the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第4章
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and help you； but；〃 she added； looking at him as one who issues an
ultimatum； 〃you must not say anything about me！〃
Sam knew that a woman of the self…advertising； club… organizing class
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will always say that to a reporter at the time she gives him her card so that
he can spell her name correctly； but Sam recognized that this young
woman meant it。 Besides； what was there that he could write about her？
Much as he might like to do so； he could not begin his story with： 〃The
Flagg Home for Convalescents is also the home of the most beautiful of
all living women。〃 No copy editor would let that get by him。 So； as there
was nothing to say that he would be allowed to say； he promised to say
nothing。 Sister Anne smiled； and it seemed to Sam that she smiled； not
because his promise had set her mind at ease； but because the promise
amused her。 Sam wondered why。
Sister Anne fell into step beside him and led him through the wards of
the hospital。 He found that it existed for and revolved entirely about one
person。 He found that a million dollars and some acres of buildings；
containing sun…rooms and hundreds of rigid white beds； had been donated
by Spencer Flagg only to provide a background for Sister Anneonly to
exhibit the depth of her charity； the kindness of her heart； the unselfishness
of her nature。
〃Do you really scrub the floors？〃 he demanded〃I mean you yourself…
…down on your knees； with a pail and water and scrubbing brush？〃
Sister Anne raised her beautiful eyebrows and laughed at him。
〃We do that when we first come here；〃 she said〃when we are
probationers。 Is there a newer way of scrubbing floors？〃
〃And these awful patients；〃 demanded Sam〃do you wait on them？
Do you have to submit to their complaints and whinings and ingratitude？〃
He glared at the unhappy convalescents as though by that glance he would
annihilate them。 〃It's not fair！〃 exclaimed Sam。 〃It's ridiculous。 I'd like to
choke them！〃
〃That's not exactly the object of a home for convalescents；〃 said Sister
Anne。
〃You know perfectly well what I mean；〃 said Sam。 〃Here are youif
you'll allow me to say soa magnificent； splendid； healthy young person；
wearing out your young life over a lot of lame ducks； failures； and
cripples。〃
〃Nor is that quite the way we look at；〃 said Sister Anne。
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〃We？〃 demanded Sam。
Sister Anne nodded toward a group of nurse
〃I'm not the only nurse here；〃 she said 〃There are over forty。〃
〃You are the only one here；〃 said Sam； 〃who is not！ That's Just what I
meanI appreciate the work of a trained nurse； I understand the
ministering angel part of it； but youI'm not talking about anybody else；
I'm talking about youyou are too young！ Somehow you are different； you
are not meant to wear yourself out fighting disease and sickness；
measuring beef broth and making beds。〃
Sister Anne laughed with delight。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Sam stiffly。
〃Nopardon me；〃 said Sister Anne； 〃but your ideas of the duties of a
nurse are so quaint。〃
〃No matter what the duties are；〃 declared Sam； 〃You should not be
here！〃
Sister Anne shrugged her shoulders； they were charming shouldersas
delicate as the pinions of a bird。
〃One must live；〃 said Sister Anne。
They had passed through the last cold corridor； between the last rows
of rigid white cots； and had come out into the sunshine。 Below them
stretched Connecticut； painted in autumn colors。 Sister Anne seated herself
upon the marble railing of the terrace and looked down upon the flashing
waters of the Sound。
〃Yes； that's it；〃 she repeated softly〃one must live。〃
Sam looked at herbut； finding that to do so made speech difficult；
looked hurriedly away。 He admitted to himself that it was one of those
occasions； only too frequent with him； when his indignant sympathy was
heightened by the fact that 〃the woman。 was very fair。〃 He conceded that。
He was not going to pretend to himself that he was not prejudiced by the
outrageous beauty of Sister Anne； by the assault upon his feelings made by
her uniformmade by the appeal of her profession； the gentlest and most
gracious of all professions。 He was honestly disturbed that this young girl
should devote her life to the service of selfish sick people。
〃If you do it because you must live； then it can easily be arranged； for
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there are other ways of earning a living。〃
The girl looked at him quickly； but he was quite sincereand again she
smiled。
〃Now what would you suggest？〃 she asked。 〃You see；〃 she said； 〃I
have no one to advise meno man of my own age。 I have no brothers to
go to。 I have a father； but it was his idea that I should come here； and so I
doubt if he would approve of my changing to any other work。 Your own
work must make you acquainted with many women who earn their own
living。 Maybe you could advise me？〃
Sam did not at once answer。 He was calculating hastily how far his
salary would go toward supporting a wife。 He was trying to remember
which of the men in the office were married； and whether they were those
whose salaries were smaller than his own。 Collins； one of the copy editors；
he knew； was very ill…paid； but Sam also knew that Collins was married；
because his wife used to wait for him in the office to take her to the theatre；
and often Sam had thought she was extremely well dressed。 Of course
Sister Anne was so beautiful that what she might wear would be a matter
of indifference； but then women did not always look at it that way。 Sam
was so long considering offering Sister Anne a life position that his silence
had become significant； and to cover his real thoughts he said hurriedly：
〃Take type…writing； for instance。 That pays very well。 The hours are
not difficult。〃
〃And manicuring？〃 suggested Sister Anne。
Sam exclaimed in horror。
〃You！〃 he cried roughly。 〃For you！ Quite impossible！〃
〃Why for me？〃 said the girl。
In the distress at the thought Sam was jabbing his stick into the gravel
walk as though driving the manicuring idea into a deep grave。 He did not
see that the girl was smiling at him mockingly。
〃You？〃 protested Sam。 〃You in a barber's shop washing men's fingers
who are not fit to wash the streets you walk on I Good Lord！〃 His
vehemence was quite honest。 The girl ceased smiling。 Sam was still
jabbing at the gravel walk； his profile toward herand； unobserved； she
could study his face。 It was an attractive face strong； clever； almost
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illegally good…looking。 It explained why； as ； he had complained to the city
editor； his chief trouble in New York was with the women。 With his eyes
full of concern； Sam turned to her abruptly。 〃How much do they give you
a month？〃 〃Forty dollars；〃 answered Sister Anne。 〃This is what hurts me
about it；〃 said Sam。
It is that you should have to work and wait on other people when there
are so many strong； hulking men who would count it God's blessing to
work for you； to wait on you； and give their lives for you。 However；
probably you know that better than I do。〃
〃No； I don't know that；〃 said Sister Anne。
Sam recognized that it was quite absurd that it should be so； but this
statement gave him a sense of great elation； a delightful thrill of relief。
There was every reason why the girl should not confide in a complete
strangereven to deceive him was quite within her rights； but； though Sam
appreciated this； he preferred to be deceived。
〃I think you are working too hard；〃 he said； smiling happily。 〃I think
you ought to have a change。 You ought to take a day off！ Do they ever
give you a day off？〃
〃Next Saturday；〃 said Sister Anne。 〃Why？〃
〃Because；〃 explained Sam； 〃if you won't think it too presumptuous； I
was going to prescribe a day off for youa day entirely away from
iodoform and white enamelled cots。 It is what you need； a day in the city
and a lunch where they have music； and a matinee； where you can laugh
or cry； if you like that betterand then； maybe； some fresh air in the park
in a taxi； and after that dinner and more theatre； and then I'll see you safe
on the train for Greenwich。 Before you answer；〃 he added hurriedly； 〃I
want to explain that I contemplate taking a day off myself and doing all
these things with you； and that if you want to bring any of the other forty
nurses along as a chaperon； I hope you will。 Only； honestly； I hope you
won't！〃
The proposal apparently gave Sister Anne much pleasure。 She did not
say so； but her eyes shone and when she looked at Sam she was almost
laughing with happiness。
〃I think that would be quite delightful；〃 said Sister Anne；〃 quite
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delightful！ Only it would be frightfully expensive； even if I don't bring
another girl； which I certainly would not； it would cost a great deal of
money。 I think we might cut out the taxicaband walk in the park and feed
the squirrels。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Sam in disappointment；〃then you know Central
Park？〃
Sister Anne's eyes grew quite expressionless。
〃I once lived near there；〃 she said。
〃In Harlem？〃
〃Not exactly in Harlem； but near it。 I was quite young；〃 said Sister
Anne。 〃Since then I have always lived in the country or inother places。〃
Sam's heart was singing with pleasure。
〃It's so kind of y
