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第9章

interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第9章


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     But Sara Lee was to go to France; and even further; to the fragment of 

unconquered   Belgium   that   remained。   And   never   so   long         as   she   lived; 

would she be able to forget those days or to speak of them easily。 So she 

stood   by   the   window   trying   not   to   cry;   and   a   little   donkey   drawing   a 

coster's cart moved out in front of the traffic and was caught by a motor 

bus。 There was only time for the picture … the tiny beast lying there and her 

owner wringing his hands。 Such of the traffic as could get by swerved and 

went on。 London   must move;  though a  thousand willing   little beasts lay 

dying。 

     And Sara moved too。 One moment she was there by the window。 And 

the next she had given a stifled cry and ran out。 

     〃Bless my soul!〃 said Mr。 Travers; and got up slowly。 

     Henri was already up and at the window。 What he saw was Sara Lee 


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                                 THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



making her way through the stream of vehicles; taking a dozen chances for 

her life。 Henri waited until he saw her crouched by the donkey; its head on 

her knee。 Then he; too; ran out。 

     That is how Henri; of no other name that may be given; met Sara Lee 

Kennedy; of Pennsylvania … under a London motor bus。 And that; I think; 

will be the picture he carries of her until he dies; her soft eyes full of pity; 

utterly  regardless   of   the   dirt   and   the   crowd   and   an   expostulating   bobby; 

with that grotesque and agonized head on her knees。 

     Henri   crawled   under   the   bus;   though   the   policeman   was   extremely 

anxious   to   keep   him   out。   And   he   ran   a   practiced   eye   over   the   injured 

donkey。 

     〃It's dying;〃 said Sara Lee with white lips。 

     〃It will die;〃 replied Henri; 〃but how soon? They are very strong; these 

little beasts。〃 

     The conductor of the bus made a suggestion then; one that froze the 

blood round Sara Lee's heart: 〃If you'll move away and let us run over it 

proper it'll be out of its trouble; miss。 

     Sara Lee raised haggard eyes to Henri。 

     〃Did you hear that?〃 she said。 〃They'd do it too! 

     The     total   result   of   a  conference      between      four   policemen;      the 

costermonger; and; by that time; Mr。 Travers … was to draw the animal off 

the street and into the square。 Sara Lee stuck close by。 So; naturally; did 

Henri。 And when the hopeless condition of Nellie; as they learned she was 

named;   became   increasingly   evident;   Henri   behaved   like   a   man   and   a 

soldier。 

     He got out his revolver and shot her in the brain。 

     〃A kindness;〃 he explained; as Sara Lee would have caught his hand。 

〃The only way; mademoiselle。〃 

     Mr。   Travers   had   the   usual   British   hatred   of   a   crowd   and   publicity; 

coupled with a deadly  fear of getting into   the papers; except through an 

occasional letter to the Times。 He vanished just before the shot; and might 

have   been   seen   moving   rapidly   through   the   square;   turning   over   in   his 

mind   the   difficulty   of   trying   to   treat   young American   girls   like   rational 


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                                 THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



human beings。 

     But   Henri   understood。   He   had   had   a   French   mother;   and   there   is   a 

leaven of French blood in the American temperament; old Huguenot; some 

of it。 So Americans love beauty and obey their impulses and find life good 

to do things rather than to be something or other more or less important。 

And so Henri could quite understand how Sara Lee had forgotten herself 

when   Mr。   Travers   could   not。   And   he   understood;   also;   when   Sara   Lee; 

having   composed   the   little   dondey's   quiet   figure;   straightened   up   with 

tears in her eyes。 

     〃It was very dear of you to come out;〃 she said。 〃And…of course it was 

the best thing。〃 

     She held out her hand。 The crowd had gone。 Traffic was moving again; 

racing to make up for five lost precious moments。 The square was dark; 

that first darkness of London; when air raids were threatened but had not 

yet taken place。 From the top of the Admiralty; near by; a flashlight shot 

up   into   the   air   and   began   its   nightly   process   of   brushing   the   sky。   Henri 

took her hand and bent over it。 

     〃You   are   very   brave;   mademoiselle;〃   he   said;   and   touched   her   hand 

with his lips。 

     The amazing interlude had commenced。 


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                                THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



                               CHAPTER V 



       Yet   for   a   day   or   two   nothing   much   was   changed。   Mr。   Travers   sent 

Sara Lee a note that be was taking up her problem with the Foreign Office; 

and he did indeed make an attempt。 He also requested his wife to ask Sara 

Lee to tea。 

     Sara   Lee   was   extremely   nervous   on   the   day   she   went。   She   wore   a 

black jacket suit with a white collar; and she carried Aunt Harriet's mink 

furs; Aunt Harriet mourning thoroughly and completely in black astrachan。 

She had the faculty of the young American girl of looking smart without 

much expense; and she appeared absurdly young。 

     She followed the neat maid up a wide staircase to a door with a screen 

just   inside;   and   heard   her  name   announced   for   the   first   time   in   her   life。 

Sara Lee took a long breath and went inside; to a most discouraging half 

hour。 

     Mr。 Travers was on the hearth rug。 Mrs。 Travers was in a chair; a portly 

woman       with   a   not  unkindly     face;   but   the  brusque     manner    many 

Englishwomen acquire after forty。 She held Sara Lee's hand and gave her a 

complete if smiling inspection。 

     〃And it is you who are moving heaven and earth to get to the Front! 

You … child!〃 

     Sara Lee's heart fell; but she smiled also。 〃But I am older than I look;〃 

she said。 〃And I am very strong。〃 

     Mrs。 Travers looked helplessly at her husband; while she rang the bell 

for tea。 That was another thing Sara Lee had read about but never seen … 

that ringing for tea。 At home no one served afternoon tea; but at a party; 

when refreshments were coming; the hostess slipped out to the kitchen and 

gave a whispered order or two。 

     〃I   shall  be  frank   with   you;〃   said  Mrs。   Travers。   〃I  think   it  quite 

impossible。 It is not getting you over。 That might be done。 And of course 

there are women over there … young ones too。 But the army objects very 

seriously to their being in danger。 And of course one never knows …〃 Her 


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                                 THE AMAZING INTERLUDE 



voice    trailed   off  vaguely。    She   implied;   however;     that  what    one   never 

knows was best unknown。 

     〃I   have   a   niece   over   there;〃   she   said   as   the   tea   tray   came   in。   〃Her 

mother was fool enough to let her go。 Now they can't get her back。〃 

     〃Oh; dear!〃 said Sara Lee。 〃Can't they find her?〃 

     〃She won't come。 Little idiot! She's in Paris; however。 I daresay she is 

safe enough。〃 

     Mrs。 Travers made the tea thoughtfully。 So far Mr。 Travers had hardly 

spoken; but he cheered in true British fashion at the sight of the tea。 Sara 

Lee; exceedingly curious as to the purpose of a very small stand somewhat 

resembling a piano stool; which the maid had placed at her knee; learned 

that it was to hold her muffin plate。 

     〃And now;〃   said   Mr。 Travers;  〃suppose   we  come   to   the  point。 There 

doesn't   seem   to   be   a   chance   to   get   you   over;   my   child。   Same   answer 

everywhere。 Place is full of untrained women。 Spies have been using Red 

Cross passes。 Result is that all the lines are drawn as tight as possible。〃 

     Sara Lee stared at him with wide eyes。 

     〃But I can't

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