interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第37节
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face up to the awful beauty of the night。
〃Good night； little brother；〃 Henri said to him； and left him there with
a heavy heart。 Never again would Rene sit and whittle on the doorstep and
sing his tuneless Tipperaree。 Never again would he gaze with boyish
adoring eyes at Sara Lee as she moved back and forth in the little house。
Henri stared up at the sky。 The moon looked down； cold。 and cruelly
bright； on the vanishing squadron of death； on the destroyed town and on
the boy's white face。 Somewhere； Henri felt； vanishing like the German
taubes； but to peace instead of war； was moving Rene's brave and smiling
spirit … a boyish angel； eager and dauntless； and still looking up。
Henri took off his cap and crossed himself。
Another sentry took Rene's place the next day； but the little house had
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lost something it could not regain。 And a greater loss was to come。
Jean brought out the mail that day。 For Sara Lee； moving about silent
and red…eyed； there was a letter from Mr。 Travers。 He inclosed a hundred
pounds and a clipping from a London newspaper entitled The Little House
of Mercy。
〃Evidently；〃 he wrote； 〃you were right and we were wrong。 One…half
of the inclosed check is from my wife； who takes this method of showing
her affectionate gratitude。 The balance is from myself。 Once； some months
ago； I said to you that almost you restored my faith in human nature。 To…
day I may say that； in these hours of sorrow for us all； what you have done
and are doing has brought into my gray day a breath of hope。〃
There was another clipping； but no comment。 It recorded the death of a
Reginald Alexander Travers； aged thirty。
It was then that Sara Lee； who was by way of thinking for herself
those days； and of thinking clearly； recognized the strange new self…
abnegation of the English … their attitude not so much of suppressing their
private griefs as of refusing to obtrude them。 A strongly individualistic
people； they were already commencing to think nationally。 Grief was a
private matter； to be borne privately。 To the world they must present an
unbroken front； an unshaken and unshakable faith。 A new attitude； and a
strange one； for grumbling； crochety； gouty…souled England。
A people who had for centuries insisted not only on its rights but on its
privileges was now giving as freely as ever it had demanded。 It was as
though； having hoarded all those years； it had but been hoarding against
the day of payment。 As it had received it gave … in money； in effort； in life。
And without pretext。
So the Traverses； having given up all that had made life for them； sent
a clipping only； and no comment。 Sara Lee； through' a mist of tears； saw
them alone in their drawing…room； having tea as usual； and valiantly
speaking of small things； and bravely facing the future； but never； in the
bitterest moments； making complaint or protest。
Would America； she wondered； if her hour came； be so brave？ Harvey
had a phrase for such things。 It was 〃stand the gaff。〃 Would America stand
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
the gaff so well？ Courage was America's watchword； but a courage of the
body rather than of the soul … physical courage； not moral。 What would
happen if America entered the strnggle and the papers were filled； as were
the British and the French； with long casualty lists； each name a knife
thrust somewhere？
She wondered。
And then； before long； it was Sara Lee's turn to； stand the gaff。 There
was another letter； a curiously incoherent one from Harvey's sister。 She
referred to something that the society had done； and hoped that Sara Lee
would take it in kindness； as it was meant。 Harvey was well and much
happier。 She was to try to understand Harvey's part。 He had been almost
desperate。 Evidently the letter had preceded one that should have arrived
at the same time。 Sara Lee was sadly puzzled。 She went to Henri with it；
but he could make nothing out of it。 There was nothing to do but to wait。
The next night Henri was to go through the lines again。 Since his
wounding he had been working on the Allied side； and fewer lights there
were in his district that flashed the treacherous message across the flood；
between night and morning。 But now it was imperative that he go through
the German lines again。 It was feared that with grappling hooks the enemy
was slowly and cautiously withdrawing the barbed wire from the
inundated fields； and that could mean but one thing。
On the night he was to go Henri called Sara Lee from the crowded
salle a manger and drawing her into the room across closed the door。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said gravely； 〃once before； long ago； you
permitted me to kiss you。 Will you do that for me again？〃
She kissed him at once gravely。 Once she would have flushed。 She did
not now。 For there was a change in Sara Lee as well as in her outlook。 She
had been seeing for months the shortness of life； the brief tenure men held
on it； the value of such happiness as might be for the hours that remained。
She was a woman now； for all her slim young body and her charm of
youth。 Values had changed。 To love； and to show that love； to cheer； to
comfort and help … that was necessary； because soon the chance might be
gone； and there would be long aching years of regret。
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So she kissed him gravely and looked up into his eyes； her own full of
tears。
〃God bless and keep you； dear Henri；〃 she said。
Then she went back to her work。
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CHAPTER XXII
Much of Sara Lee's life at home had faded。 She seemed to be two
people。 One was the girl who had knitted the afghan for Anna； and had
hidden it away from Uncle James' kind but curious eyes。 And one was this
present Sara Lee； living on the edge of eternity； and seeing men die or
suffer horribly； not to gain anything … except perhaps some honorable
advancement for their souls … but that there might be preserved； at any cost；
the right of honest folk to labor in their fields； to love； to pray； and at last
to sleep in the peace of God。
She had lost the past and she dared not look into the future。 So she was
living each day as it came； with its labor； its love； its prayers and at last its
sleep。 Even Harvey seemed remote and stern and bitter。 She reread his
letters often； but they were forced。 And after a time she realized another
quality in them。 They were self…centered。 It was his anxiety； his loneliness；
his humiliation。 Sara Lee's eyes were looking out； those days； over a
suffering world。 Harvey's eyes were turned in on himself。
She realized this； but she never formulated it； even to herself。 What
she did acknowledge was a growing fear of the reunion which must come
sometime … that he was cherishing still further bitterness against that day；
that he would say things that he would regret later。 Sometimes the thought
of that day came to her when she was doing a dressing； and her hands
would tremble。
Henri had not returned when； the second day after Rene's death； the
letter came which recalled her。 She opened it eagerly。 Though from
Harvey there usually came at the best veiled reproach； the society had
always sent its enthusiastic approval。
She read it twice before she understood； and it was only when she read
Belle's letter again that she began to comprehend。 She was recalled； and
the recall was Harvey's work。
She was very close to hating him that day。 He had never understood。
She would go back to him； as she had promised； but always； all the rest of
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their lives； there would be this barrier between them。 To the barrier of his
bitterness would be added her own resentment。 She could never even talk
to him of her work； of those great days when in her small way she had felt
herself a part of the machinery of m
