interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第43节
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but the reporters had said it had been in a London newspaper。 If she had
not told him that； there were probably many things she had not told him。
But of course there had been very little time。 He would see if she
mentioned it that night。
Sara Lee had had a hard day。 The children loved her。 In the intervals of
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calls they crawled over her； and the littlest one called her Saralie。 She held
the child in her arms close。
〃Saralie！〃 said the child； over and over； 〃Saralie！ That's your name。 I
love your name。〃
And there came； echoing in her ears； Henri and his tender Saralie。
There was an oppression on her too。 Her very bedroom thrust on her
her approaching marriage。 This was her own furniture； for her new home。
It was beautiful； simple and good。 But she was not ready for marriage。 She
had been too close to the great struggle to be prepared to think in terms of
peace so soon。 Perhaps； had she dared to look deeper than that； she would
have found something else； a something she had not counted on。
She and Belle had a little time after the visitors had gone； before
Harvey came home。 They sat in Belle's bedroom； and her sentences were
punctuated by little backs briskly presented to have small garments
fastened； or bows put on stiffly bobbed yellow hair。
〃Did you understand my letter？〃 she asked。 〃I was sorry I had sent it；
but it was too late then。〃
〃I put your letter and … theirs； together。 I supposed that Harvey …〃
〃He was about out of his mind；〃 Belle said in her worried voice。
〃Stand still； Mary Ellen！ He went to Mrs。 Gregory； and I suppose he said a
good bit。 You know the way he does。 Anyhow； she was very angry。 She
called a special meeting； and … I tried to prevent their recalling you。 He
doesn't know that； of course。〃
〃You tried？〃
〃Well； I felt as though it was your work；〃 Belle said rather
uncomfortably。 〃Bring me the comb； Alice。 I guess we get pretty narrow
here and … I've been following things more closely since you went over。 I
know more than I did。 And； of course； after one marries there isn't much
chance。 There are children and …〃 Her face twisted。 〃I wish I could do
something。〃
She got up and brought from the dresser a newspaper clipping。
〃It's the London newspaper；〃 she explained。 〃I've been taking it； but
Harvey doesn't know。 He doesn't care much for the English。 This is about
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
your being decorated。〃
Sara Lee held it listlessly in her hands。
〃Shall I tell him； Belle？〃 she asked。
Belle hesitated。
〃I don't believe I would；〃 she said forlornly。 〃He won't like it。 That's
why I've never showed him that clipping。 He hates it all so。〃
Sara Lee dressed that evening in the white frock。 She dressed slowly；
thinking hard。 All round her was the shiny newness of her furniture； a
trifle crowded in Belle's small room。 Sara Lee had a terrible feeling of
being fastened in by it。 Wherever she turned it gleamed。 She felt
surrounded； smothered。
She had meant to make a clean breast of things … of the little house；
and of Henri； and of the King； pinning the medal on her shabby black
jacket and shaking hands with her。 Henri she must tell about … not his
name of course； nor his madness； nor even his love。 But she felt that she
owed it to Harvey to have as few secrets from him as possible。 She would
tell about what the boy had done for her； and how he； and he alone； had
made it all possible。
Surely Harvey would understand。 It was a page that was closed。 It had
held nothing to hurt him。 She had come back。
She stood by her window； thinking。 And a breath of wind set the leaves
outside to rustling。 Instantly she was back again in the little house； and the
sound was not leaves； but the shuffling of many stealthy feet on the
cobbles of the street at night； that shuffling that was so like the rustling of
leaves in a wood or the murmur of water running over a stony creek bed。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
CHAPTER XXV
It was clear to Sara Lee from the beginning of the evening that
Harvey did not intend to hear her story。 He did not say so； indeed； for a
time he did not talk at all。 He sat with his arms round her； content just to
have her there。
〃I have a lot of arrears to make up；〃 he said。 〃I've got to get used to
having you where I can touch you。 To…night when I go Upstairs I'm going
to take that damned colorless photograph of you and throw it out the
window。〃
〃I must tell you about your photograph；〃 she ventured。 〃It always
stood on the mantel over the stove； and when there was a threatened
bombardment I used to put it under …〃
Let's not talk； honey。〃
When he came out of that particular silence he said abruptly：
〃Will Leete is dead。〃
〃Oh； no！ Poor Will Leete。〃
〃Died of pneumonia in some God…forsaken hole over there。 He's left a
wife and nothing much to keep her。 That's what comes of mixing in the
other fellow's fight。 I guess we can get the house as soon as we want it。
She has to sell； and it ought to be a bargain〃
〃Harvey；〃 she said rather timidly； 〃you speak of the other fellow's fight。
They say over there that we are sure to be drawn into it sooner or later。〃
〃Not on our life！〃 he replied brusquely。 〃And if you don't mind； honey；
I don't care to hear about what they think over there。〃 He got up from his
old place on the arm of her chair and stood on the rug。 〃I'd better tell you
now how I feel about this thing。 I can't talk about it； that's all。 We'll finish
up now and let it go at that。 I'm sorry there's a war。 I'll send money when I
can afford it； to help the Belgians； though my personal opinion is that
they're getting theirs for what they did in the Congo。 But I don't want to
hear about what you did over there。〃
He saw her face； and he went to her and kissed her cheek。
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〃I don't want to hurt you； honey；〃 he said。 〃I love you with all my heart。
But somehow I can't forget that you left me and went over there when
there was no reason for it。 You put off our marriage； and I suppose we'd
better get it over。 Go ahead and tell me about it。〃
He drew up a chair and waited； but the girl smiled rather tremulously。
〃Perhaps we'd better wait； if you feel that way； Harvey。〃
His face was set as he looked at her。
〃There's only one thing I want to know；〃 he said。 〃And I've got a right
to know that。 You're a young girl； and you're beautiful … to me； anyhow。
You've been over there with a lot of crazy foreigners。〃 He got up again and
all the bitterness of the empty months was in his voice。 〃Did any of them …
was there anybody there you cared about？〃
〃I came back； Harvey。〃
〃That's not the question。〃
〃There were many men … officers … who were kind to me。 I …〃
〃That's not the question； either。〃
〃If I had loved any one more than I loved you I should not have come
back。〃
〃Wait a minute！〃 he said quickly。 〃You had to come back； you know。〃
〃I could have stayed。 The Englishwoman who took over my work
asked me to stay on and help her。〃
He was satisfied then。 He went back to the arm of her chair and kissed
her。
〃All right；〃 he said。 〃I've suffered the tortures of the damned； but … that
fixes it。 Now let's talk about something else。 I'm sick of this war talk。〃
〃I'd like to tell you about my little house。 And poor Rene …〃
〃Who was Rene？〃 he demanded。
〃The orderly。〃 。 〃The one on the step； with a rifle？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Look here；〃 he said。 〃I've got to get to all that gradually。 I don't know
that I'll ever get to it cheerfully。 But I can't talk about that place to…night。
And I don't want to talk war。 The whole business makes me sick。 I've got a
car out of it； and if things keep on we may be able to get the Leete house。
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But there's no reason in it； no sense。 I'm sick to death of hearing about it。
Let's talk of something else。〃
But … and here was some
