the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第31节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
mine is equally idiotic。 In fact； we are in many ways alike。 I also am her
slave。 I also am devoted only to her service。 And I never sleep； at least not
107
… Page 108…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
since I met her。〃
From her throne among the pine needles Helen looked up at the
sailorman and frowned。
〃It is not a happy simile；〃 she objected。 〃For one thing； a sailorman has
a sweetheart in every port。〃
〃Wait and see；〃 said Latimer。
〃And；〃 continued the girl with some asperity； 〃if there is anything on
earth that changes its mind as often as a weather…vane； that is less
CERTAIN； less CONSTANT〃
〃Constant？〃 Latimer laughed at her in open scorn。 〃You come back
here；〃 he challenged； 〃months from now； years from now； when the winds
have beaten him； and the sun blistered him； and the snow frozen him； and
you will find him smiling at you just as he is now； just as confidently；
proudly； joyously； devotedly。 Because those who are your slaves； those
who love YOU； cannot come to any harm； only if you disown them； only
if you drive them away！
The sailorman； delighted at such beautiful language； threw himself
about in a delirium of joy。 His arms spun in their sockets like Indian clubs；
his oars flashed in the sun； and his eyes and lips were fixed in one blissful；
long…drawn…out； unalterable smile。
When the golden…rod turned gray； and the leaves red and yellow； and it
was time for Latimer to return to his work in the West； he came to say
good…by。 But the best Helen could do to keep hope alive in him was to say
that she was glad he cared。 She added it was very helpful to think that a
man such as he believed you were so fine a person； and during the coming
winter she would try to be like the fine person he believed her to be； but
which； she assured him； she was not。
Then he told her again she was the most wonderful being in the world；
to which she said： 〃Oh； indeed no！〃 and then； as though he were giving her
a cue； he said： 〃Good…by！〃 But she did not take up his cue； and they shook
hands。 He waited； hardly daring to breathe。
〃Surely； now that the parting has come；〃 he assured himself； 〃she will
make some sign； she will give me a word； a look that will write 'total'
under the hours we have spent together； that will help to carry me through
108
… Page 109…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
the long winter。〃
But he held her hand so long and looked at her so hungrily that he
really forced her to say： 〃Don't miss your train；〃 which kind consideration
for his comfort did not delight him as it should。 Nor； indeed； later did she
herself recall the remark with satisfaction。
With Latimer out of the way the other two hundred and forty…nine
suitor attacked with renewed hope。 Among other advantages they had over
Latimer was that they were on the ground。 They saw Helen daily； at
dinners； dances； at the country clubs； in her own drawing…room。 Like any
sailor from the Charlestown Navy Yard and his sweetheart； they could
walk beside her in the park and throw peanuts to the pigeons； and scratch
dates and initials on the green benches； they could walk with her up one
side of Commonwealth Avenue and down the south bank of the Charles；
when the sun was gilding the dome of the State House； when the bridges
were beginning to deck themselves with necklaces of lights。 They had
known her since they wore knickerbockers； and they shared many interests
and friends in common； they talked the same language。 Latimer could talk
to her only in letters； for with her he shared no friends or interests； and he
was forced to choose between telling her of his lawsuits and his efforts in
politics or of his love。 To write to her of his affairs seemed wasteful and
impertinent； and of his love for her； after she had received what he told of
it in silence； he was too proud to speak。 So he wrote but seldom； and then
only to say： 〃You know what I send you。〃 Had he known it； his best letters
were those he did not send。 When in the morning mail Helen found his
familiar handwriting； that seemed to stand out like the face of a friend in a
crowd； she would pounce upon the letter； read it； and； assured of his love；
would go on her way rejoicing。 But when in the morning there was no
letter； she wondered why； and all day she wondered why。 And the next
morning when again she was disappointed； her thoughts of Latimer and
her doubts and speculations concerning him shut out every other interest。
He became a perplexing； insistent problem。 He was never out of her mind。
And then he would spoil it all by writing her that he loved her and that of
all the women in the world she was the only one。 And； reassured upon that
point； Helen happily and promptly would forget all about him。
109
… Page 110…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
But when she remembered him； although months had passed since she
had seen him； she remembered him much more distinctly； much more
gratefully； than that one of the two hundred and fifty with whom she had
walked that same afternoon。 Latimer could not know it； but of that anxious
multitude he was first； and there was no second。 At least Helen hoped；
when she was ready to marry； she would love Latimer enough to want to
marry him。 But as yet she assured herself she did not want to marry any
one。 As she was； life was very satisfactory。 Everybody loved her；
everybody invited her to be of his party； or invited himself to join hers；
and the object of each seemed to be to see that she enjoyed every hour of
every day。 Her nature was such that to make her happy was not difficult。
Some of her devotees could do it by giving her a dance and letting her
invite half of Boston； and her kid brother could do it by taking her to
Cambridge to watch the team at practice。
She thought she was happy because she was free。 As a matter of fact；
she was happy because she loved some one and that particular some one
loved her。 Her being 〃free〃 was only her mistaken way of putting it。 Had
she thought she had lost Latimer and his love； she would have discovered
that； so far from being free； she was bound hand and foot and heart and
soul。
But she did not know that； and Latimer did not know that。
Meanwhile； from the branch of the tree in the sheltered； secret hiding…
place that overlooked the ocean； the sailorman kept watch。 The sun had
blistered him； the storms had buffeted him； the snow had frozen upon his
shoulders。 But his loyalty never relaxed。 He spun to the north； he spun to
the south； and so rapidly did he scan the surrounding landscape that no one
could hope to creep upon him unawares。 Nor； indeed； did any one attempt
to do so。 Once a fox stole into the secret hiding…place； but the sailorman
flapped his oars and frightened him away。 He was always triumphant。 To
birds； to squirrels； to trespassing rabbits he was a thing of terror。 Once；
when the air was still； an impertinent crow perched on the very limb on
which he stood； and with scornful； disapproving eyes surveyed his white
trousers； his blue reefer； his red cheeks。 But when the wind suddenly drove
past them the sailorman sprang into action and the crow screamed in alarm
110
… Page 111…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
and darted away。 So； alone and with no one to come to his relief； the
sailorman stood his watch。 About him the branches bent with the snow； the
icicles froze him into immobility； and in the tree…tops strange groanings
filled him with alarms。 But undaunted； month after month； alert and
smiling； he waited the return of the beautiful lady and of the tall young
man who had devoured her with such beseeching； unhappy eyes。
Latimer found that to love a woman like Helen Page as he loved her
was the best thing that could come into his life。 But to sit down and lament
over the fact that she did not love him did not； to use his favorite
