interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第7章
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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 go back；〃 she said。 〃I … well； I just can't。 They're raising the
money for me； and all sorts of people are giving things。 A … a friend of
mine is baking cakes and sending on the money。 She has three children；
and …〃
She gulped。
〃I thought everybody wanted to get help to the Belgians；〃 she said。
A slightly grim smile showed itself on Mrs。 Travers' face。
〃I'm afraid you don't understand。 It is you we want to help。 Neither Mr。
Travers nor I feel that a girl so young as you； and alone； has any place near
the firing line。 And that； I fancy； is where you wish to go。 As to helping the
Belgians； we have four in the house now。 They do not belong to the same
social circles； so they prefer tea in their own rooms。 You are quite right
about their needing help too。 They cannot even make up their own beds。〃
〃They are not all like that；〃 broke in Mr。 Travers hastily。
〃Of course not。 But I merely think that Miss … er … Kennedy should
know both sides of the picture。〃
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
Somewhat later Sara Lee was ushered downstairs by the neat maid；
who stood on the steps and blew a whistle for a taxi … Sara Lee had come
in a bus。 She carried in her hand the address of a Belgian commission of
relief at the Savoy Hotel； and in her heart； for the first time； a doubt of her
errand。 She gave the Savoy address mechanically and； huddled in a corner；
gave way to wild and fearful misgivings。
Coming up she had sat on top of the bus and watched with wide
curious； eyes the strange traffic of London。 The park had fascinated her …
the little groups of drilling men in khaki； the mellow tones of a bugle； and
here and there on the bridle paths well…groomed men and women on
horseback； as clean…cut as the horses they rode； and on the surface as
careless of what was happening across the Channel。 But she saw nothing
now。 She sat back and twisted Harvey's ring on her finger； and saw herself
going back； her work undone； her faith in herself shattered。 And Harvey's
arms and the Leete house ready to receive her。
However； a ray of hope opened for her at the Savoy … not much； a
prospect。
The Savoy was crowded。 Men in uniform； a sprinkling of anxious…
faced wives and daughters； and more than a sprinkling of gaily dressed
and painted women； filled the lobby or made their way slowly up and
down the staircase。 It was all so utterly different from what she had
expected … so bright； so full of life。 These well…fed people they seemed
happy enough。 Were they all wrong back home？ Was the war the ghastly
thing they thought it？
Long months afterward Sara Lee was to learn that the Savoy was not
London。 She was to learn other things … that America knew more； through
a free press； of war conditions than did England。 And she was to learn
what never ceased to surprise her … the sporting instinct of the British
which made their early slogan 〃Business as usual。〃 Business and pleasure
… but only on the surface。 Underneath was a dogged and obstinate
determination to make up as soon as possible for the humiliation of the
early days of the war。
Those were the transition days in England。 The people were slowly
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
awaking to the magnitude of the thing that was happening to them。 Certain
elements the press； long under political dominion； were preparing to come
out for a coalition ministry。 The question of high…explosive shells as
against shrapnel was bitterly fought； some of the men at home standing
fast for shrapnel； as valuable against； German artillery as a garden hose。
Men coming back from the Front were pleading for real help； not men
only； not Red Cross； not food and supplies； but for something more
competent than mere man power to hold back the deluge。
But over it all was that surface cheerfulness； that best…foot…forward
attitude of London。 And Sara Lee saw only that； and lost faith。 She had
come far to help。 But here was food in plenty and bands playing and
smiling men in uniform drinking tea and playing for a little。 That； too；
Sara Lee was to understand later； but just then she did not。 At home there
was more surface depression。 The atrocities； the plight of the Belgians；
