友情提示:如果本网页打开太慢或显示不完整,请尝试鼠标右键“刷新”本网页!阅读过程发现任何错误请告诉我们,谢谢!! 报告错误
飞读中文网 返回本书目录 我的书架 我的书签 TXT全本下载 进入书吧 加入书签

the lion and the unicorn-第11章

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!



It is you that Philip loves; and I am very sorry for you that you
don't love him。〃

Helen clasped Marion's hands in both of hers。

〃But; Marion!〃 she cried; 〃I do; oh; I do!〃


There was a thick yellow fog the next morning; and with it rain
and a sticky; depressing dampness which crept through the window…
panes; and which neither a fire nor blazing gas…jets could
overcome。

Philip stood in front of the fireplace with the morning papers
piled high on the centre…table and scattered over the room about
him。

He had read them all; and he knew now what it was to wake up
famous; but he could not taste it。  Now that it had come it meant
nothing; and that it was so complete a triumph only made it the
harder。  In his most optimistic dreams he had never imagined
success so satisfying as the reality had proved to be; but in
his dreams Helen had always held the chief part; and without her;
success seemed only to mock him。

He wanted to lay it all before her; to say; 〃If you are pleased;
I am happy。  If you are satisfied; then I am content。  It was
done for you; and I am wholly yours; and all that I do is yours。〃

And; as though in answer to his thoughts; there was an instant
knock at the door; and Helen entered the room and stood smiling
at him across the table。

Her eyes were lit with excitement; and spoke with many emotions;
and her cheeks were brilliant with color。  He had never seen her
look more beautiful。

〃Why; Helen!〃 he exclaimed; 〃how good of you to come。  Is there
anything wrong?  Is anything the matter?〃

She tried to speak; but faltered; and smiled at him appealingly。

〃What is it?〃 he asked in great concern。

Helen drew in her breath quickly; and at the same moment motioned
him awayand he stepped back and stood watching her in much
perplexity。

With her eyes fixed on his she raised her hands to her head;
and her fingers fumbled with the knot of her veil。  She pulled it
loose; and then; with a sudden courage; lifted her hat proudly;
as though it were a coronet; and placed it between them on his
table。

〃Philip;〃 she stammered; with the tears in her voice and eyes;
〃if you will let meI have come to stay。〃

The table was no longer between them。  He caught her in his arms
and kissed her face and her uncovered head again and again。  From
outside the rain beat drearily and the fog rolled through the
street; but inside before the fire the two young people sat close
together; asking eager questions or sitting in silence; staring
at the flames with wondering; happy eyes。


The Lion and the Unicorn saw them only once again。  It was a
month later when they stopped in front of the shop in a four…
wheeler; with their baggage mixed on top of it; and steamer…
labels pasted over every trunk。

〃And; oh; Prentiss!〃 Carroll called from the cab…window。  〃I came
near forgetting。  I promised to gild the Lion and the Unicorn
if I won out in London。  So have it done; please; and send the
bill to me。  For I've won out all right。〃  And then he shut the
door of the cab; and they drove away forever。

〃Nice gal; that;〃 growled the Lion。  〃I always liked her。  I am
glad they've settled it at last。〃

The Unicorn sighed; sentimentally。  〃The other one's worth two of
her;〃 he said。



ON THE FEVER SHIP

There were four rails around the ship's sides; the three lower
ones of iron and the one on top of wood; and as he looked between
them from the canvas cot he recognized them as the prison…bars
which held him in。  Outside his prison lay a stretch of blinding
blue water which ended in a line of breakers and a yellow coast
with ragged palms。  Beyond that again rose a range of mountain…
peaks; and; stuck upon the loftiest peak of all; a tiny block…
house。  It rested on the brow of the mountain against the naked
sky as impudently as a cracker…box set upon the dome of a great
cathedral。

As the transport rode on her anchor…chains; the iron bars around
her sides rose and sank and divided the landscape with parallel
lines。  From his cot the officer followed this phenomenon with
severe; painstaking interest。  Sometimes the wooden rail swept up
to the very block…house itself; and for a second of time
blotted it from sight。  And again it sank to the level of the
line of breakers; and wiped them out of the picture as though
they were a line of chalk。

The soldier on the cot promised himself that the next swell of
the sea would send the lowest rail climbing to the very top of
the palm…trees or; even higher; to the base of the mountains; and
when it failed to reach even the palm…trees he felt a distinct
sense of ill use; of having been wronged by some one。  There was
no other reason for submitting to this existence; save these
tricks upon the wearisome; glaring landscape; and; now; whoever
it was who was working them did not seem to be making this effort
to entertain him with any heartiness。

It was most cruel。  Indeed; he decided hotly; it was not to be
endured; he would bear it no longer; he would make his escape。 
But he knew that this move; which could be conceived in a
moment's desperation; could only be carried to success with great
strategy; secrecy; and careful cunning。  So he fell back upon his
pillow and closed his eyes; as though he were asleep; and
then opening them again; turned cautiously; and spied upon his
keeper。  As usual; his keeper sat at the foot of the cot turning
the pages of a huge paper filled with pictures of the war printed
in daubs of tawdry colors。  His keeper was a hard…faced boy
without human pity or consideration; a very devil of obstinacy
and fiendish cruelty。  To make it worse; the fiend was a person
without a collar; in a suit of soiled khaki; with a curious red
cross bound by a safety…pin to his left arm。  He was intent upon
the paper in his hands; he was holding it between his eyes and
his prisoner。  His vigilance had relaxed; and the moment seemed
propitious。  With a sudden plunge of arms and legs; the prisoner
swept the bed sheet from him; and sprang at the wooden rail and
grasped the iron stanchion beside it。  He had his knee pressed
against the top bar and his bare toes on the iron rail beneath
it。  Below him the blue water waited for him。  It was cool and
dark and gentle and deep。  It would certainly put out the fire in
his bones; he thought; it might even shut out the glare of the
sun which scorched his eyeballs。 

But as he balanced for the leap; a swift weakness and nausea
swept over him; a weight seized upon his body and limbs。  He
could not lift the lower foot from the iron rail; and he swayed
dizzily and trembled。  He trembled。  He who had raced his men and
beaten them up the hot hill to the trenches of San Juan。  But now
he was a baby in the hands of a giant; who caught him by the
wrist and with an iron arm clasped him around his waist and
pulled him down; and shouted; brutally; 〃Help; some of you'se;
quick; he's at it again。  I can't hold him。〃

More giants grasped him by the arms and by the legs。  One of them
took the hand that clung to the stanchion in both of his; and
pulled back the fingers one by one; saying; 〃Easy now;
Lieutenanteasy。〃

The ragged palms and the sea and
返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0
未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!
温馨提示: 温看小说的同时发表评论,说出自己的看法和其它小伙伴们分享也不错哦!发表书评还可以获得积分和经验奖励,认真写原创书评 被采纳为精评可以获得大量金币、积分和经验奖励哦!