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！
mosquito bars and awake only to command a drink。 The situation
furnished Haldane with his text。 He expressed his opinion of
any individual； friend or no friend； officer or civilian； who on
the Zone； where all men begin work at sunrise； could be found
at noon still in his pajamas and preparing to face the duties of
the day on an absinth cocktail。 He said further that since he had
arrived on the isthmus he had heard only of Aintree's misconduct；
that soon the War Department would hear of it； that Aintree would
lose his commission； would break the backbone of a splendid career。
〃It's a friend talking；〃 continued Haldane； 〃and you know it！ It's
because I am your friend that I've risked losing your friendship！
And； whether you like it or not； it's the truth。 You're going down…hill；
going fast； going like a motor…bus running away； and unless you put
on the brakes you'll smash！〃
Aintree was not even annoyed。
〃That's good advice for the right man；〃 he granted； 〃but why waste
it on me？ I can do things other men can't。 I can stop drinking this
minute； and it will mean so little to me that I won't know I've stopped。〃
〃Then stop；〃 said Haldane。
〃Why？〃 demanded Aintree。 〃I like it。 Why should I stop anything
I like？ Because a lot of old women are gossiping？ Because old men
who can't drink green mint without dancing turkey…trots think I'm
going to the devil because I can drink whiskey？ I'm not afraid of
whiskey；〃 he laughed tolerantly。 〃It amuses me； that's all it does
to me； it amuses me。〃 He pulled back the coat of his pajamas and
showed his giant chest and shoulder。 With his fist he struck his
bare flesh and it glowed instantly a healthy； splendid pink。
〃See that！〃 commanded Aintree。 〃If there's a man on the isthmus in
any better physical shape than I am； I'll〃 He interrupted himself
to begin again eagerly。 〃I'll make you a sporting proposition；〃
he announced 〃I'll fight any man on the isthmus ten rounds
no matter who he is； a wop laborer； shovel man； Barbadian
nigger； marine； anybodyand if he can knock me out I'll stop
drinking。 You see；〃 he explained patiently； 〃I'm no mollycoddle
or jelly…fish。 I can afford a headache。 And besides； it's my own
head。 If I don't give anybody else a headache； I don't see that it's
anybody else's damned business。〃
〃But you do；〃 retorted Haldane steadily。 〃You're giving your own
men worse than a headache； you're setting them a rotten example；
you're giving the Thirty…third a bad name…〃
Aintree vaulted off his cot and shook his fist at his friend。
〃You can't say that to me；〃 he cried。
〃I do say it；〃 protested Haldane。 〃When you were in Manila your
men were models； here they're unshaven； sloppy； undisciplined。
They look like bell…hops。 And it's your fault。 And everybody
thinks so。〃
Slowly and carefully Aintree snapped his fingers。
〃And you can tell everybody； from me；〃 he cried； 〃that's all I care
what they think！ And now；〃 he continued； smiling hospitably； 〃let
me congratulate you on your success as a missionary； and； to show
you there's not a trace of hard feeling； we will have a drink。〃
Informally Haldane reported back to the commission； and the wife
of one of them must have talked； for it was soon known that a
brother officer had appealed to Aintree to reform； and Aintree
had refused to listen。
When she heard this； Grace Carter； the wife of Major Carter； one
of the surgeons at the Ancon Hospital； was greatly perturbed。
Aintree was engaged to be married to Helen Scott； who was her
best friend and who was arriving by the next steamer to spend the
winter。 When she had Helen safely under her roof； Mrs。 Carter had
planned to marry off the young couple out of hand on the isthmus。
But she had begun to wonder if it would not be better they should
delay； or best that they should never marry。
〃The awakening is going to be a terrible blow to Helen；〃 she said
to her husband。 〃She is so proud of him。〃
〃On the contrary；〃 he protested； 〃it will be the awakening of
Aintreeif Helen will stand for the way he's acting； she is not
the girl I know。 And when he finds she won't； and that he may lose
her； he'll pull up short。 He's talked Helen to me night after
night until he's bored me so I could strangle him。 He cares more
for her than he does for anything； for the army； or for himself；
and that's saying a great deal。 One word from her will be enough。〃
Helen spoke the word three weeks after she arrived。 It had not
been necessary to tell her of the manner in which her lover was
misconducting himself。 At various dinners given in their honor
he had made a nuisance of himself； on another occasion； while in
uniform； he had created a scene in the dining…room of the Tivoli
under the prying eyes of three hundred seeing…the…Canal tourists；
and one night he had so badly beaten up a cabman who had laughed
at his condition that the man went to the hospital。 Major Carter；
largely with money； had healed the injuries of the cabman； but
Helen； who had witnessed the assault； had suffered an injury that
money could not heal。
She sent for Aintree； and at the home of her friend delivered
her ultimatum。
〃I hit him because he was offensive to you；〃 said Aintree。 〃That's
why I hit him。 If I'd not had a drink in a year； I'd have hit him
just as quick and just as hard。〃
〃Can't you see；〃 said the girl； 〃that in being not yourself when
I was in your care you were much more insulting to me than any
cabman could possibly be？ When you are like that you have no
respect for me； or for yourself。 Part of my pride in you is that
you are so strong； that you control yourself； that common
pleasures never get a hold on you。 If you couldn't control your
temper I wouldn't blame you； because you've a villainous temper
and you were born with it。 But you weren't born with a taste for
liquor。 None of your people drank。 You never drank until you went
into the army。 If I were a man；〃 declared the girl； 〃I'd be ashamed
to admit anything was stronger than I was。 You never let pain beat
you。 I've seen you play polo with a broken arm； but in this you give
pain to others； you shame and humiliate the one you pretend to love；
just because you are weak； just because you can't say 'no。'〃
Aintree laughed angrily。
〃Drink has no hold on me；〃 he protested。 〃It affects me as much as the
lights and the music affect a girl at her first dance； and no more。 But；
if you ask me to stop〃
〃I do not！〃 said the girl。 〃If you stop； you'll stop not because
I have any influence over you； but because you don't need my
influence。 If it's wrong； if it's hurting you； if it's taking away
your usefulness and your power for good； that's why you'll stop。
Not because a girl begs you。 Or you're not the man I think you。〃
Aintree retorted warmly。 〃I'm enough of a man for this；〃 he
protested： 〃I'm enough of a man not to confess I can't drink
without making a beast of myself。 It's easy not to drink at all。
But to stop altogether is a confession of weakness。 I'd look on
my doing that as cowardly。 I give you my wordnot that I'll swear
off； that I'll never dobut I promise y