the burning spear-第32章

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〃It　will　want　very　careful　handling；〃　he　thought；　〃for　otherwise　I　shall

be　prevented；　and　perhaps　even　arrested　in　the　middle；　which　will　be　both

painful　and　ridiculous。　　So　sublime；　however；　was　his　idea　that　he　shed

many　tears　over　it；　and　often　paused　in　his　tramping　to　regard　the

unconscious　Blink　with　streaming　eyes。　　All　the　next　day　he　went　about

the　house　and　heath　taking　a　last　look　at　objects　which　had　been　dear；

and　at　mealtimes　ate　and　drank　even　less　than　usual；　absorbed　by　the

pathos　of　his　coming　renunciation。　　He　determined　to　make　his

preparations　for　the　final　act　during　the　night；　when　Mrs。　Petty　would　be

prevented　by　Joe's　snoring　from　hearing　the　necessary　sounds；　and　at

supper　he　undertook　the　delicate　and　harrowing　task　of　saying　good…bye

to；　his　devoted　housekeeper　without　letting　her　know　that　he；　was　doing

it。



〃MrsPetty；〃　he　said；　trifling　with　a　morsel　of　cheese；　〃it　is　useless

to　disguise；　from　you　that　I　may　be　going　a　journey；　and　I　feel　that　I

shall　not　be　able　to　part　from　all　the　care　you　have；　bestowed　on　me

without　recording　in　words　my　heartfelt　appreciation　of　your　devotion。　　I

shall　miss　it；　I　shall　miss　it　terribly；　if；　that　is；　I　am　permitted　to

miss　anything。



Mrs。　Petty；　whose　mind　instantly　ran　to　his　bed　socks；　answered：　〃Don't

you　worry；　sir；　I　won't　forget　them。　　But　wherever　are　you　going　now？〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　subtly；　〃it　is　all　in　the　air　at　present；　but　now

that　the　lime…trees　are　beginning　to　smell　a　certain　restlessness　is　upon

me；　and　you　may　see　some　change　in　my　proceedings。　　Whatever　happens　to

me；　however；　I　commit　my　dear　Blink　to　your　care；　feed　her　as　if　she　were

myself；　and　love　her　as　if　she　were　Joe；　for　it　is　largely　on　food　and

affection　that　dogs　depend　for　happiness。



〃Why；　good　gracious；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Petty；　〃you　talk　as　if　you　were

going　for　a　month　of　Sundays。　　Are　you　thinking　of　Eastbourne？〃



Mr。　Lavender　sighed　deeply　at　that　word；　for　the　memory　of　a　town　where

he　had　spent　many　happy　days　added　to　the　gentle　melancholy　of　his

feelings　on　this　last　evening。



〃As　regards　that　I　shall　not　inform　you　at　present；　for；　indeed；　I　am　by

no　means　certain　what　my　destination　will　be。　　Largely　speaking；　no　pub

public　man；〃　he　stammered；　doubtful　whether　he　was　any　longer　that；

〃knows　where　he　will　be　going　to…morrow。　　Sufficient　unto　the　day　are　the

intentions　in　his　head。



〃Well；　sir；〃　said　Mrs。　Petty　frankly；　〃you　can't　go　anywhere　without　Joe

or　me；　that's　flat。〃



Mr。　Lavender　smiled。



〃Dear　Mrs。　Petty；〃　he　murmured；　〃there　are　sacrifices　one　cannot　demand

even　of　the　most　faithful　friends。　　But；〃　he　went　on　with　calculated

playfulness；　〃we　need　not　consider　that　point　until　the　day　after　to…

morrow　at　least；　for　I　have　much　to　do　in　the　meantime。〃



Reassured　by　those　words　and　the　knowledge　that　Mr。　Lavender's　plans

seldom　remained　the　same　for　more　than　two　days；　Mrs。　Petty　tossed　her

head　slightly　and　went　to　the　door。　　〃Well；　it　is　a　mystery；　I'm　sure；〃

she　said。



〃I　should　like　to　see　Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　with　a　lingering　look　at

his　devoted　housekeeper。



〃The　beauty！〃　muttered　Mrs。　Petty；　〃I'll　send　him；〃　and　withdrew。



Giving　the　morsel　of　cheese　to　Blink；　who；　indeed；　had　eaten　practically

the　whole　of　this　last　meal；　Mr。　Lavender　took　the　moon…cat　on　his

shoulder；　and　abandoned　himself　for　a　moment　to　the　caresses　of　his　two

favourites。



〃Blink；〃　he　said　in　a　voice　which　trembled　slightly；　〃be　good　to　this

moon…cat　while　I　am　away；　and　if　I　am　longer　than　you　expect；　darling；　do

not　be　unhappy。　　Perhaps　some　day　you　will　rejoin　me；　and　even　if　we　are

not　destined　to　meet　again；　I　would　not；　in　the　fashion　of　cruel　men；

wish　to　hinder　your　second　marriage；　or　to　stand　in　the　way　of　your　happy

forgetfulness　of　me。　　Be　as　light…hearted　as　you　can；　my　dear；　and　wear

no　mourning　for　your　master。〃



So　saying；　he　flung　his　arms　round　her；　and　embraced　her　warmly；　inhaling

with　the　most　poignant　emotion　her　sheep…like　odour。　　He　was　still

engaged　with　her　when　the　door　was　opened；　and　Joe　came　in。



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender　resolutely；　〃sit　down　and　light　your　pipe。　　You

will　find　a　bottle　of　pre…war　port　in　the　sideboard。　　Open　it；　and；　drink

my　health；　indeed；　I　myself　will　drink　it　too；　for　it　may　give　me

courage。　　We　have　been　good　friends；　Joe；〃　he　went　on　while　Joe　was

drawing　the　cork；〃　and　have　participated　in　pleasant　and　sharp

adventures。　　I　have　called　you　in　at　this　moment；　which　may　some　day　seem

to　you　rather　solemn；　partly　to　shake　your　hand　and　partly　to　resume　the

discussion　on　public　men　which　we　held　some　days　ago；　if　you　remember。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　Joe；　with　his　habitual　insouciance；　〃when　I　told　you　that　they

give　me　the　'ump。



Yes；　what　abaht　it；　sir？　　'Ave　they　been　sayin'　anything　particular

vicious？〃　　His　face　flying　up　just　then　with　the　cork　which　he　was

extracting　encountered　the　expression　on　Mr。　Lavender's　visage；　and　he

added：　〃Don't　take　wot　I　say　to　'eart；　sir；　try　as　you　like　you'll　never

be　a　public　man。〃



Those　words；　which　seemed　to　Mr。　Lavender　to　seal　his　doom；　caused　a

faint　pink　flush　to　invade　his　cheeks。



〃No；〃　continued　Joe；　pouring　out　the　wine；　you　'aven't　got　the　brass　in

times　like　these。　　I　dare　say　you've　noticed；　sir；　that　the　times　is

favourable　for　bringing　out　the　spots　on　the　body　politic。　　'Ere's

'ealth！〃



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　raising　the　glass　to　his　lips　with　solemnity；

〃I　wish　you　a　most　happy　and　prosperous　life。　　Let　us　drink　to　all　those

qualities　which　make　you　par　excellence　one　of　that　great　race；　the　best

hearted　in　the　world；　which　never　thinks　of　to…morrow；　never　knows　when

it　is　beaten；　and　seldom　loses　its　sense　of　humour。



〃Ah！〃　returned　Joe　enigmatically；　half…closing　one　of　his　greenish　eyes；

and　laying　the　glass　to　one　side　of　his　reddish　nose。　　Then；　with　a　quick

movement；　he　swallowed　its　contents　and　refilled　it　before　Mr。　Lavender

had　succeeded　in　absorbing　more　than　a　drop。



〃I　don't　say；〃　he　continued；　〃but　what　there's　a　class　o'　public　man

that's　got　its　uses；　like　the　little　'un　that　keeps　us　all　alive；　or　the

perfect　English　gentleman　what　did　his　job；　and　told　nobody　nothin'　abaht

it。　　You　can　'ave　confidence　in　a　man　like　thatthat's　why　'e's　gone

an'　retired；　'e's　civilized；　you　see；　the　finished　article；　but　all　this

raw　material；　this　'get…on'　or　'get…out'　lot；　that's　come　from　'oo　knows

where；　well；　I　wish　they'd　stayed　there　with　their　tell…you…how…to…do…it

and　their　'ymns　of　'ate。〃



〃Joe；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃are　you　certain　that　therein　does　not　speak

the　snob　inherent　in　the　national　bosom？　　Are　you　not　unconsciously

paying　deference　to　the　word　gentleman？〃



〃Why　not；　sir？〃　replied　Joe；　tossing　off　his　second　glass。　　〃It'd　be　a

fine　thing　for　the　country　if　we　was　all　gentlemenstraight；　an'　a

little　bit　stupid；　and　'ad　'alf　a　thought　for　others。〃　　And　he　refilled

his　master's　glass。　　〃I　don't　measure　a　gentleman　by　'is　money；　or　'is

title；　not　even　by　'is　clothesI　measure　'im　by　whether　he　can　stand

'avin'　power　in　'is　'ands　without　gettin'　unscrupled　or　swollen　'eaded；

an'　whether　'e　can　do　what　he　thinks　right　without　payin'　attention；　to

clamour。　　But；　mind　you；　'e's　got　to　'ave　right　thoughts　too；　and　a

feelin'　'eart。　　'Ere's　luck；　sir。



Mr。　Lavender；　who；　absorbed　in　his　chauffeur's　sentiments；　had　now　drunk

two　glasses；　rose　from　his；　chair；　and　clutching　his　hair　said：　〃I　will

not　conceal　from　you；　Joe；　that　I　have　always　assumed　every　public　man

came　up　to　that　standard；　at　least。〃



〃Crikey　said　Joe。　　'Ave　you　really；　sir？　　My　Gawd！　　Got　any　use　for　the

rest　of　this　bottle？〃



〃No；　Joe；　no。　　I　shall　never　have　use　for　a　bottle　again。〃



〃In　that　case　I　might　as　well；〃　said　Joe；　pouring　what　remained　into　a

tumbler　and　drinking　it　off。　　〃Is　there　any　other　topic　you'd　like　to

mention？　　If　I　can　'ave　a