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第16章

interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第16章


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     〃But you will learn very quickly。〃 

     〃I'm stupid about languages。〃 

     Henri dismissed that with a gesture。 She could not; he felt; be stupid 

about   anything。   He   went   to   the   window   and   looked   out。  The   destroyers 

were still coaling; and a small cargo was being taken off the boat at the 

quay。 The rain was over; and in the early sunlight an officer in blue tunic; 

red breeches and black cavalry boots was taking the air; his head bent over 

his chest。 Not a detail of the scene escaped him。 

     〃I   have   agreed   to   find   the   right   place   for   you;〃 he   said   thoughtfully。 


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                                THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



〃There   is   one;   but   I   think   …   〃   He   hesitated。   〃I   do   not   wish   to   place   you 

again in danger。〃 

     〃You mean that it is near the Front?〃 

     〃Very near; mademoiselle。〃 

     〃But I should be rather near; to be useful。〃 

     〃Perhaps; for your work。 But what of you? These brutes … they shell far 

and wide。 One can never be sure。〃 

     He paused and surveyed her whimsically。 

     〃Who allowed you to come; alone; like this?〃 he demanded。 〃Is there 

no one who objected?〃 

     Sara Lee glanced down at her ring。 

     〃The man I am going to marry。 He is very angry。 

     Henri looked at her; and followed her eyes to Harvey's ring。 He said 

nothing; however; but he went over and gave the bell cord a violent jerk。 

     〃You must have food quickly;〃 he said in a rather flat voice。 〃You are 

looking tired and pale。〃 

     A  sense   of   unreality   was   growing   on   Sara   Lee。   That   she   should   be 

alone in France with a man she had never seen three days before; that she 

knew nothing whatever about that man; that; for the present at least; she 

was utterly and absolutely dependent on him; even for the food she ate … it 

was all of a piece with the night's voyage and the little room at the Savoy。 

And it was none of it real。 

     When   the   breakfast   tray   came   Henri   was   again   at   the   window   and 

silent。 And Sara Lee saw that it was laid for two。 She was a little startled; 

but the businesslike way in which   the young officer drew up two   chairs 

and held one out for her made protest seem absurd。 And the flat…faced boy; 

who waited; looked unshocked and uninterested。 

     It was not until   she   had had   some coffee   that   Henri followed   up   his 

line of thought。 

     〃So … the fiance did not approve? It is not difficult to understand。 There 

is always danger; for there are German aeroplanes even in remote places。 

And      you    are   very    young。     You    still  wish    to   establish    yourself; 

mademoiselle?〃 


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                                 THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



     〃Of course!〃 

     〃Would   it   be   a   comfort   to   cable   your   safe   arrival   in   France   to   the 

flance?〃 When   he   saw   her   face   he smiled。 And   if   it   was   a   rather   heroic 

smile it was none the less friendly。 〃I see。 What shall I say? Or will you 

write it?〃 

     So Sara Lee; vastly cheered by two cups of coffee; an egg; and a very 

considerable portion of bread and butter; wrote her cable。 It was to be brief; 

for cables cost money。 It said; 〃Safe。 Well。 Love。〃 And Henri; who seemed 

to have strange and ominous powers; sent it almost immediately。 Total cost; 

as reported to Sara Lee; two francs。 He took the money she offered him 

gravely。 

     〃We shall cable quite often;〃 he said。 〃He will be anxious。 And I think 

he has a right to know。〃 

     The 〃we〃 was entirely unconscious。 

     〃And now;〃 he said; when he had gravely allowed Sara Lee to pay her 

half of the breakfast; 〃we must arrange to get you out of Calais。 And that; 

mademoiselle; may take time。〃 

     It  took    time。   Sara   Lee;   growing     accustomed       now    to  little  rooms 

entirely filled with men and typewriters; went from one office to another; 

walking   along   the   narrow   pavements   with   Henri;   through   streets   filled 

with   soldiers。   Once   they   drew   aside   to   let   pass   a   procession   of   Belgian 

refugees;   those   who   had   held   to   their   village   homes   until   bombardment 

had destroyed them … stout peasant women in short skirts and with huge 

bundles; old men; a few young ones; many children。 The terror of the early 

flight    was   not   theirs;  but   there  was    in  all  of  them    a  sort  of   sodden 

hopelessness   that   cut   Sara   Lee   to   the   heart。   In   an   irregular   column   they 

walked along; staring ahead but seeing nothing。 Even the children looked 

old and tired。 

     Sara Lee's eyes filled with tears。 

     〃My people;〃 said Henri。 〃Simple country folk; and going to England; 

where they will grieve for the things that are gone … their fields and their 

sons。   The   old   ones   will   die;   quickly;   of   homesickness。   It   is   difficult   to 

transplant an old tree。〃 


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                                   THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



     The   final   formalities   seemed   to   offer   certain   difficulties。   Henri;   who 

liked   to   do   things   quickly   and   like   a   prince;   flushed   with   irritation。   He 

drew   himself   up   rather   haughtily   in   reply   to   one   question;   and   glanced 

uneasily at the girl。 But it was all as intelligible as Sanskrit to her。 

     It was only after a whispered sentence to the man at the head of the 

table that the paper was finally signed。 

     As they went down to the street together Sara Lee made a little protest。 

     〃But     I  simply   must     not   take   all  your   time;〃    she   said;  looking     up 

anxiously。 〃I   begin to   realize how  foolhardy the  whole thing   is。 I  meant 

well; but … it is you who are doing everything; not I。〃 

     〃I shall not make the soup; mademoiselle;〃 he replied gravely。 


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                                THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



                            CHAPTER VIII 



       Here were more things to do。 Sara Lee's money must be exchanged at 

a   bank   for   French   gold。   She   had   three   hundred   dollars;   and   it   had   been 

given her in a tiny brown canvas bag。 And then there was the matter   of 

going from Calais toward the Front。 She had expected to find a train; but 

there   were   no   trains。 All   cars   were   being   used   for   troops。   She   stared   at 

Henri in blank dismay。 

     〃No     trains!〃   she   said   blankly。    〃Would      an   automobile      be   very 

expensive?〃 

     〃They     are  all  under    government      control;   mademoiselle。      Even    the 

petrol。〃 

     She stopped in the street。 

     〃Then I shall have to go back。〃 

     Henri laughed boyishly。 

     〃Mademoiselle;〃 he said; 〃I have been requested to take you to a place 

where you   may  render   us   the   service   we so   badly  need。   For   the present 

that is my duty; and nothing else。 So if you will accept the offer of my car; 

which is a shameful one but travels well; we can continue our journey。〃 

     Long; long afterward; Sara Lee found a snapshot of Henri's car; taken 

by a light…hearted British officer。 Found it and sat for a long time with it in 

her hand; thinking and remembering that first day she saw it; in the sun at 

Calais。 A long low car it was; once green; but now roughly painted gray。 

But   it   was   not   the   crude   painting;   significant   as   it   was;   that   brought   so 

close the thing she was going to。 It was that the car was but a shell of a car。 

The mud guards were crumpled up against the side。 Body and hood were 

pitted with shrapnel。 A door had been shot away; and the wind shield was 

but a frame set round with broken glass。 Even the soldier…chauffeur wore a 

patch over one eye; and his uniform was ragged。 

     〃Not a beautiful car; 

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