The Governor-General was determined1 to make this event an example in promptness, glorious display and perfect efficiency. How prompt and efficient its real managers were going to make it he could not dream!
Every suspicion of disloyalty had been put at rest by the eager enthusiasm with which the Woman’s Legion of Honor, with its five thousand chapters, had taken the lead in preparation under Virginia’s brilliant direction. For three months the most beautiful girls in America had vied with one another in courting the favor of the army for the approaching festival. From the Governor-General down to the sailors of the fleet our girls had eyes only for the Imperial Army uniforms.
The artillerymen, the aviators2, and the submarine experts were the favorites. The conquerors3 began to feel a contemptuous pity for the poor native devils their charms had put out of the running.
Even the chauffeurs4 and railroad officials were everywhere courted and fêted by the fair ones. Every railroad agent, conductor, dispatcher, and superintendent6 was an officer in the Imperial Army. These men, who had rarely shared the glory of the regular army, were particularly elated over their triumphs with the girls.
When the Day dawned every terminal and every train in America was decorated with the royal flags. The spirit of abandonment to joy in a strange, subdued7 mania8 swept the nation. Beneath it beat the throbbing9 hearts of a million Sons of the New Revolution and a million Daughters of Jael who had offered their souls and bodies a living sacrifice for the glory of the Day. The contagion10 of earnestness from these eager millions of young men and women set every heart to beating with expectant awe11.
Angela received her final instructions at the Holland house at six o’clock. The magnificent display of fireworks would begin at eight-thirty, the dancing at nine-thirty, the banquet at eleven-thirty.
“You have a girl with every chauffeur5?” Virginia asked sharply.
“Si, signorina—“ Angela paused and smiled. “And they have learned to drive, too—yes—they have had some fun these three months!”
“At the Seventy-first Armory12, a girl for every sailor of the fleet?”
“For every one—”
“At the Twelfth Regiment13?”
“For the birdmen’s chauffeurs—I have two—very prettiest girls—two for each—”
“At the Seventh Regiment?”
“A girl for every waiter to help them serve. My girls they help the waiters everywhere—”
A look of fierce triumph overspread the dark features of the little mother. Her eyes grew misty14. She fumbled15 in her bosom16 and slowly drew out the blood-stained flag her boy had worn on his breast.
“And I have the flag, signorina! When I tear the red crown from the staff I wave this one and shout for my bambino.”
Virginia merely nodded. Her mind was sweeping17 the last possibility of accident.
“You haven’t been able to reach a single man among the wireless18 operators of the Woolworth tower?” she asked dreamily.
“Not one, signorina. The old devil up there don’t like the girls. He is not human—”
“There’s no help for it then,” she answered. “We’ll try another way. When all is ready attend me at the palace of the Governor-General. When the signal flashes from the Metropolitan19 tower I want the car I always drive at the door instantly—”
“Si, signorina—my chauffeur he like me very much—I must think of my bambino when I strike!”
“You will not fail?” Virginia sternly asked.
Angela touched the little flag and shook her head.
“Do not fear—I shall not fail!” She paused, bent20 close and whispered, “My chauffeur join our men, signorina—the Sergeant21 of the big guns, too. He swear to me the guns shall be ours!”
With a quick pressure of her hand Virginia hurried to enter the car of state which was already standing22 at the door.
The streets were thronged23 with thousands who talked in subdued tones. They had felt the iron hand on their throats too often during the past three years to abandon themselves to the occasion.
There were no screeching24 horns, no riotous25 boys and girls hurling26 confetti. Such crude expressions of liberty were forbidden.
Beneath the outer quiet slumbered27 the coming volcano.
Virginia drove to the Waldorf-Astoria, sent her card to a distinguished28 guest and was ushered29 into his parlors30.
The dark foreigner with a Van Dyke31 beard bowed over her hand.
“Your Lordship had a pleasant trip across I trust?” she asked.
The door closed and they were alone.
With a smothered32 cry she was in Vassar’s arms murmuring foolish, inarticulate sounds.
She freed herself with quick decision.
“There’s not a moment to be lost,” Virginia whispered. “I’ve failed to reach a single man in the Woolworth tower.”
“It must be taken then!” he answered firmly. “I have ordered the other stations destroyed. We must hold that before we strike in the banquet halls. I’ve made my plans to call our cavalry33 and automobile34 orders from there. Our first line of men must mobilize and be on their way within five minutes after the searchlight signals from the Square—”
He paused thoughtfully.
“There’s not a moment to be lost. I’ll take that tower myself. Send three of your girls to meet me there at nine o’clock dressed as country folks on a sight-seeing trip to the city—”
“Armed of course?”
“Yes—with automatics if you have them—I’ll find a way to get them up to see the fireworks.”
At nine o’clock a noisy group of country louts succeeded in reaching the room that led by a narrow winding35 stairs to the upper room of the Woolworth tower. They were singing loyal songs for God and Emperor! Their pilot was drunk but good-natured and determined to show them the pinnacle36.
The cautious red-faced Captain in charge of the wireless, who had been celebrating a little on the quiet, had thawed37 to a genial38 mood.
“T’ree cheers for Zemperor!” the jovial39 pilot from the country shouted.
The Captain laughed and joined the chorus. He glanced contemptuously at the giggling40 girls.
“Say, Cap,” the leader cried, leaning heavily on his shoulder—“my girls gotter see the fireworks—from the top—tip top! I promised ’em I’d take ’em to the very tip top—gotter make good—”
His legs wobbled and his breath was heavy with beer.
The Captain laughed.
“Think you could climb these winding stairs?”
“Surest thing you know.”
The drunken man staggered to the steps, rushed half way up, slipped and fell, sprawling41 to the floor.
The Captain roared.
“Try again!” he shouted. “I’ll let you go but not these women!”
The girls joined in the laughter while he made another ludicrous effort and slipped again.
The two operators left their instruments and peered down the shaft42.
“Go back to your places—this is my show!” the Captain called.
The drunken countryman watched them withdraw with wagging head but keen eye. He saw there were only two. He knew his task now.
He made another desperate effort to climb the spiral, turned a complete somersault and came down headforemost.
The Captain slipped to a sitting posture43 weak with laughter.
“Shay, pardner, help me!” the drunken one pleaded.
“No—this is my show—it’s too good to lose—I’m the audience—help yourself!”
The drunken countryman tried it backward this time, holding first to the rail.
The Captain wiped the tears from his eyes and bent again to laugh as the fool reached the last step and waved in triumph. He turned and staggered against the wall feeling his way to the door beyond.
The girls crowded about the Captain.
“Please let us go too!” they chimed in chorus.
The Captain was adamant44. They kept up their parrot cries until the crash above came. They heard the blow that felled the first operator—the shuffle45 of feet, the tiger spring, the smothered cry.
It was all over with the Captain before the cry. Three fierce, athletic46 girls bore him to the floor and held his writhing47 body until it was still.
“All right!” Vassar called. “Stand guard now at the door leading from the elevator—inside the door. Let no one pass!”
The leader of his guard touched her hat in salute48. He took his place at the operator’s table and answered a call from the tower of the Governor-General’s palace.
“Your wireless stations have all answered?” the machine sang.
“All”—was the brief answer.
“I’ll give you the signal for the Emperor’s toast on the stroke of twelve.”
“Good!” Vassar answered with a grim smile.
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收听单词发音
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1
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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aviators
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| 飞机驾驶员，飞行员( aviator的名词复数 ) | |
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3
conquerors
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| 征服者，占领者( conqueror的名词复数 ) | |
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chauffeurs
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| n.受雇于人的汽车司机( chauffeur的名词复数 ) | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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6
superintendent
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| n.监督人，主管，总监；(英国)警务长 | |
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7
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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mania
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| n.疯狂；躁狂症，狂热，癖好 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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10
contagion
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| n.(通过接触的疾病)传染；蔓延 | |
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11
awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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12
armory
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| n.纹章，兵工厂，军械库 | |
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13
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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14
misty
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| adj.雾蒙蒙的，有雾的 | |
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15
fumbled
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| （笨拙地）摸索或处理（某事物）( fumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 乱摸，笨拙地弄； 使落下 | |
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16
bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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17
sweeping
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| adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的 | |
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18
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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19
metropolitan
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| adj.大城市的，大都会的 | |
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20
bent
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| n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的 | |
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21
sergeant
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| n.警官，中士 | |
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22
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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23
thronged
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| v.成群，挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
screeching
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| v.发出尖叫声( screech的现在分词 )；发出粗而刺耳的声音；高叫 | |
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25
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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26
hurling
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| n.爱尔兰式曲棍球v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的现在分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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27
slumbered
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| 微睡，睡眠（slumber的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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28
distinguished
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| adj.卓越的，杰出的，著名的 | |
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29
ushered
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| v.引，领，陪同( usher的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
parlors
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| 客厅( parlor的名词复数 )； 起居室； （旅馆中的）休息室； （通常用来构成合成词）店 | |
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31
dyke
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| n.堤，水坝，排水沟 | |
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32
smothered
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| （使）窒息， （使）透不过气( smother的过去式和过去分词 )； 覆盖； 忍住； 抑制 | |
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33
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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35
winding
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| n.绕，缠，绕组，线圈 | |
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36
pinnacle
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| n.尖塔，尖顶，山峰；(喻)顶峰 | |
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37
thawed
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| 解冻 | |
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38
genial
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| adj.亲切的，和蔼的，愉快的，脾气好的 | |
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39
jovial
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| adj.快乐的，好交际的 | |
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40
giggling
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| v.咯咯地笑( giggle的现在分词 ) | |
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41
sprawling
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| adj.蔓生的，不规则地伸展的v.伸开四肢坐[躺]( sprawl的现在分词 )；蔓延；杂乱无序地拓展；四肢伸展坐着（或躺着） | |
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42
shaft
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| n.(工具的)柄，杆状物 | |
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43
posture
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| n.姿势，姿态，心态，态度；v.作出某种姿势 | |
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44
adamant
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| adj.坚硬的，固执的 | |
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45
shuffle
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| n.拖著脚走，洗纸牌；v.拖曳，慢吞吞地走 | |
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46
athletic
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| adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的 | |
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47
writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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48
salute
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| vi.行礼，致意，问候，放礼炮；vt.向…致意，迎接，赞扬；n.招呼，敬礼，礼炮 | |
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