the lost road-第102章
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she saw Briand； and yet did not see the staff officer who； with his
prisoner； might now at any instant appear。 She must make it plain
she had discovered the spy and left the upper part of the house
before the officer had visited it。 When that was she could not
know； but the chance was that he had preceded her by only a
few minutes。
〃When did you see this？〃 repeated the general。
〃But just now；〃 cried Marie； 〃not ten minutes since。〃
〃Why did you not come to me at once？〃
〃I was afraid；〃 replied Marie。 〃If I moved I was afraid he might hear
me； and he； knowing I would expose him； would kill me…and so
escape you！〃 There was an eager whisper of approval。 For silence；
General Andre slapped his hand upon the table。
〃Then；〃 continued Marie； 〃I understood with the receivers on his
ears he could not have heard me open the door； nor could he hear
me leave； and I ran to my aunt。 The thought that we had harbored
such an animal sickened me； and I was weak enough to feel faint。
But only for an instant。 Then I came here。〃 She moved swiftly to
the door。 〃Let me show you the room；〃 she begged； 〃you can take
him in the act。〃 Her eyes； wild with the excitement of the chase；
swept the circle。 〃Will you come？〃 she begged。
Unconscious of the crisis he interrupted； the orderly on duty
opened the door。
〃Captain Thierry's compliments；〃 he recited mechanically； 〃and is
he to delay longer for Madame d'Aurillac？〃
With a sharp gesture General Andre waved Marie toward the door。
Without rising； he inclined his head。 〃Adieu； madame；〃 he said。
〃We act at once upon your information。 I thank you！〃
As she crossed from the hall to the terrace； the ears of the spy were
assaulted by a sudden tumult of voices。 They were raised in threats
and curses。 Looking back； she saw Anfossi descending the stairs。
His hands were held above his head； behind him； with his automatic；
the staff officer she had surprised on the fourth floor was driving him
forward。 Above the clinched fists of the soldiers that ran to meet him；
the eyes of Anfossi were turned toward her。 His face was expressionless。
His eyes neither accused nor reproached。 And with the joy of one who
has looked upon and then escaped the guillotine； Marie ran down the
steps to the waiting automobile。 With a pretty cry of pleasure she leaped
into the seat beside Thierry。 Gayly she threw out her arms。 〃To Paris！〃
she commanded。 The handsome eyes of Thierry； eloquent with
admiration； looked back into hers。 He stooped； threw in the clutch；
and the great gray car； with the machine gun and its crew of privates
guarding the rear； plunged through the park。
〃To Paris！〃 echoed Thierry。
In the order in which Marie had last seen them； Anfossi and the
staff officer entered the room of General Andre； and upon the
soldiers in the hall the door was shut。 The face of the staff
officer was grave； but his voice could not conceal his elation。
〃My general；〃 he reported； 〃I found this man in the act of giving
information to the enemy。 There is a wireless…〃
General Andre rose slowly。 He looked neither at the officer nor
at his prisoner。 With frowning eyes he stared down at the maps
upon his table。
〃I know；〃 he interrupted。 〃Some one has already told me。〃 He
paused； and then； as though recalling his manners； but still
without raising his eyes； he added： 〃You have done well； sir。〃
In silence the officers of the staff stood motionless。 With surprise
they noted that； as yet； neither in anger nor curiosity had General
Andre glanced at the prisoner。 But of the presence of the general
the spy was most acutely conscious。 He stood erect； his arms still
raised； but his body strained forward； and on the averted eyes of the
general his own were fixed。
In an agony of supplication they asked a question。
At last； as though against his wish； toward the spy the general
turned his head； and their eyes met。 And still General Andre was
silent。 Then the arms of the spy； like those of a runner who has
finished his race and breasts the tape exhausted； fell to his sides。
In a voice low and vibrant he spoke his question。
〃It has been so long； sir；〃 he pleaded。 〃May I not come home？〃
General Andre turned to the astonished group surrounding him。 His
voice was hushed like that of one who speaks across an open grave。
〃Gentlemen；〃 he began； 〃my children；〃 he added。 〃A German spy； a
woman； involved in a scandal your brother in arms； Henri Ravignac。
His honor； he thought； was concerned； and without honor he refused
to live。 To prove him guiltless his younger brother Charles asked
leave to seek out the woman who had betrayed Henri； and by us was
detailed on secret service。 He gave up home； family； friends。 He lived
in exile； in poverty； at all times in danger of a swift and ignoble death。
In the War Office we know him as one who has given to his country
services she cannot hope to reward。 For she cannot return to him the
years he has lost。 She cannot return to him his brother。 But she can
and will clear the name of Henri Ravignac； and upon his brother
Charles bestow promotion and honors。〃
The general turned and embraced the spy。 〃My children；〃 he said；
〃welcome your brother。 He has come home。〃
Before the car had reached the fortifications； Marie Gessler had
arranged her plan of escape。 She had departed from the chateau
without even a hand…bag； and she would say that before the shops
closed she must make purchases。
Le Printemps lay in their way； and she asked that； when they
reached it； for a moment she might alight。 Captain Thierry
readily gave permission。
From the department store it would be most easy to disappear；
and in anticipation Marie smiled covertly。 Nor was the picture
of Captain Thierry impatiently waiting outside unamusing。
But before Le Printemps was approached； the car turned sharply
down a narrow street。 On one side； along its entire length； ran a
high gray wall； grim and forbidding。 In it was a green gate studded
with iron bolts。 Before this the automobile drew suddenly to a halt。
The crew of the armored car tumbled off the rear seat； and one of
them beat upon the green gate。 Marie felt a hand of ice clutch at her
throat。 But she controlled herself。
〃And what is this？〃 she cried gayly。
At her side Captain Thierry was smiling down at her； but his
smile was hateful。
〃It is the prison of St。 Lazare；〃 he said。 〃It is not becoming；〃
he added sternly； 〃that the name of the Countess d'Aurillac
should be made common as the Paris road！〃
Fighting for her life； Marie thrust herself against him； her
arm that throughout the journey had rested on the back of the
driving…seat caressed his shoulders； her lips and the violet eyes
were close to his。
〃Why should you care？〃 she whispered fiercely。 〃You have me！ Let
the Count d'Aurillac look after the honor of his wife himself。〃
The charming Thierry laughed at her mockingly。
〃He means to；〃 he said。 〃I am the Count d'Aurillac！〃
THE DESERTER
In Salonika； the American consul； the Standard Oil man； and
the war correspondents formed the American colony。 The
correspondents were waiting to go to the front。 Incidentally；
as we waited； the front was coming rapidly toward us。 There
was 〃Uncle〃 Jim； the veteran of many wars； and of all the
correspondents； in experience the oldest and in spirit the
youngest； and there was the Kid； and the Artist。 The Kid
jeered at us； and proudly described himself as the only Boy
Reporter who jumped from a City Hall assignment to cover a
European War。 〃I don't know strategy；〃 he would boast； 〃neither
does the Man at Home。 He wants 'human interest' stuff； and I give
him what he wants。 I write exclusively for the subway guard and
the farmers in the wheat belt。 When you fellows write about the
'Situation；' they don't understand it。 Neither do you。 Neither does
Venizelos or the King。 I don't understand it myself。 So； I write my
people heart…to…heart talks about refugees and wounded； and what
kind of ploughs the Servian peasants use； and that St。 Paul wrote
his letters to the Thessalonians from the same hotel where I write
mine； and I tell 'em to pronou
