interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第26章
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She was not troubling her head that night； however； about being an
altar； of a sort。 She cried a little at first； because she was terrified for Henri
and because Jean's face was growing pinched and gray。 Then she cried
very hard； prone on the ground and face down； because Henri was young；
and all of life should have been before him。 And he was missing。
Henri was undeniably missing。 Even the King knew it now； and set
down in his heart； among the other crosses there； Henri's full name； which
we may not know； and took to pacing his little study and looking out at the
spring sea。
That night Marie； having ladled to the bottom of her kettle； found Sara
Lee missing； and was told by Rene of the direction she had taken。 Marie；
muttering to herself； set out to find her； and almost stumbled over her in
the wood by the road。
She sat down on the ground without a word and placed a clumsy hand
on the girl's shoulder。 It was not until Sara Lee ceased sobbing that she
spoke：
〃It is far from hopeless； mademoiselle。〃
They had by now established a system of communication。 Sara Lee
spoke her orders in halting French； but general conversation was beyond
her。 And much hearing of English had taught the Belgian girl enough to
follow。
Sara Lee replied； then； in smothered English：
〃He is gone； Marie。 He will never come back。〃
〃Who can tell？ There are many missing who are not dead。〃
Sara Lee shuddered。 For spies were not made prisoners。 They had no
rights as prisoners of war。 Their own governments did not protect them。 To
Henri capture was death。 But she could not say this to Marie。
Marie sat softly stroking Sara Lee's hair； her own eyes tragic and
tearless。
〃Even if it were … the other；〃 she said； 〃it is not so bad to die for one's
country。 The thing that is terrible； that leaves behind it only bitterness and
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
grief and no hope； mademoiselle； even with many prayers； is that one has
died a traitor。〃
She coaxed Sara Lee back at last。 They went through the fields； for
fresh troops were being thrown into the Belgian trenches and the street
was full of men。 Great dray horses were dragging forward batteries； the
heavy guns sliding and slipping In the absence of such information as only
Henri had been wont to bring it was best to provide for the worst。
The next day Jean did not come over for breakfast； and Rene handed
Sara Lee a note。
〃I am going to England；〃 Jean had written that dawn in the house of
the mill。 〃And from there to Holland。 I can get past the barrier and shall
work down toward the Front。 I must learn what has happened；
mademoiselle。 As you know； if he was captured； there is no hope。 But
there is an excellent chance that he is in hiding； unable to get back。 Look
for me in two weeks。〃
There followed what instructions he had given as to her supplies；
which would come as before。 Beautifully written in Jean's small fine hand；
it spelled for Sara Lee the last hope。 She read Jean's desperation through
its forced cheerfulness。 And she faced for the first time a long period of
loneliness in the crowded little house。
She tried very hard to fill the gap that Henri had left … tried to joke
with the men in her queer bits of French； was more smiling than ever； or
fear she might be less。 But now and then in cautious whispers she heard
Henri's name； and her heart contracted with very terror。
A week。 Two weeks。 Twice the village was bombarded severely； but
the little house escaped by a miracle。 Marie considered it the same miracle
that left holy pictures unhurt on the walls of destroyed houses； and
allowed the frailest of old ebony and rosewood crucifixes to remain
nharmed。
Great generals； often as tall as they were great； stopped at the little
house to implore Sara Lee to leave。 But she only shook her head。
〃Not unless you send me away；〃 she always said； 〃and that would
break my heart。〃
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〃But to move； mademoiselle； only to the next village！〃 they would
remonstrate； and as a final argument： 〃 You are too valuable to risk an
injury。〃
〃I must remain here；〃 she said。 And some of them thought they
understood。 When an unusually obdurate officer came along； Sara Lee
would insist on taking him to the cellar。
〃You see！〃 she would say； holding her candle high。 〃It is a nice cellar；
warm and dry。 It is 〃… proudly one of the best cellars in the village。 It is a
really homelike cellar。〃
The officer would go away then； and send her cigarettes for her men or；
as in more than one case； a squad with bags of earth and other things to
protect the little house as much as possible。 After a time the little house
began to represent the ideas in protection and camouflage； then in its early
stages； of many different minds。
Rene shot a man there one night； a skulking figure working its way in
the shadows up the street。 It was just before dawn； and Rene； who was
sleepless those days； like the others； called to him。 The man started to run；
dodging behind walls。 But Rene ran faster and killed him。
He was a German in Belgian peasant's clothing。 But he wore the great
shoes of the German soldier； and he had been making a rough map of the
Belgian trenches。
Sara Lee did not see him。 But when she heard the shot she went out；
and Rene told her breathlessly。
》From that time on her terrors took the definite form of Henri lying
dead in a ruined street； and being buried； as this man was buried； without
ceremony and without a prayer； in some sodden spring field。
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CHAPTER XVIII
As the spring advanced Harvey grew increasA ingly bitter； grew
morbid and increasingly selfconscious also。 He began to think that people
were smiling behind his back； and when they asked about Sara Lee he met
with almost insulting brevity what he felt was half…contemptuous kindness。
He went nowhere； and worked all day and until late in the night He did
well in his business； however； and late in March he received a substantial
raise in salary。 He took it without enthusiasm； and told Belle that night at
dinner with apathy。
After the evening meal it was now his custom to go to his room and
there； shut in； to read。 He read no books on the war； and even the quarter
column entitled Salient Points of the Day's War News hardly received a
glance from him now。
In the office when the talk turned to the war； as it did almost hourly； he
would go out or scowl over his letters。
〃Harvey's hit hard；〃 they said there。
〃He's acting like a rotten cub；〃 was likely to be the next sentence。 But
sometimes it was： 〃Well； what'd you expect？ Everything ready to get
married； and the girl beating it for France without notice！ I'd be sore
myself。〃
On the day of the raise in salary his sister got the children to bed and
straightened up the litter of small garments that seemed always to bestrew
the house； even to the lower floor。 Then she went into Harvey's room。 Coat
and collar off； he was lying on the bed； but not reading。 His book lay
beside him； and with his arms under his head he was staring at the ceiling。
She did not sit down beside him on the bed。 They were an
undemonstrative family； and such endearments as Belle used were
lavished on her children。 But her eyes were kind； and a little nervous。
〃Do you mind talking a little； Harvey？〃
〃I don't feel like talking much。 I'm tired； I guess。 But go on。 What is it？
Bills？〃
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She came to him in her constant financial anxieties； and always he was
ready to help her out。 But his tone now was gruff。 A slight flush of
resentment colored her cheeks。
〃Not this time； Harve。 I was just thinking about things。〃
〃Sit down。〃
She sat on the straight chair beside the bed； the chair on which； in neat
order； Harvey placed his clothing at night； his shoes beneath； his coat over
the back。
〃I wish you'd go out more； Harvey。〃
〃Why？ Go out and talk to a lot of driveling fools who don't care for me
any more than I do for them？〃
〃That's not like you； Harve。〃
〃Sorry。〃 His tone softened。 〃I don't care much about going round；
Belle。 That's all。 I guess you know why。〃
〃So does everybody else。〃
He sat up and looked at her。
〃Well； suppose they do？ I can't help that； can I？ When a fellow has
been jilted …〃
〃You haven't been jilted。〃
He lay down again； his arms under his head； and Belie knew that his
eyes were on Sara Lee's picture on his dresser。
〃It amounts to the same thing。〃
〃Harvey；〃 Belle said hesitatingly； 〃I've brought Sara Lee's report from
the Ladies' Aid。 May I read it to you？〃
〃I don't want to hear it。〃 Then： 〃Give it here。 I'll look at it。〃
He read it carefully； his hands rather unsteady。 So many men given
soup； so many given chocolate。 So many dressings done。 And at the
bottom Sara Lee's request for more money … an apologetic； rather
breathless request； and closing； rather primly with this：
〃I am sure that the society will feel； from the above report； that the
work is worth while； and worth continuing。 I am only sorry that I cannot
send photographs of the men who come for aid； but as they come at night
it is impossible。 I enclose； however； a small picture of the house； which is
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now known as the little house of mercy。〃
〃At night！〃 said Harvey。 〃So she's there alone with a lot of ignorant
foreigners at night。 Why the devil don't they come in the daytime？〃
〃Here's the picture； Harvey。〃
He got
