Part 39 (1/2)
”Ah, why did you remind me of that?”
”I was reminded of it one I can't write any more”
”Eric, that's not true!”
He conedly
”You know best, no doubt Since we met, I've written the first draft of a novel, which is unreadable, and a playI sent the play to Manders about a fortnight ago”
”Without telling er?”
The soft reproach in her voicethat she wanted the whole of hi away
”You choose a curious ti to share It's turned down, rejected Nothing I can do to it will make it even possible I can't write any more, I'one And that night, you may remember, you recoood for e of incapacitated prisoners began, there had been so s remained in London, hat patience they could muster, until they received news that Jack's party was proceeding to Chateau d'Oex
For reasons which he was at a loss to define Eric saw the Cross They found tirateful to hi enquiries at the War Office and in expediting the issue of their passports As chairman of his local land for any long ti tentatively and subject to Jack's condition of health to take a villa and to stay with hines and her father expected to coe until Christe door, there was radiance in the faces of all three; the colonel see had shed her set, stoical calet to write, Agnes,” said Eric, as the guard bustled along the platfor
”It et back,”
she promised
A week passed before her letter reached hines wrote from Chateau d'Oex, ”_and Jack ca hiiven up hope! He's very bad--but I suppose I'd better start at the beginning When he was taken prisoner, he'd been wounded in the head and slightly gassed The gassing doesn't matter, except that he will always have to take care of his lungs; the head wound has left a scar and a bald place, but he can cover that up At present he gets the most awful head-aches if he tries to do any work The Ger away on the horrible food they gave hi to feed hiht, and then it'll just be a question how much work and what kind of work he'll be able to do when he's well_
”_He's alive, Eric, and that's the great thing And he's well and strong cohastly wrecks that you see here I ive you a full account of all he's been through, but Major Britwell's story was quite true so far as it went He DID insult the guard and he WAS carried off to solitary confineh, but he had a h it alive and in his right mind I could cry when I look at the o through it again, Eric; that's one of the terood; and it may be very unpatriotic, but I for one say 'Thank God!'_
”_Well, Ihere for another week, and I want you to do a lot of jobs for us On a separate sheet you'll find a nus that I want you to order and have sent out here And on the back of this you'll find a list of na this house straight, that I've very little ti up all these people and just tell them (you know them all, I think) what I've told you_
”_Jack sends love to you, and we are all deeply grateful for what you have done and what I know you will do for us I don't think there are any other es_”
The list of names did not contain Barbara's Eric telephoned to her as soon as he had received the letter, though he knew that she would be in bed and that a tiresome footman would say: ”I don't think her ladyshi+p's been called yet, sir Perhaps you would ring up later” With patience he got into coes of the letter When she had thanked him, he asked with trepidation whether she had heard fro for her letters and looked at the post froth
Eric's heart leapt with relief Agnes had written; surely Jack could have written, too, had he wished? In the ensuing silence Barbara's voice, suddenly toneless, came back to him
”I'”
”I'll land,”
he went on