the burning spear-第23章
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tooth in firmly with the other。 There； beside a red velvet dentist's
chair； he saw a youngish man dressed in a white coat； with round eyes and
a domestic face； who said in good English：
〃What can I do for you； my dear sir？ I fear you are in bain。〃
〃In great pain；〃 replied Mr。 Lavender faintly； 〃in great pain。〃 And；
indeed； he was； for the nervous crisis from which he was suffering had
settled in the tooth； on which he still pressed a finger through his
cheek。
〃Sit down； sir； sit down；〃 said the young man； 〃and perhaps it would be
better if you should remove your hat。 We shall not hurd youno； no； we
shall not hurd you。〃
At those words； which seemed to cast doubt on his courage； Mr。 Lavender
recovered all his presence of mind。 He took off his hat； advanced
resolutely to the chair； sat down in it； and； looking up； said：
〃Do to me what you will； I shall not flinch； nor depart in any way from
the behaviour of those whose duty it is to set an example to others。〃
So saying； he removed his teeth； and placing them in a bowl on the little
swinging table which he perceived on his left hand； he closed his eyes；
put his finger in his mouth； and articulated：
〃'Ith one。〃
〃Excuse me； sir；〃 said the young German； 〃but do you wish a dooth oud？〃
〃'At ish my deshire；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； keeping his finger on his tooth；
and his eyes closed。 〃'At one。〃
〃I cannot give you gas without my anaesthedist。〃
〃I dow；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； 〃be wick。〃
And； feeling the little cold spy…glass begin to touch his gums； he
clenched his hands and thought： 〃This is the moment to prove that I； too；
can die for a good cause。 If I am not man enough to bear for my country
so small a woe I can never again look Aurora in the face。〃
The voice of the young dentist dragged him rudely from the depth of his
resignation。
〃Excuse me； but which dooth did you say？〃
Mr。 Lavender again inserted his finger； and opened his eyes。
The dentist shook his head。 〃Imbossible；〃 he said； 〃that dooth is
perfectly sound。 The other two are rotten。 But they do not ache？〃
Mr。 Lavender shook his head and repeated：
〃At one。〃
〃You are my first client this week； sir；〃 said the young German calmly；
〃but I cannot that dooth dake out。〃
At those words Mr。 Lavender experienced a sensation as if his soul were
creeping back up his legs； he spoke as it reached his stomach。
〃Noc？〃 he said。
〃No；〃 replied the young German。 It is nod the dooth which causes you the
bain。
Mr。 Lavender； suddenly conscious that he had no pain； took his finger
out。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃I perceive that you are an honourable man。 There is
something sublime in your abnegation if； indeed； you have had no other
client this week。
〃No fear；〃 said the young German。 〃Haf I； Cicely？〃
Mr。 Lavender became conscious for the first time of a young woman leaning
up against the wall； with a pair of tweezers in her hand。
〃Take it out； Otto；〃 she said in a low voice； 〃if he wants it。〃
〃No no；〃 said Mr。 Lavender sharply； resuming his teeth； 〃I would not for
the world burden your conscience。〃
〃My clients are all batriots；〃 said the young dentist； 〃and my bractice
is Kaput。 We are in a bad way； sir；〃 he added； with a smile； 〃but we try
to do the correct ting。〃
Mr。 Lavender saw the young woman move the tweezers in a manner which
caused his blood to run a little cold。
〃We must live；〃 he heard her say。
〃Young madam；〃 he said； 〃I honour the impulse which makes you desire to
extend your husband's practice。 Indeed； I perceive you both to be so
honourable that I cannot but make you a confession。 My tooth is indeed
sound； though； since I have been pretending that it isn't； it has caused
me much discomfort。 I came here largely to form an opinion of your
husband's character； with a view to securing his internment。
At that word the two young people shrank together till they were standing
side by side； staring at Mr Lavender with eyes full of anxiety and
wonder。 Their hands； which still held the implements of dentistry；
insensibly sought each other。
Be under no apprehension；〃 cried Mr。 Lavender； much moved； 〃I can see
that you are greatly attached； and even though your husband is a German；
he is still a man； and I could never bring myself to separate him from
you。〃
〃Who are you？〃 said the young woman in a frightened voice； putting her
arm round her husband's waist。
〃Just a public man；〃 answered Mr。 Lavender。
〃I came here from a sense of duty； nothing more； assure you。〃
〃Who put you up to it？
〃That；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； bowing as best he could from the angle he was
in； 〃I am not at liberty to disclose。 But； believe me； you have nothing
to fear from this visit； I shall never do anything to distress a woman。
And please charge me as if the tooth had been extracted。〃
The young German smiled； and shook his head。
〃Sir；〃 he said； 〃I am grateful to you for coming； for it shows us what
danger we are in。 The hardest ting to bear has been the uncertainty of
our bosition； and the feeling that our friends were working behind our
backs。 Now we know that this is so we shall vordify our souls to bear
the worst。 But； tell me；〃 he went on； 〃when you came here； surely you
must have subbosed that to tear me away from my wife would be very
bainful to her and to myself。 You say now you never could do that； how
was it； then； you came？〃
〃Ah； sir！〃 cried Mr。 Lavender； running his hands through his hair and
staring at the ceiling； 〃I feared this might seem inconsistent to your
logical German mind。 But there are many things we public men would never
do if we could see them being done。 Fortunately； as a rule we cannot。
Believe me； when I leave you I shall do my best to save you from a fate
which I perceive to be unnecessary。〃
So saying； he rose from the chair； and； picking up his hat； backed
towards the door。
〃I will not offer you my hand；〃 he said； 〃for I am acutely conscious that
my position is neither dignified nor decent。 I owe you a tooth that I
shall not readily forget。 Good…bye！〃
And backing through the doorway he made his way down the stairs and out
into the street； still emotionalized by the picture of the two young
people holding each other by the waist。 He had not； however； gone far
before reason resumed its sway； and he began to see that the red velvet
chair in which he had been sitting was in reality a wireless apparatus
reaching to Berlin； or at least concealed a charge of dynamite to blow up
some King or Prime Minister； and that the looking…glasses； of which he
had noticed two at least； were surely used for signalling to Gothas or
Zeppelins。 This plunged him into a confusion so poignant that； rather by
accident than design； he found himself again at Hampstead instead of at
Scotland Yard。 〃In the society of Aurora alone；〃 he thought； 〃can I free
myself from the goadings of conscience； for it was she who sent me on
that errand。〃 And； instead of going in； he took up a position on his
lawn whence he could attract her attention by waving his arms。 He had
been doing this for some time； to the delight of Blink； who thought it a
new game； before he saw her in her nurse's dress coming out of a French…
window with her yellow book in her hand。 Redoubling his efforts till he
had arrested her attention； he went up to the privet hedge； and said； in
a deep and melancholy voice：
〃Aurora； I have failed in my duty； and the errand on which you sent me is
unfulfilled。 Mrs。 Pullbody's sister's husband's sister's husband is
still； largely speaking； at large。〃
〃I knew he would be；〃 replied the young lady； with her joyous smile
that's why I put her on to youthe cat！〃
At a loss to understand her meaning； Mr。 Lavender； who had bent forward
above the hedge in his eagerness to explain； lost his balance； and；
endeavourin
