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the burning spear-第15部分
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Conscientious Objector had eaten all the food and was 〃carrying on
outrageous〃 in the coffee…room。 On hearing this report those who were
assembledbeing four commercial travellers far gone in liquortaking up
the weapons which came nearest to handto wit; four syphonsformed
themselves two deep and marched into the coffee…room。 Aware at once from
Mr。 Lavender's white hair and words that he was not the Objector in
question; they advanced upon the young man; who was still seated; and
taking up the four points of the compass; began squirting him
unmercifully with soda…water。 Blinded and dripping; the unfortunate
young fellow tried desperately to elude the cordon of his persecutors;
only to receive a fresh stream in his face at each attempt。 Seeing him
thus tormented; amid the coarse laughter of these half…drunken
〃travellers;〃 Mr。 Lavender suffered a moment of the most poignant
struggle between his principles and his chivalry。 Then; almost
unconsciously grasping the ham…bone; he advanced and called out loudly:
〃Stop! Do not persecute that young man。 You are four and he is one。
Drop it; I tell youHuns that you are!〃
The commercial fellows; however; laughed; and this infuriating Mr。
Lavender; he dealt one of them a blow with the ham…bone; which; lighting
on the funny point of his elbow; caused him to howl and spin round the
room。 One of the others promptly avenged him with a squirt of syphon in
Mr。 Lavender's left eye; whereon he incontinently attacked them all;
whirling the ham…bone round his head like a shillelagh。 And had it not
been that Blink and the maid seized his coat…tails he would have done
them severe injury。 It was at this moment that Joe Petty; attracted by
the hullabaloo; arrived in the doorway; and running up to his master;
lifted him from behind and carried him from the room; still brandishing
the ham…bone and kicking out with his legs。 Dumping him into the car;
Joe mounted hastily and drove off。 Mr。 Lavender sat for two or three
minutes coming to his senses before full realization of what he had done
dawned on him。 Then; flinging the ham…bone from him; he sank back among
the cushions; with his chin buried on his chest。 〃What have I done?〃 he
thought over and over again。 〃What have I done? Taken up the bone for a
Conscientious Objectordefended a renegade against great odds! My God!
I am indeed less than a public man!〃
And in this state of utter dejection; inanition; and collapse; with Blink
asleep on his feet; he was driven back to Hampstead。
X
DREAMS A DREAM AND SEES A VISION
Though habitually abstemious; Mr。 Lavender was so very hungry that
evening when he sat down to supper that he was unable to leave the
lobster which Mrs。 Petty had provided until it was reduced to mere
integument。 Since his principles prevented his lightening it with
anything but ginger…beer he went to bed in some discomfort; and; tired
out with the emotions of the day; soon fell into a heavy slumber; which
at dawn became troubled by a dream of an extremely vivid character。 He
fancied himself; indeed; dressed in khaki; with a breastplate composed of
newspapers containing reports of speeches which he had been charged to
deliver to soldiers at the front。 He was passing in a winged tank along
those scenes of desolation of which he had so often read in his daily
papers; and which his swollen fancy now coloured even more vividly than
had those striking phrases of the past; when presently the tank turned a
somersault; and shot him out into a morass lighted up by countless star…
shells whizzing round and above。 In this morass were hundreds and
thousands of figures sunk like himself up to the waist; and waving their
arms above their heads。 〃These;〃 thought Mr。 Lavender; 〃must be the
soldiers I have come to speak to;〃 and he tore a sheet off his
breastplate; but before he could speak from its columns it became thin
air in his hand; and he went on tearing off sheet after sheet; hoping to
find a speech which would stay solid long enough for him to deliver it。
At last a little corner stayed substantial in his hand; and he called out
in a loud voice: 〃Heroes!〃
But at the word the figures vanished with a wail; sinking into the mud;
which was left covered with bubbles iridescent in the light of the star…
shells。 At this moment one of these; bursting over his head; turned into
a large bright moon; and Mr。 Lavender saw to his amazement that the
bubbles were really butterflies; perched on the liquid moonlit mud;
fluttering their crimson wings; and peering up at him with tiny human
faces。 〃Who are you?〃 he cried; 〃oh! who are you?〃 The butterflies
closed their wings; and on each of their little faces came a look so sad
and questioning that Mr。 Lavender's tears rolled down into his
breastplate of speeches。 A whisper rose from them。 〃We are the dead。〃
And they flew up suddenly in swarms; and beat his face with their wings。
Mr。 Lavender woke up sitting in the middle of the floor; with light
shining in on him through a hole in the curtain; and Blink licking off
the tears which were streaming down his face。
〃Blink;〃 he said; 〃I have had a horrible dream。〃 And still conscious of
that weight on his chest; as of many undelivered speeches; he was afraid
to go back to bed; so; putting on some clothes; he went carefully
downstairs and out of doors into the morning。 He walked with his dog
towards the risen sun; alone in the silvery light of Hampstead;
meditating deeply on his dream。 〃I have evidently;〃 he thought; 〃not yet
acquired that felicitous insensibility which is needful for successful
public speaking。 This is undoubtedly the secret of my dream。 For the
sub…conscious knowledge of my deficiency explains the weight on my chest
and the futile tearing of sheet after sheet; which vanished as I tore
them away。 I lack the self…complacency necessary to the orator in any
surroundings; and that golden certainty which has enchanted me in the
outpourings of great men; whether in ink or speech。 This is; however; a
matter which I can rectify with practice。〃 And coming to a little may…
tree in full blossom; he thus addressed it:
〃Little tree; be my audience; for I see in you; tipped with the sunlight;
a vision of the tranquil and beautiful world; which; according to every
authority; will emerge out of this carnival of blood and iron。〃
And the little tree lifted up its voice and answered him with the song of
a blackbird。
Mr。 Lavender's heart; deeply responsive to the voice of Nature; melted
within him。
〃What are the realms of this earth; the dreams of statesmen; and all
plots and policies;〃 he said; 〃compared with the beauty of this little
tree? Sheor is it a he?breathes; in her wild and simple dress; just
to be lovely and loved。 He harbours the blackbird; and shakes fragrance
into the morning; and with her blossom catches the rain and the sun drops
of heaven。 I see in him the witchery of God; and of her prettiness would
I make a song of redemption。〃
So saying he knelt down before the little tree; while Blink on her
haunches; very quiet beside him; looked wiser than many dogs。
A familiar gurgling sound roused him from his devotions; and turning his
head he saw his young neighbour in the garb of a nurse; standing on the
path behind him。 〃She has dropped from heaven;〃 he thought for all
nurses are angels。
And; taking off his hat; he said:
〃You surprised me at a moment of which I am not ashamed; I was communing
with Beauty。 And behold! Aurora is with me。〃
〃Say; rather; Borealis;〃 said the young lady。 〃I was so fed…up with
hospital that I had to have a scamper before turning in。 If you're going
home we might go together?〃
〃It would; indeed; be a joy;〃 said Mr。 Lavender。 〃The garb of mercy
becomes you。〃
〃Do you think so?〃 replied the young lady; in whose cheeks a lovely flush
had not deepened。 〃I call it hideous。 Do you always come out and pray
to that tree?〃
〃I am ashamed to say;〃 returned Mr。 Lavender; 〃that I do not。 But I
intend to do so in future; since it has brought me such a vision。
And he looked with such deferential and shining eyes at his companion
that she placed the back of her hand before her mouth; and her breast
rose。
〃I'm most fearfully sleepy;〃 she said。 〃Have you had any adventures
latelyyou and Samjoe?
〃Samjoe?〃 repeated Mr。 Lavender。
〃Your chauffeurI call him that。 He's very like Sam Weller and Sancho
Panza; don't you think; Don Pickwixote?
〃Ah!〃 said Mr。 Lavender; bewildered; 〃Joe; you mean。 A good fellow。 He
has in him the sort of heroism which I admire more than any other。〃
〃Which is that?〃 asked the young lady。
〃That imperturbable humour in the face of adverse circumstances for which
our soldiers are renowned。〃
〃You are a great believer in heroics; Don Pickwixote;〃 said the young
lady。
〃Wha
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