the burning spear-第30章

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the　company　of　Blink；　he　spent　perhaps　the　most　shame…stricken　hours　of

his　existence；　cursing　the　memory　of　all　those　bishops　and　novelists　who

had　caused　him　to　believe　that　every　woman　in　a　dark　street　was　a　danger

to　the　State；　nor　could　the　persuasion　of　Mrs。　Petty　or　Joe　induce　him　to

come　out；　so　that　in　despair　they　were　compelled　to　leave　him　to　pass　the

night　in　this　penitential　position；　which　he　did　without　even　taking　out

his　teeth。









XX



RECEIVES　A　REVELATION



Fully　a　week　elapsed　before　Mr。　Lavender　recovered　from　the　effects　of

the　night　which　he　had　spent　under　his　bed　and　again　took　his　normal

interest　in　the　course　of　national　affairs。　　That　which　at　length　tore

him　from　his　torpid　condition　and　refixed　his　imagination　was　an　article

in　one　of；　his　journals　on　the　League　of　Nations；　which　caused　him

suddenly　to　perceive　that　this　was　the　most　important　subject　of　the　day。

Carefully　extracting　the　address　of　the　society　who　had　the　matter　in

hand；　he　determined　to　go　down　forthwith　and　learn　from　their　own　lips

how　he　could　best　induce　everybody　to　join　them　in　their　noble

undertaking。　　Shutting　every　window；　therefore　and　locking　Blink

carefully　into　his　study；　he　set　forth　and　took　the　Tube　to　Charing

Cross。



Arriving　at　the　premises　indicated　he　made　his　way　in　lifts　and　corridors

till　he　came　to　the　name　of　this　great　world　undertaking　upon　the　door　of

Room　443；　and　paused　for　a　moment　to　recover　from　the　astonishment　he

felt　that　the　whole　building　at　least　was　not　occupied　by　the　energies　of

such　a　prodigious　association。



〃Appearances；　however；　are　deceptive；〃　he　thought；　〃and　from　a　single

grain　of　mustard…seed　whole　fields　will　flower。〃　　He　knocked　on　the　door；

therefore；　and　receiving　the　reply；　〃Cub　id；〃　in　a　female　voice；　he

entered　a　room　where　two　young　ladies　with　bad　colds　were　feebly　tapping

type…writers。



〃Can　I　see　the　President？〃　asked　Mr。　Lavender。



〃Dot　at　the　bobent；〃　said　one　of　the　young　ladies。　　〃Will　the　Secretary

do？〃



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender　〃for　I　seek　information。〃



The　young　ladies　indulged　in　secret　confabulation；　from　which　the

perpetual　word　〃He〃　alone　escaped　to　Mr。　Lavender's　ears。



Then　one　of　them　slipped　into　an　inner　room；　leaving　behind　her　a

powerful　trail　of　eucalyptus。　　She　came　back　almost　directly；　saying；

〃Go　id。〃



The　room　which　Mr　Lavender　entered　contained　two　persons；　one　seated　at　a

bureau　and　the　other　pacing　up　and　down　and　talking　in　a　powerful　bass

voice。　　He　paused；　looked　at　Mr。　Lavender　from　under　bushy　brows；　and　at

once　went　on　walking　and　talking；　with　a　sort　of　added　zest。



〃This　must　be　He；〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender；　sitting　down　to　listen；　for

there　was　something　about　the　gentleman　which　impressed　him　at　once。　　He

had　very　large　red　ears；　and　hardly　a　hair　on　his　head；　while　his　full；

bearded　face　and　prominent　eyes　were　full　of　force　and　genius。



〃It　won't　do　a　little　bit；　Titmarsh；〃　he　was　saying；　〃to　allow　the

politicians　to　meddle　in　this　racket。　　We　want　men　of　genius；　whose

imaginations　carry　them　beyond　the　facts　of　the　moment。　　This　is　too　big

a　thing　for　those　blasted　politicians。　　They　haven't　shown　a　sign　so　far

of　paying　attention　to　what　I've　been　telling　them　all　this　time。　　We

must　keep　them　out；　Titmarsh。　　Machinery　without　mechanism；　and　a　change

of　heart　in　the　world。　　It's　very　simple。　　A　single　man　of　genius　from

each　country；　no　pettifogging　opposition；　no　petty　prejudices。〃



The　other　gentleman；　whom　Mr。　Lavender　took　for　the　Secretary；　and　who

was　leaning　his　head　rather　wearily　on　his　hand；　interjected：　〃Quite　so！

And　whom　would　you　choose　besides　yourself？　　In　France；　for　instance？〃



He　who　was　walking　stopped　a　moment；　again　looked　at　Mr。　Lavender

intently；　and　again　began　to　speak　as　if　he　were　not　there。



〃France？〃　he　said。　　〃There　isn't　anybodyAnatole's　too　oldthere　isn't

anybody。〃



〃America；　then？〃　hazarded　the　Secretary。



〃America！〃　replied　the　other；　〃they　haven't　got　even　half　a　man。　　There's

that　fellow　in　Germany　that　I　used　to　influence；　but　I　don't　knowno；　I

don't　think　he'd　be　any　good。〃



〃D'Annunzio；　surely〃　began　the　Secretary。



〃D'Annunzio？　　My　God！　　D'Annunzio！　　No！　　There's　nobody　in　Italy　or

Hollandshe's　as　bankrupt　as　Spain；　and　there's　not　a　cat　in　Austria。

Russia　might；　perhaps；　give　us　someone；　but　I　can't　at　the　moment　think

of　him。　　No；　Titmarsh；　it's　difficult。〃



Mr。　Lavender　had　been　growing　more　and　more　excited　at　each　word　he

overheard；　for　a　scheme　of　really　stupendous　proportions　was　shaping

itself　within　him。　　He　suddenly　rose；　and　said：　〃I　have　an　idea。〃



The　Secretary　sat　up　as　if　he　had　received　a　Faradic　shock；　and　he　who

was　walking　up　and　down　stood　still。　　〃The　deuce　you　have；　sir；〃　he　said。



〃Yes；〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender　and　in　concentration　and　marvellous　simplicity

it　has；　I　am　sure；　never　been　surpassed。　　It　is　clear　to　me；　sir；　that

you；　and　you　alone；　must　be　this　League　of　Nations。　　For　if　it　is

entirely　in　your　hands　there　will　be　no　delay。　　The　plan　will　spring　full

fledged　from　the　head　of　Jove；　and　this　great　and　beneficial　change　in

the　lot　of　mankind　will　at　once　become　an　accomplished　fact。　　There　will

be　no　need　for　keeping　in　touch　with　human　nature；　no　call　for　patience

and　all　that　laborious　upbuilding　stone　by　stone　which　is　so　apt　to

discourage　mankind　and　imperil　the　fruition　of　great　reforms。　　No；　sir；

youyou　must　be　this　League；　and　we　will　all　work　to　the　end　that

tomorrow　at　latest　there　may　be　perfected　this　crowning　achievement　of

the　human　species。〃



The　gentleman；　who　had　commenced　to　walk　again；　looked　furtively　from　Mr。

Lavender　to　the　Secretary；　and　said：



〃By　Jingo！　some　idea！〃



〃Yes；〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　entranced　that　his　grand　notion　should　be　at

once　accepted；　〃for　it　is　only　men　like　you　who　can　both　soaringly

conceive　and　immediately　concrete　in　action；　and；　what　is　more；　there

will　be　no　fear　of　your　tiring　of　this　job　and　taking　up　another；　for　you

will　be　IT；　and　one　cannot　change　oneself。〃



The　gentleman　looked　at　Mr。　Lavender　very　suddenly　at　the　words　〃tiring

of　this　job；〃　and　transferred　his　gaze　to　the　Secretary；　who　had　bent　his

face　down　to　his　papers；　and　was　smothering　a　snigger　with　his　hand。



〃Who　are　you；　sir？〃　he　said　sharply。



〃Merely　one；〃　returned　Mr。　Lavender；　〃who　wishes　to　do　all　in　his　power

to　forward　a　project　so　fraught　with　beneficence　to　all　mankind。　　I　count

myself　fortunate　beyond　measure　to　have　come　here　this　morning　and　found

the　very　Heart　of　the　matter；　the　grain　of　mustard…seed。〃



The　gentleman；　who　had　begun　to　walk　again；　here　muttered　words　which

would　have　sounded　like　〃Damned　impudence〃　if　Mr。　Lavender　had　not　been

too　utterly　carried　away　by　his　idea　to　hear　them。



〃I　shall　go　forth　at　once；〃　he　said；　〃and　make　known　the　good　tidings

that　the　fields　are　sown；　the　League　formed。　　Henceforth　there　are　no

barriers　between　nations；　and　the　reign　of　perpetual　Peace　is　assured。

It　is　colossal。〃



The　gentleman　abruptly　raised　his　boot；　but；　seeming　to　think　better　of

it；　lowered　it　again；　and　turned　away　to　the　window。



Mr。　Lavender；　having　bowed　to　his　back；　went　out；　and；　urged　on　by　his

enthusiasm；　directed　his　steps　at　once　towards　Trafalgar　Square。



Arriving　at　this　hub　of　the　universe　he　saw　that　Chance　was　on　his　side；

for　a　meeting　was　already　in　progress；　and　a　crowd　of　some　forty　persons

assembled　round　one　of　the　lions。　　Owing　to　his　appearance　Mr。　Lavender

was　able　without　opposition　to　climb　up　on　the　plinth　and　join　the

speaker；　a　woman　of　uncertain　years。　　He　stood　there　awaiting　his　turn

and　preparing　his　oration；　while　she　continued　her　discourse；　which

seemed　to　be　a　protest　against　any　interference　with　British　control　of

the　freedom　of　the　seas。　　A　Union　Jack　happened　to　be　leaning　against　the

monument；　and　when　she　had　a