bruce-第20章

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courtesy　it　was　no　longer　a　village　at　all。　It　was　a　double　row

of　squalid　ruins；　zig…zagging　along　the　two　sides　of　what　was

left　of　its　main　street。　Here　and　there　a　cottage　or　tiny　shop　or

shed　was　still　habitable。　The　rest　was　debris。



The　church　in　the　foreground　was　recognizable　as　such　by　the

shape　and　size　of　its　ragged　walls；　and　by　a　half…smashed　image

of　the　Virgin　and　Child　which　slanted　out　at　a　perilous　angle

above　its　fa？ade。



Yet；　miserable　as　the　ruined　hamlet　seemed　to　the　casual　eye；　it

was　at　present　a　vacation…resortand　a　decidedly　welcome　oneto

no　less　than　three　thousand　tired　men。　The　wrecked　church　was　an

impromptu　hospital　beneath　whose　shattered　roof　dozens　of　these

men　lay　helpless　on　makeshift　cots。



For　the　mixed　American　and　French　regiment　known　as　the　〃Here…We…

Comes〃　was　billeted　at　Meran…en…Laye　during　a　respite　from　the

rigors　and　perils　of　the　front…line　trenches。



The　rest　and　the　freedom　from　risks；　supposed　to　be　a　part　of　the

〃billeting〃　system；　were　not　wholly　the　portion　of　the　〃Here…We



Comes。〃　MeranenLaye　was　just　then　a　somewhat　important　little

speck　on　the　warmap。



The　Germans　had　been　up　to　their　favorite　field　sport　of　trying

to　split　in　half　two　of　the　Allied　armies；　and　to　roll　up　each；

independently。　The　effort　had　been　a　failure；　yet　it　had　come　so

near　to　success　that　many　railway　communications　were　cut　off　or

deflected。　And　Meran…en…Laye　had　for　the　moment　gained　new

importance；　by　virtue　of　a　spur　railway…line　which　ran　through

its　outskirts　and　which　made　junction　with　a　new　set　of　tracks

the　American　engineers　were　completing。　Along　this　transverse　of

roads　much　ammunition　and　food　and　many　fighting　men　were　daily

rushed。



The　safety　of　the　village　had　thus　become　of　much　significance。

While　it　was　too　far　behind　the　lines　to　be　in　grave　danger　of

enemy　raids；　yet　such　danger　existed　to　some　extent。　〃Wherefore

the　presence　of　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃for　the　paradoxical　double

purpose　of　〃resting　up〃　and　of　guarding　the　railway　Function。



Still；　it　was　better　than　trench…work；　and　the　〃Here…We…Comes〃

enjoyed　itfor　a　day　or　so。　Then　trouble　had　set　in。



A　group　of　soldiers　were　lounging　on　the　stone　seat　in　front　of

the　village　estaminet。　Being　off　duty；　they　were　reveling　in　that

popular　martial　pastime　known　to　the　Tommy　as　〃grousing〃　and　to

the　Yankee　doughboy　as　〃airing　a　grouch。〃



Top…Sergeant　Mahan；　formerly　of　the　regular　army；　was　haranguing

the　others。　Some　listened　approvingly；　others　dissentingly　and

others　not　at　all。



〃I　tell　you；〃　Mahan　declared　for　the　fourth　time；　〃somebody's

double…crossing　us　again。　There's　a　leak。　And　if　they　don't　find

out　where　it　is；　a　whole　lot　of　good　men　and　a　million　dollars'

worth　of　supplies　are　liable　to　spill　out　through　that　same　leak。

It〃



〃But；〃　argued　his　crony；　old　Sergeant　Vivier；　in　his　hard…

learned　English；　〃but　it　may　all　be　of　a　chance；　mon　vieux。　It

may；　not　be　the　doubled　cross；whatever　a　doubled　cross　means；

but　the　mere　chance。　Such　things　often〃



〃Chance；　my　grandmother's　wall…eyed　cat！〃　snorted　Mahan。　〃Maybe

it　might　have　been　chancewhen　this　place　hadn't　been　bombed　for

a　monthfor　a　whole　flight　of　boche　artillery　and　airship

grenades　to　cut　loose　against　it　the　day　General　Pershing

happened　to　stop　here　for　an　hour　on　his　way　to　Chateau…Thierry。

Maybe　that　was　chancethough　I　know　blamed　well　it　wasn't。　Maybe

it　was　chance　that　the　place　wasn't　bombed　again　till　two　days

ago；　when　that　troop…train　had　to　spend　such　a　lot　of　time

getting　shunted　at　the　junction。　Maybe　it　was　chance　that　the

church；　over　across　the　street；　hadn't　been　touched　since　the

last　drive；　till　our　regiment's　wounded　were　put　in　itand　that

it's　been　hit　three　times　since　then。　Maybe　any　one　of　those

thingsand　of　a　dozen　others　was　chance。　But　it's　a　cinch　that

ALL　of　them　weren't　chance。　Chance　doesn't　work　that　way。　I〃



〃Perhaps；〃　doubtfully　assented　old　Vivier；　〃perhaps。　But　I　little

like　to　believe　it。　For　it　means　a　spy。　And　a　spy　in　one's　midst

is　like　to　a　snake　in　one's　blankets。　It　is　a　not　pleasing

comrade。　And　it　stands　in　sore　need　of　killing。〃



〃there's　spies　everywhere；〃　averred　Mahan。　〃That's　been　proved

often　enough。　So　why　not　here？　But　I　wish　to　the　Lord　I　could　lay

hands　on　him！　If　this　was　one　of　the　little　sheltered　villages；

in　a　valley；　his　work　would　be　harder。　And　the　boche　airships　and

the　long…rangers　wouldn't　find　us　such　a　simple　target。　But　up

here　on　this　ridge；　all　a　spy　has　to　do　is　to　flash　a　signal；　any

night；　that　a　boche　airman　can　pick　up　or　that　can　even　be　seen

with　good　glasses　from　some　high　point　where　it　can　be　relayed　to

the　German　lines。　The　guy　who　laid　out　this　burg　was　sure

thoughtless。　He　might　have　known　there'd　be　a　war　some　day。　He

might　even　have　strained　his　mind　and　guessed　that　we'd　be　stuck

here。　Gee！〃



He　broke　off　with　a　grunt　of　disgust；　nor　did　he　so　much　as

listen　to　another　of　the　group　who　sought　to　lure　him　into　an

opinion　as　to　whether　the　spy　might　be　an　inhabitant　of　the

village　or　a　camp…follower。



Sucking　at　his　pipe；　the　Sergeant　glowered　moodily　down　the

ruined　street。　The　village　drowsed　under　the　hot　midday。　Here　and

there　a　soldier　lounged　along　aimlessly　or　tried　out　his

exercise…book　French　on　some　puzzled；　native。　Now　and　then　an

officer　passed　in　or　out　of　the　half…unroofed　mairie　which　served

as　regimental　headquarters。



Beyond；　in　the　handkerchief…sized　village　square；　a　platoon　was

drilling。　A　thin　French　housewife　was　hanging　sheets　on　a　line

behind　a　shell…twisted　hovel。　A　Red　Cross　nurse　came　out　of　the

hospitalchurch　across　the　street　from　the　estaminet　and　seated

herself　on　the　stone　steps　with　a　basketful　of　sewing。



Mahan's　half…shut　eyes　rested　critically　on　the　drilling

platoonamusedly　on　the　woman　who　was　so　carefully　hanging　the

ragged　sheets；and　then　approvingly　upon　the　Red　Cross　nurse　on

the　church　steps　across　the　way。



Mahan；　like　most　other　soldiers；　honored　and　revered　the　Red

Cross　for　its　work　of　mercy　in　the　army。　And　the　sight　of　one　of

the　several　local　nurses　of　the　Order　won　from　him　a　glance　of

real　approbation。



But　presently　into　his　weather…beaten　face　came　an　expression　of

glad　welcome。　Out　of　the　mairie　gate　and　into　the　sleepy　warmth

of　the　street　lounged　a　huge　dark…brown…and…white　collie。　The　don

stretched　himself　lazily；　fore　and　aft；　in　true　collie　style；

then　stood　gazing　about　him　as　if　in　search　of　something　of

interest　to　occupy　his　bored　attention。



〃Hello！〃　observed　Mahan；　breaking　in　on　a　homily　of　Vivier's。

〃There's　Bruce！〃



Vivier's　leathery　face　brightened　at　sound　of　the　collie's　name。

He　looked　eagerly　in　the　direction　of　Mahan's　pointing　finger。



〃Ce　brave！〃　exclaimed　the　Frenchman。　〃I　did　not　know　even　that　he

was　in　the　village。　It　must　be　he　is　but　new…arriven。　Otherwise

he　would；　of　an　assuredly；　have　hunted　up　his　old　friends。　Ohe；

Bruce！〃　he　called　invitingly。



〃The　big　dog　must　have　gotten　here　just　a　few　minutes　ago；〃　said

Sergeant　Mahan。　〃He　was　coming　out　of　headquarters　when　I　saw

him。　That　must　mean　he's　just　struck　the　town；　and　with　a　message

for　the　K。O。　He　always　goes　like　greased　lightning　when　he's　on

dispatch　duty；　till　he　has　delivered　his　message。　Then；　if　he's

to　be　allowed　to　hang　around　a　while　before　he's　sent　back；　he

loafs；　lazy…like；　the　way　you　see　him　now。　If　all　the　courier…

dogs　were　like　him；　every　human　courier　would　be　out　of　a　job。〃



At　Vivier's　hail　the　great　collie　had　pricked　his　ears　and

glanced　inquiringly　up　and　down　the　street。　Catching　sight　of　the

group　seated　in　front　of　the　estaminet；　he　began　to　wag　his　plumy

tail　and　set　off　toward　them　at　a　trot。



Ten　minutes　earlier；　Bruce　had　cantered　into　Meran…en…Laye　from

the　opposite　end　of　the　street；　bearing　in　his　collar　a　dispatch

from　the　corps　comm