the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第7章
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〃Ye gods； Parker！〃 cried Anita Flagg。 〃Does it take three of you to
pour a cup of tea？ Get out of here； and tell everybody that you all three
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caught me in the act of proposing to an American gentleman over the
telephone and that the betting is even that I'll make him marry me！〃
The faithful and sorely tried domestics fled toward the door。 〃And
what's more；〃 Anita hurled after them； 〃get your bets down quick； for after
I meet him the odds will be a hundred to one！〃
Had the REPUBLIC been an afternoon paper； Sam might have been at
the office and might have gone to the telephone； and things might have
happened differently； but； as the REPUBLIC was a morning paper； the
only person in the office was the lady who scrubbed the floors and she
refused to go near the telephone。 So Anita Flagg said； 〃I'll call him up
later；〃 and went happily on her ride； with her heart warm with love for all
the beautiful world； but later it was too late。
To keep himself fit； Sam Ward always walked to the office。 On this
particular morning Hollis Holworthy was walking uptown and they met
opposite the cathedral。
〃You're the very man I want；〃 said Hollworthy joyously 〃you've got
to decide a bet。〃
He turned and fell into step with Sam。
〃It's one I made last night with Anita Flagg。 She thinks you didn't
know who she was yesterday； and I said that was ridiculous。 Of course you
knew。 I bet her a theatre party。〃
To Sam it seemed hardly fair that so soon； before his fresh wound had
even been dressed； it should be torn open by impertinent fingers； but he
had no right to take offense。 How could the man； or any one else； know
what Sister Anne had meant to him？
〃I'm afraid you lose；〃 he said。 He halted to give Holworthy the hint to
leave him； but Holworthy had no such intention。
〃You don't say so！〃 exclaimed that young man。 〃Fancy one of you
chaps being taken in like that。 〃I thought you were taking her ingetting
up a story for the Sunday supplement。〃
Sam shook his head； nodded； and again moved on； but he was not yet
to escape。 〃And； instead of your fooling her；〃 exclaimed Holworthy
incredulously； 〃she was having fun； with you！〃
With difficulty Sam smiled。
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〃So it would seem；〃 he said。
〃She certainly made an awfully funny story of it！〃 exclaimed
Holworthy admiringly。 〃I thought she was making it upshe must have
made some of it up。 She said you asked her to take a day off in New York。
That isn't so is it？〃
〃Yes； that's so。〃
〃By Jove！〃 cried Holworthyand that you invited her to see the
moving…picture shows？〃
Sam； conscious of the dearly bought front row seats in his pocket；
smiled pleasantly。
〃Did she say I said thator you？〃 he asked
〃She did。〃
〃Well； then； I must have said it。〃
Holworthy roared with amusement。
〃And that you invited her to feed peanuts to the monkeys at the Zoo？〃
Sam avoided the little man's prying eyes。
〃Yes； I said that too。〃
〃And I thought she was making it up！〃 exclaimed Holworthy。 〃We did
laugh。 You must see the fun of it yourself。〃
Lest Sam should fail to do so he proceeded to elaborate。
〃You must see the fun in a man trying to make a date with Anita
Flaggjust as if she were nobody！〃
〃I don't think；〃 said Sam； 〃that was my idea。〃 He waved his stick at a
passing taxi。 〃I'm late；〃 he said。 He abandoned Hollis on the sidewalk；
chuckling and grinning with delight； and unconscious of the mischief he
had made。
An hour later at the office； when Sam was waiting for an assignment；
the telephone boy hurried to him； his eyes lit with excitement。
〃You're wanted on the 'phone；〃 he commanded。 His voice dropped to
an awed whisper。 〃Miss Anita Flagg wants to speak to you！〃
The blood ran leaping to Sam's heart and face。 Then he remembered
that this was not Sister Anne who wanted to speak to him； but a woman he
had never met。
〃Say you can't find me；〃 he directed。 The boy gasped； fled； and
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returned precipitately。
〃The lady says she wants your telephone numbersays she must have
it。〃
〃Tell her you don't know it； tell her it's against the rulesand hang up。〃
Ten minutes later the telephone boy； in the strictest confidence； had
informed every member of the local staff that Anita Flaggthe rich； the
beautiful； the daring； the original of the Red Cross story of that morning
had twice called up Sam Ward and by that young man had been thrown
downand thrown hard！
That night Elliott； the managing editor； sent for Sam； and when Sam
entered his office he found also there Walsh； the foreign editor； with whom
he was acquainted only by sight。
Elliott introduced them and told Sam to be seated。
〃Ward；〃 he began abruptly； 〃I'm sorry to lose you； but you've got to go。
It's on account of that story of this morning。〃
Sam made no sign； but he was deeply hurt。 From a paper he had
served so loyally this seemed scurvy treatment。 It struck him also that；
considering the spirit in which the story had been written； it was causing
him more kinds of trouble than was quite fair。 The loss of position did not
disturb him。 In the last month too many managing editors had tried to steal
him from the REPUBLIC for him to feel anxious as to the future。 So he
accepted his dismissal calmly； and could say without resentment：
〃Last night I thought you liked the story； sir？
〃I did；〃 returned Elliott； 〃I liked it so much that I'm sending you to a
bigger place； where you can get bigger stories。 We want you to act as our
special correspondent in London。 Mr。 Walsh will explain the work； and if
you'll go you'll sail next Wednesday。〃
After his talk with the foreign editor Sam again walked home on air。
He could not believe it was realthat it was actually to him it had
happened； for hereafter he was to witness the march of great events； to
come in contact with men of international interests。 Instead of reporting
what was of concern only from the Battery to Forty…seventh Street； he
would now tell New York what was of interest in Europe and the British
Empire； and so to the whole world。 There was one drawback only to his
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happinessthere was no one with whom he might divide it。 He wanted to
celebrate his good fortune； he wanted to share it with some one who
would understand how much it meant to him； who would really care。 Had
Sister Anne lived； she would have understood； and he would have laid
himself and his new position at her feet and begged her to accept them
begged her to run away with him to this tremendous and terrifying capital
of the world； and start the new life together。
Among all the women he knew； there was none to take her place。
Certainly Anita Flagg could not take her place。 Not because she was rich；
not because she had jeered at him and made him a laughing…stock； not
because his admirationand he blushed when he remembered how openly；
how ingenuously he had shown it to hermeant nothing； but because the
girl he thought she was； the girl he had made dreams about and wanted to
marry without a moment's notice； would have seen that what he offered；
ridiculous as it was when offered to Anita Flagg； was not ridiculous when
offered sincerely to a tired； nerve… worn； overworked nurse in a hospital。 It
was because Anita Flagg had not seen that that she could not now make up
to him for the girl he had lost； even though she herself had inspired that
girl and for a day given her existence。
Had he known it； the Anita Flagg of his imagining was just as unlike
and as unfair to the real girl as it was possible for two people to be。 His
Anita Flagg he had created out of the things he had read of her in
impertinent Sunday supplements and from the impression he had been
given of her by the little ass； Holworthy。 She was not at all like that。 Ever
since she had come of age she had been beset by sycophants and flatterers；
both old and young； both men and girls； and by men who wanted her
money and by men who wanted her。 And it was because she got the
motives of the latter two confused that she was so often hurt and said
sharp； bitter things that made her appear hard and heartless。
As a matter of fact； in approaching her in the belief that he was
addressing an entirely different person； Sam had got nearer to the real
Anita Flagg than had any other man。 And sowhen on arriving at the
office the next morning； which was a Friday； he received a telegram
reading； 〃Arriving to… morrow nine…thirty from Greenwich； the day cannot
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begin too soon； don't forget you promised to meet me。 Anita Flagg 〃he
was able to reply： 〃 Extremely sorry； but promise made to a different
person； who unfortunately has since died！〃'
When Anita Flagg read this telegram there leaped to her lovely eyes
tears that sprang from self…pity and wounded feelings。 She turned
miserably； appealingly to Helen Page。
〃But why does he do it to me？〃 Her tone was that of the bewildered
child who has struck her head against the table； and from the naughty table；
without cause or provocation； has received the devil of a bump。
Before Miss Page could venture upon an explanatio
