XIX

IS IN PERIL OF THE STREET

On the Sunday following this interview with the Truth Mr. Lavender, who ever found the day of rest irksome to his strenuous spirit, left his house after an early supper.  It, had been raining all day, but the sinking sun had now emerged and struck its level light into the tree tops from a still cloudy distance.  Followed by Blink, he threaded the puddled waste which lies to the west of the Spaniard’s Road, nor was it long before the wild beauty of the scene infected his spirit, and he stood still to admire the world spread out.  The smoke rack of misted rain was still drifting above the sunset radiance in an apple-green sky; and behind Mr. Lavender, as he gazed at those clouds symbolical of the world’s unrest, a group of tall, dark pine-trees, wild and witch-like, had collected as if in audience of his cosmic mood.  He formed a striking group for a painter, with the west wind flinging back his white hair, and fluttering his dark moustache along his cheeks, while Blink, a little in front of him, pointed at the prospect and emitted barks whose vigour tossed her charming head now to this side now to that.

“How beautiful is this earth!” thought Mr. Lavender, “and how simple to be good and happy thereon.  Yet must we journey ten leagues beyond the wide world’s end to find justice and liberty.  There are dark powers like lions ever in the path.  Yes,” he continued, turning round to the pinetrees, who were creaking slightly in the wind, “hate and oppression, greed, lust, and ambition!  There you stand malevolently regarding me.  Out upon you, dark witches of evil!  If I had but an axe I would lay you lower than the dust.”  But the poor pine-trees paid no attention save to creak a little louder.  And so incensed was Mr. Lavender by this insensibility on the part of those which his own words had made him perceive were the powers of darkness that he would very likely have barked his knuckles on them if Blink by her impatience had not induced him to resume his walk and mount on to the noble rampart of the Spaniard’s Road.

Along this he wandered and down the hill with the countless ghosts and shadows of his brain, liberating the world in fancy from all the hindrances which beset the paths of public men, till dark fell, and he was compelled to turn towards home.  Closely attended by the now sobered Blink he had reached the Tube Station when he perceived in the inky war-time dusk that a woman was following him.  Dimly aware that she was tall and graceful he hurried to avoid her, but before long could but note that she was walking parallel and turning her face towards him.  Her gloved hand seemed to make a beckoning movement, and perceiving at once that he was the object of that predatory instinct which he knew from the many letters and protests in his journals to be one of the most distressing features of the War, he would have broken into a run if he