the burning spear-第8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！
missis comes！〃 and he ran into the house。
Mr。 Lavender was walking dazedly in the hall with the journals held out
before him。
〃Joe；〃 he said； catching sight of his servant； 〃get the car ready。
I must be in five places at once； for only thus can we defeat the
greatest danger which ever threatened the future of civilization。〃
〃Right…o； sir；〃 replied Joe； and； waiting till his master turned round；
he seized him round the legs； and lifting that thin little body ascended
the stairs； while Mr。 Lavender； with the journals waving fanlike in his
hands； his white hair on end； and his legs kicking； endeavoured to turn
his head to see what agency was moving him。
At the top of the stairs they came on Mrs。 Petty； who； having Scotch
blood in her veins； stood against the wall to let them pass； with a hot
bottle in either hand。 Having placed Mr。 Lavender in his bed and drawn
the clothes up to his eyes； Joe Petty passed the back of his hand across
his brow； and wrung it out。
〃Phew！〃 he gasped； 〃he's artful！〃
His wife； who had followed them in； was already fastening her eyes on the
carpet。
〃What's that？〃 she said； sniffing。
〃That？〃 repeated Joe； picking up his pipe； 〃why； I had to run to ketch
'im； and it fell out o' me pocket。〃
〃And lighted itself；〃 said Mrs。 Petty； darting； at the floor and taking
up a glowing quid which had burned a little round hole in the carpet。
〃You're a pretty one！〃
〃You can't foresee those sort o' things；〃 said Joe。
〃You can't foresee anything；〃 replied his wife； 〃you might be a
Government。 Here！ hold the clothes while I get the bottles to his feet。
Well I never！ If he hasn't got〃 And from various parts of Mr。
Lavender's body she recovered the five journals。 〃For putting things in
the wrong place； Joe Petty； I've never seen your like！〃
〃They'll keep 'im warm；〃 said Joe。
Mr。 Lavender who； on finding himself in bed； had once more fallen into a
comatose condition； stirred； and some words fell from his lips。 〃Five in
one； and one in five。〃
〃What does he say？〃 said Mrs。 Petty； tucking him up。
〃It's the odds against Candelabra for the Derby。〃
〃Only faith；〃 cried Mr。 Lavender； 〃 can multiply exceedingly。〃
〃Here； take them away！〃 muttered Mrs。 Petty； and dealing the journals a
smart slap； she handed them to Joe。
〃Faith！〃 repeated Mr。 Lavender； and fell into a doze。
〃About this new disease；〃 said Joe。 〃D'you think it's ketchin'？ I feel
rather funny meself。〃
〃Stuff！〃 returned his wife。 〃Clear away those papers and that bone； and
go and take Blink out； and sit on a seat； it's all you're fit for。 Of
all the happy…go…luckys you're the worst。〃
〃Well； I never could worry；〃 said Joe from the doorway； 〃'tisn't in me。
So long！〃
And； dragging Blink by the collar； he withdrew。
Alone with her patient； Mrs。 Petty； an enthusiast for cleanliness and
fresh air； went on her knees； and； having plucked out the charred ring of
the little hole in the carpet； opened the window wider to rid the room of
the smell of burning。 〃If it wasn't for me；〃 she thought； leaning out
into the air； 〃I don't know what'd become of them。
A voice from a few feet away said：
〃I hope he's none the worse。 What does the doctor say？〃
Looking round in astonishment； Mrs。 Petty saw a young lady leaning out of
a window on her right。
〃We can't tell at present；〃 she said； with a certain reserve he is going
on satisfactory。
〃It's not hydrophobia； is it？〃 asked the young lady。 〃You know he fell
out of the window？
〃What！〃 ejaculated Mrs。 Petty。
〃Where the lilac's broken。 If I can give you a hand I shall be very
glad。 I'm a V。A。D。〃
〃Thank you； I'm sure；〃 said Mrs。 Petty stiffly； for the passion of
jealousy； to which she was somewhat prone； was rising in her； 〃there is
no call。〃 And she thought； 〃V。A。 indeed！ I know them。〃
Poor dear said the young lady。 〃He did come a bump。 It was awfully
funny！ Is heer？〃 And she touched her forehead； where tendrils of
fair hair were blowing in the breeze。
Inexpressibly outraged by such a question concerning one for whom she had
a proprietary reverence； Mrs。 Petty answered acidly：
〃Oh dear no！ He is much wiser than some people！〃
〃It was only that he mentioned the last man and the last dollar； you
know；〃 said the young lady； as if to herself； 〃but； of course； that's no
real sign。〃 And she uttered a sudden silvery laugh。
Mrs。 Petty became aware of something tickling her left ear； and turning
round； found her master leaning out beside her； in his dressing…gown。
Leave me； Mrs。 Petty；〃 he said with such dignity that she instinctively
recoiled。 〃It may seem to you；〃 continued Mr。 Lavender； addressing the
young lady； 〃indelicate on my part to resume my justification； but as a
public man； I suffer； knowing that I have committed a breach of decorum。〃
〃Don't you think you ought to keep quiet in bed？〃 Mrs。 Petty heard the
young lady ask。
〃My dear young lady； 〃Mr。 Lavender replied； 〃the thought of bed is
abhorrent to me at a time like this。 What more ignoble fate than to die
in； one's bed？
〃I'm only asking you to live in it；〃 said the young lady； while Mrs。
Petty grasped her master by the skirts of his gown。
〃Down； Blink； down！〃 said Mr。 Lavender； leaning still further out。
〃For pity's sake； 〃 wailed the young lady； don't fall out again； or I
shall burst。〃
〃Ah； believe me；〃 said Mr。 Lavender in a receding voice； 〃I would not
pain you further for the world〃
Mrs。 Petty； exerting all her strength； had hauled him in。
〃Aren't you ashamed of yourself； sir；〃 she said severely； 〃talking to a
young lady like that in your dressing…gown？
〃Mrs。 Petty；〃 said Mr Lavender mysteriously； 〃it might have been
worse。。。。 I should like some tea with a little lemon in it。
Taking this for a sign of returning reason Mrs。 Petty drew him gently
towards the bed； and； having seen him get in； tucked him up and said：
〃Now； sir； you never break your word； do you？〃
〃No public man〃 began Mr。 Lavender。
〃Oh； bother！ Now； promise me to stay quiet in bed while I get you that
tea。〃
〃I certainly shall；〃 replied our hero； 〃for I feel rather faint。〃
〃That's right；〃 said Mrs。 Petty。 〃I trust you。〃 And； bolting the
window； she whisked out of the room and locked the door behind her。
Mr。 Lavender lay with his eyes fixed on the； ceiling； clucking his
parched tongue。 〃God；〃 he thought； 〃for one must use that word when the
country is in dangerGod be thanked for Beauty！ But I must not allow it
to unsteel my soul。 Only when the cause of humanity has triumphed； and
with the avenging sword and shell we have exterminated that criminal
nation； only then shall I be entitled to let its gentle influence creep
about my being。〃 And drinking off the tumbler of tea which Mrs。 Petty
was holding to his lips； he sank almost immediately into a deep slumber。
VI
MAKES A MISTAKE； AND MEETS A MOON…CAT
The old lady； whose name was Sinkin； and whose interest in Mr。 Lavender
had become so deep； lived in a castle in Frognal； and with her lived her
young nephew； a boy of forty…five； indissolubly connected with the Board
of Guardians。 It was entirely due to her representations that he
presented himself at Mr。 Lavender's on the following day； and； sending in
his card； was admitted to our hero's presence。
Mr。 Lavender； pale and stiff； was sitting in his study； with Blink on his
feet； reading a speech。
〃Excuse my getting up； sir；〃 he said； 〃and pray be seated。〃
The nephew； who had a sleepy； hairless face and little Chinese eyes；
bowed； and sitting down； stared at Mr。 Lavender with a certain
embarrassment。
〃I have come；〃 he said at last； 〃to ask you a few questions on behalf
of〃
〃By all means；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； perceiving at once that he was being
interviewed。 〃I shall be most happy to give you my views。 Please take a
cigarette； for I believe that is usual。 I myself do not smoke。 If it is
the human touch you want； you may like to know that I gave it up when
that appeal in your contemporary flooded the trenches with cigarettes and
undermined the nerves of our heroes。 By setting an example of
abstinence； and at the same time releasing more tobacco for our men；
I felt that I was but doing my duty。 Please don't mention that； though。
And while we are on the personal note； which I sincerely deprecate； you
might like to stroll round the room and look at the portrait of my
father； behind the door； and of my mother； over the fireplace。 Forgive
my not accompanying you。 The fact isthis is an interesting touchI
have always been rather subject to lumbago。〃 And seeing the nephew
Sinkin； who had risen to his suggestion； standing somewhat irresolutely
in front of him； he added： 〃Perhaps you would like to look a little more
closely at my
