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第31章

interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第31章


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     The ride   home   through the   dark   was very  quiet。  Sara Lee   sat beside 

him watching the stars and growing increasingly anxious as they went; not 

too   rapidly;   toward   the   little   house。   There   were   no   lights。 Air   raids   had 

grown common in Dunkirk; and there were no street lights in the little city。 

Once on the highway Jean lighted the lamps; but left them very low; and 

two miles from the little house he put them out altogether。 They traveled 

by starlight then; following as best they could the tall trees that marked the 

road。 Now and then they went astray at that; and once they tilted into the 

ditch and had hard pulling to get out。 

     At   the   top   of   the   street   Jean   stopped   and   went   on   foot   a   little   way 

down。 He came back; with the report that new shells had made the way 

impassable; and again Sara Lee shivered。 If the little house was gone! 

     But it was there; and lighted too。 Through its broken shutters came the 

yellow  glow  of  the   oil lamp   that   now   hung   over  the  table   in   the salle   a 

manger。 


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     Whatever Jean's anxieties had been fell from him as he pushed open 

the door。   Henri's voice   was the   first thing   they heard。   He was   too   much 

occupied to notice their approach。 

     So it was that Sara Lee saw; for the last time; the miller and his son; 

Maurice; saw them; but did not know them; for over their heads were bags 

of their own sacking; with eyeholes roughly cut in them。 Their hands were 

bound; and three soldiers were waiting to take them away。 

     〃I have covered your heads;〃 Henri was saying in French; 〃because it 

is   not   well   that   our   brave   Belgians   should   know   that   they   have   been 

betrayed by those of their own number。〃 

     It was a cold and terrible Henri who spoke。 

     〃Take them away;〃 he said to the waiting men。 

     A   few   moments   later   he   turned   from   the   door   and   heard   Sara   Lee 

sobbing in her room。 He tapped; and on receiving no reply he went in。 The 

room   was   unharmed;   and   by   the   light   of   a   candle   he   saw   the   girl;   face 

down on the bed。 He spoke to her; but she only lay crouched deeper; her 

shoulders shaking。 

     〃It is war; mademoiselle;〃 he said; and went closer。 Then suddenly all 

the hurt of the past days; all the bitterness of the last hour; were lost in an 

overwhelming burst of tenderness。 

     He bent over her and put his arms round her。 

     〃That I should have hurt you so!〃 he said softly。 〃I; who wouki die for 

you; mademoiselle。 I who worship you。〃 He buried his face in the warm 

hollow of her neck and held her close。 He was trembling。 〃I love you;〃 he 

whispered。 〃I love you。〃 

     She quieted under his touch。 He was very strong; and there was refuge 

in   his   arms。   For   a   moment   she   lay   still;   happier   than   she   had   been   for 

weeks。 It was Henri who was shaken now and the girl who was still。 

     But   very   soon   came   the   thing   that;   after   all;   he   expected。   She   drew 

herself away from him; and Henri; sensitive to every gesture; stood back。 

     〃Who are they?〃 was the first thing she said。 It rather stabbed him。 He 

had just told her that he loved her; and never before in his careless young 

life had he said that to any woman。 


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     〃Spies;〃 he said briefly。 

     A  flushed   and   tearful   Sara   Lee   stood   up   then   and   looked   up   at   him 

gravely。 

     〃Then … that is what you do?〃 

     〃Yes; mademoiselle。〃 

     Quite suddenly she went to him and held up her face。 

     〃PLease kiss me; Henri;〃 she said very simply。 〃I have been cruel and 

stupid; and …〃 

     But he had her in his arms then; and he drew her close as though he 

would   never   let   her   go。   He   was   one   great   burst   of   joy;   poor   Henri。   But 

when she gently freed herself at last it was to deliver what seemed for a 

time his death wound。 

     〃You have paid me a great tribute;〃 she said; still simply and gravely。 

〃I wanted you to kiss me; because of what you said。 But that will have to 

be all; Henri dear。〃 

     〃All?〃 he said blankly。 

     〃You haven't forgotten; have you? I … I am engaged to somebody else。〃 

     Henri stood still; swaying a little。 

     〃And you love him? More than you care for me?〃 

     〃He is … he is my kind;〃 said Sara Lee rather pitifully。 〃I am not what 

you think me。 You see me here; doing what you think is good work; and 

you are grateful。 And you don't see any other women。 So I…〃 

     〃And you think I love you because I see no one else?〃 he demanded; 

still rather stunned。 

     〃Isn't that part of it?〃 

     He    flung   out   his  hands    as  though     he  despaired     of  making     her 

understand。 

     〃This man at home …〃 he said bitterly; 〃this man who loves you so well 

that he let you cross the sea and come here alone … do you love him very 

dearly?〃 

     〃I am promised to him。〃 

     All at once Sara Lee saw the little parlor at home; and Harvey; gentle; 

rather stolid and dependable。 Oh; very dependable。 She saw him as he had 


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looked   the   night   he   had   said   he   loved   her;   rather   wistful   and   very;   very 

tender。 She could not hurt him so。 She had said she was going back to him; 

and she must go。 

     〃I love him very much; Henri。〃 

     Very quietly; considering the hell that was raging in him; Henri bent 

over and kissed her hand。 Then he turned it over; and for an instant he held 

his cheek against its warmth。 He went out at once; and Sara Lee heard the 

door slam。 


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                               THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



                           CHAPTER XVI 



       Time   passed   quickly;   as   always   it   does   when   there   is   work   to   do。 

Round      the  ruined   houses    the  gray   grass   turned   green   again;   and   in 

travesties of gardens early spring flowers began to show a touch of color。 

     The first of them greeted Sara Lee one morning as she stood on her 

doorstep in the early sun。 She gathered them and placed them; one on each 

grave; in the cemetery near the poplar trees; where small wooden crosses; 

sometimes surmounted by a cap; marked many graves。 

    Marie; a silent subdued Marie; worked steadily in the little house。 She 

did not weep; but now and then Sara Lee found her stirring something on 

the stove and looking toward the quiet mill in the fields。 And once Sara 

Lee; surprising that look on her face; put her arms about the girl and held 

her for a moment。 But she did not say anything。 There was nothing to say。 

    With   the   opening   up   of   the   spring   came   increased   movement   and 

activity among the troops。 The beach and the sand dunes round La Panne 

were filled with drilling men; Belgium's new army。 Veterans of the winter; 

at rest behind the lines; sat in the sun and pared potatoes for the midday 

meal。 Convalescents from the hospital appeared in motley garments from 

the Ambulance Ocean and walked along the water front; where the sea; no 

longer gray and sullen; rolled up in thin white lines of foam to their very 

feet。 Winter straw came out of wooden sabots。 Winter…bitten hands turned 

soft。 Canal boats blossomed out with great washings。 And the sentry at the 

gun emplacement in the sand up the beach gave over gathering sticks for 

his fire; and lay; when no one was about; in a hollow in the dune; face to 

the sky。 

     So   spring   came   to   that   small   fragment   of   Belgium   which   had   been 

saved   spring   and   hope。   Soon   now   the   great   and   powerful   Allies   would 

drive out the Huns; and a

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