active service-第43章

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〃　Oh；〃　answered　Marjory；　wearily；　〃　I　believe　you。　I　said　so。　Don't　talk　about　it　any　more。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Coleman；　slowly；　〃　you　mean　that　you　do　not　care　whether　I'm　telling　the　truth　or　not？〃

〃　Why；　of　course　I　care；〃　she　said。　〃　Lying　is　not　nice。〃

He　did　not　know；　apparently；　exactly　how　to　deal　with　her　manner；　which　was　actually　so　pliable　that…it　was　marble；　if　one　may　speak　in　that　way。　He　looked　ruefully　at　the　sea。　He　had　expected　a　far　easier　time。　〃　Well…〃　he　began。

〃　Really；〃　interrupted　Marjory；　〃　this　is　something　which　I　do　not　care　to　discuss。　I　would　rather　you　would　not　speak　to　me　at　all　about　it。　It　seems　too　…too…bad。　I　can　readily　give　you　my　word　that　I　believe　you；　but　I　would　prefer　you　not　to　try　to　talk　to　me　about　it　or…anything　of　that　sort。　Mother！〃

Mrs。　Wainwright　was　hovering　anxiously　in　the　vicinity；　and　she　now　bore　down　rapidly　upon　the　pair。　〃You　are　very　nearly　to　Patras；〃　she　said　　reproachfully　to　her　daughter；　as　if　the　fact　had　some　fault　of　Marjory's　concealed　in　it。　She　in　no　way　ac…　knowledged　the　presence　of　Coleman。

〃　Oh；　are　we　？　〃　cried　Marjory。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Wainwright。　〃　We　are。〃

She　stood　waiting　as　if　she　expected　Marjory　to　in…　stantly　quit　Coleman。　The　girl　wavered　a　moment　and　then　followed　her　mother。　〃　Good…bye。〃　she　said。　〃I　hope　we　may　see　you　again　in　Athens。〃　It　was　a　command　to　him　to　travel　alone　with　his　servant　on　the　long　railway　journey　from　Patras　to　Athens。　It　was　a　dismissal　of　a　casual　acquaintance　given　so　graciously　that　it　stung　him　to　the　depths　of　his　pride。　He　bowed　his　adieu　and　his　thanks。　When　the　yelling　boatmen　came　again；　he　and　his　man　proceeded　to　the　shore　in　an　early　boat　without　looking　in　any　way　after　the　welfare　of　the　others。

At　the　train；　the　party　split　into　three　sections。　Coleman　and　his　man　had　one　compartment；　Nora　Black　and　her　squad　had　another；　and　the　Wainwrights　and　students　occupied　two　more。

The　little　officer　was　still　in　tow　of　Nora　Black。　He　was　very　enthusiastic。　In　French　she　directed　him　to　remain　silent；　but　he　did　not　appear　to　understand。　〃　You　tell　him；〃　she　then　said　to　her　dragoman；　〃　to　sit　in　a　corner　and　not　to　speak　until　I　tell　him　to；　or　I　won't　have　him　in　here。〃　She　seemed　anxious　to　unburden　herself　to　the　old　lady　companion。　〃　Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　〃　that　girl　has　a　nerve　like　steel。　I　tried　to　break　it　there　in　that　inn；　but　I　couldn't　budge　her。　If　I　am　going　to　have　her　beaten　I　must　prove　myself　to　be　a　very；　very　artful　person。〃

〃　Why　did　you　try　to　break　her　nerve　？　〃　asked　the　old　lady；　yawning。　〃Why　do　you　want　to　have　her　beaten　？　〃

〃　Because　I　do；　old　stupid；〃　answered　Nora。　〃　You　should　have　heard　the　things　I　said　to　her。〃

〃About　what？〃

〃　About　Coleman。　Can't　you　understand　anything　at　all？〃

〃　And　why　should　you　say　anything　about　Coleman　to　her？〃　queried　the　old　lady；　still　hopelessly　befogged。

〃　Because；〃　cried　Nora；　darting　a　look　of　wrath　at　her　companion；　〃　I　want　to　prevent　that　marriage。〃　She　had　been　betrayed　into　this　avowal　by　the　singularly　opaque　mind　of　the　old　lady。　The　latter　at　once　sat　erect。　…　〃　Oh；　ho；〃　she　said；　as　if　a　ray　of　light　had　been　let　into　her　head。　〃　Oh；　ho。　So　that's　it；　is　it　？　〃

〃Yes；　that's　it；　rejoined　Nora；　shortly。

The　old　lady　was　amazed　into　a　long　period　of　meditation。　At　last　she　spoke　depressingly。　〃　Well；　how　are　you　going　to　prevent　it？　Those　things　can't　be　done　in　these　days　at　all。　If　they　care　for　each　other…〃

Nora　burst　out　furiously。　〃Don't　venture　opinions　until　you　know　what　you　are　talking　about；　please。　They　don't　care　for　each　other；　do　you　see？　She　cares　for　him；　but　he　don't　give　a　snap　of　his　fingers　for　her。〃

〃　But；〃　cried　the　bewildered　lady；　〃　if　he　don't　care　for　her；　there　will　be　nothing　to　prevent。　If　he　don't　care　for　her；　he　won't　ask　her　to　marry　him；　and　so　there　won't　be　anything　to　prevent。〃

Nora　made　a　broad　gesture　of　impatience。　〃　Oh；　can't　you　get　anything　through　your　head　？　Haven't　you　seen　that　the　girl　has　been　the　only　young　woman　in　that　whole　party　lost　up　there　in　the　mountains；　and　that　naturally　more　than　half　of　the　men　still　think　they　are　in　love　with　her？　That's　what　it　is。　Can't　you　see　？　It　always　happens　that　way。　Then　Coleman　comes　along　and　makes　a　fool　of　himself　with　the　others。〃

The　old　lady　spoke　up　brightly　as　if　at　last　feeling　able　to　contribute　something　intelligent　to　the　talk。　〃　Oh；　then；　he　does　care　for　her。〃

Nora's　eyes　looked　as　if　their　glance　might　shrivel　the　old　lady's　hair。　〃Don't　I　keep　telling　you　that　it　is　no　such　thing　？　Can't　you　understand？　It　is　all　glamour！　Fascination！　Way　up　there　in　the　wilderness！　Only　one　even　passable　woman　in　sight。〃

〃　I　don't　say　that　I　am　so　very　keen；〃　said　the　old　lady；　somewhat　offended；　〃but　I　fail　to　see　where　I　could　improve　when　first　you　tell　me　he　don't　care　for　her；　and　then　you　tell　me　that　he　does　care　for　her。〃

〃　Glamour；'　'　Fascination；'〃　quoted　Nora。　〃　Don't　you　understand　the　meaning　of　the　words　？　〃

〃　Well；〃　asked　the　other；　didn't　he　know　her；　then；　before　he　came　over　here　？〃

Nora　was　silent　for　a　time；　while　a　gloom　upon　her　face　deepened。　It　had　struck　her　that　the　theories　for　which　she　protested　so　energetically　might　not　be　of　such　great　value。　Spoken　aloud；　they　had　a　sudden　new　flimsiness。　Perhaps　she　had　reiterated　to　herself　that　Coleman　was　the　victim　of　glamour　only　because　she　wished　it　to　be　true。　One　theory；　however；　re…　mained　unshaken。　Marjory　was　an　artful　rninx；　with　no　truth　in　her。

She　presently　felt　the　necessity　of　replying　to　the　question　of　her　companion。　〃　Oh；〃　she　said；　care…　lessly；　〃　I　suppose　they　were　acquainted…in　a　way。〃

The　old　lady　was　giving　the　best　of　her　mind　to　the　subject。　〃　If　that's　the　case…〃　she　observed；　musingly；　〃　if　that's　the　case；　you　can't　tell　what　is　between　'em。〃

The　talk　had　so　slackened　that　Nora's　unfortunate　Greek　admirer　felt　that　here　was　a　good　opportunity　to　present　himself　again　to　the　notice　of　the　actress。　The　means　was　a　smile　and　a　French　sentence；　but　his　reception　would　have　frightened　a　man　in　armour。　His　face　blanched　with　horror　at　the　storm；　he　had　invoked；　and　he　dropped　limply　back　as　if　some　one　had　shot　him。　〃You　tell　this　little　snipe　to　let　me　alone！　〃　cried　Nora；　to　the　dragoman。　〃　If　he　dares　to　come　around　me　with　any　more　of　those　Parisian　dude　speeches；　I…I　don't　know　what　I'll　do！　I　won't　have　it；　I　say。〃　The　impression　upon　the　dragoman　was　hardly　less　in　effect。　He　looked　with　bulging　eyes　at　Nora；　and　then　began　to　stammer　at　the　officer。　The　latter's　voice　could　sometimes　be　heard　in　awed　whispers　for　the　more　elaborate　explanation　of　some　detail　of　the　tragedy。　Afterward；　he　remained　meek　and　silent　in　his　corner；　barely　more　than　a　shadow；　like　the　proverbial　husband　of　imperious　　beauty。

〃Well；〃　said　the　old　lady；　after　a　long　and　thoughtful　pause；　〃　I　don't　know；　I'm　sure；　but　it　seems　to　me　that　if　Rufus　Coleman　really　cares　for　that　girl；　there　isn't　much　use　in　trying　to　stop　him　from　getting　her。　He　isn't　that　kind　of　a　man。〃

〃　For　heaven's　sake；　will　you　stop　assuming　that　he　does　care　for　her　？　〃　demanded　Nora；　breathlessly。

〃And　I　don't　see；〃　continued　the　old　lady；　〃what　you　want　to　prevent　him　for；　anyhow。〃




CHAPTER　XXV。

〃　I　FEEL　in　this　radiant　atmosphere　that　there　could　be　no　such　thing　as　war…men　striving　together　in　black　and　passionate　hatred。〃　The　professor's　words　were　for　the　benefit　of　his　wife　and　daughter。　；He　was　viewing　the　sky…blue　waters　of　the　Gulf　of　Corinth　with　its　background　of　mountains　that　in　the　sunshine　were　touched　here　and　there　with　a　copperish　glare。　The　train　was　slowly　sweeping　along　the　southern　shore。　〃　It　is　strange　to　think　of　those　men　fighting　up　there　in　the　north。　And　it　is　strange　to　think　that　we　ourselves　are　but　just　returning　from　it。〃

〃　I　cannot　begin　to　realise　it　yet；〃　said　Mrs。　Wain…　wright；　in　a　high　voice。

〃　Quite　so；〃　responded　the　professor；　reflectively。

〃I　do　not　suppose　any　of　us　will　realise　it　fully　for　some　time。　It　is　altogether　too　odd；　too　very　odd。〃

〃To　think　of　it！〃　cried　Mrs。　WainWright。　〃To　think　of　it！　Supposing　those　dreadful　Albanians　o