the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第16章
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men。 The country hasn't stopped laughing yet。 You give us a rag！〃
challenged Herbert。 〃 Make it as hard as you like； something risky；
something that will make the country sit up； something that will send us
all to jail； and Phil and I will put it through whether it takes one man or a
dozen。 Go on；〃 he persisted； 〃And I bet we can get fifty volunteers right
here in town and all of them undergraduates。〃
〃Give you the idea； yes！〃 mocked Bellew； trying to gain time。 〃That's
just what I say。 You boys to…day are so dull。 You lack initiative。 It's the
idea that counts。 Anybody can do the acting。 That's just amateur
theatricals！〃
〃Is it！〃 snorted Herbert。 〃If you want to know what stage fright is； just
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go on board a British battle…ship with your face covered with burnt cork
and insist on being treated like an ambassador。 You'll find it's a little
different from a first night with the Simla Thespians！〃
Ford had no part in the debate。 He had been smoking comfortably and
with well…timed nods； impartially encouraging each disputant。 But now he
suddenly laid his cigar upon his plate； and； after glancing quickly about
him； leaned eagerly forward。 They were at the corner table of the terrace；
and； as it was now past nine o'clock； the other diners had departed to the
theatres and they were quite alone。 Below them； outside the open windows；
were the trees of the embankment； and beyond； the Thames； blocked to the
west by the great shadows of the Houses of Parliament； lit only by the
flame in the tower that showed the Lower House was still sitting。
〃I'LL give you an idea for a rag；〃 whispered Ford。 〃One that is risky；
that will make the country sit up； that ought to land you in Jail？ Have you
read 'The Riddle of the Sands'？〃
Bellew and Herbert nodded； Birrell made no sign。
〃 Don't mind him；〃 exclaimed Herbert impatiently。 〃HE never reads
anything！ Go on！〃
〃It's the book most talked about；〃 explained Ford。 〃And what else is
most talked about？〃 He answered his own question。 〃The landing of the
Germans in Morocco and the chance of war。 Now； I ask you； with that
book in everybody's mind； and the war scare in everybody's mind； what
would happen if German soldiers appeared to…night on the Norfolk coast
just where the book says they will appear？ Not one soldier； but dozens of
soldiers； not in one place； but in twenty places？〃
〃What would happen？〃 roared Major Bellew loyally。 〃The Boy Scouts
would fall out of bed and kick them into the sea！〃
〃Shut up！〃 snapped his nephew irreverently。 He shook Ford by the arm。
〃How？〃 he demanded breathlessly。 〃How are we to do it？ It would take
hundreds of men。〃
〃Two men；〃 corrected Ford； 〃And a third man to drive the car。 I
thought it out one day at Clarkson's when I came across a lot of German
uniforms。 I thought of it as a newspaper story； as a trick to find out how
prepared you people are to meet invasion。 And when you said just now
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that you wanted a chance to go to jail 〃
〃What's your plan？〃 interrupted Birrell。
〃We would start just before dawn〃 began Ford。
〃We？〃 demanded Herbert。 〃Are you in this？〃
〃Am I in it？〃 cried Ford indignantly。 〃It's my own private invasion！ I'm
letting you boys in on the ground floor。 If I don't go； there won t be any
invasion！〃
The two pink…cheeked youths glanced at each other inquiringly and
then nodded。
〃We accept your services； sir；〃 said Birrell gravely。 〃What's your
plan？〃
In astonishment Major Bellew glanced from one to the other and then
slapped the table with his open palm。 His voice shook with righteous
indignation。
〃Of all the preposterous； outrageousAre you mad？〃 he demanded。
〃Do you suppose for one minute I will allow〃
His nephew shrugged his shoulders and； rising； pushed back his chair。
〃Oh； you go to the devil！〃 he exclaimed cheerfully。 〃Come on； Ford；〃
he said。 〃We'll find some place where uncle can't hear us。〃
Two days later a touring car carrying three young men； in the twenty…
one miles between Wells and Cromer； broke down eleven times。 Each time
this misfortune befell them one young man scattered tools in the road and
on his knees hammered ostentatiously at the tin hood； and the other two
occupants of the car sauntered to the beach。 There they chucked pebbles at
the waves and then slowly retraced their steps。 Each time the route by
which they returned was different from the one by which they had set
forth。 Sometimes they followed the beaten path down the cliff or； as it
chanced to be； across the marshes； sometimes they slid down the face of
the cliff； sometimes they lost themselves behind the hedges and in the
lanes of the villages。 But when they again reached the car the procedure of
each was alikeeach produced a pencil and on the face of his 〃Half Inch〃
road map traced strange； fantastic signs。
At lunch…time they stopped at the East Cliff Hotel at Cromer and made
numerous and trivial inquiries about the Cromer golf links。 They had come；
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they volunteered； from Ely for a day of sea…bathing and golf； they were
returning after dinner。 The head…waiter of the East Cliff Hotel gave them
the information they desired。 He was an intelligent head…waiter； young；
and of pleasant； not to say distinguished； bearing。 In a frock coat he might
easily have been mistaken for something even more important than a
head…waiterfor a German riding… master； a leader of a Hungarian band； a
manager of a Ritz hotel。 But he was not above his station。 He even assisted
the porter in carrying the coats and golf bags of the gentlemen from the car
to the coffee…room where； with the intuition of the homing pigeon； the
three strangers had； unaided； found their way。 As Carl Schultz followed；
carrying the dust…coats； a road map fell from the pocket of one of them to
the floor。 Carl Schultz picked it up； and was about to replace it； when his
eyes were held by notes scrawled roughly in pencil。 With an expression
that no longer was that of a head…waiter； Carl cast one swift glance about
him and then slipped into the empty coat…room and locked the door。 Five
minutes later； with a smile that played uneasily over a face grown gray
with anxiety； Carl presented the map to the tallest of the three strangers。 It
was open so that the pencil marks were most obvious。 By his accent it was
evident the tallest of the three strangers was an American。
〃What the devil！〃 he protested； 〃which of you boys has been playing
hob with my map？〃
For just an instant the two pink…cheeked ones regarded him with
disfavor； until； for just an instant； his eyebrows rose and； with a glance； he
signified the waiter。
〃Oh； that！〃 exclaimed the younger one。 〃The Automobile Club asked
us to mark down petrol stations。 Those marks mean that's where you can
buy petrol。〃
The head…waiter breathed deeply。 With an assured and happy
countenance； he departed and； for the two…hundredth time that day； looked
from the windows of the dining…room out over the tumbling breakers to
the gray stretch of sea。 As though fearful that his face would expose his
secret； he glanced carefully about him and then； assured he was alone；
leaned eagerly forward； scanning the empty； tossing waters。
In his mind's eye he beheld rolling tug…boats straining against long
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lines of scows； against the dead weight of field…guns； against the pull of
thousands of motionless； silent figures； each in khaki； each in a black
leather helmet； each with one hundred and fifty rounds。
In his own language Carl Schultz reproved himself。
〃Patience；〃 he muttered； 〃patience！ By ten to…night all will be dark。
There will be no stars。 There will be no moon。 The very heavens fight for
us； and by sunrise our outposts will be twenty miles inland！〃
At lunch…time Carl Schultz carefully； obsequiously waited upon the
three strangers。 He gave them their choice of soup； thick or clear； of
gooseberry pie or Half…Pay pudding。 He accepted their shillings gratefully；
and when they departed for the links he bowed them on their way。 And as
their car turned up Jetty Street； for one instant； he again allowed his eyes
to sweep the dull gray ocean。 Brown…sailed fishing…boats were beating in
toward Cromer。 On the horizon line a Norwegian tramp was drawing a
lengthening scarf of smoke。 Save for these the sea was empty。
By gracious permission of the manageress Carl had obtained an
afternoon off； and； changing his coat； he mounted his bicycle and set forth
toward Overstrand。 On his way he nodded to the local constable； to the
postman on his rounds； to the driver of the char * banc。 He had been a year
in Cromer and was well known and well liked。
Three miles from Cromer； at the top of the highest hill in Overstrand；
the chimneys of a house showed above a thick tangle of fir…trees。 Between
the trees and the road rose a wall； high； compact； forbidding。 Carl opened
the gate in the wall and pushed his bicycle up a winding path hemmed in
by bushes。 At the sound of his feet on the gravel the bushes new apart； and
a man sprang into the walk and confronted him。 But； at sight of the head…
waiter； the legs of the man became rigid； his heels clicked together； his
hand went sharply to his visor。
Behind the house； surrounded on every side by trees； was a tiny lawn。
In the centre of the lawn； where once had been a tennis court； there now
stood a slim mast。 From this mast dangled tiny wires that ran to a kitch
