interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第51章
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After a pause Belle said： 〃What's become of Henri？ He hasn't written；
has he？〃
Sara Lee got up and went to the window。
〃I don't know where he is。 He may be dead。〃
Her voice was flat and lifeless。 Belle knew all that she wanted to know。
She rose and gathered up her sewing。
〃I'm going to talk to Harvey。 You're not going to be rushed into a
wedding。 You're tired； and it's all nonsense。 Well； I'll have to run now and
dress the children。〃
That night Harvey and Belle had almost a violent scene。 He had taken
Sara Lee over the Leete house that evening。 Will Leete's widow had met
them there； a small sad figure in her mourning； but very composed； until
she opened the door into a tiny room upstairs with a desk and a lamp in it。
〃This was Will's study；〃 she said。 〃He did his work here in the
evenings； and I sat in that little chair and sewed。 I never thought then …〃
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
Her lips quivered。
〃Pretty rotten of Will Leete to leave that little thing alone；〃 said
Harvey on their way home。 〃He had his fling； and she's paying for it。〃
But Sara Lee was silent。 It was useless to try to make Harvey
understand the urge that had called Will Leete across the sea to do his
share for the war； and that had brought him that peace of God that passeth
all understanding。
It was not a good time for Belle to put up to him her suggestion for a
delay in the marriage； that evening after their return。 He took it badly and
insisted on sending upstairs for Sara Lee。
〃Did you ask Belle to do this？〃 he demanded bluntly。
〃To do what？〃
〃To put things off。〃
〃I have already told you； Harvey；〃 Belle put in。 〃It is my own idea。 She
is tired。 She's been through a lot。 I've heard the story you're too stubborn to
listen to。 And I strongly advise her to wait a while。〃
And after a time he agreed ungraciously。 He would buy the house and
ftx it over； and in the early fall it would be ready。
〃Unless；〃 he added to Sara Lee with a bitterness born of
disappointment …〃 unless you change your mind again。〃
He did not kiss her that night when she and Belle went together up the
stairs。 But he stared after her gloomily； with hurt and bewilderment in his
eyes。
He did not understand。 He never would。 She had come home to him all
gentleness and tenderness； ready to find in him the things she needed so
badly。 But out of his obstinacy and hurt he had himself built up a barrier。
That night Sara Lee dreamed that she was back in the little house of
mercy。 Rene was there； and Henri； and Jean； with the patch over his eye。
They were waiting for the men to come； and the narrow hall was full of
the odor of Marie's soup。 Then she heard them coming； the shuffling of
many feet on the road。 She went to the door； with Henri beside her； and
watched them coming up the road； a deeper shadow in the blackness …
tired men； wounded men； homeless men coming to her little house with its
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
firelight and its warmth。 Here and there the match that lighted a cigarette
showed a white but smiling face。 They stopped before the door； and the
warm little house； with its guarded lights and its food and cheer； took them
in。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER XXVII
Very pale and desperate Henri took the night A train for Folkestone
after he had said good…by to Sara Lee。 He alternately chilled and burned
with fever； and when he slept； as he did now and then； going off suddenly
into a doze and waking with a jerk； it was to dream of horrors。
He thought； in his wilder intervals； of killing himself。 But his code did
not include such a shirker's refuge。 He was going back to tell his story and
to take his punishment。
He had cabled to Jean to meet him at Calais； but when； at dawn the
next morning； the channel boat drew in to the wharf there was no sign of
Jean or the car。 Henri regarded the empty quay with apathetic eyes。 They
would come； later on。 If he could only get his head down and sleep for a
while he would be better able to get toward the Front。 For he knew now
that he was ill。 He had； indeed； been ill for days； but he did not realize that。
And he hated illness。 He regarded it with suspicion； as a weakness not for
a strong man。
The drowsy girl in her chair at the Gare Maritime regarded him
curiously and with interest。 Many women turned to look after Henri； but
he did not know this。 Had he known it he would have regarded it much as
he did illness。
The stupid boy was not round。 The girl herself took the key and led the
way down the long corridor upstairs to a room。 Henri stumbled in and fell
across the bed。 He was almost immediately asleep。
Late in the afternoon he wakened。 Strange that Jean had not come。 He
got up and bathed his face。 His right arm was very stiff now； and pains ran
from the old wound in his chest down to the fingers of his hand。 He tried
to exercise to limber it； and grew almost weak with pain。
At six o'clock； when Jean had not come； Henri resorted to ways that he
knew of and secured a car。 He had had some coffee by that time； and he
felt much better … so well indeed that he sang under his breath a strange
rambling song that sounded rather like Rene's rendering of Tipperary。 The
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
driver looked at him curiously every now and then。
It was ten o'clock when they reached La Panne。 Henri went at once to
the villa set high on a sand dune where the King's secretary lived。 The
house was dark； but in the library at the rear there was a light。 He
stumbled along the paths beside the house； and reached at last； after
interminable miles； when the path sometimes came up almost to his eyes
and again fell away so that it seemed to drop from under his feet … at last
he reached the long French doors； with their drawn curtains。 He opened
the door suddenly and thereby surprised the secretary； who was a most
dignified and rather nervous gentleman； into laying his hand on a heavy
inkwell。
〃I wish to see the King；〃 said Henri in a loud tone。 Because at that
moment the secretary； lamp and inkwell and all； retired suddenly to a very
great distance； as if one had viewed them through the reverse end of an
opera glass。
The secretary knew Henri。 He； too； eyed him curiously。
The King has retired； monsieur。〃
〃I think；〃 said Henri in a dangerous tone； 〃that he will see me。〃
To tell the truth； the secretary rather thought so too。 There was a
strange rumor going round； to the effect that the boy had followed a
woman to England at a critical time。 Which would have been a pity； the
secretary thought。 There were so many women； and so few men like
Henri。
The secretary considerd gravely。 Henri was by that time in a chair； but
it moved about so that he had to hold very tight to the arms。 When he
looked up again the secretary had picked up his soft black hat and was at
the door。
〃I shall inquire；〃 he said。 Henri saluted him stiffly； with his left hand；
as he went out。
The secretary went to His Majesty's equerry； who was in the next
house playing solitaire and trying to forget the family he had left on
