第 39 节
作者:寻找山吹      更新:2022-11-28 19:12      字数:3468
  came     through    each   one    simply   because     of  his  great   will  power     and
  fighting spirit。     After each attack he would grip my hand and say; 〃Well;
  we made it that time; didn't we; nurse?〃            Toward morning he asked me if
  he was going to die。         I could not tell him the truth。         He needed all his
  strength。     I   told   him   he   had   one   chance   in   a   thousand。 He   seemed   to
  become very strong then; and sitting bolt upright in bed; he said:                 〃Then
  I'll fight for it!〃    We kept him alive for three days; and actually thought
  we had won when on the third day 。 。 。                 But even in your sorrow you
  must be very proud to have been the mother of such a son。 。 。 。                    I am a
  Wisconsin girlMadison。          When this is over and I come home; will you
  let   me   see   you   so   that   I   may   tell   you   more   than   I   can   possibly   write?
  MARIAN KING
  It was in March; six months later; that Marian King came。                 They had
  hoped for it;  but never expected   it。        And she   came。       Four people   were
  waiting in the living room of the big Baldwin house overlooking the river。
  Flora and her husband; Adele and Aunt Sophy。                They sat; waiting。       Now
  and then Adele would rise; nervously; and go to the window that faced the
  street。   Flora was weeping with audible sniffs。             Baldwin sat in his chair;
  frowning   a   little;   a   dead   cigar   in   one   corner   of   his   mouth。 Only Aunt
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  ONE BASKET
  Sophy sat quietly; waiting。
  There was little conversation。          None in the last five minutes。          Flora
  broke the silence; dabbing at her face with her handkerchief as she spoke。
  〃Sophy; how can you sit there like that?            Not that I don't envy you。        I
  do。    I remember I used to feel sorry for you。            I used to say ‘Poor Sophy。'
  But    you   unmarried      ones   are  the   happiest;   after   all。  It's  the  married
  woman who drinks the cup to the last; bitter drop。               There you sit; Sophy;
  fifty years   old;  and   life   hasn't even touched   you。      You   don't   know  how
  cruel life can be to a mother。〃
  Suddenly; 〃There!〃 said Adele。           The other three in the room stood up
  and   faced   the   door。    The   sound   of   a   motor   stopping   outside。     Daniel
  Oakley's     hearty   voice:    〃Well;    it  only   took   us  five  minutes     from   the
  station。    Pretty good。〃
  Footsteps down the hall。         Marian King stood in the doorway。               They
  faced   her;   the   fourBaldwin   and   Adele   and   Flora   and   Sophy。      Marian
  King   stood   a   moment;   uncertainly;   her   eyes   upon   them。     She   looked   at
  the two older women with swift; appraising glances。                 Then she came into
  the   room;  quickly;  and   put her   two   hands on Aunt   Soph's   shoulders   and
  looked into her eyes straight and sure。
  〃You   must   be   a   very   proud   woman;〃   she   said。   〃You   ought   to   be   a
  very proud woman;〃
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