the lost road-第41部分

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〃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　surgeon；　that　the　wounded　might　be　freshly　bandaged；
intrusted　those　of　the　linen…closet。　　After　the　indignities　she　had
suffered　while　〃detained〃　by　les　Boches；　her　delight　and　relief　at
again　finding　herself　under　the　protection　of　her　own　people　would
have　touched　a　heart　of　stone。　　And　the　hearts　of　the　staff　were　not
of　stone。　　It　was　with　regret　they　gave　the　countess　permission　to
continue　on　her　way。　　At　this　she　exclaimed　with　gratitude。　　She
assured　them；　were　her　aunt　able　to　travel；　she　would　immediately
depart。

〃In　Paris　she　will　be　more　comfortable　than　here；〃　said　the　kind
surgeon。　　He　was　a　reservist；　and　in　times　of　peace　a　fashionable
physician　and　as　much　at　his　ease　in　a　boudoir　as　in　a　field
hospital。　　〃Perhaps　if　I　saw　Madam　Benet？〃

At　the　suggestion　the　countess　was　overjoyed。　　But　they　found
Madame　Benet　in　a　state　of　complete　collapse。　　The　conduct　of
the　Germans　had　brought　about　a　nervous　breakdown。

〃Though　the　bridges　are　destroyed　at　Meaux；〃　urged　the　surgeon；
〃even　with　a　detour；　you　can　be　in　Paris　in　four　hours。　　I　think　it　is
worth　the　effort。〃

But　the　mere　thought　of　the　journey　threw　Madame　Benet　into
hysterics。　　She　asked　only　to　rest；　she　begged　for　an　opiate　to
make　her　sleep。　　She　begged　also　that　they　would　leave　the　door
open；　so　that　when　she　dreamed　she　was　still　in　the　hands　of　the
Germans；　and　woke　in　terror；　the　sound　of　the　dear　French　voices
and　the　sight　of　the　beloved　French　uniforms　might　reassure　her。
She　played　her　part　well。　　Concerning　her　Marie　felt　not　the　least
anxiety。　　But　toward　Briand；　the　chauffeur；　the　new　arrivals　were
less　easily　satisfied。

The　general　sent　his　adjutant　for　the　countess。　　When　the　adjutant
had　closed　the　door　General　Andre　began　abruptly：

〃The　chauffeur　Briand；〃　he　asked；　〃you　know　him；　you　can　vouch
for　him？〃

〃But；　certainly！〃　protested　Marie。　　〃He　is　an　Italian。〃

As　though　with　sudden　enlightenment；　Marie　laughed。　　It　was
as　if　now　in　the　suspicion　of　the　officer　she　saw　a　certain
reasonableness。　　〃Briand　was　so　long　in　the　Foreign　Legion
in　Algiers；〃　she　explained；　〃where　my　husband　found　him；
that　we　have　come　to　think　of　him　as　French。　As　much　French
as　ourselves；　I　assure　you。〃

The　general　and　his　adjutant　were　regarding　each　other
questioningly。

〃Perhaps　I　should　tell　the　countess；〃　began　the　general；　〃that　we
have　learned〃

The　signal　from　the　adjutant　was　so　slight；　so　swift；　that　Marie
barely　intercepted　it。

The　lips　of　the　general　shut　together　like　the　leaves　of　a　book。
To　show　the　interview　was　at　an　end；　he　reached　for　a　pen。

〃I　thank　you；〃　he　said。

〃Of　course；〃　prompted　the　adjutant；　〃Madame　d'Aurillac　understands
the　man　must　not　know　we　inquired　concerning　him。〃

General　Andre　frowned　at　Marie。

〃Certainly　not！〃　he　commanded。　　〃The　honest　fellow　must　not　know
that　even　for　a　moment　he　was　doubted。〃

Marie　raised　the　violet　eyes　reprovingly。

〃I　trust；〃　she　said　with　reproach；　〃I　too　well　understand　the
feelings　of　a　French　soldier　to　let　him　know　his　loyalty　is
questioned。〃

With　a　murmur　of　appreciation　the　officers　bowed　and　with　a
gesture　of　gracious　pardon　Marie　left　them。

Outside　in　the　hall；　with　none　but　orderlies　to　observe；　like　a　cloak
the　graciousness　fell　from　her。　　She　was　drawn　two　ways。　　In　her
work　Anfossi　was　valuable。　　But　Anfossi　suspected　was　less　than
of　no　value；　he　became　a　menace；　a　death…warrant。

General　Andre　had　said；　〃We　have　learned〃　and　the　adjutant
had　halted　him。　　What　had　he　learned？　To　know　that；　Marie
would　have　given　much。　　Still；　one　important　fact　comforted　her。
Anfossi　alone　was　suspected。　　Had　there　been　concerning　herself
the　slightest　doubt；　they　certainly　would　not　have　allowed　her　to
guess　her　companion　was　under　surveillance；　they　would　not　have
asked　one　who　was　herself　suspected　to　vouch　for　the　innocence　of
a　fellow　conspirator。　　Marie　found　the　course　to　follow　difficult。
With　Anfossi　under　suspicion　his　usefulness　was　for　the　moment
at　an　end；　and　to　accept　the　chance　offered　her　to　continue　on　to
Paris　seemed　most　wise。　　On　the　other　hand；　if；　concerning
Anfossi；　she　had　succeeded　in　allaying　their　doubts；　the　results
most　to　be　desired　could　be　attained　only　by　remaining　where　they
were。

Their　position　inside　the　lines　was　of　the　greatest　strategic
value。　　The　rooms　of　the　servants　were　under　the　roof；　and　that
Briand　should　sleep　in　one　of　them　was　natural。　　That　to　reach　or
leave　his　room　he　should　constantly　be　ascending　or　descending
the　stairs　also　was　natural。　　The　field…wireless　outfit；　or；　as　he
had　disdainfully　described　it；　the　〃knapsack〃　wireless；　was
situated　not　in　the　bedroom　he　had　selected　for　himself；　but　in
one　adjoining。　　At　other　times　this　was　occupied　by　the　maid　of
Madame　Iverney。　　To　summon　her　maid　Madame　Iverney；　from　her
apartment　on　the　second　floor；　had　but　to　press　a　button。　　And　it
was　in　the　apartment　of　Madame　Iverney；　and　on　the　bed　of　that
lady；　that　Madame　Benet　now　reclined。　　When　thro