adventures and letters-第70节

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es；〃　and　more　〃rumors〃　than　there　are　words　in　the　directory。　　To…morrow；　I　present　my　letters　and　hope　to　get　to　the　〃front。〃　　I　only　hope　the　front　doesn't　come　to　us。　But；　it　ought　to　be　a　place　for　great　stories。　　All　love　to　you　old　man；　and　bless　you　both。　　How　I　look　forward　to　our　first　lunch　in　your　wonderful　home！　　And　to　sit　in　front　of　your　fire；　and　hear　all　the　news。　　All　love　to　you　both。

RICHARD。


December　6；　1915。　DEAREST　ONE：

I　have　been　away　so　could　not　write。　　They　took　us　to　the　French　and　English　〃front〃　and　away　from　Greece；　we　were　in　Bulgaria　and　Servia。　　It　was　at　a　place　where　the　three　boundaries　met。　　We　saw　remarkable　mountain　ranges　and　deep　snow；　and　some　fine　artillery。　　But　throwing　shells　into　that　bleak；　white　jumble　of　snow　and　rocksthere　was　fifty　miles　of　itwas　like　throwing　a　baseball　at　the　Rocky　Mountains。　　Still；　it　was　seeing　something。　　Now；　I　have　a　room；　and　a　very　wonderful　one。　　I　had　to　bribe　everyone　in　the　hotel　to　get　it；　and　I　have　something　to　write　and；　no　more　moving　about　I　hope；　for　at　least　a　week。　　I　am　able　to　see　the　ships　at　anchor　for　miles；　and　the　landing　stage　for　all　the　warships　is　just　under　my　window。　　As　near　as　McCoy　Rock　from　the　terrace。　　It　is　like　a　moving　picture　all　the　time。　　I　bought　myself　an　oil　stove　and　a　can　of　Standard　oil；　and；　instead　of　trying　to　warm　the　hotel　with　my　body；　I　let　George　do　it。　　But　it　is　a　very　small　stove；　and　to　really　get　the　good　of　it；　I　have　to　sit　with　it　between　my　legs。　　Still；　it　is　such　a　relief　to　be　alone；　and　not　to　pack　all　the　time。　　McCutcheon　and　Bass；　Hare　and　Shepherd　are　fine；　but　I　felt　like　the　devil；　imposing　on　them；　and　working　four　in　a　room　is　no　joke。　　We　dine　together　each　night。　　Except　them；　I　see　no　one；　but　have　been　writing。　　Also；　I　have　been　collecting　facts　about　Servian　relief。　　Harjes；　Morgan's　representative　in　Paris；　gave　me　carte　blanche　to　call　on　him　for　money　or　supplies；　but　I　waited　until　today　to　cable；　so　as　to　be　sure　where　help　was　most　needed。　　It　is　still　cold；　but　that　AWFUL　cold　spell　was　quite　unprecedented　and　is　not　likely　to　come　again。　　I　NEVER　suffered　so　from　cold；　and；　as　you　know；　I　suffer　considerable。　　All　the　English　officers　who　had　hunted　in　cold　places；　said　neither　had　they　ever　felt　such　cold。　　Seven　hundred　Tommies　were　frost　bitten　and　toes　and　fingers　fell　off。　　I　do　not　say　anything　about　how　awful　it　is　not　to　hear。　　But；　if　I　had　had　your　letters　forwarded　to　this　dump　of　the　Levant；　I　never　would　have　got　them。　　Now；　I　have　to　wait　for　them　until　I　get　to　Paris；　but　there　I　will　surely　get　them。　　Cables；　of　course；　can　reach　me；　but　no　cables　mean　to　me　that　you　are　all　right。　　Nor　do　I　want　to　〃talk〃　about　Christmas。

You　know　how　I　feel　about　that；　and　about　missing　the　first　one　SHE　has　had。　　But　it　will　be　the　LAST　one　we　will　know　apart。　　Never　again！

I　want　you　in　my　arms　and　to　hear　you　laugh　and　see　your　eyes。　　I　am　in　need　of　you　to　make　a　fuss　over　me。　　McCutcheon　and　Co。　don't　care　whether　I　have　cold　hands　or　not。　　You　do。　　Your　ointment　and　gloves　saved　my　fingers　from　falling　off　like　the　soldiers'　did。　　And　your　〃housewife〃　I　use　to　put　on　buttons；　and；　your　scapular　and　medal　keep　me　well。　　But　your　love　is　what　really　lifts　me　up　and　consoles　me。　　When　I　think　how　you　and　I　care　for　each　other；　then；　I　am　scared；　for　it　is　very　beautiful。　　And　we　must　not　ever　be　away　from　each　other　again。　　God　keep　you　my　beloved；　and　both　my　blessings。　　I　cannot　bear　itwhen　I　think　of　all　I　am　missing　of　her；　and；　all　that　she　is　doing。　　God　guard　you　both。　　My　darling　and　dear　wife　and　mother　of　Hope。

Your　husband；

RICHARD。


SALONICA；　　December　　　18th。

DEAREST　WIFE　AND　SWEETHEART：

I　am　very　blue　tonight；　and　NEVER　was　so　homesick。　　Yesterday　just　to　feel　I　was　in　touch　with　you　I　sent　a　cable　through　the　fog；　it　said；　〃Well；　homesick；　all　love　to　you　both。〃　　I　did　not　ask　if　you　and　Hope　were　well；　because　I　KNOW　the　good　Lord　will　not　let　any　harm　come　to　you。　　I　am　certainly　caught　by　the　heels　this　time。　　And　it　will　be　the　last　time。　　As　you　know；　I　meant　only　to　go　to　France　where　no　time　would　be　wasted　in　travel；　and　I　would　be　able　to　get　back　soon。　　But　the　blockade　held　up　the　ship　and　on　the　other　one　the　captain　stayed　at　anchor；　and；　then　when　I　got　here；　the　Allies　retreated；　and　I　had　to　stay　on　to　cover　what　is　to　come　next。　　What　that　is；　or　whether　nothing　happens；　you　will　know　by　the　time　this　reaches　you。　　So；　here　I　am。　　For　TEN　days　until　this　morning　we　have　never　seen　the　sun。　　In　sixty　years　nothing　like　it　has　happened。　　The　Salonicans　said　the　English　transports　brought　the　fog　with　them。　　Anyway；　I　got　it。　　My　room　is　right　on　the　harbor。　　I　never　thought　I　would　LOVE　an　oil　stove。　　I　always　thought　they　were　ill…smelling；　air…destroying。　　But　this　one　saved　my　life。　　I　wrote　with　it　between　my　knees；　I　dry　my　laundry　on　it；　and　use　the　tin　pan　on　top　of　it　to　take　the　dampness　out　of　the　bed。　　The　fog　kept　everything　like　a　sponge。　　Coal　is　thirty　dollars　a　ton。　　To　get　wood　for　firewood　the　boatmen　row　miles　out；　and　wait　below　the　transports　to　get　the　boxes　they　throw　overboard。　　I　go　around　asking　EVERYBODY　if　this　place　is　not　now　a　dead　duck　for　news。　　But　they　all　give　me　no　encouragement。　　They　say　it　is　the　news　center　of　the　world。　　I　hope　it　chokes。　　I　try　to　comfort　myself　by　thinking　you　are　happy；　because　you　have　Hope；　and　I　have　nobody；　except　John　McCutcheon　and　Bass　and　Jimmie　Hare；　and　they　are　as　blue　as　I　am；　and　no　one　can　get　any　money。　　I　cabled　today　to　Wheeler　for　some　via　the　State　Department。　　I　went　to　the　Servian　camp　for　the　little　orphans　whose　fathers　have　been　killed；　and　they　all　knelt　and　kissed　my　hands。　　It　was　awful。　　I　thought　of　Hope；　and　hugged　a　few　and　carried　them　around　in　my　arms　and　felt　much　better。　　Today　for　the　first　time；　I　quit　work　and　went　to　see　an　American　film　at　the　cinema　to　cheer　me。　　But　when　I　saw　the　streetcars；　and　〃ready　to　wear〃　clothes；　and　the　policemen　I　got　suicidal。　　I　went　back　and　told　the　others　and　they　all　rushed　off　to　see　〃home〃　things；　and　are　there　now。　　This　is　a　yell　of　a　letter；　but　it's　the　only　kind　I　can　write。　　　My　stories　and　cables　are　rotten；　too。　　I　have　seen　nothingjust　traveled　and　waited　for　something　to　happen。　　Goodnight；　dearest　one。　　I　love　you　so。　　　You　will　never　know　how　much　I　love　you。　　Kiss　my　darling　for　me；　and；　think　only　of　the　good　days　when　we　will　be　together　again。　　Such　good　days。　　Goodnight　againall　love。

RICHARD。


HARBOR　　SALONICA；　December　19th。

I　am　a　happy　man　tonight！　　And　that　is　the　first　time　I　have　been　able　to　say　so　since　I　left　you。　　The　backbone　of　the　trip　is　broken！　and　my　face　is　turned　Westtoward　you　and　Hope。　　John　McCutcheon　gave　me　a　farewell　dinner　tonight　of　which　I　got　one　half；　as　the　police　made　me　go　on　board　at　nine；　although　we　do　not　sail　until　five　in　the　morning。　　So　there　was　time　for　only　one　toast；　as　I　was　making　for　the　door。　　Was　it　to　your　husband？　　It　was　not。　　It　was　to　Hope　Davis；　two　weeks　yet　of　being　one　year　old；　and　being　toasted　by　the　war　correspondents　in　Salonica。　　They　knew　it　would　please　me。　　And　I　went　away　very　choken　and　happy。　　SUCH　a　boat　as　this　is！　I　have　a　sofa　in　the　dining…room；　and　at　present　it　is　jammed　with　refugees　and　all　smoking　and　not　an　air　port　open。　　What　a　relief　it　will　be　to　once　more　get　among　clean　people。　　We　must　help　the　Servians；　and　God　knows　they　need　help。　　But；　if　they　would　help　each　other；　or　themselves；　I　would　like　them　better。　　I　am　now　on　deck　under　the　cargo　light　and；　on　the　top　floor　of　the　Olympus　Hotel；　can　see　John's　dinner　growing　gayer　and　gayer。　　It　is　like　the　man　who　went　on　a　honeymoon　alone。　　I　am　so　happy　tonight。　　You　seem　so　near　now　that　I　am　coming　West。

How　terribly　I　have　missed　you；　and　wanted　you；　and　longed　for　your　voice　and　LAUGH；　and　to　have　you　open　the　door　of　my　writing　room；　and　say；　〃A　lady　is　coming　to　call　on　you；〃　and　then　enter　the　dearest　wife　and　dearest　baby　in　the　world！

God　bless　you；　and　all　my　love。

RICHARD。


ROME；　Christmas　Eve；

1915。　MY　DEAREST；　DEAREST；　DEAREST：

I　planned　to　get　to　Paris　late　Christmas　night。　I　cabled　Frazier　at　the　Embassy；　to　have　all　my　letters　at　the　Hotel　de　l'Empire。　　I　MEANT　to　spend　the　night　reading　of　you　and　Hope。　　I　made　a　record　trip　from　Salonica。　　By　leaving　the　second　steamer　at　Messina　and　taking　an　eighteen…hour　trip　across　Italy　I　saved　ten　hours。　　But　when　I　got　here　I　found　the　French　Consul　had　taken　a　holiday；　AND　WAS　OUT　BUYING　CHRISTMAS　PRESENTS！　　So；　I　could　not　get　permission　to　enter　France。　　With　some　Red　Cross　Americans；　I　raged　around　the　French　Consulate；　but　it　was　no　use。　　So　I　am　here；　and　cannot　leave　UNTIL　MIDNIGHT　CHRISTMAS。　　When　I　found　I　could　not　get　away；　I　told　Cook's　to　give　me　their　rapid…fire　guide；　and　I　set　out　to　SEE　ROME。　　The　Manager　of　Cook's　was　the　same　man　who；　19　years　ago；　sold　me　tickets　to　the　Greek　war　in　Florence；　when　the　American　Consulate　was　in　the　same　building　with　Cook's；　and　Charley　was　Consul。　　So　he　gave　me　a　great　guide。　　We　began　at　ten　this　morning　and　we　stopped　at　six。　　They　say　it　takes　five　years　to　see　Rome；　but　wh