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Dead I am dead； but alive and in Paris the opportunities are unending。
From the French Legion Etranger I have my honorable discharge。 I
am an expert wireless operator and in their Signal Corps I can easily
find a place。 Imagine me； then； on the Eiffel Tower。 From the air I
snatch news from all of France； from the Channel； the North Sea。
You and I could work together； as in Rome。 But here； between the
lines； with a pass from a village sous…prefet； it is ridiculous。 I am
not afraid to die。 But to die because some one else is stupid； that is
hard。〃
Marie clasped his hand in both of hers。
〃You must not speak of death；〃 she cried； 〃you know I must carry out
my orders； that I must force you to take this risk。 And you know that
thought of harm to you tortures me！〃
Quickly the young man disengaged his hand。 The woman exclaimed
with anger。
〃Why do you doubt me？〃 she cried。
Briand protested vehemently。
〃I do not doubt you。〃
〃My affection； then？〃 In a whisper that carried with it the
feeling of a caress Marie added softly： 〃My love？〃
The young man protested miserably。 〃You make it very hard；
mademoiselle；〃 he cried。 〃You are my superior officer； I am your
servant。 Who am I that I should share with others〃
The woman interrupted eagerly。
〃Ah； you are jealous！〃 she cried。 〃Is that why you are so cruel？
But when I tell you I love you； and only you； can you not feel it
is the truth？〃
The young man frowned unhappily。
〃My duty； mademoiselle！〃 he stammered。
With an exclamation of anger Marie left him。 As the door slammed
behind her； the young man drew a deep breath。 On his face was the
expression of ineffable relief。
In the hall Marie met her elderly companion； Bertha； now her
aunt； Madame Benet。
〃I heard you quarrelling；〃 Bertha protested。 〃It is most indiscreet。
It is not in the part of the Countess d'Aurillac that she makes love
to her chauffeur。〃
Marie laughed noiselessly and drew her farther down the hall。 〃He
is imbecile！〃 she exclaimed。 〃He will kill me with his solemn face
and his conceit。 I make love to himyesthat he may work the
more willingly。 But he will have none of it。 He is jealous of the
others。〃
Madame Benet frowned。
〃He resents the others；〃 she corrected。 〃I do not blame him。 He is
a gentleman！〃
〃And the others；〃 demanded Marie； 〃were they not of the most
noble families of Rome？〃
〃I am old and I am ugly；〃 said Bertha； 〃but to me Anfossi is
always as considerate as he is to you who are so beautiful。〃
〃An Italian gentleman；〃 returned Marie； 〃does not serve in
Belgian Congo unless it isthe choice of that or the marble
quarries。〃
〃I do not know what his past may be；〃 sighed Madame Benet；
〃nor do I ask。 He is only a number； as you and I are only numbers。
And I beg you to let us work in harmony。 At such a time your
love…affairs threaten our safety。 You must wait。〃
Marie laughed insolently。 〃With the Du Barry；〃 she protested； 〃I
can boast that I wait for no man。〃
〃No；〃 replied the older woman； 〃you pursue him！〃
Marie would have answered sharply； but on the instant her
interest was diverted。 For one week； by day and night； she had
lived in a world peopled only by German soldiers。 Beside her
in the railroad carriage； on the station platforms； at the windows
of the trains that passed the one in which she rode； at the grade
crossings； on the bridges； in the roads that paralleled the tracks；
choking the streets of the villages and spread over the fields of
grain； she had seen only the gray…green uniforms。 Even her
professional eye no longer distinguished regiment from regiment；
dragoon from grenadier； Uhlan from Hussar or Landsturm。
Stripes； insignia； numerals； badges of rank； had lost their meaning。
Those who wore them no longer were individuals。 They were not
even human。 During the three last days the automobile； like a
motor…boat fighting the tide； had crept through a gray…green
river of men； stained； as though from the banks； by mud and
yellow clay。 And for hours； while the car was blocked； and in
fury the engine raced and purred； the gray…green river had rolled
past her； slowly but as inevitably as lava down the slope of a
volcano； bearing on its surface faces with staring eyes； thousands
and thousands of eyes； some fierce and bloodshot； others filled
with weariness； homesickness； pain。 At night she still saw them：
the white faces under the sweat and dust； the eyes dumb； inarticulate；
asking the answer。 She had been suffocated by German soldiers； by
the mass of them； engulfed and smothered； she had stifled in a land
inhabited only by gray…green ghosts。
And suddenly； as though a miracle had been wrought； she saw upon
the lawn； riding toward her； a man in scarlet； blue； and silver。 One
man riding alone。
Approaching with confidence； but alert； his reins fallen； his hands
nursing his carbine； his eyes searched the shadows of the trees； the
empty windows； even the sun…swept sky。 His was the new face at
the door； the new step on the floor。 And the spy knew had she
beheld an army corps it would have been no more significant；
no more menacing； than the solitary chasseur a cheval scouting
in advance of the enemy。
〃We are saved！〃 exclaimed Marie； with irony。 〃Go quickly；〃 she
commanded； 〃to the bedroom on the second floor that opens upon
the staircase； so that you can see all who pass。 You are too ill
to travel。 They must find you in bed。〃
〃And you？〃 said Bertha。
〃I；〃 cried Marie rapturously； 〃hasten to welcome our preserver！〃
The preserver was a peasant lad。 Under the white dust his cheeks
were burned a brown…red； his eyes； honest and blue； through much
staring at the skies and at horizon lines； were puckered and
encircled with tiny wrinkles。 Responsibility had made him older
than his years； and in speech brief。 With the beautiful lady who
with tears of joy ran to greet him； and who in an ecstasy of
happiness pressed her cheek against the nose of his horse； he was
unimpressed。 He returned to her her papers and gravely echoed her
answers to his questions。 〃This chateau；〃 he repeated； 〃was
occupied by their General Staff； they have left no wounded here；
you saw the last of them pass a half…hour since。〃 He gathered up
his reins。
Marie shrieked in alarm。 〃You will not leave us？〃 she cried。
For the first time the young man permitted himself to smile。
〃Others arrive soon；〃 he said。
He touched his shako； wheeled his horse in the direction from
which he had come； and a minute later Marie heard the hoofs
echoing through the empty village。
When they came； the others were more sympathetic。 Even in
times of war a beautiful woman is still a beautiful woman。 And
the staff officers who moved into the quarters so lately occupied
by
the enemy found in the presence of the Countess d'Aurillac
nothing to distress them。 In the absence of her dear friend；
Madame Iverney； the chatelaine of the chateau； she acted as their
hostess。 Her chauffeur showed the company cooks the way to the
kitchen； the larder； and the charcoal…box。 She； herself； in the
hands of General Andre placed the keys of the famous wine…cellar；
and to the su