active service-第25节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！




〃Is　he　stuck　on　Nora　Black；　do　you　know？〃　asked　Billie。

〃　One　thing　is　plain；〃　replied　Coke。　〃　She　has　got　him　somehow　by　the　short　hair　and　she　intends　him　to　holler　murder。　Anybody　can　see　that。〃

〃　Well；　he　won't　holler　murder；〃　said　one　of　them　with　conviction。　〃　I'll　bet　you　he　won't。　He'll　hammer　the　war…post　and　beat　the　tom…tom　until　he　drops；　but　he　won't　holler　murder。〃

〃　Old　Mother　Wainwright　will　be　in　his　wool　presently；〃　quoth　Peter　Tounley　musingly；　〃　I　could　see　it　coming　in　her　eye。　Somebody　has　given　his　snap　away；　or　something。〃　〃　Aw；　he　had　no　snap；〃　said　Billie。　〃　Couldn't　you　see　how　rattled　he　was？　He　would　have　given　a　lac　if　dear　Nora　hadn't　turned　up。〃

〃Of　course；〃　the　others　assented。　〃He　was　rattled。〃

〃　Looks　queer。　And　nasty；〃　said　Coke。

〃　Nora　herself　had　an　axe　ready　for　him。〃

They　began　to　laugh。　〃　If　she　had　had　an　umbrella　she　would　have　basted　him　over　the　head　with　it。　Oh；　my！　He　was　green。〃

〃　Nevertheless；〃　said　Peter　Tounley；　〃　I　refuse　to　worry　over　our　Rufus。　When　he　can't　take　care　of　himself　the　rest　of　us　want　to　hunt　cover。　He　is　a　fly　guy…〃

Coleman　in　the　meantime　had　become　aware　that　the　light　of　Mrs。　Wainwright's　countenance　was　turned　from　him。　The　party　stopped　at　a　well；　and　when　he　offered　her　a　drink　from　his　cup　he　thought　she　accepted　it　with　scant　thanks。　Marjory　was　still　gracious；　always　gracious；　but　this　did　not　reassure　him；　because　he　felt　there　was　much　unfathomable　deception　in　it。　When　he　turned　to　seek　consolation　in　the　manner　of　the　professor　he　found　him　as　before；　stunned　with　surprise；　and　the　only　idea　he　had　was　to　be　as　tractable　as　a　child。

When　he　returned　to　the　head　of　the　column；　Nora　again　cantered　forward　to　join　him。　〃　Well；　me　gay　Lochinvar；〃　she　cried；　〃　and　has　your　disposition　improved？　〃

〃　You　are　very　fresh；〃　he　said。

She　laughed　loud　enough　to　be　heard　the　full　length　of　the　caravan。　It　was　a　beautiful　laugh；　but　full　of　insolence　and　confidence。　He　flashed　his　eyes　malignantly　upon　her；　but　then　she　only　laughed　more。　She　could　see　that　he　wished　to　strangle　her。　〃　What　a　disposition　！　〃　she　said。　〃　What　a　disposition　！　You　are　not。　nearly　so　nice　as　your　friends。　Now；　they　are　charming；　but　you…Rufus；　I　wish　you　would　get　that　temper　mended。　Dear　Rufus；　do　it　to　please　me。　You　know　you　like　to　please　me。　Don't　you　now；　dear？　〃　He　finally　laughed。　〃　Confound　you；　Nora。　I　would　like　to　kill　you。〃

But　at　his　laugh　she　was　all　sunshine。　It　was　as　if　she。　had　been　trying　to　taunt　him　into　good　humour　with　her。　　〃Aw；　now；　Rufus；　don't　be　angry。　I'll　be　good；　Rufus。　Really；　I　will。　Listen。　I　want　to　tell　you　something。　Do　you　know　what　I　did？　Well；　you　know；　I　never　was　cut　out　for　this　business；　and；　back　there；　when　you　told　me　about　the　Turks　being　near　and　all　that　sort　of　thing；　I　was　frightened　almost　to　death。　Really；　I　was。　So；　when　nobody　was　looking；　I　sneaked　two　or　three　little　drinks　out　of　my　flask。　Two　or　three　little　drinks…〃





CHAPTER　XVI。

〃　GOOD　God！〃　said　Coleman。　〃You　don't　Mean…〃

Nora　smiled　rosily　at　him。　〃　Oh；　I'm　all　right；〃　she　answered。　〃　Don't　worry　about　your　Aunt　Nora；　my　precious　boy。　Not　for　a　minute。〃

Coleman　was　horrified。　〃　But　you　are　not　going　to…you　are　not　going　to…〃

〃Not　at　all；　me　son。　Not　at　all；〃　she　answered。

I'm　not　going　to　prance。　I'm　going　to　be　as　nice　as　pie；　and　just　ride　quietly　along　here　with　dear　little　Rufus。　Only　*　*　you　know　what　I　can　do　when　I　get　started；　so　you　had　better　be　a　very　good　boy。　I　might　take　it　into　my　head　to　say　some　things；　you　know。〃

Bound　hand　and　foot　at　his　stake；　he　could　not　even　chant　his　defiant　torture　song。　It　might　precipitate　in　fact；　he　was　sure　it　would　precipitate　the　grand　smash。　But　to　the　very　core　of　his　soul；　he　for　the　time　hated　Nora　Black。　He　did　not　dare　to　remind　her　that　he　would　revenge　himself；　he　dared　only　to　dream　of　this　revenge；　but　it　fairly　made　his　thoughts　flame；　and　deep　in　his　throat　he　was　swearing　an　inflexible　persecution　of　Nora　Black。　The　old　expression　of　his　sex　came　to　him；　　〃　Oh；　if　she　were　only　a　man　！　〃　she　had　been　a　man；　he　would　have　fallen　upon　her　tooth　and　nail。　Her　motives　for　all　this　impressed　him　not　at　all；　she　was　simply　a　witch　who　bound　him　helpless　with　the　pwer　of　her　femininity；　and　made　him　eat　cinders。　He　was　so　sure　that　his　face　betrayed　him　that　he　did　not　dare　let　her　see　it。　〃　Well；　what　are　you　going　to　do　about　it　？　〃　he　asked；　over　his　shoulder。

〃　0…o…oh；〃　she　drawled；　impudently。　〃Nothing。〃　He　could　see　that　she　was　determined　not　to　be　confessed。　〃　I　may　do　this　or　I　may　do　that。　It　all　depends　upon　your　behaviour；　my　dear　Rufus。〃

As　they　rode　on；　he　deliberated　as　to　the　best　means　of　dealing　with　this　condition。　Suddenly　he　resolved　to　go　with　the　whole　tale　direct　to　Marjory；　and　to　this　end　he　half　wheeled　his　horse。　He　would　reiterate　that　he　loved　her　and　then　explain…　explain　！　He　groaned　when　he　came　to　the　word；　and　ceased　formulation。

The　cavalcade　reached　at　last　the　bank　of　the　Aracthus　river；　with　its　lemon　groves　and　lush　grass。　A　battery　wheeled　before　them　over　the　ancient　bridge　…a　flight　of　short；　broad　cobbled　steps　up　as　far　as　the　centre　of　the　stream　and　a　similar　flight　down　to　the　other　bank。　The　returning　aplomb　of　the　travellers　was　well　illustrated　by　the　professor；　who；　upon　sighting　this　bridge；　murmured　：　〃　Byzantine。〃

This　was　the　first　indication　that　he　had　still　within　him　a　power　to　resume　the　normal。

The　steep　and　narrow　street　was　crowded　with　soldiers；　the　smoky　little　coffee　shops　were　a…babble　with　people　discussing　the　news　from　the　front。　None　seemed　to　heed　the　remarkable　procession　that　wended　its　way　to　the　cable　office。　Here　Coleman　resolutely　took　precedence。　He　knew　that　there　was　no　good　in　expecting　intelligence　out　of　the　chaotic　clerks；　but　he　managed　to　get　upon　the　wires　this　message　：

〃　Eclipse；　New　York：　Got　Wainwright　party；　all　well。　Coleman。〃　The　students　had　struggled　to　send　messages　to　their　people　in　America；　but　they　had　only　succeeded　in　deepening　the　tragic　boredom　of　the　clerks。

When　Coleman　returned　to　the　street　he　thought　that　he　had　seldom　looked　upon　a　more　moving　spectacle　than　the　Wainwright　party　presented　at　that　moment。　Most　of　the　students　were　seated　in　a　row；　dejectedly；　upon　the　kerb。　The　professor　and　Mrs。　Wainwright　looked　like　two　old　pictures；　which；　after　an　existence　in　a　considerate　gloom；　had　been　brought　out　in　their　tawdriness　to　the　clear　light。　Hot　white　dust　covered　everybody；　and　from　out　the　grimy　faces　the　eyes　blinked；　red…fringed　with　sleeplessness。　Desolation　sat　upon　all；　save　Marjory。　She　possessed　some　marvellous　power　of　looking　always　fresh。　This　quality　had　indeed　impressed　the　old　lady　on　the　little　pony　until　she　had　said　to　Nora　Black：　〃That　　girl　would　look　well　anywhere。〃　Nora　Black　had　not　been　amiable　in　her　reply。

Coleman　called　the　professor　and　the　dragoman　for　a　durbar。　The　dragoman　said：　〃Well；　I　can　get　one　carriage；　and　we　can　go　immediate…lee。〃

〃　Carriage　be　blowed！　〃　said　Coleman。　〃　What　these　people　need　is　rest；　sleep。　You　must　find　a　place　at　once。　These　people　can't　remain　in　the　street。〃　He　spoke　in　anger；　as　if　he　had　previously　told　the　dragoman　and　the　latter　had　been　inattentive。　The　man　immediately　departed。

Coleman　remarked　that　there　was　no　course　but　to　remain　in　the　street　until　his　dragoman　had　found　them　a　habitation。　It　was　a　mournful　waiting。　The　students　sat　on　the　kerb。　Once　they　whispered　to　Coleman；　suggesting　a　drink；　but　he　told　them　that　he　knew　only　one　cafe；　the　entrance　of　which　would　be　in　plain　sight　of　the　rest　of　the　party。　The　ladies　talked　together　in　a　group　of　four。　Nora　Black　was　bursting　with　the　fact　that　her　servant　had　hired　rooms　in　Arta　on　their　outcoming　journey；　and　she　wished　Mrs。　Wainwright　and　Marjory　to　come　to　them；　at　least　for　a　time；　but　she　dared　not　risk　a　refusal；　and　she　felt　something　in　Mrs。　Wainwright's　manner　which　led　her　to　be　certain　that　such　would　be　the　answer　to　her　invitation。　Coleman　and　the　professor　strolled　slowly　up　and　down　the　walk。

〃　Well；　my　work　is　over；　sir；〃　said　Coleman。　〃　My　paper　told　me　to　find　you；　and；　through　no　virtue　of　my　own；　I　found　you。　I　am　very　glad　of　it。　I　don't　know　of　anything　in　my　life　that　has　given　me　greater　pleasure。〃

The　professor　was　himself　again　in　so　far　as　he　had　lost　all　manner　of　dependence。　But　still　he　could　not　yet　be　bumptious。　〃　Mr。　Coleman；〃　he　said；　〃I　am　placed　under　life…long　obligation　to　you。　*　*　*　I　am　not　thinking　of　myself　so　much。　*　*　*　My　wife　and　daughter…〃　His　gratitude　was　so　genuine　that　he　could　not　finish　its　expression。

〃　Oh；　don't　speak　of　it；〃　said　Coleman。　〃　I　really　didn't　do　anything　at　all。〃

The　dragoman　finally　returned　and　led　them　all　to　a　house　which　he　had　rented　for　gold。　In　the　great；　bare；　upper　chamber　the　students　dropped　wearily　to　the　floor；　while　the　woman　of　the　house　took　the　Wainwrights　to　a　more　secluded　apartment。；　As　the　door　closed　on　them；　Coleman　turned　like　a　flash。

〃　Have　a　drink；〃　he　said。　The　students　arose　around　him　like　the　wave　of　a　flood。　〃You　bet。〃　In　the　absence　of　changes　of　clothing；　ordinary　foo