one　must　use　that　word　when　the

country　is　in　dangerGod　be　thanked　for　Beauty！　　But　I　must　not　allow　it

to　unsteel　my　soul。　　Only　when　the　cause　of　humanity　has　triumphed；　and

with　the　avenging　sword　and　shell　we　have　exterminated　that　criminal

nation；　only　then　shall　I　be　entitled　to　let　its　gentle　influence　creep

about　my　being。〃　　And　drinking　off　the　tumbler　of　tea　which　Mrs。　Petty

was