the burning spear-第34章

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to　verbal　extremity　which　is　inducing　me　to　afford　them　this　object…

lesson　in　restraint　and　commonsense。　　Ouch　！'



〃This　momentary　ejaculation　seemed　to　escape　him　in　spite　of　all　his　iron

control；　and　the　smell　of　burning　flesh　brought　home　to　me　as　nothing

else；　perhaps；　could　have　done　the　tortures　he　must　have　been　suffering。



〃'I　feel；'　he　went　on　very　gravely；　'that　extravagance　of　word　and

conduct　is　fatal　to　my　country；　and　having　so　profoundly　experienced　its

effects　upon　myself；　I　am　now　endeavouring　by　a　shining　example　to　supply

a　remedy　for　a　disease　which　is　corroding　the　vitals　and　impairing　the

sanity　of　my　countrymen　and　making　them　a　race　of　second…hand　spiritual

drunkards。　　Ouch！'



〃I　confess　that　at　this　moment　the　tears　started　to　my　eyes；　for　a　more

sublime　show　than　the　spectacle　of　this　devoted　man　slowly　roasting

himself　to　death　before　my　eyes　for　the　good　of　his　country　I　had　seldom

seen。　　It　had　a　strange；　an　appalling　interest；　and　for　nothing　on　earth

could　I　have　torn　my　gaze　away。　　I　now　realized　to　the　full　for　the　first

time　the　will…power　and　heroism　of　the　human　species；　and　I　rejoiced　with

a　glorious　new　feeling　that　I　was　of　the　same　breed　as　this　man；　made　of

such　stern　stuff　that　not　even　a　tear　rolled　down　his　cheeks　to　quench

the　flames　that　leaped　around　him　ever　higher　and　higher。　　And　the　dawn

came　up　in　the　eastern　sky；　and　I　knew　that　a　great　day　was　preparing　for

mankind；　and　with　my　eyes　fixed　upon　him　as　he　turned　blacker　and　blacker

I　let　my　heart　loose　in　a　great　thanksgiving　that　I　had　lived　to　see　this

moment。　　It　was　then　that　he　cried　out　in　a　loud　voice：



〃'I　call　Aurora　to　witness　that　I　have　died　without　a　falter；　grasping　a

burning　spear；　to　tilt　at　the　malpractice　which　has　sent　me　mad！'　　And　I

saw　that　he　held　in　his　fast…consuming　hand　a　long　roll　of　journals

sharpened　to　a　point　of　burning　flame。



〃'Aurora！'　he　cried　again；　and　with　that　enigmatic　word　on　his　lips　was

incinerated　in　the　vast　and　towering　belch　of　the　devouring　element。



〃It　was　among　the　most　inspiring　sights　I　have　ever　witnessed。〃





When　Mr。　Lavender　had　completed　that　record；　whose　actuality　and　wealth

of　moving　detail　had　greatly　affected　him；　and　marked　it　〃For　the　Press…

Immediate；〃　he　felt　very　cold。　　It　was；　in　fact；　that　hour　of　dawn　when　a

shiver　goes　through　the　world；　and；　almost　with　pleasurable　anticipation

he　took　up　his　lighted　candle　and　stole　shivering　out　to　his　pile；　rising

ghostly　to　the　height　of　some　five　feet　in　the　middle　of　the　dim　lawn

whereon　a　faint　green　tinge　was　coming　with　the　return　of　daylight。

Having　reached　it；　he　walked　round　it　twice；　and　readjusted　four　volumes

of　the　history　of　the　war　as　stepping…stones　to　the　top；　then　lowering

the　candle；　whose　flame　burned　steadily　in　the　stillness；　he　knelt　down

in　the　grey　dew　and　set　fire　to　an　article　in　a　Sunday　paper。　　Then；

sighing　deeply；　he　returned　to　his　little　ladder　and；　with　some

difficulty　preserving　his　balance；　mounted　to　the　top；　and　sat　down　with

his　legs　towards　the　house　and　his　eyes　fixed　on　Aurora's　bedroom…window。

He　had　been　there　perhaps　ten　minutes　before　he　realized　that　nothing　was

happening　below　him；　and；　climbing　down　again；　proceeded　to　the　aperture

where　he　had　inserted　the　burning　print。　　There；　by　the　now　considerable

daylight；　he　saw　that　the　flame　had　gone　out　at　the　words　〃The　Stage　is

now　set　for　the　last　act　of　this　colossal　world　drama。〃　　And　convinced

that　Providence　had　intended　that　heartening　sentence　to　revive　his

somewhat　drooping　courage；　he　thought；　〃I；　too；　shall　be　making　history

this　morning；〃　and　relighting　the　journal；　went　on　his　hands　and　knees

and　began　manfully　to　blow　the　flames。　。　。　。　。　。



Now　the　young　lady　in　the　adjoining　castle；　who　had　got　out　of　bed；

happened；　as　she　sometimes　did；　to　go　to　the　window　for　a　look　at　the　sun

rising　over　Parliament　Hill。　　Attracted　by　the　smell　of　burning　paper　she

saw　Mr。　Lavender　in　this　act　of　blowing　up　the　flames。



〃What　on　earth　is　the　poor　dear　doing　now？〃　　she　thought。　　〃This　is

really　the　limit！〃　　And　slipping　on　her　slippers　and　blue　dressing…gown

she　ensconced　herself　behind　the　curtain　to　await　developments。



Mr。　Lavender　had　now　backed　away　from　the　flames　at　which　he　had　been

blowing；　and　remained　on　his　hands　and　knees；　apparently　assuring　himself

that　they　had　really　obtained　hold。　　He　then　rose；　and　to　her　intense

surprise　began　climbing　up　on　to　the　pile。　　She　watched　him　at　first　with

an　amused　astonishment；　so　ludicrous　was　his　light　little　figure；　crowned

by　stivered…up　white　hair；　and　the　expression　of　eager　melancholy　on　his

thin；　high…cheekboned　face　upturned　towards　her　window。　　Then；　to　her

dismay；　she　saw　that　the　flame　had　really　caught；　and；　suddenly　persuaded

that　he　had　some　crazy　intention　of　injuring　himself　with　the　view；

perhaps；　of　attracting　her　attention；　she　ran　out　of　her　room　and　down

the　stairs；　and　emerging　from　the　back　door　just　as　she　was；　circled　her

garden；　so　that　she　might　enter　Mr。　Lavender's　garden　from　behind　him；

ready　for　any　eventuality。　　She　arrived　within　arm's　reach　of　him　without

his　having　heard　her；　for　Blink；　whose　anxious　face　as　she　watched　her

master　wasting；　could　be　discerned　at　the　bedroom…window；　was　whining；

and　Mr。　Lavender　himself　had　now　broken　into　a　strange　and　lamentable

chantey；　which；　in　combination　with　the　creeping　flutter　of　the　flames　in

the　weekly　journals　encircling　the　base　of　the　funeral　pyre；　well…nigh

made　her　blood　curdle。



〃Aurora；〃　sang　Mr。　Lavender；　in　that　most　dolorous　voice；



　　　　　　　　　〃Aurora；　my　heart　I　bring；

　　　　　　　　　　For　I　know　well　it　will　not　burn；

　　　　　　　　　　Oh！　when　the　leaves　puff　out　in　Spring

　　　　　　　　　　And　when　the　leaves　in　Autumn　turn

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Think；　think　of　me！

　　　　　　　　　　Aurora；　I　pass　away！

　　　　　　　　　　Upon　my　horse　of　air　I　ride；

　　　　　　　　　　Here　let　my　grizzled　ashes　stay；

　　　　　　　　　　But　take；　ah！　take　my　heart　inside！

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Aurora！　　Aurora！〃



At　this　moment；　just　as　a　fit　of　the　most　uncontrollable　laughter　was

about　to　seize　her；　she　saw　a　flame　which　had　just　consumed　the　word

Horatio　reach　Mr。　Lavender's　right　calf。



〃Oh！〃　he　cried　out　in　desperate　tones；　stretching　up　his　arms　to　the　sky。

〃Now　is　my　hour　come！　　Sweet…sky；　open　and　let　me　see　her　face！　　Behold！

behold　her　with　the　eyes　of　faith。　　It　is　enough。　　Courage；　brother；　let

me　now　consume　in　silence！〃　　So　saying；　he　folded　his　arm　tightly　across

his　breast　and　closed　his　lips。　　The　flame　rising　to　the　bottom　of　the

weekly　which　had　indeed　been　upside　down；　here　nipped　him　vigorously；　so

that　with　a　wholly　unconscious　movement　he　threw　up　his　little　legs；　and；

losing　his　balance；　fell　backwards　into　the　arms　of　Aurora；　watchfully

outstretched　to　receive　him。　　Uplifted　there；　close　to　that　soft　blue

bosom　away　from　the　reek　of　the　flame；　he　conceived　that　he　was　consumed

and　had　passed　already　from　his　night　of　ghosts　and　shadows　into　the　arms

of　the　morning；　and　through　his　swooning　lips　came　forth　the　words：



〃I　am　in　Paradise。〃











End