all roads lead to calvary-第56章

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r　that　little　scattered　band　of　glad　sufferers　for　His　sake　would　be　His　army。　　His　weapon　still　the　cross；　till　the　victory　should　be　won。

She　glanced　through　the　open　door　to　where　the　poor；　broken　fellows　she　always　thought　of　as　〃her　boys〃　lay　so　patient；　and　then　held　out　her　hand　to　him　with　a　smile；　though　the　tears　were　in　her　eyes。

〃So　you're　like　all　the　rest　of　them；　lad；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　for　King　and　country。　　Good　luck　to　you。〃

After　the　war　was　over　and　the　men；　released　from　their　long　terms　of　solitary　confinement；　came　back　to　life　injured　in　mind　and　body；　she　was　almost　glad　he　had　escaped。　　But　at　the　time　it　filled　her　soul　with　darkness。

It　was　one　noonday。　　He　had　been　down　to　the　tribunal　and　his　case　had　been　again　adjourned。　　She　was　returning　from　a　lecture；　and；　crossing　a　street　in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　docks；　found　herself　suddenly　faced　by　an　oncoming　crowd。　　It　was　yelping　and　snarling；　curiously　suggestive　of　a　pack　of　hungry　wolves。　　A　couple　of　young　soldiers　were　standing　back　against　a　wall。

〃Better　not　go　on；　nurse；〃　said　one　of　them。　　〃It's　some　poor　devil　of　a　Conchy；　I　expect。　　Must　have　a　damned　sight　more　pluck　than　I　should。〃

It　was　the　fear　that　had　been　haunting　her。　　She　did　not　know　how　white　she　had　turned。

〃I　think　it　is　someone　I　know；〃　she　said。　　〃Won't　you　help　me？〃

The　crowd　gave　way　to　them；　and　they　had　all　but　reached　him。　　He　was　hatless　and　bespattered；　but　his　tender　eyes　had　neither　fear　nor　anger　in　them。　　She　reached　out　her　arms　and　called　to　him。　Another　step　and　she　would　have　been　beside　him；　but　at　the　moment　a　slim；　laughing　girl　darted　in　front　of　him　and　slipped　her　foot　between　his　legs　and　he　went　down。

She　heard　the　joyous　yell　and　the　shrill　laughter　as　she　struggled　wildly　to　force　her　way　to　him。　　And　then　for　a　moment　there　was　a　space　and　a　man　with　bent　body　and　clenched　hands　was　rushing　forward　as　if　upon　a　football　field；　and　there　came　a　little　sickening　thud　and　then　the　crowd　closed　in　again。

Her　strength　was　gone　and　she　could　only　wait。　　More　soldiers　had　come　up　and　were　using　their　fists　freely；　and　gradually　the　crowd　retired；　still　snarling；　and　they　lifted　him　up　and　brought　him　to　her。

〃There's　a　chemist's　shop　in　the　next　street。　　We'd　better　take　him　there；〃　suggested　the　one　who　had　first　spoken　to　her。　　And　she　thanked　them　and　followed　them。

They　made　a　bed　for　him　with　their　coats　upon　the　floor；　and　some　of　them　kept　guard　outside　the　shop；　while　one；　putting　aside　the　frightened；　useless　little　chemist；　waited　upon　her；　bringing　things　needful；　while　she　cleansed　the　foulness　from　his　smooth　young　face；　and　washed　the　matted　blood　from　his　fair　hair；　and　closed　the　lids　upon　his　tender　eyes；　and；　stooping；　kissed　the　cold；　quiet　lips。

There　had　been　whispered　talk　among　the　men；　and　when　she　rose　the　one　who　had　first　spoken　to　her　came　forward。　　He　was　nervous　and　stood　stiffly。

〃Beg　pardon；　nurse；〃　he　said；　〃but　we've　sent　for　a　stretcher；　as　the　police　don't　seem　in　any　hurry。　　Would　you　like　us　to　take　him。　Or　would　it　upset　him；　do　you　think；　if　he　knew？〃

〃Thank　you；〃　she　answered。　　〃He　would　think　it　kind　of　you；　I　know。〃

She　had　the　feeling　that　he　was　being　borne　by　comrades。



CHAPTER　XVII



It　was　from　a　small　operating　hospital　in　a　village　of　the　Argonne　that　she　first　saw　the　war　with　her　own　eyes。

Her　father　had　wished　her　to　go。　　Arthur's　death　had　stirred　in　him　the　old　Puritan　blood　with　its　record　of　long　battle　for　liberty　of　conscience。　　If　war　claimed　to　be　master　of　a　man's　soul；　then　the　new　warfare　must　be　against　war。　　He　remembered　the　saying　of　a　Frenchwoman　who　had　been　through　the　Franco…Prussian　war。　　Joan；　on　her　return　from　Paris　some　years　before；　had　told　him　of　her；　repeating　her　words：　　〃But；　of　course；　it　would　not　do　to　tell　the　truth；〃　the　old　lady　had　said；　〃or　we　should　have　our　children　growing　up　to　hate　war。〃

〃I'll　be　lonely　and　anxious　till　you　come　back；〃　he　said。　　〃But　that　will　have　to　be　my　part　of　the　fight。〃

She　had　written　to　Folk。　　No　female　nurses　were　supposed　to　be　allowed　within　the　battle　zone；　but　under　pressure　of　shortage　the　French　staff　were　relaxing　the　rule；　and　Folk　had　pledged　himself　to　her　discretion。　　〃I　am　not　doing　you　any　kindness；〃　he　had　written。　　〃You　will　have　to　share　the　common　hardships　and　privations；　and　the　danger　is　real。　　If　I　didn't　feel　instinctively　that　underneath　your　mask　of　sweet　reasonableness　you　are　one　of　the　most　obstinate　young　women　God　ever　made；　and　that　without　me　you　would　probably　get　yourself　into　a　still　worse　hole；　I'd　have　refused。〃　　And　then　followed　a　list　of　the　things　she　was　to　be　sure　to　take　with　her；　including　a　pound　or　two　of　Keating's　insect　powder；　and　a　hint　that　it　might　save　her　trouble；　if　she　had　her　hair　cut　short。

There　was　but　one　other　woman　at　the　hospital。　　It　had　been　a　farmhouse。　　The　man　and　both　sons　had　been　killed　during　the　first　year　of　the　war；　and　the　woman　had　asked　to　be　allowed　to　stay　on。　Her　name　was　Madame　Lelanne。　　She　was　useful　by　reason　of　her　great　physical　strength。　　She　could　take　up　a　man　as　he　lay　and　carry　him　on　her　outstretched　arms。　　It　was　an　expressionless　face；　with　dull；　slow…moving　eyes　that　never　changed。　　She　and　Joan　shared　a　small　grenier　in　one　of　the　barns。　　Joan　had　brought　with　her　a　camp　bedstead；　but　the　woman；　wrapping　a　blanket　round　her；　would　creep　into　a　hole　she　had　made　for　herself　among　the　hay。　　She　never　took　off　her　clothes；　except　the　great　wooden…soled　boots；　so　far　as　Joan　could　discover。

The　medical　staff　consisted　of　a　Dr。　Poujoulet　and　two　assistants。　The　authorities　were　always　promising　to　send　him　more　help；　but　it　never　arrived。　　One　of　the　assistants；　a　Monsieur　Dubos；　a　little　man　with　a　remarkably　big　beard；　was　a　chemist；　who；　at　the　outbreak　of　the　war；　had　been　on　the　verge；　as　he　made　sure；　of　an　important　discovery　in　connection　with　colour　photography。　　Almost　the　first　question　he　asked　Joan　was　could　she　speak　German。　Finding　that　she　could；　he　had　hurried　her　across　the　yard　into　a　small　hut　where　patients　who　had　borne　their　operation　successfully　awaited　their　turn　to　be　moved　down　to　one　of　the　convalescent　hospitals　at　the　base。　　Among　them　was　a　German　prisoner；　an　elderly　man；　belonging　to　the　Landwehr；　in　private　life　a　photographer。　　He　also　had　been　making　experiments　in　the　direction　of　colour　photography。　　Chance　had　revealed　to　the　two　men　their　common　interest；　and　they　had　been　exchanging　notes。　　The　German　talked　a　little　French；　but　not　sufficient；　and　on　the　day　of　Joan's　arrival　they　had　reached　an　impasse　that　was　maddening　to　both　of　them。　　Joan　found　herself　up　against　technical　terms　that　rendered　her　task　difficult；　but　fortunately　had　brought　a　dictionary　with　her；　and　was　able　to　make　them　understand　one　another。　　But　she　had　to　be　firm　with　both　of　them；　allowing　them　only　ten　minutes　together　at　a　time。　　The　little　Frenchman　would　kneel　by　the　bedside；　holding　the　German　at　an　angle　where　he　could　talk　with　least　danger　to　his　wound。　　It　seemed　that　each　was　the　very　man　the　other　had　been　waiting　all　his　life　to　meet。　　They　shed　tears　on　one　another's　neck　when　they　parted；　making　all　arrangements　to　write　to　one　another。

〃And　you　will　come　and　stay　with　me；〃　persisted　the　little　Frenchman；　〃when　this　affair　is　finished〃he　made　an　impatient　gesture　with　his　hands。　　〃My　wife　takes　much　interest。　　She　will　be　delighted。〃

And　the　big　German；　again　embracing　the　little　Frenchman；　had　promised；　and　had　sent　his　compliments　to　Madame。

The　other　was　a　young　priest。　　He　wore　the　regulation　Red　Cross　uniform；　but　kept　his　cassock　hanging　on　a　peg　behind　his　bed。　　He　had　pretty　frequent　occasion　to　take　it　down。　　These　small　emergency　hospitals；　within　range　of　the　guns；　were　reserved　for　only　dangerous　cases：　　men　whose　wounds　would　not　permit　of　their　being　carried　further；　and　there　never　was　much　more　than　a　sporting　chance　of　saving　them。　　They　were　always　glad　to　find　there　was　a　priest　among　the　staff。　　Often　it　was　the　first　question　they　would　ask　on　being　lifted　out　of　the　ambulance。　　Even　those　who　professed　to　no　rel