the burning spear-第24章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



above　the　hedge　in　his　eagerness　to　explain；　lost　his　balance；　and；

endeavouring　to　save　the　hedge；　fell　over　into　some　geranium　pots。



〃Dear　Don　Pickwixote；〃　cried　the　young　lady；　assisting　him　to　rise；　〃have

you　hurt　your　nose？〃



〃It　is　not　that；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　removing　some　mould　from　his　hair；

and　stifling　the　attentions　of　Blink；　〃but　rather　my　honour；　for　I　have

allowed　my　duty　to　my　country　to　be　overridden　by　the　common　emotion　of

pity。〃



〃Hurrah！〃　cried　the　young　lady。　　〃It'll　do　you　ever　so　much　good。〃



〃Aurora！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender　aghast；　walking　at　her　side。　　But　the　young

lady　only　uttered　her　enchanting　laugh。



〃Come　and　lie　down　in　the　hammock！〃　she　said　you're　looking　like　a　ghost。

I'll　cover　you　up　with　a　rug；　and　smoke　a　cigarette　to　keep　the　midges

off　you。　Tuck　up　your　legs；　that's　right！〃



〃No！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　from　the　recesses　of　the　hammock；　feeling　his

nose；　〃let　the　bidges　bide　me。　　I　deserve　they　should　devour　me　alive。



〃All　right；〃　said　the　young　lady。　　〃But　have　a　nap；　anyway！　　〃And　sitting

down　in　a　low　chair；　she　opened　her　book　and　lit　a　cigarette。



Mr。　Lavender　remained　silent；　watching　her　with　the　eyes　of　an　acolyte；

and　wondering　whether　he　was　in　his　senses　to　have　alighted　on　so　rare　a

fortune。　　Nor　was　it　long　before　he　fell　into　a　hypnotic　doze。



How　long　Mr。　Lavender　had　been　asleep　he　could　not　of　course　tell　before

he　dreamed　that　he　was　caught　in　a　net；　the　meshes　of　which　were　formed

of　the　cries　of　newspaper　boys　announcing　atrocities　by　land　and　sea。　　He

awoke　looking　into　the　eyes　of　Aurora；　who；　to　still　his　struggles；　had

taken　hold　of　his　ankles。



〃My　goodness！　　You　are　thin　were　the　first　words　he　heard。　　〃No　wonder

you're　lightheaded。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　whose　returning　chivalry　struggled　with　unconscious

delight；　murmured　with　difficulty：



〃Let　me　go；　let　me　go；　it　is　too　heavenly！



〃Well；　have　you　finished　kicking？〃　asked　the　young　lady。



〃Yes；〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender　in　a　fainting　voice〃　alas！〃



The　young　lady　let　go　of　his　ankles；　and；　aiding　him　to　rise　from　the

hammock；　said：　〃　I　know　what's　the　matter　with　you　nowyou're　starving

yourself。　　You　ought　to　be　kept　on　your　back　for　three　months　at　least；

and　fed　on　butter。〃



Mr。　Lavender；　soothing　the　feelings　of　Blink；　who；　at　his　struggles；　had

begun　to　pant　deeply；　answered　with　watering　lips：



〃Everyone　in　these　days　must　do　twice　as　much　as　he　ought；　and　I　eat

half；　for　only　in　this　way　can　we　compass　the　defeat　of　our　common

enemies。〃　　The　young　lady's　answer；　which　sounded　like　〃Bosh！〃　was　lost

in　Mr。　Lavender's　admiration　of　her　magnificent　proportions　as　she　bent

to　pick　up　her　yellow　book。



〃Aurora；〃　he　said；　〃I　know　not　what　secret　you　share　with　the　goddesses；

suffer　me　to　go　in　and　give　thanks　for　this　hour　spent　in　your　company。〃



And　he　was　about　to　recross　the　privet　hedge　when　she　caught　him　by　the

coat…tag；　saying：



〃No；　Don　Pickwixote；　you　must　dine　with　us。　　I　want　you　to　meet　my

father。　　Come　along！〃　　And；　linking　her　arm　in　his；　she　led　him　towards

her　castle。　　Mr。　Lavender；　who　had　indeed　no；　option　but　to　obey；　such

was　the　vigour　of　her　arm；　went　with　a　sense　of　joy　not　unmingled　with

consternation　lest　the　personage　she　spoke　of　should　have　viewed　him　in

the　recent　extravagance　of　his　dreaming　moments。



〃I　don't　believe；〃　said　the　young　lady；　gazing　down　at　him；　〃that　you

weigh　an　ounce　more　than　seven　stone。　　It's　appalling！



〃Not；〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender；　〃by　physical　weight　and　force　shall　we　win

this　war；　for　it　is　at　bottom　a　question　of　morale。　　Right　is；　ever

victorious　in　the　end；　and　though　we　have　infinitely　greater　material

resources　than　our　foes；　we　should　still　triumph　were　we　reduced　to　the

last　ounce；　because　of　the　inherent　nobility　of　our　cause。〃



〃You'll　be　reduced　to　the　last　ounce　if　we　don't　feed；　you　up　somehow；〃

said　the　young　lady。



〃Would　you　like　to　wash　your　hands？〃



Mr。　Lavender　having　signified　his　assent；　she　left　him　alone　in　a　place

covered　with　linoleum。　　When；　at　length；　followed　by　Blink；　he　emerged

from　dreamy　ablutions；　Mr。　Lavender；　saw　that　she　had　changed　her　dress

to　a　flowing　blue　garment　of　diaphanous　character；　which　made　her　appear；

like　an　emanation　of　the　sky。　　He　was　about　to　say　so　when　he　noticed　a

gentleman　in　khaki　scrutinizing　him　with　lively　eyes　slightly　injected

with　blood。



〃Don　Pickwixote；〃　said　the　young　lady；　〃my　father；　Major　Scarlet。〃



Mr。　Lavender's　hand　was　grasped　by　one　which　seemed　to　him　made　of　iron。



〃I　am　honoured；　sir；〃　he　said　painfully；　〃to　meet　the　father　of　my

charming　young　neighbour。〃



The　Major　answered　in　a　voice　as　clipped　as　his　grey　bottle…brush

moustache；　〃Delighted！　　Dinner's　ready。　　Come　along！〃



Mr。　Lavender　saw　that　he　had　a　mouth　which　seemed　to　have　a　bitt　in　it；

several　hairs　on　a　finely　rounded　head；　and　an　air　of　efficient　and

truculent　bonhomie　tanned　and　wrinkled　by　the　weather。



The　table　at　which　they　became　seated　seemed　to　one　accustomed　to

frugality　to　groan　with　flowers　and　china　and　glass；　and　Mr。　Lavender　had

hardly　supped　his　rich　and　steaming　soup　before　his　fancy　took　fire；　nor

did　he　notice　that　he　was　drinking　from　a　green　glass　in　which　was　a

yellow　fluid。



〃I　get　Army　rations；〃　said　the　Major；　holding　a　morsel　of　fillet　of　beef

towards　Blink。　　〃Nice　dog；　Mr。　Lavender。〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　ever　delighted　that　his　favourite　should

receive　attention；　〃she　is　an　angel。〃



〃Too　light；〃　said　the　Major；　〃and　a　bit　too　narrow　in　front；　but　a　nice

dog。　　What's　your　view　of　the　war？〃



Before　Mr。　Lavender　could　reply　he　felt　Aurora's　foot　pressing　his；　and

heard　her　say：



〃Don　Pickwixote's　views　are　after　your　own　heart；　Dad；　he's　for　the

complete　destruction　of　the　Hun。〃



〃Indeed；　yes；〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender　with　shining　eyes。　　〃Right　and　justice

demand　it。　　We　seek　to　gain　nothing！〃



〃But　we'll　take　all　we　can　get；〃　said　the　Major。



They'll　never　get　their　Colonies　back。　　We'll　stick　to　them　fast　enough。〃



Mr。　Lavender　stared　at　him　for　a　moment；　then；　remembering　what　he　had　so

often　read；　he　murmured：



〃Aggrandizement　is　not　our　object；　but　we　can　never　forget　that　so　long

as　any　territory　remains　in　the　hands　of　our　treacherous　foe　the　arteries

of　our　far…flung　Empire　are　menaced　at　the　roots。〃



〃Right…o；〃　said　the　Major　we've　got　the　chance　of　our　lives；　and　we're

going　to　take　it。〃



Mr。　Lavender　sat　forward　a　little　on　his　chair。　　〃I　shall　never　admit；〃

he　said；　〃that　we　are　going　to　take　anything；　for　that　would　be　contrary

to　the　principles　which　we　are　pledged　to　support；　and　to　our　avowed

intention　of　seeking　only　the　benefit　of　the　human　race；　but　our　inhuman

foes　have　compelled　us　to　deprive　them　of　the　power　to　injure　others。



〃Yes；〃　said　the　Major；　〃we　must　just　go　on　killing　Germans　and　collaring

every　bit　of　their　property　we　can。〃



Mr。　Lavender　sat　a　little　further　forward　on　his　chair；　and　the　trouble

in　his　eyes　grew。



〃After　all's　said　and　done；〃　continued　the　Major；　〃it's　a　simple　warus

or　them！　　And　in　the　long　run　it's　bound　to　be　us。　　We've　got　the　cards。〃

Mr。　Lavender　started；　and　said　in　a　weak　and　wavering　voice：



〃We　shall　never　sheathe　the　sword　until〃



〃The　whole　bag　of　tricks　is　in　our　hands。　　Might　isn't　Right；　but　Right's

Might；　Mr。　Lavender；　ha；　ha！〃



Mr。　Lavender's　eyes　lighted　on　his　glass；　and　he　emptied　it　in　his

confusion。　　When　he　looked　up　again　he　could　not　see　the　Major　very　well；

but　could　distinctly　hear　the　truculent　bonhomie　of　his　voice。



〃Every　German　ought　to　be　interned；　all　their　property　ought　to　be

confiscated；　all　their　submarines'　and　Zeppelins'　crews　ought　to　be　hung；

all　German　prisoners　ought　to　be　treated　as　they　treat　our　men。　　We　ought

to　give　'em　no　quarter。　　We　ought　to　bomb　their　towns　out　of　existence。

I　dra