Lavender,
so that his eyes nearly started from his head. It seemed to him, indeed,
that he was seated at dinner with a Prussian, and the Major's voice had
no sooner ceased its genial rasping than with a bound forward on his
chair, he ejaculated:
"Behold the man--the Prussian in his jack-boot!" And, utterly oblivious
of the fact that he was addressing Aurora's father, he went on with
almost terrible incoherence: "Although you have conquered this country,
sir, never shall you subdue in my breast the sentiments of liberty and
generosity which make me an Englishman. I abhor you--invader of the
world--trampler underfoot of the humanities--enemy of mankind--apostle
of force! You have blown out the sparks of love and kindliness, and have
for ever robbed the Universe. Prussian!"
The emphasis with which he spoke that word caused his chair, on the edge
of which he was sitting, to tilt up under him so that he slid under the
table, losing the vision of that figure in helmet and field-grey which
he had been apostrophizing.
"Hold up!" said a voice, while Blink joined him nervously beneath the
board.
"Never!" cried Mr. Lavender. "Imprison, maltreat me do what you
will. You have subdued her body, but never will I admit that you have
conquered the honour of Britain and trodden her gentle culture into the
mud.
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