the major-第52节

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！


the　arguments　built　upon　these　facts；　and　especially　by　the　fine　patriotic　appeal　with　which　Mr。　Allen　closed　his　address。　　But　I　am　not　satisfied；　and　my　question　is　this〃

〃Will　not　Mr。　Gwynne　come　to　the　platform？〃　said　Mr。　Allen。

〃Thank　you；〃　said　Larry；　〃I　prefer　to　stay　where　I　am；　I　am　much　too　shy。〃

Cries　of　〃Platform！　　Platform！〃　however；　rose　on　every　side；　to　which　Larry　finally　yielded；　and　encouraged　by　the　cheers　of　his　fellow　students　and　of　his　other　friends　in　the　audience；　he　climbed　upon　the　platform。　　His　slight；　graceful　form；　the　look　of　intellectual　strength　upon　his　pale　face；　his　modest　bearing；　his　humorous　smile　won　sympathy　even　from　those　who　were　impatient　at　the　prolonging　of　the　meeting。

〃Mr。　Chairman；〃　he　began　with　an　exaggerated　look　of　fear　upon　his　face；　〃I　confess　I　am　terrified　by　the　position　in　which　I　find　myself；　and　were　it　not　that　I　feel　deeply　the　immense　importance　of　this　question　and　the　gravity　of　the　appeal　with　which　the　speaker　closed　his　address；　I　would　not　have　ventured　to　say　a　word。　　My　first　question　is　this：　　Does　not　Mr。　Allen　greatly　exaggerate　the　danger　of　war　with　Germany？　　And　my　reasons　for　this　question　are　these。　　Every　one　knows　that　the　relations　between　Great　Britain　and　Germany　have　been　steadily　improving　during　the　last　two　or　three　years。　　I　note　in　this　connection　a　statement　made　only　a　few　months　ago　by　the　First　Lord　of　the　Admiralty；　Mr。　Winston　Churchill。　　It　reads　as　follows：

〃'The　Germans　are　a　nation　with　robust　minds　and　a　high　sense　of　honour　and　fair　play。　　They　look　at　affairs　in　a　practical　military　spirit。　　They　like　to　have　facts　put　squarely　before　them。　　They　do　not　want　them　wrapped　up　lest　they　should　be　shocked　by　them；　and　relations　between　the　two　countries　have　steadily　improved　during　the　past　year。　　They　have　steadily　improved　side　by　side　with　every　evidence　of　our　determination　to　maintain　our　naval　supremacy。'

〃These　words　spoken　in　the　British　House　of　Commons　give　us　Mr。　Winston　Churchill's　deliberate　judgment　as　to　the　relations　between　Germany　and　Great　Britain。　　Further　Mr。　Allen　knows　that　during　the　past　two　years　various　peace　delegations　composed　of　people　of　the　highest　standing　in　each　country　have　exchanged　visits。　　I　understand　from　private　correspondence　from　those　who　have　promoted　these　delegations　that　the　last　British　delegation　was　received　in　Germany　with　the　utmost　enthusiasm　by　men　of　all　ranks　and　professions；　generals；　admirals；　burgomasters；　professors　and　by　the　Kaiser　himself；　all　professing　devotion　to　the　cause　of　peace　and　all　wishing　the　delegation　Godspeed。　　Surely　these　are　indications　that　the　danger　of　war　is　passing　away。　　You；　Sir；　have　made　an　appeal　for　war　preparation　tonight；　a　great　and　solemn　appeal　and　a　moving　appeal　for　warmerciful　God；　for　war！　　I　have　been　reading　about　war　during　the　past　three　months；　I　have　been　reading　again　Zola's　Debaclea　great　appeal　for　preparedness；　you　would　say。　　Yes；　but　a　terrific　picture　of　the　woes　of　war。〃

Larry　paused。　　A　great　silence　had　fallen　upon　the　people。　　There　flashed　across　his　mind　as　he　spoke　a　vision　of　war's　red；　reeking　way　across　the　fair　land　of　France。　　In　a　low　but　far…penetrating　voice；　thrilling　with　the　agonies　which　were　spread　out　before　him　in　vision；　he　pictured　the　battlefield　with　its　mad　blood　lust；　the　fury　of　men　against　men　with　whom　they　had　no　quarrel；　the　mangled　ruins　of　human　remains　in　dressing　station　and　hospital；　the　white…　faced；　wild…eyed　women　waiting　at　home；　and　back　of　all；　safe；　snug　and　cynical；　the　selfish；　ambitious　promoters　of　war。　　Steady　as　a　marching　column　without　pause　or　falter；　in　a　tone　monotonous　yet　thrilling　with　a　certain　subdued　passion；　he　gave　forth　his　indictment　of　war。　　He　was　on　familiar　ground　for　this　had　been　the　theme　of　his　prize　essay　last　winter。　　But　to…night　the　thing　to　him　was　vital；　terrifying；　horrible。　　He　was　delivering　no　set　address；　but　with　all　the　power　of　his　soul　he　was　pleading　for　comrades　and　friends；　for　wives　and　sweethearts；　for　little　babes　and　for　white…haired　mothers；　〃and　in　the　face　of　all　this；　you　are　asking　us　to　prepare　that　we　Canadians；　peaceful　and　peace…loving；　should　do　our　share　to　perpetrate　this　unspeakable　outrage　upon　our　fellow　men；　this　insolent　affront　against　Almighty　God。　　Tell　me；　if　Canada；　if　Britain；　were　to　expend　one…tenth；　one…hundredth　part　of　the　energy；　skill；　wealth；　in　promoting　peace　which　they　spend　on　war；　do　you　not　think　we　might　have　a　surer　hope　of　warding　off　from　our　Canadian　homes　this　unspeakable　horror？〃　　With　white　face　and　flaming　eyes；　his　form　tense　and　quivering；　he　stood　facing　the　advocate　of　war。　　For　some　moments；　during　which　men　seemed　scarcely　to　breathe；　the　two　faced　each　other。　　Then　in　a　voice　that　rang　throughout　the　theatre　as　it　had　not　in　all　his　previous　speech；　but　vibrant　with　sad　and　passionate　conviction；　Mr。　Allen　made　reply。

〃It　is　to　ward　off　from　our　people　and　from　our　Canadian　homes　this　calamity　that　you　have　so　vividly　pictured　for　us　that　I　have　made　my　appeal　to…night。　　Your　enemy　who　seeks　your　destruction　will　be　more　likely　to　halt　in　his　spring　if　you　cover　him　with　your　gun　than　if　you　appeal　to　him　with　empty　hands。　　For　this　reason；　it　is　that　once　more　I　appeal　to　my　fellow　Canadians　in　God's　name；　in　the　name　of　all　that　we　hold　dear；　let　us　with　all　our　power　and　with　all　speed　prepare　for　war。〃

〃God　Save　the　King；〃　said　the　Chairman。　　And　not　since　the　thrilling　days　of　Mafeking　had　Winnipeg　people　sung　that　quaint　archaic；　but　moving　anthem　as　they　sang　it　that　night。



CHAPTER　XIX

THE　CLOSING　OF　THE　DOOR


From　the　remarks　of　his　friends　even　as　they　thronged　him；　offering　congratulations；　Mr。　Allen　could　easily　gather　that　however　impressive　his　speech　had　been；　few　of　his　audience　had　taken　his　warning　seriously。

〃You　queered　my　speech；　Larry；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　forgive　you。〃

〃Not　at　all；　Sir；〃　replied　Larry。　　〃You　certainly　got　me。〃

〃I　fear；〃　replied　Mr。　Allen；　〃that　I　am　'the　voice　crying　in　the　wilderness。'〃

At　the　Allens'　party　Larry　was　overwhelmed　with　congratulations　on　his　speech；　the　report　of　which　had　been　carried　before　him　by　his　friends。

〃They　tell　me　your　speech　was　quite　thrilling；〃　said　Mrs。　Allen　as　she　greeted　Larry。

〃Your　husband　is　responsible　for　everything；〃　replied　Larry。

〃No；〃　said　Mr。　Allen；　〃Miss　Jane　here　is　finally　responsible。　　Hers　were　the　big　shells　I　fired。〃

〃Not　mine；〃　replied　Jane。　　〃I　got　them　from　Mr。　Romayne；　your　brother…in…law；　Larry。〃

〃Well；　I'm　blowed！〃　said　Larry。　　〃That's　where　the　stuff　came　from！　But　it　was　mighty　effective；　and　certainly　you　put　it　to　us；　Mr。　Allen。　　You　made　us　all　feel　like　fighting。　　Even　Scuddy；　there；　ran　amuck　for　a　while。〃

〃What？〃　said　Mr。　Allen；　〃you　don't　really　mean　to　say　that　Scudamore；　our　genial　Y。　M。　C。　A。　Secretary；　was　in　that　scrap？　That　cheers　me　greatly。〃

〃Was　he！〃　said　Ramsay　Dunn；　whose　flushed　face　and　preternaturally　grave　demeanour　sufficiently　explained　his　failure　to　appear　at　Dr。　Brown's　dinner。　　〃While　Mr。　Smart's　life　was　saved　by　the　timely　upper…cut　of　our　distinguished　pacifist；　Mr。　Gwynne；　without　a　doubt　Mr。　Scudamorehold　him　there；　Scallons；　while　I　adequately　depict　his　achievement〃　　Immediately　Scallons　and　Ted　Tuttle；　Scudamore's　right　and　left　supports　on　the　scrimmage　line；　seized　him　and　held　him　fast。　　〃As　I　was　saying；〃　continued　Dunn；　〃great　as　were　the　services　rendered　to　the　cause　by　our　distinguished　pacifist；　Mr。　Gwynne；　the　supreme　glory　must　linger　round　the　head　of　our　centre　scrim　and　Y。　M。　C。　A。　Secretary；　Mr。　Scudamore；　to　whose　effective　intervention　both　Mr。　Smart　and　Mr。　Gwynne　owe　the　soundness　of　their　physical　condition　which　we　see　them　enjoying　at　the　present　moment。〃

In　the　midst　of　his　flowing　periods　Dunn　paused　abruptly　and　turned　away。　　He　had　caught　sight　of　Jane's　face；　grieved　and　shocked；　in　the　group　about　him。　　Later　he　approached　her　with　every　appearance　of　profound　humiliation。　　〃Miss　Brown；〃　he　said；　〃I　must　apologise　for　not　appearing　at　dinner　this　evening。〃

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dunn；〃　said　Jane；　〃why　will　you　do　it？　　Why　break　the　hearts　of　all　your　friends？〃

〃Why？　　Because　I　am　a　fool；〃　he　said　bitterly。　　〃If　I　had　more　friends　like　you；　Miss　Brown；〃　he　paused　abruptly；　then　burst　forth；　〃Jane；　you　always　make　me　feel　like　a　beast。〃　　But　Larry's　approach　cut　short　any　further　conversation。

〃Jane；　I　want　to　talk　to　you；〃　said　Larry　impetuously。　　〃Let　us　get　away　somewhere。〃

In　the　library　they　found　a　quiet　spot；　where　they　sat　down。

〃I　want　to　tell　you；〃　said　Larry；　〃that　I　feel　that　I　treated　you　shabbily　to…day。　　I　have　only　a　poor　excuse　to　offer；　but　I　should　like　to　explain。〃

〃Don't；　Larry；〃　said　Jane；　her　words　coming　with　hurried　impetuosity。　〃I　was　very　silly。　　I　had　quite　forgotten　it。　　You　know　we　have　always　told　each　other　things；　and　I　expected　that　you　would　come　in　this　morning　just　to　talk　over　your　medal；　and　I　did　want　a　chance　to　say　how　glad　I　was　for　you；　and　how　glad　and　how　proud　I　knew　your　mother　would　be；　and　to　tell　the　truth　really；〃　she　added　with　a　shy　little　laugh；　〃I　wanted　to　have　you　congratulate　me　on　my