the lion and the unicorn(狮子与独角兽)-第13节
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falling with weary persistence。
〃Eight days；〃 he said。 His eyes shut quickly； as though with a sudden
touch of pain。 He turned his head and sought for the figure at the foot of
the cot。 Already the figure had grown faint and was receding and
swaying。
〃Has any one written or cabled？〃 the Lieutenant spoke； hurriedly。
He was fearful lest the figure should disappear altogether before he
could obtain his answer。 〃Has any one come？〃
〃Why； they couldn't get here； Lieutenant； not yet。〃
The voice came very faintly。 〃You go to sleep now； and I'll run and
fetch some letters and telegrams。 When you wake up； may be I'll have a
lot for you。〃
But the Lieutenant caught the nurse by the wrist； and crushed his hand
in his own thin fingers。 They were hot； and left the steward's skin wet
with perspiration。 The Lieutenant laughed gayly。
〃You see； Doctor；〃 he said； briskly； 〃that you can't kill me。 I can't die。
I've got to live； you understand。 Because； sir； she said she would come。
She said if I was wounded； or if I was ill； she would come to me。 She
didn't care what people thought。 She would come any way and nurse
mewell； she will come。
〃So； Doctorold man〃 He plucked at the steward's sleeve； and
stroked his hand eagerly； 〃old man〃 he began again； beseechingly； 〃you'll
not let me die until she comes； will you？ What？ No； I know I won't die。
Nothing made by man can kill me。 No； not until she comes。 Then； after
thateight days； she'll be here soon； any moment？ What？ You think so；
too？ Don't you？ Surely； yes； any moment。 Yes； I'll go to sleep now；
and when you see her rowing out from shore you wake me。 You'll know
her； you can't make a mistake。 She is likeno； there is no one like her
but you can't make a mistake。〃
That day strange figures began to mount the sides of the ship； and to
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occupy its every turn and angle of space。 Some of them fell on their
knees and slapped the bare deck with their hands； and laughed and cried
out； 〃Thank God； I'll see God's country again！〃 Some of them were
regulars； bound in bandages； some were volunteers； dirty and hollow…eyed；
with long beards on boys' faces。 Some came on crutches； others with
their arms around the shoulders of their comrades； staring ahead of them
with a fixed smile； their lips drawn back and their teeth protruding。 At
every second step they stumbled； and the face of each was swept by swift
ripples of pain。
They lay on cots so close together that the nurses could not walk
between them。 They lay on the wet decks； in the scuppers； and along the
transoms and hatches。 They were like shipwrecked mariners clinging to
a raft； and they asked nothing more than that the ship's bow be turned
toward home。 Once satisfied as to that； they relaxed into a state of self…
pity and miserable oblivion to their environment； from which hunger nor
nausea nor aching bones could shake them。
The hospital steward touched the Lieutenant lightly on the shoulder。
〃We are going North； sir；〃 he said。 〃The transport's ordered North to
New York； with these volunteers and the sick and wounded。 Do you hear
me； sir？〃
The Lieutenant opened his eyes。 〃Has she come？〃 he asked。
〃Gee！〃 exclaimed the hospital steward。 He glanced impatiently at the
blue mountains and the yellow coast； from which the transport was
drawing rapidly away。
〃Well； I can't see her coming just now；〃 he said。 〃But she will；〃 he
added。
〃You let me know at once when she comes。〃
〃Why； cert'nly； of course；〃 said the steward。
Three trained nurses came over the side just before the transport
started North。 One was a large； motherly…looking woman； with a
German accent。 She had been a trained nurse； first in Berlin； and later in
the London Hospital in Whitechapel； and at Bellevue。
The nurse was dressed in white； and wore a little silver medal at her
throat； and she was strong enough to lift a volunteer out of his cot and
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hold him easily in her arms； while one of the convalescents pulled his cot
out of the rain。 Some of the men called her 〃nurse；〃 others； who wore
scapulars around their necks； called her 〃Sister；〃 and the officers of the
medical staff addressed her as Miss Bergen。
Miss Bergen halted beside the cot of the Lieutenant and asked； 〃Is this
the fever case you spoke about； Doctorthe one you want moved to the
officers' ward？〃 She slipped her hand up under his sleeve and felt his
wrist。
〃His pulse is very high；〃 she said to the steward。 〃When did you take
his temperature？〃 She drew a little morocco case from her pocket and
from that took a clinical thermometer； which she shook up and down；
eying the patient meanwhile with a calm； impersonal scrutiny。 The
Lieutenant raised his head and stared up at the white figure beside his cot。
His eyes opened and then shut quickly； with a startled look； in which
doubt struggled with wonderful happiness。 His hand stole out fearfully
and warily until it touched her apron； and then； finding it was real； he
clutched it desperately； and twisting his face and body toward her； pulled
her down； clasping her hands in both of his； and pressing them close to his
face and eyes and lips。 He put them from him for an instant； and looked
at her through his tears。
〃Sweetheart；〃 he whispered； 〃sweetheart； I knew you'd come。〃
As the nurse knelt on the deck beside him； her thermometer slipped
from her fingers and broke； and she gave an exclamation of annoyance。
The young Doctor picked up the pieces and tossed them overboard。
Neither of them spoke； but they smiled appreciatively。 The Lieutenant
was looking at the nurse with the wonder and hope and hunger of soul in
his eyes with which a dying man looks at the cross the priest holds up
before him。 What he saw where the German nurse was kneeling was a
tall； fair girl with great bands and masses of hair； with a head rising like a
lily from a firm； white throat； set on broad shoulders above a straight back
and sloping breasta tall； beautiful creature； half…girl； half…woman； who
looked back at him shyly； but steadily。
〃Listen；〃 he said。
The voice of the sick man was so sure and so sane that the young
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Doctor started； and moved nearer to the head of the cot。 〃Listen；
dearest；〃 the Lieutenant whispered。 〃I wanted to tell you before I came
South。 But I did not dare； and then I was afraid something might happen
to me； and I could never tell you； and you would never know。 So I wrote
it to you in the will I made at Baiquiri； the night before the landing。 If
you hadn't come now； you would have learned it in that way。 You would
have read there that there never was any one but you； the rest were all
dream people； foolish； sillymad。 There is no one else in the world but
you； you have been the only thing in life that has counted。 I thought I
might do something down here that would make you care。 But I got shot
going up a hill； and after that I wasn't able to do anything。 It was very
hot； and the hills were on fire； and they took me prisoner； and kept me tied
down here； burning on these coals。 I can't live much longer； but now that
I have told you I can have peace。 They tried to kill me before you came；
but they didn't know I loved you； they didn't know that men who lo
