interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第15节
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〃I shall not make the soup； mademoiselle；〃 he replied gravely。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER VIII
Here were more things to do。 Sara Lee's money must be exchanged at
a bank for French gold。 She had three hundred dollars； and it had been
given her in a tiny brown canvas bag。 And then there was the matter of
going from Calais toward the Front。 She had expected to find a train； but
there were no trains。 All cars were being used for troops。 She stared at
Henri in blank dismay。
〃No trains！〃 she said blankly。 〃Would an automobile be very
expensive？〃
〃They are all under government control； mademoiselle。 Even the
petrol。〃
She stopped in the street。
〃Then I shall have to go back。〃
Henri laughed boyishly。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； 〃I have been requested to take you to a place
where you may render us the service we so badly need。 For the present
that is my duty； and nothing else。 So if you will accept the offer of my car；
which is a shameful one but travels well； we can continue our journey。〃
Long； long afterward； Sara Lee found a snapshot of Henri's car； taken
by a light…hearted British officer。 Found it and sat for a long time with it in
her hand； thinking and remembering that first day she saw it； in the sun at
Calais。 A long low car it was； once green； but now roughly painted gray。
But it was not the crude painting； significant as it was； that brought so
close the thing she was going to。 It was that the car was but a shell of a car。
The mud guards were crumpled up against the side。 Body and hood were
pitted with shrapnel。 A door had been shot away； and the wind shield was
but a frame set round with broken glass。 Even the soldier…chauffeur wore a
patch over one eye； and his uniform was ragged。
〃Not a beautiful car； mademoiselle； as I warned you！ But a fast one！〃
Henri was having a double enjoyment。 He was watching Sara Lee's
face and his chauffeur's remaining eye。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
〃But fast； eh； Jean？〃 he said to the chauffeur。 The man nodded and said
something in French。 It was probably the thing Henri had hoped for； and
he threw back his head and laughed。
〃Jean is reminding me；〃 he said gayly； 〃that it is forbidden to officers
to take a lady along the road that we shall travel。〃 But when he saw how
Sara Lee flushed he turned to the man。
〃Mademoiselle has come from America to help us； Jean；〃 he said
quietly。 〃And now for Dunkirk。〃
The road from Dunkirk to Calais was well guarded in those days。
From Nieuport for some miles inland only the shattered remnant of the
Belgian Army held the line。 For the cry 〃On to Paris！〃 the Germans had
substituted 〃On to Calais！〃
So； on French soil at least； the road was well guarded。 A few miles in
the battered car； then a slowing up； a showing of passports； the clatter of a
great chain as it dropped to the road； a lowering of leveled rifles； and a
salute from the officer … that was the method by which they advanced。
Henri sat with the driver and talked in a low tone。 Sometimes he sat
quiet； looking ahead。 He seemed； somehow； older； more careworn。 His
boyishness had gone。 Now and then he turned to ask if she was
comfortable； but in the intervals she felt that he had entirely forgotten her。
Once； at something Jean said； he got out a pocket map and went over it
carefully。 It was a long time after that before he turned to see if she was all
right。
Sara Lee sat forward and watched everything。 She saw little evidence
of war； beyond the occasional sentries and chains。 Women were walking
along the roads。 Children stopped and pointed； smiling； at the battered car。
One very small boy saluted； and Henri as gravely returned the salute。
Some time after that he turned to her。
〃I find that I shall have to leave you in Dunkirk；〃 he said。 〃A matter of
a day only； probably。 But I ill see before I go that you are comfortable。〃
〃I shall be quite all right； of course。〃
But something had gone out of the day for her。
Sara Lee learned one thing that day； learned it as some women do
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
learn； by the glance of an eye； the tone of a voice。 The chauffeur adored
Henri。 His one unbandaged eye stole moments from the road to glance at
him。 When he spoke； while Henri read his map his very voice betrayed
him。 And while she pondered the thing； woman…fashion they drew into the
square of Dunkirk； where the statue of Jean Bart； pirate and privateer
stared down at this new procession of war which passed daily and nightly
under his cold eyes。
Jean and a porter carried in her luggage。 Henri and a voluble and
smiling Frenchwoman showed her to her room。 She felt like an island of
silence in a rapid…rolling sea of French。 The Frenchwoman threw open the
door。
A great room with high curtained windows； a huge bed with a faded
gilt canopy and heavy draperies； a wardrobe as vast as the bed； and for a
toilet table an enormous mirror reaching to the ceiling and with a marble
shelf below … that was her room。
〃I think you will be comfortable here； mademoiselle。〃
Sara Lee； who still clutched her small bag of gold； Shook her head。
〃Comfortable； yes；〃 she said。 〃But I am afraid it is very expensive。〃
Henri named an extremely low figure … an exact fourth； to be accurate；
of its real cost。 A surprising person Henri； with his worn uniform and his
capacity for kindly mendacity。 And seeing something in the
Frenchwoman's face that perhaps he had expected； he turned to her almost
fiercely：
〃You are to understand； madame； that this lady has been placed in my
care by authority that will not be questioned。 She is to have every
deference。〃
That was all； but was enough。 And from that time on Sara Lee
Kennedy； of Ohio； was called； in the tiny box downstairs which
constituted the office； 〃Mademoiselle La Princesse。〃
Henri did a characteristic and kindly thing for Sara Lee before he left
that evening on one of the many mysterious journeys that he was to make
during the time Sara Lee knew him。 He came to her doors menus in hand；
and painstakingly ordered for her a dinner for that night； and the three
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
meals for the day following。
He made no suggestion of dining with her that evening。 Indeed
watching him from her small table Sara Lee decided that he had put her
entirely out of his mind。 He did not so much as glance at her。 Save the
cashier at her boxed…in desk and money drawer； she was the only woman
in that room full of officers。 Quite certainly Henri was the only man who
did not find some excuse for glancing in her direction。
But finishing early； he paused by the cashier's desk to pay for his meal；
and then he gave Sara Lee the stiffest and most ceremonious of bows。
She felt hurt。 Alone in her great room； the curtains drawn by order of
the police； lest a ray of light betray the town to eyes in the air； she went
carefully over the hours she had spent with Henri that day； looking for a
cause of offense。 She must have hurt him or he would surely have stopped
to speak to her。
Perhaps already he was finding her a burden。 She flushed with shame
when she remembered about the meals he had had to order for her； and she
sat up in her great bed until late； studying by candlelight such phrases as：
〃Il y a une erreur dans La note；〃 and 〃 Garcon； quels fruits avez…
vous？〃 She tried to write to Harvey that night； but she gave it up at last。
There was too much he would not understand。 She could not write frankly
without telling of Henri； and to this point everything had centered about
Henri。 It all rather worried her； because there was nothing she was
ashamed of； nothing she should have had to conceal。 She had yet to learn；
had Sara Lee； that many of the concealments of life are based not on
wrongdoing but on fear of misunderstanding。
So she got as far as： 〃Dearest Harvey： I am here in a hotel at Dunki
