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！
y or slimy treachery。 The real American heart is with you now； and her fighting army will yet be at your side。〃
These sentiments were so unusual in his environment that Larry gazed at him in amazement。
〃That is God's truth；〃 said Raeder。 〃Take a vote of the college men to…day； of the big business men； of the big newspaper men these control the thinking and the acting of Americaand you will find； ninety per cent。 of these pro…Ally。 Just be patient and give the rest of us time。 Americans will not stand for the bully；〃 added Raeder； putting his hand on Larry's shoulder。 〃You hear me； my boy。 Now I am going in to see the boss。 He thinks the same way； too； but he does not say much out loud。〃
New hope and courage came into Larry's heart as he listened to the pronouncement of this clear…headed； virile young American。 Oh； if America would only say out loud what Raeder had been saying； how it would tone up the spirit of the Allies！ A moral vindication of their cause from America would be worth many an army corps。
The morning brought him another and unexpected breeze of cheer in the person of Dean Wakeham straight from Alberta and the Lakeside Farm。 A little before lunch he walked in upon Larry； who was driving himself to his work that he might forget。 It was a veritable breath from home for Larry； for Dean was one who carried not only news but atmosphere as well。 He was a great； warm…hearted boy； packed with human energies of body； heart and soul。
〃Wait till I say good…morning to father；〃 he said after he had shaken hands warmly with Larry。 〃I will be back then in a minute or two。〃
But in a few minutes Mr。 Wakeham appeared and called Larry to him。 〃Come in； boy； and hear the news；〃 he said。
Larry went in and found Dean in the full tide of a torrential outpouring of passionate and enthusiastic； at times incoherent； tales of the Canadians； of their spirit； of their sacrifice and devotion in their hour of tragedy。
〃Go on； Dean；〃 said Raeder； who was listening with face and eyes aglow。
〃Go on？ I cannot stop。 Never have I come up against anything like what is going on over there in Canada。 Not in one spot； either； but everywhere； not in one home； but in every home； not in one class； but in every class。 In Calgary during the recruiting I saw a mob of men in from the ranches； from the C。 P。 R。 shops； from the mines； from the offices； fighting mad to get their names down。 My God！ I had to go away or I would have had mine in too。 The women； too； are all the same。 No man is getting under his wife's skirts。 You know old Mrs。 Ross； Larry； an old Scotch woman up there with four sons。 Well； her eldest son could not wait for the Canadian contingent； but went off with Jack Romayne and joined the Black Watch。 He was in that Le Cateau fight。 Oh； why don't these stupid British tell the people something about that great fighting retreat from Mons to the Marne？ Well； at Le Cateau poor Hec Ross in a glorious charge got his。 His Colonel wrote the old lady about it。 I never saw such a letter； there never was one like it。 I motored Mrs。 Gwynne； your mother； Larry； over to see her。 Say； men； to see those two women and to hear them！ There were no tears； but a kind of exaltation。 Your mother； Larry； is as bad； as good； I mean； as any of them now。 I heard that old Scotch woman say to your mother in that Scotch voice of hers； 'Misthress Gwynne； I dinna grudge my boy。 I wouldna hae him back。' Her youngest son is off with the Canadians。 As she said good…bye to us I heard her say to your mother； 'I hae gi'en twa sons； Misthress Gwynne； an' if they're wanted； there's twa mair。' My God！ I found myself blubbering like a child。 It sounds all mad and furious； but believe me； there is not much noise； no hurrahing。 They know they are up against a deadly serious business； and that is getting clearer every minute。 Did you see that the Government had offered one hundred and fifty thousand men now； and more if wanted？ And all classes are the same。 That little Welch preacher at Wolf WillowRhye； his name is； isn't it？ By George； you should hear him flaming in the pulpit。 He's the limit。 There won't be a man in that parish will dare hold back。 He will just have to go to war or quit the church。 And it is the same all over。 The churches are a mighty force in Canada； you know； even a political force。 I have been going to church every Sunday； Father； this last year。 Believe me； God is some real Person to those people； and I want to tell you He has become real to me too。〃 As Dean said this he glanced half defiantly at his father as if expecting a challenge。
But his father only cleared his throat and said； 〃All right； my boy。 We won't do anything but gladly agree with you there。 And God may come to be more real to us all before we are through with this thing。 Go on。〃
〃Let's see； what was I talking about？〃
〃Churches。〃
〃Yes； in Calgary； on my way down this time； the Archdeacon preached a sermon that simply sent thrills down my spine。 In Winnipeg I went with the Murrays to church and heard a clergyman； McPherson； preach。 The soldiers were there。 Great Caesar！ No wonder Winnipeg is sending out thousands of her best men。 He was like an ancient Hebrew prophet； Peter the Hermit and Billy Sunday all rolled into one。 Yet there was no noisy drum pounding and no silly flag flapping。 Say； let me tell you something。 I said there was a battalion of soldiers in church that day。 The congregation were going to take Holy Communion。 You know the Scotch way。 They all sit in their pews and you know they are fearfully strict about their Communion； have rules and regulations and so on about it。 Well； that old boy McPherson just leaned over his pulpit and told the boys what the thing stood for； that it was just like swearing in； and he told them that he would just throw the rules aside and man to man would ask them to join up with God。 Say； that old chap got my goat。 The boys just naturally stayed to Communion and I stayed too。 I was not fit； I know； but I do not think it did me any harm。〃 At this point the boy's voice broke up and there was silence for some moments in the office。 Larry had his face covered with his hands to hide the tears that were streaming down。 Dean's father was openly wiping his eyes； Raeder looking stern and straight in front of him。
〃Father；〃 said Dean suddenly； 〃I want to give you warning right now。 If it ever comes that Canada is in need of men； I am not going to hold back。 I could not do it and stay in the country。 I am an American； heart； body and soul； but I would count myself meaner than a polecat if I declined to line up with that bunch of Canadians。〃
〃Think well； my boy；〃 said his father。 〃Think well。 I have only one son； but I will never stand between you and your duty or your honour。 Now we go to lunch。 Where shall we go？〃
〃With me； at the University Club； all of you；〃 said Raeder。
〃No； with me；〃 said Mr。 Wakeham。 〃I will put up the fatted calf； for this my son is home again。 Eh； my boy？〃
During the lunch hour try as they would they could not get away from the war。 Dean was so completely obsessed with the subject that he could not divert his mind to anything else for any length of time。
〃I cannot help it；〃 he said at length。 〃All my switches run the same way。〃
They had almost finished when Professor Schaefer came into the dining hall； spied them and hastened over to them。
〃Here's this German beast；〃 said Dean。
〃Steady； Dean。 We do business with him；〃 said his father。
〃All right； Father；〃 replied the boy。
The Professor drew in a chair and sat down。 He only wanted a light lunch and if they would allow him he would break in just where they were。 He was full of excitement over the German successes on sea and on land。
〃On land？〃 said Raeder。 〃Well； I should not radiate too freely about their land successes。 What about the Marne？〃
〃The Marne！〃 said Schaefer in hot contempt。 〃The Marnestrategy strategy； my dear sir。 But wait。 Wait a few days。 If we could only get that boasted British navy to venture out from their holes； then the war would be over。 Mark what happens in the Pacific。 Scientific gunnery； three salvos； two hundred minutes from the first gun。 It is all over。 Two British ships sunk to the bottom。 That is the German way。 They would force war upon Germany。 Now they have it。 In spite of all the Kaiser's peace efforts； they drove Germany into the war。〃
〃The Kaiser！〃 exclaimed Larry； unable any longer to contain his fury。 〃The Kaiser's peace efforts！ The only efforts that the Kaiser has made for the last few years are efforts to bully Europe into submission to his will。 The great peace…maker of Europe of this and of the last century was not the Kaiser； but King Edward VII。 All the world knows that。〃
〃King Edward VII！〃 sputtered Schaefer in a fury of contempt。 〃King Edward VII a peacemaker！ A ！〃 calling him a vile name。 〃And his son is like him！〃
The foul word was like a flame to powder with Larry。 His hand closed upon his glass of water。 〃You are a liar；〃 he said； leaning over and thrusting his face close up to the German。 〃You are a slanderous liar。〃 He flung his glass of water full into Schaefer's fac