按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
the room with a sweeping gesture。 〃And he brings the most cheering
news。 They are going to win！〃
〃But how delightful！〃 exclaimed Adrien coming from the piano where
she had been playing； with Rupert Stillwell turning her music for
her。
〃I suppose upon the best authority；〃 said Stillwell； grinning at
Patricia。
〃We are so glad you found time to run in；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton。
〃You must have a great deal to say to your team on the last
afternoon。〃
〃I'm glad I came too； now；〃 said Captain Jack； holding the fragile
hand in his and patting it gently。 〃I am afraid Patricia is
responsible for my coming in。 I don't really believe I could have
ventured on my own。〃
A silence fell on the company which none of them seemed able to
break。 Other days were hard upon them。 In this very room it was
that that other seven were wont to meet for their afternoon tea
before their great matches。
Mrs。 Templeton； looking up at Jack； found his eyes fixed upon her
and full of tears。 With a swift upward reach of her arms she
caught him and drew his head to her breast。
〃I know； Jack dear；〃 she said； with lips that quivered piteously。
For a moment or two he knelt before her while she held him in a
close embrace。 Then he gently kissed her cheek and rose to his
feet。
〃Give him some tea； Adrien；〃 she said； making a gallant struggle to
steady her voice； 〃a cup of teaand no cake。 I remember； you
see；〃 she added with a tremulous smile。
Adrien came back quickly from the window。
〃Yes！ a fresh cup！〃 she cried eagerly； 〃and a sandwich。 You； Pat；
get the sandwiches。 No cake。 We must do nothing to imperil the
coming victory。〃
〃You have a wonderful team； Jack； I hear；〃 said her mother。 〃Come
and sit here beside me and tell me about them。 Patricia has been
keeping me informed； but she is not very coherent at times。 Of
course； I know about your wonderful goal keeper Findlay； is it
not？〃 And the gentle little lady kept a stream of conversation
going； for she saw how deeply moved Maitland was。 It was his first
visit to the Rectory since he had taken up the game again； and the
rush of emotion released by the vivid memory of those old happy
days when that jolly group of boys had filled this familiar room
with their noisy clatter wellnigh overcame him。
For a minute or two he fussed with the tea things till he could
master his voice； then he said very quietly：
〃They are very decent chapsreally very good fellows and they have
taken their training extraordinarily well。 Of course； Macnamara
and Johnson were in my old company； and that helps a lot。〃
〃Yes； I remember Macnamara quite well。 He is a fine big Irishman。〃
〃Fancy you remembering him； Mrs。 Templeton；〃 said Captain Jack。
〃Of course； I remember him。 He is one of our boys。〃
〃Let's see； he is one of your defence； isn't he？〃 said Stillwell；
who had felt himself rather out of the conversation。 Maitland
nodded。 The presence of Stillwell in that room introduced a
painful element。 Once he had been one of the seven and though
never so intimately associated with the Rectory life as the others；
yet at all team gatherings he had had his place。 But since the war
Maitland had never been able to endure his presence in that room。
To…day； with the memory of those old thrilling days pressing hard
upon his heart； he could not bear to look upon a man； once one of
them； now forever an outsider。 The tea coming in brought to
Maitland relief。
〃Ah； here you are；〃 he cried anticipating Stillwell in relieving
Adrien of part of her load。 〃You are a life saver。 Tea is the
thing for this hour。〃
〃Three lumps； is it not？〃 said the girl； smiling at him。 〃You see；
I remember； though you really don't deserve it。 And here is Pat
with the sandwiches。〃
〃Yes！ a whole plate for yourself； Captain Jack；〃 said Patricia。
〃Come and sit by me here。〃
〃No indeed！〃 said her sister with a bright glow on her cheeks。
〃Jack is going to sit right here by the tea…pot； and me；〃 she
added； throwing him a swift glance。
〃No！ you are both wrong； children；〃 said their mother。 〃Jack is
coming to sit beside me。 He's my boy this afternoon。〃
〃Mother； we will all share him；〃 said Patricia； placing chairs near
her mother。 〃I must talk about the match； I simply must。〃
A shadow for a moment wiped the brightness from the face and eyes
of the elder sister； but yielding to her mother's appeal； she
joined the circle； saying to Maitland；
〃I don't believe you want to talk about the match； do you？ That is
not supposed to be good psychology before a match。 What you really
want is a good sleep。 Isn't that right？〃
〃He has just sent his men off to bed； I know；〃 said Patricia； 〃and
we will send him off when he has had his tea。〃
〃I am so glad you are playing again；〃 said Mrs。 Templeton to
Maitland as he sat down by her side。 〃You need more recreation
than you have been taking； I believe。〃
A shadow crossed Maitland's face。
〃I don't believe I need recreation very much； but these chaps of
mine do；〃 he said simply。
〃The workmen； you mean！〃
〃Yes。 They lead rather a dull life； you know。 Not much colour。 A
pool room on the whole has rather a rotten effect upon a chap who
has been nine or ten hours indoors already and who sticks at the
same thing day in and day out for months at a time。〃
〃Ah； I see。 You mean you took up hockey forahto help〃
〃Well； I don't want to pose as a workingman's advocate and that
sort of thing。 But really he has a slow time。〃
〃Then； why doesn't he get busy and do something for himself；〃 broke
in Stillwell； impatiently。 〃The Lord knows he is getting most of
the money these days and has more spare time than anyone else in
the community。〃
But Maitland ignored him； till Patricia intervened。
〃Tell me about that；〃 she demanded。
〃Look here！〃 said her sister。 〃You are not going to get Jack into
a labour controversy this afternoon。 But I would just like to ask
you； Pat； how keen you'd be on organising and conducting a Literary
and Debating Society after you had put in not five and a half
hours' lessons； but eight or nine hours'！ It would take some
doing； eh？ But let's cut out the labour trouble。 It is nearly
time for his sleep； isn't it？〃
〃Is it； Captain Jack？ If so； we won't keep you a minute；〃 said
Patricia anxiously。 〃No； mother！ you must not keep him。 He must
be on tip…toe to…night。〃
Captain Jack rose。 〃Patricia would make an ideal trainer；〃 he
said。 〃I fear I must really go。 I am awfully glad to have come in
and seen you all。 Somehow I feel a whole lot better。〃
〃And so do we； Jack；〃 said the old lady in a wistful voice。 〃Won't
you come again soon？〃
Maitland hesitated a moment； glancing at Adrien。
〃Oh； do！〃 said the girl； with a little colour coming into her face。
〃It has been a little like old times to see you this way。〃
〃Yes； hasn't it？〃 said Stillwell。 〃Awfully jolly。〃
Maitland stiffened and turned again to the old lady whose eyes were
turned on him with sad entreaty。
〃Yes； I shall come to see you；〃 said Maitland； bowing over her hand
in farewell。
〃We shall expect you to come and see us to…night at the match；
remember； Captain Jack；〃 said Patricia； as he passed out of the
room。 〃Now be sure to go and have your sleep。〃
But there was no sleep that afternoon for Captain Jack。 On his way
through the town he was halted by McNish。
〃The boys want to see you；〃 he said briefly。
〃What boys？ What do you mean； McNish？〃
〃At the rooms。 Will you come down now？〃
〃Now？ I can't come now； McNish。 I have to be on the ice in three
hours and I must get a little rest。 What's up； anyway？ Tell them
I'll see them to…morrow。〃
〃No！ they want you now！〃 said McNish firmly。 〃I would advise that
you come。〃
〃What do you mean； McNish？ Well； get in here and I'll go to see
them。〃 McNish got into the car。 〃Now； what's all the mystery？〃
〃Better wait；〃 said McNish； grimly。
〃Well； it is a dog's trick；〃 said Maitland wrathfully； 〃to get on
to a chap before a big match like this。〃
In the Union Committee rooms a group of men were awaiting them；
among them Mr。 Wigglesworth and the little cockney who had made
himself so obnoxious at the public meeting。
〃What's all this tomfoolery； Wigglesworth？〃 demanded Captain Jack；
striding in among them。
〃（H）excuse me；〃 said the little cockney。 〃You are a member of the
Woodworkers' Union I （h）understand。〃
〃Who the devil are you； may I ask？〃 said Maitland in a rage。
〃（H）allow me；〃 said Mr。 Wigglesworth。 〃Mister Simmons； Mr。
MaitlandMr。 Simmons is our new secretary； （h）elected last
meetin'。〃
〃Well； what do you want of me？〃 demanded Maitland。 〃Don't you know
I am tied up this afternoon？〃
〃Tied （h）up？〃 asked Simmons coolly； 〃'ow？〃
〃With the match； confound you。〃
〃Oh； the match！ And w'at match may that be？ （H）Anythin' to do
with your Union？〃
Maitland glared at him； too dumfounded to speak。
〃You see； Mr。 Maitland；〃 began Mr。 Wigglesworth in a hurried and
apologetic manner。
〃'Ere！ you keep aht o' this；〃 said Simmons sharply； 〃this 'ere's my
job。 I shall tell Brother Maitland all that is necessary。〃
〃I was only going to （h）explain〃 began Mr。 Wigglesworth