the burning spear-第9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！



in　front　of　him；　he　added：　〃Perhaps　you　would　like　to　look　a　little　more

closely　at　my　eyes。　　Every　now　and　then　they　flash　with　an　almost　uncanny

insight。〃　　For　by　now　he　had　quite　forgotten　his　modesty　in　the

identification　he　felt　with　the　journal　which　was　interviewing　him。〃

I　am　fifty…eight；　〃　he　added　quickly；　〃but　I　do　not　look　my　years；　though

my　hair；　still　thick　and　full　of　vigour；　is　prematurely　whiteso　often

the　case　with　men　whose　brains　are。　　continually　on　the　stretch。　　The

little　home；　far　from　grandiose；　which　forms　the　background　to　this　most

interesting　personality　is　embowered　in　trees。　　Cats　have　made　their　mark

on　its　lawns；　and　its　owner's　love　of　animals　was　sharply　illustrated　by

the　sheep…dog　which　lay　on　his　feet　clad　in　Turkish　slippers。　　Get　up；

Blink！〃



Blink；　disturbed　by　the　motion　of　her　master's　feet；　rose　and　gazed　long

into　his　face。



〃Look！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；〃　she　has　the　most　beautiful　eyes　in　the

world。〃



At　this　remark；　which　appeared　to　him　no　saner　than　the　others　he　had

heardso　utterly　did　he　misjudge　Mr。　Lavender's　characterthe　nephew

put　down　the　notebook　he　had　taken　out　of　his　pocket；　and　said：



〃Has　there　ever　been　anythingerremarkable　about　your　family？〃



〃Indeed；　yes；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　Born　of　poor　but　lofty　parentage　in

the　city　of　Rochester；　my　father　made　his　living　as　a　publisher；　my

mother　was　a　true　daughter　of　the　bards；　the　scion　of　a　stock　tracing　its

decent　from　the　Druids；　her　name　was　originally　Jones。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　nephew　Sinkin；　writing。



〃She　has　often　told　me　at　her　knee；〃　continued　Mr。　Lavender；　〃that　there

was　a　strong　vein　of　patriotism　in　her　family。〃



〃She　did　not　dieinin〃



〃No；　indeed；〃　interrupted　Mr。　Lavender；　she　is　still　living　there。〃



〃Ah！〃　said　the　nephew。　　〃And　your　brothers　and　sisters？〃



〃One　of　my　brothers；〃　replied　Mr。　Lavender；　with　pardonable　pride；　〃is

the　editor　of　Cud　Bits。　　The　other　is　a　clergyman。〃



〃Eccentric；〃　murmured　the　nephew　absently。　　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Lavender；　do

you　find　your　work　a　great　strain？　　Does　it〃　and　he　touched　the　top

of　his　head；　covered　with　moist　black　hair。



Mr。　Lavender　sighed。　　〃At　a　time　like　this；〃　he　said；　〃we　must　all　be

prepared　to　sacrifice　our　health。　　No　public　man；　as　you　know；　can　call

his　head　his　own　for　a　moment。　　I　should　count　myself　singularly　lacking

if　I　stopped　to　considerersuch　a　consideration。〃



Considerersuch　a　consideration；〃　repeated　the　nephew；　jotting　it

down。



〃He　carries　on；〃　murmured　Mr。　Lavender；　once　more　identifying　himself

with　the　journal；　〃grappling　with　the　intricacies　of　this　enormous

problem；　happy　in　the　thought　that　nothingnot　even　reason　itselfis

too　precious　to　sacrifice　on　the　altar　of　his　duty　to　his　country。　　The

public　may　rest　confident　in　the　knowledge　that　he　will　so　carry　on　till

they　carry　him　out　on　his　shield。〃　　And　aware　subconsciously　that　the

interview　could　go　no　further　than　that　phrase；　Mr。　Lavender　was　silent；

gazing　up　with　rather　startled　eyes。



〃I　see；〃　said　the　nephew；　〃I　am　very　much　obliged　to　you。　　Is　your　dog

safe？〃　For　Blink　had　begun　to　growl　in　a　low　and　uneasy　manner。



〃The　gentlest　creature　in　the　world；〃　replied　Lavender；　〃and　the　most

sociable。　　I　sometimes　think；〃　　he　went　on　in　a　changed　voice；　〃that　we

have　all　gone　mad；　and　that　animals　alone　retain　the　sweet　reasonableness

which　used　to　be　esteemed　a　virtue　in　human　society。　　Don't　take　that

down；〃　he　added　quickly；　〃we　are　all　subject　to　moments　of　weakness。　　It

was　just　an　'obiter　dictum'。〃



〃Make　your　mind　easy；〃　said　the　nephew；　rising；　〃it　does　not　serve　my

purpose。　　Just　one　thing；　Mr。　Lavender。〃



At　this　moment　Blink；　whose　instinct　had　long　been　aware　of　some　sinister

purpose　in　this　tall　and　heavy　man；　whose　trousers　did　not　smell　of　dogs；

seeing　him　approach　too　near；　bit　him　gently　in　the　calf。



The　nephew　started　back。　　〃She's　bitten　me！〃　he　said；　in　a　hushed　voice。



〃My　God！〃　ejaculated　Mr。　Lavender　and　falling　back　again；　so　stiff　was

he。　　〃Is　it　possible？　　There　must　be　some　good　reason。　　Blink！〃



Blink　wagged　her　little　tail；　thrust　her　nose　into　his　hand；　removed　it；

and　growled　again。



〃She　is　quite　well；　I　assure　you；〃　　Mr。　Lavender　added　hastily；　〃her　nose

is　icy。〃



〃She's　bitten　me；〃　repeated　the　nephew；　pulling　up　his　trouser　leg。

〃There's　no　mark；　but　she　distinctly　bit　me。〃



〃Treasure！〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　endeavouring　to　interest　him　in　the　dog。

〃Do　you　notice　how　dark　the　rims　of　her　eyes　are；　and　how　clear　the

whites？　　Extraordinarily　well　bred。　　Blink！〃



Aware　that　she　was　being　talked　of　Blink　cont1inued　to　be　torn　between

the　desire　to　wag　her　tail　and　to　growl。　　Unable　to　make　up　her　mind；　she

sighed　heavily　and　fell　on　her　side　against　her　side　against　her　master's

legs。



〃Wonderful　with　sheep；　too；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender；　〃at　least；　she　would　be

if　they　would　let　her。。。。　　You　should　see　her　with　them　on　the　Heath。

They　simply　can't　bear　her。〃



〃You　will　hear　from　me　again；〃　said　the　nephew　sourly。



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Mr。　Lavender。　　〃I　shall　be　glad　of　a　proof；　it　is

always　safer；　I　believe。〃



〃Good　morning；〃　said　the　nephew。



Blink；　who　alone　perceived　the　dark　meaning　in　these　words；　seeing　him

move　towards　the　door　began　to　bark　and　run　from　side　to　side　behind　him；

for　all　the　world　as　if　he　had　been　a　flock　of　sheep。



〃Keep　her　off！〃　said　the　nephew　anxiously。　　〃Keep　her　off。　　I　refuse　to

be　bitten　again。〃



〃Blink！〃　called　Mr。　Lavender　in　some　agony。　　Blink；　whose　obedience　was

excessive；　came　back　to　him　at　once；　and　stood　growling　from　under　her

master's　hand；　laid　on　the　white　hair　which　flowed　back　from　her　collar；

till　the　nephew's　footsteps　had　died　away。　　〃I　cannot　imagine；〃　thought

Mr。　Lavender；　〃why　she　should　have　taken　exception　to　that　excellent

journalist。　　Perhaps　he　did　not　smell　quite　right？　　One　never　knows。〃



And　with　her　moustachioed　muzzle　pressed　to　his　chin　Mr。　Lavender　sought

for　explanation　in　the　innocent　and　living　darkness　of　his　dog's　eyes。。。。



On　leaving　Mr。　Lavender's　the　nephew　forthwith　returned　to　the　castle　in

Frognal；　and　sought　his　aunt。



〃Mad　as　a　March　hare；　Aunt　Rosie；　and　his　dog　bit　me。〃



〃That　dear　doggie？〃



〃They're　dangerous。〃



〃You　were　always　funny　about　dogs；　dear；　said　his　aunt　soothingly。〃　Why；

even　Sealey　doesn't　really　like　you。　　〃And　calling　to　the　little　low

white　dog　she　quite　failed　to　attract　his　attention。　　〃Did　you　notice　his

dress。　　The　first　time　I　took　him　for　a　shepherd；　and　the　second　time…！

What　do　you　think　ought　to　be　done？〃



〃He'll　have　to　be　watched；〃　said　the　nephew。　　〃We　can't　have　lunatics　at

large　in　Hampstead。〃



〃But；　Wilfred；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃will　our　man…power　stand　it？

Couldn't　they　watch　each　other？　　Or；　if　it　would　be　any　help；　I　could

watch　him　myself。　　I　took　such　a　fancy　to　his　dear　dog。〃



〃I　shall　take　steps；〃　said　the　nephew。



〃No；　don't　do　that。　　I'll　go　and　call　on　the　people；　next　door。　　Their

name　is　Scarlet。　　They'll　know　about　him；　no　doubt。　　We　mustn't　do

anything　inconsiderate。



The　nephew；　muttering　and　feeling　his　calf；　withdrew　to　his　study。　　And

the　old　lady；　having　put　on　her　bonnet；　set　forth　placidly；　unaccompanied

by　her　little　white　dog。



On　arriving　at　the　castle　embedded　in　acacias　and　laurustinus　she　asked

of　the　maid　who　opened：



Can　I　see　Mrs。　Scarlet？　〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　girl　dispassionately；　〃she's　dead。〃



〃Mr。　Scarlet；　then？〃



〃No；〃　replied　the　girl　he's　a　major。〃



〃Oh；　dear！〃　said　the　old　lady。



〃Miss　Isabel's　at　home；〃　said　the　girl；　who　appeared；　like　so　many　people

in　time　of　war；　to　be　of　a　simple；　plain…spoken　nature；　〃you'll　find　her

in　the　garden。〃　　And　she　let　the　old　lady　out　through　a　French　window。



At　the　far　end；　under　an　acacia；　Mrs。　Sinkin　could　see　the　form　of　a

young　lady　in　a　blue　dress；　lying　in　a　hammock；　with　a　cigarette　between

her　lips　and　a　yellow　book　in　her　hands。　　She　approached　her　thinking；

〃Dear　me！　　how　comfortable；　in　these　days！〃　　And；　putting　her　head　a

little　on　one　side；　she　said　with　a　smile：　〃My　name　is　Sinkin。　　I　hope

I'm　not　disturbing　you。



The　young　lady　rose　with　a　vigorous　gesture。



〃Oh；　no！　　Not　a　bit。〃



〃I　do　admire　some　people；〃　said　the　old　lady；　they　seem　to　find　time　for

everything。〃



The　young　lady　stretched　herself　joyously。



〃I'm　taking　it　out　before　going　to　my　new　hospital。　　Try　it；〃　she　said

touching　the　hammock；　〃it's　not　bad。　　Will　you　have　a　cigarette？〃



〃I'm　afraid　I'm　too　old　for　both；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃though　I've　often

thought　they　must　be　delightfully　soothing。　　I　wanted　to　speak　to　you

about　your　neighbour。〃



The　young　lady　rolled　her　large　grey　eyes。　　〃Ah！〃　she　said；　〃he's

perfectly　sweet。〃



〃I　know；〃　said　the　old　lady；　〃and　has　such　a　dear　dog。　　My　nephew's　very