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第45节

the lost road-第45节

小说: the lost road 字数: 每页4000字

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Even though I tried to drown their voices by beating on the Kid's
typewriter。  I was taking my third lesson; and I had printed; 〃I
Amm 5w writjng This; 5wjth my own lilly w?ite handS;〃 when I
heard the Kid saying:

〃You can beat the game this way。  Let John buy you a ticket to the
Piraeus。  If you go from one Greek port to another you don't need
a vise。  But; if you book from here to Italy; you must get a permit
from the Italian consul; and our consul; and the police。  The plot
is to get out of the war zone; isn't it? Well; then; my dope is to get
out quick; and map the rest of your trip when you're safe in Athens。〃

It was no business of mine; but I had to look up。  The stranger
was now pacing the floor。  I noticed that while his face was
almost black with tan; his upper lip was quite white。  I noticed
also that he had his hands in the pockets of one of John's blue
serge suits; and that the pink silk shirt he wore was one that
once had belonged to the Kid。  Except for the pink shirt; in the
appearance of the young man there was nothing unusual。  He was
of a familiar type。  He looked like a young business man from our
Middle West; matter…of…fact and unimaginative; but capable and
self…reliant。  If he had had a fountain pen in his upper waistcoat
pocket; I would have guessed he was an insurance agent; or the
publicity man for a new automobile。  John picked up his hat;
and said; 〃That's good advice。  Give me your steamer ticket; Fred;
and I'll have them change it。〃  He went out; but he did not ask
Fred to go with him。

Uncle Jim rose; and murmured something about the Cafe Roma;
and tea。  But neither did he invite Fred to go with him。  Instead;
he told him to make himself at home; and if he wanted anything
the waiter would bring it from the cafe downstairs。  Then the Kid;
as though he also was uncomfortable at being left alone with us;
hurried to the door。  〃Going to get you a suit…case;〃 he explained。
〃Back in five minutes。〃

The stranger made no answer。  Probably he did not hear him。  Not a
hundred feet from our windows three Greek steamers were huddled
together; and the eyes of the American were fixed on them。  The
one for which John had gone to buy him a new ticket lay nearest。
She was to sail in two hours。  Impatiently; in short quick steps;
the stranger paced the length of the room; but when he turned and
so could see the harbor; he walked slowly; devouring it with his
eyes。  For some time; in silence; he repeated this manoeuvre; and
then the complaints of the typewriter disturbed him。  He halted
and observed my struggles。  Under his scornful eye; in my
embarrassment I frequently hit the right letter。  〃You a
newspaper man; too?〃 he asked。  I boasted I was; but
begged not to be judged by my typewriting。

〃I got some great stories to write when I get back to God's country;〃
he announced。  〃I was a reporter for two years in Kansas City before
the war; and now I'm going back to lecture and write。  I got enough
material to keep me at work for five years。  All kinds of stuff
specials; fiction; stories; personal experiences; maybe a novel。〃

I regarded him with envy。  For the correspondents in the
greatest of all wars the pickings had been meagre。  〃You
are to be congratulated;〃 I said。  He brushed aside my
congratulations。  〃For what?〃 he demanded。  〃I didn't go
after the stories; they came to me。  The things I saw I had
to see。  Couldn't get away from them。  I've been with the
British; serving in the R。 A。 M。 C。  Been hospital steward;
stretcher bearer; ambulance driver。  I've been sixteen months
at the front; and all the time on the firing…line。  I was in the
retreat from Mons; with French on the Marne; at Ypres; all
through the winter fighting along the Canal; on the Gallipoli
Peninsula; and; just lately; in Servia。  I've seen more of this
war than any soldier。  Because; sometimes; they give the soldier
a rest; they never give the medical corps a rest。  The only rest I
got was when I was wounded。〃

He seemed no worse for his wounds; so again I tendered
congratulations。  This time he accepted them。  The recollection
of the things he had seen; things incredible; terrible; unique in
human experience; had stirred him。  He talked on; not boastfully;
but in a tone; rather; of awe and disbelief; as though assuring
himself that it was really he to whom such things had happened。

〃I don't believe there's any kind of fighting I haven't seen;〃 he
declared; 〃hand…to…hand fighting with bayonets; grenades; gun
butts。  I've seen 'em on their knees in the mud choking each
other; beating each other with their bare fists。  I've seen every
kind of airship; bomb; shell; poison gas; every kind of wound。
Seen whole villages turned into a brickyard in twenty minutes;
in Servia seen bodies of women frozen to death; bodies of babies
starved to death; seen men in Belgium swinging from trees; along
the Yzer for three months I saw the bodies of men I'd known
sticking out of the mud; or hung up on the barb wire; with the
crows picking them。

〃I've seen some of the nerviest stunts that ever were pulled off
in history。  I've seen real heroes。  Time and time again I've seen
a man throw away his life for his officer; or for a chap he didn't
know; just as though it was a cigarette butt。  I've seen the women
nurses of our corps steer a car into a village and yank out a wounded
man while shells were breaking under the wheels and the houses
were pitching into the streets。〃  He stopped and laughed consciously。

〃Understand;〃 he warned me; 〃I'm not talking about myself; only of
things I've seen。  The things I'm going to put in my book。  It ought
to be a pretty good book…what?〃

My envy had been washed clean in admiration。

〃It will make a wonderful book;〃 I agreed。  〃Are you going to
syndicate it first?〃

Young Mr。 Hamlin frowned importantly。

〃I was thinking;〃 he said; 〃of asking John for letters to the magazine
editors。  So; they'll know I'm not faking; that I've really been through
it all。  Letters from John would help a lot。〃  Then he asked anxiously:
〃They would; wouldn't they?〃

I reassured him。  Remembering the Kid's gibes at John and his
numerous dependents; I said: 〃You another college chum of John's?〃
The young man answered my question quite seriously。  〃No;〃 he said;
〃John graduated before I entered; but we belong to the same fraternity。
It was the luckiest chance in the world my finding him here。  There was
a month…old copy of the Balkan News blowing around camp; and his
name was in the list of arrivals。  The moment I found he was in Salonika;
I asked for twelve hours leave; and came down in an ambulance。  I made
straight for John; gave him the grip; and put it up to him to help me。〃

〃I don't understand;〃 I said。  〃I thought you were sailing on the
Adriaticus?〃

The young man was again pacing the floor。  He halted and faced the
harbor。

〃You bet I'm sailing on the Adriaticus;〃 he said。  He looked out at
that vessel; at the Blue Peter flying from her foremast; and grinned。
〃In just two hours!〃

It was stupid of me; but I still was unenlightened。  〃But your twelve
hours' leave?〃 I asked。

The young man laughed。  〃They can take my twelve hours' leave;〃
he said deliberately; 〃and feed it to the chickens。  I'm beating it。〃

〃What d'you mean; you're beating it?〃

〃What do you suppose I mean?〃 he demanded。  〃What do you
suppose I'm doing out of uniform; what do you suppose I'm lying
low in the room for? So's I won't catch cold?〃

〃If you're leaving the army without a discharge; and without
permission;〃 I said; 〃I suppose you know it's desertion。〃

Mr。 Hamlin laughed easily。  〃It's not my army;〃 he said。 〃I'm an
American。〃

〃It's your desertion;〃 I suggested。

The door opened and closed noiselessly; and Billy; entering;
placed a new travelling bag on the floor。  He must have heard my
last words; for he looked inquiringly at each of us。  But he did
not speak and; walking to the window; stood with his hands in his
pockets; staring out at the harbor。  His presence seemed to encourage
the young man。  〃Who knows I'm deserting?〃 he demanded。  〃No
one's ever seen me in Salonika before; and in these 'cits' I can get on
board all right。  And then they can't touch me。  What do the folks at
home care how I left the British army? They'll be so darned glad to
get me back alive that they won't ask if I walked out or was kicked
out。  I should worry!〃

〃It's none of my business;〃 I began; but I was interrupted。  In
his restless pacings the young man turned quickly。

〃As you say;〃 he remarked icily; 〃it is none of your business。
It's none of your business whether I get shot as a deserter; or
go home; or〃

〃You can go to the devil for all I care;〃 I assured him。  〃I
wasn't considering you at all。  I was only sorry that I'll never
be able to read your book。〃

For a moment Mr。 Hamlin remained silent; then he burst forth
with a jeer。

〃No British firing squad;〃 he boasted; 〃will ever stand me up。〃

〃Maybe not;〃 I agreed; 〃but you will never write that book。〃

Again there was silence; and this time it was broken by the Kid。
He turned from the window and looked toward Hamlin。  〃That's
right!〃 he said。

He sa

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