active service-第26节
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〃 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 food； the possibility of a bath； and in the presence of great weariness and dust； Coleman's whisky seemed to them a glistening luxury。 Afterward they laid down as if to sleep； but in reality they were too dirty and too fagged to sleep。 They simply lay murmuring Peter Tounley even developed a small fever。
It was at this time that Coleman。 suddenly discovered his acute interest in the progressive troubles of his affair of the heart had placed the business of his newspaper in the rear of his mind。 The greater part of the next hour he spent in getting off to New York that dispatch which created so much excitement for him later。 Afterward he was free to reflect moodily upon the ability of Nora Black to distress him。 She； with her retinue； had disappeared toward her own rooms。 At dusk he went into the street； and was edified to see Nora's dragoman dodging along in his wake。 He thought that this was simply another manifestation of Nora's interest in his movements； and so he turned a corner； and there pausing； waited until the dragoman spun around directly into his arms。 But it seemed that the man had a note to deliver； and this was only his Oriental way of doing it。
The note read： 〃 Come and dine with me to…night。〃 It was； not a request。 It was peremptory。 〃All right；〃 he said； scowling at the man。
He did not go at once； for he wished to reflect for a time and find if he could not evolve some weapons of his own。 It seemed to him that all the others were liberally supplied with weapons。
A clear； cold night had come upon the earth when he signified to the lurking dragoman that he was in readiness to depart with him to Nora's abode。 They passed finally into a dark court…yard； up a winding staircase； across an embowered balcony； and Coleman entered alone a room where there were lights。
His； feet were scarcely over the threshold before he had concluded that the tigress was now going to try some velvet purring。 He noted that the arts of the stage had not been thought too cheaply obvious for use。 Nora sat facing the door。 A bit of yellow silk had been twisted about the crude shape of the lamp； and it made the play of light； amber…like； shadowy and yet perfectly clear； the light which women love。 She was arrayed in a puzzling gown of that kind of Gre… cian silk which is so docile that one can pull yards of it through a ring。 It was of the colour of new straw。 Her chin was leaned pensively upon her palm and the light fell on a pearly rounded forearm。 She was looking at him with a pair of famous eyes； azure； per… haps…certainly purple at times…and it may be； black at odd moments…a pair of eyes that had made many an honest man's heart jump if he thought they were looking at him。 It was a vision； yes； but Coleman's cynical knowledge of drama overpowered his sense of its beauty。 He broke out brutally； in the phrases of the American street。 〃Your dragoman is a rubber…neck。 If he keeps darking me I will simply have to kick the stuffing out of him。〃
She was alone in the room。 Her old lady had been instructed to have a headache and send apologies。 She was not disturbed by Coleman's words。 〃Sit down； Rufus； and have a cigarette； and don't be cross； because I won't stand it。〃
He obeyed her glumly。 She had placed his chair where not a charm of her could be lost upon an observant man。 Evidently she did not purpose to allow him to irritate her away from her original plan。 Purring was now her method； and none of his insolence could achieve a growl from the tigress。 She arose； saying softly： 〃You look tired； almost ill； poor boy。 I will give you some brandy。 I have almost everything that I could think to make those Daylight people buy。〃 With a sweep of her hand she indicated the astonishing opulence of the possessions in different parts of the room。
As she stood over him with the brandy there came through the smoke of his cigarette the perfume of orris…root and violet。
A servant began to arrange the little cold dinner on a camp table； and Coleman saw with an enthusiasm which he could not fully master； four quart bottles of a notable brand of champagne placed in a rank on the floor。
At dinner Nora was sisterly。 She watched him； waited upon him； treated him to an affectionate inti。 macy for which he knew a thousand men who would have hated him。 The champagne was cold。
Slowly he melted。 By the time that the boy came with little cups of Turkish coffee he was at least amiable。 Nora talked dreamily。 〃 The dragoman says this room used to be part of the harem long ago。〃 She shot him a watchful glance； as if she had expected the fact to affect him。 〃Seems curious； doesn't it？ A harem。 Fancy that。〃 He smoked one cigar and then discarded tobacco； for the perfume of orris…root and violet was making him meditate。 Nora talked on in a low voice。 She knew that； through half…closed lids； he was looking at her in steady speculation。 She knew that she was conquering； but no movement of hers betrayed an elation。 With the most exquisite art she aided his contemplation； baring to him； for instance； the glories of a statuesque neck； doing it all with the manner of a splendid and fabulous virgin who knew not that there was such a thing as shame。 Her stockings were of black silk。
Coleman presently answered her only in monosyllable； making small distinction between yes and no。 He simply sat watching her with eyes in which there were two little covetous steel…coloured flames。
He was thinking； 〃To go to the devil…to go to the devil…to go to the devil with this girl is not a bad fate…not a bad fate…not a bad fate。〃
CHAPTER XVII。
〃 Come out on the balcony；〃 cooed Nora。 〃There are some funny old storks on top of some chimneys near here and they clatter like mad all day and night。〃
They moved together out to the balcony； but Nora retreated with a little cry when she felt the coldness of the night。 She said that she would get a cloak。 Coleman was not unlike a man in a dream。 He walked to the rail of the balcony where a great vine climbed toward the roof。 He noted that it was dotted with。 blossoms； which in the deep purple of the Oriental night were coloured in strange shades of maroon。 This truth penetrated his abstraction until when Nora came she found him staring at them as if their colour was a revelation which affected him vitally。 She moved to his side without sound and he first knew of her presence from the damning fragrance。 She spoke just above her breath。 〃It's a beautiful evening。〃 〃 Yes；〃 he answered。 She was at his shoulder。 If he moved two inches he must come in contact。 They remained in silence leaning upon the rail。 Finally he began to mutter some commonplaces which meant nothing particularly； but into his tone as he mouthed them was the note of a forlorn and passionate lover。 Then as if by accident he traversed the two inches and his shoulder was against the soft and yet firm shoulder of Nora Black。 There was something in his throat at this time which changed his voice into a mere choking noise。 She did not move。 He could see her eyes glowing innocently out of the pallour which the darkness gave to her face。 If he was touching her； she did not seem to know it。
〃I am awfully tired；〃 said Coleman； thickly。 〃I think I will go home and turn in。〃
〃 You must be； poor boy；〃 said Nora tenderly。
〃Wouldn't you like a little more of that champagne？〃
〃 Well； I don't mind another glass。〃
She left him again and his galloping thought pounded to the old refrain。 〃 To go to the devil…to go to the devil…to go to the devil with this girl is not a bad fate…not a bad fate… not a bad fate。〃 When she returned he drank his glass of champagne。 Then he mumbled： 〃 You must be cold。 Let me put your cape around you better。 It won't do to catch cold here； you know。〃
She made a sweet pretence of rendering herself to his care。 〃 Oh； thanks * * * I am not really cold * * * There that's better。〃
Of course all his manipulation of the cloak had been a fervid caress； and although her acting up to this point had remained in the role of the splendid and fabulous virgin she now turned her liquid eyes to his with a look that expressed knowledge； triumph and delight。 She was sure of her victory。 And she said： 〃Sweetheart * * * don't you think I am as nice as Marjory ？〃 The impulse had been airily confident。 It was as if the silken cords had been parted by the sweep of a sword。 Coleman's face had instantly stiffened and he looked like a man suddenly recalled to the ways of light。 It may easily have been that in a moment he would have lapsed again to his luxurious dreaming。 But in his face the girl had read a fatal character to her blunder and her resentment against him took precedence of any other emotion。 She wheeled abruptly from him and said with great contempt： 〃 Rufus； you had better go home。 You're tired and sleepy； and more or less drunk。〃
He knew that the grand tumble of all their little embowered incident could be neither stayed or mended。 〃Yes；〃 he answered； sulkily； 〃I think so too。〃 They shook hands huffily and he went away。
When he arrived among the students he found that they had appropriate
