interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第49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！
They say over there that we are sure to be drawn into it sooner or later。〃
〃Not on our life！〃 he replied brusquely。 〃And if you don't mind； honey；
I don't care to hear about what they think over there。〃 He got up from his
old place on the arm of her chair and stood on the rug。 〃I'd better tell you
now how I feel about this thing。 I can't talk about it； that's all。 We'll finish
up now and let it go at that。 I'm sorry there's a war。 I'll send money when I
can afford it； to help the Belgians； though my personal opinion is that
they're getting theirs for what they did in the Congo。 But I don't want to
hear about what you did over there。〃
He saw her face； and he went to her and kissed her cheek。
… Page 176…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
〃I don't want to hurt you； honey；〃 he said。 〃I love you with all my heart。
But somehow I can't forget that you left me and went over there when
there was no reason for it。 You put off our marriage； and I suppose we'd
better get it over。 Go ahead and tell me about it。〃
He drew up a chair and waited； but the girl smiled rather tremulously。
〃Perhaps we'd better wait； if you feel that way； Harvey。〃
His face was set as he looked at her。
〃There's only one thing I want to know；〃 he said。 〃And I've got a right
to know that。 You're a young girl； and you're beautiful … to me； anyhow。
You've been over there with a lot of crazy foreigners。〃 He got up again and
all the bitterness of the empty months was in his voice。 〃Did any of them …
was there anybody there you cared about？〃
〃I came back； Harvey。〃
〃That's not the question。〃
〃There were many men … officers … who were kind to me。 I …〃
〃That's not the question； either。〃
〃If I had loved any one more than I loved you I should not have come
back。〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 he said quickly。 〃You had to come back； you know。〃
〃I could have stayed。 The Englishwoman who took over my work
asked me to stay on and help her。〃
He was satisfied then。 He went back to the arm of her chair and kissed
her。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃I've suffered the tortures of the damned； but … that
fixes it。 Now let's talk about something else。 I'm sick of this war talk。〃
〃I'd like to tell you about my little house。 And poor Rene …〃
〃Who was Rene？〃 he demanded。
〃The orderly。〃 。 〃The one on the step； with a rifle？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Look here；〃 he said。 〃I've got to get to all that gradually。 I don't know
that I'll ever get to it cheerfully。 But I can't talk about that place to…night。
And I don't want to talk war。 The whole business makes me sick。 I've got a
car out of it； and if things keep on we may be able to get the Leete house。
… Page 177…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
But there's no reason in it； no sense。 I'm sick to death of hearing about it。
Let's talk of something else。〃
But … and here was something strange … Sara Lee could find nothing
else to talk about。 The thing that she had looked forward so eagerly to
telling … that was barred。 And the small gossip of their little circle； purely
personal and trivial； held only faint interest for her。 For the first time they
had no common ground to meet on。
Yet it was a very happy man who went whistling to his room that night。
He was rather proud of himself too。 After all the bitterness of the past
months； he had been gentle and loving to Sara Lee。 He had not scolded
her。
In the next room he could hear her going quietly about； opening and
closing the drawers of the new bureau； moving a chair。 Pretty soon； God
willing； they need never be separated。 He would have her always； to
protect and cherish and love。
He went outside to her closed door。
〃Good night； sweetheart；〃 he called softly。
〃Good night； dear；〃 came her soft reply。
But long after he was asleep Sara Lee stood at her window and
listened to the leaves； so like the feet of weary men on the ruined street
over there。
For the first time she was questioning the thing she had done。 She
loved Harvey … but there were many kinds of love。 There was the love of
Jean for Henri； and there was the wonderful love； though the memory now
was cruel and hurt her； of Henri for herself。 And there was the love of
Marie for the memory of Maurice the spy。 Many kinds of love； and one
heart might love many people； in different ways。
A small doubt crept into her mind。 This feeling she had for Harvey was
not what she had thought it was over there。 It was a thing that had
belonged to a certain phase of her life。 But that phase was over。 It was； like
Marie's； but a memory。
This Harvey of the new car and the increased income and the
occasional hardness in his voice was not the Harvey she had left。 Or
… Page 178…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
perhaps it was she who had changed。 She wondered。 She felt precisely the
same； tender toward her friends； unwilling to hurt them。 She did not want
to hurt Harvey。
But she did not love him as he deserved to be loved。 And she had a
momentary lift of the veil； when she saw the long vista of the years； the
two of them always together and always between them hidden； untouched；
but eating like a cancer； Harvey's resentment and suspicion of her months
away from him。
There would always be a barrier between them。 Not only on Harvey's
side。 There were things she had no right to tell … of Henri； of his love and
care for her； and of that last terrible day when he realized what he had
done。
That night； lying in the new bed； she faced that situation too。 How
much was she to blame？ If Henri felt that each life lost was lost by him
wasn't the same true for her？ Why had she allowed him to stay in London？
But that was one question she did not answer frankly。
She lay there in the darkness and wondered what punishment he would
receive。 He had done so much for them over there。 Surely； surely； they
would allow for that。 But small things came back to her … the awful sight
of the miller and his son； led away to death； with the sacks over their
heads。 The relentlessness of it all； the expecting that men should give
everything； even life itself； and ask for no mercy。
And this； too； she remembered： Once in a wild moment Henri had said
he would follow her to America； and that there he would prove to her that
his and not Harvey's was the real love of her life … the great love； that
comes but once to any woman； and to some not at all。 Yet on that last night
at Morley's he had said what she now felt was a final farewell。 That last
look of his； from the doorway … that had been the look of a man who
would fill his eyes for the last time。
She got up and stood by the window。 What had they done to him？
What would they do？ She looked at her watch。 It was four o'clock in the
morning over there。 The little house would be quiet now； but down along
the lines men would be standing on the firing step of the trench； and
… Page 179…
THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
waiting； against what the dawn might bring。
Through the thin wall came the sound of Harvey's heavy； regular
breathing。 She remembered Henri's light sleeping on the kitchen floo
