Escorted by Bougainville, John went down a little slope to a point where several officers stood talking earnestly. The central figure was that of a huge man who puffed1 out his cheeks as he spoke2, and whose words and movements were alive with energy. Even had he seen but a dim outline, John would have recognized him with no difficulty as General Vaugirard, and beside him stood de Rougemont.
"The American, John Scott, sir. He has just escaped from the enemy and he brings important information."
Vaugirard puffed out his great cheeks and whistled with satisfaction.
"Ah, my young Yankee!" he said. "They cannot hold you!"
"No, my general," replied John, "I've come back again to fight for France."
General Vaugirard looked at him keenly.
"You're exhausted," he said. "You've been under tremendous pressure."
"But I can guide you. I want neither sleep nor rest."
"You need both, as I can see with these two old eyes of mine. Sleep you can't have now, but rest is yours. You go with me in my automobile4, which this war has trained to climb mountains, jump rivers, and crash through forests. The motor has become a wonderful weapon of battle."
"May I ask one question, General?" said John.
"A dozen."
"Do you know where the aviator5, Philip Lannes, is? His sister is held a prisoner by a German general in a château toward which we will march, and doubtless he would wish to go at once to her rescue."
"He is not here, but his friend, Caumartin, is only a half-mile away. I'll send a man at once with a message to him to find Lannes, who will surely follow us, if he can be found. And now, my brave young Yankee, here is my machine. Into it, and we'll lead the way."
John sprang into the automobile, and sank down upon the cushions. He had a vast sense of ease and luxury. He had not known until then, the extent of his mental and physical overstrain, but de Rougemont, who was also in the machine, observed it and gave him a drink from a flask6, which revived him greatly.
Then the automobile turned into the road and moved forward at a slow gait, puffing7 gently like a monster trying to hold in his breath. From the wood and the fields came the tread of many thousand men, marching to the night attack. Behind their own automobile rose the hum of motors, bearing troops also, and dragging cannon8.
John felt that he was going back in state, riding by the side of a general and at the head of an army. He found both pride and exultation9 in it. Sleep was far from his eyes. How could one think of sleep at such a moment? But youth, the restorer, was bringing fresh strength to his tired muscles and he was never more alert.
At one point they stopped while the general examined the dusky horizon through his glasses, and a company of men with faces not French marched past them. They were John's own Strangers, and despite the presence of General Vaugirard both Wharton and Carstairs reached up and shook his hand as they went by.
"Welcome home," said Wharton.
"See you again in the morning," said Carstairs.
"God bless you both," said John with some emotion.
Captain Daniel Colton nodded to him. They were not effusive10, these men of the Strangers, but their feelings were strong. When the automobile in its turn passed them again and resumed its place at the head of the column, they seemed to take no notice.
No more shells passed over John's head. He knew that General Vaugirard had sent back word for the batteries to cease firing in that direction, but both to south and north of them the sullen11 thunder went on. The night remained light, adorned12 rather than obscured by the little white clouds floating against the sky. The only sound that John could hear was the great hum and murmur13 of a moving army, a sound in which the puffing of automobiles14 had introduced a new element. He wondered why they had not roused up German skirmishers, but perhaps those vigilant15 gentlemen, had grown weary at last.
They reached the first brook16, and, as they were crossing it, the rifle fire expected so long began to crackle in front. Then the French trumpets17 shrilled18, and the whole force marched rapidly, rifles and field guns opening in full volume. But the French had the advantage of surprise. Their infantry19 advanced at the double quick, a powerful force of cavalry20 on their right flank galloped21 to the charge, and Bougainville's Paris regiment22 and the Strangers swept over the field.
A heavy fire met them, but the general's automobile kept in front puffing along the main road. General Vaugirard puffed with it, but now and then he ceased his puffing to whistle. John knew that he was pleased and that all was going well. The battle increased in volume, and their whole front blazed with fire. The dark was thinning away in the east and dawn was coming.
"The château! The château!" cried John as a dark shape rose on the horizon. Even as he looked a shell burst over it and it leaped into flames. He cried aloud in fear, not for himself, but for those who were there. But General Vaugirard was calmly examining the field and the house through powerful glasses.
"They're pouring from the building," he said, "and it's full time. Look how the fire gains! What a pity that we should destroy the home of some good Frenchman in order to drive out the enemy."
"Faster, sir! Faster! Ah, I pray you go faster!" exclaimed John, whose heart was eaten up with anxiety as he saw the château roaring with flames. But he did not need the general's glasses now to see the people stream from it, and then rush for refuge from the fire of the French. The surprise had been so thorough that at this point the enemy was able to offer little resistance, and, in a few moments more, the automobile reached the grounds surrounding the burning château.
John, reckless of commands and of everything else, leaped out of the machine and ran forward. A gigantic man bearing a slender figure in his arms emerged from the shrubbery. Behind him came a stalwart young woman, grim of face. John shouted with joy. It was Picard, carrying Julie, and the woman who followed was the faithful Suzanne.
Picard put Julie down. She stood erect23, pale as death. But the color flooded into her face when she saw John, and uttering a cry of joy she ran forward to meet him. She put her hands in his and said:
"I knew that you would save me!"
Time and place were extraordinary, and war, the great leveler, was once more at work.
"The château was set on fire by shells, Monsieur Scott," Picard said, "and when the enemy saw the French force appearing across the fields they took to flight. That dog of a prince, the Auersperg, tried to carry off Mademoiselle Julie in his automobile, but the young prince interfered24 and while they were quarreling I seized her and took her away. All the other women have escaped too."
"Thank God, Picard," exclaimed John, wringing25 the huge hand of the peasant, who was at once a peasant and a prince too.
"And look," said Carstairs, who with Wharton had approached unnoticed. "An aeroplane comes like the flight of an eagle, and my guess is poor if it is not our friend, the great Lannes."
Caumartin in truth had found Philip, and he came like the lightning, circling and swooping26 until he touched the ground almost at Julie's feet. Brother and sister were united in a close embrace, and Lannes turned to John.
"I have heard from Caumartin that it was you who brought the word. We can never repay you."
"We'll wait and see," said John.
"And now," said Lannes, "we go to Paris. My duties allow me enough time for the flight. No, John, my friend, don't object. She's been up in the Arrow with me before. Picard, you and Suzanne can come later."
The thunder of the battle rolling toward the east still reached them, but Lannes quickly threw a coat around Julie, gave her a cap and huge glasses to put on, and exclaimed:
"Now we go."
"But I must first thank Mr. Scott himself for saving me," she said.
She put her hand, small and warm, in his, American fashion, and the two palms met in a strong clasp.
"Good-bye, Mr. Scott," she said.
"Good-bye, but not forever. I'm coming back to Paris."
"And it's my hope, too, that it's not forever."
She and her brother took their seats in the Arrow. Carstairs, Wharton and the others gave it a push, and it soared up into the fresh blue of the dawn. An ungloved hand, white and small, reached over the side and waved farewell, a farewell which John felt was for him.
To the east the battle still rolled, but John had forgotten its existence. Higher and higher rose the Arrow, flying toward Paris, until it diminished to a mere28 dot in the sky, and then was gone.
THE END
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收听单词发音
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1
puffed
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| adj.疏松的v.使喷出( puff的过去式和过去分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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2
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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3
saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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4
automobile
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| n.汽车，机动车 | |
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aviator
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| n.飞行家，飞行员 | |
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flask
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| n.瓶，火药筒，砂箱 | |
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7
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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8
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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9
exultation
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| n.狂喜，得意 | |
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10
effusive
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| adj.热情洋溢的；感情(过多)流露的 | |
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11
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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12
adorned
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| [计]被修饰的 | |
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13
murmur
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| n.低语，低声的怨言；v.低语，低声而言 | |
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14
automobiles
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| n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 ) | |
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15
vigilant
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| adj.警觉的，警戒的，警惕的 | |
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16
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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17
trumpets
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| 喇叭( trumpet的名词复数 )； 小号； 喇叭形物； （尤指）绽开的水仙花 | |
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18
shrilled
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| （声音）尖锐的，刺耳的，高频率的( shrill的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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19
infantry
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| n.[总称]步兵(部队) | |
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20
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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21
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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22
regiment
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| n.团，多数，管理；v.组织，编成团，统制 | |
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23
erect
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| n./v.树立，建立，使竖立；adj.直立的，垂直的 | |
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24
interfered
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| v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉 | |
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25
wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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26
swooping
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的现在分词 ) | |
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27
rosily
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| adv.带玫瑰色地，乐观地 | |
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28
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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