active service-第47章

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；　Harrison　Wainwright；　you　are；　of　all　men　in　the　world；　the　most　silly　and　stupid。　You　are　absolutely　beyond　belief。　Of　all　projects！　And　what　do　you　think　Marjory　would　have　to　say　of　it　if　she　knew　it　？　I　suppose　you　think　she　would　like　it　？　Why；　I　tell　you　she　would　keep　her　right　hand　in　the　fire　until　it　was　burned　off　before　she　would　allow　you　to　do　such　a　thing。〃

〃　She　must　never　know　it；〃　responded　the　professor；　in　dull　misery。

〃　Then　think　of　yourself！　Think　of　the　shame　of　it！　The　shame　of　it　！　〃

The　professor　raised　his　eyes　for　an　ironical　glance　at　his　wife。　〃　Oh　I　have　thought　of　the　shame　of　it！〃

〃　And　you'll　accomplish　nothing；〃　cried　Mrs。　Wain…　wright。　〃　You'll　accomplish　nothing。　He'll　only　laugh　at　you。〃

〃　If　he　laughs　at　me；　he　will　laugh　at　nothing　but　a　poor；　weak；　unworldly　old　man。　It　is　my　duty　to　go。〃

Mrs。　Wainwright　opened　her　mouth　as　if　she　was　about　to　shriek。　After　choking　a　moment　she　said：　〃　Your　duty？　Your　duty　to　go　and　bend　the　knee　to　that　man？　Yourduty？〃

〃'It　is　my　duty　to　go；〃'　he　repeated　humbly。　〃If　I　can　find　even　one　chance　for　my　daughter's　happi…　ness　in　a　personal　sacrifice。　He　can　do　no　more　than　he　can　do　no　more　than　make　me　a　little　sadder。〃

His　wife　evidently　understood　his　humility　as　a　tribute　to　her　arguments　and　a　clear　indication　that　she　had　fatally　undermined　his　original　intention。　〃　Oh；　he　would　have　made　you　sadder；〃　she　quoth　grimly。　〃No　fear！　Why；　it　was　the　most　insane　idea　I　ever　heard　of。〃

The　professor　arose　wearily。　〃　Well；　I　must　be　going　to　this　work。　It　is　a　thing　to　have　ended　quickly。〃　There　was　something　almost　biblical　in　his　manner。

〃　Harrison！　〃　burst　out　his　wife　in　amazed　lamenta…　tion。　You　are　not　really　going　to　do　it？　Not　really！〃

〃　I　am　going　to　do　it；〃　he　answered。

〃　Well；　there！　〃　ejaculated　Mrs。　Wainwright　to　the　heavens。　She　was；　so　to　speak；　prostrate。　〃　Well；　there！　〃

As　the　professor　passed　out　of　the　door　she　cried　beseechingly　but　futilely　after　him。　〃　Harrison。〃　In　a　mechanical　way　she　turned　then　back　to　the　mirror　and　resumed　the　disarrangement　of　her　hair。　She　ad…　dressed　her　image。　〃　Well；　of　all　stupid　creatures　under　the　sun；　men　are　the　very　worst！　〃　And　her　image　said　this　to　her　even　as　she　informed　it；　and　afterward　　they　stared　at　each　other　in　a　profound　and　tragic　reception　and　acceptance　of　this　great　truth。　Presently　she　began　to　consider　the　advisability　of　going　to　Marjdry　with　the　whole　story。　Really；　Harrison　　must　not　be　allowed　to　go　on　blundering　until　the　whole　world　heard　that　Marjory　was　trying　to　break　her　heart　over　that　common　scamp　of　a　Coleman。　It　seemed　to　be　about　time　for　her；　Mrs。　Wainwright；　to　come　into　the　situation　and　mend　matters。




CHAPTER　XXVIL

WHEN　the　professor　arrived　before　Coleman's　door；　he　paused　a　moment　and　looked　at　it。　Previously；　he　could　not　have　imagined　that　a　simple　door　would　ever　so　affect　him。　Every　line　of　it　seemed　to　express　cold　superiority　and　disdain。　It　was　only　the　door　of　a　former　student；　one　of　his　old　boys；　whom；　as　the　need　arrived；　he　had　whipped　with　his　satire　in　the　class　rooms　at　Washurst　until　the　mental　blood　had　come；　and　all　without　a　conception　of　his　ultimately　arriving　before　the　door　of　this　boy　in　the　attitude　of　a　supplicant。　Hewould　not　say　it；　Coleman　probably　would　not　say　it；　but…they　would　both　know　it。　A　single　thought　of　it；　made　him　feel　like　running　away。　He　would　never　dare　to　knock　on　that　door。　It　would　be　too　monstrous。　And　even　as　he　decided　that　he　was　afraid　to　knock；　he　knocked。

Coleman's　voice　said；　〃Come　in。〃　The　professor　opened　the　door。　The　correspondent；　without　a　coat；　was　seated　at　a　paper…littered　table。　　Near　his　elbow；　upon　another　table；　was　a　tray　from　which　he　had　evidently　dined　and　also　a　brandy　bottle　with　several　recumbent　bottles　of　soda。　Although　he　had　so　lately　arrived　at　the　hotel　he　had　contrived　to　diffuse　his　traps　over　the　room　in　an　organised　disarray　which　represented　a　long　and　careless　occupation　if　it　did　not　represent　t'le　scene　of　a　scuffle。　His　pipe　was　in　his　mouth。

After　a　first　murmur　of　surprise；　he　arose　and　reached　in　some　haste　for　his　coat。　〃　Come　in；　professor；　come　in；〃　he　cried；　wriggling　deeper　into　his　jacket　as　he　held　out　his　hand。　He　had　laid　aside　his　pipe　and　had　also　been　very　successful　in　flinging　a　newspaper　so　that　it　hid　the　brandy　and　soda。　This　act　was　a　feat　of　deference　to　the　professor's　well　known　principles。

〃Won't　you　sit　down；　sir　？　〃　said　Coleman　cordially。　His　quick　glance　of　surprise　had　been　immediately　suppressed　and　his　manner　was　now　as　if　the　pro…　fessor's　call　was　a　common　matter。

〃　Thank　you；　Mr。　Coleman；　I…yes；　I　will　sit　down；〃。　replied　the　old　man。　His　hand　shook　as　he　laid　it　on　the　back　of　the　chair　and　steadied　himself　down　into　it。　〃　Thank　you！〃　…

Coleman　looked　at　him　with　a　great　deal　of　ex…　pectation。

〃　Mr。　Coleman　！　〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃　I〃

He　halted　then　and　passed　his　hand　over　his　face。　His　eyes　did　not　seem　to　rest　once　upon　Coleman；　but　they　occupied　themselves　in　furtive　and　frightened　glances　over　the　room。　Coleman　could　make　neither　head　nor　tail　of　the　affair。　He　would　not　have　believed　any　man's　statement　that　the　professor　could　act　in　such　an　extraordinary　fashion。　〃　Yes；　sir；〃　he　said　again　suggestively。　The　simple　strategy　resulted　in　a　silence　that　was　actually　awkward。　Coleman；　despite　his　bewilderment；　hastened　into　a　preserving　gossip。　〃　I've　had　a　great　many　cables　waiting　for　me　for　heaven　knows…　how　long　and　others　have　been　arriving　in　flocks　to…night。　You　have　no　idea　of　the　row　in　America；　professor。　Why；　everybody　must　have　gone　wild　over　the　lost　sheep。　My　paper　has　cabled　some　things　that　are　evidently　for　you。　For　instance；　here　is　one　that　says　a　new　puzzle…game　called　Find　the　Wainwright　Party　has　had　a　big　success。　Think　of　that；　would　you。〃　Coleman　grinned　at　the　professor。　〃　Find　the　Wainwright　Party；　a　new　puzzle…game。〃

The　professor　had　seemed　grateful　for　Coleman's　tangent　off　into　matters　of　a　light　vein。　〃　Yes？〃　he　said；　almost　eagerly。　〃　Are　they　selling　a　game　really　called　that？〃

〃　Yes；　really；〃　replied　Coleman。　〃　And　of　course　you　know　that…er…well；　all　the　Sunday　papers　would　of　course　have　big　illustrated　articles…full　pages…　with　your　photographs　and　general　private　histories　pertaining　mostly　to　things　which　are　none　of　their　business。〃　〃　Yes；　I　suppose　they　would　do　that；〃　admitted　the　professor。　〃　But　I　dare　say　it　may　not　be　as　bad　as　you　suggest。〃

〃　Very　like　not；〃　said　Coleman。　〃　I　put　it　to　you　forcibly　so　that　in　the　future　the　blow　will　not　be　too　cruel。　They　are　often　a　weird　lot。〃

〃　Perhaps　they　can't　find　anything　very　bad　about　us。〃

〃　Oh；　no。　And　besides　the　whole　episode　will　probably　be　forgotten　by　the　time　you　return　to　the　United　States。〃

They　talked　onin　this　way　slowly；　strainedly；　until　they　each　found　that　the　situation　would　soon　become　insupportable。　The　professor　had　come　for　a　distinct　purpose　and　Coleman　knew　it；　they　could　not　sit　there　lying　at　each　other　forever。　Yet　when　he　saw　the　pain　deepening　in　the　professor's　eyes；　the　correspondent　again　ordered　up　his　trivialities。　〃　Funny　thing。　My　paper　has　been　congratulating　me；　you　know；　sir；　in　a　wholesale　fashion；　and　I　think…I　feel　sure…that　they　have　been　exploiting　my　name　all　over　the　country　as　the　Heroic　Rescuer。　There　is　no　sense　in　trying　to　stop　them；　because　they　don't　care　whether　it　is　true　or　not　true。　All　they　want　is　the　privilege　of　howling　out　that　their　correspondent　rescued　　you；　and　they　would　take　that　privilege　without　in　any　ways　worrying　if　I　refused　my　consent。　You　see；　sir？　I　wouldn't　like　you　to　feel　that　I　was　such　a　strident　idiot　as　I　doubtless　am　appearing　now　before　the　public。〃

〃　No；〃　said　the　professor　absently。　It　was　plain　that　he　had　been　a　very　slack　listener。　〃　I…Mr。　Coleman…〃　　he　began。

〃Yes；　sir；〃　answered　Coleman　promptly　and　gently。

It　was　obviously　only　a　recognition　of　the　futility　of　further　dallying　that　was　driving　the　old　man　on…　ward。　He　knew；　of　course；　that　if　he　was　resolved　to　take　this　step；　a　longer　delay　would　simply　make　it　harder　for　him。　The　correspondent；　leaning　forward