on the firing line-第3章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


dian　who　was　so　obviously　well…born　and　well…bred。

Now　and　then　Carew　joined　the　group；　but　the　handsome；　dashing　young　fellow　had　no　mind　to　play　the　part　of　second　violin。　He　would　be　concertmaster　or　nothing。　Accordingly；　he　withdrew　to　the　rival　corner　where　a　swarthy　little　French　girl　maintained　her　court　without　help　from　any　apparent　chaperonage　whatsoever。　Left　in　possession　of　the　field；　Weldon　made　the　most　of　his　chances。　The　acknowledged　attendant　of　Ethel；　his　jovial　ministrations　overflowed　to　Mrs。　Scott；　until　the　sedate　colonel's　wife　admitted　to　herself　that　no　such　pleasant　voyage　had　fallen　to　her　lot　since　the　days　when　she　had　started　for　India　on　her　wedding　journey。　Weldon　had　the　consummate　tact　to　keep　the　taint　of　the　filial　from　his　chivalry。　His　attentions　to　Mrs。　Scott　and　Ethel　differed　in　degree；　but　not　in　kind；　and　Mrs。　Scott　adored　him　accordingly。　One　by　one；　the　languid　days　dropped　into　the　past。　Neptune　had　duly　escorted　them　over　the　Line；　to　the　boredom　of　the　first…class　passengers　and　the　strident　mirth　of　the　rest　of　the　ship's　colony。　Winter　was　already　behind　them；　and　the　late　December　days　took　on　more　and　more　of　the　guise　of　summer；　as　the　log　marked　their　passing　to　the　southward。　To　many　on　board；　the　idle　passage　was　a　winter　holiday；　but　to　Weldon　and　Carew　and　a　dozen　more　stalwart　fellows；　those　quiet　days　were　the　hush　before　the　breaking　of　the　storm。　Home；　school；　the　university　were　behind　them；　before　them　lay　the　crash　of　war。　And　afterwards？　Glory；　or　death。　Their　healthy；　boyish　optimism　could　see　no　third　alternative。

For　ten　long　days；　Miss　Ophelia　Arthur　lay　prone　in　her　berth。　Her　hymnal　and　her　Imitation　lay　beside　her；　but　she　read　less　than　she　pondered；　and　she　invariably　pondered　with　her　eyes　closed　and　her　mouth　ajar。　On　the　eleventh　day；　however；　she　gathered　herself　together　and　went　on　deck。　With　anxious　care　Weldon　tucked　the　rugs　about　her　elderly　frame。　Then　he　exchanged　a　glance　with　Ethel　and　together　they　sought　the　shelter　of　the　ventilating　shaft。

Nothing　shows　the　temperature　more　surely　than　the　tint　of　the　gray　sea。　It　was　a　warm　gray；　that　morning；　and　the　bowl…like　sky　above　was　gray　from　the　horizon　far　towards　the　blue　zenith。　From　the　other　end　of　the　ship；　they　could　hear　the　plaudits　that　accompanied　an　impromptu　athletic　tournament；　but　the　inhabitants　of　the　nearest　chairs　were　reading　or　dozing；　and　the　deck　about　them　was　very　still。　Only　the　throbbing　of　the　mighty　screw　and　the　hiss　of　the　cleft　waves　broke　the　hush。

Out　of　the　hush；　Ethel　spoke　abruptly。

〃Do　you　know；　Mr。　Weldon；　you　have　never　told　me　what　brings　you　out　here。〃

He　had　been　sitting；　chin　on　his　fists；　staring　out　across　the　gray；　foam…flecked　water。　Now　he　looked　up　at　her　in　surprise。

〃I　thought　you　knew。　The　war；　of　course。〃

〃Yes；　but　where　are　you　going？〃

〃To　somewhere　on　the　firing　line。　Beyond　that　I've　not　the　least　idea。〃

〃Where　is　your　regiment　now？〃

〃I　haven't　any。〃

She　frowned　in　perplexity。

〃I　think　I　don't　quite　understand。〃

〃I　mean　I　haven't　enlisted　yet。〃

〃But　your　commission？〃　she　urged。

〃I　have　no　commission；　Miss　Dent。〃

〃Notany　commission！〃　she　said　blankly。

In　site　of　himself；　he　laughed　at　her　tone。

〃Certainly　not。　I　am　going　as　a　soldier。〃

She　sat　staring　at　him　in　thoughtful　silence。

〃But　you　are　a　gentleman；〃　she　said　slowly　at　length。

Weldon's　mouth　twitched　at　the　corners。

〃I　hope　so；〃　he　assented。

〃Then　how　can　you　go　as　soldier；　for　I　suppose　you　mean　private？〃

Dictated　by　generations…old　tradition；　the　question　was　eloquent。　Weldon's　one　purpose；　however；　was　to　combat　that　tradition；　and　he　answered　calmly；

〃Why　not？〃

〃Becausebecause　it　isn't　neat；〃　she　responded　unexpectedly。

This　time；　Weldon　laughed　outright。　Trained　in　the　wider；　more　open…　air　school　of　Canadian　life；　he　found　her　insular　point　of　view　distinctly　comic。

〃I　have　a　portable　tub　somewhere　among　my　luggage；〃　he　reassured　her。

She　shook　her　head。

〃No；　that's　not　what　I　mean。　But　you　won't　be　thrown　with　men　of　your　own　class。　The　private　is　a　distinct　race；　you'll　find　him　unbearable；　when　you　are　really　in　close　quarters　with　him。〃

Deliberately　Weldon　rose　and　stood　looking　down　at　her。　His　lips　were　smiling；　his　eyes　were　direct　and　grave。　His　mother　could　have　told　the　girl；　just　then；　that　some　one　had　touched　him　on　the　raw。

〃Miss　Dent；〃　he　asked　slowly；　〃is　this　the　way　you　cheer　on　the　men？〃

She　flushed　under　his　rebuke　and；　for　a　moment；　her　blue　eyes　showed　an　angry　light。

〃I　beg　your　pardon。　I　was　referring　to　the　men　whom　I　am　likely　to　know。〃

〃And　omitting　myself？〃　he　inquired。

〃You　are　the　exception　which　proves　the　rule；〃　she　answered　a　little　shortly。　〃Of　course；　I　wish　you　all　good；　but　I　don't　see　how　it　is　to　be　gained；　if　you　bury　yourself　in　the　ranks。〃

〃It　may　depend　a　little　upon　what　you　mean　by　good；〃　he　returned；　with　a　dignity　which；　notwithstanding　her　momentary　petulance；　won　her　full　respect。　〃I　am　not　going　out　in　search　of　the　path　to　a　generalship。　Fighting　isn't　my　real　profession。〃

〃Then　what　are　you　going　for？〃　she　demanded　sharply。　With　no　consciousness　of　dramatic　effect；　his　eyes　turned　to　the　Union　Jack　fluttering　above　them。

〃Because　I　couldn't　stay　away；〃　he　answered　simply。　〃From　Magersfontein　to　Nooitdedacht；　the　pull　on　me　has　been　growing　stronger。　I　am　not　needed　at　home；　I　can　shoot　a　little　and　ride　a　good　deal。　I　am　taking　out　my　own　horse；　I　shall　draw　no　pay。　I　can　do　no　harm；　and；　somewhere　or　other；　I　may　do　a　little　good。　For　the　rest；　I　prefer　the　ranks。　It's　not　always　the　broadest　man　who　lives　entirely　with　his　own　class。　For　a　while；　I　am　willing　to　meet　some　one　outside。　As　soon　as　I　get　to　Cape　Town；　I　shall　enlist　in　a　regiment　of　horse；　put　on　the　khaki　and　learn　to　wind　myself　up　in　my　putties。　Then　it　will　remain　to　be　seen　whether　my　old　friends　will　accept　Trooper　Weldon　on　their　list　of　acquaintances。〃

〃One　of　them　will；〃　the　girl　said　quickly。　〃If　only　for　the　sake　of　novelty；　I　shall　be　glad　to　know　a　man　in　the　ranks。〃

He　shook　his　head。

〃No　novelty；　Miss　Dent。　I　know　any　number　of　fellows　who　are　doing　the　same　thing。　We　can't　all　be　officers；　a　few　of　us　must　take　orders。　Out　in　the　hunting　field；　we　say　it　is　the　thoroughbred　dog　who　answers　to　call　most　quickly。〃

She　ignored　his　last　words。

〃And　you　don't　even　know　where　you　are　going？〃　she　asked。　〃To　Cape　Town。〃

〃But　after　that？〃

〃To　my　banker。　After　that；　to　the　nearest　recruiting　station。〃

〃So　you'll　not　stop　in　Cape　Town？〃

Weldon's　quick　ear　caught　the　little　note　of　regret　in　her　voice。

〃Not　long。　Long　enough；　however；　to　pull　any　latch…string　that　offers　itself　to　me。〃

Her　eyes　dropped　to　the　shining　sea。

〃My　mother　will　offer　ours　to　you；〃　she　said　quietly。　Then　she　added；　with　a　swift　flash　of　merriment；　〃And　you　will　wish　to　see　Miss　Arthur　again。〃

Weldon　cast　a　mocking　glance　over　his　shoulder　at　the　recumbent；　open…mouthed　form。

〃Is　the　lady　going　to　stop　long　with　you？〃　he　queried。

〃Long　enough　to　recover　from　her　invalidism。〃

〃To　judge　from　her　greeny…yellow　cast　of　countenance；　that　may　take　some　time。　But　tell　me；　Miss　Dent；　does　she　always　sleep　out　loud　like　this？〃

〃Not　always。　It　usually　comes　when　she　is　taking　what　she　calls　forty　winks。〃

〃Then　may　a　merciful　heaven　prevent　her　from　taking　eighty；〃　Weldon　observed　piously。　〃Still；　the　sleeping　cat〃

〃Fox；〃　she　corrected　him　promptly。

〃Fox　be　it；　then。　Miss　Arthur　seems　to　me　to　be　feline；　rather　than　vulpine；　though。〃　Bending　forward；　the　girl　studied　her　chaperon　thoughtfully。

〃She　really　isn't　so　bad；　Mr。　Weldon。　She　means　well。　It　is　only　that　I　don't　like　tight　frizzles　and　a　hymn…book　in　combination。　People　should　always　have　one　point　of　absolute　worldliness。〃

〃Aren't　fizzlesthat　is　what　you　called　the　thatch　over　her　eyebrows；　isn't　it？aren't　they　worldly？〃

Ethel　Dent　laughed　with　the　consciousness　of　a　woman's　superior　knowledge。

〃It　depends　upon　the　season；〃　she　replied　enigmatically；　as　she　rose。

It　was　five　days　later　that　Ethel　closed　and　locked　her　steamer　trunk。　Leaving　Miss