the red cross girl-第3节
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say of those deplorable 〃personal interviews〃 which appear in
the newspapers； and in which the important person interviewed
is made by the cub reporter to say things which he never
said； or thought； or dreamed of〃You can't expect a fifteen…
dollar…a…week brain to describe a thousand…dollar…a…week
brain。〃
There is； however； one question which I should attempt to
answer。 No two men are alike。 In what one salient thing did
R。 H。 D。 differ from other mendiffer in his personal
character and in the character of his work？ And that question
I can answer offhand； without taking thought； and be sure
that I am right。
An analysis of his works； a study of that book which the
Recording Angel keeps will show one dominant characteristic
to which even his brilliancy； his clarity of style； his
excellent mechanism as a writer are subordinate； and to
which； as a man； even his sense of duty； his powers of
affection； of forgiveness； of loving…kindness are
subordinate； too； and that characteristic is cleanliness。
The biggest force for cleanliness that was in the world has
gone out of the worldgone to that Happy Hunting Ground
where 〃Nobody hunts us and there is nothing to hunt。〃
GOUVERNEUR MORRIS。
Chapter 1
THE RED CROSS GIRL
When Spencer Flagg laid the foundation…stone for the new
million…dollar wing he was adding to the Flagg Home for
Convalescents； on the hills above Greenwich； the New York
REPUBLIC sent Sam Ward to cover the story； and with him
Redding to take photographs。 It was a crisp； beautiful day in
October； full of sunshine and the joy of living； and from the
great lawn in front of the Home you could see half over
Connecticut and across the waters of the Sound to Oyster Bay。
Upon Sam Ward； however； the beauties of Nature were wasted。
When； the night previous； he had been given the assignment he
had sulked； and he was still sulking。 Only a year before he
had graduated into New York from a small up…state college and
a small up…state newspaper； but already he was a 〃star〃 man；
and Hewitt； the city editor； humored him。
〃What's the matter with the story？〃 asked the city editor。
〃With the speeches and lists of names it ought to run to two
columns。〃
〃Suppose it does！〃 exclaimed Ward； 〃anybody can collect
type…written speeches and lists of names。 That's a messenger
boy's job。 Where's there any heart…interest in a Wall Street
broker like Flagg waving a silver trowel and singing； 'See
what a good boy am！' and a lot of grownup men in pinafores
saying； 'This stone is well and truly laid。' Where's the
story in that？〃
〃When I was a reporter；〃 declared the city editor； 〃I used to
be glad to get a day in the country。〃
〃Because you'd never lived in the country；〃 returned Sam。 〃If
you'd wasted twenty…six years in the backwoods； as I did；
you'd know that every minute you spend outside of New York
you're robbing yourself。〃
〃Of what？〃 demanded the city editor。 〃There's nothing to New
York except cement； iron girders； noise； and zinc garbage
cans。 You never see the sun in New York； you never see the
moon unless you stand in the middle of the street and bend
backward。 We never see flowers in New York except on the
women's hats。 We never see the women except in cages in the
elevatorsthey spend their lives shooting up and down
elevator shafts in department stores； in apartment houses； in
office buildings。 And we never see children in New York
because the janitors won't let the women who live in
elevators have children！ Don't talk to me！ New York's a
Little Nemo nightmare。 It's a joke。 It's an insult！〃
〃How curious！〃 said Sam。 〃Now I see why they took you off the
street and made you a city editor。 I don't agree with
anything you say。 Especially are you wrong about the women。
They ought to be caged in elevators； but they're not。
Instead； they flash past you in the street； they shine upon
you from boxes in the theatre； they frown at you from the
tops of buses； they smile at you from the cushions of a taxi；
across restaurant tables under red candle shades； when you
offer them a seat in the subway。 They are the only thing in
New York that gives me any trouble。〃
The city editor sighed。 〃How young you are！〃 he exclaimed。
〃However； to…morrow you will be free from your only trouble。
There will be few women at the celebration； and they will be
interested only in convalescentsand you do not look like a
convalescent。〃
Sam Ward sat at the outer edge of the crowd of overdressed
females and overfed men； and； with a sardonic smile； listened
to Flagg telling his assembled friends and sycophants how
glad he was they were there to see him give away a million
dollars。
〃Aren't you going to get his speech？〃； asked Redding； the
staff photographer。
〃Get HIS speech！〃 said Sam。 〃They have Pinkertons all over
the grounds to see that you don't escape with less than three
copies。 I'm waiting to hear the ritual they always have； and
then I'm going to sprint for the first train back to the
centre of civilization。〃
〃There's going to be a fine lunch；〃 said Redding； 〃and
reporters are expected。 I asked the policeman if we were； and
he said we were。〃
Sam rose； shook his trousers into place； stuck his stick
under his armpit and smoothed his yellow gloves。 He was very
thoughtful of his clothes and always treated them with
courtesy。
〃You can have my share；〃 he said。 〃I cannot forget that I am
fifty…five minutes from Broadway。 And even if I were starving
I would rather have a club sandwich in New York than a
Thanksgiving turkey dinner in New Rochelle。〃
He nodded and with eager； athletic strides started toward the
iron gates； but he did not reach the iron gates； for on the
instant trouble barred his way。 Trouble came to him wearing
the blue cambric uniform of a nursing sister； with a red
cross on her arm； with a white collar turned down； white
cuffs turned back； and a tiny black velvet bonnet。 A bow of
white lawn chucked her impudently under the chin。 She had
hair like golden…rod and eyes as blue as flax； and a
complexion of such health and cleanliness and dewiness as
blooms only on trained nurses。
She was so lovely that Redding swung his hooded camera at her
as swiftly as a cowboy could have covered her with his gun。
Reporters become star reporters because they observe things
that other people miss and because they do not let it appear
that they have observed them。 When the great man who is being
interviewed blurts out that which is indiscreet but most
important； the cub reporter says： 〃That's most interesting；
sir。 I'll make a note of that。〃 And so warns the great man
into silence。 But the star reporter receives the indiscreet
utterance as though it bored him； and the great man does not
know he has blundered until he reads of it the next morning
under screaming headlines。
Other men； on being suddenly confronted by Sister Anne； which
was the official title of the nursing sister； would have
fallen backward； or swooned； or gazed at her with soulful；
worshipping eyes； or； were they that sort of beast； would
have ogled her with impertinent approval。 Now Sam； because he
was a star reporter； observed that the lady before him was
the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen； but no one
would have guessed that he observed thatleast of all Sister
Anne。 He stood in her way and lifted his hat； and even looked
into the eyes of blue as impersonally and as calmly as though
she were his great…auntas though his heart was not beating
so fast that it choked him。
〃I am from the REPUBLIC；〃 he said。 〃Everybody is so busy here
to…day that I'm not able to get what I need about the Home。
It seems a pity；〃 he added disappointedly； 〃because it's so
well done that people ought to know about it。〃 He frowned at
the big hospital buildings。 It was apparent that the
ignorance of the public concerning their excellence greatly
annoyed him。
When again he looked at Sister Anne she was regarding him in
alarmobviously she was upon the point of instant flight。
〃You are a reporter？〃 she said。
Some people like to place themselves in the hands of a
reporter because they hope he will print their names in black
letters； a few othersonly reporters know how fewwould as
soon place themselves in the hands of a dentist。
〃A reporter from the REPUBLIC；〃 repeated Sam。
〃But why ask ME？〃 demanded Sister Anne。
Sam could see no reason for her question； in extenuation and
explanation he glanced at her uniform。
〃I thought you were at work here；〃 he said simply。 〃I beg
your pardon。〃
He stepped aside as though he meant to leave her。 In giving
that impression he was distinctly dishonest。
〃There was no other reason；〃 persisted Sister Anne。 〃I mean
for speaking to me？〃
The reason for speaking to her was so obvious that Sam
wondered whether this could be the height of innocence or the
most banal coquetry。 The hostile look in the eyes of the lady
proved it could not be coquetry。
〃I am sorry；〃 said Sam。 〃I mistook you for one of the nurses
here； and； as you didn't seem busy； I thought you might give
me some statistics about the Home not really statistics； you
know； but local color。〃
Sister Anne returned his look with one as stea
