the burning spear-第8部分

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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　holding　to　his　lips；　he　sank　almost　immediately　into　a　deep　slumber。









VI



MAKES　A　MISTAKE；　AND　MEETS　A　MOON…CAT



The　old　lady；　whose　name　was　Sinkin；　and　whose　interest　in　Mr。　Lavender

had　become　so　deep；　lived　in　a　castle　in　Frognal；　and　with　her　lived　her

young　nephew；　a　boy　of　forty…five；　indissolubly　connected　with　the　Board

of　Guardians。　　It　was　entirely　due　to　her　representations　that　he

presented　himself　at　Mr。　Lavender's　on　the　following　day；　and；　sending　in

his　card；　was　admitted　to　our　hero's　presence。



Mr。　Lavender；　pale　and　stiff；　was　sitting　in　his　study；　with　Blink　on　his

feet；　reading　a　speech。



〃Excuse　my　getting　up；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃and　pray　be　seated。〃



The　nephew；　who　had　a　sleepy；　hairless　face　and　little　Chinese　eyes；

bowed；　and　sitting　down；　stared　at　Mr。　Lavender　with　a　certain

embarrassment。



〃I　have　come；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃to　ask　you　a　few　questions　on　behalf

of〃



〃By　all　means；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　perceiving　at　once　that　he　was　being

interviewed。　　〃I　shall　be　most　happy　to　give　you　my　views。　　Please　take　a

cigarette；　for　I　believe　that　is　usual。　　I　myself　do　not　smoke。　　If　it　is

the　human　touch　you　want；　you　may　like　to　know　that　I　gave　it　up　when

that　appeal　in　your　contemporary　flooded　the　trenches　with　cigarettes　and

undermined　the　nerves　of　our　heroes。　　By　setting　an　example　of

abstinence；　and　at　the　same　time　releasing　more　tobacco　for　our　men；

I　felt　that　I　was　but　doing　my　duty。　　Please　don't　mention　that；　though。

And　while　we　are　on　the　personal　note；　which　I　sincerely　deprecate；　you

might　like　to　stroll　round　the　room　and　look　at　the　portrait　of　my

father；　behind　the　door；　and　of　my　mother；　over　the　fireplace。　　Forgive

my　not　accompanying　you。　　The　fact　isthis　is　an　interesting　touchI

have　always　been　rather　subject　to　lumbago。〃　　And　seeing　the　nephew

Sinkin；　who　had　risen　to　his　suggestion；　standing　somewhat　irresolutely

in　front　of　him；　he　added：　〃Perhaps　you　would　like　to　look　a　little　more

closely　at　my