the major-第65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！



〃If　you　care　to　tell；　Mr。　Kellerman；〃　she　said。

The　little　Jew　stood　silent　a　few　minutes；　leaning　upon　his　rifle　and　looking　down　upon　the　ground。　　Then　in　a　low；　soft　voice　he　began：　　〃I　was　born　in　PolandGerman　Poland。　　The　first　thing　I　remember　is　seeing　my　mother　kneeling；　weeping　and　wringing　her　hands　beside　my　father's　dead　body　outside　the　door　of　our　little　house　in　our　village。　　He　was　a　student；　a　scholar；　and　a　patriot。〃　Kellerman's　voice　took　on　a　deeper　and　firmer　tone。　　〃He　stood　for　the　Polish　language　in　the　schools。　　There　was　a　riot　in　our　village。　　A　German　officer　struck　my　father　down　and　killed　him　on　the　ground。　　My　mother　wiped　the　blood　off　his　white　faceI　can　see　that　white　face　nowwith　her　apron。　　She　kept　that　apron；　she　has　it　yet。　　We　got　somehow　to　London　soon　after　that。　　The　English　people　were　good　to　us。　　The　German　people　are　tyrants。　　They　have　no　use　for　free　peoples。〃　　The　little　Jew's　words　snapped　through　his　teeth。　　〃When　war　came　a　week　ago　I　could　not　sleep　for　two　nights。　　On　Friday　I　joined　the　Ninetieth。　　That　night　I　slept　ten　hours。〃　　As　he　finished　his　story　the　lad　stood　staring　straight　before　him　into　the　moving　crowd。　　He　had　forgotten　the　girls　who　with　horror…stricken　faces　had　been　listening　to　him。　　He　was　still　seeing　that　white　face　smeared　with　blood。

〃And　your　mother？〃　said　Jane　gently　as　she　laid　her　hand　upon　his　arm。

The　boy　started。　　〃My　mother？　　Oh；　my　mother；　she　went　with　me　to　the　recruiting　office　and　saw　me　take　the　oath。　　She　is　satisfied　now。〃

For　some　moments　the　girls　stood　silent；　unable　to　find　their　voices。　　Then　Jane　said；　her　eyes　glowing　with　a　deep　inner　light；　〃Mr。　Kellerman；　I　am　proud　of　you。〃

〃Thank　you；　Miss　Brown；　it　does　me　good　to　hear　you　say　that。　　But　you　have　always　been　good　to　me。〃

〃And　I　want　you　to　come　and　see　me　before　you　go；〃　said　Jane　as　she　gave　him　her　hand。　　〃Now　will　you　take　us　out　through　the　crowd？　We　must　get　along。〃

〃Certainly；　Miss　Brown。　　Just　come　with　me。〃　　With　a　fine；　soldierly　tread　the　young　Jew　led　them　through　the　crowd　and　put　them　on　their　way。　　He　did　not　shake　hands　with　them　as　he　said　good…bye；　but　gave　them　instead　a　military　salute；　of　which　he　was　apparently　distinctly　proud。

〃Tell　me；　Jane；〃　said　Ethel；　as　they　set　off　down　the　street；　〃am　I　awake？　　Is　that　little　Kellerman；　the　greasy　little　Jew　whom　we　used　to　think　such　a　beast？〃

〃Isn't　he　splendid？〃　said　Jane。　　〃Poor　little　Kellerman！　　You　know；　Ethel；　he　had　not　one　girl　friend　in　college？　　I　am　sorry　now　we　were　not　better　to　him。〃

The　streets　were　full　of　people　walking　hurriedly　or　gathered　here　and　there　in　groups；　all　with　grave；　solemn　faces。　　In　front　of　The　Times　office　a　huge　concourse　stood　before　the　bulletin　boards　reading　the　latest　despatches。　　These　were　ominous　enough：　　〃The　Germans　Still　Battering　Liege　FortsKaiser's　Army　Nearing　BrusselsFour　Millions　of　Men　Marching　on　FranceRussia　Hastening　Her　MobilisationKitchener　Calls　for　One　Hundred　Thousand　Men　Canada　Will　Send　Expeditionary　Force　of　Twenty…five　Thousand　Men　Camp　at　Valcartier　Nearly　ReadyParliament　Assembles　Thursday。〃　Men　read　the　bulletins　and　talked　quietly　to　each　other。　　They　had　not　yet　reached　clearness　in　their　thinking　as　to　how　this　dread　thing　had　fallen　upon　their　country　so　far　from　the　storm　centre；　so　remote　in　all　vital　relations。　　There　was　no　cheeringthe　cheering　days　came　laterno　ebullient　emotion；　but　the　tightening　of　lip　and　jaw　in　their　stern；　set　faces　was　a　sufficient　index　of　the　tensity　of　feeling。　　Canadians　were　thinking　things　out；　thinking　keenly　and　swiftly；　for　in　the　atmosphere　and　actuality　of　war　mental　processes　are　carried　on　at　high　pressure。

As　the　girls　stood　at　the　corner　of　Portage　Avenue　and　Main　waiting　for　a　crossing；　an　auto　held　up　in　the　traffic　drew　close　to　their　side。

〃Hello；　Ethel！　　Won't　you　get　in？〃　said　a　voice　at　their　ear。

〃Hello；　Lloyd！　　Hello；　Helen！〃　cried　Ethel。　　〃We　will；　most　certainly。　　Are　you　joying；　or　what？〃

〃Both；〃　said　Lloyd　Rushbrooke；　who　was　at　the　wheel。　　〃Helen　wanted　to　see　the　soldiers。　　She　is　interested　in　the　Ninetieth　but　he　wasn't　there　and　I　am　just　taking　her　about。〃

〃We　saw　the　Ninetieth　and　the　Kilties　too；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃Oh；　they　are　fine！　　Oh；　Helen；　whom　do　you　think　we　saw　in　the　Ninetieth？　You　will　never　guessHeinrich　Kellerman。〃

〃Good　Lord！　　That　greasy　little　Sheeney？〃　exclaimed　Rushbrooke。

〃Look　out；　Lloyd。　　He's　Jane's　friend；〃　said　Ethel。

Lloyd　laughed　uproariously　at　the　joke。　　〃And　you　say　the　little　Yid　was　in　the　Ninetieth？　　Well；　what　is　the　Ninetieth　coming　to？〃

〃Lloyd；　you　mustn't　say　a　word　against　Mr。　Kellerman；〃　said　Jane。　〃I　think　he　is　a　real　man。〃

〃Oh；　come；　Jane。　　That　little　Hebrew　Shyster？　　Why；　he　does　not　wash　more　than　once　a　year！〃

〃I　don't　care　if　he　never　washes　at　all。　　I　won't　have　you　speak　of　him　that　way；〃　said　Jane。　　〃I　mean　it。　　He　is　a　friend　of　mine。〃

〃And　of　mine；　too；〃　said　Ethel；　〃since　to…night。　　Why；　he　gave　me　thrills　up　in　the　armoury　as　he　told　us　why　he　joined　up。〃

〃One　ten　per；　eh？〃　said　Lloyd。

〃Shall　I　tell　him？〃　said　Ethel。

〃No；　you　will　not；〃　said　Jane　decidedly。　　〃Lloyd　would　not　understand。〃

〃Oh；　I　say；　Jane；　don't　spike　a　fellow　like　that。　　I　am　just　joking。〃

〃I　won't　have　you　joke　in　that　way　about　Mr。　Kellerman；　at　least；　not　to　me。〃　　Few　of　her　college　mates　had　ever　seen　Jane　angry。　They　all　considered　her　the　personification　of　even…tempered　serenity。

〃If　you　take　it　that　way；　of　course　I　apologise；〃　said　Lloyd。

〃Now　listen　to　me；　Lloyd；〃　said　Jane。　　〃I　am　going　to　tell　you　why　he　joined　up。〃　　And　in　tones　thrilling　with　the　intensity　of　her　emotion　and　finally　breaking；　she　recounted　Kellerman's　story。　〃And　that　is　why　he　is　going　to　the　war；　and　I　am　proud　of　him；〃　she　added。

〃Splendid！〃　cried　Helen　Brookes。　　〃You　are　in　the　Ninetieth；　too；　Lloyd；　aren't　you？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Lloyd。　　〃At　least；　I　was。　　I　have　not　gone　much　lately。　I　have　not　had　time　for　the　military　stuff；　so　I　canned　it。〃

〃And　we　saw　Pat　Scallons　and　Ted　Tuttle　in　the　Ninetieth；　too；　and　Ramsay　Dunnoh；　he　did　look　fine　in　his　uniformand　Frank　Smart　he　is　going　if　he　can；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃I　wonder　what　his　mother　will　do。　　He　is　the　only　son；　you　know。〃

〃Well；　if　you　ask　me；　I　think　that　is　rot。　　It　is　not　right　for　Smart。　　There　are　lots　of　fellows　who　can　go；〃　said　Lloyd　in　quite　an　angry　tone。　　〃Why；　they　say　they　have　nearly　got　the　twenty…five　thousand　already。〃

〃My；　I　would　like　to　be　in　the　first　twenty…five　thousand　if　I　were　a　man；〃　said　Ethel。　　〃There　is　something　fine　in　that。　　Wouldn't　you；　Jane？〃

〃I　am　not　a　man；〃　said　Jane　shortly。

〃Why　the　first　twenty…five　thousand？〃　said　Lloyd。　　〃Oh；　that　is　just　sentimental　rot。　　If　a　man　was　really　needed；　he　would　go；　but　if　not；　why　should　he？　　There's　no　use　getting　rattled　over　this　thing。　　Besides；　somebody's　got　to　keep　things　going　here。　　I　think　that　is　a　fine　British　motto　that　they　have　adopted　in　England；　'Business　as　usual。'〃

〃'Business　as　usual！'〃　exclaimed　Jane　in　a　tone　of　unutterable　contempt。　　〃I　think　I　must　be　going　home；　Lloyd；〃　she　added。　　〃Can　you　take　me？〃

〃What's　the　rush；　Jane？　　It　is　early　yet。　　Let's　take　a　turn　out　to　the　Park。〃

But　Jane　insisted　on　going　home。　　Never　before　in　all　her　life　had　she　found　herself　in　a　mood　in　which　she　could　with　difficulty　control　her　speech。　　She　could　not　understand　how　it　was　that　Lloyd　Rushbrooke；　whom　she　had　always　greatly　liked；　should　have　become　at　once　distasteful　to　her。　　She　could　hardly　bear　the　look　upon　his　handsome　face。　　His　clever；　quick…witted　fun；　which　she　had　formerly　enjoyed；　now　grated　horribly。　　Of　all　the　college　boys　in　her　particular　set；　none　was　more　popular；　none　better　liked；　than　Lloyd　Rushbrooke。　　Now　she　was　mainly　conscious　of　a　desire　to　escape　from　his　company。　　This　feeling　distressed　her。　　She　wanted　to　be　alone　that　she　might　think　it　out。　　That　was　Jane's　way。　　She　always　knew　her　own　mind；　could　always　account　for　her　emotions；　because　she　was　intellectually　honest　and　had　sufficient　fortitude　to　look　facts　in　the　face。　　At　the　door　she　did　not　ask　even　her　friend；　Ethel；　to　come　in　with　her。　　Nor　did　she　make　excuse　for　omitting　this　courtesy。　　That；　too；　was　Jane's　way。　　She　was　honest　with　her　friends　as　with　herself。　　She　employed　none　of　the　little　fibbing　subterfuges　which　polite　manners　approve　and　which　are　employed　to　escape　awkward　situations；　but　which；　of　course；　deceive　no　one。　　She　was　simple；　sincere；　direct　in　her　mental　and　moral　processes；　and　possessed　a　courage　of　the　finest　quality。　Under　ordinary　circumstances　she　would　have　cleared　up　her　thinking　and　worked　her　soul　through　the　mist　and　stress　of　the　rough　weather　by　talking　it　over　with　her　father　or　by　writing　a　letter　to　Larry。　　But　during　the　days　of　the　past　terrible　week　she　had　discovered　that　her　father；　too；　was　tempest…tossed　to　an　even　greater　degree　than　she　was　herself；　and　somehow　she　had　no　heart　to　write　to　Larry。　　Indeed；　she　knew　not　what　to　say。　　Her　whole　world　was　in　confusion。

And　in　Winnipeg　there　were　many　like　her。　　In　every　home；　while　faces　carried　bold　fronts；　there　was　heart　searching　of