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第22章

bruce-第22章

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doorway and had paused on the threshold of the improvised

hospital; as the reek of iodoform and of carbolic smote upon his

sensitive nostrils。 In front of him was the stone…paved

vestibule。 Beyond was the interior of the shattered church; lined

now with double rows of cots。



Seated on a camp…chair in the shadowy vestibule was the pseudo

Red Cross nurse。 At sight of the collie the nurse got up in some

haste。 Bruce; still walking stiff…legged; drew closer。



Out from under the white skirt flashed a capable and solidly…

shod foot。 In a swinging kick; the foot let drive at the oncoming

dog。 Before Bruce could dodge or could so much as guess what was

coming;the kick smote him with agonizing force; square on the

shoulder。



To a spirited collie; a kick carries more than the mere pain of

its inflicting。 It is a grossly unforgivable affront as wellas

many a tramp and thief have learned; at high cost。



By the time the kick had fairly landed; Bruce had recovered from

his instant of incredulous surprise; and with lightning swiftness

he hurled himself at his assailant。



No bark or growl heralded the murderous throatlunge。 It was all

the more terrible for the noiselessness wherewith it was

delivered。 The masquerading man saw it coming; just too late to

guard against it。 He lurched backward; belatedly throwing both

hands up to defend his throat。 It was the involuntary backward

step which saved his jugular。 For his heel caught in the hem of

his white skirt。 And wholly off balance; he pitched headlong to

the floor。



This jerky shift of position; on the part of the foe; spoiled

Bruce's aim。 His fearful jaws snapped together harmlessly in

empty air at a spot where; a fraction of a second earlier; the

other's throat had been。 Down crashed the disguised man。 And atop

of him the furious dog hurled himself; seeking a second time the

throatgrip he had so narrowly missed。



At this point on the program Sergeant Mahan arrived just in time

to bury both hands in the mass of Bruce's furry ruff and to drag

the snarlingly rabid dog back from his prey。



The place was in an uproar。 Nurses and doctors came rushing out

into the vestibule; sick and wounded men sat up on their cots and

eagerly craned their necks to catch sight of the scrimmage。

Soldiers ran in from the street。



Strong as he was; Mahan had both hands full in holding the

frantic Bruce back from his enemy。 Under the insult of the kick

from this masquerader; whom he had already recognized as a foe;

the collie had temporarily lost every vestige of his stately

dignity。 He was for the moment merely a wild beast; seeking

revenge for a brutal injury。 He writhed and fought in Mahan's

grasp。 Never once did he seek to attack the struggling man who

held him。 But he strained every giant sinew to get at the foe who

had kicked him。



The dog's opponent scrambled to his feet; helped by a dozen

willing hands and accosted by as many solicitous voices。 The

victim's face was bone…gray with terror。 His lips twitched

convulsively。 Yet; as befitted a person in his position; he had a

splendid set of nerves。 And almost at once he recovered partial

control over himself。



〃II don't know how it happened;〃 he faltered; his rich

contralto voice shaky with the ground…swells of his recent shock。

〃It began when I was sitting on the steps; sewing。 This dog came

past。 He growled at me so threateningly that I came indoors。 A

minute later; while I was sitting here sewing; he sprang at me

and threw me down。 I believe he wouldwould have killed me;〃 the

narrator finished; with a very genuine shudder; 〃if I had not

been rescued when I was。 Such bloodthirsty brutes ought to be

shot!〃



〃He not only OUGHT to be;〃 hotly agreed the chief surgeon; 〃but

he is GOING to be。 Take him out into the street; one of you men;

and put a ball in his head。〃



The surgeon turned to the panting nurse。



〃You're certain he didn't hurt you?〃 he asked。 〃I don't want a

newcomer; like yourself; to think this is the usual treatment our

nurses get。 Lie down and rest。 You look scared to death。 And

don't be nervous about the cur attacking you again。 He'll be dead

inside of three minutes。〃



The nurse; with a mumbled word of thanks; scuttled off into the

rear of the church; where the tumbledown vestry had been fitted

up as a dormitory。



Bruce had calmed down somewhat under Mahan's sharp reproof。 But

he now struggled afresh to get at his vanished quarry。 And again

the Sergeant had a tussle to hold him。



〃I don't know what's got into the big fellow!〃 exclaimed Mahan to

Vivier as the old Frenchman joined the tumultuous group。 〃He's

gone clean daft。 He'd of killed that poor woman; if I hadn't〃



〃Get him out of here!〃 ordered the surgeon。 〃And clear out;

yourselves; all of you! This rumpus has probably set a lot of my

patients' temperatures to rocketing。 Take the cur out and shoot

him!〃



〃Excuse me; sir;〃 spoke up Mahan; as Vivier stared aghast at the

man who commanded Bruce's destruction; 〃but he's no cur。 He's a

courier…collie; officially in the service of the United States

Government。 And he's the best courier…dog in France to…day。 This

is〃



〃I don't care what he is!〃 raged the surgeon。 〃He〃



〃This is Bruce;〃 continued Mahan; 〃the dog that saved the 'Here…

We…Comes' at Rache; and that steered a detail of us to safety one

night in the fog; in the Chateau…Thierry sector。 If you order any

man of the 'Here…We…Comes' to shoot Bruce; you're liable to have

a mutiny on your handsofficer or no officer。 But if you wish;

sir; I can transmit your order to the K。O。 If he endorses it〃



But the surgeon sought; at that moment; to save the remnants of

his dignity and of a bad situation by stalking loftily back into

the hospital; and leaving Mahan in the middle of his speech。



〃Or; sir;〃 the Sergeant grinningly called after him; 〃you might

write to the General Commanding; and tell him you want Bruce

shot。 The Big Dog always sleeps in the general's own room; when

he's off…duty; at Division Headquarters。 Maybe the general will

O。K。 his death…sentence; if you ask him to。 He〃



Somewhat quickening his stately stride; the surgeon passed out of

earshot。 At the officers' mess of the 〃Here…We…Comes;〃 he had

often heard Bruce's praises sung。 He had never chanced to see the

dog until now。 But; beneath his armor of dignity; he quaked to

think what the results to himself must have been; had he obeyed

his first impulse of drawing his pistol and shooting the adored

and pricelessly useful collie。



Mahan;stolidly rejoicing in his victory over the top…lofty

potentate whom he disliked;led the way out of the crowded

vestibule into the street。 Bruce followed demurely at his heels

and Vivier bombarded everybody in sight for information as to

what the whole fracas was about。



Bruce was himself again。 Now that the detested man in woman's

clothes had gone away; there was no sense in continuing to

struggle or to waste energy in a show of fury。 Nevertheless; in

his big heart burned deathless hatred toward the German who had

kicked him。 And; like an elephant; a collie never forgets。



〃But;〃 Vivier was demanding of everybody; 〃but why should the

gentle Bruce have attacked a good nurse? It is not what you call

'make…sense。' C'est un gentilhomme; ce vieux! He would not attack

a woman less still a sister of the Red Cross。 He〃



〃Of course he wouldn't;〃 glumly assented the downhearted Mahan。

〃But he DID。 That's the answer。 I saw him do it。 He knocked her

down and〃



〃Which nurse was she?〃 asked a soldier who had come up after the

trouble was over。



〃A new one here。 I don't know her name。 She came last week。 I saw

her when she got here。 I was on duty at the K。O。's office when

she reported。 She had a letter from some one on the surgeon…

general's staff。 But why Bruce should have gone for her to…day

or for any womanis more than I can see。 She was s

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