the burning spear-第24节

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beauty　in　the　world。　　I　am　not　yet　worthy；　however；　of　this　adventure；

which　will；　indeed；　be　far　more　arduous　and　distressing　to　accomplish

than　any　which　I　have　yet　undertaken。　　What　can　I　do　to　brighten　and

equip　my　mind　and　divest　it　of　all　those　prejudices　in　which　it　may

unconsciously　have　become　steeped　？　　If　I　could　1eave　e　earth　a　short

space　and　commune　with　the　clouds　it　might　be　best。　　I　will　go　to　Hendon

and　see　if　someone　will　take　me　up　for　a　consideration；　for　on　earth　I

can　no　longer　be　sure　of　anything。



And　having　rounded　off　his　purpose　with　this　lofty　design；　he　went　back

to　bed　with　his　head　lighter　than　a　puff…ball。









XVII



ADDRESSES　THE　CLOUDS



On　the　morning　following　his　resurrection　Mr。　Lavender　set　out　very　early

for　the　celebrated　flying　ground　without　speaking　of　his　intention　to

anyone。　　At　the　bottom　of　the　hill　he　found　to　his　annoyance　that　Blink

had　divined　his　purpose　and　was　following。　　This；　which　compelled　him　to

walk；　greatly　delayed　his　arrival。　　But　chance　now　favoured　him；　for　he

found　he　was　expected；　and　at　once　conducted　to　a　machine　which　was　about

to　rise。　　A　taciturn　young　man；　with　a　long　jaw；　and　wings　on　his　breast；

was　standing　there　gazing　at　it　with　an　introspective　eye。



〃Ready；　sir？〃　he　said。



〃Yes；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　enveloped　to　the　eyes　in　a　garment　of　fur

and　leather。　　〃Will　you　kindly　hold　my　dog？〃　he　added；　stroking　Blink

with　the　feeling　that　he　was　parting　for　ever　with　all　that　was　most　dear

to　him。



An　attendant　having　taken　hold　of　her　by　the　collar；　Mr。　Lavender　was

heaved　into　the　machine；　where　the　young　airman　was　already　seated　in

front　of　him。



〃Shall　I　feel　sick？〃　asked　Mr。　Lavender。



〃Probably；〃　said　the　young　airman。



〃That　will　not　deter　me；　for　the　less　material　I　become　the　better　it

will　be。〃



The　young　airman　turned　his　head；　and　Mr。　Lavender　caught　the　surprised

yellow　of　his　eye。



〃Hold　on；〃　said　the　airman；　〃I'm　going　to　touch　her　off。〃



Mr。　Lavender　held　on；　and　the　machine　moved　but　at　this　moment　Blink；

uttering　a　dismal　howl；　leapt　forward；　and；　breaking　from　the　attendant's

grasp；　landed　in　the　machine　against　Mr。　Lavender's　chest。



〃Stop！　stop　he　cried！〃　my　dog。



〃Stuff　her　down；〃　said　the　unmoved　airman；　〃between　your　legs。　　She's　not

the　first　to　go　up　and　won't　be　the　last　to　come　down。〃



Mr。　Lavender　stuffed　her　down　as　best　he　could。　　〃If　we　are　to　be

killed；〃　he　thought；　〃it　will　be　together。　　Blink！〃　　The　faithful

creature；　who　bitterly　regretted　her　position　now　that　the　motion　had

begun；　looked　up　with　a　darkened　eye　at　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　stopping

his　ears　against　the　horrible　noises　which　had　now　begun。　　He　；too；　had

become　aware　of　the　pit　of　his　stomach；　but　this　sensation　soon　passed

away　in　the　excitement　he　felt　at　getting　away　from　the　earth；　for　they

were　already　at　the　height　of　a　house；　and　rising　rapidly。



〃It　is　not　at　all　like　a　little　bird；〃　he　thought；　but　rather　resembles　a

slow　train　on　the　surface　of　the　sea；　or　a　horse　on　a　switchback　merry…

go…round。　　I　feel；　however；　that　my　spirit　will　soon　be　free；　for　the

earth　is　becoming　like　a　board　whereon　a　game　is　played　by　an　unseen

hand；　and　I　am　leaving　it。〃　　And　craning　his　head　out　a　little　too　far　he

felt　his　chin　knock　against　his　spine。　　Drawing　it　in　with　difficulty　he

concentrated　his　attention　upon　that　purification　of　his　spirit　which　was

the　object　of　his　journey。



〃I　am　now；〃　he　thought；　〃in　the　transcendent　ether。　　It　should　give　me　an

amazing　power　of　expression　such　as　only　the　greatest　writers　and　orators

attain；　and；　divorced　as　I　am　rapidly　becoming　from　all　sordid　reality；

truth　will　appear　to　me　like　one　of　those　stars　towards　which　I　am

undoubtedly　flying　though　I　cannot　as　yet　see　it。



Blink；　who　between　his　legs　had　hitherto　been　unconscious　of　their

departure　from　the　earth；　now　squirmed　irresistibly　up　till　her　forepaws

were　on　her　master's　chest；　and　gazed　lugubriously　at　the　fearful

prospect。　　Mr。　Lavender　clasped　her　convulsively。　　They　were　by　now

rapidly　nearing　a　flock　of　heavenly　sheep；　which　as　they　approached

became　ever　more　gigantic　till　they　were　transformed　into　monstrous　snow…

fleeces　intersected　by　wide　drifts　of　blue。



〃Can　it　be　that　we　are　to　adventure　above　them？〃　thought　Mr。　Lavender。

〃I　hope　not；　for　they　seem　to　me　fearful。〃　　His　alarm　was　soon　appeased；

for　the　machine　began　to　take　a　level　course　a　thousand　feet；　perhaps；

below　the　clouds；　whence　little　wraiths　wandering　out　now　and　again

dimmed　Mr。　Lavender's　vision　and　moistened　his　brow。



Blink　having　retired　again　between　her　master's　legs；　a　sense　of　security

and　exaltation　was　succeeding　to　the　natural　trepidation　of　Mr。

Lavender's　mood。　　〃I　am　now；〃　he　thought；　〃lifted　above　all　petty　plots

and　passions　on　the　wings　of　the　morning。　　Soon　will　great　thoughts　begin

to　jostle　in　my　head；　and　I　shall　see　the　truth　of　all　things　made　clear

at　last。〃



But　the　thoughts　did　not　jostle；　a　curious　lethargy　began　stealing　over

him　instead；　so　that　his　head　fell　back；　and　his　mouth　fell　open。　　This

might　have　endured　until　he　returned　to　earth　had　not　the　airman　stopped

the　engines　so　that　they　drifted　ruminantly　in　space　below　the　clouds。

With　the　cessation　of　the　noise　Mr。　Lavender's　brain　regained　its

activity；　and　he　was　enchanted　to　hear　the　voice　of　his　pilot　saying：



〃How　are　you　getting　on；　sir？〃



〃As　regards　the　sensation；〃　Mr。　Lavender　replied；　〃it　is　marvellous；　for

after　the　first　minute　or　two；　during　which　the　unwonted　motion　causes　a

certain　inconvenience；　one　grasps　at　once　the　exhilaration　and　joy　of

this　great　adventure。　　To　be　in　motion　towards　the　spheres；　and　see　the

earth　laid　out　like　a　chess…board　below　you；　to　feel　the　lithe　creature

beneath　your　body　responding　so　freely　to　every　call　of　its　gallant　young

pilot；　to　be　filled　with　the　scream　of　the　engines；　as　of　an　eagle　at

sport；　to　know　that　at　the　least　aberration　of　the　intrepid　airman　we

should　be　dashed　into　a　million　pieces；　all　this　is　largely　to　experience

an　experience　so　unforgettable　that　one　will　neverererforget　it。〃



〃Gosh！〃　said　the　young　airman。



〃Yes；〃　pursued　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　now　unconsciously　reading　himself　in

his　morning's　paper；　〃one　can　only　compare　the　emotion　to　that　which　the

disembodied　spirit　might　feel　passing　straight　from　earth　to　heaven。　　We

saw　at　a　great　depth　below　us　on　a　narrow　white　riband　of　road　two

crawling　black　specks；　and　knew　that　they　were　human　beings；　the　same　and

no　more　than　we　had　been　before　we　left　that　great　common　place　called

Earth。〃



〃Gum！〃　said　the　young　airman；　as　Lavender　paused；　〃you're　getting　it

fine；　sir！　　Where　will　it　appear？〃



〃Those　great　fleecy　beings　the　clouds；〃　went　on　Mr。　Lavender；　without

taking　on　the　interruption；　〃seemed　to　await　our　coming　in　the　morning

glory　of　their　piled…up　snows；　and　we；　with　the　rarefied　air　in　our

lungs；　felt　that　we　must　shout　to　them。〃　　And　so　carried　away　was　Mr。

Lavender　by　his　own　style　that　he　really　did　begin　to　address　the　clouds：

〃Ghosts　of　the　sky；　who　creep　cold　about　this　wide　blue　air；　we　small

adventuring　mortals　great…hearted　salute　you。　　Humbly　proud　of　our　daring

have　we　come　to　sport　with　you　and　the　winds　of　Ouranos；　and；　in　the

rapturous　corridors　between　you；　play　hide…and　seek；　avoiding　your

glorious　moisture　with　the　dips　and　curves　and　skimming　of　our　swallow

flightswe；　the　little　unconquerable　Spirits　of　the　Squirth！〃



The　surprise　which　Mr。　Lavender　felt　at　having　uttered　so　peculiar　a

word；　in　the　middle　of　such　a　flow　of　poetry　reduced　him　to　sudden

silence。



〃Golly！〃　said　the　airman　with　sudden　alarm　in　his　voice。　　〃Hold　tight！〃

And　they　began　to　shoot　towards　earth　faster　than　they　had　risen。　　They

came　down；　by　what　seemed　a　miracle　to　Mr。　Lavender；　who　was　still

contemplative；　precisely　where　they　had　gone　up。　　A　little　group　was

collected　there；　and　as　they　stepped　out　a　voice　said；　〃I　beg　your

pardon；〃　in　a　tone　so　dry　that　it　pierced　even　the　fogged　condition　in

which　Mr。　Lavender　alighted。　　The　gentleman　who　spoke　had　a　dark

moustache　and　thick　white　hair；　and；　except　that　he　wore　a　monocle；　and

was　perhaps　three　inches　taller；　bore　a　striking　resemblance　to　himself。



〃Thank　you；〃　he　replied；　〃certainly。〃



〃No；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃not　at　allon　the　contrary；　Who　the　hell　are

you？〃



〃A　public　man；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　surprised；　〃at　least；〃　he　added

conscientiously；　〃I　am　not　quite　certain。〃



〃Well；〃　said　the　gentleman；　〃you've　jolly　well　stolen　my　stunt。〃



〃Who；　then；　are　you？〃　asked　Mr。　Lavender。



〃I？〃　replied　the　gentleman；　evidently　intensely　surprised　that　he　was　not

known；　〃Imy　name〃



But　at　this　moment　Mr。　Lavender's　attention　was　diverted　by　the　sight　of

Blink　making　for　the　horizon；　and　crying　out　in　a　loud　voice：　〃My