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！
but they didn't know I loved you； they didn't know that men who love you
can't die。 They tried to starve my love for you； to burn it out of me； they
tried to reach it with their knives。 But my love for you is my soul； and
they can't kill a man's soul。 Dear heart； I have lived because you lived。
Now that you knownow that you understandwhat does it matter？〃
Miss Bergen shook her head with great vigor。 〃Nonsense；〃 she said；
cheerfully。 〃You are not going to die。 As soon as we move you out of
this rain； and some food cook〃
〃Good God！〃 cried the young Doctor； savagely。 〃Do you want to kill
him？〃
When she spoke the patient had thrown his arms heavily across his
face； and had fallen back； lying rigid on the pillow。
The Doctor led the way across the prostrate bodies； apologizing as he
went。 〃I am sorry I spoke so quickly；〃 he said； 〃but he thought you were
real。 I mean he thought you were some one he really knew〃
〃He was just delirious；〃 said the German nurse； calmly。
The Doctor mixed himself a Scotch and soda and drank it with a single
gesture。
〃Ugh！〃 he said to the ward…room。 〃I feel as though I'd been opening
another man's letters。〃
46
… Page 47…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
The transport drove through the empty seas with heavy； clumsy
upheavals； rolling like a buoy。 Having been originally intended for the
freight…carrying trade； she had no sympathy with hearts that beat for a
sight of their native land； or for lives that counted their remaining minutes
by the throbbing of her engines。 Occasionally； without apparent reason；
she was thrown violently from her course： but it was invariably the case
that when her stern went to starboard； something splashed in the water on
her port side and drifted past her； until； when it had cleared the blades of
her propeller； a voice cried out； and she was swung back on her home…
bound track again。
The Lieutenant missed the familiar palms and the tiny block… house；
and seeing nothing beyond the iron rails but great wastes of gray water； he
decided he was on board a prison…ship； or that he had been strapped to a
raft and cast adrift。 People came for hours at a time and stood at the foot
of his cot； and talked with him and he to thempeople he had loved and
people he had long forgotten； some of whom he had thought were dead。
One of them he could have sworn he had seen buried in a deep trench； and
covered with branches of palmetto。 He had heard the bugler； with tears
choking him； sound 〃taps；〃 and with his own hand he had placed the dead
man's campaign hat on the mound of fresh earth above the grave。 Yet
here he was still alive； and he came with other men of his troop to speak to
him； but when he reached out to them they were gonethe real and the
unreal； the dead and the livingand even She disappeared whenever he
tried to take her hand； and sometimes the hospital steward drove her away。
〃Did that young lady say when she was coming back again？〃 he asked
the steward。
〃The young lady！ What young lady？〃 asked the steward； wearily。
〃The one who has been sitting there；〃 he answered。 He pointed with
his gaunt hand at the man in the next cot。
〃Oh； that young lady。 Yes； she's coming back。 She's just gone
below to fetch you some hard…tack。〃
The young volunteer in the next cot whined grievously。
〃That crazy man gives me the creeps；〃 he groaned。 〃He's always
waking me up； and looking at me as though he was going to eat me。〃
47
… Page 48…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
〃Shut your head；〃 said the steward。 〃He's a better man crazy than
you'll ever be with the little sense you've got。 And he has two Mauser
holes in him。 Crazy； eh？ It's a damned good thing for you that there
was about four thousand of us regulars just as crazy as him； or you'd never
seen the top of the hill。〃
One morning there was a great commotion on deck； and all the
convalescents balanced themselves on the rail； shivering in their pajamas；
and pointed one way。 The transport was moving swiftly and smoothly
through water as flat as a lake； and making a great noise with her steam…
whistle。 The noise was echoed by many more steam…whistles； and the
ghosts of out…bound ships and tugs and excursion steamers ran past her out
of the mist and disappeared； saluting joyously。 All of the excursion
steamers had a heavy list to the side nearest the transport； and the ghosts
on them crowded to that rail and waved handkerchiefs and cheered。 The
fog lifted suddenly； and between the iron rails the Lieutenant saw high
green hills on either side of a great harbor。
Houses and trees and thousands of masts swept past like a panorama；
and beyond was a mirage of three cities； with curling smoke…wreaths and
sky…reaching buildings； and a great swinging bridge； and a giant statue of a
woman waving a welcome home。
The Lieutenant surveyed the spectacle with cynical disbelief。 He was
far too wise and far too cunning to be bewitched by it。 In his heart he
pitied the men about him； who laughed wildly； and shouted； and climbed
recklessly to the rails and ratlines。 He had been deceived too often not to
know that it was not real。 He knew from cruel experience that in a few
moments the tall buildings would crumble away； the thousands of columns
of white smoke that flashed like snow in the sun； the busy； shrieking tug…
boats； and the great statue would vanish into the sea； leaving it gray and
bare。 He closed his eyes and shut the vision out。 It was so beautiful
that it tempted him； but he would not be mocked； and he buried his face in
his hands。 They were carrying the farce too far； he thought。 It was
really too absurd； for now they were at a wharf which was so real that； had
he not known by previous suffering； he would have been utterly deceived
by it。 And there were great crowds of smiling； cheering people； and a
48
… Page 49…
THE LION AND THE UNICORN
waiting guard of honor in fresh uniforms； and rows of police pushing the
people this way and that； and these men about him were taking it all quite
seriously； and making ready to disembark； carrying their blanket…rolls and
rifles with them。
A band was playing joyously； and the man in the next cot； who was
being lifted to a stretcher； said； 〃There's the Governor and his staff； that's
him in the high hat。〃 It was really very well done。 The Custom…house
and the Elevated Railroad and Castle Garden were as like to life as a
photograph； and the crowd was as well handled as a mob in a play。 His
heart ached for it so that he could not bear the pain； and he turned his back
on it。 It was cruel to keep it up so long。 His keeper lifted him in his
arms； and pulled him into a dirty uniform which had belonged； apparently；
to a much larger mana man who had been killed probably； for there were
dark…brown marks of blood on the tunic and breeches。 When he tried to
stand on his feet； Castle Garden and the Battery disappeared in a black
cloud of night； just as he knew they would； but when he opened his eyes
from the stretcher； they had returned again。 It was a most remarkably
vivid vision。 They kept it up so well。 Now the young Doctor and the
hospital steward were pretending to carry him down a gang… plank and
into an open space； and he saw quite close to him a long line of policemen；
and behind them thousands of faces； some of them women's faceswomen
who pointed at him and then shook their heads and cried； and pressed their
hands to their cheeks； still looking at him。 He wondered why they cried。
He did not know them； nor did they know him。 No one knew him； these
people were only ghosts。
There was a quick parting in the crowd。 A man he had once known
shoved tw