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〃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 it might fall down to…morrowyou never
can tell。 But I'm getting lots of letters。 Tremendous public interest。〃
〃Yes； yes；〃 assented Mr。 Lavender； 〃it's most important。〃
〃Of course； we might run yours with it；〃 said the editor。 〃But I don't
know； I think it'd kill the other。 Still〃
〃I shouldn't like〃 began Mr。 Lavender。
〃I don't believe in giving them more than they want； you know；〃 resumed
the editor。 〃I think I'll have my news editor in；〃 and he blew into a
tube。 〃Send me Mr。 Crackamup。 This thing of yours is very important；
sir。 Suppose we began to run it on Thursday。 Yes； I should think
they'll be tired of British prisoners by then。〃
〃Don't let me；〃 began Mr。 Lavender。
The editor's eye became unveiled for the Moment。 〃You'll be wanting to
take it somewhere else if weQuite！ Well； I think we could run them
together。 See here； Mr。 Crackamup〃Mr。 Lavender saw a small man like
Beethoven frowning from behind spectacles could we run t