the lion and the unicorn-第12章
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〃So； Doctorold man〃 He plucked at the steward's sleeve； and
stroked his hand eagerly； 〃old man〃 he began again；
beseechingly； 〃you'll not let me die until she comes； will you？
What？ No； I know I won't die。 Nothing made by man can kill me。
No； not until she comes。 Then； after thateight days； she'll be
here soon； any moment？ What？ You think so； too？ Don't you？
Surely； yes； any moment。 Yes； I'll go to sleep now； and when you
see her rowing out from shore you wake me。 You'll know her； you
can't make a mistake。 She is likeno； there is no one like
herbut you can't make a mistake。〃
That day strange figures began to mount the sides of the ship；
and to occupy its every turn and angle of space。 Some of them
fell on their knees and slapped the bare deck with their hands；
and laughed and cried out； 〃Thank God； I'll see God's country
again！〃 Some of them were regulars； bound in bandages； some were
volunteers； dirty and hollow…eyed； with long beards on boys'
faces。 Some came on crutches； others with their arms around
the shoulders of their comrades； staring ahead of them with a
fixed smile； their lips drawn back and their teeth protruding。
At every second step they stumbled； and the face of each was
swept by swift ripples of pain。
They lay on cots so close together that the nurses could not walk
between them。 They lay on the wet decks； in the scuppers； and
along the transoms and hatches。 They were like shipwrecked
mariners clinging to a raft； and they asked nothing more than
that the ship's bow be turned toward home。 Once satisfied as to
that； they relaxed into a state of self…pity and miserable
oblivion to their environment； from which hunger nor nausea nor
aching bones could shake them。
The hospital steward touched the Lieutenant lightly on the
shoulder。
〃We are going North； sir；〃 he said。 〃The transport's ordered
North to New York； with these volunteers and the sick and
wounded。 Do you hear me； sir？〃
The Lieutenant opened his eyes。 〃Has she come？〃 he asked。
〃Gee！〃 exclaimed the hospital steward。 He glanced impatiently at
the blue mountains and the yellow coast； from which the transport
was drawing rapidly away。
〃Well； I can't see her coming just now；〃 he said。 〃But she
will；〃 he added。
〃You let me know at once when she comes。〃
〃Why； cert'nly； of course；〃 said the steward。
Three trained nurses came over the side just before the transport
started North。 One was a large； motherly…looking woman； with a
German accent。 She had been a trained nurse； first in Berlin；
and later in the London Hospital in Whitechapel； and at Bellevue。
The nurse was dressed in white； and wore a little silver medal at
her throat； and she was strong enough to lift a volunteer out of
his cot and hold him easily in her arms； while one of the
convalescents pulled his cot out of the rain。 Some of the men
called her 〃nurse；〃 others； who wore scapulars around their
necks； called her 〃Sister；〃 and the officers of the medical staff
addressed her as Miss Bergen。
Miss Bergen halted beside the cot of the Lieutenant and
asked； 〃Is this the fever case you spoke about； Doctorthe one
you want moved to the officers' ward？〃 She slipped her hand up
under his sleeve and felt his wrist。
〃His pulse is very high；〃 she said to the steward。 〃When did you
take his temperature？〃 She drew a little morocco case from her
pocket and from that took a clinical thermometer； which she shook
up and down； eying the patient meanwhile with a calm； impersonal
scrutiny。 The Lieutenant raised his head and stared up at the
white figure beside his cot。 His eyes opened and then shut
quickly； with a startled look； in which doubt struggled with
wonderful happiness。 His hand stole out fearfully and warily
until it touched her apron； and then； finding it was real； he
clutched it desperately； and twisting his face and body toward
her； pulled her down； clasping her hands in both of his； and
pressing them close to his face and eyes and lips。 He put them
from him for an instant； and looked at her through his tears。
〃Sweetheart；〃 he whispered； 〃sweetheart； I knew you'd come。〃
As the nurse knelt on the deck beside him； her thermometer
slipped from her fingers and broke； and she gave an exclamation
of annoyance。 The young Doctor picked up the pieces and tossed
them overboard。 Neither of them spoke； but they smiled
appreciatively。 The Lieutenant was looking at the nurse with the
wonder and hope and hunger of soul in his eyes with which a dying
man looks at the cross the priest holds up before him。 What he
saw where the German nurse was kneeling was a tall； fair girl
with great bands and masses of hair； with a head rising like a
lily from a firm； white throat； set on broad shoulders above a
straight back and sloping breasta tall； beautiful creature；
half…girl； half…woman； who looked back at him shyly； but
steadily。
〃Listen；〃 he said。
The voice of the sick man was so sure and so sane that the young
Doctor started； and moved nearer to the head of the cot。
〃Listen； dearest；〃 the Lieutenant whispered。 〃I wanted to tell
you before I came South。 But I did not dare； and then I was
afraid something might happen to me； and I could never tell you；
and you would never know。 So I wrote it to you in the will I
made at Baiquiri； the night before the landing。 If you hadn't
come now； you would have learned it in that way。 You would have
read there that there never was any one but you； the rest were
all dream people； foolish； sillymad。 There is no one else in
the world but you； you have been the only thing in life that has
counted。 I thought I might do something down here that would
make you care。 But I got shot going up a hill； and after that I
wasn't able to do anything。 It was very hot； and the hills were
on fire； and they took me prisoner； and kept me tied down here；
burning on these coals。 I can't live much longer； but now that I
have told you I can have peace。 They tried to kill me before you
came； but they didn't know I loved you； they didn't know that men
who love you can't die。 They tried to starve my love for you； to
burn it out of me； they tried to reach it with their knives。 But
my love for you is my soul； and they can't kill a man's soul。
Dear heart； I have lived because you lived。 Now that you
knownow that you understandwhat does it matter？〃
Miss Bergen shook her head with great vigor。 〃Nonsense；〃 she
said； cheerfully。 〃You are not going to die。 As soon as we move
you out of this rain； and some food cook〃
〃Good God！〃 cried the young Doctor； savagely。 〃Do you want to
kill him？〃
When she spoke the patient had thrown his arms heavily across his
face； and had fallen back； lying rigid on the pillow。
The Doctor led the way across the prostrate bodies； apologizing
as he went。 〃I am sorry I spoke so quickly；〃 he said； 〃but he
thought you were real。 I mean he thought you were some one he
really knew〃
〃He was just delirious；〃 said the German nurse； calmly。
The Doctor mixed himself a Scotch and soda and drank it with a
single gesture。
〃Ugh！〃 he said to the ward…room。 〃I feel as though I'd been
opening another man's letters。〃
The transport drove through the empty seas with heavy； clumsy
upheavals； rolling like a buoy。 Having been originally
intended for the freight…carrying trade； she had no sympathy
with hearts that beat for a sight of their native land； or for
lives that counted their remaining minutes by the throbbing of
her engines。 Occasionally； without apparent reason； she was
thrown violently from her course： but it was invariably the case
that when her stern went to starboard； something splashed in the
water on her port side and drifted past her； until； when it had
cleared the blades of her propeller； a voice cried out； and she
was swung back on her home…bound track again。
The Lieutenant missed the familiar palms and the tiny block…
house； and seeing nothing beyond the iron rails but great wastes
of gray water； he decided he was on board a prison…ship； or that
he had been strapped to a raft and cast adrift。 People came for
hours at a time and stood at the foot of his cot； and talked w
