第16部分(第5/6 页)

n　words　had　sustained2　him　unfailingly。

Lieutenant　Blandford　remembered　one　day　in　particular；　during　the　worst　of　the　fighting；　when　his　plane　had　been　caught　in　the　midst　of　a　pack　of　enemy　planes。　In　one　of　his　letters　he　had　confessed3　to　her　that　he　often　felt　fear；　and　only　a　few　days　before　this　battle　he　had　received　her　answer，“Of　course　you　fear。。。　all　brave　men　do。　Next　time　you　doubt　yourself；　I　want　you　to　hear　my　voice　reciting　to　you，‘　Yeah；　though　I　walk　through　the　Valley　of　the　Shadow　of　Death；　I　will　fear　no　evil：　for　thou　art　with　me。’。。。”　He　had　remembered；　and　it　had　renewed　his　strength。

Now　he　was　going　to　hear　her　real　voice。　Four　minutes　to　six。

A　girl　passed　close　to　him；　and　Lieutenant　Blandford　started。　She　was　wearing　a　flower；　but　it　was　not　the　little　red　rose　they　had　agreed　upon。　Besides；　this　girl　was　only　about　18；　and　Hollis　Meynell　had　told　him　she　was　30。　“What　of　it？”　he　had　answered。　“I’m　32。”　He　was　29。

His　mind　went　back　to　that　book　he　had　read　in　the　training　camp。　Of　Human　Bondage　it　was；　and　throughout　the　book　were　notes　in　a　woman’s　handwriting。　He　had　never　believed　that　a　woman　could　see　into　a　man’s　heart　so　tenderly；　so　understandingly。　Her　name　was　on　the　book　plate：　Hollis　Meynell。　He　had　got　hold　of　a　New　York　City　telephone　book　and　found　her　address。　He　had　written；　she　had　answered。 Next　day　he　had　been　shipped　out；　but　they　had　gone　on　writing。

For　13　months　she　had　faithfully　replied。　When　his　letters　did　not　arrive；　she　wrote　anyway；　and　now　he　believed　that　he　loved　her　and　that　she　loved　him。

But　she　had　refused　all　his　pleas　to　send　him　her　photograph。　She　had　explained，　“If　your　feeling　for　me　has　any　reality；　what　I　look　like　won’t　matter。　Suppose　I’m　beautiful。