Unit4

　　Sixminutestosix,saidthedigitalclockovertheinformationdeskinGrandCentralStation.

　　JohnBlandford,atallyoungarmyofficer,focusedhiseyesightontheclocktonotetheexacttime.

　　Insixminuteshewouldseethewomanwhohadfilledaspecialplaceinhislifeforthepastthirteenmonths,awomanhehadneverseen,yetwhosewrittenwordshadbeenwithhimandhadgivenhimstrengthwithoutfail.

　　Soonafterhevolunteeredformilitaryservice,hehadreceivedabookfromthiswoman.

　　Aletter,whichwishedhimcourageandsafety,camewiththebook.

　　Hediscoveredthatmanyofhisfriends,alsointhearmy,hadreceivedtheidenticalbookfromthewoman,HollisMeynell.

　　Andwhiletheyallgotstrengthfromit,andappreciatedhersupportoftheircause,JohnBlandfordwastheonlypersontowriteMs.Meynellback.

　　Onthedayofhisdeparture,toadestinationoverseaswherehewouldfightinthewar,hereceivedherreply.

　　Aboardthecargoshipthatwastakinghimintoenemyterritory,hestoodonthedeckandreadherlettertohimagainandagain.

　　Forthirteenmonths,shehadfaithfullywrittentohim.

　　Whenhislettersdidnotarrive,shewroteanyway,withoutdecrease.

　　Duringthedifficultdaysofwar,herlettersnourishedhimandgavehimcourage.

　　Aslongashereceivedlettersfromher,hefeltasthoughhecouldsurvive.

　　Afterashorttime,hebelievedhelovedher,andshelovedhim.Itwasasiffatehadbroughtthemtogether.

　　Butwhenheaskedherforaphoto,shedeclinedhisrequest.

　　Sheexplainedherobjectio:"Ifyourfeelingsformehaveanyreality,anyhonestbasis,whatIlooklikewon'tmatter.

　　SupposeI'mbeautiful.I'dalwaysbebotheredbythefeelingthatyoulovedmeformybeauty,andthatkindoflovewoulddisgustme.

　　SupposeI'mplain.ThenI'dalwaysfearyouwerewritingtomeonlybecauseyouwerelonelyandhadnooneelse.

　　Eitherway,Iwouldforbidmyselffromlovingyou.

　　WhenyoucometoNewYorkandyouseeme,thenyoucanmakeyourdecision.

　　Remember,bothofusarefreetostoportogoonafterthat—ifthat'swhatwechoose..."

　　Oneminutetosix...Blandford'sheartleaped.

　　Ayoungwomanwascomingtowardhim,andhefeltaconnectionwithherrightaway.

　　Herfigurewaslongandthin,herspectaculargoldenhairlaybackincurlsfromhersmallears.

　　Hereyeswereblueflowers;herlipshadagentlefirmness.

　　Inherfancygreensuitshewaslikespringtimecomealive.

　　Hestartedtowardher,entirelyforgettingtonoticethatshewasn'twearingarose,andashemoved,asmall,warmsmileformedonherlips.

　　"Goingmyway,soldier?"sheasked.

　　Uncontrollably,hemadeonestepclosertoher.ThenhesawHollisMeynell.

　　Shewasstandingalmostdirectlybehindthegirl,awomanwellpastforty,andafossiltohisyoungeyes,herhairsportingpatchesofgray.

　　Shewasmorethanfat;herthicklegsshookastheymoved.

　　Butsheworearedroseonherbrowncoat.

　　Thegirlinthegreensuitwaswalkingquicklyawayandsoonvanishedintothefog.

　　Blandfordfeltasthoughhisheartwasbeingcompressedintoasmallcementball,sostrongwashisdesiretofollowthegirl,yetsodeepwashislongingforthewomanwhosespirithadtrulycompanion