the red cross girl-第4节
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me some statistics about the Home not really statistics； you
know； but local color。〃
Sister Anne returned his look with one as steady as his own。
Apparently she was weighing his statement。 She seemed to
disbelieve it。 Inwardly he was asking himself what could be
the dark secret in the past of this young woman that at the
mere approach of a reportereven of such a nice…looking
reporter as himselfshe should shake and shudder。 〃If that's
what you really want to know；〃 said Sister Anne doubtfully；〃
I'll try and help you； but；〃 she added； looking at him as one
who issues an ultimatum； 〃you must not say anything about
me！〃
Sam knew that a woman of the self…advertising； club…
organizing class will always say that to a reporter at the
time she gives him her card so that he can spell her name
correctly； but Sam recognized that this young woman meant it。
Besides； what was there that he could write about her？ Much
as he might like to do so； he could not begin his story with：
〃The Flagg Home for Convalescents is also the home of the
most beautiful of all living women。〃 No copy editor would let
that get by him。 So； as there was nothing to say that he
would be allowed to say； he promised to say nothing。 Sister
Anne smiled； and it seemed to Sam that she smiled； not
because his promise had set her mind at ease； but because the
promise amused her。 Sam wondered why。
Sister Anne fell into step beside him and led him through the
wards of the hospital。 He found that it existed for and
revolved entirely about one person。 He found that a million
dollars and some acres of buildings； containing sun…rooms and
hundreds of rigid white beds； had been donated by Spencer
Flagg only to provide a background for Sister Anneonly to
exhibit the depth of her charity； the kindness of her heart；
the unselfishness of her nature。
〃Do you really scrub the floors？〃 he demanded〃I mean you
yourselfdown on your knees； with a pail and water and
scrubbing brush？〃
Sister Anne raised her beautiful eyebrows and laughed at him。
〃We do that when we first come here；〃 she said〃when we are
probationers。 Is there a newer way of scrubbing floors？〃
〃And these awful patients；〃 demanded Sam〃do you wait on
them？ Do you have to submit to their complaints and whinings
and ingratitude？〃 He glared at the unhappy convalescents as
though by that glance he would annihilate them。 〃It's not
fair！〃 exclaimed Sam。 〃It's ridiculous。 I'd like to choke
them！〃
〃That's not exactly the object of a home for convalescents；〃
said Sister Anne。
〃You know perfectly well what I mean；〃 said Sam。 〃Here are
youif you'll allow me to say soa magnificent； splendid；
healthy young person； wearing out your young life over a lot
of lame ducks； failures； and cripples。〃
〃Nor is that quite the way we look at；〃 said Sister Anne。
〃We？〃 demanded Sam。
Sister Anne nodded toward a group of nurse
〃I'm not the only nurse here；〃 she said 〃There are over
forty。〃
〃You are the only one here；〃 said Sam； 〃who is not！ That's
Just what I meanI appreciate the work of a trained nurse； I
understand the ministering angel part of it； but youI'm not
talking about anybody else； I'm talking about youyou are
too young！ Somehow you are different； you are not meant to
wear yourself out fighting disease and sickness； measuring
beef broth and making beds。〃
Sister Anne laughed with delight。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Sam stiffly。
〃Nopardon me；〃 said Sister Anne； 〃but your ideas of the
duties of a nurse are so quaint。〃
〃No matter what the duties are；〃 declared Sam； 〃You should
not be here！〃
Sister Anne shrugged her shoulders； they were charming
shouldersas delicate as the pinions of a bird。
〃One must live；〃 said Sister Anne。
They had passed through the last cold corridor； between the
last rows of rigid white cots； and had come out into the
sunshine。 Below them stretched Connecticut； painted in autumn
colors。 Sister Anne seated herself upon the marble railing of
the terrace and looked down upon the flashing waters of the
Sound。
〃Yes； that's it；〃 she repeated softly〃one must live。〃
Sam looked at herbut； finding that to do so made speech
difficult； looked hurriedly away。 He admitted to himself that
it was one of those occasions； only too frequent with him；
when his indignant sympathy was heightened by the fact that
〃the woman。 was very fair。〃 He conceded that。 He was not
going to pretend to himself that he was not prejudiced by the
outrageous beauty of Sister Anne； by the assault upon his
feelings made by her uniformmade by the appeal of her
profession； the gentlest and most gracious of all
professions。 He was honestly disturbed that this young girl
should devote her life to the service of selfish sick people。
〃If you do it because you must live； then it can easily be
arranged； for there are other ways of earning a living。〃
The girl looked at him quickly； but he was quite sincereand
again she smiled。
〃Now what would you suggest？〃 she asked。 〃You see；〃 she said；
〃I have no one to advise meno man of my own age。 I have no
brothers to go to。 I have a father； but it was his idea that
I should come here； and so I doubt if he would approve of my
changing to any other work。 Your own work must make you
acquainted with many women who earn their own living。 Maybe
you could advise me？〃
Sam did not at once answer。 He was calculating hastily how
far his salary would go toward supporting a wife。 He was
trying to remember which of the men in the office were
married； and whether they were those whose salaries were
smaller than his own。 Collins； one of the copy editors； he
knew； was very ill…paid； but Sam also knew that Collins was
married； because his wife used to wait for him in the office
to take her to the theatre； and often Sam had thought she was
extremely well dressed。 Of course Sister Anne was so
beautiful that what she might wear would be a matter of
indifference； but then women did not always look at it that
way。 Sam was so long considering offering Sister Anne a life
position that his silence had become significant； and to
cover his real thoughts he said hurriedly：
〃Take type…writing； for instance。 That pays very well。 The
hours are not difficult。〃
〃And manicuring？〃 suggested Sister Anne。
Sam exclaimed in horror。
〃You！〃 he cried roughly。 〃For you！ Quite impossible！〃
〃Why for me？〃 said the girl。
In the distress at the thought Sam was jabbing his stick into
the gravel walk as though driving the manicuring idea into a
deep grave。 He did not see that the girl was smiling at him
mockingly。
〃You？〃 protested Sam。 〃You in a barber's shop washing men's
fingers who are not fit to wash the streets you walk on I
Good Lord！〃 His vehemence was quite honest。 The girl ceased
smiling。 Sam was still jabbing at the gravel walk； his
profile toward herand； unobserved； she could study his
face。 It was an attractive face strong； clever； almost
illegally good…looking。 It explained why； as ； he had
complained to the city editor； his chief trouble in New York
was with the women。 With his eyes full of concern； Sam turned
to her abruptly。 〃How much do they give you a month？〃 〃Forty
dollars；〃 answered Sister Anne。 〃This is what hurts me about
it；〃 said Sam。
It is that you should have to work and wait on other people
when there are so many strong； hulking men who would count it
God's blessing to work for you； to wait on you； and give
their lives for you。 However； probably you know that better
than I do。〃
〃No； I don't know that；〃 said Sister Anne。
Sam recognized that it was quite absurd that it should be so；
but this statement gave him a sense of great elation； a
delightful thrill of relief。 There was every reason why the
girl should not confide in a complete strangereven to
deceive him was quite within her rights； but； though Sam
appreciated this； he preferred to be deceived。
〃I think you are working too hard；〃 he said； smiling happily。
〃I think you ought to have a change。 You ought to take a day
off！ Do they ever give you a day off？〃
〃Next Saturday；〃 said Sister Anne。 〃Why？〃
〃Because；〃 explained Sam； 〃if you won't think it too
presumptuous； I was going to prescribe a day off for
youa day entirely away from iodoform and white enamelled
cots。 It is what you need； a day in the city and a lunch
where they have music； and a matinee； where you can laughor
cry； if you like that betterand then； maybe； some fresh air
in the park in a taxi； and after that dinner and more
theatre； and then I'll see you safe on the train for
Greenwich。 Before you answer；〃 he added hurriedly； 〃I want to
explain that I contemplate taking a day off myself and doing
all these things with you； and that if you want to bring any
of the other forty nurses along as a chaperon； I hope you
will。 Only； honestly； I hope you won't！〃
The proposal apparently gave Sister Anne much pleasure。 She
did not say so； but her eyes shone and when she looked at Sam
she was almost laughing with happiness。
〃I think that would be quite delightful；〃 said Sister Anne；〃
quite delightful！ Only it would be frightfully expensive；
even if I don't bring another girl； which I certainly would
not； it would cost a great de
