the lost road-第104章
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Middle West； matter…of…fact and unimaginative； but capable and
self…reliant。 If he had had a fountain pen in his upper waistcoat
pocket； I would have guessed he was an insurance agent； or the
publicity man for a new automobile。 John picked up his hat；
and said； 〃That's good advice。 Give me your steamer ticket； Fred；
and I'll have them change it。〃 He went out； but he did not ask
Fred to go with him。
Uncle Jim rose； and murmured something about the Cafe Roma；
and tea。 But neither did he invite Fred to go with him。 Instead；
he told him to make himself at home； and if he wanted anything
the waiter would bring it from the cafe downstairs。 Then the Kid；
as though he also was uncomfortable at being left alone with us；
hurried to the door。 〃Going to get you a suit…case；〃 he explained。
〃Back in five minutes。〃
The stranger made no answer。 Probably he did not hear him。 Not a
hundred feet from our windows three Greek steamers were huddled
together； and the eyes of the American were fixed on them。 The
one for which John had gone to buy him a new ticket lay nearest。
She was to sail in two hours。 Impatiently； in short quick steps；
the stranger paced the length of the room； but when he turned and
so could see the harbor； he walked slowly； devouring it with his
eyes。 For some time； in silence； he repeated this manoeuvre； and
then the complaints of the typewriter disturbed him。 He halted
and observed my struggles。 Under his scornful eye； in my
embarrassment I frequently hit the right letter。 〃You a
newspaper man； too？〃 he asked。 I boasted I was； but
begged not to be judged by my typewriting。
〃I got some great stories to write when I get back to God's country；〃
he announced。 〃I was a reporter for two years in Kansas City before
the war； and now I'm going back to lecture and write。 I got enough
material to keep me at work for five years。 All kinds of stuff
specials； fiction； stories； personal experiences； maybe a novel。〃
I regarded him with envy。 For the correspondents in the
greatest of all wars the pickings had been meagre。 〃You
are to be congratulated；〃 I said。 He brushed aside my
congratulations。 〃For what？〃 he demanded。 〃I didn't go
after the stories； they came to me。 The things I saw I had
to see。 Couldn't get away from them。 I've been with the
British； serving in the R。 A。 M。 C。 Been hospital steward；
stretcher bearer； ambulance driver。 I've been sixteen months
at the front； and all the time on the firing…line。 I was in the
retreat from Mons； with French on the Marne； at Ypres； all
through the winter fighting along the Canal； on the Gallipoli
Peninsula； and； just lately； in Servia。 I've seen more of this
war than any soldier。 Because； sometimes； they give the soldier
a rest； they never give the medical corps a rest。 The only rest I
got was when I was wounded。〃
He seemed no worse for his wounds； so again I tendered
congratulations。 This time he accepted them。 The recollection
of the things he had seen； things incredible； terrible； unique in
human experience； had stirred him。 He talked on； not boastfully；
but in a tone； rather； of awe and disbelief； as though assuring
himself that it was really he to whom such things had happened。
〃I don't believe there's any kind of fighting I haven't seen；〃 he
declared； 〃hand…to…hand fighting with bayonets； grenades； gun
butts。 I've seen 'em on their knees in the mud choking each
other； beating each other with their bare fists。 I've seen every
kind of airship； bomb； shell； poison gas； every kind of wound。
Seen whole villages turned into a brickyard in twenty minutes；
in Servia seen bodies of women frozen to death； bodies of babies
starved to death； seen men in Belgium swinging from trees； along
the Yzer for three months I saw the bodies of men I'd known
sticking out of the mud； or hung up on the barb wire； with the
crows picking them。
〃I've seen some of the nerviest stunts that ever were pulled off
in history。 I've seen real heroes。 Time and time again I've seen
a man throw away his life for his officer； or for a chap he didn't
know； just as though it was a cigarette butt。 I've seen the women
nurses of our corps steer a car into a village and yank out a wounded
man while shells were breaking under the wheels and the houses
were pitching into the streets。〃 He stopped and laughed consciously。
〃Understand；〃 he warned me； 〃I'm not talking about myself； only of
things I've seen。 The things I'm going to put in my book。 It ought
to be a pretty good book…what？〃
My envy had been washed clean in admiration。
〃It will make a wonderful book；〃 I agreed。 〃Are you going to
syndicate it first？〃
Young Mr。 Hamlin frowned importantly。
〃I was thinking；〃 he said； 〃of asking John for letters to the magazine
editors。 So； they'll know I'm not faking； that I've really been through
it all。 Letters from John would help a lot。〃 Then he asked anxiously：
〃They would； wouldn't they？〃
I reassured him。 Remembering the Kid's gibes at John and his
numerous dependents； I said： 〃You another college chum of John's？〃
The young man answered my question quite seriously。 〃No；〃 he said；
〃John graduated before I entered； but we belong to the same fraternity。
It was the luckiest chance in the world my finding him here。 There was
a month…old copy of the Balkan News blowing around camp； and his
name was in the list of arrivals。 The moment I found he was in Salonika；
I asked for twelve hours leave； and came down in an ambulance。 I made
straight for John； gave him the grip； and put it up to him to help me。〃
〃I don't understand；〃 I said。 〃I thought you were sailing on the
Adriaticus？〃
The young man was again pacing the floor。 He halted and faced the
harbor。
〃You bet I'm sailing on the Adriaticus；〃 he said。 He looked out at
that vessel； at the Blue Peter flying from her foremast； and grinned。
〃In just two hours！〃
It was stupid of me； but I still was unenlightened。 〃But your twelve
hours' leave？〃 I asked。
The young man laughed。 〃They can take my twelve hours' leave；〃
he said deliberately； 〃and feed it to the chickens。 I'm beating it。〃
〃What d'you mean； you're beating it？〃
〃What do you suppose I mean？〃 he demanded。 〃What do you
suppose I'm doing out of uniform； what do you suppose I'm lying
low in the room for？ So's I won't catch cold？〃
〃If you're leaving the army without a discharge； and without
permission；〃 I said； 〃I suppose you know it's desertion。〃
Mr。 Hamlin laughed easily。 〃It's not my army；〃 he said。 〃I'm an
American。〃
〃It's your desertion；〃 I suggested。
The door opened and closed noiselessly； and Billy； entering；
placed a new travelling bag on the floor。 He must have heard my
last words； for he looked inquiringly at each of us。 But he did
not speak and； walking to the window； stood with his hands in his
pockets； staring out at the harbor。 His presence seemed to encourage
the young man。 〃Who knows I'm deserting？〃 he demanded。 〃No
one's ever seen me in Salonika before； and in these 'cits' I can get on
board all right。 And then they can't touch me。 What do the folks at
home care how I left the British army？ They'll be so darned glad to
get me back alive that they won't ask if I walked out or was kicked
out。 I should worry！〃
〃It's none of my business；〃 I began； but I was interrupted。 In
his restless pacings the young man turned quickly。
〃As you say；〃 he remarked icily； 〃it is none of your business。
It's none of your business whether I get shot as a deserter； or
go home； or〃
〃You can go to the devil for all I care；〃 I assured him。 〃I
wasn't considering you at all。 I was only sorry that I'll never
be able to read your book。〃
For a moment Mr。 Hamlin remained silent； then he burst forth
with a jeer。
〃No British firing squad；〃 he boasted； 〃will ever stand me up。〃
〃Maybe not；〃 I agreed； 〃but you will never write that book。〃
Again there was silence； and this time it was broken by the Kid。
He turned from the window and looked toward Hamlin。 〃That's
right！〃 he said。
He sat down on the edge of the table； and at the deserter pointed
his forefinger。
〃Son；〃 he said； 〃this war is some war。 It's the bi
