the major-第58节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃But　why　all　this　excitement　on　the　part　of　our　German　friends？〃　inquired　Mrs。　Wakeham。　　〃What　has　Germany　to　do　with　Austria　and　Servia？〃

At　this　point　Professor　Schaefer　and　his　friend　re…entered　the　room　ready　for　their　departure。

〃I　was　just　inquiring；〃　said　Mrs。　Wakeham；　〃how　this　ultimatum　of　Austria's　to　Servia　can　affect　Germany　particularly。〃

〃Affect　Germany？〃　cried　Professor　Schaefer。

〃Yes；〃　said　Hugo　Raeder；　〃what　has　Germany　to　do　with　the　scrap　unless　she　wants　to　butt　in？〃

〃Ha！　ha！　　My　dear　man；　have　you　read　no　history　of　the　last　twenty　years？　　But　you　Americans　know　nothing　about　history；　nothing　about　anything　except　your　own　big；　overgrown　country。〃

〃I　thought　you　were　an　American　citizen；　Schaefer？〃　inquired　Hugo。

〃An　American；〃　exclaimed　Schaefer；　〃an　American；　ah；　yes；　certainly；　but　in　Europe　and　in　European　politics；　a　German；　always　a　German。〃

〃But　why　should　Germany　butt　in？〃　continued　Hugo。

〃Butt　in；　Germany　butt　in？　　Things　cannot　be　settled　in　Europe　without　Germany。　　Besides；　there　is　Russia　longing　for　the　opportunity　to　attack。〃

〃To　attack　Germany？〃

〃To　attack　Austria　first；　Germany's　ally　and　friend；　and　then　Germany。　　The　trouble　is　you　Americans　do　not　live　in　the　world。　You　are　living　on　your　own　continent　here　removed　from　the　big　world；　ignorant　of　all　world　movements；　the　most　provincial　people　in　all　the　world。　　Else　you　would　not　ask　me　such　foolish　questions。　　This　ultimatum　means　war。　　First；　Austria　against　Servia；　Russia　will　help　Servia；　France　will　help　Russia；　Germany　will　help　Austria。　　There　you　have　the　beginning　of　a　great　European　war。　　How　far　this　conflagration　will　spread；　only　God　knows。〃

The　car　being　announced；　the　Germans　made　a　hurried　exit；　in　their　overpowering　excitement　omitting　the　courtesy　of　farewells　to　household　and　guests。

〃They　seem　to　be　terribly　excited；　those　Germans；〃　said　Miss　Rowena。

〃They　are；〃　said　Hugo；　〃I　am　glad　I　am　not　a　German。　　To　a　German　war　is　so　much　the　biggest　thing　in　life。〃

〃It　is　really　too　bad；〃　said　Mrs。　Wakeham；　〃we　shall　not　have　the　pleasure　of　Professor　Schaefer's　music。　　He　plays　quite　exquisitely。　You　would　all　have　greatly　enjoyed　it。　　Rowena；　you　might　play　something。　　Well；　for　my　part；〃　continued　Mrs。　Wakeham；　settling　herself　placidly　in　her　comfortable　chair；　〃I　am　glad　I　am　an　American。　　Those　European　countries；　it　seems　to　me；　are　always　in　some　trouble　or　other。〃

〃I　am　glad　I　am　a　Canadian；〃　said　Larry。　　〃We　are　much　too　busy　to　think　of　anything　so　foolish　and　useless　as　war。〃



CHAPTER　XXI

WAR


〃Come；　Jane；　we　have　just　time　to　take　a　look　at　the　lake　from　the　top　of　the　hill　before　we　get　ready　for　church；〃　said　Ethel　Murray。　〃It　will　be　worth　seeing　to…day。〃

〃Me　too；　me　too；〃　shrieked　two　wee　girls　in　bare　legs　and　sandals；　clutching　Jane　about　the　legs。

〃All　right；　Isabel；　all　right；　Helen。　　I'll　take　you　with　me；〃　said　Jane。　　〃But　you　must　let　me　go；　you　know。〃

They　all　raced　around　the　house　and　began　to　climb　the　sheer；　rocky　hill　that　rose　straight　up　from　the　rear。

〃Here；　Jim；　help　me　with　these　kiddies；〃　said　Jane　to　a　lank　lad　of　fifteen；　whom　she　ran　into　at　the　corner　of　the　house　just　where　the　climb　began。

Jim　swung　the　younger；　little　Helen；　upon　his　shoulder　and　together　they　raced　to　the　top；　scrambling；　slipping；　falling；　but　finally　arriving　there；　breathless　and　triumphant。　　Before　them　lay　a　bit　of　Canada's　loveliest　lake；　the　Lake　of　the　Woods；　so…called　from　its　myriad；　heavily　wooded　islands；　that　make　of　its　vast　expanse　a　maze　of　channels；　rivers　and　waterways。　　Calm；　without　a　ripple；　lay　the　glassy；　sunlit　surface；　each　island；　rock　and　tree　meeting　its　reflected　image　at　the　water　line；　the　sky　above　flecked　with　floating　clouds；　making　with　the　mirrored　sky　below　one　perfect　whole。

〃Oh；　Ethel；　I　had　forgotten　just　how　beautiful　this　is；〃　breathed　Jane；　while　the　rest　stood　silent　looking　down　upon　the　mirrored　rocks　and　islands；　trees　and　sky。

Even　the　two　little　girls　stood　perfectly　still；　for　they　had　been　taught　to　take　the　first　views　from　the　top　in　silence。

〃Look　at　the　Big　Rock；〃　said　Helen。　　〃They　are　two　rocks　kissing　each　other。〃

〃Oh；　you　little　sweetheart；〃　said　Jane；　kissing　her。　　〃That　is　just　what　they　are　doing。　　It　is　not　often　that　you　get　it　so　perfectly　still　as　this；　is　it；　Jim？〃

〃Not　so　very　often。　　Sometimes　just　at　sunrise　you　get　it　this　way。〃

〃At　sunrise！　　Do　you　very　often　see　it　then？〃

〃Yes；　he　gets　up　to　catch　fishes；〃　said　wee　Helen。

〃Do　you？〃

Jim　nodded。　　〃Are　you　game　to　come　along　to…morrow　morning？〃

〃At　what　hour？〃

〃Five　o'clock。〃

〃Don't　do　it；　Jane；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃It　tires　you　for　the　day。〃

〃I　will　come；　Jim；　I　would　love　to　come；〃　said　Jane。

For　some　time　they　stood　gazing　down　upon　the　scene　below　them。　Then　turning　to　the　children　abruptly；　Ethel　said；　〃Now；　then；　children；　you　run　down　and　get　ready；　that　is；　if　you　are　going　to　church。　　Take　them　down；　Jim。〃

〃All　right；　Ethel；〃　said　Jim。　　〃See　there；　Jane；〃　he　continued；　〃that　neck　of　land　across　the　traversethat's　where　the　old　Hudson　Bay　trail　used　to　run　that　goes　from　the　Big　Lakes　to　Winnipeg。　It's　the　old　war　trail　of　the　Crees　too。　　Wouldn't　you　like　to　have　seen　them　in　the　old　days？〃

〃I　would　run　and　hide；〃　said　Isabel；　〃so　they　could　not　see　me。〃

〃I　would　not　be　afraid；〃　said　Helen；　straightening　up　to　her　full　height　of　six　years。　　〃I　would　shoot　them　dead。〃

〃Poor　things；〃　said　Jane；　in　a　pitiful　voice。　　〃And　then　their　little　babies　at　home　would　cry　and　cry。〃

Helen　looked　distressed。　　〃I　would　not　shoot　the　ones　that　had　babies。〃

〃But　then；〃　said　Jane；　〃the　poor　wives　would　sit　on　the　ground　and　wail　and　wail；　like　the　Indians　we　heard　the　other　night。　　Oh；　it　sounded　very　sad。〃

〃I　would　not　shoot　the　ones　with　wives　or　babies　or　anything；〃　said　Helen；　determined　to　escape　from　her　painful　dilemma。

〃Oh；　only　the　boys　and　young　men？〃　said　Jane。　　〃And　then　the　poor　old　mothers　would　cry　and　cry　and　tear　their　hair　for　the　boys　who　would　never　come　back。〃

Helen　stood　in　perplexed　silence。　　Then　she　said　shyly；　〃I　wouldn't　shoot　any　of　them　unless　they　tried　to　shoot　me　or　Mother　or　Daddy。〃

〃Or　me；〃　said　Jane；　throwing　her　arms　around　the　little　girl。

〃Yes；〃　said　Helen；　〃or　you；　or　anybody　in　our　house。〃

〃That　seems　a　perfectly　safe　place　to　leave　it；　Helen；〃　said　Ethel。　〃I　think　even　the　most　pronounced　pacifist　would　accept　that　as　a　justification　of　war。　　I　fancy　that　is　why　poor　little　Servia　is　fighting　big　bullying　Austria　to…day。　　But　run　down　now；　hurry；　hurry；　the　launch　will　be　ready　in　a　few　minutes；　and　if　you　are　not　ready　you　know　Daddy　won't　wait。〃

But　they　were　ready　and　with　the　round　dozen；　which　with　the　visitors　constituted　the　Murray　household　at　their　island　home；　they　filled　the　launch；　Jim　at　the　wheel。　　It　was　a　glorious　Sunday　morning　and　the　whole　world　breathed　peace。　　Through　the　mazes　of　the　channels　among　the　wooded　islands　the　launch　made　its　way；　across　open　traverse；　down　long　waterways　like　rivers　between　high；　wooded　banks；　through　cuts　and　gaps；　where　the　waters　boiled　and　foamed；　they　ran；　for　the　most　part　drinking　in　silently　the　exquisite　and　varied　beauty　of　lake　and　sky　and　woods。　　Silent　they　were　but　for　the　quiet　talk　and　cheery　laughter　of　the　younger　portion　of　the　company；　until　they　neared　the　little　town；　when　the　silence　that　hung　over　the　lake　and　woods　was　invaded　by　other　launches　outbound　and　in。　　The　Kenora　docks　were　crowded　with　rowboats；　sailboats；　canoes　and　launches　of　all　sorts　and　sizes；　so　that　it　took　some　steering　skill　on　Jim's　part　to　land　them　at　the　dock　without　bumping　either　themselves　or　any　one　else。

〃Oh；　look！〃　exclaimed　Isabel；　whose　sharp　eyes　were　darting　everywhere。　　〃There's　the　Rushbrooke's　lovely　new　launch。　　Isn't　it　beautiful！〃

〃Huh！〃　shouted　Helen。　　〃It　is　not　half　as　pretty　as　ours。〃

〃Oh；　hush；　Helen；〃　said　the　scandalised　Isabel。　　〃It　is　lovely；　isnt　it；　Jane？　　And　there　is　Lloyd　Rushbrooke。　　I　think　he's　lovely；　too。　　And　who　is　that　with　him；　Janethat　pretty　girl？　Oh；　isn't　she　pretty？〃

〃That's　Helen　Brookes；〃　said　Jane　in　a　low　voice。

〃Oh；　isn't　she　lovely！〃　exclaimed　Isabel。

〃Lovely　bunch；　Isabel；〃　said　Jim　with　a　grin。

〃I　don't　care；　they　are；〃　insisted　Isabel。　　〃And　there　is　Mr。　McPherson；　Jane；〃　she　added；　her　sharp　eyes　catching　sight　of　their　Winnipeg　minister　through　the　crowd。　　〃He's　coming　this　way。　　What　are　the　people　all　waiting　for；　Jane？〃

The　Reverend　Andrew　McPherson　was　a　tall；　slight；　dark　man；　straight　but　for　the　student's　stoop　of　his　shoulders；　and　with　a　strikingly　Highland　Scotch　cast　of　countenance；　high　cheek　bones；　keen　blue　eyes　set　deep　below　a　wide　forehead；　long　jaw　that　clamped　firm　lips　together。　　He　came　straight　to　where　Mr。　Murray　and　Dr。　Brown　were　standing。

〃I　have　just　received　from　a　friend　in　Winnipeg　the　most　terrible　news；〃　he　said　in　a　low　voice。　　〃Germany　has　declared　war　on　Russia　and　France。〃

〃War！　　War！　　Germany！〃　exclaimed　the　men　in　awed；　hushed　voices；　a　startled　look　upon　their　grave　faces。

〃What　is　it；　James？〃　said　Mrs。　Murray。

Mr。　Murray　repeated　the　news　to　her。