interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第26节
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to join him。
My passion for cleanliness；〃 Henri said blithely； 〃is the result of my
English school days。 You would have been the better for an English
education； Jean。〃
A canal in March！〃 Jean grunted。 〃You will end badly。〃
Henri looked longingly at the water。
〃Had I a dry towel；〃 he said； 〃I would go in again〃
Jean looked at him with his one eye。
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〃You would be prettier without those scars〃 he observed。 But in his
heart he prayed that there might be no others added to them； that nothing
might mar or destroy that bright and youthful body。
〃Depechez…vous！ Vous sommes Presses！〃 he added。
But Henri was minded to play。 He girded himself with the towel and
struck an attitude。 〃The Russian ballet； Jean！〃 he said； and capering madly
sent Jean into deep grumbles of laughter by his burlesque。
〃I must have exercise；〃 Henri said at last when； breathless and with
flying hair； he began to dress。 That； too； is my English schooling。 If you；
Jean。 …〃
〃To the devil with your English schooling！〃 Jean remonstrated。
Henri sobered quickly after that。 The exhilaration of his cold plunge
was over。
〃The American lady？〃 he asked。 〃She is all right？〃
〃She is worried。 There is not enough money。〃
Henri frowned。 〃And I have nothing！〃
This opened up an old wound with Jean。
〃If you would be practical and take pay for what you are doing；〃 he
began。
Henri cut him short。
〃Pay！〃 he said。 〃What is there to pay me with？ And what is the use of
reopening the matter？ A man may be a spy for love of his country。 God
knows there is enough lying and deceit in the business。 But to be a spy or
money…never！〃
There was a little silence。 Then： 〃Now for mademoiselle；〃 said Henri。
〃She must be out of the village to…night。 And that； dear friend； must be
your affair。 She does not like me。〃
All the life had gone out of his voice。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER XV
〃But why should I go？〃 Sara Lee asked。 〃It is kind of you to ask me；
Jean。 But I am here to work； not to play。〃
Long ago Sara Lee had abandoned her idea of Jean as a paid chauffeur。
She even surmised； from something Marie had said； that he had been a
person of importance in the Belgium of before the war。 So she was
grateful； but inclined to be obstinate。
〃You have been so much alone； mademoiselle …〃
〃Alone！〃
〃Cut off from your own kind。 And now and then one finds； at the hotel
in Dunkirk； some English nurses who are having a holiday。 You would like
to talk to them perhaps。〃
〃Jean；〃 she said unexpectedly； 〃why don't you tell me the truth？ You
want me to leave the village tonight。 Why？〃
〃Because； mademoiselle； there will be a bombardment。〃
〃The village itself？〃
〃We expect it；〃 he answered dryly。
Sara Lee went a little pale。
〃But then I shall be needed； as I was before。〃
〃No troops will pass through the town to…night。 They will take a road
beyond the fields。〃
〃How do you know these things？〃 she asked； wondering。 〃About the
troops I can understand。 But the bombardment。〃
〃There are ways of finding out； mademoiselle；〃 he replied in his
noncommittal voice。 〃Now； will you go？〃
May I tell Marie and Rene？〃
〃 No。〃
〃Then I shall not go。 How can you think that I would consider my own
safety and leave them here？〃
Jean had ascertained before speaking that Marie was not in the house。
As for Rene； he sat on the single doorstep and whittled pegs on which to
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
hang his rifle inside the door。 And as he carved he sang words of his own
to the tune of Tipperary。
Inside the little salle a manger Jean reassured Sara Lee。 It was
important … vital … that Rene and Marie should not know far in advance of
the bombardment。 They were loyal； certainly； but these were his orders。 In
abundance of time they would be warned to leave the village。
〃Who is to warn them？〃
〃Henri has promised； mademoiselle。 And what he promises is done。〃
〃You said this morning that he was in England。〃
〃He has returned。〃
Sara Lee's heart； which had been going along nerely as a matter of
duty ll day； suddenly began to beat faster。 Her color came up； and then
faded again。 He had returned； and he had not come to the little house。 But
then … what could Henri mean to her； his coming or his going？ Was she to
add to her other sins against Harvey the supreme one of being interested in
Henri？
Not that she said all that； even to herself。 There was a wave of
gladness and then a surge of remorse。 That is all。 But it was a very sober
Sara Lee who put on her black suit with the white collar that afternoon and
ordered； by Jean's suggestion； the evening's preparations as though nothing
was to happen。
She looked round her little room before she left it。 It might not be there
when she returned。 So she placed Harvey's photograph under her mattress
for safety； and rather uncomfortably she laid beside it the small ivory
crucifix that Henri had found in a ruined house and brought to her。 Harvey
was not a Catholic。 He did not believe in visualizing his religion。 And she
had a distinct impression that he considered such things as did so as
bordering on idolatry。
Sometime after dusk that evening the ammunition train moved out。 At
a point a mile or so from the village a dispatch rider on a motor cycle
stopped the rumbling lorry at the head of the procession and delivered a
message； which the guide read by the light of a sheltered match。 The train
moved on； but it did not turn down to the village。 It went beyond to a place
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of safety； and there remained for the night。
But before that time Henri； lying close in a field； had seen a skulking
figure run from the road to the mill； and soon after had seen the mill wheel
turn once； describing a great arc； and on one of the wings； showing only
toward the poplar trees； was a lighted lantern。
Five minutes later； exactly time enough for the train to have reached
the village street； German shells began to fall in it。 Henri； lying flat on the
ground； swore silently and deeply。
In every land during this war there have been those who would sell
their country for a price。 Sometimes money。 Sometimes protection。 And of
all betrayals that of the man who sells his own country is the most
dastardly。 Henri； lying face down； bit the grass beneath him in sheer rage。
One thing he had not counted on； he who foresaw most things。 The
miller and his son； being what they were； were cowards as well。 Doubtless
the mill had been promised protection。 It was too valuable to the Germans
to be destroyed。 But with the first shot both men left the house by the mill
and scurried like rabbits for the open fields。
Maurice； poor Marie's lover by now； almost trampled on Henri's
prostrate body。 And Henri was alone； and his work was to take them alive。
They had information he must have … how the modus vivendi had been
arranged； through what channels。 And under suitable treatment they would
tell。
He could not follow them through the fields。 He lay still； during a
iercer bombardment than the one before； raising his head now and then to
see if the little house of mercy still stood。 No shells came his way； but the
sky line of the village altered quickly。 The standing fragment of the church
towers went early。 There was much sound of falling masonry。 From
somewhere behind him a Belgian battery gave tongue； but not for long。
And then came silence。
Henri moved then。 He crept nearer the mill and nearer。 And at last he
stood inside and took his bearings。 A lamp burned in the kitchen； showing
a dirty brick floor and a littered table … such a house as men keep； untidy
and unhomelike。 A burnt kettle stood on the hearth； and leaning against the
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wall was the bag of grain Maurice had carried from the crossroads。
〃A mill w
