the burning spear-第25章

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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　draw　the　line　at　their　women。　　Short　of　that　there's　nothing　too　bad

for　them。　　I'd　treat　'em　like　rabbits。　　Vermin　they　were；　and　vermin　they

remain。〃



During　this　speech　the　most　astounding　experience　befell　Mr。　Lavender；　so

that　his　eyes　nearly　started　from　his　head。　　It　seemed　to　him；　indeed；

that　he　was　seated　at　dinner　with　a　Prussian；　and　the　Major's　voice　had

no　sooner　ceased　its　genial　rasping　than　with　a　bound　forward　on　his

chair；　he　ejaculated：



〃Behold　the　manthe　Prussian　in　his　jack…boot！〃　　And；　utterly　oblivious

of　the　fact　that　he　was　addressing　Aurora's　father；　he　went　on　with

almost　terrible　incoherence：　〃Although　you　have　conquered　this　country；

sir；　never　shall　you　subdue　in　my　breast　the　sentiments　of　liberty　and

generosity　which　make　me　an　Englishman。　　I　abhor　youinvader　of　the

worldtrampler　underfoot　of　the　humanitiesenemy　of　mankindapostle　of

force！　　You　have　blown　out　the　sparks　of　love　and　kindliness；　and　have

for　ever　robbed　the　Universe。　　Prussian！〃



The　emphasis　with　which　he　spoke　that　word　caused　his　chair；　on　the　edge

of　which　he　was　sitting；　to　tilt　up　under　him　so　that　he　slid　under　the

table；　losing　the　vision　of　that　figure　in　helmet　and　field…grey　which　he

had　been　apostrophizing。



〃Hold　up！〃　said　a　voice；　while　Blink　joined　him　nervously　beneath　the

board。



〃Never！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃Imprison；　maltreat　me　do　what　you　will。

You　have　subdued　her　body；　but　never　will　I　admit　that　you　have　conquered

the　honour　of　Britain　and　trodden　her　gentle　culture　into　the　mud。〃



And；　convinced　that　he　would　now　be　dragged　away　to　be　confined　in　some

dungeon　on　bread　and　water；　he　clasped　the　leg　of　the　dining…table　with

all　his　might；　while　Blink；　sagaciously　aware　that　something　peculiar　was

occurring　to　her　master；　licked　the　back　of　his　neck。　　He　had　been

sitting　there　perhaps　half　a　minute；　with　his　ears　stretched　to　catch　the

half…whispered　sounds　above；　when　he　saw　a　shining　object　appear　under

the　table；　the　head；　indeed；　of　the　Prussian　squatting　there　to　look　at

him。



〃Go　up；　thou　bald…head；〃　he　called　out　at　once；　〃I　will　make　no　terms

with　the　destroyer　of　justice　and　humanity。〃



〃All　right；　my　dear　sir；〃　replied　the　head。



〃Will　you　let　my　daughter　speak　to　you？〃



〃Prussian　blasphemer；〃　responded　Mr。　Lavender；　shifting　his　position　so

as　to　be　further　away；　and　clasping　instead　of　the　table　leg　some　soft

silken　objects；　which　he　was　too　excited　to　associate　with　Aurora；　〃you

have　no　daughter；　for　no　woman　would　own　one　whose　hated　presence　poisons

this　country。〃



〃Well；　well；　said　the　Major。　　〃How　shall　we　get　him　out？〃



Hearing　these　words；　and　believing　them　addressed　to　a　Prussian　guard；

Mr。　Lavender　clung　closer　to　the　objects；　but　finding　them　wriggle　in　his

clasp　let　go；　and；　bolting　forward　like　a　rabbit　on　his　hands　and　knees；

came　into　contact　with　the　Major's　head。　　The　sound　of　the　concussion；

the　Major's　oaths；　Mr。　Lavender's　moans；　Blink's　barking；　and　the　peals

of　laughter　from　Aurora　made　up　a　noise　which　might　have　been　heard　in

Portugal。　　The　situation　was　not　eased　until　Mr。　Lavender　crawled　out；

and　taking　up　a　dinner…knife；　rolled　his　napkin　round　his　arm；　and

prepared　to　defend　himself　against　the　German　Army。



〃Well；　I'm　damned；〃　said　the　Major　when　he　saw　these　preparations；

〃I　am　damned。〃



Aurora；　who　had　been　leaning　against　the　wall　from　laughter；　here　came

forward；　gasping：



〃Go　away；　Dad；　and　leave　him　to　me。〃



〃To　you！〃　　cried　the　Major。　　〃He's　not　safe！〃



〃Oh　yes；　he　is；　it's　only　you　that　are　exciting　him。　　Come　along！〃



And　taking　her　father　by　the　arm　she　conducted　him　from　the　room。

Closing　the　door　behind　him；　and　putting　her　back　against　it；　she　said；

gently：



Dear　Don　Pickwixote；　all　danger　is　past。　　The　enemy　has　been　repulsed；

and　we　are　alone　in　safety。　　Ha；　ha；　ha！〃



Her　voice　recalled。　　Mr。　Lavender　from　his　strange　hallucination。

〃What？〃　he　said　weakly。



〃Why？　　Who？　　Where？　　When？〃



〃You　have　been　dreaming　again。　　Let　me　take　you　home；　and　tuck　you　into

bed。〃　　And　taking　from　him　the　knife　and　napkin；　she　opened　the　French…

window；　and　passed　out　on　to　the　lawn。



Lavender；　who　now　that　his　reason　had　come　back；　would　have　followed　her

to　the　death；　passed　out　also；　accompanied　by　Blink；　and　watched　by　the

Major；　who　had　put　his　head　in　again　at　the　door。　　Unfortunately；　the

spirit　moved　Mr。　Lavender　to　turn　round　at　this　moment；　and　seeing　the

head　he　cried　out　in　a　loud　voice：



〃He　is　there！　　He　is　there！　　Arch　enemy　of　mankind！　　Let　me　go　and　die

under　his　jackboot；　for　never　over　my　living　body　shall　he　rule　this

land。　　And　the　infatuated　gentleman　would　certainly　have　rushed　at　his

host　had　not　Aurora　stayed　him　by　the　slack　of　his　nether　garments。　　The

Major　withdrawing　his　head；　Mr。　Lavender's　excitement　again　passed　from

him；　and　he　suffered　himself　to　be　led　dazedly　away　and　committed　to　the

charge　of　Mrs。　Petty　and　Joe；　who　did　not　leave　him　till　he　was　in　bed

with　a　strong　bromide　to　keep　him　company。









XVI



FIGHTS　THE　FIGHT　OF　FAITH



The　strenuous　experiences　through　which　Mr。　Lavender　had　passed　resulted

in　what　Joe　Petty　called　〃a　fair　knock…out；〃　and　he　was　forced　to　spend

three　days　in　the　seclusion　of　his　bed；　deprived　of　his　newspapers。　　He

instructed　Mrs。　Petty；　however；　on　no　account　to　destroy　or　mislay　any

journal；　but　to　keep　them　in　a　pile　in　his　study。　　This　she　did；　for

though　her　first　impulse　was　to　light　the　kitchen　fire　with　the　five　of

them　every　morning；　deliberate　reflection　convinced　her　that　twenty

journals　read　at　one　sitting　would　produce　on　him　a　more　soporific　effect

than　if　he　came　down　to　a　mere　five。



Mr。　Lavender　passed　his　three　days；　therefore；　in　perfect　repose；　feeding

Blink；　staring　at　the　ceiling；　and　conversing　with　Joe。　　An　uneasy　sense

that　he　had　been　lacking　in　restraint　caused　his　mind　to　dwell　on　life　as

seen　by　the　monthly　rather　than　the　daily　papers；　and　to　hold　with　his

chauffeur　discussions　of　a　somewhat　philosophical　character。



〃As　regards　the　government　of　this　country；　Joe；〃　he　said；　on　the　last

evening　of　his　retirement；　〃who　do　you　consider　really　rules？　　For　it　is

largely　on　this　that　our　future　must　depend。〃



〃Can't　say；　sir；〃　answered　Joe；　〃unless　it's　Botty。〃



〃I　do　not　know　whom　or　what　you　signify　by　that　word；〃　replied　Mr。

Lavender；　〃I　am　wondering　if　it　is　the　People　who　rule。〃



〃The　People！〃　replied　Joe；〃　the　People's　like　a　gent　in　a　lunatic　asylum；

allowed　to　'ave　instinks　but　not　to　express　'em。　　One　day　it'll　get　aht；

and　we　shall　all　step　lively。〃



〃It　is；　perhaps；　Public　Opinion；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender　to　himself；　〃as

expressed　in　the　Press。〃



〃Not　it；〃　said　Joe　the　nearest　opinion　the　Press　gets　to　expressin'　is

that　of　Mayors。　　'Ave　you　never　noticed；　sir；　that　when　the　Press　is　'ard

up　for　support　of　an　opinion　that　the　public　don't　'old；　they　go　to　the

Mayors；　and　get　'em　in　two　columns？〃



〃Mayors　are　most　valuable　public　men；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。



〃I've　nothin'　against　'em；〃　replied　Joe；　〃very　average　lot　in　their　walk

of　life；　but　they　ain't　the　People。〃



Mr。　Lavender　sighed。　　〃What；　then；　is　the　People；　Joe？〃



〃I　am；〃　replied　Joe；　〃I've　got　no　opinions　on　anything　except　that　I　want

to　live　a　quiet　lifejust　enough　beer　and　'baccy；　short　hours；　and　no

worry。〃



〃'If　you　compare　that　with　the　aspirations　of　Mayors　you　will　see　how

sordid　such　a　standard　is；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　gravely。



〃Sordid　it　may　be；　sir；〃　replied　Joe；　〃but　there's；　a　thing　abaht　it　you

'aven't　noticed。　　I　don't　want　to　sacrifice　nobody　to　satisfy　my

aspirations。　　Why？　　Because　I've　got　none。　　That's　priceless。　　Take　the

Press；　take　Parlyment；　take