active service-第30章

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r　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　appropriated　everything　of　his　which　would　conduce　to　their　comfort。　He　was　furious　over　it。　But　to　his　bitter　speeches　they　replied　in　jibes。

〃Rufus　is　himself　again。　Admire　his　angelic　disposition。　See　him　smile。　Gentle　soul。〃

A　sleepy　voice　said　from　a　comer：　〃　I　know　what　pinches　him。〃

〃　What　？　〃　asked　several。

〃He's　been　to　see　Nora　and　she　flung　him　out　bodily。〃

〃　Yes？〃　sneered　Coleman。　〃At　times　I　seem　to　see　in　you；　Coke；　the　fermentation　of　some　primeval　form　of　sensation；　as　if　it　were　possible　for　you　to　de…　velop　a　mind　in　two　or　three　thousand　years；　and　then　at　other　times　you　appear　*　*　*　much　as　you　are　now。〃

As　soon　as　they　had　well　measured　Coleman's　temper　all　of　the　students　save　Coke　kept　their　mouths　tightly　closed。　Coke　either　did　not　understand　or　his　mood　was　too　vindictive　for　silence。　〃　Well；　I　know　you　got　a　throw…down　all　right；〃　he　muttered。

〃And　how　would　you　know　when　I　got　a　throw　down？　You　pimply；　milk…fed　sophomore。〃

The　others　perked　up　their　ears　in　mirthful　appreciation　of　this　language。

〃　Of　course；〃　continued　Coleman；　〃　no　one　would　protest　against　your　continued　existence；　Coke；　unless　you　insist　on　recalling　yourself　violently　to　people's　attention　in　this　way。　The　mere　fact　of　your　living　would　not　usually　be　offensive　to　people　if　you　weren't　eternally　turning　a　sort　of　calcium　　light　on　your　prehensile　attributes。〃　Coke　was　suddenly　angry；　angry　much　like　a　peasant；　and　his　anger　first　evinced　itself　in　a　mere　sputtering　and　spluttering。　Finally　he　got　out　a　rather　long　speech；　full　of　grumbling　noises；　but　he　was　understood　by　all　to　declare　that　his　prehensile　attributes　had　not　led　him　to　cart　a　notorious　woman　about　the　world　with　him。　When　they　quickly　looked　at　Coleman　they　saw　that　he　was　livid。　〃　You…〃

But；　of　course；　there　immediately　arose　all　sorts　of　protesting　cries　from　the　seven　non…combatants。　Coleman；　as　he　took　two　strides　toward　Coke's　corner；　looked　fully　able　to　break　him　across　his　knee；　but　for　this　Coke　did　not　seem　to　care　at　all。　He　was　on　his　feet　with　a　challenge　in　his　eye。　Upon　each　cheek　burned　a　sudden　hectic　spot。　The　others　were　clamouring；　〃Oh；　say；　this　won't　do。　Quit　it。　Oh；　we　mustn't　have　a　fight。　He　didn't　mean　it；　Coleman。〃　Peter　Tounley　pressed　Coke　to　the　wall　saying：　〃　You　damned　young　jackass；　be　quiet。〃

They　were　in　the　midst　of　these。　festivities　when　a　door　opened　and　disclosed　the　professor。　He　might。　have　been　coming　into　the　middle　of　a　row　in　one　of　the　corridors　of　the　college　at　home　only　this　time　he　carried　a　candle。　His　speech；　however；　was　a　Washurst　speech　：　〃　Gentlemen；　gentlemen；　what　does　this　mean　？　〃　All　seemed　to　expect　Coleman　to　make　the　answer。　He　was　suddenly　very　cool。　〃Nothing；　professor；〃　he　said；　〃　only　that　this…only　that　Coke　has　insulted　me。　I　suppose　that　it　was　only　the　irresponsibility　of　a　boy；　and　I　beg　that　you　will　not　trouble　over　it。〃

〃　Mr。　Coke；〃　said　the　professor；　indignantly；　〃　what　have　you　to　say　to　this？　〃　Evidently　he　could　not　clearly　see　Coke；　and　he　peered　around　his　candle　at　where　the　virtuous　Peter　Tounley　was　expostulating　with　the　young　man。　The　figures　of　all　the　excited　group　moving　in　the　candle　light　caused　vast　and　uncouth　shadows　to　have　conflicts　in　the　end　of　the　room。

Peter　Tounley's　task　was　not　light；　and　beyond　that　he　had　the　conviction　that　his　struggle　with　Coke　was　making　him　also　to　appear　as　a　rowdy。　This　conviction　was　proven　to　be　true　by　a　sudden　thunder　from　the　old　professor；　〃　Mr。　Tounley；　desist　！　〃

In　wrath　he　desisted　and　Coke　flung　himself　forward。　He　paid　less　attention　to　the　professor　than　if　the　latter　had　been　a　jack…rabbit。　〃　You　say　I　insulted　you？　he　shouted　crazily　in　Coleman's　face。

〃Well　*　*　*　I　meant　to；　do　you　see　？　〃

Coleman　was　glacial　and　lofty　beyond　everything。　〃I　am　glad　to　have　you　admit　the　truth　of　what　I　have　said。〃

Coke　was；　still　suffocating　with　his　peasant　rage；　which　would　not　allow　him　to　meet　the　clear；　calm　　expressions　of　Coleman。　〃Yes　*　*　*　I　insulted　you　*　*　*　I　insulted　you　because　what　I　said　was　correct　*　*　my　prehensile　attributes　　*　*　yes　but　I　have　never〃

He　was　interrupted　by　a　chorus　from　the　other　students。　　〃Oh；　no；　that　won't　do。　Don't　say　that。　Don't　repeat　that；　Coke。〃

Coleman　remembered　the　weak　bewilderment　of　the　little　professor　in　hours　that　had　not　long　passed；　and　it　was　with　something　of　an　impersonal　satisfac…　tion　that　he　said　to　himself：　〃　The　old　boy's　got　his　war…paint　on　again。〃　The　professor　had　stepped　sharply　up　to　Coke　and　looked　at　him　with　eyes　that　seemed　to　throw　out　flame　and　heat。　There　was　a　moment's　pause；　and　then　the　old　scholar　spoke；　bit…　ing　his　words　as　if　they　were　each　a　short　section　of　steel　wire。　〃　Mr。　Coke；　your　behaviour　will　end　your　college　career　abruptly　and　in　gloom；　I　promise　you。　You　have　been　drinking。〃

Coke；　his　head　simply　floating　in　a　sea　of　universal　defiance；　at　once　blurted　out：　〃　Yes；　sir。〃

〃You　have　been　drinking？〃　cried　the　professor；　ferociously。　〃Retire　to　your…retire　to　yourretire…〃　And　then　in　a　voice　of　thunder　he　shouted：　　〃Retire。〃

Whereupon　seven　hoodlum　students　waited　a　decent　moment；　then　shrieked　with　laughter。　But　the　old　professor　would　have　none　of　their　nonsense。　He　quelled　them　all　with　force　and　finish。

Coleman　now　spoke　a　few　words。〃　Professor；　I　can't　tell　you　how　sorry　I　am　that　I　should　be　　concerned　in　any　such　riot　as　this；　and　since　we　are　doomed　to　be　bound　so　closely　into　each　other's　　society　I　offer　myself　without　reservation　as　being　　willing　to　repair　the　damage　as　well　as　may　be；　done。　I　don　t　see　how　I　can　forget　at　once　that　Coke's　conduct　was　insolently　unwarranted；　but　*　*　*　if　he　has　anything　　to　sayof　a　nature　that　might　heal　the　breach　I　would　be　willing　to　to　meet　him　in　the　openest　manner。〃　As　he　made　these　re…　marks　Coleman's　dignity　was　something　grand；　and；　Morever；　there　was　now　upon　his　face　that　curious　look　of　temperance　and　purity　which　had　been　noted　in　New　York　as　a　singular　physical　characteristic。　If　he。　was　guilty　of　anything　in　this　affair　at　all…in　fact；　if　he　had　ever　at　any　time　been　gui