the burning spear-第14章

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This　is　the　one　lesson　that　the　Germans　can　teach　us；　for　we　had　almost

forgotten　the　art。　　What　danger　we　were　in！　　Thank　God；　we　have　past

masters　again　among　us　now！〃　　A　frown　became　fixed　between　his　brows。

〃Yes；　indeed；　past　masters。　　How　I　venerate　those　good　journalists　and

all　the　great　crowd　of　witnesses　who　have　dominated　the　mortal　weakness；

pity。　　'The　Hun　must　and　shall　be　destroyedroot　and　branchhip　and

thighbag　and　baggage　man；　woman；　and　babethis　is　the　sole　duty　of　the

great　and　humane　British　people。　　Roll　up；　ladies　and　gentlemen；　roll　up！

Great　thoughtgreat　language！　　And　yet〃



Here　Mr。　Lavender　broke　into　a　gentle　sweat；　while　the　Germans　went　on

sifting　gravel　in　front　of　him；　and　Blink　continued　to　look　up　into　his

face　with　her　fixed；　lustrous　eyes。　　〃What　an　awful　thing；〃　he　thought；

〃to　be　a　man。　　If　only　I　were　just　a　public　man　and　could；　as　they　do；

leave　out　the　human　and　individual　side　of　everything；　how　simple　it

would　be！　　It　is　the　being　a　man　as　well　which　is　so　troublesome。　　A　man

has　feelings；　it　is　wrongwrong！　　There　should　be　no　connection　whatever

between　public　duty　and　the　feelings　of　a　man。　　One　ought　to　be　able　to

starve　one's　enemy　without　a　quiver；　to　watch　him　drown　without　a　wink。

In　fact；　one　ought　to　be　a　German。　　We　ought　all　to　be　Germans。　　Blink；

we　ought　all　to　be　Germans；　dear！　　I　must　steel　myself！〃　　And　Mr。

Lavender　wiped　his　forehead；　for；　though　a　great　idea　had　come　to　him；　he

still　lacked　the　heroic　savagery　to　put　it　into　execution。　　〃It　is　my

duty；〃　he　thought；　〃to　cause　those　hungry；　sad…looking　men　to　follow　me

and　watch　me　eat　my　lunch。　　It　is　my　duty。　　God　give　me　strength！　　For

unless　I　make　this　sacrifice　of　my　gentler　nature　I　shall　be　unworthy　to

call　myself　a　public　man；　or　to　be　reported　in　the　newspapers。　　'En

avant；　de　Bracy！'〃　So　musing；　he　rose；　and　Blink　with　him。　　Crossing　the

road；　he　clenched　his　fists；　and　said　in　a　voice　which　anguish　made

somewhat　shrill：



〃Are　you　hungry；　my　friends？



The　Germans　stopped　sifting　gravel；　looked　up　at　him；　and　one　of　them

nodded。



〃And　thirsty？〃



This　time　they　all　three　nodded。



〃Come　on；　then；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。



And　he　led　the　way　back　along　the　road；　followed　by　Blink　and　the　three

Germans。　　Arriving　at　the　beech　clump　whose　great　trees　were　already

throwing　shadows；　denoting　that　it　was　long　past　noon；　Mr。　Lavender　saw

that　Joe　had　spread　food　on　the　smooth　ground；　and　was；　indeed；　just

finishing　his　own　repast。



〃What　is　there　to　eat？〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　with　a　soft　of　horror。

〃For　I　feel　as　if　I　were　about　to　devour　a　meal　of　human　flesh。〃　　And　he

looked　round　at　the　three　Germans　slouching　up　shamefacedly　behind　him。



〃Sit　down；　please；〃　he　said。　　The　three　men　sat　down。



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　to　his　surprised　chauffeur；　〃serve　my　lunch。

Give　me　a　large　helping；　and　a　glass　of　ale。　　〃And；　paler　than　his

holland　dust…coat；　he　sat　resolutely　down　on　the　bole　of　a　beech；　with

Blink　on　her　haunches　beside　him。　　While　Joe　was　filling　a　plate　with

pigeon…pie　and　pouring　out　a　glass　of　foaming　Bass；　Mr。　Lavender　stared

at　the　three　Germans　and　suffered　the　tortures　of　the　damned。　　〃I　will

not　flinch；〃　he　thought；　〃God　helping　me；　I　certainly　will　not　flinch。

Nothing　shall　prevent　my　going　through　with　it。〃　　And　his　eyes；　more

prominent　than　a　hunted　rabbit's；　watched　the　approach　of　Joe　with　the

plate　and　glass。　　The　three　men　also　followed　the　movements　of　the

chauffeur；　and　it　seemed　to　Mr。　Lavender　that　their　eyes　were　watering。

〃Courage！〃　he　murmured　to　himself；　transfixing　a　succulent　morsel　with

his　fork　and　conveying　it　to　his　lips。　　For　fully　a　minute　he　revolved

the　tasty　mouthful；　which　he　could　not　swallow；　while　the　three　men's

eyes　watched　him　with　a　sort　of　lugubrious　surprise。　　〃If；〃　he　thought

with　anguish；　〃if　I　were　a　prisoner　in　Germany！　　Come；　come！　　One　effort；

it's　only　the　first　mouthful！〃　and　with　a　superhuman　effort；　he

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　sa