按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃Because；〃 explained Sam； 〃if you won't think it too
presumptuous； I was going to prescribe a day off for
youa day entirely away from iodoform and white enamelled
cots。 It is what you need； a day in the city and a lunch
where they have music； and a matinee； where you can laughor
cry； if you like that betterand then； maybe； some fresh air
in the park in a taxi； and after that dinner and more
theatre； and then I'll see you safe on the train for
Greenwich。 Before you answer；〃 he added hurriedly； 〃I want to
explain that I contemplate taking a day off myself and doing
all these things with you； and that if you want to bring any
of the other forty nurses along as a chaperon； I hope you
will。 Only； honestly； I hope you won't！〃
The proposal apparently gave Sister Anne much pleasure。 She
did not say so； but her eyes shone and when she looked at Sam
she was almost laughing with happiness。
〃I think that would be quite delightful；〃 said Sister Anne；〃
quite delightful！ Only it would be frightfully expensive；
even if I don't bring another girl； which I certainly would
not； it would cost a great deal of money。 I think we might
cut out the taxicaband walk in the park and feed the
squirrels。〃
〃Oh！〃 exclaimed Sam in disappointment；〃then you know
Central Park？〃
Sister Anne's eyes grew quite expressionless。
〃I once lived near there；〃 she said。
〃In Harlem？〃
〃Not exactly in Harlem； but near it。 I was quite young；〃 said
Sister Anne。 〃Since then I have always lived in the country
or inother places。〃
Sam's heart was singing with pleasure。
〃It's so kind of you to consent；〃 he cried。 〃Indeed； you are
the kindest person in all the world。 I thought so when I saw
you bending over these sick people； and； now I know。〃
〃It is you who are kind；〃 protested Sister Anne； 〃to take
pity on me。〃
〃Pity on you！〃 laughed Sam。 〃You can't pity a person who can
do more with a smile than old man Flagg can do with all his
millions。 Now；〃 he demanded in happy anticipation；〃 where are
we to meet？〃
〃That's it；〃 said Sister Anne。 〃Where are we to meet？〃
〃Let it be at the Grand Central Station。 The day can't begin
too soon；〃 said Sam； 〃and before then telephone me what
theatre and restaurants you want and I'll reserve seats and
tables。 Oh；〃 exclaimed Sam joyfully； 〃it will be a wonderful
daya wonderful day！〃
Sister Anne looked at him curiously and； so； it seemed； a
little wistfully。 She held out her hand。
〃I must go back to my duties；〃 she said。 〃Good…by。〃
〃Not good…by；〃 said Sam heartily； 〃only until Saturdayand
my name's Sam Ward and my address is the city room of the
REPUBLIC。 What's your name？〃
〃Sister Anne；〃 said the girl。 〃In the nursing order to which
I belong we have no last names。〃
〃So；〃 asked Sam； 〃I'll call you Sister Anne？〃
〃No； just Sister；〃 said the girl。
〃Sister！〃 repeated Sam； 〃Sister！〃 He breathed the word rather
than spoke it； and the way he said it and the way he looked
when he said it made it carry almost the touch of a caress。
It was as if he had said 〃Sweetheart！ or 〃Beloved！〃 〃I'll not
forget；〃 said Sam。
Sister Anne gave an impatient； annoyed laugh。
〃Nor I；〃 she said。
Sam returned to New York in the smoking…car； puffing
feverishly at his cigar and glaring dreamily at the smoke。 He
was living the day over again and； in anticipation； the day
off； still to come。 He rehearsed their next meeting at the
station； he considered whether or not he would meet her with
a huge bunch of violets or would have it brought to her when
they were at luncheon by the head waiter。 He decided the
latter way would be more of a pleasant surprise。 He planned
the luncheon。 It was to be the most marvellous repast he
could evolve； and； lest there should be the slightest error；
he would have it prepared in advanceand it should cost half
his week's salary。
The place where they were to dine he would leave to her；
because he had observed that women had strange ideas about
clothessome of them thinking that certain clothes must go
with certain restaurants。 Some of them seemed to believe
that； instead of their conferring distinction upon the
restaurant； the restaurant conferred distinction upon them。
He was sure Sister Anne would not be so foolish； but it might
be that she must always wear her nurse's uniform and that she
would prefer not to be conspicuous； so he decided that the
choice of where they would dine he would leave to her。 He
calculated that the whole day ought to cost about eighty
dollars； which； as star reporter； was what he was then
earning each week。 That was little enough to give for a day
that would be the birthday of his life！ No； he contradicted
the day he had first met her must always be the birthday of
his life； for never had he met one like her and he was sure
there never would be one like her。 She was so entirely
superior to all the others； so fine； so difficultin her
manner there was something that rendered her
unapproachable。 Even her simple nurse's gown was worn with a
difference。 She might have been a princess in fancy dress。
And yet； how humble she had been when he begged her to let
him for one day personally conduct her over the great city！
〃You are so kind to take pity on me；〃 she had said。 He
thought of many clever； pretty speeches he might have made。
He was so annoyed he had not thought of them at the time that
he kicked violently at the seat in front of him。
He wondered what her history might be； he was sure it was
full of beautiful courage and self…sacrifice。 It certainly
was outrageous that one so glorious must work for her living；
and for such a paltry livingforty dollars a month！ It was
worth that merely to have her sit in the flat where one could
look at her； for already he had decided that； when they were
married； they would live in a flatprobably in one
overlooking Central Park； on Central Park West。 He knew of
several attractive suites there at thirty…five dollars a
weekor； if she preferred the suburbs； he would forsake his
beloved New York and return to the country。 In his gratitude
to her for being what she was； he conceded even that
sacrifice。
When he reached New York； from the speculators he bought
front…row seats at five dollars for the two most popular
plays in town。 He put them away carefully in his waistcoat
pocket。 Possession of them made him feel that already he had
obtained an option on six hours of complete happiness。
After she left Sam； Sister Anne passed hurriedly through the
hospital to the matron's room and； wrapping herself in a
raccoon coat； made her way to a waiting motor car and said；
〃Home！〃 to the chauffeur。 He drove her to the Flagg family
vault； as Flagg's envious millionaire neighbors called the
pile of white marble that topped the highest hill above
Greenwich； and which for years had served as a landfall to
mariners on the Sound。
There were a number of people at tea when she arrived and
they greeted her noisily。
〃I have had a most splendid adventure！〃 said Sister Anne。
〃There were six of us； you know； dressed up as Red Cross
nurses； and we gave away programmes。 Well； one of the New
York reporters thought I was a real nurse and interviewed me