interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第40章
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Indeed； all the credit for what I did belongs to him。 And since I went home
I haven't heard …〃
Her voice broke suddenly。 Mr。 Travers glanced at his wife。 Not for
nothing had Mrs。 Cameron written her long letters to these old friends； in
the quiet summer afternoons when the sun shone down on the lifeless
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street be fore the little house。
〃I'm afraid we have bad news for you。〃 Mrs。 Travers put down her
untasted tea。 〃Or rather； we have no news。 Of course；〃 she added； seeing
Sara Lee's eyes； 〃in this war no news may be the best … that is； he may be a
prisoner。〃
〃That；〃 Sara Lee heard herself say； 〃is impossible。 If they captured him
they would shoot him。〃
Mrs。 Travers nodded silently。 They knew Henri's business； too； by that
time； and that there was no hope for a captured spy。
〃And … Jean？〃
They did not know of Jean； so she told them； still in that far…away
voice。 And at last Mrs。 Travers brought an early letter of Mrs。 Cameron's
and read a part of it aloud。
〃He seems to have been delirious；〃 she read； holding her reading
glasses to her eyes。 〃A friend of his； very devoted to him； was missing；
and he learned this somehow。
〃He escaped from the hospital and got away in an ambulance。 He
came straight here and wakened us。 There had been a wounded man in the
machine； and he left him on our doorstep。 When I got to the door the car
was going wildly toward the Front； with both lamps lighted。 We did not
understand then； of course； and no one thought of following it。 The
ambulance was found smashed by a shell the next morning； and at first we
thought that he had been in it。 But there was no sign that he had been； and
that night one of the men from the trenches insisted that he had climbed
out of a firing trench where the soldier stood； and had gone forward；
bareheaded； toward the German lines。
〃I am afraid it was the end。 The men； however； who all loved him； do
not think so。 It seems that he has done miracles again and again。 I
understand that along the whole Belgian line they watch for him at night。
The other night a German on reconnoissance got very close to our wire；
and was greeted not by shots but by a wild hurrah。 He was almost
paralyzed with surprise。 They brought him here on the way back to the
prison camp； and he still looked dazed。〃
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Sara Lee sat with her hands clenched。 Mrs。 Travers folded the letter
and put it back into its envelope。
〃How long ago was that？〃 Sara Lee asked in a low tone。 〃Because； if
he was coming back at all …〃
〃Four months。〃
uddenly Sara Lee stood up。
I think I ought to tell you；〃 she said with a dead…white face； 〃that I am
responsible。 He cared for me； and I was in love with him too。 Only I didn't
know it then。 I let him bring me to England； because … I suppose it was
because I loved him。 I didn't think then that it was that。 I was engaged to a
man at home。〃
〃Sit down；〃 said Mr。 Travers。 〃My dear child； nothing can be your
fault。〃
〃He came with me； and the Germans got through。 He had had word；
but …〃
〃Have you your salts？〃 Mr。 Travers asked quietly of his wife。
〃I'm not fainting。 I'm only utterly wretched。〃
The Traverses looked at each other。 They were English。 They had
taken their own great loss quietly； because it was an individual grief and
must not be intruded on the sorrow of a nation。 But they found this white…
faced girl infinitely appealing； a small and fragile figure； to whose grief
must be added； without any fault of hers； a bitter and lasting remorse。
Sara Lee stood up and tried to smile。
〃Please don't worry about me；〃 she said。 〃I need something to do；
that's all。 You see； I've been worrying for so long。 If I can get to work and
try to make up I'll not be so hopeless。 But I am not quite hopeless； either；〃
she added hastily。 It was as though by the very word she had consigned
Henri to death。 〃You see； I am like the men； I won't give him up。 And
perhaps some night he will come across from the other side； out of the
dark。〃
Mr。 Travers took her back to the hotel。 When he returned from paying
off the taxi he found her looking across at the square。
〃Do you remember；〃 she asked him； 〃the time when the little donkey
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was hurt over there？〃
〃I shall never forget it。〃
〃And the young officer who ran out when I did； and shot the poor
thing？〃
Mr。 Travers remembered。
〃That was he … the man we have been speaking of。〃
For the first time that day her eyes filled with tears。
Sara Lee； at twenty； was already living in her memories。
So again the lights went down in front； and the back drop became but a
veil； and invisible。 And to Sara Lee there came back again some of the
characters of the early mise en scene … marching men； forage wagons；
squadrons of French cavalry escorting various staffs； commandeered farm
horses with shaggy fetlocks fastened in rope corrals； artillery rumbling
along rutted roads which shook the gunners almost off the limbers。
Nothing was changed … and everything。 There was no Rene to smile
his adoring smile； but Marie came out； sobbing and laughing； and threw
herself into the girl's arms。 The little house was the same； save for a hole
in the kitchen wall。 There were the great piles of white bowls and the
shining kettles。 There was the corner of her room； patched by Rene's hands；
now so long quiet。 A few more shell holes in the street； many more little
crosses in the field near the poplar trees； more Allied aeroplanes in the air
… that was ail that was changed。
But to Sara Lee everything was changed； for all that。 The little house
was grave and still； like a house of the dead。 Once it had echoed to young
laughter； had resounded to the noise and excitement of Henri's every
entrance。 Even when he was not there it was as though it but waited for
him to stir it into life； and small echoes of his gayety had seemed to cling
to its old walls。
Sara Lee stood on the doorstep and looked within。 She had come back。
Here she would work and wait； and if in the goodness of providence he
should come back； here he would find her； all the empty months gone and
forgotten。 If he did not … 〃I shall still be calling you； and waiting；〃 be had
written。 She； too； would call and wait； and if not here； then surely in the
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fullness of time which is eternity the call would be answered。
In October Sara Lee took charge again of the little house。 Mrs。
Cameron went back to England； but not until the Traverses' plan had been
revealed。 They would support the little house； as a memorial to the son
who had died。 It was； Mrs。 Travers wrote； the finest tribute they could
offer to his memory； that night after night tired and ill and wounded men
might find sanctuary； even for a little time； under her care。
Luxuries began to come across the channel； food and dressings and
tobacco。 Knitted things； too； for another winter was coming； and already
the frost lay white on the fields in the mornings。 The little house took on a
new air of prosperity。 There were days when it seemed almost swaggering
with opulence。
It had need of everything； however。 With the prospect of a second
winter； when an advance was impossible； the Germans took to hammering
again。 Bombardment was incessant。 The little village was again under
suspicion； and there came days of terror when it seemed as though even
the fallen masonry must be reduced to powder。 The church went entirely。
By December Sara Lee had ceased to take refuge during the
bombardments。 The fatalism of the Front had got her。 She would die or
live according to the great plan； and nothing could change that。 She did
not greatly care which； except for her work； and even that she felt could be
carried on by another as well。
There was no news of Henri； but once the King's equerry； going by；
had stopped to see her and had told her the story。
〃He was ill； undoubtedly；〃 he said。 〃Even when he went to London he
was ill； and not responsible。 The King understands that。 He was a brave
boy； mademoiselle。〃
But the last element of hope seemed to go with that verification of his
illness。 He was delirious； and he had gone in that condition into the filthy
chill waters of the inundation。 Well and sane there had been a chance； but
plunging wild…eyed and reckless； into that hell across； there was none。
She did her best in the evenings to be cheerful； to take the place； in her
small and serious fashion； of Henri's old gayety。 But the soldiers
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whispered among themselves that mademoiselle was in grief； as they were；
for the blithe young soldier who was gone。
What hope Sara Lee had had died almost entirely early in December。
On the evening of a day when a steady rain had turned the roads into slimy
pitfalls； and the ditches to canals； there came； brought by a Belgian
corporal； the man who swore that Henri had passed him in his trench while
the others slept； had shoved him aside； which was unlike his usual
courtesy； and had climbed out over the top。
To Sara Lee this Hutin told his story。 A short man with a red beard and
a kindly smile that revealed teeth almost destroyed from neglect； he was at
first diffident in the extreme。
〃It was the captain； mademoiselle；〃 he asserted。 〃I knnw hm well。 He
has often gone on his errands from near my post。 I am 〃… he smiled …〃 I am
usually in the front line；〃
〃What did he do？〃
〃He had no cap； mademoiselle。 I thought that was odd； And as you
know … he does
