interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第4节
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
occupied Belgium。 What it does not know and may never know is of the
struggle during those early days to feed the heroic Belgian Army in their
wet and almost untenable trenches。
Hospital trains they could improvise out of what rolling stock
remained to them。 Money could be borrowed； and was。 But food？
Clothing？ Ammunition？ In his little villa on the seacoast the Belgian King
knew that his soldiers were hungry； and paced the floor of his tiny living…
room； and over in an American city whose skyline was as pointed with
furnace turrets as Constantinople's is with mosques； over there Sara Lee
heard that call of hunger； and … put on her engagement ring。
Later on that evening； with Harvey's wide cheerful face turned
adoringly to her； Sara Lee formulated a question：
〃Don't you sometimes feel as though you'd like to go to France and
fight？〃
〃What for？〃
〃Well； they need men； don't they？〃
〃I guess they don't need me； honey。 I'd be the dickens of a lot of use！
Never fired a gun in my life。〃
〃You could learn。 It isn't hard。〃
Harvey sat upright and stared at her。
〃Oh； if you want me to go …〃 he said； and waited。
Sara Lee twisted her ring on her finger。
〃Nobody wants anybody to go；〃 she said not very elegantly。 〃I'd just …
I'd rather like to think you wanted to go。〃
That was almost too subtle for Harvey。 Something about him was
rather reminiscent of Uncle James on mornings when he was determined
not to go to church。
〃It's not our fight；〃 he said。 〃And as far as that goes； I'm not so sure
there isn't right on both sides。 Or wrong。 Most likely wrong。 I'd look fine
going over there to help the Allies； and then making up my mind it was the
British who'd spilled the beans。 Now let's talk about something interesting
… for instance； how much we love each other。〃
It was always 〃we〃 with Harvey。 In his simple creed if a girl accepted
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
a man and let him kiss her and wore his ring it was a reciprocal love affair。
It never occurred to him that sometimes as the evening dragged toward a
close Sara Lee was just a bit weary of his arms； and that she sought； after
he had gone； the haven of her little white room； and closed the door； and
had to look rather a long time at his photograph before she was in a
properly loving mood again。
But that night after his prolonged leave…taking Sara Lee went upstairs
to her room and faced the situation。
She was going to marry Harvey。 She was committed to that。 And she
loved him； not as he cared； perhaps； but he was a very definite part of her
life。 Once or twice when he had been detained by business she had missed
him； had put in a lonely and most unhappy evening。
Sara Lee had known comparatively few men。 In that small and simple
circle of hers； with its tennis court in a vacant lot； its one or two
inexpensive cars； its picnics and porch parties； there was none of the usual
give and take of more sophisticated circles。 Boys and girls paired off
rather early； and remained paired by tacit agreement； there was
comparatively little shifting。 There were few free lances among the men；
and none among the girls。 When she was seventeen Harvey had made it
known unmistakably that Sara Lee was his； and no trespassing。 And for
two years he had without intentional selfishness kept Sara Lee for himself。
That was how matters stood that January night when Sara Lee went
upstairs after Harvey had gone and read Mabel's letter； with Harvey's
photograph turned to the wall。 Under her calm exterior a little flame of
rebellion was burning in her。 Harvey's perpetual 〃we；〃 his attitude toward
the war； and Mabel's letter； with what it opened before her； had set the
match to something in Sara Lee she did not recognize … a strain of the
adventurer； a throw…back to some wandering ancestor perhaps。 But more
than anything it had set fire to the something maternal that is in all good
women。
Yet； had Aunt Harriet not come in just then； the flame might have died。
And had it died a certain small page of the history of this war would never
have been written。
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Aunt Harriet came in hesitatingly。 She wore a black wrapper； and her
face； with her hair drawn back for the night； looked tight and old。
Harvey gone？ 〃 she asked。 〃 Yes。〃
〃I thought I'd better come in。 There's something … I can tell you in the
morning if you're tired。〃
〃I'm not tired；〃 said Sara Lee。
Aunt Harriet sat down miserably on a chair。
〃I've had a letter from Jennie；〃 she stated。 〃The girl's gone； and the
children have whooping cough。 She'd like me to come right away。〃
〃To do the maid's work！〃 said Sara Lee indig nantly。 〃You mustn't do it；
that's all！ She can get somebody。〃
But Aunt Harriet was firm。 She was not a fair…weather friend； and
since Jennie was good enough to offer her a home she felt she ought to go
at once。
〃You'll have to get married right away；〃 she finished。 〃Goodness
knows it's time enough！ For two years Harvey has been barking like a
watchdog in front of the house and keeping every other young man away。〃
Sara Lee smiled。
〃He's only been lying on the doormat； Aunt Harriet；〃 she observed。 〃I
don't believe he knows how to bark。〃
〃Oh； he's mild enough。 He may change after marriage。 Some do。 But；〃
she added hastily； 〃he'll be a good husband。 He's that sort。〃
Suddenly something that had been taking shape in Sara Lee's small
head； quite unknown to her； developed identity and speech。
〃But I'm not going to marry him just yet；〃 she said。
Aunt Harriet's eyes fell on the photograph with its face to the wall； and
she started。
〃You haven't quarreled with him； have you？〃
〃No； of course not！ I have something else I want to do first。 That's all。
Aunt Harriet； I want to go to France。〃
Aunt Harriet began to tremble； and Sara Lee went over and put her
young arms about her。
〃Don't look like that；〃 she said。 〃It's only for a little while。 I've got to
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
go。 I just have to； that's all！〃
〃Go how？〃 demanded Aunt Harriet。
〃I don't know。 I'll find some way。 I've had a letter from Mabel。 Things
are awful over there。〃
〃And how will you help them？〃 Her face worked nervously。 〃Is it
going to help for you to be shot？ Or carried off by the Germans？〃 The
atrocity stories were all that Aunt Harriet knew of the war； and all she
could think of now。 〃You'll come back with your hands cut off。〃
Sara Lee straightened and looked out where between the white
curtains the spire of the Methodist Church marked the east。
〃I'm going；〃 she said。 And she stood there； already poised for flight。
There was no sleep in the little house that night。 Sara Lee could hear
the older woman moving about in her lonely bed； where the spring still
sagged from Uncle James' heavy form； and at last she went in and crept in
beside her。 Toward morning Aunt Harriet slept； with the girl's arm cross
her； and then Sara Lee went back to her room and tried to plan。
She had a little money； and she had heard that living was cheap abroad。
She could get across then； and perhaps keep herself。 But she must do more
than that； to justify her going。 She must get money； and then decide how
the money was to be spent。 If she could only talk it over with Uncle James！
Or； with Harvey。 Harvey knew about business and money。
But she dared not go to Harvey。 She was terribly frightened when she
even thought of him。 There was no hope of making him understand； and
no chance of reasoning with him； because； to be frank； she had no reasons。
She had only instinct … instinct and a great tenderness toward suffering。 No；
obviously Harvey must not know until everything was arranged。
That morning the Methodist Church packed a barrel for the Belgians。
There was a real rite of placing in it Mrs。 Augustus Gregory's old sealskin
coat； now a lig
