the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第3章
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that question I can answer offhand； without taking thought； and be sure
that I am right。
An analysis of his works； a study of that book which the Recording
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
Angel keeps will show one dominant characteristic to which even his
brilliancy； his clarity of style； his excellent mechanism as a writer are
subordinate； and to which； as a man； even his sense of duty； his powers of
affection； of forgiveness； of loving…kindness are subordinate； too； and that
characteristic is cleanliness。
The biggest force for cleanliness that was in the world has gone out of
the worldgone to that Happy Hunting Ground where 〃Nobody hunts us
and there is nothing to hunt。〃
GOUVERNEUR MORRIS。
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
CHAPTER 1 THE RED CROSS
GIRL
When Spencer Flagg laid the foundation…stone for the new million…
dollar wing he was adding to the Flagg Home for Convalescents； on the
hills above Greenwich； the New York REPUBLIC sent Sam Ward to cover
the story； and with him Redding to take photographs。 It was a crisp；
beautiful day in October； full of sunshine and the joy of living； and from
the great lawn in front of the Home you could see half over Connecticut
and across the waters of the Sound to Oyster Bay。
Upon Sam Ward； however； the beauties of Nature were wasted。 When；
the night previous； he had been given the assignment he had sulked； and
he was still sulking。 Only a year before he had graduated into New York
from a small up…state college and a small up…state newspaper； but already
he was a 〃star〃 man； and Hewitt； the city editor； humored him。
〃What's the matter with the story？〃 asked the city editor。 〃With the
speeches and lists of names it ought to run to two columns。〃
〃Suppose it does！〃 exclaimed Ward； 〃anybody can collect type…written
speeches and lists of names。 That's a messenger boy's job。 Where's there
any heart…interest in a Wall Street broker like Flagg waving a silver trowel
and singing； 'See what a good boy am！' and a lot of grownup men in
pinafores saying； 'This stone is well and truly laid。' Where's the story in
that？〃
〃When I was a reporter；〃 declared the city editor； 〃I used to be glad to
get a day in the country。〃
〃Because you'd never lived in the country；〃 returned Sam。 〃If you'd
wasted twenty…six years in the backwoods； as I did； you'd know that every
minute you spend outside of New York you're robbing yourself。〃
〃Of what？〃 demanded the city editor。 〃There's nothing to New York
except cement； iron girders； noise； and zinc garbage cans。 You never see
the sun in New York； you never see the moon unless you stand in the
middle of the street and bend backward。 We never see flowers in New
York except on the women's hats。 We never see the women except in cages
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
in the elevatorsthey spend their lives shooting up and down elevator
shafts in department stores； in apartment houses； in office buildings。 And
we never see children in New York because the janitors won't let the
women who live in elevators have children！ Don't talk to me！ New York's
a Little Nemo nightmare。 It's a joke。 It's an insult！〃
〃How curious！〃 said Sam。 〃Now I see why they took you off the street
and made you a city editor。 I don't agree with anything you say。 Especially
are you wrong about the women。 They ought to be caged in elevators； but
they're not。 Instead； they flash past you in the street； they shine upon you
from boxes in the theatre； they frown at you from the tops of buses； they
smile at you from the cushions of a taxi； across restaurant tables under red
candle shades； when you offer them a seat in the subway。 They are the
only thing in New York that gives me any trouble。〃
The city editor sighed。 〃How young you are！〃 he exclaimed。 〃However；
to…morrow you will be free from your only trouble。 There will be few
women at the celebration； and they will be interested only in
convalescentsand you do not look like a convalescent。〃
Sam Ward sat at the outer edge of the crowd of overdressed females
and overfed men； and； with a sardonic smile； listened to Flagg telling his
assembled friends and sycophants how glad he was they were there to see
him give away a million dollars。
〃Aren't you going to get his speech？〃； asked Redding； the staff
photographer。
〃Get HIS speech！〃 said Sam。 〃They have Pinkertons all over the
grounds to see that you don't escape with less than three copies。 I'm
waiting to hear the ritual they always have； and then I'm going to sprint for
the first train back to the centre of civilization。〃
〃There's going to be a fine lunch；〃 said Redding； 〃and reporters are
expected。 I asked the policeman if we were； and he said we were。〃
Sam rose； shook his trousers into place； stuck his stick under his
armpit and smoothed his yellow gloves。 He was very thoughtful of his
clothes and always treated them with courtesy。
〃You can have my share；〃 he said。 〃I cannot forget that I am fifty…five
minutes from Broadway。 And even if I were starving I would rather have a
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
club sandwich in New York than a Thanksgiving turkey dinner in New
Rochelle。〃
He nodded and with eager； athletic strides started toward the iron gates；
but he did not reach the iron gates； for on the instant trouble barred his
way。 Trouble came to him wearing the blue cambric uniform of a nursing
sister； with a red cross on her arm； with a white collar turned down； white
cuffs turned back； and a tiny black velvet bonnet。 A bow of white lawn
chucked her impudently under the chin。 She had hair like golden…rod and
eyes as blue as flax； and a complexion of such health and cleanliness and
dewiness as blooms only on trained nurses。
She was so lovely that Redding swung his hooded camera at her as
swiftly as a cowboy could have covered her with his gun。
Reporters become star reporters because they observe things that other
people miss and because they do not let it appear that they have observed
them。 When the great man who is being interviewed blurts out that which
is indiscreet but most important； the cub reporter says： 〃That's most
interesting； sir。 I'll make a note of that。〃 And so warns the great man into
silence。 But the star reporter receives the indiscreet utterance as though it
bored him； and the great man does not know he has blundered until he
reads of it the next morning under screaming headlines。
Other men； on being suddenly confronted by Sister Anne； which was
the official title of the nursing sister； would have fallen backward； or
swooned； or gazed at her with soulful； worshipping eyes； or； were they
that sort of beast； would have ogled her with impertinent approval。 Now
Sam； because he was a star reporter； observed that the lady before him was
the most beautiful young woman he had ever seen； but no one would have
guessed that he observed thatleast of all Sister Anne。 He stood in her way
and lifted his hat； and even looked into the eyes of blue as impersonally
and as calmly as though she were his great…auntas though his heart was
not beating so fast that it choked him。
〃I am from the REPUBLIC；〃 he said。 〃Everybody is so busy here to…
day that I'm not able to get what I need about the Home。 It seems a pity；〃
he added disappointedly； 〃because it's so well done that people ought to
know about it。〃 He frowned at the big hospital buildings。 It was apparent
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that the ignorance of the public concerning their excellence greatly
annoyed him。
When again he looked at Sister Anne she was regarding him in alarm
obviously she was upon the point of instant flight。
〃You are a reporter？〃 she said。
Some people like to place themselves in the hands of a reporter
because they hope he will print their names in black letters； a few others
only reporters know how fewwould as soon place themselves in the
hands of a dentist。
〃A reporter from the REPUBLIC；〃 repeated Sam。
〃But why ask ME？〃 demanded Sister Anne。
Sam could see no reason for her question； in extenuation and
explanation he glanced at her uniform。
〃I thought you were at work here；〃 he said simply。 〃I beg your
pardon。〃
He stepped aside as though he meant to leave her。 In giving that
impression he was distinctly dishonest。
〃There was no other reason；〃 persisted Sister Anne。 〃I mean for
speaking to me？〃
The reason for speaking to her was so obvious that Sam wondered
whether this could be the height of innocence or the most banal coquetry。
The hostile look in the eyes of the lady proved it could not be coquetry。
〃I am sorry；〃 said Sam。 〃I mistook you for one of the nurses here； and；
as you didn't seem busy； I thought you might give me some statistics about
the Home not really statistics； you know； but local color。〃
Sister Anne returned his look with one as steady as his own。
Apparently she was weighing his statement。 She seemed to disbelieve it。
Inwardly he was asking himself what could be the dark secret in the past
of this young woman that at the mere approach of a reportereven of such
a nice…looking reporter as himselfshe should shake and shudder。 〃If
that's what you really want to know；〃 said Sister Anne doubtfully；〃 I'll try
and help you； but；〃
