the burning spear-第30节

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treasures　of　the　last　four　years；　and　as　he　carefully　placed　each　one；

building　up　at　once　a　firm　and　cunning　structure；　he　gave　a　little　groan；

thinking　of　the　intoxications　of　the　past；　and　all　the　glorious　thoughts

embodied　in　that　literature。　　Underneath；　in　the　heart　of　the　pile；　he

reserved　a　space　for　the　most　inflammable　material；　which　he　selected

from　a　special　file　of　a　special　journal；　and　round　the　circumference　of

the　lofty　and　tapering　mound　he　carefully　deposited　the　two　hundred　and

four　war　numbers　of　a　certain　weekly；　so　that　a　ring　of　flame　might　lick

well　up　the　sides　and　permeate　the　more　solid　matter　on　which　he　would　be

sitting。　　For　two　hours　he　worked　in　the　waning　moonlight　till　he　had

completed　this　weird　and　heroic　erection；　and　just　before　the　dawn；　sat

down　by　the　light　of　the　candle　with　which　he　meant　to　apply　the

finishing　touch；　to　compose　that　interview　with　himself　whereby　he

intended　to　convey　to　the　world　the　message　of　his　act。



〃I　found　him；〃　he　began；　in　the　words　of　the　interviewer；　〃sitting　upon　a

journalistic　pile　of　lovely　leaves　of　thought；　which　in　the　dawning　of　a

new　day　glowed　with　a　certain　restrained　flamboyance；　as　though　the

passion　stored　within　those　exotic　pages　gave　itself　willingly　to　the

'eclaircissement'　of　the　situation；　and　of　his　lineaments　on　which

suffering　had　already　set　their　stamp。



〃'I　should　like　you；'　I　said；　approaching　as　near　as　I　could；　for　the

sparks；　like　little　fireflies　on　a　Riviera　evening；　were　playing

profoundly　round　my　trousers；　'I　should　like　to　hear　from　your　own　lips

the　reasons　which　have　caused　you　to　resign。'



〃'Certainly；'　he　replied；　with　the　courtesy　which　I　have　always　found

characteristic　of　him　in　moments　which　would　try　the　suavity　of　more

ordinary　men；　and　with　the　utmost　calm　and　clarity　he　began　to　tell　me

the　inner　workings　of　his　mind；　while　the　growing　dawn…light　irradiated

his　wasted　and　expressive　features；　and　the　flames　slowly　roasted　his

left　boot。



〃'Yes；'　he　said　quietly；　and　his　eyes　turned　inwards；　'I　have　at　last

seen　the　problem　clearly；　and　seen　it　whole。　　It　is　largely　because　of

this　that　I　have　elected　to　seek　the　seclusion　of　another　world。　　What

that　world　contains　for　me　I　know　not；　though　so　many　public　men　have

tried　to　tell　me；　but　it　has　never　been　my　way　to　recoil　from　the

Unknown；　and　I　am　ready　for　my　journey　beyond　the　wide　world's　end。'



〃I　was　greatly　struck　by　the　large…hearted　way　in　which　he　spoke　those

words；　and　I　interrupted　him　to　ask　whether　he　did　not　think　that　there

was　something　fundamental　in　the　British　character　which　would　leap　as

one　man　at　such　an　act　of　daring　sacrifice　and　great　adventure。



〃'As　regards　that；'　he　replied　fearlessly；　while　in　the　light　of　the

ever…brightening　dawn　I　could；　see　the　suspender　on　his　right　leg

gradually　charring；　so　that　he　must　already　have　been　in　great　pain；　'as

regards　that；　it　is　largely　the　proneness　of　the　modern　British　to　leap

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　ash