active service-第12章

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At　last　an　order　came；　and　the　first　troop　moved　with　muffled　tumult　across　the　bridge。　Coleman　and　his　dragoman　followed　the　last　troop。　The　horses　scrambled　up　the　muddy　bank　much　as　if　they　were　merely　breaking　out　of　a　pasture；　but　probably　all　the　men　felt　a　sudden　tightening　of　their　muscles。　Coleman；　in　his　excitement；　felt；　more　than　he　saw；　glossy　horse　flanks；　green…clothed　men　chumping　in　their　saddles；　banging　sabres　and　canteens；　and　carbines　slanted　in　line。

There　were　some　Greek　infantry　in　a　trench。　They　were　heavily　overcoated；　despite　the　heat；　and　some　were　engaged　in　eating　loaves　of　round；　thick　bread。　They　called　out　lustily　as　the　cavalry　passed　them。　The　troopers　smiled　slowly；　somewhat　proudly　in　response。

Presently　there　was　another　halt　and　Coleman　saw　the　major　trotting　busily　here　and　there；　while　troop　commanders　rode　out　to　meet　him。　Spreading　groups　of　scouts　and　flankers　moved　off　and　disappeared。　Their　dashing　young　officer　friend　cantered　past　them　with　his　troop　at　his　heels。　He　waved　a　joyful　good…　bye。　It　was　the　doings　of　cavalry　in　actual　service；　horsemen　fanning　out　in　all　forward　directions。　There　were　two　troops　held　in　reserve；　and　as　they　jangled　ahead　at　a　foot　pace；　Coleman　and　his　dragoman　followed　them。

The　dragoman　was　now　moved　to　erect　many　reasons　for　an　immediate　return。　It　was　plain　that　he　had　no　stomach　at　all　for　this　business；　and　that　he　wished　himself　safely　back　on　the　other　side　of　the　river。　Coleman　looked　at　him　askance。　When　these　men　talked　together　Coleman　might　as　well　have　been　a　polar　bear　for　all　he　understood　of　it。　When　he　saw　the　trepidation　of　his　dragoman；　he　did　not　know　what　it　foreboded。　In　this　situation　it　was　not　for　him　to　say　that　the　dragoman's　fears　were　founded　on　nothing。　And　ever　the　dragoman　raised　his　reasons　for　a　retreat。　Coleman　spoke　to　himself。　〃I　am　just　a　trifle　rattled；〃　he　said　to　his　heart；　and　after　he　had　communed　for　a　time　upon　the　duty　of　steadiness；　he　addressed　the　dragoman　in　cool　language。　〃　Now；　my　persuasive　friend；　just　quit　all　that；　because　business　is　business；　and　it　may　be　rather　annoying　business；　but　you　will　have　to　go　through　with　it。〃　Long　afterward；　when　ruminating　over　the　feelings　of　that　morning；　he　saw　with　some　astonishment　that　there　was　not　a　single　thing　within　sound　or　sight　to　cause　a　rational　being　any　quaking。　He　was　simply　riding　with　some　soldiers　over　a　vast　tree…dotted　prairie。

Presently　the　commanding　officer　turned　in　his　saddle　and　told　the　dragoman　that　he　was　going　to　ride　forward　with　his　orderly　to　where　he　could　see　the　flanking　parties　and　the　scouts；　and　courteously；　with　the　manner　of　a　gentleman　entertaining　two　guests；　he　asked　if　the　civilians　cared　to　accompany　him。　The　dragoman　would　not　have　passed　this　question　correctly　on　to　Coleman　if　he　had　thought　he　could　have　avoided　it；　but；　with　both　men　regarding　him；　he　considered　that　a　lie　probably　meant　instant　detection。　He　spoke　almost　the　truth；　contenting　himself　with　merely　communicating　to　Coleman　in　a　subtle　way　his　sense　that　a　ride　forward　with　the　commanding　officer　and　his　orderly　would　be　depressing　and　dangerous　occupation。　But　Coleman　immediately　accepted　the　invitation　mainly　because　it　was　the　invitation　of　the　major；　and　in　war　it　is　a　brave　man　who　can　refuse　the　invitation　of　a　commanding　officer。　The　little　party　of　four　trotted　away　from　the　reserves；　curving　in　single　file　about　the　water…holes。　In　time　they　arrived　at　where　the　plain　lacked　trees　and　was　one　great　green　lake　of　grass；　grass　and　scrubs。　On　this　expanse　they　could　see　the　Greek　horsemen　riding；　mainly　appearing　as　little　black　dots。　Far　to　the　left　there　was　a　squad　said　to　be　composed　of　only　twenty　troopers；　but　in　the　distance　their　black　mass　seemed　to　be　a　regiment。

As　the　officer　and　his　guests　advanced　they　came　in　view　of　what　one　may　call　the　shore　of　the　plain。　The　rise　of　ground　was　heavily　clad　with　trees；　and　over　the　tops　of　them　appeared　the　cupola　and　part　of　the　walls　of　a　large　white　house；　and　there　were　glimpses　of　huts　near　it　as　if　a　village　was　marked。　The　black　specks　seemed　to　be　almost　to　it。　The　major　galloped　forward　and　the　others　followed　at　his　pace。　The　house　grew　larger　and　larger　and　they　came　nearly　to　the　advance　scouts　who　they　could　now　see　were　not　quite　close　to　the　village。　There　had　been　a　deception　of　the　eye　precisely　as　occurs　at　sea。　Herds　of　unguarded　sheep　drifted　over　the　plain　and　little　ownerless　horses；　still　cruelly　hobbled；　leaped　painfully　away；　frightened；　as　if　they　understood　that　an　anarchy　had　come　upon　them。　The　party　rode　until　they　were　very　nearly　up　with　the　scouts；　and　then　from　low　down　at　the　very　edge　of　the　plain　there　came　a　long　rattling　noise　which　endured　as　if　some　kind　of　grinding　machine　had　been　put　in　motion。　Smoke　arose；　faintly　marking　the　position　of　an　intrenchment。　Sometimes　a　swift　spitting　could　be　heard　from　the　air　over　the　party。

It　was　Coleman's　fortune　to　think　at　first　that　the　Turks　were　not　firing　in　his　direction；　but　as　soon　as　he　heard　the　weird　voices　in　the　air　he　knew　that　war　was　upon　him。　But　it　was　plain　that　the　range　was　almost　excessive；　plain　even　to　his　ignorance。　The　major　looked　at　him　and　laughed；　he　found　no　difficulty　in　smiling　in　response。　If　this　was　war；　it　could　be　withstood　somehow。　He　could　not　at　this　time　understand　what　a　mere　trifle　was　the　present　incident。　He　felt　upon　his　cheek　a　little　breeze　which　was　moving　the　grass…blades。　He　had　tied　his　canteen　in　a　wrong　place　on　the　saddle　and　every　time　the　horse　moved　quickly　the　canteen　banged　the　correspondent；　to　his　annoyance　and　distress；　forcibly　on　the　knee。　He　had　forgotten　about　his　dragoman；　but　happening　to　look　upon　that　faithful　servitor；　he　saw　him　gone　white　with　horror。　A　bullet　at　that　moment　twanged　near　his　head　and　the　slave　to　fear　ducked　in　a　spasm。　Coleman　called　the　orderly's　attention　and　they　both　laughed　discreetly。　They　made　no　pretension　of　being　heroes；　but　they　saw　plainly　that　they　were　better　than　this　man。　Coleman　said　to　him　：　〃　How　far　is　it　now　to　Nikopolis　？　〃　The　dragoman　replied　only；　with　a　look　of　agonized　impatience。

But　of　course　there　was　no　going　to　Nikopolis　that　day。　The　officer　had　advanced　his　men　as　far　as　was　intended　by　his　superiors；　and　presently　they　were　all　recalled　and　trotted　back　to　the　bridge。　They　crossed　it　to　their　old　camp。

An　important　part　of　Coleman's　traps　was　back　with　his　Athenian　horses　and　their　groom；　but　with　his　present　equipment　he　could　at　least　lie　smoking　on　his　blankets　and　watch　the　dragoman　prepare　food。　But　he　reflected　that　for　that　day　he　had　only　attained　the　simple　discovery　that　the　approach　to　Nikopolis　was　surrounded　with　difficulties。






CHAPTER　X。

The　same　afternoon　Coleman　and　the　dragoman　rode　up　to　Arta　on　their　borrowed　troop　horses。　The　correspondent　first　went　to　the　telegraph　office　and　found　there　the　usual　number　of　despairing　clerks。　They　were　outraged　when　they　found　he　was　going　to　send　messages　and　thought　it　preposterous　that　he　insisted　upon　learning　if　there　were　any　in　the　office　for　him。　They　had　trouble　enough　with　endless　official　communications　without　being　hounded　about　private　affairs　by　a　confident　young　man　in　khaki。　But　Coleman　at　last　unearthed　six　cablegrams　which　collective　said　that　the　Eclipse　wondered　why　　they　did　not　hear　from　him；　that　Walkley　had　been　relieved　from　duty　in　London　and　sent　to　join　the　army　of　the　crown　prince；　that　young　Point；　the　artist；　had　been　shipped　to　Greece；　that　if　he；　Coleman；　succeeded　in　finding　the　Wainwright　party　the　paper　was　prepared　to　make　a　tremendous　uproar　of　a　celebration　over　it　and；　finally；　the　paper　wondered　twice　more　why　they　did　not　hear　from　him。

When　Coleman　went　forth　to　enquire　if　anybody　knew　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　Wainwright　party　he　thought　first　of　his　fellow　correspondents。　He　found　most　of　them　in　a　cafe　where　was　to　be　had　about　the　only　food　in　the　soldier…laden　town。　It　was　a　slothful　den　where　even　an　ordinary　boiled　egg　could　be　made　unpalatable。　Such　a　common　matter　as　the　salt　men　watched　with　greed　and　suspicion　as　if　they　were　always　about　to　grab　it　from　each　other。　The　proprietor；　in　a　dirty　shirt；　could　always　be　heard　whining；　evidently　telling　the　world　that　he　was　being　abused；　but　he　had　spirit　enough　remaining　to　charge　three　prices　for　everything　with　an　almost　Jewish　fluency。

The　correspondents　consoled　themselves　largely　upon　black　…　bread　and　the　native　wines。　Also　there　were　certain　little　oiled　fishes；　and　some　green　odds　and　ends　for　salads。　The　correspondents　were　practically　all　Englishmen。　Some　of　them　were　veterans　of　journalism　in　the　Sudan；　in　India；　in　South　Africa；　and　there　were　others　who　knew　as　much　of　war　as　they　could　learn　by　sitting　at　a　desk　and　editing　the　London　stock　reports。　Some　were　on　their　own　hook；　some　had　horses　and　dragomen　and　some　had　neither　the　one　nor　the　other；　many　knew　how　to　write　and　a　few　had　it　yet　to　learn。　The　thing　in　common　was　a　spirit　of　adventure　which　found　pleasure　in　the　extraordinary　business　of　seeing　how　men　kill　each　other。

They　were　talking　of　an　artillery　duel　which　had　been　fought　the　previous　day　between　the　Greek　batteries　above　the　town　and　the　Turkish　batteries　across　the　river。　Coleman　　took　seat　at　one　of　the　long　tables；　and　the　astute　dragoman　got　somebody　in　the　street　to　hold　the　horses　in　order　that　he　might　be　present　at　any　feasting。

One　of　the　experienced　correspondents　was　remarking　that　the　fire　of　the　Greek　batteries　in　the　engagement　had　been　the　finest　artillery　practice　of　the　century。　He　spoke　a　little　loudly；　perhaps；　in　the　wistful　hope　that　some　of　the　Greek　officers　would　understand　enough　English　to　follow　his　meaning；　for　it　is　always　good　for　a　correspondent　to　admire　the　prowess　on　his　own　side　of　the　battlefield。　After　a　time　Coleman　spoke　in　a　lull；　and　describing　the　supposed　misfortunes　of　the　Wainwright　party；　asked　if　anyone　had　news　of　them。　The　correspondents　were　surprised；　they　had　none　of　them　heard　even　of　the　existence　of　a　Wainwright　party。　Also　none　of　them　seemed　to　care　exceedingly。　The　conversation　soon　changed　to　a　discussion　of　the　probable　result　of　the　general　Greek　advance　announced　for　the　morrow。

Coleman　silently　commented　that　this　remarkable　appearance　of　indifference　to　the　mishap　of　the　Wainwrights；　a　little　party；　a　single　group；　was　a　better　definition　of　a　real　condition　of　war　than　that　bit　of　long…range　musketry　of　the　morning。　He　took　a　certain　despatch　out　of　his　pocket　and　again　read　it。　〃　Find　Wainwright　party　at　all　hazards；　much　talk　here；　success　means　red　fire　by　ton。　Eclipse。〃　It　was　an　important　matter。　He　could　imagine　how　the　American　people；　vibrating　for　years　to　stories　of　the　cruelty　of　the　Turk；　would　tremble…indeed；　was　now　trembling…while　the　newspapers　howled　out　the　dire　possibilities。　He　saw　all　the　kinds　of　people；　from　those　who　would　read　the　Wainwright　chapters　from　day　to　day　as　a　sort　of　sensational　novel；　to　those　who　would　work　up　a　gentle　sympathy　for　the　woe　of　others　around　the　table　in　the　evenings。　He　saw　bar　keepers　and　policemen　taking　a　high　gallery　thrill　out　of　thi