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！
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
interested in them。 You may have heard of himWilfred Sinkina very
clever man； on so many Committees。〃
〃Not really？〃 said the young lady。
〃Oh； yes！ He has one of those heads which nothing can disturb； so
valuable in these days。〃
〃And what sort of a heart？〃 asked the young lady； emitting a ring of
smoke。
〃Just as serene。 I oughtn't to say so； but I think he's rather a
wonderful machine。〃
〃So long as he's not a doctor！ You can't think how they get on your
nerves when they're； like that。 I've bumped up against so many of them。
They fired me at last！〃
〃Really？ Where？ I thought they only did that to the dear horses。 Oh；
what a pretty laugh you have！ It's so pleasant to hear anyone laugh； in
these days。〃
〃I thought no one did anything else！ I mean； what else can you do；
except die； don't you know？〃
〃I think that's rather a gloomy view；〃 said the old lady placidly。 But
about your neighbour。 What is his name？〃
〃Lavender。 But I call him Don Pickwixote。〃
〃Dear me； do you indeed？ Have you noticed anything very eccentric about
him？〃
〃That depends on what you call eccentric。 Wearing a nightshirt； for
instance？ I don't know what your standard is； you see。〃
The old lady was about to reply when a voice from the adjoining garden
was heard saying：
〃Blink！ Don't touch that charming mooncat！〃
〃Hush！〃 murmured the young lady； and seizing her visitor's arm； she drew
her vigorously beneath the acacia tree。 Sheltered from observation by
those thick and delicate branches； they stooped； and applying their eyes
to holes in the privet hedge； could see a very little cat； silvery…fawn
in colour and far advanced in kittens； holding up its paw exactly like a
dog； and gazing with sherry…coloured eyes at Mr。 Lavender； who stood in
the middle of his lawn； with Blink behind him。
〃If you see me going to laugh；〃 whispered the young lady； 〃pinch me
hard。〃
〃Moon…cat；〃 repeated Mr。 Lavender； 〃where have you come from？ And what
do you want； holding up your paw like that？ What curious little noises
you make； duckie！〃 The cat； indeed； was uttering sounds rather like a
duck。 It came closer to Mr。 Lavender； circled his legs； drubbed itself
against Blink's chest； while its tapered tail； barred with silver；
brushed her mouth。
〃This is extraordinary；〃 they heard Mr。 Lavender say； 〃I would stroke it
if I wasn't so stiff。 How nice of you little moon…cat to be friendly to
my play…girl！ For what is there in all the world so pleasant to see as
friendliness between a dog and cat！〃
At those words the old lady； who was a great lover of animals； was so
affected that she pinched the young lady by mistake。
〃Not yet！〃 whispered the latter in some agony。 〃Listen！〃
〃Moon…cat；〃 Mr。 Lavender was saying； 〃Arcadia is in your golden eyes。
You have come； no doubt； to show us how far we have strayed away from
it。〃 And too stiff to reach the cat by bending； Mr。 Lavender let himself
slowly down till he could sit。 〃Pan is dead；〃 he said； as he arrived on
the grass and crossed his feet； 〃and Christ is not alive。 Moon…cat！〃
The little cat had put its head into his hand； while Blink was thrusting
her nose into his mouth。
〃I'm going to sneeze！〃 whispered the old lady； strangely affected。
〃Pull your upper lip down hard； like the German Empress； and count nine！〃
murmured the young。
While the old lady was doing this Mr。 Lavender had again begun to speak。
〃Life is now nothing but explosions。 Gentleness has vanished； and beauty
is a dream。 When you have your kittens； moon…cat； bring them up in
amity； to love milk； dogs； and the sun。〃
The moon…cat； who had now reached his shoulder； brushed the tip of her
tail across his loose right eyebrow； while Blink's jealous tongue avidly
licked his high left cheekbone。 With one hand Mr。 Lavender was cuddling
the cat's head； with the other twiddling Blink's forelock； and the
watchers could see his eyes shining； and his white hair standing up all
ruffled。
〃Isn't it sweet？〃 murmured the old lady。
〃Now pinch me！〃 whispered the young： Lower； harder！ Oo！〃
〃Ah！ moon…cat；〃 went on Mr。 Lavender； 〃come and live with us。 You shall
have your kittens in the bathroom； and forget this age of blood and
iron。〃
Both the old lady and the young were removing moisture from their eyes
when； the voice of Mr。 Lavender； very changed； recalled them to their
vigil。 His face had become strained and troubled。
〃Never；〃 he was saying； 〃will we admit that doctrine of our common
enemies。 Might is not right gentlemen those who take the sword shall
perish by the sword。 With blood and iron we will ourselves stamp out
this noxious breed。 No stone shall be left standing； and no babe
sleeping in that abandoned country。 We will restore the tide of
humanity； if we have to wade through rivers of blood across mountains of
iron。〃
〃Whom is he calling gentlemen？〃 whispered the old lady。
But Blink； by anxiously licking Mr。 Lavender's lips； had produced a
silence in which the young…lady did not dare reply。 The sound of the
little cat's purring broke the hush。
〃Down； Blink； down！〃 said Mr。 Lavender。
Watch this little moon…cat and her perfect manners！ We may all learn
from her how not to be crude。 See the light shining through her pretty
ears！〃
The little cat； who had seen a bird； had left Mr。 Lavender's shoulder；
and was now crouching and moving the tip of its tail from side to side。
〃She would like a bird inside her； but let us rather go and find her some
milk instead；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； and he began to rise。
〃Do you know； I think he's quite sane； whispered the old lady； 〃except；
perhaps； at intervals。 What do you？〃
〃Glorious print！〃 cried Mr。 Lavender suddenly； for a journal had fallen
from his pocket； and the sight of it lying there； out of his reach；
excited him。 〃Glorious print！ I can read you even from here。 When the
enemy of mankind uses the word God he commits blasphemy！ How different
from us！〃 And raising his eyes from the journal Mr。 Lavender fastened
them； as it seemed to his anxious listeners； on the tree which sheltered
them。 〃Yes！ Those unseen presences； who search out the workings of our
heart； know that even the most Jingo among us can say； 'I am not as they
are！' Come； mooncat！〃
So murmuring； he turned and moved towards the house； clucking with his
tongue； and followed by Blink。
〃Did he mean us？〃 said the old lady nervously。
〃No； that was one of his intervals。 He's not mad； he's just crazy。〃
〃Is there any difference； my dear？〃
〃Why； we're all crazy about something； you know； it's only a question of
what。〃
〃But what is his what？〃
〃He's got a message。 They're in the air； you know。〃
〃I haven't come across them；〃 said the old lady。 〃I fear I live a very
quiet lifeexcept for picking over sphagnum moss。〃
〃Oh； well！ There's no hurry。〃
〃Well； I shall tell my nephew what I've seen；〃 said the old lady。 〃Good…
bye。〃
〃Good…bye；〃 responded the young； and； picking up her yellow book； she got
back into the hammock and relighted her cigarette。
VII
SEES AND EDITOR； AND FINDS A FARMER
Not for some days after his fall from the window did Mr。 Lavender begin
to regain the elasticity of body necessary to the resumption of public
life。 He spent the hours profitably； however； in digesting the
newspapers and storing ardour。 On Tuesday morning； remembering that no
proof of his interview had yet been sent him； and feeling that he ought
not to neglect so important a matter； he set forth to the office of the
great journal from which； in the occult fashion of the faithful； he was
convinced the reporter had come。 While he was asking for the editor in
the stony entrance； a young man who was passing looked at him attentively
and said： 〃Ah； sir； here you are！ He's waiting for you。 Come up； will
you？〃
Mr。 Lavender followed up some stairs； greatly gratified at the thought
that he was expected。 The young man led him through one or two swing
doors into an outer office； where a young woman was typing。
Mr。 Lavender shook his head； and sat down on the edge of a green leather
chair。 The editor； resuming his seat； crossed his legs deferentially；
and sinking his chin again on his chest； began：
〃About your article。 My only trouble； of course； is that I'm running
that stunt on British prisonersgreat success！ You've seen it； I
suppose？〃
〃Yes； indeed；〃 said Mr。 Lavender； I read you every day。
The editor made a little movement which showed that he was flattered； and
sinking his chin still further into his chest； resumed：
〃It might run another week； or