the burning spear-第17节

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〃Gentlemen；〃　shouted　Mr。　Lavender；　waving　his　leaders；　〃gentlemen…〃　But

at　this　moment　the　large　man　was　hurled　into　contact　with　what　served　Mr。

Lavender　for　stomach；　and　the　two　fell　in　confusion。　　An　uproar　ensued　of

which　Mr。　Lavender　was　more　than　vaguely　conscious；　for　many　feet　went

over　him。　　He　managed；　however；　to　creep　into　a　corner；　and；　getting　up；

surveyed　the　scene。　　The　young　men　who　had　invaded　the　meeting；　much

superior　in　numbers　and　strength　to　the　speakers；　to　the　large　man；　and

the　three　or　four　other　able…bodied　persons　who　had　rallied　to　them　from

among　the　audience；　were　taking　every　advantage　of　their　superiority　；

and　it　went　to　Mr。　Lavender's　heart　to　see　how　they　thumped　and

maltreated　their　opponents。　　The　sight　of　their　brutality；　indeed；

rendered　him　so　furious　that；　forgetting　all　his　principles　and　his

purpose　in　coming　to　the　meeting；　he　climbed　on　to　a　form；　and　folding

his　arms　tightly　on　his　breast；　called　out　at　the　top　of　his　voice：



〃Cads！　　Do　not　thus　take　advantage　of　your　numbers。　　Cads！〃　　Having　thus

defended　what　in　his　calmer　moments　he　would　have　known　to　be　the　wrong；

he　awaited　his　own　fate　calmly。　　But　in　the　hubbub　his　words　had　passed

unnoticed。　　〃It　is　in　moments　like　these；〃　he　thought；　〃that　the　；great

speaker　asserts　his　supremacy；　quells　the　storm；　and　secures　himself　a

hearing。〃　　And　he　began　to　rack　his　brains　to　remember　how　they　did　it。

〃It　must　require　the　voice　of　an　ox；〃　he　thought；　〃and　the　skin　of　an

alligator。　　Alas！　　How　deficient　I　am　in　public　qualities！〃　　But　his

self…depreciation　was　here　cut　off　with　the　electric　light。　　At　this

sheer　intervention　of　Providence　Mr。　Lavender；　listening　to　the

disentangling　sounds　which　rose　in　the　black　room；　became　aware　that　he

had　a　chance　such　as　he　had　not　yet　had　of　being　heard。



〃Stay；　my　friends！〃　he　said；　〃here　in　darkness　we　can　see　better　the　true

proportions　of　this　great　question　of　free　speech。　　There　are　some　who

contend　that　in　a　democracy　every　opinion　should　be　heard；　that；　just

because　the　good　sense　of　the　majority　will　ever　lead　the　country　into

the　right　paths；　the　minority　should　be　accorded　full　and　fair

expression；　for　they　cannot　deflect　the　country's　course；　and　because

such　expression　acts　as　a　healthful　safety…valve。　　Moreover；　they　say

there　is　no　way　of　preventing　the　minority　from　speaking　save　that　of

force；　which　is　unworthy　of　a　majority；　and　the　negation　of　what　we　are

fighting　for　in　this　war。　　But　I　say；　following　the　great　leader…writers；

that　in　a　time　of　national　danger　nobody　ought　to　say　anything　except

what　is　in　accord　with　the　opinions　of　the　majority；　for　only　in　this　way

can　we　present　a　front　which　will　seem　to　be　united　to　our　common

enemies。　　I　say；　and　since　I　am　the　majority　I　must　be　in　the　right；　that

no　one　who　disagrees　with　me　must　say　anything　if　we　are　to　save　the

cause　of　freedom　and　humanity。　　I　deprecate　violence；　but　I　am　thoroughly

determined　to　stand　no　nonsense；　and　shall　not　hesitate　to　suppress　by

every　means　in　the　power　of　the　majorityincluding；　if　need　be；　Prussian

measuresany　whisper　from　those　misguided　and　unpatriotic　persons　whose

so…called　principles　induce　them　to　assert　their　right　to　have　opinions

of　their　own。　　This　has　ever　been　a　free　country；　and　they　shall　not

imperil　its　freedom　by　their　volubility　and　self…conceit。〃　　Here　Mr。

Lavender　paused　for　breath；　and　in　the　darkness　a　faint　noise；　as　of　a

mouse　scrattling　at　a　wainscot；　attracted　his　attention。　　〃Wonderful；〃　he

thought；　elated　by　the　silence；　〃that　I　should　so　have　succeeded　in

riveting　their　attention　as　to　be　able　to　hear　a　mouse　gnawing。　　I　must

have　made　a　considerable　impression。〃　And；　fearing　to　spoil　it　by　further

speech；　he　set　to　work　to　grope　his　way　round　the　chapel　wall　in　the　hope

of　coming　to　the　door。　　He　had　gone　but　a　little　way　when　his

outstretched　hand　came　into　contact　with　something　warm；　which　shrank

away　with　a　squeal。



〃Oh！〃　cried　Mr。　Lavender；　while　a　shiver　went　down　his　spine；　〃what　is

that？〃



〃Me；〃　said　a　stifled　voice。　　〃Who　are　you？〃



〃A　public　speaker；　madam；〃　answered　Mr。　Lavender；　unutterably　relieved。

Don't　be　alarmed。



〃Ouch！〃　whispered　the　voice。　　That　madman！



〃I　assure　you；　madam；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　striving　to　regain　contact；

〃I　wouldn't　harm　you　for　the　world。　　Can　you　tell　me　in　what　portion　of

the　hall　we　are？〃　And　crouching　down　he　stretched　out　his　arms　and　felt

about　him。　　No　answer　came；　but　he　could　tell　that　he　was　between　two

rows　of　chairs；　and；　holding　to　the　top　of　one；　he　began　to　sidle　along；

crouching；　so　as　not　to　lose　touch　with　the　chairs　behind　him。　　He　had

not　proceeded　the　length　of　six　chairs　in　the　pitchy　darkness　when　the

light　was　suddenly　turned　up；　and　he　found　himself　glaring　over　the　backs

of　the　chairs　in　front　into　the　eyes　of　a　young　woman；　who　was　crouching

and　glaring　back　over　the　same　chairs。



〃Dear　me　said　Mr。　Lavender；　as　with　a　certain　dignity　they　both　rose　to

their　full　height；　〃I　had　no　conception〃



Without　a　word；　the　young　woman　put　her　hand　up　to　her　back　hair；　sidled

swiftly　down　the　row　of　chairs；　ran　down　the　aisle；　and　vanished。　　There

was　no　one　else　in　the　chapel。　　Mr。　Lavender；　after　surveying　the

considerable　wreckage；　made　his　way　to　the　door　and　passed　out　into　the

night。　　〃Like　a　dream；〃　he　thought　；　〃but　I　have　done　my　duty；　for　no

meeting　was　ever　more　completely　broken　up。　　With　a　clear　conscience　and

a　good　appetite　I　can　how　go　home。〃









XII



SPEEDS　UP　TRANSPORT；　AND　SEES　A　DOCTOR



Greatly　cheered　by　his　success　at　the　Peace　meeting；　Mr。　Lavender

searched　his　papers　next　morning　to　find　a　new　field　for　his　activities；

nor　had　he　to　read　far　before　he　came　on　this　paragraph：



　　　　　〃Everything　is　dependent　on　transport；　and　we　cannot　sufficiently

　　　　　urge　that　this　should　be　speeded　up　by

　　　　　every　means　in　our　power。〃



〃How　true！〃　he　thought。　　And；　finishing　his　breakfast　hastily；　he　went

out　with　Blink　to　think　over　what　he　could　do　to　help。　　〃I　can　exhort；〃

he　mused；　〃anyone　engaged　in　transport　who　is　not　exerting　himself　to　the

utmost。　　It　will　not　be　pleasant　to　do　so；　for　it　will　certainly　provoke

much　ill…feeling。　　I　must　not；　however；　be　deterred　by　that；　for　it　is

the　daily　concomitant　of　public　life；　and　hard　words　break　no　bones；　as

they　say；　but　rather　serve　to　thicken　the　skins　and　sharpen　the　tongues

of　us　public　men；　so　that；　we　are　able　to　meet　our　opponents　with　their

own　weapons。　　I　perceive　before　me；　indeed；　a　liberal　education　in　just

those　public　qualities　wherein　I　am　conscious　of　being　as　yet　deficient。

〃And　his　heart　sank　within　him；　thinking　of　the　carts　on　the　hills　of

Hampstead　and　the　boys　who　drove　them。　　〃What　is　lacking　to　them；〃　he

mused；　〃is　the　power　of　seeing　this　problem　steadily　and　seeing　it　whole。

Let　me　endeavour　to　impart　this　habit　to　all　who　have　any　connection　with

transport。〃



He　had　just　completed　this　reflection　when；　turning　a　corner；　he　came　on

a　large　van　standing　stockstill　at　the　top　of　an　incline。　　The　driver　was

leaning　idly　against　the　hind　wheel　filling　a　pipe。　　Mr。　Lavender　glanced

at　the　near　horse；　and　seeing　that　he　was　not　distressed；　he　thus

addressed　the　man：



〃Do　you　not　know；　my　friend；　that　every　minute　is　of　importance　in　this

national　crisis？　　If　I　could　get　you　to　see　the　question　of　transport

steadily；　and　to　see　it　whole；　I　feel　convinced　that　you　would　not　be

standing　there　lighting　your　pipe　when　perhaps　this　half…hour's　delay　in

the　delivery　of　your　goods　may　mean　the　death　of　one　of　your　comrades　at

the　front。〃



The　man；　who　was　wizened；　weathered；　and　old；　with　but　few　teeth；　looked

up　at　him　from　above　the　curved　hands　with　which　he　was　coaxing　the　flame

of　a　match　into　the　bowl　of　his　pipe。　　His　brow　was　wrinkled；　and

moisture　stood　at　the　comers　of　his　eyes。



〃I　assure　you；〃　went　on　Mr。　Lavender；　〃that　we　have　none　of　us　the　right

in　these　days　to　delay　for　a　single　minute　the　delivery　of　anythingnot

even　of　speeches。　　When　I　am　tempted　to　do　so；　I　think　of　our　sons　and

brothers　in　the　trenches；　and　how　every　shell　and　every　word　saves　their

lives；　and　I　deliver〃



The　old　man；　who　had　finished　lighting　his　pipe；　took　a　long　pull　at　it；

and　said　hoarsely：



〃Go　on！〃



〃I　will；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃for　I　perceive　that　I　can　effect　a

revolution　in　your　outlook；　so　that　instead　of　wasting　the　country's　time

by　leaning　against　that　wheel　you　will　drive　on　zealously　and　help　to　win

the　war。〃



The　old　man　looked　at　him；　and　one　side　of　his　face　became　drawn　up　in　a

smile；　which　seemed　to　Mr。　Lavender　so　horrible　that　he　said：　〃Why　do　you

look　at　me　like　that？〃



〃Cawn't　'elp　it；〃　said　the　man。



〃What　makes　you；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender；　〃pause　here　with　your　job　half

finished？　　It　is　not　the　hill　which　keeps　you　back；　for　you　are