the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第41节
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pause of an instant； as though giving a signal； to shriek again in two sharp
blasts。 And then again it broke into the hideous long drawn scream of rage；
insistent； breathless； commanding； filling the soul of him who heard it；
even of the innocent； with alarm。
〃In the name of Heaven！〃 gasped Keep； 〃what's that？〃
Down the terrace the butler was hastening toward them。 When he
stopped； he spoke as though he were announcing dinner。 〃A convict； sir；〃
he said； 〃has escaped from Sing Sing。 I thought you might not understand
the whistle。 I thought perhaps you would wish Mrs。 Keep to come in…
doors。〃
〃Why？〃 asked Winnie Keep。
〃The house is near the road； madam；〃 said the butler。 〃And there are so
many trees and bushes。 Last summer two of them hid here； and the
keepersthere was a fight。〃 The man glanced at Keep。 Fred touched his
wife on the arm。
〃It's time to dress for dinner； Win；〃 he said。
〃And what are you going to do？〃 demanded Winnie。
I'm going to finish this cigar first。 It doesn't take me long to change。〃
He turned to the butler。 〃And I'll have a cocktail； too I'll have it out here。〃
The servant left them； but in the French window that opened from the
terrace to the library Mrs。 Keep lingered irresolutely。 〃Fred；〃 she begged；
〃youyou're not going to poke around in the bushes； are you？just
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because you think I'm frightened？〃
Her husband laughed at her。 〃I certainly am NOT！〃 he said。 〃And
you're not frightened； either。 Go in。 I'll be with you in a minute。〃
But the girl hesitated。 Still shattering the silence of the night the siren
shrieked relentlessly； it seemed to be at their very door； to beat and buffet
the window…panes。 The bride shivered and held her fingers to her ears。
〃Why don't they stop it！〃 she whispered。 〃Why don't they give him a
chance！〃
When she had gone； Fred pulled one of the wicker chairs to the edge
of the terrace； and； leaning forward with his chin in his hands； sat staring
down at the lake。 The moon had cleared the tops of the trees； had blotted
the lawns with black； rigid squares； had disguised the hedges with
wavering shadows。 Somewhere near at hand a criminala murderer；
burglar； thugwas at large； and the voice of the prison he had tricked still
bellowed in rage； in amazement； still clamored not only for his person but
perhaps for his life。 The whole countryside heard it： the farmers bedding
down their cattle for the night； the guests of the Briar Cliff Inn； dining
under red candle shades； the joy riders from the city； racing their cars
along the Albany road。 It woke the echoes of Sleepy Hollow。 It crossed the
Hudson。 The granite walls of the Palisades flung it back against the granite
walls of the prison。 Whichever way the convict turned； it hunted him；
reaching for him； pointing him outstirring in the heart of each who heard
it the lust of the hunter； which never is so cruel as when the hunted thing is
a man。
〃Find him！〃 shrieked the siren。 〃Find him！ He's there； behind your
hedge！ He's kneeling by the stone wall。 THAT'S he running in the
moonlight。 THAT'S he crawling through the dead leaves！ Stop him！ Drag
him down！ He's mine！ Mine！〃
But from within the prison； from within the gray walls that made the
home of the siren； each of twelve hundred men cursed it with his soul。
Each； clinging to the bars of his cell； each； trembling with a fearful joy；
each； his thumbs up； urging on with all the strength of his will the hunted；
rat…like figure that stumbled panting through the crisp October night；
bewildered by strange lights； beset by shadows； staggering and falling；
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
running like a mad dog in circles； knowing that wherever his feet led him
the siren still held him by the heels。
As a rule； when Winnie Keep was dressing for dinner； Fred； in the
room adjoining； could hear her unconsciously and light…heartedly singing
to herself。 It was a habit of hers that he loved。 But on this night； although
her room was directly above where he sat upon the terrace； he heard no
singing。 He had been on the terrace for a quarter of an hour。 Gridley； the
aged butler who was rented with the house； and who for twenty years had
been an inmate of it； had brought the cocktail and taken away the empty
glass。 And Keep had been alone with his thoughts。 They were entirely of
the convict。 If the man suddenly confronted him and begged his aid； what
would he do？ He knew quite well what he would do。 He considered even
the means by which he would assist the fugitive to a successful get…away。
The ethics of the question did not concern Fred。 He did not weigh his
duty to the State of New York； or to society。 One day； when he had visited
〃the institution；〃 as a somewhat sensitive neighborhood prefers to speak of
it； he was told that the chance of a prisoner's escaping from Sing Sing and
not being at once retaken was one out of six thousand。 So with Fred it was
largely a sporting proposition。 Any man who could beat a six…thousand…to…
one shot commanded his admiration。
And； having settled his own course of action； he tried to imagine
himself in the place of the man who at that very moment was endeavoring
to escape。 Were he that man； he would first； he decided； rid himself of his
tell…tale clothing。 But that would leave him naked； and in Westchester
County a naked man would be quite as conspicuous as one in the purple…
gray cloth of the prison。 How could he obtain clothes？ He might hold up a
passer…by； and； if the passer…by did not flee from him or punch him into
insensibility； he might effect an exchange of garments； he might by threats
obtain them from some farmer； he might despoil a scarecrow。
But with none of these plans was Fred entirely satisfied。 The question
deeply perplexed him。 How best could a naked man clothe himself？ And
as he sat pondering that point； from the bushes a naked man emerged。 He
was not entirely undraped。 For around his nakedness he had drawn a
canvas awning。 Fred recognized it as having been torn from one of the
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row…boats in the lake。 But； except for that； the man was naked to his heels。
He was a young man of Fred's own age。 His hair was cut close； his face
smooth…shaven； and above his eye was a half…healed bruise。 He had the
sharp； clever； rat…like face of one who lived by evil knowledge。 Water
dripped from him； and either for that reason or from fright the young man
trembled； and； like one who had been running； breathed in short； hard
gasps。
Fred was surprised to find that he was not in the least surprised。 It was
as though he had been waiting for the man； as though it had been an
appointment。
Two thoughts alone concerned him： that before he could rid himself of
his visitor his wife might return and take alarm； and that the man； not
knowing his friendly intentions； and in a state to commit murder； might
rush him。 But the stranger made no hostile move； and for a moment in the
moonlight the two young men eyed each other warily。
Then； taking breath and with a violent effort to stop the chattering of
his teeth； the stranger launched into his story。
〃I took a bath in your pond；〃 he blurted forth； 〃andand they stole my
clothes！ That's why I'm like this！〃
Fred was consumed with envy。 In comparison with this ingenious
narrative how prosaic and commonplace became his own plans to rid
himself of accusing garments and explain his nakedness。 He regarded the
stranger with admiration。 But even though he applauded the other's
invention； he could not let him suppose that he was deceived by it。
〃Isn't it rather a cold night to take a bath？〃 he said。
As though in hearty agreement； the naked man burst into a violent fit
of shivering。
〃It wasn't a bath；〃 he gasped。 〃It
