英语短篇小说
AppointmentWithLove--BySulamithIsh-Kishor
Sixminutestosix,saidthegreatroundclockovertheinformationboothinGrandCentralStation.ThetallyoungArmylieutenantwhohadjustcomefromthedirectionofthetracksliftedhissunburnedface,andhiseyesnarrowedtonotetheexacttime.Hisheartwaspoundingwithabeatthatshockedhimbecausehecouldnotcontrolit.Insixminutes,hewouldseethewomanwhohadfilledsuchaspecialplaceinhislifeforthepast13months,thewomanhehadneverseen,yetwhosewrittenwordshadbeenwithhimandsustainedhimunfailingly.
Heplacedhimselfascloseashecouldtotheinformationbooth,justbeyondtheringofpeoplebesiegingtheclerks...
LieutenantBlandfordrememberedonenightinparticular,theworstofthefighting,whenhisplanehadbeencaughtinthemidstofapackofZeros.Hehadseenthegrinningfaceofoneoftheenemypilots.
Inoneofhisletters,hehadconfessedtoherthatheoftenfeltfear,andonlyafewday***eforethi***attle,hehadreceivedheranswer:Ofcourseyoufear...allbravemendo.Didn'tKingDavidknowfear?That'swhyhewrotethe23rdPsalm.Nexttimeyoudoubtyourself,Iwantyoutohearmyvoicerecitingtoyou:'Yea,thoughIwalkthroughthevalleyoftheshadowofdeath,Ishallfearnoevil,forThouartwithme.'Andhehadremembered;hehadheardherimaginedvoice,andithadrenewedhisstrengthandskill.
Nowhewasgoingtohearherrealvoice.Fourminutestosix.Hisfacegrewsharp.
Undertheimmense,starredroof,peoplewerewalkingfast,likethreadsofcolorbeingwovenintoagrayweb.Agirlpassedclosetohim,andLieutenantBlandfordstarted.Shewaswearingaredflowerinhersuitlapel,butitwasacrimsonsweetpea,notthelittleredrosetheyhadagreedupon.Besides,thisgirlwastooyoung,about18,whereasHollisMeynellhadfranklytoldhimshewas30.Well,whatofit?hehadanswered.I'm32.Hewas29.
Hismindwentbacktothatbook-thebooktheLordHimselfmusthaveputintohishandsoutofthehundredsofArmylibrarybookssenttotheFloridatrainingcamp.OfHumanBondage,itwas;andthroughoutthebookwerenotesinawoman'swriting.Hehadalwayshatedthatwriting-inhabit,buttheseremarksweredifferent.Hehadneverbelievedthatawomancouldseeintoaman'sheartsotenderly,sounderstandingly.Hernamewasonthebookplate:HollisMeynell.HehadgotholdofaNewYorkCitytelephonebookandfoundheraddress.Hehadwritten,shehadanswered.Nextdayhehadbeenshippedout,buttheyhadgoneonwriting.
For13months,shehadfaithfullyreplied,andmorethanreplied.Whenhislettersdidnotarriveshewroteanyway,andnowhebelievedhelovedher,andshelovedhim.
Butshehadrefusedallhispleastosendhimherphotograph.Thatseemedratherbad,ofcourse.Butshehadexplained:Ifyourfeelingformehasanyreality,anyhonestbasis,whatIlooklikewon'tmatter.SupposeI'mbeautiful.I'dalway***ehauntedbythefeelingthatyouhadbeentakingachanceonjustthat,andthatkindoflovewoulddisgustme.SupposeI'mplain(andyoumustadmitthatthisismorelikely).ThenI'dalwaysfearthatyouweregoingonwritingtomeonlybecauseyouwerelonelyandhadnooneelse.No,don'taskformypicture.WhenyoucometoNewYork,youshallseemeandthenyoushallmakeyourdecision.Remember,bothofusarefreetostoportogoonafterthat-whicheverwechoose...
Oneminutetosix-LieutenantBlandford'sheartleapedhigherthanhisplanehadeverdone.
Ayoungwomanwascomingtowardhim.Herfigurewaslongandslim;herblondhairlaybackincurlsfromherdelicateears.Hereyeswereblueasflowers,herlipsandchinhadagentlefirmness.Inherpalegreensuit,shewaslikespringtimecomealive.
Hestartedtowardher,entirelyforgettingtonoticethatshewaswearingnorose,andashemoved,asmall,provocativesmilecurvedherlips.
Goingmyway,soldier?shemurmured.
Uncontrollably,hemadeonestepclosertoher.ThenhesawHollisMeynell.
Shewasstandingalmostdirectlybehindthegirl,awomanwellpast40,hergrayinghairtuckedunderawornhat.Shewasmorethanplump;herthick-ankledfeetwerethrustintolow-heeledshoes.Butsheworearedroseintherumpledlapelofherbrowncoat.
Thegirlinthegreensuitwaswalkingquicklyaway.
Blandfordfeltasthoughhewerebeingsplitintwo,sokeenwashisdesiretofollowthegirl,yetsodeepwashislongingforthewomanwhosespirithadtrulycompanionedandupheldhisown;andthereshestood.Herpale,plumpfacewasgentleandsensible;hecouldseethatnow.Hergrayeyeshadawarm,kindlytwinkle.
LieutenantBlandforddidnothesitate.Hisfingersgrippedthesmallworn,blueleathercopyofOfHumanBondage,whichwastoidentifyhimtoher.Thiswouldnotbelove,butitwouldbesomethingprecious,somethingperhapsevenrarerthanlove-afriendshipforwhichhehadbeenandmusteverbegrateful.
Hesquaredhi***roadshoulders,salutedandheldthebookouttowardthewoman,althoughevenwhilehespokehefeltshockedbythebitternessofhisdisappointment.
I'mLieutenantJohnBlandford,andyou-youareMissMeynell.I'msogladyoucouldmeetme.May...mayItakeyoutodinner?
Thewoman'sfacebroadenedinatolerantsmile.Idon'tknowwhatthisisallabout,son,sheanswered.Thatyoungladyinthegreensuit-theonewhojustwentby-beggedmetowearthisroseonmycoat.Andshesaidthatifyouaskedmetogooutwithyou,Ishouldtellyouthatshe'swaitingforyouinthatbigrestaurantacrossthestreet.Shesaiditwassomekindofatest.I'vegottwoboyswithUncleSammyself,soIdidn'tmindtoobligeyou.
