the burning spear-第4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！


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While　I　have　any　say　in　this　matter；　no　man　or　woman　shall　be　withdrawn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　for　a　shepherd　appeared　on　the

path；　tapping　her　forehead　with　finger。



〃All　right！〃　said　the　owner　of　the　garden；　〃take　him　away。〃



The　old　lady　laced　her　hand　within　Mr。　Lavender's　arm。　　〃Come　with　me；

sir；〃　　she　said；　〃and　your　nice　doggie。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　whose　politeness　to　ladies　was　invariable；　bowed；　and

resuming　his　coat　accompanied　her　through　the　'garden　gate。　　〃He　kicked

my　dog；〃　he　said；　〃no　action　could　be　more　despicable。〃



〃Yes；　yes；〃　said　the　old　lady　soothingly。　　〃Poor　doggie！〃



The　crowd；　who　had　hoped　for　better　things；　here　gave　vent　to　a　prolonged

jeer。



〃Stop！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃I　am　going　to　take　a　collection。



〃There；　there！〃　　said　the　old　lady。　　〃Poor　man！〃



〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean　by　that；　madam；　said　Mr。　Lavender；　whose

spirit　was　roused；　〃I　shall　certainly　take　a　collection；　in　the　interests

of　our　population。　　〃So　saying　he　removed　his　hat；　and　disengaging　his

arm　from　the　old　lady's　hand；　moved　out　into　the　throng；　extending　the

hat。　　A　boy　took　it　from　him　at　once；　and　placing　it　on　his　head；　ran

off；　pursued　by　Blink；　who；　by　barking　and　jumping　up　increased　the　boy's

speed　to　one　of　which　he　could　never　have　thought　himself　capable。　　Mr。

Lavender　followed；　calling　out　〃Blink！〃　at　the　top　of　his　voice。　　The

crowd　followed　Mr。　Lavender；　and　the　old　lady　followed　crowd。　　Thus　they

proceeded　until　the　boy；　arriving　at　a　small　piece　of　communal　water；

flung　the　hat　into　the　middle　of　it；　and；　scaling　the　wall；　made　a

strategic　detour　and　became　a　disinterested　spectator　among　the　crowd。

The　hat；　after　skimming　the　surface　of　the　pond；　settled　like　a　water…

lily；　crown　downwards；　while　Blink；　perceiving　in　all　this　the　hand　of

her　master；　stood　barking　at　it　wildly。　　Mr。　Lavender　arrived　at　the　edge

of　the　pond　slightly　in　advance　of　the　crowd。



〃Good　Blink！〃　he　said。　　〃Fetch　it！　Good　Blink！〃



Blink　looked　up　into　his　face；　and；　with　the　acumen　for　which　her　breed

is　noted；　perceiving　he　desired　her　to　enter　the　water　backed　away　from

it。



〃She　is　not　a　water　dog；〃　explained　Mr。　Lavender　to　the　three　soldiers　in

blue　clothes。



〃Good　dog；　fetch　it！〃　Blink　backed　into　the　soldiers；　who；　bending　down；

took　her　by　head　tail；　threw　her　into　the　pond；　and　encouraged　her　on

with　small　stones　pitched　at　the　hat。　　Having　taken　the　plunge；　the

intelligent　animal　waded　boldly　to　the　hat；　and　endeavoured　by　barking

and　making　little　rushes　at　it　with　her　nose；　to　induce　it　to　return　to

shore。



〃She　thinks　it's　a　sheep；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃a　striking　instance　of

hereditary　instinct。〃



Blink；　unable　to　persuade　the　hat；　mounted　it　with　her　fore…paws　and　trod

it　under。



〃Ooray！〃　shouted　the　crowd。



〃Give　us　a　shilling；　guv'nor；　an'　I'll　get　it　for　yer？〃



〃Thank　you；　my　boy；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　producing　a　shilling。



The　boythe　same　boy　who　had　thrown　it　instepped　into　the　water　and

waded　towards　the　hat。　　But　as　he　approached；　Blink　interposed　between

him　and　the　hat；　growling　and　showing　her　teeth。



〃Does　she　bite？〃　yelled　the　boy。



〃Only　strangers；〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender。



Excited　by　her　master's　appeal；　Blink　seized　the　jacket　of　the　boy；　who

made　for　the　shore；　while　the　hat　rested　in　the　centre　of　the　pond；　the

cynosure　of　the　stones　with　which　the　soldiers　were　endeavouring　to　drive

it　towards　the　bank。　　By　this；　time　the　old　lady　had　rejoined　Mr。

Lavender。



〃Your　nice　hat　she　murmured。



〃I　thank　you　for　your　sympathy；　madam；〃　Lavender；　running　his　hand

through　his　hair；　〃in　moments　like　these　one　realizes　the　deep　humanity

of　the　British　people。　　I　really　believe　that　in　no　other　race　could　you

find　such　universal　interest　and　anxiety　to　recover　a　hat。　　Say　what　you

will；　we　are　a　great　nation；　who　only；　need　rousing　to　show　our　best

qualities。　　Do　you　remember　the　words　of　the　editor：　'In　the　spavined　and

spatch…cocked　ruin　to　which　our　inhuman　enemies　have　reduced

civilization；　we　of　the　island　shine　with　undimmed　effulgence　in　all

those　qualities　which　mark　man　out　from　the　ravening　beast'？〃



〃But　how　are　you　going　to　get　your　hat？〃　asked　the　old　lady。



〃I　know　not；〃　　returned　Mr。　Lavender；　still　under　the　influence　of　the

sentiment　he　had　quoted；　〃but　if　I　had　fifteen　hats　I　would　take　them　all

off　to　the　virtues　which　have　been　ascribed　to　the　British　people　by　all

those　great　men　who　have　written　and　spoken　since　the　war　began。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　old　lady　soothingly。　　〃But；　I　think　you　had　better　come

under　my　sunshade。　　The　sun　is　very　strong。〃



〃Madam；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃you　are　very　good；　but　your　sunshade　is　too

small。　　To　deprive　you　of　even　an　inch　of　its　shade　would　be　unworthy　of

anyone　in　public　life。〃　　So　saying；　he　recoiled　from　the　proffered

sunshade　into　the　pond；　which　he　had　forgotten　was　behind　him。



〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃now　you've　got　your　feet　wet！〃



〃It　is　nothing；〃　responded　Mr。　Lavender　gallantly。　　And　seeing　that　he

was　already　wet；　he　rolled　up　his　trousers；　and　holding　up　the　tails　of

his　holland　coat；　turned　round　and　proceeded　towards　his　hat；　to　the

frantic　delight　of　the　crowd。



〃The　war　is　a　lesson　to　us　to　make　little　of　little　things；　〃　he　thought；

securing　the　hat　and　wringing　it　out。　　〃My　feet　are　wet；　buthow　much

wetter　they　would　be　in　the　trenches；　if　feet　can　be　wetter　than　wet

through；〃　he　mused　with　some　exactitude。　　〃Down；　Blink；　down！〃　　For　Blink

was　plastering　him　with　the　water…marks　of　joy　and　anxiety。　　〃Nothing　is

quite　so　beautiful　as　the　devotion　of　one's　own　dog；〃　thought　Mr。

Lavender；　resuming　the　hat；　and　returning　towards　the　shore。　　The　by…now…

considerable　throng　were　watching　him　with　every　mark　of　acute　enjoyment；

and　the　moment　appeared　to　Mr。　Lavender　auspicious　for　addressing　them。

Without；　therefore；　emerging　from　the　pond；　which　he　took　for　his；

p