A Charmed LifeWord文件下载.docx

A Charmed LifeWord文件下载.docx

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No,dearest."

Atwhichshewithdrewfromhimfrowning.

No!

I'

mnotabitlikethosegirls,"

sheproclaimed."

ImerelytellyouYOUCAN'

TGO!

Mygracious!

shecried,helplessly.Sheknewthewordsfellshortofexpressingherdistress,buthereducationhadnotsuppliedherwithexclamationsofgreaterviolence.

Mygoodness!

shecried."

Howcanyoufrightenmeso?

It'

snotlikeyou,"

shereproachedhim."

Youaresounselfish,sonoble.

Youarealwaysthinkingofotherpeople.Howcanyoutalkofgoingtowar--tobekilled--tome?

Andnow,nowthatyouhavemademeloveyouso?

Thehands,thatwhenshetalkedseemedtohimlikeswallowsdartingandflashinginthesunlight,clutchedhissleeve.Thefingers,thathewouldratherkissthanthelipsofanyotherwomanthateverlived,clungtohisarm.Theirclaspremindedhimofthatofadrowningchildhehadonceliftedfromthesurf.

Ifyoushoulddie,"

whisperedMissArmitage."

WhatwouldIdo.

WhatwouldIdo!

Butmydearest,"

criedtheyoungman."

MydearestONE!

veGOT

togo.It'

sourownwar.Everybodyelsewillgo,"

hepleaded.

Everymanyouknow,andthey'

regoingtofight,too.I'

mgoingonlytolookon.That'

sbadenough,isn'

tit,withoutsittingathome?

YoushouldbesorryI'

mnotgoingtofight."

Sorry!

exclaimedthegirl."

Ifyouloveme--"

IfIloveyou,"

shoutedtheyoungman.Hisvoicesuggestedthathewasabouttoshakeher."

Howdareyou?

Sheabandonedthatpositionandattackedfromonemorelogical.

Butwhypunishme?

sheprotested."

DoIwantthewar?

DoIwanttofreeCuba?

No!

IwantYOU,andifyougo,youaretheonewhoissuretobekilled.Youaresobig--andsobrave,andyouwillberushinginwhereverthefightingis,andthen--thenyouwilldie."

Sheraisedhereyesandlookedathimasthoughseeinghimfromagreatdistance."

And,"

sheaddedfatefully,"

Iwilldie,too,ormaybeIwillhavetolive,tolivewithoutyouforyears,formanymiserableyears."

Fearfully,withgreatcaution,asthoughinhisjoyinherhemightcrushherinhishands,theyoungmandrewhertohimandheldherclose.Afterasilencehewhispered."

But,youknowthatnothingcanhappentome.Notnow,thatGodhasletmeloveyou.Hecouldnotbesocruel.Hewouldnothavegivenmesuchhappinesstotakeitfromme.Amanwholovesyou,asIloveyou,cannotcometoanyharm.AndthemanYOUloveisimmortal,immune.Heholdsacharmedlife.Solongasyoulovehim,hemustlive."

Theeyesofthegirlsmiledupathimthroughhertears.Sheliftedherlipstohis."

Thenyouwillneverdie!

shesaid.

Sheheldhimawayfromher."

Listen!

shewhispered."

Whatyousayistrue.Itmustbetrue,becauseyouarealwaysright.I

loveyousothatnothingcanharmyou.Mylovewillbeacharm.

Itwillhangaroundyourneckandprotectyou,andkeepyou,andbringyoubacktome.Whenyouareindangermylovewillsaveyou.For,whileitlives,Ilive.Whenitdies--"

Chestertonkissedherquickly.

Whathappensthen,"

hesaid,"

doesn'

tmatter."

Thewargamehadrunitshappy-go-luckycoursebrieflyandbrilliantly,with"

gloryenoughforall,"

evenforChesterton.

For,innopreviouscampaignhadgoodfortunesopersistentlystoodsmilingathiselbow.Ateachmomentofthewarthatwascritical,picturesque,dramatic,bysomeluckyaccidenthefoundhimselfamongthosepresent.Hecouldnotlose.EvenwhenhispressboatbrokedownatCardenas,aYankeecruiserandtwoSpanishgun-boats,apparentlyforhissolebenefit,engagedinanimpromptuduelwithinrangeofhismegaphone.Whenhishorsewentlame,thecolumnwithwhichhehadwishedtoadvance,passedforwardtothefrontunmolested,whiletherearguard,towhichhehadbeenforcedtojoinhisfortune,foughtitswaythroughthestiflingunderbrush.

Betweenhisnewsdespatches,whenhewasnotsingingthepraisesofhisfellow-countrymen,orcopyinglistsoftheirkilledandwounded,hewrotetoMissArmitage.Hisletterswerescrawledonyellowcopypaperandconsistedofrepetitionsofthethreewords,"

Iloveyou,"

rearranged,illuminated,andintensified.

Eachletterbeganmuchinthesameway."

Thewarisstillgoingon.Youcanreadaboutitinthepapers.WhatIwantyoutoknowisthatIloveyouasnomanever--"

Andsoonformanypages.

Fromheronlyoneofthelettersshewrotereachedhim.ItwaspickedupinthesandatSiboneyafterthemedicalcorps,inanefforttowipeouttheyellow-fever,hadsetfiretothepost-

officetent.

ShehadwrittenitsomeweeksbeforefromhersummerhomeatNewport,andinitshesaid:

"

Whenyouwenttothefront,IthoughtnowomancouldlovemorethanIdidthen.But,nowIknow.AtleastIknowonegirlwhocan.Shecannotwriteit.Shecannevertellyou.Youmustjustbelieve.

EachdayIhearfromyou,forassoonasthepapercomes,Itakeitdowntotherocksandreadyourcables,andIlooksouthacrosstheoceantoCuba,andtrytoseeyouinallthatfightingandheatandfever.ButIamnotafraid.ForeachmorningIwaketofindI

loveyoumore;

thatithasgrownstronger,morewonderful,morehardtobear.AndIknowthecharmIgaveyougrowswithit,andismorepowerful,andthatitwillbringyoubacktomewearingnewhonors,'

bearingyoursheaveswithyou.'

AsthoughIcaredforyournewhonors.IwantYOU,YOU,YOU--onlyYOU."

WhenSantiagosurrenderedandtheinvadingarmysettleddowntoarrangetermsofpeace,andimbibefever,andGeneralMilesmovedtoPortoRico,Chestertonmovedwithhim.

Inthatprettylittleislandacommandofregularsunderageneraloftheregulararmyhad,inanightattack,drivenbacktheSpaniardsfromAdhuntas.Thenextafternoonasthecolumnwasinlineofmarch,andthemenwereshakingthemselvesintotheiraccoutrements,adusty,sweatingvolunteerstaffofficerrodedownthemainstreetofAdhuntas,andwiththeauthorityofafieldmarshal,helduphishand.

GeneralMiles'

scompliments,sir,"

hepanted,"

andpeaceisdeclared!

Differentmenreceivedthenewseachinadifferentfashion.Somewhirledtheirhatsintheairandcheered.Thosewhosawpromotionandthenewinsigniaontheirstrapsvanish,sworedeeply.

Chestertonfelluponhissaddle-bagsandbegantodistributehispossessionsamongtheenlistedmen.Afterhehadremobilized,hiseffectsconsistedofachangeofclothes,hiscamera,water-bottle,andhismedicinecase.Inhispresentstateofhealthandspiritshecouldnotbelievehestoodinneedofthemedicinecase,butitwasagiftfromMissArmitage,andcarriedwithitapromisefromhimthathealwayswouldcarryit.Hehad"

packed"

itthroughoutthecampaign,andforothersithadprovedofvalue.

Itakeityouareleavingus,"

saidanofficerenviously.

Iamleavingyousoquick,"

criedChestertonlaughing,"

thatyouwon'

tevenseethedust.There'

satransportstartsfromMayaguezatsixto-morrowmorning,and,ifIdon'

tcatchit,thisponywilldieonthewharf."

TheroadtoMayaguezisnothealthyforAmericans,"

saidthegeneralincommand."

Idon'

tthinkIoughttoletyougo.Theenemydoesnotknowpeaceisonyet,andtherearealotofguerillas--"

Chestertonshookhisheadinpityingwonder.

Notletmego!

heexclaimed."

Why,General,youhaven'

tenoughmeninyourcommandtostopme,andasfortheSpaniardsandguerillas--!

mhomesick,"

I'

msodamnedhomesickthatIamliabletodieofitbeforethetransportgetsmetoSandyHook."

Ifyouareshotupbyanoutpost,"

growledthegeneral,"

youwillbeworseoffthanhomesick.It'

sfortymilestoMayaguez.Betterwaittilldaylight.Where'

sthesenseofdying,afterthefighting'

sover?

IfIdon'

tcatchthattransportIsureWILLdie,"

laughedChesterton.Hisheadwasbentandhewastuggingathissaddlegirths.Apparentlytheeffortbroughtadeepershadowtohistan,"

butnothingelsecankillme!

Ihaveacharm,General,"

heexclaimed.

Wehadn'

tnoticedit,"

saidthegeneral.

Thestaffofficers,accordingtoregulations,laughed.

It'

snotthatkindofacharm,"

saidChesterton."

Good-by,General."

Theroadwashardlymorethanatrail,butthemoonmadeitaslightasday,andcastacrossitblacktracingsoftheswingingvinesandcreepers;

whilehighintheairitturnedthepolishedsurfaceofthepalmsintoglitteringsilver.AsheplungedintothecooldepthsoftheforestChestertonthrewuphisarmsandthankedGodthathewasmovingtowardher.Theluckthathadaccompaniedhimthroughoutthecampaignhadhelduntiltheend.

Hadhebeenforcedtowaitforatransport,eachhourwouldhave