adventures and letters-第74章

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！


The　reason　I　could　not　come　by　automobile　was　because　I　had　a　falling　out　with　the　〃mad　dogs〃　and　they　would　not　give　me　a　pass。　　So　Evans；　with　whom　I　was　to　motor　to　Holland；　got　through　Friday　afternoon　and　sent　the　cable。　　As　soon　as　I　reached　Holland；　I　cabled　I　was　coming　and　kept　on　telegraphing　every　step　of　the　journey；　which　lasted　three　days。

I　telegraphed　last　from　Folkestone；　even　telling　you　what　to　have　for　my　supper。　　As　you　directed；　Ashford　opened　the　cables；　and　when　I　drove　up；　he　was　at　the　door　in　tears。　　He　had　made　a　light　in　your　rooms　and；　of　course；　as　I　looked　up　I　thought　you　still　were　in　them。　　When　they　told　me　I　was　a　day　late；　I　cried；　too。　　It　was　the　bitterest　disappointment　I　ever　knew。　　I　had　taken　the　very　first　train　out　of　Brussels；　the　one　with　the　wounded；　and　for　three　days　had　been　having　one　hell　of　a　time。　　But　I　kept　thinking　of　seeing　you；　and　hearing　your　dear　voice。　　So　the　trip　did　not　matter。　　I　was　only　thinking　of　SEEING　YOU；　and　thanking　God　I　was　shut　of　the　dirty　Germans。　　We　had　nothing　to　eat；　and　we　slept　on　the　floor　of　the　train；　the　Germans　kept　us　locked　in；　and；　all　through　even　Holland；　we　were　under　arrest。　　But　nothing　mattered；　because　I　was　so　happy　at　thought　of　meeting　you。　　As　I　said　neither　of　us　was　at　fault。　　You　just　HAD　to　go；　and　I　could　NOT　COME。　　But；　you　can　feel　how　I　felt　to　learn　you　were　at　sea。

I　was　so　glad　I　could　use　your　old　rooms。　　I　went　to　the　table　where　you　used　to　write　and　was　so　glad　I　could　at　least　be　as　near　to　you　as　that。　　No　other　place　in　London　could　have　held　me　that　night。　　Not　Buckingham　Palace。　　I　found　little　things　you　had　left。　　I　loved　even　the　funny　pictures　on　the　wall　because　we　had　talked　of　them　together。　　It　was　ROTTEN；　ROTTEN　luck。　　But　only　the　Germans　and　their　hellish　war　were　to　blame。　　I　drove　straight　to　the　cable　office；　and　tried　to　wireless　you；　knowing　you　would　feel　glad　to　know　I　was　well；　and　safe　and　sound。　　But　the　cable　people　could　not　send　my　message。　　You　were　then　out　of　reach　of　wireless；　on　the　Irish　coast。　　And　for　nine　days　there　was　no　way　to　tell　you　I　had　come　back　as　fast　as　trains　and　boats　and　the　dirty　Germans　would　let　me。　　Oh；　my　dear；　dear　one；　HOW　I　LOVE　you。　　If　only　I　could　have　seen　you　for　just　five　minutes。　　As　it　was；　I　thought　for　five　days　more　we　would　be　together。　　What　I　shall　do　now；　I　don't　know。　　I　must　go　back　with　either　the　French　or　the　English　until　my　contract　expires；　and　then；　I　can　join　you。　　Tomorrow　I　am　trying　to　see　Asquith　and　Churchill　to　get　with　the　army。　　And　I　will　at　once　return　across　the　channel。　　But；　do　not　worry！　　I　will　never　again　let　a　German　come　within　ONE　MILE　of　me！　　After　this；　between　me　and　the　Germans；　there　will　be　some　hundreds　of　thousands　of　English　or　French。　　So　after　this　reaches　you　I　will　soon　be　on　my　way　HOME。　　Don't　worry。　　Get　James　back　and　Amelia　and　everyone　else　who　can　make　you　comfortable；　and　trust　in　the　good　Lord。　　I　have　your　cross　and　St。　Rita　around　my　neck；　and　in　spite　of　what　the　Kaiser　says；　God　is　looking　after　other　people　than　Germans。　　Certainly　he　has　taken　good　care　of　me。　　And　he　will　guard　you；　and　our　〃blessed〃　one。　　And　in　a　little　time；　dear；　DEAR　heart；　I　will　be　back；　and　I　will　become　a　grocer。　　God　love　you　and　keep　you；　as　he　does。　　And　you　will　never　know　HOW　I　LOVE　YOU！　　Good　night；　dearest；　sweetheart　and　wife！　　I　am　writing　this　at　your　table；　and；　thanking　God　you　are　going　to　the　farm；　and　to　peace　and　happiness。　　I　SEND　YOU　ALL　THE　LOVE　IN　ALL　THE　WORLD。

RICHARD。


LONDON；　September　3rd。　MY　DEAREST　ONE：

It　was　a　full　moon　again　tonight　and　I　think　you　were　on　deck　and　saw　it；　because　by　now；　you　have　passed　the　four　days　at　sea　and　should　be　in　the　St。　Lawrence。　　So　I　knew　you　saw　the　moon；　too；　and　I　sent　you　a　kiss；　via　it。　　It　was　just　over　St。　James　Palace　but　also　it　was　just　over　you。

Today　has　been　a　day　of　worries。　　Wheeler　cabled　that　the　papers　wanted　me　to　be　〃neutral〃　and　not　write　against　the　Germans。　　As　I　am　not　interested　in　the　German　vote；　or　in　advertising　of　German　breweries　（such　a　hard　word　to　SAY）　I　thought；　considering　the　EXCLUSIVE　stories　I　had　sent　them；　instead　of　kicking；　they　ought　to　be　sending　me　a　few　bouquets。　　Especially；　as　I　got　cables　from　Gouvey；　Whigham；　Scribner's　and　others　congratulating　me　on　the　anti…German　stories。　　So　I　cabled　Wheeler　to　tell　papers　of　his　syndicate；　dictation　from　them　as　to　what　I　should　write　was　〃unexpected；〃　that　they　could　go　to　name…of…place　censored　and　that　if　he　wished　I　would　release　him　from　his　contract　tonight。　　Considering　that　without　credentials　I　was　with　French；　Belgian　and　German　armies　and　saw　entry　of　Germans　into　Brussels　and　sacking　of　Louvain　and　got　arrested　as　a　spy；　they　were　a　bit　ungrateful。　　I　am　now　wondering　WHAT　I　would　have　seen　HAD　I　HAD　credentials。

I　saw　Anthony　Hope　at　the　club　last　night。　　He　had　to　go　back　to　the　country；　so　I　dined　alone　on　English　oysters。　　Fancy　anyone　being　NEUTRAL　in　this　war！　　Germany　dropping　bombs　in　Paris　and　Antwerp　on　women　and　churches　and　scattering　mines　in　the　channel　where　they　blow　up　fishermen　and　burning　the　cathedrals！　　A　man　who　now　would　be　neutral　would　be　a　coward。　　Good　night；　NEAR；　DEAR；　DEAR　one。　　It　has　been　several　weeks　since　I　had　sleep；　so　if　I　rave　and　wander　in　my　letters　forgive　me。　　You　know　how　I　am　thinking　of　you。　　God　bless　you。　　God　keep　you　for　me。

Your　husband　who　loves　you　SO！


LONDON；　September　7th。　DEAREST：

I　just　got　your　cable　saying　you　were　at　the　farm；　and　well！　　HOW　HAPPY　IT　MADE　ME！　　I　cabled　you　to　Quebec；　and　to　Mt。　Kisco；　and　when　two　days　passed　and　I　heard　nothing；　today　I　was　scared；　so　I　cabled　Gouvey　to　look　after　you；　and　also　to　Wheeler。　　I　went　to　the　Brompton　Oratory　today；　which　is　the　second　most　important　church　here　（the　cardinal　lives　at　Westminster）　and　burned　the　BIGGEST　CANDLE　they　had　for　you　and　the　〃blessing。〃　　A　big　woman　all　in　black　was　kneeling　in　the　little　chapel　and　when　I　could　not　get　the　candle　to　stand　up；　she　beckoned　to　one　of　the　priests；　and　he　ran　and　fixed　it。　　Then　she　went　on　praying。　　And　WHO　do　you　think　she　was？　　Queen　Amelie　of　Portugal；　you　see　her　pictures　in　the　Tattler　and　Sphere　opening　bazaars。　　So　she　must　be　very　good　or　she　would　not　be　saying　her　prayers　all　alone　with　the　poor　people　and　seeing　that　my　Bessie's　candle　was　burning。　　I　have　been　waiting　here　hoping　to　get　some　sort　of　credentials　from　Kitchener。　　But　though　Winston　Churchill　has　urged　him；　and　tomorrow　is　going　to　urge　him　again；　they　give　me　no　hope。　　So　I'll　just　go　over　〃on　my　own〃　and　I　bet　I'll　see　more　than　anyone　else。　　I　have　fine　papers；　anyhow。　　I　am　now　writing　Scribner　article；　so　THAT　is　off　my　mind。　　And　now　that　you　are　home；　I　have　no　〃worries。〃　I　wish　I　had　got　your　cable　earlier。　　I　would　have　had　oysters　and　champagne　in　BATH　TUBS。　　Give　my　love　to　all　the　flowers；　and　to　Shea　and　Paedrig；　and　Tom；　and　Louise；　and　Gouvey　and　the　lake。　　And　take　SUCH　good　care　of　yourself；　and　love　me；　and　be　happy　for　I　do　so　love　you　dear　one。　　I　DO　SO　LOVE　YOU。

YOUR　HUSBAND。


September　15th。　DEAREST：

Tonight　I　got　your　cable　in　answer　to　mine　asking　if　you　were　well。　　All　things　considered　twenty…four　hours　was　not　so　long　for　them　to　get　the　answer　to　me。　　You　BET　I　will　be　careful。　　I　don't　want　to　get　nearer　to　a　German　than　twenty　miles。　　At　the　battlefield　I　collected　five　German　spiked　helmets　but　at　the　Paris　gate　they　took　ALL　of　them　from　me。　　I　WAS　mad！　　I　wanted　to　keep　them　in　my　〃gym；〃　and　pound　them　with　Indian　clubs。　　I　wrote　all　day　yesterday；　so　today　I　did　not　work。　　There　is　nothing　more　here　to　do。　　And　as　soon　as　my　contract　is　up　October　1st；　I　will　make　towards　YOU！　　Seeing　the　big　battle　was　great　luck。　　So　far　I　have　seen　more　than　anyone。　　I　have　had　no　credentials；　and　yet　have　been　with　ALL　the　armies。　　Now　I　am　just　beating　time；　until　I　can　get　home。　　The　fighting　is　too　far　away　even　if　I　could　go　to　it。　　But　I　can't　without　being　arrested。　　And　I　am　fed　up　on　being　arrested。　　Today　all　the　little　children　came　out　of　doors。　　They　have　been　locked　up　for　fear　of　airships。　　It　was　fine　to　see　them　playing　in　the　C