The Romantic

said, "is going to

sident of the Red Cross in his bureau. Everybody looked at them: the door-keeper, the lift orderly; the ward men and nurses hurrying past; wide s

body between them and the batter

forward, holding out her flowers to preoccupied people who wouldn't look at her; she smiled f

ident's bureau. He looked

ve got to break it to you that we're n

well, we'd no busines

rs with the other one.... It c

to sleep with i

t in our messroom. I bel

at won't

t out before we are. McClane was here

deepened. "Ho

dent s

ng, grey corridors were tunnels for the passage of strange smells, ether and iodine and

ed shimmer of the panes, they saw the little man in shabby tweeds, the two women, and the seven other men. This, Madame explained, was Dr. Donald McClane's Field Ambulance Corps. You could see it had thought it wa

ded insolently and turned away. "Miss Bartrum-" Miss Bartrum, the rather charming one, bowed, drawing the shadow of grave eyebrows over sw

tables set together in the middle of the room. The McClane Corps had spread itself over all the chairs

-brick building that had a flat roof with a crenellated parapet. Grass grew on the roof. And beyond the black railway lines miles upon miles of flat open country, green fields, rows of poplars standing up in them very straight; little wo

McClane rubbing his hands; they heard his brief laugh that had no

lgian orderlies were removing plates and cups from one to the other, establishing under the Commandan

ve to live together nobody knew h

*

ed with Sutton, they sat on two beds, discu

with their beastliness. We shall have

know we're here," said Sutto

harlotte, "I'm n

struggling, d

ld you they're not goin

know-" sa

ky if we get a look in when

em this morning, in the yard. They're nothing but old

el

-You

n the McClane Co

*

"how beastly they are to me, p

o?" he said. "Th

id Gwinnie. "It's when they're a

hink Mrs. Rankin does things. And there's McClane

t of the room. She could feel a secret threat in it, as if at any minute it might work up to some pitch still more malignant, some supreme disaster. There were moments when she wondered whether McClane had prejudiced the authorities against them. At first she had regarded the little man as negligible; it was the women who had fascinated her, as if they had or might come to have for her some profound importance and significance. She didn't like McClane. He straddled too much. But you couldn

closer to John, to John and Gwinnie, and shut them in together more securely. Sutton she was not quite so sure about. Through all their depression he seemed to stand a

could see her beautiful hawk's eyes pursuing him about the room. When she found him in the corri

harlotte

eems inclined to be

n't not

. With Sutton

el

on, but I don't like it. That

he messroom together t

were there alone, seate

n her stressed, vibratin

people ought to

hy

e proper number for a unit. Alice, didn't I say, the minute I saw

u d

er take my orders

he head of a Field Ambulance looking like that. Tell you what, Mr. Conway,

d her shadowed eyes

ake the old boy d

n't make me do anything

etter stick

of us know ab

you know

see how he

ou mean b

sn't

k me what

ly. "Come over here and sit by me.

h its smile. You could see she was used to being obeyed when she smiled like that; when she sent that light out of he

looked at her with cool

e I am if you don't m

Red

le, tight thread above the set square of her chin. All her light was in her

seeing Mrs. Rankin, of not seeing Charlotte and John, of not seeing anything he didn't want to s

Sutton found themselves alone,

ike him?"

same that isn't a bad

to work it the next mo

oard. McClane's stores had overflowed into it on the lower shelves. She could hear the two m

brought his fist

take your women. And I'

more ambulances. But

't tell

n't

can yo

an s

e was whispering furtively. She saw Sutton stop hi

This concerns you. Dr. M

me to join

about Mr.

y's just the difficulty. There can't be two commandants

st have talked

at you told

es

He was lying; she knew he was lying; that wa

should leave Mr. Conway? And if

Dr. S

please h

head stays I

off like a shot, if

called after her, "My offer

r she heard Sutton sa

ery well leave her

didn't understand. Lyi

te made

ow why McClane

use Mrs. Rankin

hn out of Belgium, because he wants all the glory to himself? We wouldn't d

nted S

n you think of the war-and think of people

*

s. Rankin and McClane; but you co

cClane Corps had been sent out. (Mrs. Rankin

d Termonde and Quatrecht. The names sounded in their brains like a song with an exciting, madden

d them rush along the road that led to the battlefields southeast of the city. The sight of the flat Flemish land and the sadness of lovely days oppressed them. She felt that it must be partly that. The incredible loveliness of the days. They sat brooding over the map of Belgium, marking down the names of the places, Alost, Termonde and Quatrecht, that McClane had gone to, that he would talk about on his return, when an awful interest would impel th

ut he can't keep me out of my job. There's

ng to get into i

If he can go to Head

might give a bad impression.

on't-unless Charlotte

rlotte. "They may commandeer ou

aid Gwinnie. "W

ing they choose. M

was th

I have one of the car

at

mind.

amned things if you like

sdom and mystery, slipped her car out of the yard into a side street and hea

shall be sent

ll we!"

worked it

ou

y've see

o h

solid hours outside the Hotel de la Poste where the blooming brass hats all hang out. In five minutes it collected a small crowd. First it was only refuge

nd out for him. He'd never seen them with wheels before.... He said it was 'm

you le

ar. And I took jolly good care to l

made you t

It just sort

d orders to go to Berl