the major-第62部分

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During　the　lunch　hour　try　as　they　would　they　could　not　get　away　from　the　war。　　Dean　was　so　completely　obsessed　with　the　subject　that　he　could　not　divert　his　mind　to　anything　else　for　any　length　of　time。

〃I　cannot　help　it；〃　he　said　at　length。　　〃All　my　switches　run　the　same　way。〃

They　had　almost　finished　when　Professor　Schaefer　came　into　the　dining　hall；　spied　them　and　hastened　over　to　them。

〃Here's　this　German　beast；〃　said　Dean。

〃Steady；　Dean。　　We　do　business　with　him；〃　said　his　father。

〃All　right；　Father；〃　replied　the　boy。

The　Professor　drew　in　a　chair　and　sat　down。　　He　only　wanted　a　light　lunch　and　if　they　would　allow　him　he　would　break　in　just　where　they　were。　　He　was　full　of　excitement　over　the　German　successes　on　sea　and　on　land。

〃On　land？〃　said　Raeder。　　〃Well；　I　should　not　radiate　too　freely　about　their　land　successes。　　What　about　the　Marne？〃

〃The　Marne！〃　said　Schaefer　in　hot　contempt。　　〃The　Marnestrategy　strategy；　my　dear　sir。　　But　wait。　　Wait　a　few　days。　　If　we　could　only　get　that　boasted　British　navy　to　venture　out　from　their　holes；　then　the　war　would　be　over。　　Mark　what　happens　in　the　Pacific。　Scientific　gunnery；　three　salvos；　two　hundred　minutes　from　the　first　gun。　　It　is　all　over。　　Two　British　ships　sunk　to　the　bottom。　That　is　the　German　way。　　They　would　force　war　upon　Germany。　　Now　they　have　it。　　In　spite　of　all　the　Kaiser's　peace　efforts；　they　drove　Germany　into　the　war。〃

〃The　Kaiser！〃　exclaimed　Larry；　unable　any　longer　to　contain　his　fury。　　〃The　Kaiser's　peace　efforts！　　The　only　efforts　that　the　Kaiser　has　made　for　the　last　few　years　are　efforts　to　bully　Europe　into　submission　to　his　will。　　The　great　peace…maker　of　Europe　of　this　and　of　the　last　century　was　not　the　Kaiser；　but　King　Edward　VII。　　All　the　world　knows　that。〃

〃King　Edward　VII！〃　sputtered　Schaefer　in　a　fury　of　contempt。　　〃King　Edward　VII　a　peacemaker！　　A　！〃　calling　him　a　vile　name。　　〃And　his　son　is　like　him！〃

The　foul　word　was　like　a　flame　to　powder　with　Larry。　　His　hand　closed　upon　his　glass　of　water。　　〃You　are　a　liar；〃　he　said；　leaning　over　and　thrusting　his　face　close　up　to　the　German。　　〃You　are　a　slanderous　liar。〃　　He　flung　his　glass　of　water　full　into　Schaefer's　face；　sprang　quickly　to　his　feet；　and　as　the　German　rose；　swung　with　his　open　hand　and　struck　hard　upon　the　German's　face；　first　on　one　cheek　and　then　on　the　other。

With　a　roar　Schaefer　flung　himself　at　him；　but　Larry　in　a　cold　fury　was　waiting　for　him。　　With　a　stiff；　full…armed　blow；　which　carried　the　whole　weight　of　his　body；　he　caught　him　on　the　chin。　　The　professor　was　lifted　clear　over　his　chair。　　Crashing　back　upon　the　floor；　he　lay　there　still。

〃Good　boy；　Larry；〃　shouted　Dean。　　〃Great　God！　　You　did　something　that　time。〃

Silent；　white；　cold；　rigid；　Larry　stood　waiting。　　More　than　any　of　them　he　was　amazed　at　what　he　had　done。　　Some　friends　of　the　Professor　rushed　toward　them。

〃Stand　clear；　gentlemen；〃　said　Raeder。　　〃We　are　perfectly　able　to　handle　this。　　This　man　offered　my　friend　a　deadly　insult。　　My　friend　simply　anticipated　what　I　myself　would　gladly　have　done。　Let　me　say　this　to　you；　gentlemen；　for　some　time　he　and　those　of　his　kind　have　made　themselves　offensive。　　Every　man　is　entitled　to　his　opinion；　but　I　have　made　up　my　mind　that　if　any　German　insults　my　friends　the　Allies　in　my　presence；　I　shall　treat　him　as　this　man　has　been　treated。〃

There　was　no　more　of　it。　　Schaefer's　friends　after　reviving　him　led　him　off。　　As　they　passed　out　of　the　dining　hall　Larry　and　his　friends　were　held　up　by　a　score　or　more　of　men　who　crowded　around　him　with　warm　thanks　and　congratulations。　　The　affair　was　kept　out　of　the　press；　but　the　news　of　it　spread　to　the　limits　of　clubland。　The　following　day　Raeder　thought　it　best　that　they　should　lunch　again　together　at　the　University　Club。　　The　great　dining…room　was　full。　　As　Raeder　and　his　company　entered　there　was　first　a　silence；　then　a　quick　hum　of　voices；　and　finally　applause；　which　grew　in　volume　till　it　broke　into　a　ringing　cheer。　　There　was　no　longer　any　doubt　as　to　where　the　sympathy　of　the　men　of　the　University　Club；　at　least；　lay　in　this　world　conflict。

Two　days　later　a　telegram　was　placed　upon　Larry's　desk。　　Opening　it；　he　read；　〃Word　just　received　Jack　Romayne　killed　in　action。〃　Larry　carried　the　telegram　quietly　into　the　inner　office　and　laid　it　upon　his　chief's　desk。

〃I　can　stand　this　no　longer；　sir；〃　he　said　in　a　quiet　voice。　　〃I　wish　you　to　release　me。　　I　must　return　to　Canada。　　I　am　going　to　the　war。〃

〃Very　well；　my　boy；〃　said　Mr。　Wakeham。　　〃I　know　you　have　thought　it　over。　　I　feel　you　could　not　do　otherwise。　　I；　too；　have　been　thinking；　and　I　wish　to　say　that　your　place　will　await　you　here　and　your　salary　will　go　on　so　long　as　you　are　at　the　war。　　No！　not　a　word！　　There　is　not　much　we　Americans　can　do　as　yet；　but　I　shall　count　it　a　privilege　as　an　American　sympathising　with　the　Allies　in　their　great　cause　to　do　this　much　at　least。　　And　you　need　not　worry　about　that　coal　mine。　　Dean　has　been　telling　me　about　it。　　We　will　see　it　through。〃



CHAPTER　XXIV

THE　MAJOR　AND　THE　MAJOR'S　WIFE


When　Larry　went　to　take　farewell　of　the　Wakehams　he　found　Rowena　with　Hugo　Raeder　in　the　drawing…room。

〃You　are　glad　to　leave　us；〃　said　Rowena；　in　a　tone　of　reproach。

〃No；〃　said　Larry；　〃sorry。　　You　have　been　too　good　to　me。〃

〃You　are　glad　to　go　to　war？〃

〃No；　I　hate　the　war。　　I　am　not　a　soldier；　but；　thank　God；　I　see　my　duty；　and　I　am　going　to　have　a　go　at　it。〃

〃Right　you　are；〃　said　Hugo。　　〃What　else　could　any　man　do　when　his　country　is　at　war？〃

〃But　I　hate　to　go；〃　said　Larry；　〃and　I　hate　this　business　of　saying　good…bye。　　You　have　all　been　so　good　to　me。〃

〃It　was　easy；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃Do　you　know　I　was　on　the　way　to　fall　in　love　with　you？　　Hugo　here　and　Jane　saved　me。　　Oh；　I　mean　it；〃　she　added；　flushing　as　she　laughed。

〃Jane！〃　exclaimed　Larry。

〃Yes；　Jane。　　Oh；　you　men　are　so　stupid；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃And　Hugo　helped　me　out；　too；〃　she　added；　with　a　shy　glance　at　him。

Larry　looked　from　one　to　the　other；　then　rushed　to　Hugo。　　〃Oh；　you　lucky　beggar！　　You　two　lucky　beggars！　　Oh；　joy；　glory；　triumph！　Could　anything　be　finer　in　the　wide　world？〃　cried　Larry；　giving　a　hand　to　each。

〃And；　Larry；　don't　be　a　fool；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃Try　to　understand　your　dear；　foolish　heart；　and　don't　break　your　own　or　any　one's　else。〃

Larry　gazed　at　her　in　astonishment　and　then　at　Hugo；　who　nodded　wisely　at　him。

〃She　is　quite　right；　Larry。　　I　want　to　see　that　young　lady　Jane。　She　must　be　quite　unique。　　I　owe　her　something。〃

〃Good…bye；　then；〃　said　Larry。　　〃I　have　already　seen　your　mother。　Good…bye；　you　dear　things。　　God　give　you　everything　good。　　He　has　already　given　you　almost　the　best。〃

〃Good…bye；　you　dear　boy；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃I　have　wanted　to　kiss　you　many　a　time；　but　didn't　dare。　　But　nowyou　are　going　to　the　war〃　there　was　a　little　break　in　her　voice〃where　men　die。　　Good…bye；　Larry；　dear　boy；　good…bye。〃　　She　put　her　arms　about　him。　　〃And　don't　keep　Jane　waiting；〃　she　whispered　in　his　ear。

〃If　I　were　a　German；　Larry；〃　said　Hugo；　giving　him　both　hands；　〃I　would　kiss　you　too；　old　boy；　but　being　plain　American；　I　can　only　say　good　luck。　　God　bless　you。〃

〃You　will　find　Elfie　in　her　room；〃　said　Rowena。　　〃She　refuses　to　say　good…bye　where　any　one　can　see　her。　　She　is　not　going　to　weep。　Soldiers'　women　do　not　weep；　she　says。　　Poor　kid！〃

Larry　found　Elfie　in　her　room；　with　high　lights　as　of　fever　on　her　cheeks　and　eyes　glittering。

〃I　am　not　going　to　cry；〃　she　said　between　her　teeth。　　〃You　need　not　be　afraid；　Larry。　　I　am　going　to　be　like　the　Canadian　women。〃

Larry　took　the　child　in　his　arms；　every　muscle　and　every　nerve　in　her　slight　body　taut　as　a　fiddle…string。　　He　smoothed　her　hair　gently　and　began　to　talk　quietly　with　her。

〃What　good　times　we　have　had！〃　he　said。　　〃I　remember　well　the　very　first　night　I　saw　you。　　Do　you？〃

〃Oh；〃　she　breathed；　〃don't　speak　of　it；　or　I　can't　hold　in。〃

〃Elfie；〃　said　Larry；　〃our　Canadian　women　when　they　are　seeing　their　men　off　at　the　station　do　not　cry；　they　smile　and　wave　their　hands。　That　is；　many　of　them　do。　　But　in　their　own　rooms；　like　this；　they　cry　as　much　as　they　like。〃

〃Oh；　Larry；　Larry；〃　cried　the　child；　flinging　herself　upon　him。　〃Let　me　cry；　then。　　I　can't　hold　in　any　longer。〃

〃Neither　can　I；　little　girl。　　See；　Elfie；　there　is　no　use　trying　not　to；　and　I　am　not　ashamed　of　it；　either；〃　said　Larry。

The　pent…up　emotion　broke　forth　in　a　storm　of　sobbing　and　tears　that　shook　the　slight　body　as　the　tempest　shakes　the　sapling。　Larry；　holding　her　in　his　arms；　talked　to　her　about　the　good　days　they　had　had　together。

〃And　isn't　it　fine　to　think　that　we　have　those　forever；　and；　whenever　we　want　to；　we　can　bring　them　back　again？　　And　I　want　you　to　remember；　Elfie；　that　when　I　was　very　lonely　and　homesick　here　you　were　the　one　that　helped　me　most。〃

〃And　you；　Larry；　oh；　what　you　did　for　me！〃　said　the　child。　　〃I　was　so　sick　and　miserable　and　bad　and　cross　and　hateful。〃

〃That　was　just　because　you　were　not　fit；〃　said　Larry。　　〃But　now　you　are　fit　and　fine　and　strong　and　patient；　and　you　will　always　be　so。　Remember　it　is　a　soldier's　duty　to　keep　fit。〃　　Elfie　nodded。　　〃And　I　want　you　to　send　me　socks　and　a　lot　of　things　when　I　get　over　there。　　I　shall　write　you　all　about　it；　and　you　will　write　me。　Won't　you？〃　　Again　Elfie　nodded。

〃I　am　glad　you　let　me　cry；〃　she　said。　　〃I　was　so　hot　and　sore　here；〃　and　she　laid　her　hands　upon　her　throat。　　〃And　I　am　glad　you　cried　too；　Larry；　and　I　won't　cry　before　people；　you　know。〃

〃That　is　right。　　There　are　going　to　be　too　many　sad　people　about　for　us　to　go　crying　and　making　them　feel　worse；〃　said　Larry。

〃But　I　will　say　good…bye　here；　Larry。　　I　could　go　to　the　train；　but　then　I　might　not　quite　smile。〃

But　when　the　train　pulled　out　that　night　the　last　face　that　Larry　saw　of　all　his　warm…hearted　American　friends　was　that　of　the　little　girl；　who　stood　alone　at　the　end　of　the　platform；　waving　both　her　hands　wildly　over　her　head；　her　pale　face　effulgent　with　a　glorious　smile；　through　which　the　tears　ran　unheeded　down　her　cheeks　like　rain　on　a　sunny　day。　　And　on　Larry's　face；　as　he　turned　away；　there　was　the　same　gleam　of　sunshine　and　of　rain。

〃This　farewell　business　is　something　too　fi