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！
you talk the table will have to sit up and listen。 You can say 'I
was there。' 'I was in it。' 'I saw。' 'I know。' When this war is
over you'll have everything out of it that's worth getting…all
the experiences； all the inside knowledge； all the 'nosebag'
news； you'll have wounds； honors； medals； money； reputation。
And you're throwing all that away！〃
Mr。 Hamlin interrupted savagely。
〃To hell with their medals；〃 he said。 〃They can take their medals
and hang 'em on Christmas trees。 I don't owe the British army
anything。 It owes me。 I've done my bit。 I've earned what I've
got； and there's no one can take it away from me。〃
〃You can；〃 said the Kid。 Before Hamlin could reply the door
opened and John came in； followed by Uncle Jim。 The older
man was looking very grave； and John very unhappy。 Hamlin
turned quickly to John。
〃I thought these men were friends of yours；〃 he began； 〃and
Americans。 They're fine Americans。 They're as full of human
kindness and red blood as a kippered herring！〃
John looked inquiringly at the Kid。
〃He wants to hang himself；〃 explained Billy； 〃and because we
tried to cut him down； he's sore。〃
〃They talked to me；〃 protested Hamlin； 〃as though I was a
yellow dog。 As though I was a quitter。 I'm no quitter！ But；
if I'm ready to quit； who's got a better right？ I'm not an
Englishman； but there are several million Englishmen haven't
done as much for England in this was as I have。 What do you
fellows know about it？ You write about it； about the 'brave
lads in the trenches'； but what do you know about the trenches？
What you've seen from automobiles。 That's all。 That's where
you get off！ I've lived in the trenches for fifteen months； froze
in 'em； starved in 'em； risked my life in 'em； and I've saved other
lives； too； by hauling men out of the trenches。 And that's no airy
persiflage； either！〃
He ran to the wardrobe where John's clothes hung； and from the
bottom of it dragged a khaki uniform。 It was still so caked with
mud and snow that when he flung it on the floor it splashed like
a wet bathing suit。 〃How would you like to wear one of those？〃 he
Demanded。 〃Stinking with lice and sweat and blood； the blood of
other men； the men you've helped off the field； and your own
blood。〃
As though committing hara…kiri； he slashed his hand across his
stomach； and then drew it up from his waist to his chin。 〃I'm
scraped with shrapnel from there to there；〃 said Mr。 Hamlin。
〃And another time I got a ball in the shoulder。 That would have
been a 'blighty' for a fighting manthey're always giving them
leavebut all I got was six weeks at Havre in hospital。 Then it
was the Dardanelles； and sunstroke and sand； sleeping in sand；
eating sand； sand in your boots； sand in your teeth； hiding in
holes in the sand like a dirty prairie dog。 And then； 'Off to
Servia！' And the next act opens in the snow and the mud！
Cold？ God； how cold it was！ And most of us in sun helmets。〃
As though the cold still gnawed at his bones； he shivered。
〃It isn't the danger；〃 he protested。 〃It isn't that I'm getting
away from。 To hell with the danger！ It's just the plain
discomfort of it！ It's the never being your own master； never
being clean； never being warm。〃 Again he shivered and
rubbed one hand against the other。 〃There were no bridges
over the streams；〃 he went on； 〃and we had to break the ice
and wade in； and then sleep in the open with the khaki frozen
to us。 There was no firewood； not enough to warm a pot of tea。
There were no wounded； all our casualties were frost bite and
Pneumonia。 When we take them out of the blankets their toes
fall off。 We've been in camp for a month now near Doiran； and
it's worse there than on the march。 It's a frozen swamp。 You can't
sleep for the cold； can't eat； the only ration we get is bully beef；
and our insides are frozen so damn tight we can't digest it。 The
cold gets into your blood； gets into your brains。 It won't let you
think； or else； you think crazy things。 It makes you afraid。〃 He
shook himself like a man coming out of a bad dream。
So； I'm through；〃 he said。 In turn he scowled at each of us； as
though defying us to contradict him。 〃That's why I'm quitting；〃
he added。 〃Because I've done my bit。 Because I'm damn well fed
up on it。〃 He kicked viciously at the water…logged uniform on the
floor。 〃Any one who wants my job can have it！〃 He walked to the
window； turned his back on us； and fixed his eyes hungrily on the
Adriaticus。 There was a long pause。 For guidance we looked at
John； but he was staring down at the desk blotter； scratching on it
marks that he did not see。
Finally； where angels feared to tread； the Kid rushed in。 〃That's
certainly a hard luck story；〃 he said； 〃but；〃 he added cheerfully；
〃it's nothing to the hard luck you'll strike when you can't tell
why you left the army。〃 Hamlin turned with an exclamation；
but Billy held up his hand。 〃Now wait；〃 he begged； 〃we haven't
time to get mussy。 At six o'clock your leave is up； and the troop
train starts back to camp； and〃
Mr。 Hamlin interrupted sharply。 〃And the Adriaticus starts at
five。〃
Billy did not heed him。 〃You've got two hours to change your
mind；〃 he said。 〃That's better than being sorry you didn't the
rest of your life。〃
Mr。 Hamlin threw back his head and laughed。 It was a most
unpleasant laugh。 〃You're a fine body of men；〃 he jeered。
〃America must be proud of you！〃
〃If we weren't Americans；〃 explained Billy patiently； 〃we
wouldn't give a damn whether you deserted or not。 You're
drowning and you don't know it； and we're throwing you a
rope。 Try to see it that way。 We'll cut out the fact that you
took an oath； and that you're breaking it。 That's up to you。
We'll get down to results。 When you reach home； if you can't
tell why you left the army； the folks will darned soon guess。
And that will queer everything you've done。 When you come
to sell your stuff； it will queer you with the editors； queer you
with the publishers。 If they know you broke your word to the
British army； how can they know you're keeping faith with them？
How can they believe anything you tell them？ Every 'story' you
write； every statement of yours will make a noise like a fake。
You won't come into court with clean hands。 You'll be licked
before you start。
〃Of course； you're for the Allies。 Well； all the Germans at home
will fear that； and when you want to lecture on your 'Fifteen
Months at the British Front；' they'll look up your record； and
what will they do to you？ This is what they'll do to you。 When
you've shown 'em your moving pictures and say； 'Does any
gentleman in the audience want to ask a question？' a German
agent will get up and say； 'Yes； I want to ask a question。 Is it
true that you deserted from the British army； and that if you
return to it； they will shoot you？'〃
I was scared。 I expected the lean and muscular Mr。 Hamlin to
fall on Billy； and fling him where he had flung the soggy uniform。
But instead he remained motionless； his arms pressed across his
chest。 His eyes； filled with anger and distress； returned to the
Adriaticus。
〃I'm sorry；〃 muttered the Kid。