active service-第48章

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ke　this　step；　a　longer　delay　would　simply　make　it　harder　for　him。　The　correspondent；　leaning　forward；　was　watching　him　almost　breathlessly。

〃　Mr。　Coleman；　I　understand…or　at　least　I　am　led　to　believe…that　you…at　one　time；　proposed　marriage　to　my　daughter？　〃

The　faltering　words　did　not　sound　as　if　either　man　had　aught　to　do　with　them。　They　were　an　expression　by　the　tragic　muse　herself。　Coleman's　jaw　fell　and　he　looked　glassily　at　the　professor。　He　said：　〃Yes！〃　But　already　his　blood　was　leaping　as　his　mind　flashed　everywhere　in　speculation。

〃　I　refused　my　consent　to　that　marriage；〃　said　the　old　man　more　easily。　〃　I　do　not　know　if　the　matter　has　remained　important　to　you；　but　at　any　rate；　I…I　retract　my　refusal。〃

Suddenly　the　blank　expression　left　Coleman's　face　and　he　smiled　with　sudden　intelligence；　as　if　informa…　tion　of　what　the　professor　had　been　saying　had　just　reached　him。　In　this　smile　there　was　a　sudden　be。　trayal；　too；　of　something　keen　and　bitter　which　had　lain　hidden　in　the　man's　mind。　He　arose　and　made　a　step　towards　the　professor　and　held　out　his　hand。　〃Sir；　I　thank　yod　from　the　bottom　of　my　heart！〃　And　they　both　seemed　to　note　with　surprise　that　Coleman's　voice　had　broken。

The　professor　had　arisen　to　receive　Coleman's　hand。　His　nerve　was　now　of　iron　and　he　was　very　formal。　〃　I　judge　from　your　tone　that　I　have　not　made　a　mis…　take…somcthing　which　I　feared。〃

Coleman　did　not　seem　to　mind　the　professor's　formality。　〃　Don't　fear　anything。　Won't　you　sit　down　again？　Will　you　have　a　cigar。　*　*　No；　I　couldn't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am。　How　glad　I　am。　I　feel　like　a　fool。　It〃

But　the　professor　fixed　him　with　an　Arctic　eye　and　bluntly　said：　〃　You　love　her　？　〃

The　question　steadied　Coleman　at　once。　He　looked　undauntedly　straight　into　the　professor's　face。　He　simply　said：　〃　I　love　her！　〃

〃　You　love　her　？　〃　repeated　the　professor。

〃　I　love　her；〃　repeated　Coleman。

After　some　seconds　of　pregnant　silence；　the　professor　arose。　〃　Well；　if　she　cares　to　give　her　life　to　you　I　will　allow　it；　but　I　must　say　that　I　do　not　consider　you　nearly　good　enough。　Good…night。〃　He　smiled　faintly　as　he　held　out　his　hand。

〃　Good…night；　sir；〃　said　Coleman。　〃　And　I　can't　tell；　you；　now…〃

Mrs。　Wainwright；　in　her　room　was　languishing　in　a　chair　and　applying　to　her　brow　a　handkerch…ief　wet　with　cologne　water。　She；　kept　her　feverish　glarice　upon　the　door。　Remembering　well　the　manner　of　her　husband　when　he　went　out　she　could　hardly　identify　him　when　he　came　in。　Serenity；　composure；　even　self…satisfaction；　was　written　upon　him。　He；　paid　no　attention　to　her；　but　going　to　a　chair　sat　down　with　a　groan　of　contentment。

〃　Well　？　〃　cried　Mrs。　Wainwright；　starting　up。　〃　Well　？　〃

〃　Well…what　？　〃　he　asked。

She　waved　her　hand　impatiently。　〃　Harrison；　don't　be　absurd。　You　know　perfectly　well　what　I　mean。　It　is　a　pity　you　couldn't　think　of　the　anxiety　I　have　been　in。〃　She　was　going　to　weep。

〃Oh；　I'll　tell　you　after　awhile；〃　he　said　stretching　out　his　legs　with　the　complacency　of　a　rich　merchant　after　a　successful　day。

〃No！　Tell　me　now；〃　she　implored　him。　〃Can't　you　see　I've　worried　myself　nearly　to　death？〃　She　was　not　going　to　weep；　she　was　going　to　wax　angry。

〃Well；　to　tell　the　truth；〃　said　the　professor　with　considerable　pomposity；　〃　I've　arranged　it。　Didn't　think　I　could　do　it　at　first；　but　it　turned　out　　　〃

〃I　Arranged　it；〃'　wailed　Mrs。　Wainwright。　〃　Arranged　what？　〃

It　here　seemed　to　strike　the　professor　suddenly　that　he　was　not　such　a　flaming　example　for　　diplomatists　as　he　might　have　imagined。　〃　Arranged；〃　he　stammered。　〃　Arranged　。〃

〃　Arranged　what？　〃

〃　Why；　I　fixed…I　fixed　it　up。〃

〃　Fixed　what　up？　〃

〃It…it…〃　began　the　professor。　Then　he　swelled　with　indignation。　〃　Why；　can't　you　understand　anything　at　all？　I…I　fixed　it。〃

〃　Fixed　what？　〃

〃　Fixed　it。　Fixed　it　with　Coleman。〃

〃　Fixed　what　with　Coleman？

The　professor's　wrath　now　took　control　of　him。　〃Thunder　and　lightenin'　！　You　seem　to　jump　at　the　conclusion　that　I've　made　some　horrible　mistake。　For　goodness'　sake；　give　me　credit　for　a　particle　of　sense。〃

〃　What　did　you　do？　〃　she　asked　in　a　sepulchral　voice。

〃　Well；〃　said　the　professor；　in　a　burning　defiance；　〃　I'll　tell　you　what　I　did。　I　went　to　Coleman　and　told　him　that　once…as　he　of　course　knew…I　had　re…　fused　his　marriage　with　my　daughter；　but　that　now…〃

〃　Grrr；〃　said　Mrs。　Wainwright。

〃　But　that　now…〃　continued　the　professor；　〃　I　retracted　that　refusal。〃

〃　Mercy　on　us！　〃　cried　Mrs。　Wainwright；　throwing　herself　back　in　the　chair。　〃　Mercy　on　us！　What　fools　men　are！〃

〃　Now；　wait　a　minute…〃　But　Mrs。　Wainwright　began　to　croon：　〃　Oh；　if　Marjory　should　hear　of　this！　Oh；　if　she　should　hear　of　it！　just　let　her。　Hear…〃

〃　But　she　must　not；〃　cried　the　professor；　tigerishly。　just　you　dare！　〃　And　the　woman　saw　before　her　a　man　whose　eyes　were　lit　with　a　flame　which　almost　expressed　a　temporary　hatred。

The　professor　had　left　Coleman　so　abruptly　that　the　correspondent　found　himself　murmuring　half。　coherent　gratitude　to　the　closed　door　of　his　room。　Amazement　soon　began　to　be　mastered　by　exultation。　He　flung　himself　upon　the　brandy　and　soda　and　nego…　tiated　a　strong　glass。　Pacing。　the　room　with　nervous　steps；　he　caught　a　vision　of　himself　in　a　tall　mirror。　He　halted　before　it。　〃　Well；　well；〃　he　said。　〃　Rufus；　you're　a　grand　man。　There　is　not　your　equal　anywhere。　You　are　a　great；　bold；　strong　player；　fit　to　sit　down　to　a　game　with　the　…best。〃

A　moment　later　it　struck　him　that　he　had　appropriated　too　much。　If　the　professor　had　paid　him　a　visit　and　made　a　wonderful　announcement；　he；　Coleman；　had　not　been　the　engine　of　it。　And　then　he　enunciated　　clearly　something　in　his　mind　which；　even　in　a　vague　form；　had　been　responsible　for　much　of　his　early　elation。　Marjory　herself　had　compassed　this　thing。　With　shame　he　rejected　a　first　wild　and　preposterous　idea　that　she　had　sent　her　father　to　him。　He　reflected　　that　a　man　who　for　an　instant　could　conceive　such　a　thing　was　a　natural…born　idiot。　With　an　equal　feeling；　he　rejected　also　an　idea　that　she　could　have　known　anything　of　her　father's　purpose。　If　she　had　known　of　his　purpose；　there　would　have　been　no　visit。

What；　then；　was　the　cause？　Coleman　soon　decided　that　the　professor　had　witnessed　some　demonstration　of　Marjory's　emotion　which　had　been　sufficiently　severe　in　its　character　to　force　him　to　the　extraordinary　　visit。　But　then　this　also　was　wild　and　preposterous。　　That　coldly　beautiful　goddess　would　not　have　given　a　demonstration　of　emotion　over　Rufus　Coleman　sufficiently　alarming　to　have　forced　her　father　on　such　an　errand。　That　was　impossible。　No；　he　was　wrong；　Marjory　even　indirectly；　could　not　be　connected　with　the　visit。　As　he　arrived　at　this　decision；　the　enthusiasm　passed　out　of　him　and　he　wore　a　doleful；　monkish　face。

〃Well；　what；　then；　was　the　cause？〃　After　eliminating　Marjory　from　the　discussion　waging　in　his　mind；　he　found　it　hard　to　hit　upon　anything　rational。　The　only　remaining　theory　was　to　the　effect　that　the　professor；　having　a　very　high　sense　of　the　correspond。　ent's　help　in　the　escape　of　the　Wainwright　party；　had　decided　that　the　only　way　to　express　his　gratitude　was　to　revoke　a　certain　decision　which　he　now　could　see　had　been　unfair。　The　retort　to　this　theory　seemed　to　be　that　if　the　professor　had　had　such　a　fine　conception　of　the　services　rendered　by　Coleman；　he　had　had　ample　time　to　display　his　appreciation　on　the　road　to　Arta　and　on　the　road　down　from　Arta。　There　was　no　necessity　for　his　waiting　until　their　arrival　in　Athens。　It　was　impossible　to　concede　that　the　professor's　emotion　could　be　anew　one；　if　he　had　it　now；　he　must　have　had　it　in　far　stronger　measure　directly　after　he　had　been　hauled　out　of　danger。

So；　it　may　be　seen　that　after　Coleman　had　eliminated　Marjory　from　the　discussion　that　was　waging　in　his　mind；　he　had　practically　succeeded　in　eliminating　the　professor　as　well。　This；　he　thought；　mournfully；　was　eliminating　with　a　vengeance。　If　he　dissolved　all　the　factors　he　could　hardly　proceed。

The　mind　of　a　lover　moves　in　a　circle；　or　at　least　on　a　more　circular　course　than　other　minds；　some　of　which　at　times　even　seem　to　move　almost　in　a　straight　line。　Presently；　Coleman　was　at　the　point　wher