While it had been said that French a?roplanes had never been seen above the French lines, though many machines of the opposing power were constantly reconnoitering over the heads of the French soldiers, it was well known within the circle that this aviation corps2 had been operating not only on the German lines, but considerably3 to the rear of them, and many and brilliant were the achievements of intimate record.
Within the first few hours after their arrival in Paris—not the laughter-loving city of yesterday, but the militant4 Paris of to-day—the boys had a glimpse of the military dictator, the commanding figure of the hour, General Joffre, on whom all France relies—a man of medium height, stout5, with a massive head, thick drooping6 mustache,[175] and heavy eyebrows7 nearly concealing8 his eyes.
As Gilbert remarked, “he had an easy-going manner until he sets his jaws9. By the way,” he added, “how would you like to show him what the new machines can do?”
To perform before General Joffre! Our Aviator Boys fairly gasped10 at the idea. So closely had they been allied11 with military doings, and so easily does the war spirit expand by such association, that a great field commander was just about the very top of the list with them. Legions gave devotion to General Joffre and General Sir John French.
From the first line of fortifications, over the enceinte (works forming the main inclosure), to the detached forts still beyond, there was a splendid natural theater for the a?rial exhibit, 430 square miles thus enclosed, with an encircling line of 77 miles.
“These machines are certainly the very ‘last word’ in a?roplane construction,” observed Henri, when Gilbert, Billy and himself moved about the hangars engaged in the “tuning up” process.
“Something like the machine in which young Bainbridge took his last ride,” recalled Billy.
In all their lives the boys could never forget that sad incident.
To demonstrate the passenger-carrying capacity[176] of the new aircraft, Gilbert was accompanied in the leading flight by a comrade airman, while Henri took Reddy, and Billy chummed with Jimmy.
The graceful12 evolutions, and, particularly, the lightning speed shown by the up-to-date machines, excited admiration13 and wonder. Practically the entire length of the encircling line was traversed in an hour—that is, 77 miles an hour!
Jimmy and Reddy had never before traveled like a ball from a cannon14, and even for the practiced aviators15 it was a little more than their limit.
“The general can’t say that there was anything slow about this,” asserted Billy, when he climbed down from the wheel-seat at the close of the thrilling performance.
“It was good work.”
Gilbert was a man of few words, and he always meant what he said.
He showed that when he said to Henri and Billy, in his earnest way:
“The flying corps would count it a big day if your services could be secured for regular duty.”
“But we are not ready to settle down yet,” was Billy’s plea. He did not want to tie himself to any foreign job.
“It is a temptation,” admitted Henri, “yet I must decide with Billy. It’s a partnership16 that won’t break.”
“And which reminds me,” he went on, “that we[177] have a pressing duty elsewhere, and now that we have given this day to show our gratitude17 to the kind Gilbert, it is very necessary that we hurry on.”
“All the obligation owing is mine,” stoutly18 maintained Gilbert; “you have a thousand times paid for your ride to Paris. Can I do any more now to get a nearer balance?”
“Only give us some directions that we want, and for possible need, something in writing, to ward19 off suspicious soldiers or gendarmes20.”
Gilbert provided both, and would also have sent a trooper or two with them had not Henri protested against it.
He felt that having set out on a secret mission, he was going to play the game that way.
It chanced that they must pass through one of the older parts of the city to reach the destination fixed21 by the address on the packet. It also happened, in this time of war, that of vehicles for hire there were very few running in the central part of the city—and there were none at all to be seen in these outskirts22 and wilderness23 of narrow, irregular streets.
Henri had not figured on such a condition as no means of public conveyance24, for it had not yet been fully25 impressed upon him that this was not the same Paris he had known in the past. It was now a city fearful; not a city wonderful.
Getting lost in this part of Paris, and when[178] the Apache bandits and ghouls of the night found less restraint and greater need, was no merry jest. Henri began to vainly wish that he had accepted Gilbert’s offer of an escort. Billy and himself had encountered so many big things in the way of danger and peril26 in the last few months, so many close calls on land and sea, above and below, that this adventure at first seemed of little moment.
Yet the sinister27, lurking28 menace of these silent, shadowy highways and byways in this beleaguered29 city was heightened by its very contrast with the scenes of turmoil30 in which the boys had participated, and where death stalked them with open hand.
“I’m stumped31 if I know just where Gilbert told me to make the turn that would set us straight for the Rue32 de Rivoli. Here’s night come upon us, and the high lights all out for fear of the Zeppelins, so you really can’t tell whether you are going or coming. Never thought for a moment but what we could hail a cab before this.”
“What’s the matter, then, with turning back, Henri?” questioned Jimmy.
“Nothing the matter with ‘turning,’” replied Henri, “but where is ‘back’?”
Jimmy did not know, so he had nothing more to say on the subject.
The four at the moment were passing a seemingly endless row of tumble-down tenements33. The[179] street was cobbled, or had been many years ago, and of sidewalks there was hardly a trace. At a far-away crossing ahead, an imitation of a lamp-post held up the kind of light one might expect from the fag-end of a candle. Behind, the darkness hung like a curtain.
“What a hold-up we would make,” muttered Billy, as he tightened34 a belt worth something like a quarter of a million francs.
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1
aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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corps
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| n.(通信等兵种的)部队；(同类作的)一组 | |
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considerably
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| adv.极大地；相当大地；在很大程度上 | |
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militant
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| adj.激进的，好斗的；n.激进分子，斗士 | |
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drooping
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| adj. 下垂的，无力的 动词droop的现在分词 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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concealing
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| v.隐藏，隐瞒，遮住( conceal的现在分词 ) | |
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jaws
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| n.口部；嘴 | |
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gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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allied
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| adj.协约国的；同盟国的 | |
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graceful
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| adj.优美的，优雅的；得体的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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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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partnership
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| n.合作关系，伙伴关系 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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stoutly
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| adv.牢固地，粗壮的 | |
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ward
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| n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开 | |
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gendarmes
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| n.宪兵，警官( gendarme的名词复数 ) | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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outskirts
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| n.郊外，郊区 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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sinister
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| adj.不吉利的，凶恶的，左边的 | |
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lurking
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| 潜在 | |
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beleaguered
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| adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰 | |
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turmoil
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| n.骚乱，混乱，动乱 | |
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stumped
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| 僵直地行走，跺步行走( stump的过去式和过去分词 )； 把（某人）难住； 使为难； （选举前）在某一地区作政治性巡回演说 | |
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rue
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| n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔 | |
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tenements
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| n.房屋，住户，租房子( tenement的名词复数 ) | |
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tightened
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| 收紧( tighten的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）变紧； （使）绷紧； 加紧 | |
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