active service-第12章

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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　of　these　passengers　and　the　man　responded　simply　with　a　wide　look　of　incredulity；　as　if　he　discovered　that　he　was　travelling　in　the　same　compartment　with　a　zebu。　It　turned　Coleman　suddenly　to　evil　temper　and　he　wanted　to　ask　the　man　questions　concerning　his　education　and　his　present　mental　condition：　and　so　until　the　train　arrived　at　Dover；　his　ballooning　soul　was　in　danger　of　collapsing。　On　the　packet　crossing　the　channel；　too；　he　almost　returned　to　the　usual　Rufus　Coleman　since　all　the　world　was　seasick　and　he　could　not　get　a　cabin　in　which　to　hide　himself　from　it。　However　he　reaped　much　consolation　by　ordering　a　bottle　of　champagne　and　drinking　it　in　sight　of　the　people；　which　made　them　still　more　seasick。　From　Calais　to　Brindisi　really　nothing　met　his　disapproval　save　the　speed　of　the　train；　the　conduct　of　some　of　the　passengers；　the　quality　of　the　food　served；　the　manners　of　the　guards；　the　temperature　of　the　carriages；　the　prices　charged　and　the　length　of　the　journey。

In　time　he　passed　as　in　a　vision　from　wretched　Brindisi　to　charming　Corfu；　from　Corfu　to　the　little　war…bitten　city　of　Patras　and　from　Patras　by　rail　at　the　speed　of　an　ox…cart　to　Athens。

With　a　smile　of　grim　content　and　surrounded　in　his　carriage　with　all　his　beautiful　brown　luggage；　he　swept　through　the　dusty　streets　of　the　Greek　capital。　Even　as　the　vehicle　arrived　in　a　great　terraced　square　in　front　of　the　yellow　palace；　Greek　recruits　in　garments　representing　many　trades　and　many　characters　were　marching　up　cheering　for　Greece　and　the　king。　Officers　stood　upon　the　little　iron　chairs　in　front　of　the　cafes；　all　the　urchins　came　running　and　shouting；　ladies　waved　their　handkerchiefs　from　the　balconies；　the　whole　city　was　vivified　with　a　leaping　and　joyous　enthusiasm。　The　Atheniansas　dragomen　or　otherwise…had　preserved　an　ardor　for　their　glorious　traditions；　and　it　was　as　if　that　in　the　white　dust　which　lifted　from　the　plaza　and　floated　across　the　old…ivory　face　of　the　palace；　there　were　the　souls　of　the　capable　soldiers　of　the　past。　Coleman　was　almost　intoxicated　with　it。　It　seemed　to　celebrate　his　own　reasons；　his　reasons　of　love　and　ambition　to　conquer　in　love。

When　the　carriage　arrived　in　front　of　the　Hotel　D'Angleterre；　Coleman　found　the　servants　of　the　place　with　more　than　one　eye　upon　the　scene　in　the　plaza；　but　they　soon　paid　heed　to　the　arrival　of　a　gentleman　with　such　an　amount　of　beautiful　leather　luggage；　all　marked　boldly　with　the　initials　〃R。　C。〃　Coleman　let　them　lead　him　and　follow　him　and　conduct　him　and　　use　bad　English　upon　him　without　noting　either　their　words；　their　salaams　or　their　work。　His　mind　had　quickly　fixed　upon　the　fact　that　here　was　the　probable　headquarters　of　the　Wainwright　party　and；　with　the　rush　of　his　western　race　fleeting　through　his　veins；　he　felt　that　he　would　choke　and　die　if　he　did　not　learn　of　the　Wainwrights　in　the　first　two　minutes。　It　was　a　tragic　venture　to　attempt　to　make　the　Levantine　mind　understand　something　off　the　course；　that　the　new　arrival's　first　thought　was　to　establish　a　knowlege　of　the　whereabouts　of　some　of　his　friends　rather　than　to　swarm　helter…skelter　into　that　part　of　the　hotel　for　which　he　was　willing　to　pay　rent。　In　fact　he　failed　to　thus　impress　them；　failed　in　dark　wrath；　but；　nevertheless；　failed。　At　last　he　was　simply　forced　to　concede　the　travel　of　files　of　men　up　the　broad；　redcarpeted　stair…case；　each　man　being　loaded　with　Coleman's　luggage。　The　men　in　the　hotel…bureau　were　then　able　to　comprehend　that　the　foreign　gentleman　might　have　something　else　on　his　mind。　They　raised　their　eye…brows　languidly　when　he　spoke　of　the　Wainwright　party　in　gentle　surprise　that　he　had　not　yet　learned　that　they　were　gone　some　time。　They　were　departed　on　some　excursion。　Where？　Oh；　really…it　was　almost　laughable；　indeed…they　didn't　know。　Were　they　sure？　Why；　yes…it　was　almost　laughable；　indeed　…they　were　quite　sure。　Where　could　the　gentleman　find　out　about　them　？　Well；　they…as　they　had　explained…did　　not　know；　but…it　was　possible…the　American　minister　might　know。　Where　was　he　to　be　found？　Oh；　that　was　very　simple。　It　was　well　known　that　the　American　minister　had　apartments　in　the　hotel。　Was　he　in？　Ah；　that　they　could　not　say。　So　Coleman；　rejoicing　at　his　final　emancipation　and　with　the　grime　of　travel　still　upon　him；　burst　in　somewhat　violently　upon　the　secretary　of　the　Hon。　Thomas　M。　Gordner　of　Nebraska；　the　United　States　minister　to　Greece。　From　his　desk　the　secretary　arose　from　behind　an　accidental　bulwark　of　books　and　govermental　pamphets。　〃　Yes；　certainly。　Mr。　Gordner　is　in。　If　you　would　give　me　your　card…〃

Directly。　Coleman　was　introduced　into　another　room　where　a　quiet　man　who　was　rolling　a　cigarette　looked　him　frankly　but　carefully　in　the　eye。　〃The　Wainwrights　〃　said　the　minister　immediately　after　the　question。　〃Why；　I　myself　am　immensely　concerned　about　them　at　present。　I'm　afraid　they've　gotten　themselves　into　trouble。'

〃　Really？　〃　said　Coleman。

〃　Yes。　That　little　professor　is　rathererstubborn；　Isn't　he　？　He　wanted　to　make　an　expedition　to　Nikopolis　and　I　explained　to　him　all　the　possibilities　of　war　and　begged　him　to　at　least　not　take　his　wife　and　daughter　with　him。〃

〃　Daughter；〃　murmured　Coleman；　as　if　in　his　sleep。

〃But　that　little　old　man　had　a　head　like　a　stone　and　only　laughed　at　me。　Of　course　those　villainous　young　students　were　only　too　delighted　at　a　prospect　of　war；　but　it　was　a　stupid　and　absurd。　thing　for　the　man　to　take　his　wife　and　daughter　there。　They　are　up　there　now。　I　can't　get　a　word　from　them　or　get　a　word　to　them。〃

Coleman　had　been　choking。　〃Where　is　Nikopolis？　〃　he　asked。

The　minister　gazed　suddenly　in　comprehension　of　the　man　before　him。　〃　Nikopolis　is　in　Turkey；〃　he　answered　gently。

Turkey　at　that　time　was　believed　to　be　a　country　of　delay；　corruption；　turbulence　and　massacre。　It　meant　everything。　More　than　a　half　of　the　Christians　of　the　world　shuddered　at　the　name　of　Turkey。　Coleman's　lips　tightened　and　perhaps　blanched；　and　his　chin　moved　out　strangely；　once；　twice；　thrice。　〃　How　can　I　get　to　Nikopolis？　〃　he　said。

The　minister　smiled。