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it by morning。…
509…〃Thank you； Doctor；〃
〃Don't mention it； Son。 Next。〃
〃Hold … up your right hands and repeat after me
… 〃Hang onto these slips of paper。 Be at the station befon seven tomorrow morning； show your slip to a sergeant at thc
information desk； he'll tell you whde to board。 If you lost your slip of paper； be there anyhow…or Uncle Sam will e
looking for you。 That's all； men； you're in the Army now Out through that door。〃 * …
His car was still there； the old Negro got out。 〃Eve'ything'~ fine； Cap'm！〃
〃It surely is；〃 Lazarus agreed heartily while getting out dollar bill。 〃But it's 'Private；' not 'Captain。'
〃They took you？ In that case； I cain't hahdly take youal dollah。〃
〃Sure you can！ I don't need it； Uncle Sam is looking oul for me for the 'duration；' and he's going to pay me twenty…onc dollars a month besides。 So put this with the other one and buy gin and drink a toast to me…Private Ted Bronson。〃
〃Ah couldn't rightly do that； Cap'm…Private Ted Bronson sub。 Ah'm White Ribbon…Ah took the plaidge befoah you was bohn。 You jes' keep youah money and hang the KaisuF fo' us。〃
〃I'll try； Uncle。 … Let's make this five dollars and you can give it to your church 。 。 and say a prayer for me。〃
〃Well 。 。 if you say so； Cap'm Private。〃
Lazarus tooled south on McGee feeling happy。 Never take little bites； enjoy life！ 〃K…K…K… Katyl Beautiful Katy…〃
He stopped at a drugstore； looked over the cigar counter； spotted a nearly empty box of White Owls； bought the remaining cigars； asked to keep the box。 He then bought a roll of
cotton and a spool of surgical tape…and； on impulse； the biggest； fanciest box of candy in the store。
His car was parked under an arc light； he let it stay there； got into the back seat； dug into his grip； got out vest and pistol； then started an un…tailoring job； indifferent to the chance of being seen。 Five minutes with his pocketknife undid hours of tailoring； heavy coins clinked into the cigar box。 He cushioned them with cotton； sealed the box and strengthened it by wrapping it with tape~ The slashed vest； the pistol； and his ticket west went down a storm drain and the last of Lazarus' worries went with them。 He smiled as he stood up
510and brushed his knees。' Son； you are getting old…why； you've been living cautiously！
He drove gaily out Linwood to Benton； ignoring the city's
seventeen…miles…per…hour speed limit。 He was pleased to see lights burning on the lower floor of the Brian Smith residence；
he would not have to wake anyone。 He went up the walk burdened with the candy box； the case for chessmen； and the taped cigar box。 The porch light came on as he reached the
…steps； Brian Junior opened the door and looked out。 〃Grand…
…paw！ It's Mr。 Bronson！〃 ……
第72节
〃Correction；〃 Lazarus said firmly。 〃Please tell your grandfather that Private Bronson is here。〃
Gramp appeared at once； looked at Lazarus suspiciously。 〃What is this？ What did I hear you tell that boy？〃 …
〃I asked him to announce 'Private Bronson。' Me。〃 Lazarus managed to get all three packages under his left arm； reached into a pocket； got out the sup of paper he had been given at the recruiting station。 〃Look at it。〃
Mr。 Johnson read it。 〃I see。 But why？ Feeling the way you do。〃 …
〃Mr。 Johnson； I never said I was not going to enlist； I simply said I had things to do first。 That was true； I did have。
It's true also that I have misgivings about the ultimate usefulness of this war。 But regardless of any opinion…which I should have kept to myself…the time has e to close ranks
and move forward together。 So I went down and volunteered and they accepted me。〃
Mr。 Johnson handed back the … recruitment form； opened the door wide。 〃e in； Ted！〃；
Lazarus saw heads disappearing as he came in； apparently most of the family was still up。 His grandfather ushered him into the parlor。 〃Please sit down。 I must go tell my daughter。〃
~'If Mrs。 Smith has retired； I would not want her to be disturbed；〃 Lazarus lied。 （Hell； no； Gramp！ I'd rather crawl… in with her。 But that's one secret I'll keep forever。）
〃Never you mind。 This is something she will want to know。 Uh； that piece of paper…may I have it to show her？〃
〃Certainly； sir。〃
Lazarus waited。 Ira Johnson returned in a few minutes； handed back the proof of enlistment。 〃She'll be …down shortly。〃
…The old man sighed。 〃Ted； I'm proud of you。 Earlier …today you had me upset…and I spoke out of turn。 … I'm sorry…I apologize。〃。
〃I can't accept it because there is nothing to apologize for；
511sir。 I spoke hastily and did not make myself cleat。 Can we forget it？ Will you shake hands with me？〃
〃Bh？ Yes。 Surely！ Mrrph！〃 Solemnly they shook hands。 （Maybe Gramp could still straight…arm an anvil…my fingers are crushed。）
〃Mr。 Johnson； would you take care of some things for me？ Things I didn't have time to do？〃
〃Eh？ Certainly！〃
〃This box； mainly。〃 Lazarus handed him the taped cigar box。 …
Mr。 Johnson took it； his eyebrows shot up。 〃Heavy。〃
〃I cleaned out my lockbox。 Gold coins。 I'll pick it up when the war is over 。 ； or if I don't； will you give it to Woodie？ When he's twenty…one？〃
'What？ Now； now； Son； you'll e through all right。〃
I plan to； and I'll pick it up then。 But I might fall down a ladder in a troopship and break my silly neck。 Will you do it？〃
〃Yes； I'll do it。〃
〃Thank you； sir。 This is for Woodie right now。 My chessmen。 I can't pack them around。 I'd give them to you except that you would think up some reason not to take them
but Woodie won't。〃
〃Mrrph。 Very well； sir。〃
〃Here's one thing that is for you…but it's not quite what it seems。〃 Lazarus handed over the bill of sale for the landaulet。
Mr； Johnson read it。 〃Ted； if you're trying to give me your automobile； you can think again。〃
〃That's only a nominal conveyance of title； sir。 What I would like is to leave it with you。 Brian can drive it； he's a good driver now； he's a natural。 You can drive it； even Mrs。 Smith might want to learn。 When Lieutenant Smith is home； he may find it convenient。 But if they send me for training anywhere near here and I get time off before I'm sent overseas； I'd like to feel free to use it myself。〃
〃But why hand me a bill of sale？ Sure； it can sit in the barn
and no doubt Brian…both of them…would drive it。 Might learn to herd it myself~ But no need for this。〃
〃Oh。 I didn't make myself clear。 Suppose I'm off somewhere； say in New Jersey…but want to sell it。 I can drop you a penny postcard； and it'S easy； because you'll have that。〃 Lazarus added thoughtfully； 〃Or I might fall down that ladder 。 。 in which case the same reasoning applies。 If you don't want it； you can sign it over to Brian Junior。 Or whatever。 Mr。
512Johnson； you know I don't have any relatives…so why not let
… …it run easy？〃
Before Gramp could reply； Mrs。 Smith came in； dressed in her best and smiling~ （a？d had been crying； Lazarus felt certain）。 She extended her hand。 〃Mr。 Bronson！ We are all so proud of you！〃
Her voice； her fragrance； the touch of her hand； her proud joy； all hit Lazarus in the gut； his careful conditioning was swept away。 （Maureen beloved； it's lucky that I'm being sent away at once。 Safer for you； … better all around。 But I did it to
make you proud of me； and now my cup runh over…and please ask rile to sit down before Gramp notices the tilt of my
kilt！）
~Thank you； Mrs。 Smith。 I just stopped by to say thank you and good…bye…and good night； too； as I'm shipping out early tomorrow morning。〃 …
〃Oh； do please sit down！ Coffee at least； and the children will want to say good…bye to you； too。〃
An hour later he was still there and still happ