interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第46节
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he did illness。
The stupid boy was not round。 The girl herself took the key and led the
way down the long corridor upstairs to a room。 Henri stumbled in and fell
across the bed。 He was almost immediately asleep。
Late in the afternoon he wakened。 Strange that Jean had not come。 He
got up and bathed his face。 His right arm was very stiff now； and pains ran
from the old wound in his chest down to the fingers of his hand。 He tried
to exercise to limber it； and grew almost weak with pain。
At six o'clock； when Jean had not come； Henri resorted to ways that he
knew of and secured a car。 He had had some coffee by that time； and he
felt much better … so well indeed that he sang under his breath a strange
rambling song that sounded rather like Rene's rendering of Tipperary。 The
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
driver looked at him curiously every now and then。
It was ten o'clock when they reached La Panne。 Henri went at once to
the villa set high on a sand dune where the King's secretary lived。 The
house was dark； but in the library at the rear there was a light。 He
stumbled along the paths beside the house； and reached at last； after
interminable miles； when the path sometimes came up almost to his eyes
and again fell away so that it seemed to drop from under his feet … at last
he reached the long French doors； with their drawn curtains。 He opened
the door suddenly and thereby surprised the secretary； who was a most
dignified and rather nervous gentleman； into laying his hand on a heavy
inkwell。
〃I wish to see the King；〃 said Henri in a loud tone。 Because at that
moment the secretary； lamp and inkwell and all； retired suddenly to a very
great distance； as if one had viewed them through the reverse end of an
opera glass。
The secretary knew Henri。 He； too； eyed him curiously。
The King has retired； monsieur。〃
〃I think；〃 said Henri in a dangerous tone； 〃that he will see me。〃
To tell the truth； the secretary rather thought so too。 There was a
strange rumor going round； to the effect that the boy had followed a
woman to England at a critical time。 Which would have been a pity； the
secretary thought。 There were so many women； and so few men like
Henri。
The secretary considerd gravely。 Henri was by that time in a chair； but
it moved about so that he had to hold very tight to the arms。 When he
looked up again the secretary had picked up his soft black hat and was at
the door。
〃I shall inquire；〃 he said。 Henri saluted him stiffly； with his left hand；
as he went out。
The secretary went to His Majesty's equerry； who was in the next
house playing solitaire and trying to forget the family he had left on the
other side of the line。
So it was that in due time Henri again traversed miles of path and
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
pavement； between tall borders of wild sea grass； miles which perhaps
were a hundred yards。 And went round the screen； and … found the King on
the hearthrug。 But when he drew himself stiffly to attention he overdid the
thing rather and went over backward with a crash。
He was up again almost immediately； very flushed and uncomfortable。
After that he kept himself in hand； but the King； who had a way all his
own of forgetting his divine right to rule； and a great many other things …
the King watched him gravely。
Henri sat in a chair and made a clean breast of it。 Because he was
feeling rather strange he told a great many things that an agent of the
secret service is hardly expected to reveal to his king。 He mentioned； for
instance； the color of Sara Lee's eyes； and the way she bandaged； like one
who had been trained。
Once； in the very middle of his narrative； where he had put the letter
from the Front in his pocket and decided to go to England anyhow； he
stopped and hummed Rene's version of Tipperary。 Only a bar or two。 Then
he remembered。
But one thing brought him round with a start。
〃Then；〃 said the King slowly； 〃Jean was not with you？〃
Only he did not call him Jean。 He gave him his other name； which； like
Henri's； is not to be told。
Henri's brain cleared then with the news that Jean was missing。 When；
somewhat later； he staggered out of the villa； it was under royal
instructions to report to the great hospital along the sea front and near by；
and there to go to bed and have a doctor。 Indeed； because the boy's eyes
were wild by that time； the equerry went along and held his arm。 But that
was because Henri was in open revolt； and while walking steadily enough
showed a tendency to bolt every now and then。
He would stop on the way and argue； though one does not argue easily
with an equerry。
〃I must go；〃 he would say fretfully。 〃God knows where he is。 He'd
never give me up if I were the one。〃
And once he shook off the equerry violently and said：
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
〃Let go of me； I tell you！ I'll come back and go to bed when I've found
him。〃
The equerry soothed him like a child。
An English nurse took charge of Henri in the hospital； and put him to
bed。 He was very polite to her； and extremely cynical。 She sat in a chair by
his bed and held the key of the room in her hand。 Once he thought she was
Sara Lee； but that was only for a moment。 She did not look like Sara Lee。
And she was suspicious； too； for when he asked her what she could put in
her left hand that she could not put in her right； she moved away and
placed the door key on the stand； out of reach。
However； toward morning she dozed。 There was steady firing at
Nieuport and the windows shook constantly。 An ambulance came in；
followed by a stirring on the lower floor。 Then silence。 He got up then and
secured the key。 There was no time for dressing； because she was a
Suspicious person and likely to waken at any time。 He rolled his clothing
into a bundle and carried it under his well arm。 The other was almost
useless。
The ambulance was still waiting outside； at the foot of the staircase。
There were voices and lights in the operating room； forward along the
tiled hall。 Still in his night clothing； Henri got into the ambulance and
threw his uniform behind him。 Then he got the car under way。
Outside the village he paused long enough to dress。 His head was
amazingly clear。 He had never felt so sure of himself before。 As to his
errand he had no doubt whatever。 Jean had learned that he had crossed the
channel。 Therefore Jean had taken up his work … Jean； who had but one
eye and was as clumsy as a bear。 The thought of Jean crawling through the
German trenches set him laughing until he ended with a sob。
It was rather odd about the ambulance。 It did not keep the road very
well。 Sometimes it was on one side and sometimes on the other。 It slid as
though the road were greased。 And after a time Henri made an amazing
discovery。 He was not alone in the car。
He looked back； without stopping； and the machine went off in a wide
arc。 He brought it back again； grinning。
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
〃Thought you had me； didn't you？〃 he observed to the car in general；
and the engine in particular。 〃Now no tricks！〃
There was a wounded man in the car。 He had had morphia and he was
very comfortable。 He was not badly hurt； and he considered that he was
being taken to Calais。 He was too tired to talk； and the swinging of the car
rather interested him。 He would doze and waken and doze again。 But at
last he heard something that made him rise on his elbow。
It was the hammering of the big guns。
He called Henri's attention to this； but Henri said：
〃Lie down； Jean； and don't talk。 We'll make it yet。〃
The wounded man intended to make a protest； but he went to sleep
instead。
They had reached the village now where was the little house of mercy。
The ambulance rolled and leaped down the street； with both lights full on；
which was forbidden； and came to a
