the burning spear-第16章

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

easily　do　with　bread　and　cheese。　　I　am　extremely　sorry　you　have　had　that

misfortune；　and　would　on　no　account　do　anything　which　might　encourage　you

to　incur　it　again。　　If　it　is　a　question　of　money　or　anything　of　that

sort；〃　he　went　on　timidly；　〃please　command　me。　　I　abhor　prisons；　I

consider　them　inhuman；　people　should　only　be　confined　upon　their　honours。



The　young　man's　eyes　kindled　behind　his　spectacles。



〃I　have　been　confined；〃　he　said；　〃not　upon　my　honour；　but　because　of　my

honour；　to　break　it　in。〃



〃How　is　that？〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　aghast；　〃to　break　it　in？〃



〃Yes；〃　said　the　young　man；　cutting　a　large　slice　of　bread；　〃there's　no

other　way　of　putting　it　with　truth。　　They　want　me　to　go　back　on　my　word

to　go　back　on　my　faith；　and　I　won't。　　In　a　fortnight's　time　they'll　gaol

me　again；　so　I　MUST　eatexcuse　me。　　I　shall　want　all　my　strength。〃　　And

he　filled　his　mouth　too　full　to　go　on　speaking。



Mr。　Lavender　stared　at　him；　greatly　perturbed。



How　unjustly　I　judged　him；〃　he　thought；　and　seeing　that　the　maid　had

placed　the　end　of　a　ham　before　him　he　began　carving　off　what　little　there

was　left　on　it；　and；　filling　a　plate；　placed　it　before　the　young　man。

The　latter　thanked　him；　and　without　looking　up　ate　rapidly　on。　　Mr。

Lavender　watched　him　with　beaming　eyes。　　〃It's　lovely　to　see　him！〃　he

thought；　〃poor　fellow！〃



〃Where　are　the　eggs？〃　said　the　young　man　suddenly。



Mr。　Lavender　got　up　and　rang　the　bell。



〃Please　　bring　those　eggs　for　him；〃　he　said。



〃Yes；　sir；〃　said　the　maid。　　〃And　what　are　you　going　to　have？　　There's

nothing　in　the　house　now。〃



Oh！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　startled。　　〃A　cup　of　coffee　and　a　slice　of　bread；

thank　you。　　I　can　always　eat　at　any　time。〃



The　maid　went　away　muttering　to　herself；　and　bringing　the　eggs；　plumped

them　down　before　the　young　man；　who　ate　them　more　hastily　than　words

could　tell。



〃I　mean；〃　he　said；　〃to　do　all　I　can　in　this　fort…night　to　build　up　my

strength。　　I　shall　eat　almost　continuously。　　They　shall　never　break　me。〃

And；　reaching　out；　he　took　the　remainder　of　the　loaf。



Mr。　Lavender　watched　it　disappear　with　a　certain　irritation　which　he

subdued　at　once。　　〃How　selfish　of　me；〃　he　thought；　〃even　to　think　of

eating　while　this　young　hero　is　still　hungry。〃



〃Are　you；　then；〃　he　said；　〃the　victim　of　some　religious　or　political

plot？〃



〃Both；〃　replied　the　young　man；　leaning　back　with　a　sigh　of　repletion；　and

wiping　his　mouth。　　〃I　was　released　to…day；　and；　as　I　said；　I　shall　be

court…martialled　again　to…day　fortnight。　　It'll　be　two　years　this　time。

But　they　can't　break　me。〃



Mr。　Lavender　gasped；　for　at　the　word　〃courtmartialled〃　a　dreadful　doubt

had　assailed　him。



〃Are　you；〃　he　stammered〃you　are　notyou　cannot　be　a　Conscientious

Objector？〃



〃I　can；〃　said　the　young　man。



Mr。　Lavender　half　rose　in　horror。



〃I　don't　approve；〃　he　ejaculated；　〃I　do　not　approve　of　you。〃



〃Of　course　not；〃　said　the　young　man　with　a　little　smile　at　once　proud　and

sad　who　does？　　If　you　did　I　shouldn't　have　to　eat　like　this；　nor　should　I

have　the　consciousness　of　spiritual　loneliness　to　sustain　me。　　You　look

on　me　as　a　moral　outcast；　as　a　leper。　　That　is　my　comfort　and　my

strength。　　For　though　I　have　a　genuine　abhorrence　of　war；　I　know　full

well　that　I　could　not　stick　this　if　it　were　not　for　the　feeling　that　I

must　not　and　will　not　lower　myself　to　the　level　of　mere　opportunists　like

you；　and　sink　myself　in　the　herd　of　men　in　the　street。〃



At　hearing　himself　thus　described　Mr。　Lavender　flushed。



〃I　yield　to　no　one；　he　said；　〃in　my　admiration　of　principle。　　It　is

because　of　my　principles　that　I　regard　you　as　a〃



〃Shirker；〃　put　in　the　young　man　calmly。　　〃Go　on；　don't　mince　words；　we're

used　to　them。〃



〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　kindling；　〃a　shirker。　　Excuse　me！　　A　renegade

from　the　camp　of　Liberty；　a　deserter　from　the　ranks　of　Humanity；　if　you

will　pardon　me。〃



〃Say　a　Christian；　and　have　done　with　it；〃　said　the　young　man。



〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　who　had　risen　to　his　feet；　〃I　will　not　go　so　far

as　that。　　You　are　not　a　Christian；　you　are　a　Pharisee。　　I　abhor　you。〃



〃And　I　abhor　you；〃　said　the　young　man　suddenly。　　〃I　am　a　Christian

Socialist；　but　I　refuse　to　consider　you　my　brother。　　And　I　can　tell　you

this：　Some　day　when　through　our　struggle　the　triumph　of　Christian

Socialism　and　of　Peace　is　assured；　we　shall　see　that　you　firebrands　and

jingoes　get　no　chance　to　put　up　your　noxious　heads　and　disturb　the

brotherhood　of　the　world。　　We　shall　stamp　you　out。　　We　shall　do　you　in。

We　who　believe　in　love　will　take　jolly　good　care　that　you　apostles　of

hate　get　all　we've　had　and　moreif　you　provoke　us　enough　that　is。〃



He　stopped；　for　Mr。　Lavender's　figure　had　rigidified　on　the　other　side　of

the　table　into　the　semblance　of　one　who　is　about　to　address　the　House　of

Lords。



〃I　can　find　here；〃　he　cried；　〃no　analogy　with　religious　persecution。

This　is　a　simple　matter。　　The　burden　of　defending　his　country　falls

equally　on　every　citizen。　　I　know　not；　and　I　care　not；　what　promises　were

made　to　you；　or　in　what　spirit　the　laws　of　compulsory　service　were

passed。　　You　will　either　serve　or　go　to　prison　till　you　do。　　I　am　a　plain

Englishman；　expressing　the　view　of　my　plain　countrymen。〃



The　young　man；　tilting　back　in　his　chair；　rapped　on　the　table　with　the

handle　of　his　dinner…knife。



〃Hear；　hear！〃　he　murmured。



〃And　let　me　tell　you　this；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender；　〃you　have　no　right　to

put　a　mouthful　of　food　between　your　lips　so　long　as　you　are　not　prepared

to　die　for　it。　　And　if　the　Huns　came　here　tomorrow　I　would　not　lift　a

finger　to　save　you　from　the　fate　you　would　undoubtedly　receive。〃



During　this　colloquy　their　voices　had　grown　so　loud　that　the　maid；

entering　in　dismay；　had　gone　into　the　bar　and　informed　the　company　that　a

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　realiz