The many-treed town that lies between the swell1 of the hills and the foam2 and sparkle of the sea sluicing3 deliciously the roan length of Pevensey Bay unveils her rounded bosom4 in the dawn of the year to the kind clear gaze of heaven and of those who to-day pass and repass along its windy ways. Birds thrill and twitter in her streets. There earlier than elsewhere the arabis calls the bee, and the hedge-sparrow raises his thin sweet pipe to bid the hearts of men lift up: for winter is passed. Chestnut5 and laburnum unfold a myriad6 lovely bannerets on slopes peopled with gardens and gay with crocuses and the laughter of children. The elms in Saffrons Croft, the beeches7 in Paradise, stir in their sleep and wrap themselves about in dreamy raiment of mauve and emerald. The air is like white wine, the sky of diamonds; and the sea-winds come blowing over banks of tamarisk to purge8 and exhilarate.
On the afternoon of such a day of such a spring in May, 1914, at Beachbourne station a little group waited outside the barrier that led to the departure platform.
The group consisted of Joe Burt, Ernie, and Ruth.
Ruth was peeping through the bars on to the platform, at the far end of which was a solitary9 figure, waiting clearly, he too, for the Lewes train, and very smart in a new blue coat with a velvet10 collar.
"It's Alf," she whispered, keen and mischievous11 to Joe, "Ain't arf smart and all."
Joe peered with her.
"He's the proper little Fat," said the engineer. "I'll get Will Dyson draw a special cartoon of him for the Leader."
Ruth preened12 an imaginary moustache in mockery of her brother-in-law.
"I'm the Managing Director of Caspar's Touring Syndicate, I am, and don't you forget it!" she said with a smirk13.
"Where's he off to now?"
"Brighton, I believe, with the Colonel. Some meeting of the League," replied Ernie dully.
Just then Mr. Geddes joined them, and the four moved on to the platform.
The train came in and Alf disappeared into it.
A few minutes later the Colonel passed the barrier. He marked the little group on the platform and at once approached them.
Something unusual about the men struck him at once. All three had about them the generally degagé air of those on holiday bent14. The minister wore a cap instead of the habitual15 wide-awake; and carried a rucksack on his back. Joe swung a parcel by a string, and Ernie had an old kit-bag slung16 across his shoulder. Rucksack, parcel, and kit-bag were all distinguished17 by a red label. The Colonel stalked the party from the rear and with manifold contortions18 of a giraffe-like neck contrived19 to read on the labels printed in large black letters, ADULT SCHOOL PEACE PARTY. Then he speared the engineer under the fifth rib20 with the point of his stick.
"Well, what y'up to now?" he asked sepulchrally21.
"Just off to Berlin, Colonel," cried the other with aggressive cheerfullness, "Mr. Geddes and I and this young gentleman"—thrusting the reluctant Ernie forward—"one o your soldiers, who knows better now."
The Colonel began to shake hands all round with elaborate solemnity.
"Returning to your spiritual home while there is yet time, Mr. Geddes," he said gravely. "Very wise, I think. You'll be happier there than in our militarist land, you pacifist gentlemen."
The minister, who was in the best of spirits, laughed. The two men had not met since the affair of St. Andrew's Hall: and each was relieved at the open and friendly attitude of the other.
"Cheer up, Colonel," he said. "It's only a ten-days' trip." They moved towards the train and Ernie got in.
Mr. Geddes was telling the Colonel something of the origin and aims of the Adult School union in general and of the Peace Party in particular.
"How many of you are going?" asked the Colonel.
"Round about a hundred," his informant answered—"working men and women mostly, from every county in England. Most trades will be represented." They would be billeted in Hamburg and Berlin on people of their own class and their own ideals. And next year their visit would be returned in strength by their hosts of this year.
"Interesting," said the Colonel. "But may I ask one question?—What good do you think you'll do?"
"We hope it will do ourselves some good anyhow," Joe answered in fine fighting mood. "Get to know each other. Draw the two peoples together.
Nation to nation, land to land.
"Stand oop on the seat, Ernie, and sing em your little Red-Flag piece.—He sings that nice he do.—And I'll give you a bit of chocolate."
Ernie did not respond and the Colonel came to his rescue.
"Well, I wish you luck," he sighed. "I wish all well-meaning idealists luck. But the facts of life are hard; and the idealists usually break their teeth on them.—Now I must join my colleague."
He moved on, catching22 up Ruth who had prowled along the platform to see if Alf was tucked safely away. The Colonel had not seen his companion since her husband had been up before the Bench.
"Well, how's he getting on?" he asked; and turned shrewdly to Ruth. "Have you been doing him down at home?" Something suppressed about Ernie had struck him.
Ruth dropped her eyelids23 suddenly. For a moment she was silent. Then she flashed up at him swift brown eyes in which the lovely lights danced mischievously24.
"See I've hung him on the nail," she murmured warily25; and nodded her head with the fierce determination of a child. "And I shan't take him off yet a bit. He's got to learn, Ern has." She was in delicious mood, sportive, sprightly26, as a young hunter mare27 turned out into May pastures after a hard season.
They had come to Alf's carriage. He had taken his seat in a corner and pretended not to see them. Ruth tapped sharply at the window just opposite his face.
"Hullo, Alf!" she called and fled.
The little chauffeur28 rose and followed her swift and retreating figure down the platform. Far down the train Joe who was leaning out of a window exchanged words with her as she came up.
"I don't like it, sir," Alf said, low. "Dirty business I call it. Somebody ought to interfere29 if pore old Ern won't."
Joe now looked along the train at him with a scowl30.
"Ah, you!" came the engineer's scolding voice, loud yet low. "Dirty tyke! drop it!"
"Well, between you she ought to be well looked after," muttered the Colonel getting into the carriage.
A fortnight later the Colonel was being driven home by Alf from a meeting of the League at Battle. Mrs. Lewknor, whose hostel31 was thriving now, had stood him the drive and accompanied him. It was a perfect evening as they slid along over Willingdon Levels and entered the outskirts32 of the town. Opposite the Recreation Ground Alf slowed down and, slewing33 round, pointed34.
On a platform a man, bareheaded beneath the sky, was addressing a larger crowd than usually gathered at that spot on Saturday evenings.
"What is it?" asked Mrs. Lewknor.
"The German party back," answered Alf. "That's Burt speaking, and Mr. Geddes alongside him."
The engineer's voice, brazen35 from much bawling36, and yet sounding strangely small and unreal under the immense arch of heaven, came to them across the open.
"We've ate with em; we've lived with em; we've talked with em; and we can speak for em. I tell you there can't be war and there won't be war with such a people. It'd be the crime of Cain. Brothers we are; and brothers we remain. And not all the politicians and profiteers and soldiers can make us other."
The Colonel and Mrs. Lewknor got down and joined the crowd. As they did so the engineer, who had finished his harangue37, was moving a resolution: That this meeting believes in the Brotherhood38 of Man and wishes well to Germany.
"I second that," said the Colonel from the rear of the crowd.
Just then Alf, who had left his car and followed the Colonel, put a question.
"Did not Lord Roberts say in 1912 at Manchester that Germany would strike when her hour struck?"
The man on the platform was so furious that he did not even rise from his chair to reply.
"Yes he did!" he shouted. "And he'd no business to! Direct provocation39 it was."
"Will not Germany's hour have struck when the Kiel Canal is open to Dreadnoughts?" continued the inquisitor smoothly40. "And is it not the fact that the Canal is to be opened for this purpose in the next few days?"
These questions were greeted with booings mingled41 with cheers.
Mr. Geddes was rising to reply when Joe Burt leapt to his feet, roused and roaring.
He said men had the choice between two masters—Fear or Faith?—Which were we for?—Were we the heirs of Eternity42, the children of the Future, or the slaves and victims of the Past?
"For maself A've made ma choice. A'm not a Christian43 in the ordinary sense: A don't attend Church or Chapel44, like soom folk. But A believe we're all members one of another, and that the one prayer which matters—if said from the heart of men who believe in it and work for it—is Our Father: the Father of Jew and Gentile, English and German. And ma recent visit to Germany has confirmed me in ma faith in the people, although A couldna say as much for their rulers. Look about you! What do you see?—The sons and daughters of God rotting away from tuberculosis45 in every slum in Christendom, and the money and labour that should go to redeeming46 them spent on altar-cloths and armaments. Altar-cloths and armaments! Do your rulers never turn their thoughts and eyes to Calvary? There are plenty of em in your midst and plenty to see on em if you want to."
The engineer sat down.
"Muck!" said Mrs. Lewknor in her husband's ear.
"I'm not sure," replied the Colonel who had listened attentively47; but he didn't wholely like it. Joe had always been frothy; but of old beneath the froth there had been sound liquor. Now somehow the Colonel saw the froth but missed the liquor. To his subtle and critical mind it seemed that the speaker's fury was neither entirely48 simulated nor entirely real. Habit was as much the motive49 of it as passion. It seemed to him the expression of an emotion once entirely genuine and now only partly so. An alloy50 had corrupted51 the once pure metal. He saw as clearly as a woman that Joe was no longer living simply for one purpose. Turgid his wife had once called the engineer. For the first time the Colonel realised the aptness of the epithet52.
Then he noticed Ruth on the fringe of the crowd. He was surprised: for it was a long march from Old Town, and neither Ernie nor the children were with her.
"Come to be converted by the apostles of pacifism, Mrs. Caspar?" he chaffed.
"No, sir," answered Ruth simply, her eyes on the platform. "I just come along to hear Joe. That's why I come." Her face lighted suddenly, "There he is!" she cried.
The engineer had jumped down from the platform and was making straight for her. Ruth joined him; and the two went off together, rubbing shoulders.
The Colonel strolled back towards the car: he was thoughtful, even grave.
Mrs. Lewknor met him with a little smile.
"It's all right, Jocko," she told him. "She's only playing with the man."
The Colonel shook his head.
"She's put up the shutters53, and said she's out—to her own husband. It's a dangerous game."
"Trust Ruth," replied the other. "She knows her man."
"Perhaps," retorted the Colonel. "Does she know herself?"
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1
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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foam
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| v./n.泡沫，起泡沫 | |
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sluicing
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| v.冲洗( sluice的现在分词 )；（指水）喷涌而出；漂净；给…安装水闸 | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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chestnut
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| n.栗树，栗子 | |
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myriad
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| adj.无数的；n.无数，极大数量 | |
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beeches
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| n.山毛榉( beech的名词复数 )；山毛榉木材 | |
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purge
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| n.整肃，清除，泻药，净化；vt.净化，清除，摆脱；vi.清除，通便，腹泻，变得清洁 | |
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solitary
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| adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士 | |
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velvet
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| n.丝绒，天鹅绒；adj.丝绒制的，柔软的 | |
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mischievous
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| adj.调皮的，恶作剧的，有害的，伤人的 | |
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preened
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| v.（鸟）用嘴整理（羽毛）( preen的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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13
smirk
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| n.得意地笑；v.傻笑；假笑着说 | |
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bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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habitual
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| adj.习惯性的；通常的，惯常的 | |
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slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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contortions
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| n.扭歪，弯曲；扭曲，弄歪，歪曲( contortion的名词复数 ) | |
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contrived
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| adj.不自然的，做作的；虚构的 | |
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rib
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| n.肋骨，肋状物 | |
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sepulchrally
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| 坟墓的； 丧葬的； 阴森森的； 阴沉的 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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eyelids
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| n.眼睑( eyelid的名词复数 )；眼睛也不眨一下；不露声色；面不改色 | |
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mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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warily
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| adv.留心地 | |
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sprightly
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| adj.愉快的，活泼的 | |
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mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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29
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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scowl
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| vi.(at)生气地皱眉，沉下脸，怒视；n.怒容 | |
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hostel
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| n.（学生）宿舍，招待所 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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slewing
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| n.快速定向，快速瞄准v.（尤指在协议或建议中）规定，约定，讲明（条件等）( stipulate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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harangue
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| n.慷慨冗长的训话，言辞激烈的讲话 | |
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brotherhood
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| n.兄弟般的关系，手中情谊 | |
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provocation
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| n.激怒，刺激，挑拨，挑衅的事物，激怒的原因 | |
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smoothly
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| adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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42
eternity
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| n.不朽，来世；永恒，无穷 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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44
chapel
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| n.小教堂，殡仪馆 | |
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tuberculosis
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| n.结核病，肺结核 | |
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redeeming
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| 补偿的，弥补的 | |
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attentively
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| adv.聚精会神地；周到地；谛；凝神 | |
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entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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49
motive
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| n.动机，目的；adv.发动的，运动的 | |
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50
alloy
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| n.合金，(金属的)成色 | |
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51
corrupted
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| （使）败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）腐化； 引起（计算机文件等的）错误； 破坏 | |
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52
epithet
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| n.（用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语 | |
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53
shutters
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| 百叶窗( shutter的名词复数 )； （照相机的）快门 | |
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