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to make the common property of gossiping tonguesthat I intend to
depart。 If there should be anything left of mewhich is less than
probable considering the inflammatory character of the material I
design for my pyreI would be obliged if； without giving anybody
any trouble； it could be buried in my garden； with the usual
Hampstead tablet。
〃'JOHN LAVENDER；
THE PUBLIC MAN； WHO DIED FOR HIS
COUNTRY'S GOOD； LIVED HERE。'
〃In conclusion； I would say a word to that land I have loved and
served： 'Be not extreme！ Distrust the words； of others。 To
yourself be true！ As you are strong be gentle； as you are brave be
modest！ Beloved country； farewell！'〃
Having written that final sentence he struggled long with himself before
he could lay down the pen。 But by this time the port he had drunk had
begun to have its usual effect； and he fell into a doze； from which he
was awakened five hours later by the beams of a full moon striking in on
him。
〃The hour has come；〃 he thought； and； opening the French…window； he went
out on to the lawn； where the dew lay white。 The freshness in the air；
the glamour of the moonlight； and the fumes of the port combined to make
him feel strangely rhumantic； and if he had possessed a musical
instrument he would very likely have begun to play on it。 He spent some
moments tracking to and fro in the dew before he settled on the centre of
the lawn as the most suitable spot for the act which he contemplated； for
thence he would be able to turn his last looks towards Aurora's bedroom…
window without interference from foliage。 Having drawn a twelve…foot
circle in the dew with his toe he proceeded in the bright moonlight to
the necessary accumulation of his funeral pile； conveying from his study；
book by book； journal by journal； pamphlet by pamphlet； the hoarded
treasures of the last four years； and as he carefully placed each one；
building up at once a firm and cunning structure； he gave a little groan；
thinking of the intoxications of the past； and all the glorious thoughts
embodied in that literature。 Underneath； in the heart of the pile； he
reserved a space for the most inflammable material； which he selected
from a special file of a special journal； and round the circumference of
the lofty and tapering mound he carefully deposited the two hundred and
four war numbers of a certain weekly； so that a ring of flame might lick
well up the sides and permeate the more solid matter on which he would be
sitting。 For two hours he worked in the waning moonlight till he had
completed this weird and heroic erection； and just before the dawn； sat
down by the light of the candle with which he meant to apply the
finishing touch； to compose that interview with himself whereby he
intended to convey to the world the message of his act。
〃I found him；〃 he began； in the words of the interviewer； 〃sitting upon a
journalistic pile of lovely leaves of thought； which in the dawning of a
new day glowed with a certain restrained flamboyance； as though the
passion stored within those exotic pages gave itself willingly to the
'eclaircissement' of the situation； and of his lineaments on which
suffering had already set their stamp。
〃'I should like you；' I said； approaching as near as I could； for the
sparks； like little fireflies on a Riviera evening； were playing
profoundly round my trousers； 'I should like to hear from your own lips
the reasons which have caused you to resign。'
〃'Certainly；' he replied； with the courtesy which I have always found
characteristic of him in moments which would try the suavity of more
ordinary men； and with the utmost calm and clarity he began to tell me
the inner workings of his mind； while the growing dawn…light irradiated
his wasted and expressive features； and the flames slowly roasted his
left boot。
〃'Yes；' he said quietly； and his eyes turned inwards； 'I have at last
seen the problem clearly； and seen it whole。 It is largely because of
this that I have elected to seek the seclusion of another world。 What
that world contains for me I know not； though so many public men have
tried to tell me； but it has never been my way to recoil from the
Unknown； and I am ready for my journey beyond the wide world's end。'
〃I was greatly struck by the large…hearted way in which he spoke those
words； and I interrupted him to ask whether he did not think that there
was something fundamental in the British character which would leap as
one man at such an act of daring sacrifice and great adventure。
〃'As regards that；' he replied fearlessly； while in the light of the
ever…brightening dawn I could； see the suspender on his right leg
gradually charring； so that he must already have been in great pain； 'as
regards that； it is largely the proneness of the modern British to leap
to verbal extremity which is inducing me to afford them this object…
lesson in restraint and commonsense。 Ouch ！'
〃This momentary ejaculation seemed to escape him in spite of all his iron
control； and the smell of burning flesh brought home to me as nothing
else； perhaps； could have done the tortures he must have been suffering。
〃'I feel；' he went on very gravely； 'that extravagance of word and
conduct is fatal to my country； and having so profoundly experienced its
effects upon myself； I am now endeavouring by a shining example to supply
a remedy for a disease which is corroding the vitals and impairing the
sanity of my countrymen and making them a race of second…hand spiritual
drunkards。 Ouch！'
〃I confess that at this moment the tears started to my eyes； for a more
sublime show than the spectacle of this devoted man slowly roasting
himself to death before my eyes for the good of his country I had seldom
seen。 It had a strange； an appalling interest； and for nothing on earth
could I have torn my gaze away。 I now realized to the full for the first
time the will…power and heroism of the human species； and I rejoiced with
a glorious new feeling that I was of the same breed as this man； made of
such stern stuff that not even a tear rolled down his cheeks to quench
the flames that leaped around him ever higher and higher。 And the dawn
came up in the eastern sky； and I knew that a great day was preparing for
mankind； and with my eyes fixed upon him as he turned blacker and blacker
I let my heart loose in a great thanksgiving that I had lived to see this
moment。 It was then that he cried out in a loud voice：
〃'I call Aurora to witness that I have died without a falter； grasping a
burning spear； to tilt at the malpractice which has sent me mad！' And I
saw that he held in his fast…consuming hand a long roll of journals
sharpened to a point of burning flame。
〃'Aurora！' he cried again； and with that enigmatic word on his lips was
incinerated in the vast and towering