the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第25节
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It was a year before the Spanish…American War； while the patriots of
Cuba were fighting the mother country for their independence。
〃If I were a Son of the Revolution；〃 said Emily； 〃I'd go to Cuba and
help free it。〃
〃Don't talk nonsense；〃 cried David。 〃If I did that I'd lose my job； and
we'd never be able to marry。 Besides； what's Cuba done for me？ All I
know about Cuba is； I once smoked a Cuban cigar and it made me ill。〃
〃Did Lafayette talk like that？〃 demanded Emily。 〃Did he ask what
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have the American rebels ever done for me？〃
〃If I were in Lafayette's class；〃 sighed David； 〃I wouldn't be selling
automatic punches。〃
〃There's your trouble；〃 declared Emily 〃You lack self… confidence。
You're too humble； you've got fighting blood and you ought to keep saying
to yourself； 'Blood will tell；' and the first thing you know； it WILL tell！
You might begin by going into politics in your ward。 Or； you could join
the militia。 That takes only one night a week； and then； if we DID go to
war with Spain； you'd get a commission； and come back a captain！〃
Emily's eyes were beautiful with delight。 But the sight gave David no
pleasure。 In genuine distress； he shook his head。
〃Emily；〃 he said； 〃you're going to be awfully disappointed in me。〃
Emily's eyes closed as though they shied at some mental picture。 But
when she opened them they were bright； and her smile was kind and eager。
〃No； I'm not；〃 she protested； 〃only I want a husband with a career； and
one who'll tell me to keep quiet when I try to run it for him。〃
〃I've often wished you would；〃 said David。
〃Would what？ Run your career for you？〃
〃No； keep quiet。 Only it didn't seem polite to tell you so。〃
〃Maybe I'd like you better；〃 said Emily； 〃if you weren't so darned
polite。〃
A week later； early in the spring of 1897； the unexpected happened；
and David was promoted into the flying squadron。 He now was a
travelling salesman； with a rise in salary and a commission on orders。 It
was a step forward； but as going on the road meant absence from Emily；
David was not elated。 Nor did it satisfy Emily。 It was not money she
wanted。 Her ambition for David could not be silenced with a raise in
wages。 She did not say this； but David knew that in him she still found
something lacking； and when they said good…by they both were ill at ease
and completely unhappy。 Formerly； each day when Emily in passing
David in the office said good…morning； she used to add the number of the
days that still separated them from the vacation which also was to be their
honeymoon。 But； for the last month she had stopped counting the daysat
least she did not count them aloud。
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David did not ask her why this was so。 He did not dare。 And； sooner
than learn the truth that she had decided not to marry him； or that she was
even considering not marrying him； he asked no questions； but in
ignorance of her present feelings set forth on his travels。 Absence from
Emily hurt just as much as he had feared it would。 He missed her； needed
her； longed for her。 In numerous letters he told her so。 But； owing to the
frequency with which he moved； her letters never caught up with him。 It
was almost a relief。 He did not care to think of what they might tell him。
The route assigned David took him through the South and kept him
close to the Atlantic seaboard。 In obtaining orders he was not unsuccessful；
and at the end of the first month received from the firm a telegram of
congratulation。 This was of importance chiefly because it might please
Emily。 But he knew that in her eyes the great…great…grandson of Hiram
Greene could not rest content with a telegram from Burdett and Sons。 A
year before she would have considered it a high honor； a cause for
celebration。 Now； he could see her press her pretty lips together and shake
her pretty head。 It was not enough。 But how could he accomplish more。 He
began to hate his great…great…grandfather。 He began to wish Hiram Greene
had lived and died a bachelor。
And then Dame Fortune took David in hand and toyed with him and
spanked him； and pelted and petted him； until finally she made him her
favorite son。 Dame Fortune went about this work in an abrupt and
arbitrary manner。
On the night of the 1st of March； 1897； two trains were scheduled to
leave the Union Station at Jacksonville at exactly the same minute； and
they left exactly on time。 As never before in the history of any Southern
railroad has this miracle occurred； it shows that when Dame Fortune gets
on the job she is omnipotent。 She placed David on the train to Miami as
the train he wanted drew out for Tampa； and an hour later； when the
conductor looked at David's ticket； he pulled the bell…cord and dumped
David over the side into the heart of a pine forest。 If he walked back along
the track for one mile； the conductor reassured him； he would find a flag
station where at midnight he could flag a train going north。 In an hour it
would deliver him safely in Jacksonville。
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There was a moon； but for the greater part of the time it was hidden by
fitful； hurrying clouds； and； as David stumbled forward； at one moment he
would see the rails like streaks of silver； and the next would be
encompassed in a complete and bewildering darkness。 He made his way
from tie to tie only by feeling with his foot。 After an hour he came to a
shed。 Whether it was or was not the flag station the conductor had in mind；
he did not know； and he never did know。 He was too tired； too hot； and too
disgusted to proceed； and dropping his suit case he sat down under the
open roof of the shed prepared to wait either for the train or daylight。 So
far as he could see； on every side of him stretched a swamp； silent； dismal；
interminable。 From its black water rose dead trees； naked of bark and hung
with streamers of funereal moss。 There was not a sound or sign of human
habitation。 The silence was the silence of the ocean at night David
remembered the berth reserved for him on the train to Tampa and of the
loathing with which he had considered placing himself between its sheets。
But now how gladly would he welcome it！ For； in the sleeping…car； ill…
smelling； close； and stuffy； he at least would have been surrounded by
fellow…sufferers of his own species。 Here his companions were owls；
water…snakes； and sleeping buzzards。
I am alone；〃 he told himself； 〃on a railroad embankment； entirely
surrounded by alligators。〃
And then he found he was not alone。
In the darkness； illuminated by a match； not a hundred yards from him
there flashed suddenly the face of a man。 Then the match went out and the
face with it。 David noted that it had appeared at some height above the
level of the swamp； at an elevation higher even than that of the
embankment。 It was as though the man had been sitting on the limb of a
tree。 David crossed the tracks and found that on the side of the
embankment opposite the shed there was solid ground and what once had
been a wharf。 He advanced over this cautiously； and as he did so the
clouds disappeared； and in the full light of the moon he saw a bayou
broadening into a river； and made fast to the decayed and rotting wharf an
ocean…going tug。 It was from her deck that the man； in lighting his pipe；
had shown his face。 At the thought of a warm engine…room and the
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company of his fellow creatures； David's heart leaped with pleasure。 He
advanced
