active service-第37章
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ck to see a great danger to the Wainwright party。 One could deal with soldiers； soldiers would have been ashamed to bait helpless people ； but this rabble…
The fighting blood of the correspondent began to boil； and he really longed for the privilege to run amuck through the multitude。 But a look at the Wainwrights kept him in his senses。 The professor had turned pale as a dead man。 He sat very stiff and still while his wife clung to him； hysterically beseeching him to do something； do something； although what he was to do she could not have even imagined。
Coleman took the dilemma by its beard。 He dismounted from his horse into the depths of the crowd and addressed the Wainwrights。 〃 I suppose we had better go into this place and have some coffee while the men feed their horses。 There is no use in trying to make them go on。〃 His manner was fairly casual； but they looked at him in glazed horror。 〃 It is the only thing to do。 This crowd is not nearly so bad as they think they are。 But we've got to look as if we felt confident。〃 He himself had no confidence with this angry buzz in his ears； but be felt certain that the only correct move was to get everybody as quickly as possible within the shelter of the inn。 It might not be much of a shelter for them； but it was better than the carriages in the street。
The professor and Mrs。 Wainwright seemed to be considering their carriage as a castle； and they looked as if their terror had made them physically incapable of leaving it。 Coleman stood waiting。 Behind him the clapper…tongued crowd was moving ominously。 Marjory arose and stepped calmly down to him。 He thrilled to the end of every nerve。 It was as if she had said： 〃 I don't think there is great danger； but if there is great danger； why * * here I am * ready * with you。〃 It conceded everything； admitted everything。 It was a surrender without a blush； and it was only possible in the shadow of the crisis when they did not know what the next moments might contain for them。 As he took her hand and she stepped past him he whispered swiftly and fiercely in her ear； 〃 I love you。〃 She did not look up； but he felt that in this quick incident they had claimed each other； accepted each other with a far deeper meaning and understanding than could be possible in a mere drawing…room。 She laid her hand on his arm； and with the strength of four men he twisted his horse into the making of furious prancing side…steps toward the door of the inn； clanking side… steps which mowed a wide lane through the crowd for Marjory； his Marjory。 He was as haughty as a new German lieutenant； and although he held the fuming horse with only his left hand； he seemed perfectly capable of hurling the animal over a house without calling into service the arm which was devoted to Marjory。
It was not an exhibition of coolness such as wins applause on the stage when the hero placidly lights a cigarette before the mob which is clamouring for his death。 It was； on the contrary； an exhibition of downright classic disdain； a disdain which with the highest arrogance declared itself in every glance of his eye into the faces about him。 〃 Very good * * attack me if you like * * there is nothing to prevent it * * you mongrels。〃 Every step of his progress was made a renewed insult to them。 The very air was charged with what this lone man was thinking of this threatening crowd。
His audacity was invincible。 They actually made way for it as quickly as children would flee from a ghost。 The horse； dancing； with ringing steps； with his glistening neck arched toward the iron hand at his bit； this powerful； quivering animal was a regular engine of destruction； and they gave room until Coleman halted him …at an exclamation from Marjory。
〃 My mother and father。〃 But they were coming close behind and Coleman resumed this contemptuous journey to the door of the inn。 The groom； with his new…born tongue； was clattering there to the populace。 Coleman gave him the horse and passed after the Wainwrights into the public room of the inn。 He was smiling。 What simpletons！
A new actor suddenly appeared in the person of the keeper of the inn。 He too had a rifle and a prodigious belt of cartridges； but it was plain at once that he had elected to be a friend of the worried travellers。 A large part of the crowd were thinking it necessary to enter the inn and pow…wow more。 But the innkeeper stayed at the door with the dragoman； and together they vociferously held back the tide。 The spirit of the mob had subsided to a more reasonable feeling。 They no longer wished to tear the strangers limb from limb on the suspicion that they were Germans。 They now were frantic to talk as if some inexorable law had kept them silent for ten years and this was the very moment of their release。 Whereas； their simul… taneous and interpolating orations had throughout made noise much like a coal…breaker。 Coleman led the Wainwrights to a table in a far part of the room。 They took chairs as if he had com… manded them。 〃 What an outrage；〃 he said jubilantly。 〃 The apes。〃 He was keeping more than half an eye upon the door； because he knew that the quick coming of the students was important。
Then suddenly the storm broke in wrath。 Something had happened in the street。 The jabbering crowd at the door had turned and were hurrying upon some central tumult。 The dragoman screamed to Coleman。 Coleman jumped and grabbed the dragoman。 〃 Tell this man to take them somewhere up stairs；〃 he cried； indicating the Wainwrights with a sweep of his arm。 The innkeeper seemed to understand sooner than the dragoman； and he nodded eagerly。 The professor was crying： 〃What is it； Mr。 Coleman？ What is it ？ 〃 An instant later； the correspondent was out in the street； buffeting toward a scuffle。 Of course it was the students。 It appeared； afterward； that those seven young men； with their feelings much ruffled； had been making the best of their way toward the door of the inn； when a large man in the crowd； during a speech which was surely most offensive； had laid an arresting hand on the shoulder of Peter Tounley。 Whereupon the excellent Peter Tounley had hit the large man on the jaw in such a swift and skilful manner that the large man had gone spinning through a group of his countrymen to the hard earth； where he lay holding his face together and howling。 Instantly； of course； there had been a riot。 It might well be said that even then the affair could have ended in a lot of talking； but in the first place the students did not talk modern Greek； and in the second place they were now past all thought of talking。 They regarded this affair seriously as a fight； and now that they at last were in it； they were in it for every pint of blood in their bodies。 Such a pack of famished wolves had never before been let loose upon men armed with Gras rifles。
They all had been expecting the row； and when Peter Tounley had found it expedient to knock over the man； they had counted it a signal： their arms immediately begun to swing out as if they had been wound up。 It was at this time that Coleman swam brutally through the Greeks and joined his countrymen。 He was more frightened than any of those novices。 When he saw Peter Tounley overthrow a dreadful looking brigand whose belt was full of knives； and who …crashed to the ground amid a clang of cartridges； he was appalled by the utter simplicity with which the lads were treating the crisis。 It was to them no com… mon scrimmage at Washurst； of course； but it flashed through Coleman's mind that they had not the slightegt sense of the size of the thing。 He expected every instant to see the flash of knives or to hear the deafening intonation of a rifle fired against hst ear。 It seemed to him miraculous that the tragedy was so long delayed。
In the meantirne he was in the affray。 He jilted one man under the chin with his elbow in a way that reeled him off from Peter Tounley's back； a little person in thecked clothes he smote between the eyes； he recieved a gun…butt emphatically on the aide of the neck； he felt hands tearing at him； he kicked the pins out from under three men in rapid succession。 He was always yelling。 〃 Try to get to the inn； boys； try to get to the inn。 Look out； Peter。 Take care for hi
