英语短篇小说

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,andonlyafewdaysbeforethisbattle,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'dalwaysbehauntedbythefeelingthatyouhadbeentakingachanceonjustthat,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.

Hesquaredhisbroadshoulders,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.