active service-第15章
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！
currence； nothing but an occurrence； but inasmuch as all the detail of this daily life associated itself with Marjory； he felt a different horror。 He had thought of the little devil…dog and Marjory in an interwoven way。 Supposing Marjory had been riding in the diligence with the devil…dog…a…top ？ What would she have said ？ Of her fund of expressions； a fund uncountable； which would she have innocently projected against the background of the Greek hills？ Would it have smitten her nerves badly or would she have laughed ？ And supposing Marjory could have seen him in his new khaki clothes cursing his dragoman as he listened to the devil…dog？
And now he interwove his memory of Marjory with a dead man and with a snake in the throes of the end of life。 They crossed； intersected； tangled； these two thoughts。 He perceived it clearly； the incongruity of it。 He academically reflected upon the mysteries of the human mind； this homeless machine which lives here and then there and often lives in two or three opposing places at the same instant。 He decided that the incident of the snake and the dead man had no more meaning than the greater number of the things which happen to us in our daily lives。 Nevertheless it bore upon him。
On a spread of plain they saw a force drawn up in a long line。 It was a flagrant inky streak on the verdant prairie。 From somewhere near it sounded the timed reverberations of guns。 The brisk walk of the next ten minutes was actually exciting to Coleman。 He could not but reflect that those guns were being fired with serious purpose at certain human bodies much like his own。
As they drew nearer they saw that the inky streak was composed of cavalry； the troopers standing at their bridles。 The sunlight flicked； upon their bright weapons。 Now the dragoman developed in one of his extraordinary directions。 He announced forsooth that an intimate friend was a captain of cavalry in this command。 Coleman at first thought。 that this was some kind of mysterious lie； but when he arrived where they could hear the stamping of hoofs； the clank of weapons； and the murmur of men； behold； a most dashing young officer gave a shout of joy and he and the dragoman hurled themselves into a mad embrace。 After this first ecstacy was over； the dragoman bethought him of his employer； and looking toward Coleman hastily explained him to the officer。 The latter； it appeared； was very affable indeed。 Much had happened。 The Greeks and the Turks had been fighting over a shallow part of the river nearly opposite this point and the Greeks had driven back the Turks and succeeded in throwing a bridge of casks and planking across the stream。 It was now the duty and the delight of this force of cavalry to cross the bridge and； passing； the little force of covering Greek infantry； to proceed into Turkey until they came in touch with the enemy。
Coleman's eyes dilated。 Was ever fate less perverse ？ Partly in wretched French to the officer and partly in idiomatic English to the dragoman； he proclaimed his fiery desire to accompany the expedition。 The officer immediately beamed upon him。 In fact； he was delighted。 The dragoman had naturally told him many falsehoods concerning Coleman； incidentally referring to himself more as a philanthropic guardian and； valuable friend of the correspondent than as； a plain； unvarnished。 dragoman with an exceedingly good eye for the financial possibilities of his position。
Coleman wanted to ask his servant if there was any chance of the scout taking them near Nikopolis； but he delayed being informed upon this point until such time as he could find out； secretly； for himself。 To ask the dragoman would be mere stupid questioning which would surely make the animal shy。 He tried to be content that fate had given him this early opportunity of dealing with a Medieval situation with some show of proper form ； that is to say； armed； a…horse… back； and in danger。 Then he could feel that to the gods of the game he was not laughable； as when he rode to rescue his love in a diligence with a devil… dog yelping a…top。
With some flourish； the young captain presented him to the major who commanded the cavalry。 This officer stood with his legs wide apart； eating the rind of a fresh lemon and talking betimes to some of his officers。 The major also beamed upon Coleman when the captain explained that the gentleman in the distinguished…looking khaki clothes wished to accompany the expedition。 He at once said that he would provide two troop horses for Coleman and the dragoman。 Coleman thanked fate for his behaviour and his satisfaction was not without a vestige of surprise。 At that time he judged it to be a remarkable amiability of individuals； but in later years he came to believe in certain laws which he deemed existent solely for the benefit of war correspondents。 In the minds of governments； war offices and generals they have no function save one of disturbance； but Coleman deemed it proven that the common men； and many uncommon men； when they go away to the fighting ground； out of the sight； out of the hearing of the world known to them； and are eager to perform feats of war in this new place； they feel an absolute longing for a spectator。 It is indeed the veritable coronation of this world。 There is not too much vanity of the street in this desire of men to have some disinterested fellows perceive their deeds。 It is merely that a man doing his best in the middle of a sea of war； longs to have people see him doing his best。 This feeling is often notably serious if； in peace； a man has done his worst； or part of his worst。 Coleman believed that； above everybody； young； proud and brave subalterns had this itch； but it existed； truly enough； from lieutenants to colonels。 None wanted to conceal from his left hand that his right hand was performing a manly and valiant thing； although there might be times when an application of the principle would be immensely convenient。 The war correspondent arises； then； to become a sort of a cheap telescope for the people at home； further still； there have been fights where the eyes of a solitary man were the eyes of the world； one spectator； whose business it was to transfer； according to his ability； his visual impressions to other minds。
Coleman and his servant were conducted to two saddled troop horses； and beside them； waited decently in the rear of the ranks。 The uniform of the troopers was of plain； dark green cloth and they were well and sensibly equipped。 The mounts； however； had in no way been picked； there were little horses and big horses； fat horses and thin horses。 They looked the result of a wild conscription。 Coleman noted the faces of the troopers； and they were calm enough save when a man betrayed himself by perhaps a disproportionate angry jerk at the bridle of his restive horse。
The major； artistically drooping his cloak from his left shoulder and tenderly and musingly fingering his long yellow moustache； rode slowly to the middle of the line and wheeled his horse to face his men。 A bugle called attention； and then he addressed them in a loud and rapid speech； which did not seem to have an end。 Coleman imagined that the major was paying tribute to the Greek tradition of the power of oratory。 Again the trumpet rang out； and this parade front swung off into column formation。 Then Coleman and the dragoman trotted at the tail of the squadron； restraining with difficulty their horses； who could not understand their new places in the procession； and worked feverishly to regain what they considered their positions in life。
The column jangled musically over the sod； passing between two hills on one of which a Greek light battery was posted。 Its men climbed to the tops of their interenchments to witness the going of the cavalry。 Then the column curved along over ditch and through hedge to the shallows of the river。 Across this narrow stream was Turkey。 Turkey； however； presented nothing to the eye but a muddy bank with fringes of trees back of it。 It seemed to be a great plain with sparse collections of foliage marking it； whereas the Greek side； presented in the main a vista of high； gaunt rocks。 Perhaps one of the first effects of war upon the mind； is a。 new recognition and f
