interlude(玛丽罗茨莱因哈特惊人的幕间表演)-第42部分
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evenings。 No more crowds and wounds and weary men； no more great
thunderings of guns； no imminence of death。 Rest and peace。
Then Harvey saw her； and the gleam of happiness and relief in his eyes
made her own eyes misty。 She saw even in that first glance that he looked
thinner and older。 A pang of remorse shot through her。 Was happiness
always bought at the cost of happiness？ Did one always take away in order
to give？ Not in so many words； but in a flash of doubt the thought went
through her mind。
There was no reserve in Harvey's embrace。 He put his arms about her
and held her close。 He did not speak at first。 Then：
〃My own little girl；〃 he said。 〃My own little girl！〃
Suddenly Sara Lee was very happy。 All her doubts were swept away
by his voice； his arms。 There was no thrill for her in his caress； but there
were peace and quiet joy。 It was enough for her； just then； that she had
brought back some of the happiness she had robbed him of。
〃Oh； Harvey！〃 she said。 〃I'm glad to be back again … with you。〃
He held her off then and looked at her。
〃You are thin；〃 he said。 〃You're not pale； but you are thin。〃 And in a
harder voice： 〃What did they do to you over there？〃
But he did not wait for a reply。 He did not seem to want one。 He
picked up her bag； and guiding her by the elbow； piloted her through the
crowd。
〃A lot of folks wanted to come and meet you；〃 he said； 〃but I steered
them off。 You'd have thought Roosevelt was coming to town the way
they've been calling up。〃
〃To meet me？〃
〃I expect the Ladies' Aid Society wanted to get into the papers again；〃
he said rather grimly。 〃They are merry little advertisers； all right。〃
〃I don't think that； Harvey。〃
〃Well； I do；〃 he said； and brought her to a stop facing a smart little car；
very new； very gay。
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〃How do you like it？〃 he asked。
〃Like it？ Why； it's not yours； is it？〃
〃Surest thing you know。 Or； rather； it's ours。 Had a few war babies； and
they grew up。〃
Sara Lee looked at it； and for just an instant； a rather sickening instant；
she saw Henri's shattered low car； battle…scarred and broken。
〃It's … lovely；〃 said Sara Lee。 And Harvey found no fault with her tone。
Sara Lee had intended to go to Anna's； for a time at least。 But she
found that Belle was expecting her and would not take no。
〃She's moved the baby in with the others；〃 Harvey explained as he
took the wheel。 〃Wait until you see your room。 I knew we'd be buying
furniture soon； so I fixed it up。〃
He said nothing for a time。 He was new to driving a car； and the traffic
engrossed him。 But when they had reached a quieter neighborhood he put
a hand over hers。
〃Good God； how I've been hungry for you！〃 he said。 〃I guess I was
pretty nearly crazy sometimes。〃 He glanced at her apprehensively； but if
she knew his connection with her recall she showed no resentment。 As a
matter of fact there was in his voice something that reminded her of Henri；
the same deeper note； almost husky。
She was； indeed； asking herself very earnestly what was there in her of
all people that should make two men care for her as both Henri and
Harvey cared。 In the humility of all modest women she was bewildered。 It
made her rather silent and a little sad。 She was so far from being what they
thought her。
Harvey； stealing a moment from the car to glance at her； saw
something baffling in her face。
〃Do you still care； Sara Lee？〃 he asked almost diffidently。 〃As much
as ever？〃
〃I have come back to you；〃 she said after an imperceptible pause。
Well； I guess that's the answer。〃 He drew a deep satisfied breath。 〃I
used to think of you over there； and all those foreigners in uniform
strutting about； and it almost got me； some times。〃
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
And again； as long before； he read into her passivity his own passion；
and was deeply content。
Belle was waiting on the small front porch。 There was an anxious
frown on her face； and she looked first； not at Sara Lee； but at Harvey。
What she saw there evidently satisfied her； for the frown disappeared。 She
kissed Sara Lee impulsively。
All that afternoon； much to Harvey's resentment； Sara Lee received
callers。 The Ladies' Aid came en masse and went out to the dining…room
and there had tea and cake。 Harvey disappeared when they came。
〃You are back；〃 he said； 〃and safe； and all that。 〃But it's not their fault。
And I'll be hanged if I'll stand round and listen to them。〃
He got his hat and then； finding her alone in a back hall for a moment；
reverted uneasily to the subject。
〃There are two sides to every story；〃 he said。 〃They're going to knife
me this afternoon； all right。 Damned hypocrites！ You just keep your head；
and I'll tell you my side of it later。〃
〃Harvey；〃 she said slowly； 〃I want to know now just what you did。 I'm
not angry。 I've never been angry。 But I ought to know。〃
It was a very one…sided story that Harvey told her； standing in the little
back hall； with Belle's children hanging over the staircase and begging for
cake。 Yet in the main it was true。 He had reached his limit of endurance。
She was in danger； as the photograph plainly showed。 And a fellow had a
right to fight for his own happiness。
〃I wanted you back； that's all；〃 he ended。 And added an anticlimax by
passing a plate of sliced jelly roll through the stair rail to the clamoring
children。
Sara Lee stood there for a moment after he had gone。 He was right； or
at least he had been within his rights。 She had never even heard of the new
doctrine of liberty for women。 There was nothing in her training to teach
her revolt。 She was engaged to Harvey； already； potentially； she belonged
to him。 He had interfered with her life； but he had had the right to
interfere。
And also there was in the back of her mind a feeling that was almost
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THE AMAZING INTERLUDE
guilt。 She had let Henri tell her he loved her。 She had even kissed him。
And there had been many times in the little house when Harvey； for days
at a time； had not even entered her thoughts。 There was； therefore； a very
real tenderness in the face she lifted for his good…by kiss。
To Belle in the front hail Harvey gave a firm order。
〃Don't let any reporters in；〃 he said warningly。 〃This is strictly our
affair。 It's a private matter。 It's nobody's business what she did over there。
She's home。 That's all that matters。〃
Belle assented； but she was uneasy。 She knew that Harvey was
unreasonably； madly jealous of Sara Lee's work at the little house of
mercy； and she knew him well enough to know that sooner or later he
would show that jealousy。 She felt； too； that the girl should have been
allowed her small triumph without interference。 There had been
interference enough already。 But it was easier to yield to Harvey than to
argue with him。
It was rather a worried Belle who served tea that afternoon in her
dining room； with Mrs。 Gregory pouring； the more uneasy； because
already she divined a change in Sara Lee。 She was as lovely as ever； even
lovelier。 But she had a poise； a steadiness； that were new； and silences in
which； to Belle's shrewd eyes； she seemed to be weighing things。
Reporters clamored to see Sara Lee that day； and； failing to see her；
telephoned Harvey at his office to ask if it was true that she had been
decorated by the King。 He was short to the point of affront。
〃I haven't heard anything about it；〃 he snapped。 〃And I wouldn't say if
I had。 But it's not likely。 What d'you fellows think she was doing anyhow？
Leading a charge？ She was running a soup kitchen。 That's all。〃
He hung up the receiver with a jerk； but shortly after that he fell to
pacing his small office。 She had not said anything about being decorated；
but the reporters had said it had been in a London newspaper。 If she had
not told him that； there were
