active service-第30章

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ond　his　strength。　He　was　nothing　but　the　complaining　victim　　of　Nora　Black　and　himself。

He　felt　that　he　would　never　again　see　Marjory；　and　while　feeling　it　he　began　to　plan　his　attitude　when　next　they　met。　He　would　be　very　cold　and　reserved。　At　Agrinion　he　found　that　there　would　be　no　train　until　the　next　daybreak。　The　dragoman　was　excessively　　annoyed　over　it；　but　Coleman　did　not　scold　at　all。　As　a　matter　of　fact　his　heart　had　given　a　great　joyus　bound。　He　could　not　now　prevent　his　being　overtaken。　They　were　only　a　few　leagues　away；　and　while　he　was　waiting　for　the　train　they　would　easily　cover　the　distance。　If　anybody　expressed　surprise　at　seeing　him　he　could　exhibit　the　logical　reasons。　If　there　had　been　a　train　starting　at　once　he　would　have　taken　it。　His　pride　would　have　put　up　with　no　subterfuge。　If　the　Wainwrights　overtook　him　it　was　because　he　could　not　help　it。　But　he　was　delighted　that　he　could　not　help　it。　There　had　been　an　inter…　position　by　some　specially　beneficent　fate。　He　felt　like　whistling。　He　spent　the　early　half　of　the　night　in　blissful　smoke；　striding　the　room　which　the　dragoman　had　found　for　him。　His　head　was　full　of　plans　and　detached　impressive　scenes　in　which　he　figured　before　Marjory。　The　simple　fact　that　there　was　no　train　away　from　Agrinion　until　the　next　daybreak　had　wrought　a　stupendous　change　in　his　outlook。　He　unhesitatingly　considered　it　an　omen　of　a　good　future。　He　was　up　before　the　darkness　even　contained　presage　of　coming　light；　but　near　the　railway　station　was　a　little　hut　where　coffee　was　being　served　to　several　prospective　travellers　who　had　come　even　earlier　to　the　rendezvous。　There　was　no　evidence　of　the　Wainwrights。

Coleman　sat　in　the　hut　and　listened　for　the　rumble　of　wheels。　He　was　suddenly　appalled　that　the　Wainwrights　were　going　to　miss　the　train。　Perhaps　they　had　decided　against　travelling　during　the　night。　Perbaps　this　thing；　and　perhaps　that　thing。　The　morning　was　very　cold。　Closely　muffled　in　his　cloak；　he　went　to　the　door　and　stared　at　where　the　road　was　whiten…　ing　out　of　night。　At　the　station　stood　a　little　spectral　train；　and　the　engine　at　intervals　emitted　a　long；　piercing　scream　which　informed　the　echoing　land　that；　in　all　probability；　it　was　going　to　start　after　a　time　for　the　south。　The　Greeks　in　the　coffee　room　were；　of　course；　talking。

At　last　Coleman　did　hear　the　sound　of　hoofs　and　wheels。　The　three　carriages　swept　up　in　grand　procession。　The　first　was　laden　with　students　；　in　the　second　was　the　professor；　the　Greek　officer；　Nora　Black's　old　lady　and　other　persons；　all　looking　marvellously　unimportant　and　shelved。　It　was　the　third　carriage　at　which　Coleman　stared。　At　first　be　thought　the　dim　light　deceived　his　vision；　but　in　a　moment　he　knew　that　his　first　leaping　conception　of　the　arrangement　of　the　people　in　this　vehicle　had　been　perfectly　correct。　Nora　Black　and　Mrs。　Wainwright　sat　side　by　side　on　the　back　seat；　while　facing　them　were　Coke　and　Marjory。

They　looked　cold　but　intimate。

The　oddity　of　the　grouping　stupefied　Coleman。　It　was　anarchy；　naked　and　unashamed。　He　could　not　imagine　how　such　changes　could　have　been　consummated　in　the　short　time　he　had　been　away　from　them；　but　he　laid　it　all　to　some　startling　necromancy　on　the　part　of　Nora　Black；　some　wondrous　play　which　had　captured　them　all　because　of　its　surpassing　skill　and　because　they　were；　in　the　main；　rather　gullible　people。　He　was　wrong。　The　magic　had　been　wrought　by　the　unaided　foolishness　of　Mrs。　Wainwfight。　As　soon　as　Nora　Black　had　succeeded　in　creating　an　effect　of　intimacy　and　dependence　between　herself　and　Coleman；　the　professor　had　flatly　stated　to　his　wife　that　the　presence　of　Nora　Black　in　the　party；　in　the　inn；　in　the　world；　was　a　thiag　that　did　not　meet　his　approval　in　any　way。　She　should　be　abolished。　As　for　Coleman；　he　would　not　defend　him。　He　preferred　not　to　talk　to　him。　It　made　him　sad。　Coleman　at　　least　had　been　very　indiscreet；　very　indiscreet。　It　was　a　great　pity。　But　as　for　this　blatant　woman；　the　sooner　they　rid　themselves　of　her；　the　sooner　he　would　feel　that　all　the　world　was　not　evil。

Whereupon　Mrs。　Wainwright　had　changed　front　with　the　speed　of　light　and　attacked　with　horse；　foot　and　guns。　She　failed　to　see；　she　had　declared；　where　this　poor；　lone　girt　was　in　great　fault。　Of　course　it　was　probable　that　she　had　listened　to　this　snaky。　tongued　Rufus　Coleman；　but　that　was　ever　the　mistake　that　women　made。　Oh；　certainly　；　the　professor　would　like　to　let　Rufus　Coleman　off　scot…free。　That　was　the　way　with　men。　They　defended　each　other　in　all　cases。　If　wrong　were　done　it　was　the　woman　who　suffered。　Now；　since　this　poor　girl　was　alone　far　off　here　in　Greece；　Mrs。　Wainwright　announced　that　she　had　such　full　sense　of　her　duty　to　her　sex　that　her　conscience　would　not　allow　her　to　scorn　and　desert　a　sister；　even　if　that　sister　was；　approximately；　the　victim　of　a　creature　like　Rufus　Coleman。　Perhaps　the　poor　thing　loved　this　wretched　man；　although　it　was　hard　to　imagine　any　woman　giving　her　heart　to　such。　a　monster。

The　professor　had　then　asked　with　considerable　spirit　for　the　proofs　upon　which　Mrs。　Wainwright　named　Coleman　a　monster；　and　had　made　a　wry　face　over　her　completely　conventional　reply。　He　had　told　her　categorically　his　opinion　of　her　erudition　in　such　matters。

But　Mrs。　Wainwright　was　not　to　be　deterred　from　an　exciting　espousal　of　the　cause　of　her　sex。　Upon　the　instant　that　the　professor　strenuously　opposed　her　she　becamean　apostle；　an　enlightened；　uplifted　apostle　to　the　world　on　the　wrongs　of　her　sex。　She　had　come　down　with　this　thing　as　if　it　were　a　disease。　Nothing　could　stop　her。　Her　husband；　her　daughter；　all　influences　in　other　directions；　had　been　overturned　with　a　roar；　and　the　first　thing　fully　clear　to　the　professor's　mind　had　been　that　his　wife　was　riding　affably　in　the　carriage　with　Nora　Black。　Coleman　aroused　when　he　heard　one　of　the　students　cry　out：　〃　Why；　there　is　Rufus　Coleman's　dragoman。　He　must　be　here。〃　A　moment　later　they　thronged　upon　him。　〃　Hi；　old　man；　caught　you　again！　Where　did　you　break　to？　Glad　to　catch　you；　old　boy。　How　are　you　making　it？　Where's　your　horse？〃

〃　Sent　the　horses　on　to；　Athens；〃　said　Coleman。　He　had　not　yet　recovered　his　composure；　and　he　was　glad　to　find　available　this　commonplace　return　to　their　exuberant　greetings　and　questions。　〃　Sent　them　on　to　Athens　with　the　groom。〃

In　the　mean　time　the　engine　of　the　little　train　was　screaming　to　heaven　that　its　intention　of　starting　was　most　serious。　The　diligencia　careered　to　the　station　platform　and　unburdened。　Coleman　had　had　his　dragoman　place　his　luggage　in　a　little　first…class　carriage　and　he　defiantly　entered　it　and　closed　the　door。　He　had　a　sudden　return　to　the　old　sense　of　downfall；　and　with　it　came　the　original　rebellious　desires。　However；　he　hoped　that　somebody　would　intrude　upon　him。　It　was　Peter　Tounley。　The　student　flung　open　the　door　and　then　yelled　to　the　distance　：　〃　Here's　an　empty　one。〃　He　clattered　into　the　compartment。　〃　Hello；　Coleman！　Didn't　know　you　were　in　here！　〃　At　his　heels　came　Nora　Black；　Coke　and　Marjory。　〃　Oh！　〃　they　said；　when　they　saw　the　occupant　of　the　carriage。　〃　Oh　！　〃　Coleman　was　furious。　He　could　have　distributed　some　of　his　traps　in　a　way　to　create　more　room；　but　he　did　not　move。







CHAPTER　XXIV。

THERE　was　a　demonstration　of　the　unequalled　facilities　of　a　European　railway　carriage　for　rendering　unpleasant　things　almost　intolerable。　These　people　could　find　no　way　to　alleviate　the　poignancy　of　their　position。　Coleman　did　not　know　where　to　look。　Every　personal　mannerism　becomes　accentuated　in　a　European　railway　carriage。　If　you　glance　at　a　man；　your　glance　defines　itself　as　a　stare。　If　you　carefully　look　at　nothing；　you　create　for　yourself　a　resemblance　to　all　wooden…headed　things。　A　newspaper　is；　then；　in　the　nature　of　a　preservative；　and　Coleman　longed　for　a　newspaper。

It　was　this　abominable　railway　carriage　which　exacted　the　first　display　of　agitation　from　Marjory。　She　flushed　rosily；　and　her　eyes　wavered　over　the　cornpartment。　Nora　Black　laughed　in　a　way　that　was　a　shock　to　the　nerves。　Coke　seemed　very　angry；　indeed；　and　Peter　Tounley　was　in　pitiful　distress。　Everything　was　acutely；　painfully　vivid；　bald；　painted　as　glaringly　as　a　grocer's　new　wagon。　It　fulfilled　those　traditions　which　the　artists　deplore　when　they　use　their　pet　phrase　on　a　picture；　〃It　hurts。〃　The　damnable　power　of　accentuation　of　the　European　railway　carriage　seemed；　to　Coleman's　amazed　mind；　to　be　redoubled　and　redoubled。

It　was　Peter　Tounley　who　seemed　to　be　in　the　greatest　agony。　He　looked　at　the　correspondent　beseechingly　and　said：　〃It's　a　very　cold　morning；　Coleman。〃　This　was　an　actual　appeal　in　the　name　of　humanity。

Coleman　came　squarely。　to　the　front　and　even　grinned　a　little　at　poor　Peter　Tounley's　misery。　〃Yes；　it　is　a　cold　morning；　Peter。　I　should　say　it　to　one　of　the　coldest　mornings　in　my　recollection。〃

Peter　Tounley　had　not　intended　a　typical　American　emphasis　on　the　polar　conditions　which　obtained　in　the　compartment　at　this　time；　but　Coleman　had　given　the　word　this　meaning。　Spontaneously　every　body　smiled；　and　at　once　the　tension　was　relieved。　But　of　course　the　satanic　powers　of　the　railway　carriage　could　not　be　altogether　set　at　naught。　Of　course　it　fell　to　the　lot　of　Coke　to　get　the　seat　directly　in　front　of　Coleman；　and　thus；　face　to　face；　they　were　doomed　to　stare　at　each　other。

Peter　Tounley　was　inspired　to　begin　conventional　babble；　in　which　he　took　great　care　to　make　an　appear。　ance　of　talking　to　all　in　the　carriage。　〃　Funny　thing　I　never　knew　these　mornings　in　Greece　were　so　cold。　I　thought　the　climate　here　was　quite　tropical。　It　must　have　been　inconvenient　in　the　ancient　times；　when；　I　am　told；　people　didn't　wear　near　so　many…　er…clothes。　Really；　I　don't　see　how　they　stood　it。　For　my　part；　I　would　like　nothing　so　much　as　a　buffalo　robe。　I　suppose　when　those　great　sculptors　were　doing　their　masterpieces；　they　had　to　wear　gloves。　Ever　think　of　that？　Funny；　isn't　it？　Aren't　you　cold；　Marjory　？　I　am。　jingo！　Imagine　the　Spartans　in　ulsters；　going　out　to　meet　an　enemy　in　cape…overcoats；　and　being　desired　by　their　mothers　to　return　　with　their　ulsters　or　wrapped　in　them。〃

It　was　rather　hard　work　for　Peter　Tounley。　Both　Marjory　and　Coleman　tried　to　display　an　interest　in　his　labours；　and　they　laughed　not　at　what　he　said；　but　because　they　believed　it　assisted　him。　The　little　train；　meanwhile；　wandered　up　a　great　green　slope；　and　the　day　rapidly　coloured　the　land。

At　first　Nora　Black　did　not　display　a　militant　mood；　but　as　time　passed　Coleman　saw　clearly　that　she　was　considering　the　advisability　of　a　new　attack。　She　had　Coleman　and　Marjory　in　conjunction　and　where　they　were　unable　to　escape　from　her。　The　opportunities　were　great。　To　Coleman；　she　seemed　to　be　gloating　over　the　possibilities　of　making　more　mischief。　She　was　looking　at　him　speculatively；　as　if　considering　the　best　place　to　hit　him　first。　Presently　she　drawled　：　〃　Rufus；　I　wish　you　would　fix　my　rug　about　me　a　little　better。〃　Coleman　saw　that　this　was　a　beginning。　Peter　Tounley　sprang　to　his　feet　with　speed　and　en…　thusiasm。　〃　Oh；　let　me　do　it　for　you。〃　He　had　her　well　muffled　in　the　rug　before　she　could　protest；　even　if　a　protest　had　been　rational。　The　young　man　ha