the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第11节
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eyes。
The Lion and the Unicorn saw them only once again。 It was a
month later when they stopped in front of the shop in a four… wheeler； with
their baggage mixed on top of it； and steamer… labels pasted over every
trunk。
〃And； oh； Prentiss！〃 Carroll called from the cab…window。 〃I came
near forgetting。 I promised to gild the Lion and the Unicorn if I won out
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in London。 So have it done； please； and send the bill to me。 For I've
won out all right。〃 And then he shut the door of the cab； and they drove
away forever。
〃Nice gal； that；〃 growled the Lion。 〃I always liked her。 I am glad
they've settled it at last。〃
The Unicorn sighed； sentimentally。 〃The other one's worth two of
her；〃 he said。
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ON THE FEVER SHIP
There were four rails around the ship's sides； the three lower ones of
iron and the one on top of wood； and as he looked between them from the
canvas cot he recognized them as the prison…bars which held him in。
Outside his prison lay a stretch of blinding blue water which ended in a
line of breakers and a yellow coast with ragged palms。 Beyond that
again rose a range of mountain… peaks； and； stuck upon the loftiest peak of
all； a tiny block… house。 It rested on the brow of the mountain against the
naked sky as impudently as a cracker…box set upon the dome of a great
cathedral。
As the transport rode on her anchor…chains； the iron bars around her
sides rose and sank and divided the landscape with parallel lines。 From
his cot the officer followed this phenomenon with severe； painstaking
interest。 Sometimes the wooden rail swept up to the very block…house
itself； and for a second of time blotted it from sight。 And again it sank to
the level of the line of breakers； and wiped them out of the picture as
though they were a line of chalk。
The soldier on the cot promised himself that the next swell of the sea
would send the lowest rail climbing to the very top of the palm…trees or；
even higher； to the base of the mountains； and when it failed to reach even
the palm…trees he felt a distinct sense of ill use； of having been wronged by
some one。 There was no other reason for submitting to this existence；
save these tricks upon the wearisome； glaring landscape； and； now；
whoever it was who was working them did not seem to be making this
effort to entertain him with any heartiness。
It was most cruel。 Indeed； he decided hotly； it was not to be endured；
he would bear it no longer； he would make his escape。 But he knew that
this move； which could be conceived in a moment's desperation； could
only be carried to success with great strategy； secrecy； and careful cunning。
So he fell back upon his pillow and closed his eyes； as though he were
asleep； and then opening them again； turned cautiously； and spied upon his
keeper。 As usual； his keeper sat at the foot of the cot turning the pages of
a huge paper filled with pictures of the war printed in daubs of tawdry
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colors。 His keeper was a hard…faced boy without human pity or
consideration； a very devil of obstinacy and fiendish cruelty。 To make it
worse； the fiend was a person without a collar； in a suit of soiled khaki；
with a curious red cross bound by a safety…pin to his left arm。 He was
intent upon the paper in his hands； he was holding it between his eyes and
his prisoner。 His vigilance had relaxed； and the moment seemed
propitious。 With a sudden plunge of arms and legs； the prisoner swept
the bed sheet from him； and sprang at the wooden rail and grasped the iron
stanchion beside it。 He had his knee pressed against the top bar and his
bare toes on the iron rail beneath it。 Below him the blue water waited for
him。 It was cool and dark and gentle and deep。 It would certainly put
out the fire in his bones； he thought； it might even shut out the glare of the
sun which scorched his eyeballs。
But as he balanced for the leap； a swift weakness and nausea swept
over him； a weight seized upon his body and limbs。 He could not lift the
lower foot from the iron rail； and he swayed dizzily and trembled。 He
trembled。 He who had raced his men and beaten them up the hot hill to
the trenches of San Juan。 But now he was a baby in the hands of a giant；
who caught him by the wrist and with an iron arm clasped him around his
waist and pulled him down； and shouted； brutally； 〃Help； some of you'se；
quick； he's at it again。 I can't hold him。〃
More giants grasped him by the arms and by the legs。 One of them
took the hand that clung to the stanchion in both of his； and pulled back
the fingers one by one； saying； 〃Easy now； Lieutenanteasy。〃
The ragged palms and the sea and block…house were swallowed up in a
black fog； and his body touched the canvas cot again with a sense of
home…coming and relief and rest。 He wondered how he could have cared
to escape from it。 He found it so good to be back again that for a long
time he wept quite happily； until the fiery pillow was moist and cool。
The world outside of the iron bars was like a scene in a theatre set for
some great event； but the actors were never ready。 He remembered
confusedly a play he had once witnessed before that same scene。 Indeed；
he believed he had played some small part in it； but he remembered it
dimly； and all trace of the men who had appeared with him in it was gone。
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He had reasoned it out that they were up there behind the range of
mountains； because great heavy wagons and ambulances and cannon were
emptied from the ships at the wharf above and were drawn away in long
lines behind the ragged palms； moving always toward the passes between
the peaks。 At times he was disturbed by the thought that he should be up
and after them； that some tradition of duty made his presence with them
imperative。 There was much to be done back of the mountains。 Some
event of momentous import was being carried forward there； in which he
held a part； but the doubt soon passed from him； and he was content to lie
and watch the iron bars rising and falling between the block…house and the
white surf。
If they had been only humanely kind； his lot would have been bearable；
but they starved him and held him down when he wished to rise； and they
would not put out the fire in the pillow； which they might easily have done
by the simple expedient of throwing it over the ship's side into the sea。
He himself had done this twice； but the keeper had immediately brought a
fresh pillow already heated for the torture and forced it under his head。
His pleasures were very simple； and so few that he could not
understand why they robbed him of them so jealously。 One was to watch
a green cluster of bananas that hung above him from the awning twirling
on a string。 He could count as many of them as five before the bunch
turned and swung lazily back again； when he could count as high as
twelve； sometimes when the ship rolled heavily he could count to twenty。
It was a most fascinating game； and contented him for many hours。 But
when they found this out they sent for the cook to come and cut them
down； and the cook carried them away to his galley。
Then； one day； a man came out from the shore； swimming through the
blue water with great splashes。 He was a most charming man； who
spluttered and dove and twisted and
