active service-第7章

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ce　lot　of　boys　going　Sometimes　father　　　　　chooses　these　dreadfully　studious　ones。　But　this　time　he　acts　as　if　he　knew　precisely　how　to　make　up　a　party。〃

He　reached　for　her　hand　and　grasped　it　vise…like。　〃Marjory；〃　he　breathed；　passionately；　〃　don't　treat　me　so。　Don't　treat　me…〃

She　wrenched　her　hand　from　him　in　regal　indignation。　〃　One　or　two　rings　make　it　uncomfortable　for　the　hand　that　is　grasped　by　an　angry　gentleman。〃　She　held　her　fingers　and　gazed　as　if　she　expected　to　find　them　mere　debris。　〃　I　am　sorry　that　you　are　not　interested　in　the　students　rolling　that　man　in　the　snow。　It　is　the　greatest　scene　our　quiet　life　can　afford。〃

He　was　regarding　her　as　a　judge　faces　a　lying　culprit。　〃　I　know；〃　he　said；　after　a　pause。　〃　Somebody　has　been　telling　you　some　stories。　You　have　been　hearing　something　about　me。〃

〃　Some　stories　？　〃　she　enquired。　〃　Some　stories　about　you？　What　do　you　mean？　Do　you　mean　that　I　remember　stories　I　may　happen　to　hear　about　people？　〃

There　was　another　pause　and　then　Coleman's　face　flared　red。　He　beat　his　hand　violently　upon　a　table。　〃　Good　God；　Marjory！　Don't　make　a　fool　of　me。　Don't　make　this　kind　of　a　fool　of　me；　at　any　rate。　Tell　me　what　you　mean。　Explain…〃

She　laughed　at　him。　〃　Explain？　Really；　your　vocabulary　is　getting　extensive；　but　it　is　dreadfully　awkward　to　ask　people　to　explain　when　there　is　nothing　to　explain。〃

He　glanced　at　her；　〃　I　know　as　well　as　you　do　that　your　father　is　taking　you　to　Greece　in　order　to　get　rid　of　me。〃

〃　And　do　people　have　to　go　to　Greece　in　order　to　get　rid　of　you？　〃　she　asked；　civilly。　〃　I　think　you　are　getting　excited。〃

〃　Marjory；〃　he　began；　stormily。　She　raised　her　hand。　〃　Hush；〃　she　said；　〃there　is　somebody　coming。〃　A　bell　had　rung。　A　maid　entered　the　room。　〃　Mr。　Coke；〃　she　said。　Marjory　nodded。　In　the　interval　of　waiting；　Coleman　gave　the　girl　a　glance　that　mingled　despair　with　rage　and　pride。　Then　Coke　burst　with　half…tamed　rapture　into　the　room。　〃　Oh；　Miss　Wainwright；〃　he　almost　shouted；　〃　I　can't　tell　you　how　glad　I　am。　I　just　heard　to…day　you　were　going。　Imagine　it。　It　will　be　moreoh；　how　are　you　Coleman；　how　are　you　〃　〃

Marjory　welcomed　the　new…comer　with　a　cordiality　that　might　not　have　thrilled　Coleman　with　pleasure。　They　took　chairs　that　formed　a　triangle　and　one　side　of　it　vibrated　with　talk。　Coke　and　Marjory　engaged　in　a　tumultuous　conversation　concerning　the　prospective　trip　to　Greece。　The　Sunday　editor；　as　remote　as　if　the　apex　of　his　angle　was　the　top　of　a　hill；　could　only　study　the　girl's　clear　profile。　The　youthful　voices　of　the　two　others　rang　like　bells。　He　did　not　scowl　at　Coke；　he　merely　looked　at　him　as　if　be　gently　disdained　his　mental　calibre。　In　fact　all　the　talk　seemed　to　tire　him；　it　was　childish；　as　for　him；　he　apparently　found　this　babble　almost　insupportable。

〃　And；　just　think　of　the　camel　rides　we'll　have；〃　cried　Coke。

〃　Camel　rides；〃　repeated　Coleman；　dejectedly。　〃　My　dear　Coke。〃

Finally　he　arose　like　an　old　man　climbing　from　a　sick　bed。　〃Well；　I　am　afraid　I　must　go；　Miss　Wainwright。〃　Then　he　said　affectionately　to　Coke：　〃　Good…bye；　old　boy。　I　hope　you　will　have　a　good　time。〃

Marjory　walked　with　him　to　the　door。　He　shook　her　hand　in　a　friendly　fashion。　〃　Good…bye；　Marjory；'　he　said。　〃　Perhaps　it　may　happen　that　I　shan't　see　you　again　before　you　start　for　Greece　and　so　I　had　best　bid　you　God…speed…or　whatever　the　term　is　now。　You　will　have　a　charming　time；　Greece　must　be　a　delightful　place。　Really；　I　envy　you；　Marjory。　And　now　my　dear　child　〃…his　voice　grew　brotherly；　filled　with　the　patronage　of　generous　fraternal　love；　〃　although　I　may　never　see　you　again　let　me　wish　you　fifty　as　happy　years　as　this　last　one　has　been　for　me。〃　He　smiled　frankly　into　her　eyes；　then　dropping　her　hand；　he　went　away。

Coke　renewed　his　tempest　of　talk　as　Marjory　turned　toward　him。　But　after　a　series　of　splendid　eruptions；　whose　red　fire　illumined　all　of　ancient　and　modem　Greece；　he　too　went　away。

The　professor　was　in　his。　library　apparently　absorbed　in　a　book　when　a　tottering　pale…faced　woman　appeared　to　him　and；　in　her　course　toward　a　couch　in　a　corner　of　the　room；　described　almost　a　semi…circle。　She　flung　herself　face　downward。　A　thick　strand　of　hair　swept　over　her　shoulder。　〃　Oh；　my　heart　is　broken！　My　heart　is　broken！　〃

The　professor　arose；　grizzled　and　thrice…old　with　pain。　He　went　to　the　couch；　but　he　found　himself　a　handless；　fetless　man。　〃　My　poor　child；〃　he　said。　〃　My　poor　child。〃　He　remained　listening　stupidly　to　her　convulsive　sobbing。　A　ghastly　kind　of　solemnity　came　upon　the　room。

Suddenly　the　girl　lifted　herself　and　swept　the　strand　of　hair　away　from　her　face。　She　looked　at　the　professor　with　the　wide…　open　dilated　eyes　of　one　who　still　sleeps。　〃　Father；〃　she　said　in　a　hollow　voice；　〃　he　don't　love　me。　He　don't　love　me。　He　don't　love　me。　at　all。　You　were　right；　father。〃　She　began　to　laugh。

〃Marjory；〃　said　the　professor；　trembling。　〃Be　quiet；　child。　Be　quiet。〃

〃　But；〃　she　said；　〃　I　thought　he　loved　meI　was　sure　of　it。　But　it　don't…don't　matter。　II　can't　get　over　it。　Women…women；　the…　but　it　don't　matter。〃

〃　Marjory；〃　said　the　professor。　〃　Marjory；　my　poor　daughter。〃

She　did　not　heed　his　appeal；　but　continued　in　a　dull　whisper。　〃　He　was　playing　with　me。　He　waswas…was　flirting　with　me。　　He　didn't　care　when　I　told　himI　told　him　I　was　going…going　away。〃　She　turned　her　face　wildly　to　the　cushions　again。　Her　young　shoulders　shook　as　if　they　might　break。　〃　Wo…men…women…they　always〃







CHAPTER　V。

By　a　strange　mishap　of　management　the　train　which　bore　Coleman　back　toward　New　York　was　fetched　into　an　obscure　side…track　of　some　lonely　region　and　there　compelled　to　bide　a　change　of　fate。　The　engine　wheezed　and　sneezed　like　a　paused　fat　man。　The　lamps　in　the　cars　pervaded　a　stuffy　odor　of　smoke　and　oil。　Coleman　examined　his　case　and　found　only　one　cigar。　Important　brakemen　proceeded　rapidly　along　the　aisles；　and　when　they　swung　open　the　doors；　a　polar　wind　circled　the　legs　of　the　passengers。　〃　Well；　now；　what　is　all　this　for？　〃　demanded　Coleman；　furiously。　〃　I　want　to　get　back　to　New　York。〃

The　conductor　replied　with　sarcasm；　〃　Maybe　you　think　I'm　stuck　on　it　〃　I　ain't　running　the　road。　I'm　running　this　train；　and　I　run　it　according　to　orders。〃　Amid　the　dismal　comforts　of　the　waiting　cars；　Coleman　felt　all　the　profound　misery　of　the　rebuffed　true　lover。　He　had　been　sentenced；　he　thought；　to　a　penal　servitude　of　the　heart；　as　he　watched　the　dusky；　vague　ribbons　of　smoke　come　from　the　lamps　and　felt　to　his　knees　the　cold　winds　from　the　brakemen's　busy　flights。　When　the　train　started　with　a　whistle　and　a　jolt；　he　was　elate　as　if　in　his　　abjection　his　beloved's　hand　had　reached　to　him　from　the　clouds。

When　he　had　arrived　in　New　York；　a　cab　rattled　him　to　an　uptown　hotel　with　speed。　In　the　restaurant　he　first　ordered　a　large　bottle　of　champagne。　The　last　of　the　wine　he　finished　in　sombre　mood　like　an　unbroken　and　defiant　man　who　chews　the　straw　that　litters　his　prison　house。　During　his　dinner　he　was　continually　sending　out　messenger　boys。　He　was　arranging　a　poker　party。　Through　a　window　he　watched　the　beautiful　moving　life　of　upper　Broadway　at　night；　with　its　crowds　and　clanging　cable　cars　and　its　electric　signs；　mammoth　and　glittering；　like　the　jewels　of　a　giantess。

Word　was　brought　to　him　that　the　poker　players　were　arriving。　He　arose　joyfully；　leaving　his　cheese。　In　the　broad　hall；　occupied　mainly　by　miscellaneous　people　and　actors；　all　deep　in　leather　chairs；　he　found　some　of　his　friends　waiting。　They　trooped　up　stairs　to　Coleman's　rooms；　where　as　a　preliminary；　Coleman　began　to　hurl　books　and　papers　from　the　table　to　the　floor。　A　boy　came　with　drinks。　Most　of　the　men；　in　order　to　prepare　for　the　game；　removed　their　coats　and　cuffs　and　drew　up　the　sleeves　of　their　shirts。　The　electric　globes　shed　a　blinding　light　upon　the　table。　The　sound　of　clinking　chips　arose；　the　elected　banker　spun　the　cards；　careless　and　dexterous。

Later；　during　a　pause　of　dealing；　Coleman　said：　〃　Billie；　what　kind　of　a　lad　is　that　young　Coke　up　at　Washurst？〃　　He　addressed　an　old　college　friend。

〃　Oh；　you　mean　the　Sophomore　Coke？　〃　asked　the　friend。　　〃　Seems　a　decent　sort　of　a　fellow。　I　don't　know。　W