the burning spear-第18节
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finished？ It is not the hill which keeps you back； for you are at the
top； and your horses seem rested。〃
〃Yes；〃 said the old man； with another contortion of his face； 〃they're
restedleastways； one of 'em。〃
〃Then what delays youif not that British sluggishness which we in
public life find such a terrible handicap to our efforts in conducting
the war？〃
〃Ah！〃 said the old man。 〃But out of one you don't make two； guv'nor。
Git on the offside and you'll see it a bit steadier and a bit 'oler than
you 'ave 'itherto。〃
Struck by his words； which were accompanied by a painful puckering of the
checks； Mr。 Lavender moved round the van looking for some defect in its
machinery； and suddenly became aware that the off horse was lying on the
ground； with the traces cut。 It lay on its side； and did not move。
〃Oh！〃 cried Mr。 Lavender； 〃oh！〃 And going up to the horse's head he
knelt down。 The animal's eye was glazing。
〃Oh！〃 he cried again； 〃poor horse！ Don't die！〃 And tears dropped out of
his eyes on to the horse's cheek。 The eye seemed to give him a look； and
became quite glazed。
〃Dead！〃 said Mr Lavender in an awed whisper。 〃This is horrible！ What a
thin horsenothing but bones！〃 And his gaze haunted the ridge and
furrow of the horse's carcase； while the living horse looked round and
down at its dead fellow； from whose hollow face a ragged forelock drooped
in the dust。
〃I must go and apologize to that old man；〃 said Mr。 Lavender aloud； 〃for
no doubt he is even more distressed than I am。〃
〃Not 'e； guv'nor；〃 said a voice； and looking beside him he saw the aged
driver standing beside him； 〃not 'e； for of all the crool jobs I ever
'addrivin' that 'orse these last three months 'as been the croolest。
There 'e lies and 'es aht of it； and that's where they'd all like to be。
Speed； done 'im in； savin' 'is country's 'time an' 'is country's oats；
that done 'im in。 A good old 'orse； a willin' old 'orse； 'as broke 'is
'eart tryin' to do 'is bit on 'alf rations。 There 'e lies； and I'm glad
'e does。〃 And with the back of his hand the old fellow removed some
brown moisture which was trembling on his jaw。 Mr。 Lavender rose from
his knees。
〃Dreadful！monstrous！〃 he cried； 〃poor horse！ Who is responsible for
this？〃
〃Why；〃 said the old driver； 〃the gents as sees it steady and sees it 'ole
from one side o' the van； same as you。
So smitten to the heart was Mr。 Lavender by those words that he covered
his ears with his hands and almost ran from the scene； nor did he stop
till he had reached the shelter of his study； and was sitting in his arm…
chair with Blink upon his feet。 〃I will buy a go…cart；〃 he thought Blink
and I will pull our weight and save the poor horses。 We can at least
deliver our own milk and vegetables。〃
He had not been sitting there for half…an…hour revolving the painful
complexities of national life before the voice of Mrs。 Petty recalled him
from that sad reverie。
〃Dr。 Gobang to see you； sir。〃
At sight of the doctor who had attended him for alcoholic poisoning Mr。
Lavender experienced one or those vaguely disagreeable sensations which
follow on half…realized insults。
〃Good…morning； sir；〃 said the doctor； thought I'd just look in and make
my mind easy about you。 That was a nasty attack。 Do you still feel your
back？〃
〃No；〃 said Mr。 Lavender rather coldly； while Blink growled。
〃Nor your head ？〃
〃I have never felt my head；〃 replied Mr。 Lavender； still more coldly。
〃I seem to remember〃 began the doctor。
〃Doctor；〃 said Mr。 Lavender with dignity； surely you know that public
mendo not feeltheir headsit would not do。 They sometimes suffer
from their throats； but otherwise they have perfect health； fortunately。〃
The doctor smiled。
〃Well； what do you think of the war？〃 he asked chattily。
〃Be quiet； Blink；〃 said Mr。 Lavender。 Then； in a far…away voice； he
added： 〃Whatever the clouds which have gathered above our heads for the
moment； and whatever the blows which Fate may have in store for us； we
shall not relax our efforts till we have attained our aims and hurled our
enemies back。 Nor shall we stop there；〃 he went on； warming at his own
words。 〃It is but a weak…kneed patriotism which would be content with
securing the objects for which we began to fight。 We shall not hesitate
to sacrifice the last of our men； the last of our money； in the sacred
task of achieving the complete ruin of the fiendish Power which has
brought this great calamity on the world。 Even if our enemies surrender
we will fight on till we have dictated terms on the doorsteps of
Potsdam。〃
The doctor； who； since Mr。 Lavender began to speak； had been looking at
him with strange intensity； dropped his eyes。
〃Quite so；〃 he said heartily； 〃quite so。 Well； good…morning。 I only
just ran in！〃 And leaving Mr。 Lavender to the exultation he was
evidently feeling； this singular visitor went out and closed the door。
Outside the garden…gate he rejoined the nephew Sinkin。
〃Well？〃 asked the latter。
〃Sane as you or me；〃 said the doctor。 〃A little pedantic in his way of
expressing himself； but quite all there； really。〃
〃Did his dog bite you？〃 muttered the nephew。 〃No；〃 said the doctor
absently。 〃I wish to heaven everyone held his views。 So long。 I must
be getting on。〃 And they parted。
But Mr。 Lavender； after pacing the room six times； had sat down again in
his chair； with a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach； such as other
men feel on mornings after a debauch。
XIII
ADDRESSES SOME SOLDIERS ON THEIR FUTURE
On pleasant afternoons Mr。 Lavender would often take his seat on one of
the benches which adorned the Spaniard's Road to enjoy the beams of the
sun and the towers of the City confused in smoky distance。 And strolling
forth with Blink on the afternoon of the day on which the doctor had come
to see him he sat down to read a periodical； which enjoined on everyone
the necessity of taking the utmost interest in soldiers disabled by the
war。 〃Yes；〃 he thought； 〃it is indeed our duty to force them； no matter
what their disablements； to continue and surpass the heroism they
displayed out there； and become superior to what they once were。〃 And it
seemed to him a distinct dispensation of Providence when the rest of his
bench was suddenly occupied by three soldiers in the blue garments and
red ties of hospital life。 They had been sitting there for some minutes；
divided by the iron bars necessary to the morals of the neighbourhood；
while Mr。 Lavender cudgelled his brains for an easy and natural method of
approach； before Blink supplied the necessary avenue by taking her stand
before a soldier and looking up into his eye。
〃Lord！〃 said the one thus accosted； 〃what a fyce！ Look at her moustache！
Well； cocky； 'oo are you starin' at？〃
〃My dog；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； perceiving his chance； 〃has an eye for the
strange and beautiful。
〃Wow said the soldier； whose face was bandaged； she'll get it 'ere； won't
she？〃
Encouraged by the smiles of the soldier and his comrades； Mr。 Lavender
went on in the most natural voice he could assume。
〃I'm sure you appreciate； my friends； the enormous importance of your own
futures？ 〃
The three soldiers； whose faces were all bandaged； looked as surprised as
they could between them； and did not answer。 Mr。 Lavender went on；
dropping unconsciously into the diction of the article he had been
reading： 〃We are now at the turning…point of the ways； and not a moment
is to be lost in impressing on the disabled man the paramount necessity
of becoming again the captain of his soul。 He who was a hero in the
field must again lead us in those qualities of enterprise and endurance
which have made him the admiration of the world。〃
The three soldiers had turned what was visible of their faces towards Mr。
Lavender； and； seeing that he had riveted their attention； he proceeded：
〃The apathy which hospital produces； together with the present scarcity
of labour； is largely responsible for the dangerous position in which the
disabled man now finds himself。 Only we who have not to face his future
can appreciate what that future is likely to be if he does not make the
most strenuous efforts to overcome it。 Boys；〃 he added earnestly；
remembering suddenly that this was the word which those who had the
personal touch ever employed； 〃are you making those efforts？ Are you
equipping your minds？ Are you taking advantage of your enforced leisure
to place yourselves upon some path of life in which you can largely hold
your own against all comers？〃
He paused for a reply。
The soldiers； silent for a moment； in what seemed to Mr。 Lavender to be
sheer astonishment； began to fidget； then the one next him turned to his
neighbour； and said：
〃Are we； Alf？ Are we doin' what the gentleman says？〃
〃I
