interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第31章
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So she kissed him gravely and looked up into his eyes； her own full of
tears。
〃God bless and keep you； dear Henri；〃 she said。
Then she went back to her work。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER XXII
Much of Sara Lee's life at home had faded。 She seemed to be two
people。 One was the girl who had knitted the afghan for Anna； and had
hidden it away from Uncle James' kind but curious eyes。 And one was this
present Sara Lee； living on the edge of eternity； and seeing men die or
suffer horribly； not to gain anything … except perhaps some honorable
advancement for their souls … but that there might be preserved； at any cost；
the right of honest folk to labor in their fields； to love； to pray； and at last
to sleep in the peace of God。
She had lost the past and she dared not look into the future。 So she was
living each day as it came； with its labor； its love； its prayers and at last its
sleep。 Even Harvey seemed remote and stern and bitter。 She reread his
letters often； but they were forced。 And after a time she realized another
quality in them。 They were self…centered。 It was his anxiety； his loneliness；
his humiliation。 Sara Lee's eyes were looking out； those days； over a
suffering world。 Harvey's eyes were turned in on himself。
She realized this； but she never formulated it； even to herself。 What
she did acknowledge was a growing fear of the reunion which must come
sometime … that he was cherishing still further bitterness against that day；
that he would say things that he would regret later。 Sometimes the thought
of that day came to her when she was doing a dressing； and her hands
would tremble。
Henri had not returned when； the second day after Rene's death； the
letter came which recalled her。 She opened it eagerly。 Though from
Harvey there usually came at the best veiled reproach； the society had
always sent its enthusiastic approval。
She read it twice before she understood； and it was only when she read
Belle's letter again that she began to comprehend。 She was recalled； and
the recall was Harvey's work。
She was very close to hating him that day。 He had never understood。
She would go back to him； as she had promised； but always； all the rest of
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their lives； there would be this barrier between them。 To the barrier of his
bitterness would be added her own resentment。 She could never even talk
to him of her work； of those great days when in her small way she had felt
herself a part of the machinery of mercy of the war。
Harvey had lost something out of Sara Lee's love for him。 He had done
it himself； madly； despairingly。 She still loved him； she felt。 Nothing could
change that or her promise to him。 But with that love there was something
now of fear。 And she felt； too； that after all the years she had known him
she had not known him at all。 The Harvey she had known was a tender and
considerate man； soft…spoken； slow to wrath； always gentle。 But the
Harvey of his letters and of the recall was a stranger。
It was the result of her upbringing； probably； that she had no thought
of revolt。 Her tie to Harvey was a real tie。 By her promise to him her life
was no longer hers to order。 It belonged to some one else； to be ordered for
her。 But； though she accepted； she was too clear a thinker not to resent。
When Henri returned； toward dawn of the following night； he did not
come alone。 Sara Lee； rising early； found two men in her kitchen … one of
them Henri； who was making coffee； and a soldier in a gray…green uniform；
with a bad bruise over one eye and a sulky face。 His hands were tied； but
otherwise he sat at ease； and Henri； having made the coffee； held a cup to
his lips。
〃It is good for the spirits； man；〃 he said in German。 〃Drink it。〃
The German took it； first gingerly； then eagerly。 Henri was in high
good humor。
〃See； I have brought you a gift！〃 he exclaimed on seeing Sara Lee。
〃What shall we do with him？ Send him to America？ To show the
appearance of the madmen of Europe？〃
The prisoner was only a boy； such a boy as Henri himself； but a
peasant； and muscular。 Beside his bulk Henri looked slim as a reed。 Henri
eyed him with a certain tolerant humor。
〃He is young； and a Bavarian；〃 he said。 〃Other wise I should have
killed him； for he fought hard。 He has but just been called。〃
There was another conference in the little house that morning； but
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Henri's prisoner could tell little。 He had heard nothing of an advance。
Further along the line it was said that there was much fighting。 He sat
there； pale and bewildered and very civil； and in the end his frightened
politeness brought about a change in the attitude of the men who
questioned him。 Hate all Germans as they must； who had suffered so
grossly； this boy was not of those who had outraged them。
They sent him on at last； and Sara Lee was free to tell Henri her news。
But she had grown very wise as to Henri's moods； and she hesitated。 A
certain dissatisfaction had been growing in the boy for some time； a sense
of hopelessness。 Further along the spring had brought renewed activity to
the Allied armies。 Great movements were taking place。
But his own men stood in their trenches； or what passed for trenches；
or lay on their hours of relief in such wretched quarters as could be found；
still with no prospect of action。 No great guns； drawn by heavy tractors；
came down the roads toward the trenches by the sea。 Steady bombarding；
incessant sniping and no movement on either side … that was the Belgian
Front during the first year of the war。 Inaction； with that eating anxiety as
to what was going on in the occupied territory； was the portion of the
heroic small army that stretched from Nieuport to Dixmude。
And Henri's nerves were not good。 He was unhappy … that always … and
he was not yet quite recovered from his wounds。 There was on his mind；
too； a certain gun which moved on a railway track； back and forth； behind
the German lines； doing the work of many。 He had tried to get to that gun；
and failed。 And he hated failure。
Certainly in this story of Sara Lee and of Henri； whose other name
must not be known； allowance must be made for all those things。 Yet …
perhaps no allowance is enough。
Sara Lee told him that evening of her recall； told him when the
shuffling of many feet in the street told of the first weary men from the
trenches coming up the road。
He heard her in a dazed silence。 Then：
〃But you will not go？〃 he said。 〃It is impossible！ You … you are needed；
mademoiselle。〃
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〃What can I do； Henri？ They have recalled me。 My money will not
come now。〃
〃Perhaps we can arrange that。 It does not cost so much。 I have friends …
and think； mademoiselle； how many know now of what you are doing； and
love you for it。 Some of them would contribute； surely。〃
He was desperately revolving expedients in his mind。 He could
himself do no more than he had done。 He； or rather Jean and he together；
had been bearing a full half of the expense of the little house since the
beginning。 But he dared not tell her that。 And though he spoke hopefully；
he knew well that he could raise nothing from the Belgians he knew best。
Henri came of a class that held its fortunes in land； and that land was now
in German hands。
〃We will arrange it somehow；〃 he said with forced cheerfulness。 〃No
beautiful thing … and this is surely beautiful …must die because of money。〃
It was then that Sara Lee took the plunge。
〃It is not only money； Henri。〃
〃He has sent for you！〃
Harvey was always 〃he〃 to。 Henri。
〃Not exactly。 But I think he went to some one and said I should not be
here alone。 You can understand how he feels。 We were going to be married
very soon； and then I decided to come。 It made an awful upset。〃
Henri stood with folded arms and listened。 At first he said nothing。
When he spoke it was in a voice of ominous calm：
〃So for a stupid convention he would destroy this beautiful thing you
have made！ Does he know your work？ Does he know what you are to the
men here？ Have you ever told him？〃
〃I have； of course； but …〃
〃Do you want to go back？〃
〃No； Henri。 Not yet。 I …〃
〃That is enough。 You are needed。 You are willing to stay。 I shall attend
to the money。 It is arranged。〃
〃You don't understand；〃 said Sara Lee desperately。 〃I am engaged to
him。 I can't wreck his life； can I？〃
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〃Would it wreck your life？〃 he demanded。 〃Tell me that and I shall
know how to reason with you。〃
But she only looked at him helplessly。
Heavy tramping in the passage told of the arrival of the first men。 They
did not talk and laugh as usual。 As well as they could they came quietly。
For Rene had been a good friend to many of them； and had admitted on
slack nights many a weary man who had no ticket。 Much as the neighbors
had entered the house back home after Uncle James had gone away； came
these bearded men that night。 And Sara Lee； hearing their muffled voices；
brushed a hand over her eyes and tried to smile。
〃We can talk about it later；〃 she said。 〃We mustn't quarrel。 I owe so
much to you； Henri。〃
Suddenly Henri caught her by the arm and turned her about so that she
faced the lamp。
〃Do you love him？〃 he demanded。 〃Sara Lee； look at me！〃 Only he
pronounced it Saralie。 〃He has done a very cruel thing。 Do you still love
him？〃
Sara Lee shut her eyes。
〃I don't know。 I think I do。 He i
