the burning spear-第15章

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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

possible；　public　men　are　a　good　thing'　and　you　can　'ave　too　much　of　it。

But　you　began　it；　sir；〃　he　added　soothingly；　〃and　'ere's　your　hotel。

You'll　feel　better　with　something　inside　you。〃



So　saying；　he　brought　the　car　to　a　standstill　before　a　sign　which　bore

the　words；　〃Royal　Goat。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　deep　sunk　in　the　whirlpool　of　feeling　which　had　been

stirred　in　him　by　his　chauffeur's　cynicism；　gazed　at　the　square　redbrick

building　with　bewildered　eyes。



〃It's　quite　O。　K。；〃　said　Joe；　〃I　used　to　call　here　regular　when　I　was

travellin'　in　breeches。　　Where　the　commercials　are　gathered　together　the

tap　is　good；〃　he　added；　laying　a　finger　against　the　side　of　his　nose。

〃And　they've　a　fine　brand　of　pickles。　　Here's　your　coupon。〃



Thus　encouraged；　Mr。　Lavender　descended　from　the　car；　and；　accompanied　by

Blink；　entered　the　hotel　and　sought　the　coffee…room。



A　maid　of　robust　and　comely　appearance；　with　a　fine　free　eye；　divested

him　of　his　overcoat　and　the　coupon；　and　pointed　to　a　table　and　a　pale　and

intellectual…looking　young　man　in　spectacles　who　was　eating。



〃Have　you　any　more　beef？〃　said　the　latter　without　looking　up。



〃No；　sir；〃　replied　the　maid。



〃Then　bring　me　the　ham　and　eggs；〃　he　added。



〃Here's　another　couponand　anything　else　you've　got。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　whose　pangs　had　leaped　in　him　at　the　word　〃beef；〃　gazed　at

the　bare　bone　of　the　beef…joint；　and　sighed。



〃I；　too；　will　have　some　ham　and　a　couple　of　poached　eggs；〃　he　said。



〃You　can　have　ham；　sir；〃　replied　the　maid；　〃but　there　are　only　eggs

enough　for　one。〃



〃And　I　am　the　one；〃　said　the　young　man；　looking　up　for　the　first　time。



Mr。　Lavender　at　once　conceived　an　aversion　from　him；　his　appearance　was

unhealthy；　and　his　eyes　ravened　from　behind　the　spectacles　beneath　his

high　forehead。



〃I　have　no　wish　to　deprive　you　of　your　eggs；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃though　I

have　had　nothing　to　eat　all　day。〃



〃I　have　had　nothing　to　eat　to　speak　of　for　six　months；〃　replied　the　young

man　and　in　a　fortnight's　time　I　shall　have　nothing　to　eat　again　for　two

years。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　who　habitually　spoke；　the　truth；　looked　at　him　with　a　sort

of　horror。　　But　the　young　man　had　again　concentrated　his　attention　on　his

plate。　　〃How　deceptive　are　appearances；〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　〃one　would

say　an　intellectual；　not　to　say　a　spiritual　type；　and　yet　he　eats　like　a

savage；　and　lies　like　a　trooper！〃　　And　the　pinchings　of　his　hunger　again

attacking　him；　he　said　rather　acidly：



May　I　ask　you；　sir；　whether　you　consider　it　amusing　to　tell　such　untruths

to　a　stranger？



The　young　man；　who　had　finished　what　was　on　his　plate；　paused；　and　with　a

faint　smile　said：



〃I　spoke　figuratively。　　You；　sir；　I　expect；　have　never　been　in　prison。〃



At　the　word　'prison'　Mr。　Lavender's　natural　kindliness　reasserted　itself

at　once。　　〃Forgive　me；〃　he　said　gently；　〃please　eat　all　the　ham。　　I　can

easily　do　with　bread　and