active service-第10节
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enly turned and moved toward the stern of the ship。 Ten watchful gossips had noted Coleman's travel in her direction and more than half the passengers noted his defeat。 He wheeled casually and returned to his three friends。 They were colic…stricken with a coarse and yet silent merriment。 Coleman was glad that the voyage was over。
After the polite business of an English custom house； the travellers passed out to the waiting train。 A nimble little theatrical agent of some kind； sent from London； dashed forward to receive Miss Black。 He had a first…class compartment engaged for her and he bundled her and her maid into it in an exuberance of enthusiasm and admiration。。 Coleman passing moodily along the line of coaches heard Nora's voice hailing him。
〃 Rufus。〃 There she was； framed in a carriage window； beautiful and smiling brightly。 Every near。 by person turned to contemplate this vision。
〃 Oh；〃 said Coleman advancing； 〃 I thought I was not going to get a chance to say good…bye to you。〃 He held out his hand。 〃 Good…bye。〃
She pouted。 〃 Why； there's plenty of room in this compartment。〃 Seeing that some forty people were transfixed in observation of her； she moved a short way back。 〃 Come on in this compartment； Rufus；〃 she said。
〃Thanks。 I prefer to smoke；〃 said Coleman。 He went off abruptly。
On the way to London； he brooded in his corner on the two divergent emotions he had experienced when refusing her invitation。 At Euston Station in London； he was directing a porter； who had his luggage； when he heard Nora speak at his shoulder。 〃 Well； Rufus； you sulky boy；〃 she said； 〃 I shall be at the Cecil。 If you have time； come and see me。〃
〃 Thanks； I'm sure； my dear Nora；〃 answered Coleman effusively。 〃But honestly； I'm off for Greece。〃
A brougham was drawn up near them and the nimble little agent was waiting。 The maid was directing the establishment of a mass of luggage on and in a four…wheeler cab。 〃 Well； put me into my carriage； anyhow；〃 said Nora。 〃 You will have time for that。〃
Afterward she addressed him from the dark interior。 Now； Rufus； you must come to see me the minute you strike London again… of She hesitated a moment and then smiling gorgeously upon him； she said： 〃 Brute！ 〃
CHAPTER VIII。
As soon as Coleman had planted his belongings in a hotel he was bowled in a hansom briskly along the smoky Strand； through a dark city whose walls dripped like the walls of a cave and whose passages were only illuminated by flaring yellow and red signs。
Walkley the London correspondent of the Eclipse； whirled from his chair with a shout of joy and relief …at sight of Coleman。 〃 Cables；〃 he cried。 〃Nothin' but cables！ All the people in New York are writing cables to you。 The wires groan with them。 And we groan with them too。 They come in here in bales。 However； there is no reason why you should read them all。 Many are similar in words and many more are similar in spirit。 The sense of the whole thing is that you get to Greece quickly； taking with you immense sums of money and enormous powers over nations。〃
〃 Well； when does the row begin？ 〃
〃 The most astute journalists in Europe have been predicting a general European smash…up every year since 1878；〃 said Walkley； 〃 and the prophets weep。 The English are the only people who can pull off wars on schedule time； and they have to do it in odd corners of the globe。 I fear the war business is getting tuckered。 There is sorrow in the lodges of the lone wolves； the war correspondents。 However； my boy； don't bury your face in your blanket。 This Greek business looks very promising； very promising。〃 He then began to proclaim trains and connections。 〃 Dover； Calais； Paris； Brindisi； Corfu； Patras； Athens。 That is your game。 You are supposed to sky…rocket yourself over that route in the shortest possible time； but you would gain no time by starting before to…morrow； so you can cool your heels here in London until then。 I wish I was going along。〃
Coleman returned to his hotel； a knight impatient and savage at being kept for a time out of the saddle。 He went for a late supper to the grill room and as he was seated there alone； a party of four or five people came to occupy the table directly behind him。 They talked a great deal even before they arrayed them。 selves at the table； and he at once recognised the voice of Nora Black。 She was queening it； apparently； over a little band of awed masculine worshippers。
Either by accident or for some curious reason； she took a chair back to back with Coleman's chair。 Her sleeve of fragrant stuff almost touched his shoulder and he felt appealing to him seductively a perfume of orris root and violet。 He was drinking bottled stout with his chop； be sat with a face of wood。
〃 Oh； the little lord ？ 〃 Nora was crying to some slave。 〃Now； do you know； he won't do at all。 He is too awfully charming。 He sits and ruminates for fifteen minutes and then he pays me a lovely compliment。 Then he ruminates for another fifteen minutes and cooks up another fine thing。 It is too tiresome。 Do you know what kind of man。 I like？ 〃 she asked softly and confidentially。 And here she sank back in her chair until。 Coleman knew from the tingle that her head was but a few inches from his head。 Her； sleeve touched him。 He turned more wooden under the spell of the orris root and violet。 Her courtiers thought it all a graceful pose； but Coleman believed otherwise。 Her voice sank to the liquid； siren note of a succubus。 〃 Do you know what kind of a man I like？ Really like？ I like a man that a woman can't bend in a thousand different ways in five minutes。 He must have some steel in him。 He obliges me to admire him the most when he remains stolid； stolid to me lures。 Ah； that is the only kind of a man who cap ever break a heart among us women of the world。 His stolidity is not real； no； it is mere art； but it is a highly finished art and often enough we can't cut through it。 Really we can't。 And； then we may actually come toercare for the man。 Really we may。 Isn't it funny？〃
Alt the end Coleman arose and strolled out of the。 room； smoking a cigarette。 He did not betray； a sign。 Before。 the door clashed softly behind him； Nora laughed a little defiantly； perhaps a little loudly。 It made every man in the grill…room perk up his ears。 As for her courtiers； they were entranced。 In her description of the conquering man； she had easily contrived that each one of them wondered if she might not mean him。 Each man was perfectly sure that he had plenty of steel in his composition and that seemed to be a main point。
Coleman delayed for a time in the smoking room and then went to his own quarters。 In reality he was Somewhat puzzled in his mind by a projection of the beauties of Nora Black upon his desire for Greece and Marjory； His thoughts formed a duality。 Once he was on the point of sending his card to Nora Black's parlour； inasmuch as Greece was very distant and he could not start until the morrow。 But he suspected that he was holding the interest of the actress because of his recent appearance of impregnable serenity in the presence of her fascinations。 If he now sent his card； it was a form of surrender and he knew her to be one to take a merciless advantage。 He would not make this tactical mistake。 On the contrary he would go to bed and think of war；
In reality he found it easy to fasten his mind upon the prospective war。 He regarded himself cynically in most affairs； but he could not be cynical of war； because had he … seen none of it。 His rejuvenated imagination began to thrill to the roll of battle； through his thought passing all the lightning in the pictures of Detaille； de Neuville and Morot； lashed battery horse roaring over bridges； grand cuirassiers dashing headlong against stolid invincible red…faced lines of German infantry； furious and bloody grapplings in the streets of little villages of northeastern France。 There was one thing at least of which he could still feel the spirit of a debutante。 In this matter of war he was not； too； unlike a young girl embarking upon her first season of opera。 Walkely； the next morning； saw this mood sitting quaintly upon Coleman and cackled with astonishment and glee。 Coleman's usual manner did not return until he detected Walkely's appreciation of his state and then he snubbed him according to the ritual of the Sunday editor of the New York Eclipse。 Parenthetically； it might be said that if Coleman now recalled Nora Black to his mind at all； it was only to think of her for a moment with ironical complacence。 He had beaten her。
When the train drew out of the station； Coleman felt himself thrill。 Was ever fate less perverse ？ War and love…war and Marjory…were in conjunction both in Greece…and he could tilt with one lance at both gods。 It was a great fine game to play and no man was ever so blessed in vacations。 He was smiling continually to himself and sometimes actually on the point of talking aloud。 This was despite the presence in the compartment of two fellow passengers who preserved in their uncomfortably rigid； icy and uncompromising manners many of the more or less ridiculous traditions of the English first class carriage。 Coleman's fine humour betrayed him once into addressing one
