the lost road-第40节

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have　money。　　You　will　give　liberally　to　the　Red　Cross。　　You　will
volunteer　to　nurse　in　the　hospitals。　　With　your　sad　story　of　ill
treatment　by　us；　with　your　high　birth；　and　your　knowledge　of
nursing；　which　you　acquired；　of　course；　only　as　an　amateur；　you
should　not　find　it　difficult　to　join　the　Ladies　of　France；　or　the
American　Ambulance。　　What　you　learn　from　the　wounded　English
and　French　officers　and　the　French　doctors　you　will　send　us　through
the　usual　channels。〃

〃When　do　I　start？〃　asked　the　woman。

〃For　a　few　days；〃　explained　the　officer；　〃you　remain　in　this　chateau。
You　will　keep　us　informed　of　what　is　going　forward　after　we
withdraw。〃

〃Withdraw？〃　It　was　more　of　an　exclamation　than　a　question。　　Marie
was　too　well　trained　to　ask　questions。

〃We　are　taking　up　a　new　position；〃　said　the　officer；　〃on　the
Aisne。〃

The　woman；　incredulous；　stared。

〃And　we　do　not　enter　Paris？〃

〃You　do；〃　returned　the　officer。　　〃That　is　all　that　concerns　you。
We　will　join　you　laterin　the　spring。　　Meanwhile；　for　the　winter
we　intrench　ourselves　along　the　Aisne。　　In　a　chimney　of　this
chateau　we　have　set　up　a　wireless　outfit。　　We　are　leaving　it　intact。
The　chauffeur　Briandwho；　you　must　explain　to　the　French；　you
brought　with　you　from　Laon；　and　who　has　been　long　in　your
servicewill　transmit　whatever　you　discover。　　We　wish　especially
to　know　of　any　movement　toward　our　left。　　If　they　attack　in　front
from　Soissons；　we　are　prepared；　but　of　any　attempt　to　cross　the
Oise　and　take　us　in　flank　you　must　warn　us。〃

The　officer　rose　and　hung　upon　himself　his　field…glasses；
map…cases；　and　side…arms。

〃We　leave　you　now；〃　he　said。　　〃When　the　French　arrive　you　will
tell　them　your　reason　for　halting　at　this　chateau　was　that　the　owner；
Monsieur　Iverney；　and　his　family　are　friends　of　your　husband。　　You
found　us　here；　and　we　detained　you。　　And　so　long　as　you　can　use　the
wireless；　make　excuses　to　remain。　　If　they　offer　to　send　you　on　to　Paris；
tell　them　your　aunt　is　too　ill　to　travel。〃

〃But　they　will　find　the　wireless；〃　said　the　woman。　　〃They　are　sure　to
use　the　towers　for　observation；　and　they　will　find　it。〃

〃In　that　case；〃　said　the　officer；　〃you　will　suggest　to　them　that
we　fled　in　such　haste　we　had　no　time　to　dismantle　it。　　Of　course；
you　had　no　knowledge　that　it　existed；　or；　as　a　loyal　French　woman；
you　would　have　at　once　told　them。〃　　To　emphasize　his　next　words
the　officer　pointed　at　her：　〃Under　no　circumstances；〃　he　continued；
〃must　you　be　suspected。　　If　they　should　take　Briand　in　the　act；
should　they　have　even　the　least　doubt　concerning　him；　you　must
repudiate　him　entirely。　　If　necessary；　to　keep　your　own　skirts　clear；
it　would　be　your　duty　yourself　to　denounce　him　as　a　spy。〃

〃Your　first　orders；〃　said　the　woman；　〃were　to　tell　them　Briand　had
been　long　in　my　service；　that　I　brought　him　from　my　home　in　Laon。〃

〃He　might　be　in　your　service　for　years；〃　returned　the　colonel；
〃and　you　not　know　he　was　a　German　agent。〃

〃If　to　save　myself　I　inform　upon　him；〃　said　Marie；　〃of　course　you
know　you　will　lose　him。〃

The　officer　shrugged　his　shoulders。　　〃A　wireless　operator；〃　he
retorted；　〃we　can　replace。　　But　for　you；　and　for　the　service　you
are　to　render　in　Paris；　we　have　no　substitute。　　You　must　not　be
found　out。　　You　are　invaluable。〃

The　spy　inclined　her　head。　　〃I　thank　you；〃　she　said。

The　officer　sputtered　indignantly。

〃It　is　not　a　compliment；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃it　is　an　order。　　You　must
not　be　found　out！〃

Withdrawn　some　two　hundred　yards　from　the　Paris　road；　the
chateau　stood　upon　a　wooded　hill。　　Except　directly　in　front；
trees　of　great　height　surrounded　it。　　The　tips　of　their　branches
brushed　the　windows；　interlacing；　they　continued　until　they
overhung　the　wall　of　the　estate。　　Where　it　ran　with　the　road　the
wall　gave　way　to　a　lofty　gate　and　iron　fence；　through　which　those
passing　could　see　a　stretch　of　noble　turf；　as　wide　as　a　polo…field；
borders　of　flowers　disappearing　under　the　shadows　of　the　trees；
and　the　chateau　itself；　with　its　terrace；　its　many　windows；　its
high…pitched；　sloping　roof；　broken　by　towers　and　turrets。

Through　the　remainder　of　the　night　there　came　from　the　road　to
those　in　the　chateau　the　roar　and　rumbling　of　the　army　in　retreat。
It　moved　without　panic；　disorder；　or　haste；　but　unceasingly。　　Not
for　an　instant　was　there　a　breathing…spell。　　And　when　the　sun　rose；
the　three　spiesthe　two　women　and　the　chauffeurwho　in　the　great
chateau　were　now　alone；　could　see　as　well　as　hear　the　gray　column
of　steel　rolling　past　below　them。

The　spies　knew　that　the　gray　column　had　reached　Claye；　had　stood
within　fifteen　miles　of　Paris；　and　then　upon　Paris　had　turned　its
back。　　They　knew　also　that　the　reverberations　from　the　direction
of　Meaux；　that　each　moment　grew　more　loud　and　savage；　were　the
French　〃seventy…fives〃　whipping　the　gray　column　forward。　　Of　what
they　felt　the　Germans　did　not　speak。　　In　silence　they　looked　at　each
other；　and　in　the　eyes　of　Marie　was　bitterness　and　resolve。

Toward　noon　Marie　met　Anfossi　in　the　great　drawing…room　that
stretched　the　length　of　the　terrace　and　from　the　windows　of　which；
through　the　park　gates；　they　could　see　the　Paris　road。

〃This；　that　is　passing　now；〃　said　Marie；　〃is　the　last　of　our　rear…guard。
Go　to　your　tower；〃　she　ordered；　〃and　send　word　that　except　for
stragglers　and　the　wounded　our　column　has　just　passed　through
NeufchelIes；　and　that　any　moment　we　expect　the　French。〃　　She
raised　her　hand　impressively。　　〃From　now；〃　she　warned；　〃we
speak　French；　we　think　French；　we　are　French！〃

Anfossi；　or　Briand；　as　now　he　called　himself；　addressed　her　in
that　language。　　His　tone　was　bitter。　　〃Pardon　my　lese…majesty；〃　he
said；　〃but　this　chief　of　your　Intelligence　Department　is　a　dummer
Mensch。　　He　is　throwing　away　a　valuable　life。〃

Marie　exclaimed　in　dismay。　　She　placed　her　hand　upon　his　arm；　and
the　violet　eyes　filled　with　concern。

〃Not　yours！〃　she　protested。

〃Absolutely！〃　returned　the　Italian。　　〃I　can　send　nothing　by　this
knapsack　wireless　that　they　will　not　learn　from　others；　from　airmen；
Uhlans；　the　peasants　in　the　fields。　　And　certainly　I　will　be　caught。
Dead　I　am　dead；　but　alive　and　in　Paris　the　opportunities　are　unending。
From　the　French　Legion　Etranger　I　have　my　honorable　discharge。　　I
am　an　expert　wireless　operator　and　in　their　Signal　Corps　I　can　easily
find　a　place。　　Imagine　me；　then；　on　the　Eiffel　Tower。　　From　the　air　I
snatch　news　from　all　of　France；　from　the　Channel；　the　North　Sea。
You　and　I　could　work　together；　as　in　Rome。　　But　here；　between　the
lines；　with　a　pass　from　a　village　sous…prefet；　it　is　ridiculous。　　I　am
not　afraid　to　die。　　But　to　die　because　some　one　else　is　stupid；　that　is
hard。〃

Marie　clasped　his　hand　in　both　of　hers。

〃You　must　not　speak　of　death；〃　she　cried；　〃you　know　I　must　carry　out
my　orders；　that　I　must　force　you　to　take　this　risk。　　And　you　know　that
thought　of　harm　to　you　tortures　me！〃

Quickly　the　young　man　disengaged　his　hand。　　The　woman　exclaimed
with　anger。

〃Why　do　you　doubt　me？〃　she　cried。

Briand　protested　vehemently。

〃I　do　not　doubt　you。〃

〃My　affection；　then？〃　　In　a　whisper　that　carried　with　it　the
feeling　of　a　caress　Marie　added　softly：　〃My　love？〃

The　young　man　protested　miserably。　　〃You　make　it　very　hard；
mademoiselle；〃　he　cried。　　〃You　are　my　superior　officer；　I　am　your
servant。　　Who　am　I　that　I　should　share　with　others〃

The　woman　interrupted　eagerly。

〃Ah；　you　are　jealous！〃　she　cried。　　〃Is　that　why　you　are　so　cruel？
But　when　I　tell　you　I　love　you；　and　only　you；　can　you　not　feel　it
is　the　truth？〃

The　young　man　frowned　unhappily。

〃My　duty；　mademoiselle！〃　he　stammered。

With　an　exclamation　of　anger　Marie　left　him。　　As　the　door　slammed
behind　her；　the　young　man　drew　a　deep　breath。　　On　his　face　was　the
expression　of　ineffable　relief。

In　the　hall　Marie　met　her　elderly　companion；　Bertha；　now　her
aunt；　Madame　Benet。

〃I　heard　you　quarrelling；〃　Bertha　protested。　　〃It　is　most　indiscreet。
It　is　not　in　the　part　of　the　Countess　d'Aurillac　that　she　makes　love
to　her　chauffeur。〃

Marie　laughed　noiselessly　and　drew　her　farther　down　the　hall。　　〃He
is　imbecile！〃　she　exclaimed。　　〃He　will　kill　me　with　his　solemn　face
and　his　conceit。　　I　make　love　to　himyesthat　he　may　work　the
more　willingly。　　But　he　will　have　none　of　it。　　He　is　jealous　of　the
others。〃

Madame　Benet　frowned。

〃He　resents　the　others；〃　she　corrected。　　〃I　do　not　blame　him。　　He　is
a　gentleman！〃

〃And　the　others；〃　demanded　Marie；　〃were　they　not　of　the　most
noble　families　of　Rome？〃

〃I　am　old　and　I　am　ugly；〃　said　Bertha；　〃but　to　me　Anfossi　is
always　as　considerate　as　he　is　to　you　who　are　so　beautiful。〃

〃An　Italian　gentleman；〃　returned　Marie；　〃does　not　serve　in
Belgian　Congo　unless　it　isthe　choice　of　that　or　the　marble
quarries。〃

〃I　do　not　know　what　his　past　may　be；〃　sighed　Madame　Benet；
〃nor　do　I　ask。　　He　is　only　a　number；　as　you　and　I　are　only　numbers。
And　I　beg　you　to　let　us　work　in　harmony。　　At　such　a　time　your
love…affairs　threaten　our　safety。　　You　must　wait。〃

Marie　laughed　insolently。　　〃With　the　Du　Barry；〃　she　protested；　〃I
can　boast　that　I　wait　for　no　man。〃

〃No；〃　replied　the　older　woman；　〃you　pursue　him！〃

Marie　would　have　answ