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The moon…cat； who； since Mr。 Lavender had given her milk； abode in his
castle； awaiting her confinement； purred loudly； regarding him with
burning eyes； as was her fashion when she wanted milk； Mr。 Lavender put
down the saucer and continued his meditations。 〃Everything is vain； the
world is full of ghosts and shadows； but in friendliness and the purring
of a little cat there is solidity。〃
〃A lady has called； sir。〃
Looking up； Mr。 Lavender became aware of Mrs。 Petty。
〃How very agreeable！
〃I don't know； sir；〃 returned his housekeeper in her decisive voice； 〃but
she wants to see you。 Name of Pullbody。〃
〃Pullbody；〃 repeated Mr。 Lavender dreamily； 〃I don't seem Ask her in；
Mrs。 Petty； ask her in。〃
〃It's on your head； sir；〃 said Mrs。 Petty； and went out。
Mr。 Lavender was immediately conscious of a presence in dark green silk；
with a long upper lip； a loose lower lip； and a fixed and faintly raddled
air； moving stealthily towards him。
〃Sit down； madam； I beg。 Will you have some tea？〃
The lady sat down。 〃Thank you； I have had tea。 It was on the
recommendation of your next…door neighbour； Miss Isabel Scarlet〃
〃Indeed；〃 replied Mr。 Lavender； whose heart began to beat； 〃command me；
for I am entirely at her service。〃
〃I have come to see you；〃 began the lady with a peculiar sinuous smile；
〃as a public man and a patriot。〃
Mr。 Lavender bowed； and the lady went on： I am in very great trouble。
The fact is； my sister's husband's sister is married to a German。〃
〃Is it possible； madam？〃 murmured Mr。 Lavender； crossing his knees； and
joining the tips of his fingers。
〃Yes；〃 resumed the lady； 〃and what's more； he is still at large。〃
Mr。 Lavender； into whose mind there had instantly rushed a flood of
public utterances； stood gazing at her haggard face in silent sympathy。
〃You may imagine my distress； sir； and the condition of my conscience；〃
pursued the lady； 〃when I tell you that my sister's husband's sister is a
very old friend of mineand； indeed； so was this German。 The two are a
very attached young couple； and； being childless； are quite wrapped up in
each other。 I have come to you； feeling it my duty to secure his
internment。〃
Mr。 Lavender； moved by the human element in her words； was about to say；
〃But why； madam？〃 when the lady continued：
〃I have not myself precisely heard him speak well of his country。 But
the sister of a friend of mine who was having tea in their house
distinctly heard him say that there were two sides to every question； and
that he could not believe all that was said in the English papers。
〃Dear me！〃 said Mr。 Lavender； troubled； 〃that is serious。〃
〃Yes；〃 went on the lady； 〃and on another occasion my sister's husband
himself heard him remark that a man could not help loving his country and
hoping that it would win。〃
〃But that is natural；〃 began Mr。 Lavender。
〃What！〃 said the lady； nearly rising； 〃when that country is Germany？〃
The word revived Mr。 Lavender's sense of proportion。
〃True；〃 he said； 〃true。 I was forgetting for the moment。 It is
extraordinary how irresponsible one's thoughts are sometimes。 Have you
reason to suppose that he is dangerous？〃
〃I should have thought that what I have said might have convinced you；〃
replied the lady reproachfully； 〃but I don't wish you to act without
satisfying yourself。 It is not as if you knew him； of course。 I have
easily been able to get up an agitation among his friends； but I should
not expect an outsiderso I thought if I gave you his address you could
form your own opinion。〃
〃Yes；〃 murmured Mr。 Lavender； 〃yes。 It is in the last degree undesirable
that any man of German origin should remain free to work possible harm to
our country。 There is no question in this of hatred or of mere rabid
patriotism；〃 he went on； in a voice growing more and more far…away； it is
largely the A。 B。 C。 of common prudence。〃
〃I ought to say；〃 interrupted his visitor； 〃that we all thought him； of
course； an honourable man until this war； or we should not have been his
friends。 He is a dentist；〃 she added； 〃and； I suppose； may be said to be
doing useful work； which makes it difficult。 I suggest that you go to
him to have a tooth out。〃
Mr。 Lavender quivered； and insensibly felt his teeth。
〃Thank you；〃 he said I will see if I can find one。 It is certainly a
matter which cannot be left to chance。 We public men； madam； often have
to do very hard and even inhumane things for no apparent reason。 Our
consciences alone support us。 An impression； I am told； sometimes gets
abroad that we yield to clamour。 Those alone who know us realize how
unfounded that aspersion is。〃
〃This is his address；〃 said the lady； rising； and handing him an
envelope。 〃I shall not feel at rest until he is safely interned。 You
will not mention my name； of course。 It is tragic to be obliged to work
against one's friends in the dark。 Your young neighbour spoke in
enthusiastic terms of your zeal； and I am sure that in choosing you for
my public man she was not pullingerwas not making a mistake。〃
Mr。 Lavender bowed。
〃I hope not； madam； he said humbly I try to do my duty。〃
The lady smiled her sinuous smile and moved towards the door； leaving on
the air a faint odour of vinegar and sandalwood。
When she was gone Mr。 Lavender sat down on the edge of his chair before
the tea…tray and extracted his teeth while Blink； taking them for a bone；
gazed at them lustrously； and the moon…cat between his feet purred from
repletion。 〃There is reason in all things；〃 he thought； running his
finger over what was left in his mouth； 〃but not in patriotism； for that
would prevent us from consummating the destruction of our common enemies。
It behoves us public men ever to set an extreme example。 Which one can I
spare； I wonder？〃 And he fixed upon a large rambling tooth on the left
wing of his lower jaw。 〃It will hurt horribly； I'm afraid； and if I have
an anaesthetic there will be someone else present； and not improbably I
shall feel ill afterwards； and be unable to form a clear judgment。 I
must steel myself。 Blink！〃
For Blink was making tremulous advances to the teeth。 〃How pleasant to
be a dog！〃 thought Mr。 Lavender； 〃and know nothing of Germans and teeth。
I shall be very unhappy till this is out； but Aurora recommended me； and
I must not complain； but rather consider myself the most fortunate of
public men。〃 And； ruffling his hair till it stood up all over his head；
while his loose eyebrow worked up and down； he gazed at the moon…cat。
〃Moon…cat；〃 he said suddenly； 〃we are but creatures of chance； unable to
tell from one day to another what Fate has in store for us。 My tooth is
beginning to ache already。 That is； perhaps； as it should be； for I
shall not forget which one it is。 〃So musing he resumed his teeth； and；
going to his bookcase； sought fortitude and inspiration i