the burning spear-第13部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


swallowed。　　〃Look　at　me！〃　he　cried　to　the　three　；Germans；　〃look　at　me！

III'm　going　to　be　sick！〃　and　putting　down　his　plate；　he　rose　and

staggered　forward。　　〃Joe；〃　he　said　in　a　dying　voice；　〃feed　these　poor

men；　feed　them；　make　them　drink；　feed　them！〃　　And　rushing　headlong　to　the

edge　of　the　grove；　he　returned　what　he　had　swallowedto　the　great

interest　of　Brink。　　Then；　waving　away　the　approach　of　Joe；　and　consumed

with　shame　and　remorse　at　his　lack　of　heroism；　he　ran　and　hid　himself　in

a　clump　of　hazel　bushes；　trying　to　slink　into　the　earth。　　〃No；〃　he

thought；　〃no；　I　am　not　for　public　life。　　I　have　failed　at　the　first　test。

Was　ever　so　squeamish　an　exhibition？　　I　have　betrayed　my　country　and　the

honour　of　public　life。　　These　Germans　are　now　full　of　beer　and　pigeon…

pie。　　What　am　I　but　a　poltroon；　unworthy　to　lace　the　shoes　of　the　great

leaders　of　my　land？　　The　sun　has　witnessed　my　disgrace。〃



How　long　he　stayed　there　lying　on　his　face　he　did　not　know　before　he

heard　the　voice　of　Joe　saying；　〃Wot　oh；　sir！〃



〃Joe；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender　faintly；　〃my　body　is　here；　but　my　spirit　has

departed。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Joe；　〃a　rum　upsetthat　there。　　Swig　this　down；　sir！〃　and　he

held　out　to　his　master；　a　flask…cup　filled　with　brandy。　　Mr。　Lavender

swallowed　it。



〃Have　they　gone？〃　he　said；　gasping。



〃They　'ave；　sir；〃　replied　Joe；　〃and　not　'alf　full　neither。　　Where　did　you

pick　'em　up？〃



〃In　a　gravel…pit；　〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃I　can　never　forgive　myself　for

this　betrayal　of　my　King　and　country。　　I　have　fed　three　Germans。　　Leave

me；　for　I　am　not　fit　to　mingle　with　my　fellows。〃



〃Well；　I　don't　think；〃　said　Joe。　　〃Germans？〃



Gazing　up　into　his　face　Mr。　Lavender　read　the　unmistakable　signs　of

uncontrolled　surprise。



〃Why　do　you　look　at　me　like　that？〃　he　said。



〃Germans？〃　repeated　Joe；　〃what　Germans？　　Three　blighters　workin'　on　the

road；　as　English　as　you　or　me。　　Wot　are　you　talkin'　about；　sir？〃



〃What！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender　do　you　tell　me　they　were　not　Germans？〃



〃Well；　their　names　was　Tompkins；　'Obson；　and　Brown；　and　they　'adn't　an

'aitch　in　their　'eads。〃



〃God　be　praised　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃I　am；　then；　still　an　English

gentleman。　　Joe；　I　am　very　hungry；　is　there　nothing　left？　〃



〃Nothin'　whatever；　sir；〃　replied　Joe。



〃Then　take　me　home；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　I　care　not；　for　my　spirit　has

come　back　to　me。〃



So　saying；　he　rose；　and　supported　by　Joe；　made　his　way　towards　the　car；

praising　God　in　his　heart　that　he　had　not　disgraced　his　country。









IX



CONVERSES　WITH　A　CONSCIENTIOUS　OBJECTOR



〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　when　they　had　proceeded　some　twenty　miles　along

the　road　for　home；　〃my　hunger　is　excessive。　　If　we　come　across　an　hotel；

Joe；　pull　up。〃



〃Right…o；　sir；〃　returned　Joe。　　〃'Otels；　ain't　what　they　were；　but　we'll

find　something。　　I've　got　your　coupons。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　seated　beside　his　chauffeur　on　the　driving…seat；

while　Blink　occupied　in　solitude　the　body　of　the　car；　was　silent　for　a

minute；　revolving　a　philosophic　thought。



〃Do　you　find；〃　he　said　suddenly；　〃that　compulsory　sacrifice　is　doing　you

good；　Joe？〃



〃It's　good　for　my　thirst；　sir；〃　replied　Joe。　　〃Never　was　so　powerful

thirsty　in　me　life　as　I've　been　since　they　watered　beer。　　There's　just

'enough　in　it　to　tickle　you。　　That　bottle　o'　Bass　you　would　'ave　'ad　at

lunch　is　the　last　of　the　old　stock　at　'ome；　sir；　an'　the　sight　of　it　fair

gave　me　the　wind　up。　　To　think　those　blighters　'ad　it！　　Wish　I'd　known

they　was　GermansI　wouldn't　'ave　weakened　on　it。〃



〃Do　not；　I　beg；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃remind　me　of　that　episode。　　I

sometimes　think；〃　he　went　on　as　dreamily　as　his　hunger　would　permit；

〃that　being　forced　to　deprive　oneself　awakens　one's　worst　passions；　that

is；　of　course；　speaking　rather　as　a　man　than　a　public　man。　　What　do　you

think　will　happen；　Joe；　when　we　are　no　longer　obliged　to　sacrifice

ourselves？



〃Do　wot　we've　been　doin　all　along　sacrifice　someone　else；〃　said　Joe

lightly。



〃Be　serious；　Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。



〃Well；〃　returned　Joe；　〃I　don't　know　what'll　'appen　to　you；　sir；　but　I

shall　go　on　the　bust　permanent。〃



Mr。　Lavender　sighed。　　〃I　do　so　wonder　whether　I　shall；　too；〃　he　said。



Joe　looked　round　at　him；　and　a　gleam　of　compassion　twinkled　in　his

greenish　eyes。　　〃Don't　you　worry；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃it's　a　question　of

constitootion。　　A　week'd　sew　you　up。〃



〃A　week！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　with　watering　lips；　〃I　trust　I　may　not　forget

myself　so　long　as　that。　　Public　men　do　not　go　'on　the　bust；'　Joe；　as　you

put　it。〃



〃Be　careful；　sir！　　I　can't　drive　with　one　eye。〃



〃How　can　they；　indeed？〃　went　on　Mr。　Lavender；　〃they　are　like　athletes；

ever　in　training　for　their　unending　conflict　with　the　national　life。〃



〃Well；〃　answered　Joe　indulgently；　〃they　'as　their　own　kind　of

intoxication；　toothat's　true；　and　the　fumes　is　permanent；　they're

gassed　all　the　time；　and　chloroformed　the　rest。



〃I　don't　know　to　what　you　allude；　Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　severely。



〃'Aven't　you　never　noticed；　sir；　that　there's　two　worldsthe　world　as　it

is；　and　the　world　as　it　seems　to　the　public　man？〃



〃That　may　be；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　with　some　excitement。　　〃But　which　is　the

greater；　which　is　the　nobler；　Joe？　　And　what　does　the　other　matter？

Surely　that　which　flourishes　in　great　minds；　and　by　their　utterances　is

made　plain。　　Is　it　not　better　to　live　in　a　world　where　nobody　shrinks

from　being　starved　or　killed　so　long　as　they　can　die　for　their　kings　and

countries；　rather　than　in　a　world　where　people　merely　wish　to　live？〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Joe；　〃we're　all　ready　to　die　for　our　countries　if　we've　got

to。　　But　we　don't　look　on　it；　like　the　public　speakers；　as　a　picnic。

They're　a　bit　too　light…'earted。〃



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　covering　his　ears；　and　instantly　uncovering

them　again；　〃this　is　the　most　horrible　blasphemy　I　have　ever　listened

to。〃



〃I　can　do　better　than　that；　sir；〃　answered　Joe。　　〃Shall　I　get　on　with

it？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　clenching　his　hands；　〃a　public　man　shrinks　from

nothingnot　even　from　the　gibes　of　his　enemies。〃



〃Well；　wot　abaht　it；　sir？　　Look　at　the　things　they　say；　and　at　what

really　is。　　Mind　you；　I'm　not　speakin'　particular　of　the　public　men　in

this　countryor　any　other　country；　I'm　speakin'　of　the　lot　of　'em　in

every　country。　　They're　a　sort　of　secret　society；　brought　up　on　gas。　　And

every　now　and　then　someone　sets　a　match　to　it；　and　we　get　it　in　the　neck。

Look　'ere；　sir。　　Dahn　squats　one　on　his　backside　an'　writes　something　in

'igh　words。　　Up　pops　another　and　says　something　in　'igher；　an'　so　they　go

on　poppin'　up　an'　squattin'　dahn　till　you　get　an　atmosphere　where　you

can't　breathe；　and　all　the　time　all　we　want　is　to　be　let　alone；　and　'uman

kindness　do　the　rest。　　All　these　fellers　'ave　got　two　weaknessesone's

ideas；　and　the　other's　their　own　importance。　　They've　got　to　be

conspicuous；　and　without　ideas　they　can't；　so　it's　a　vicious　circle。

When　I　see　a　man　bein'　conspicuous；　I　says　to　meself：　'Gawd　'elp　us；　we

shall　want　it！'　　And　sooner　or　later　we　always　do。　　I'll　tell　you　what's

the　curse　of　the　world；　sir；　it's　the　gift　of　expressin'　what　ain't　your

real　feeling。　　AndLord！　what　a　lot　of　us　'ave　got　it！〃



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　whose　eyes　were　almost　starting　from　his　head；

〃your　words　are　the　knell　of　poetry；　philosophy；　and　proseespecially　of

prose。　　They　are　the　grave　of　history；　which；　as　you　know；　is　made　up　of

the　wars　and　intrigues　which　have　originated　in　the　brains　of　public　men。

If　your　sordid　views　were　true；　how　do　you　suppose　for　one　minute　that　in

this　great　epic　struggle　we　could　be　consoled　by　the　thought　that　we　are

'making　history'？　　Has　there　been　a　single　utterance　of　any　note　which

has　not　poured　the　balm　of　those　words　into　our　ears？　　Think　how　they

have　sustained　the　widow　and　the　orphan；　and　the　wounded　lying　out　in

agony　under　the　stars。　　'To　make　history；'　'to　act　out　the　great　drama'

that　thought；　ever　kept　before　us；　has　been　our　comfort　and　their　stay。

And　you　would　take　it　from　us？　　Shameshame！〃　repeated　Mr。　Lavender。

You　would　destroy　all　glamour；　and　be　the　death　of　every　principle。〃



〃Give　me　facts；〃　said　Joe　stubbornly；　〃an'　you　may　'ave　my　principles。

As　to　the　other　thing；　I　don't　know　what　it　is；　but　you　may　'ave　it；　too。

And　'ere's　another　thing；　sir：　haven't　you　never　noticed　that　when　a

public　man　blows　off　and　says　something；　it　does　'im　in？　　No　matter　what

'appens　afterwards；　he's　got　to　stick　to　it　or　look　a　fool。〃



〃I　certainly　have　not；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　I　have　never；　or　very　seldom；

noticed　that　narrowness　in　public　men；　nor　have　I　ever　seen　them　'looking

fools'　as　you　rudely　put　it。〃



〃Where　are　your　eyes；　sir？〃　answered　Joe；　〃where　are　your　eyes？　　I　give

you　my　word　it's　one　or　the　other；　though　I　admit　they've　brought

camouflage　to　an　'igh　art。　　But；　speaking　soberly；　sir；　if　that's

pos