active service-第52章

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d　he　had　the　luncheon　at　a　point　just　outside　the　door。　His　excursions　to　the　trays　were　flying　ones；　so　that；　as　far　as　Coke's　purpose　was　concerned；　the　waiter　was　always　in　the　room。　Moreover；　Coke　was　obliged；　naturally；　to　depart　at　once。　He　had　bungled　everything。

As　he　arose　he　whispered　hastily：　〃　Does　this　waiter　understand　English　？　〃

〃Yes；〃　answered　Nora。　〃Why？〃

〃Because　I　have　something　to　tell　you…important。〃

〃What　is　it？　〃　whispered　Nora；　eagerly。

He　leaned　toward　her　and　replied：　〃　Marjory　　Wainwright　and　Coleman　are　engaged。〃

To　his　unfeigned　astonishment；　Nora　Black　burst　into　peals　of　silvery　laughter；　〃　Oh；　indeed？　And　so　this　is　your　tragic　story；　poor；　innocent　lambkin？　And　what　did　you　expect？　That　I　would　faint？〃　…

〃　I　thought…I　don't　know…〃　murmured　Coke　in　confusion。

Nora　became　suddenly　business…like。　〃　But　how　do　you　know？　Are　you　sure？　Who　told　you？　Anyhow；　stay　to　luncheon。　Do…like　a　good　boy。　Oh；　you　must。〃

Coke　dropped　again　into　his　chair。　He　studied　her　in　some　wonder。　〃　I　thought　you'd　be　surprised；〃　he　said；　ingenuously。

〃　Oh；　you　did；　did　you　？　Well；　you　see　I'm　not。　And　now　tell　me　all　about　it。〃

〃There's　really　nothing　to　tell　but　the　plain　fact。　Some　of　the　boys　dropped　in　at　the　minister's　rooms　a　little　while　ago；　and；　he　told　them　of　it。　That's　all。〃

Well；　how　did　he　know？

〃I　am　sure　I　can't　tell　you。　Got　it　first　hand；　I　suppose。　He　likes　Coleman；　and　Coleman　is　always　hanging　up　there。〃

〃　Oh；　perhaps　Coleman　was　lying；〃　said　Nora　easily。　Then　suddenly　her　face　brightened　and　she　spoke　with　animation。　〃　Oh；　I　haven't　told　you　how　my　little　Greek　officer　has　turned　out。　Have　I？　No？　Well；　it　is　simply　lovely。　Do　you　know；　he　belongs　to　one　of　the　best　families　in　Athens？　Hedoes。　And　they're　rich…rich　as　can　be。　My　courier　tells　me　that　the　marble　palace　where　they　live　is　enough　to　blind　you；　and　that　if　titles　hadn't　gone　out　of　style…or　something…here　in　Greece；　my　little　officer　would　be　a　prince！　Think　of　that！　The　courier　didn't　know　it　until　we　got　to　Athens；　and　the　little　officer…the　prince…gave　me　his　card；　of　course。　One　of　the　oldest；　noblest　and　richest　families　in　Greece。　Think　of　that！　There　I　thought　he　was　only　a　bothersome　little　officer　who　came　in　handy　at　times；　and　there　he　turns　out　to　be　a　prince。　I　could　hardly　keep　myself　from　rushing　right　off　to　find　him　and　apologise　to　him　for　the　way　I　treated　him。　It　was　awful！　And…〃　added　the　fair　Nora；　pensively；　〃if　he　does　meet　me　in　Paris；　I'll　make　him　wear　that　title　down　to　a　shred；　you　can　bet。　What's　the　good　of　having　a　title　unless　you　make　it　work？〃





CHAPTER　XXIX。

COKE　did　not　stay　to　luncheon　with　Nora　Black。　He　went　away　saying　to　himself　either　that　girl　don't　care　a　straw　for　Coleman　or　she　has　got　a　heart　absolutely　of　flint；　or　she　is　the　greatest　actress　on　earth　or…there　is　some　other　reason。〃

At　his　departure；　Nora　turned　and　called　into　an　adjoining　room。　〃　Maude　I　〃　The　voice　of　her　companion　and　friend　answered　her　peevishly。　〃　What　？〃

〃Don't　bother　me。　I'm　reading。〃

〃　Well；　anyhow；　luncheon　is　ready；　so　you　will　have　to　stir　your　precious　self；〃　responded　Nora。　〃　You're　lazy。〃

〃　I　don't　want　any　luncheon。　Don't　bother　me。　I've　got　a　headache。〃

〃　Well；　if　you　don't　come　out；　you'll　miss　the　news。　That's　all　I've　got　to　say。〃

There　was　a　rustle　in　the　adjoining　room；　and　immediately　the　companion　appeared；　seeming　much　annoyed　but　curious。　〃　Well；　what　is　it　？　〃

〃　Rufus　Coleman　is　engaged　to　be　married　to　that　Wainwright　girl；　after　all。〃

〃　Well　I　declare！　〃　ejaculated　the　little　old　lady。　〃　Well　I　declare。〃　She　meditated　for　a　moment；　and　then　continued　in　a　tone　of　satisfaction。　〃　I　told　you　that　you　couldn't　stop　that　man　Coleman　if　he　had　feally　made　up　his　mind　to…〃

〃　You're　a　fool；〃　said　Nora；　pleasantly。　〃　Why？　〃　said　the　old　lady。　Because　you　are。　Don't　talk　to　me　about　it。　I　want　to　think　of　Marco。〃

〃　'Marco；'〃　quoted　the　old　lady　startled。

〃The　prince。　The　prince。　Can't　you　understand？　I　mean　the　prince。〃

〃　'　Marco！'〃　again　quoted　the　old　lady；　under　her　　breath。

〃　Yes；　'Marco；'〃　cried　Nora；　belligerently。　〃　'Marco；'　Do　you　object　to　the　name？　What's　the　matter　with　you；　anyhow？〃　

〃　Well；〃　rejoined　the　other；　nodding　her　head　wisely；　〃he　may　be　a　prince；　but　I've　always　heard　that　these　continental　titles　are　no　good　in　comparison　to　the　English　titles。〃

〃Yes；　but　who　told　you　so；　eh？　〃　demanded　Nora；　noisily。　She　herself　answered　the　question。　〃　The　English！　〃

〃　Anyhow；　that　little　marquis　who　tagged　after　you　in　London　is　a　much　bigger　man　in　every　way；　I'll　bet；　than　this　little　prince　of　yours。〃

〃　But…good　heavens…he　didn't　mean　it。　Why；　he　was　only　one　of　the　regular　rounders。　But　Marco；　he　is　serious　I　He　means　it。　He'd　go　through　fire　and　water　for　me　and　be　glad　of　the　chance。〃

〃　Well；〃　proclaimed　the　old　lady；　〃　if　you　are　not　the　strangest　woman　in　the　world；　I'd　like　to　know！　Here　I　thought…〃

〃What　did　you　think？〃　demanded　Nora；　suspisciously。　〃　I　thought　that　Coleman…〃

〃Bosh！〃　interrupted；　the　graceful　Nora。　〃I　tell　you　what；　Maude；　you'd　better　try　to　think　as　little　as　possible。　It　will　suit　your　style　of　beauty　better。　And　above　all；　don't　think　of　my　affairs。　I　myself　am　taking　pains　not　to　think　of　them。　It's　easier。〃

Mrs。　Wainwright；　with　no　spirit　of　intention　what。　ever；　had　sit　about　readjusting　her　opinions。　It　is　certain　that　she　was　unconscious　of　any　evolution。　If　some　one　had　said　to　her　that　she　was　surrendering　to　the　inevitable；　she　would　have　been　immediately　on　her　guard；　and　would　have　opposed　forever　all　suggestions　of　a　match　between　Marjory　and　Coleman。　On　the　other　hand；　if　some　one　had　said　to　her　that　her　daughter　was　going　to　marry　a　human　serpent；　and　that　there　were　people　in　Athens　who　would　be　glad　to　explain　his　treacherous　character；　she　would　have　haughtily　scorned　the　tale…bearing　and　would　have　gone　with　more　haste　into　the　professor's　way　of　thinking。　In　fact；　she　was　in　process　of　undermining　herself。；　and　the　work　could　have　been。　retarded　or　advanced　by　any　irresponsible；　gossipy　tongue。

The　professor；　from　the　depths　of　his　experience　with　her；　arranged　a　course　of　conduct。　〃　If　I　just　leave　her　to　herself　she　will　come　around　all　right；　but　if　I　go　'striking　while　the　iron　is　hot；'　or　any　of　those　things；　I'll　bungle　it　surely。〃

As　they　were　making　ready　to　go　down　to　luncheon；　Mrs。　Wainwright　made　her　speech　which　first　indicated　　a　changing　mind。　〃　Well；　what　will　be；　will　be；〃　she　murmured　with　a　prolonged　sigh　of　resignation。　〃　What　will　be；　will　be。　Girls　are　very　headstrong　in　these　days；　and　there　is　nothing　much　to　be　done　with　them。　They　go　their　own　roads。　It　wasn't　so　in　my　girlhood。　…　We　were　obliged　to　pay　attention　to　our　mothers　wishes。〃

〃　I　did　not　notice　that　you　paid　much　attention　to　your　mother's　wishes　when　you　married　me；〃　remarked　the　professor。　〃　In　fact；　I　thought…〃

〃　That　was　another　thing；〃　retorted　Mrs。　Wainwright　with　severity。　〃　You　were　a　steady　young　man　who　had　taken　the　highest　honours　all　through　your　college　course；　and　my　mother's　sole　objection　was　that　we　were　too　hasty。　She　thought　we　…ought　to　wait　until　you　had　a　penny　to　bless　yourself　with；　and　I　can　see　now　where　she　was　quite　right。〃　〃　Well；　you　married　me；　anyhow；〃　said　the　professor；　victoriously。

Mrs。　Wainwright　allowed　her　husband's　retort　to　pass　over　her　thoughtful　mood。　〃　They　say　*　*　they　say　Rufus　Coleman　makes　as　much　as　fifteen　thousand　dollars　a　year。　That's　more　than　three　times　your　income　　*　*　I　don't　know。　*　*　It　all　depends　on　whether　they　try　to　save　or　not。　His　manner　of　life　is；　no　doubt；　very　luxurious。　I　don't　suppose　he　knows　how　to　economise　at　all。　That　kind　of　a　man　usually　doesn't。　And　then；　in　the　newspaper　world　positions　are　so　very　precarious。　Men　may　have　valuable　positions　one　minute　and　be　penniless　in　the　street　the　next　minute。　It　isn't　as　if　he　had　any　real　income；　and　of　course　he　has　no　real　ability。　　　If　he　was　suddenly　thrown　out　of　his　position；　goodness　knows　what　would　become　of　him。　Still　stillfifteen　thousand　　dollars　a　year　is　a　big　incomewhile　it　lasts。　I　suppose　he　is　ve