active service- 第29部分

One　student　said：　〃Well；　what's　the　matter　with　Nora　B　lack；　anyhow　？〃

Another　student　said　〃I　don't　see　how　you've　been　issued　any　license　to　say　things　about　Nora　Black。〃

Another　student　said　dubiously：　〃　Well；　he　knows　her　well。〃

And　then　three　or　four　spoke　at　once。　〃　He　was　very　badly　rattled　when　she　appeared　upon　the　scene。〃

Peter　Tounley　asked：　〃Well；　which　of　you　people　know　anything　wrong　about　Nora　Black？　〃

There　was　a　pause；　and　then　Coke　said：　〃　Oh；　of　course…I　don't　know…but…〃

He　who　was　called　Billie　then　addressed　his　com…　panions。　〃　It　wouldn't　be　right　to　repeat　any　old　lie　about　Nora　Black；　and　by　the　same　token　it　wouldn't　be　right　to　see　old　Mother　Wainwright　chummin'　with　her。　There　is　no　wisdom　in　going　further　than　that。　Old　Mother　Wainwright　don't　know　that　her　fair　companion　of　yesterday　is　the　famous　comic　opera　star。　For　my　part；　I　believe　that　Coleman　is　simply　afraid　to　tell　her。　I　don't　think　he　wished　to　see　Nora　Black　yesterday　any　more　than　he　wished　to　see　the　devil。　The　discussion；　as　I　understand　itconcerned　itself　only　with　what　Coleman　had　to　do　with　the　thing；　and　yesterday　anybody　could　see　that　he　was　in　a　panic。〃

They　heard　a　step　on　the　stair；　and　directly　Coleman　entered；　followed　by　his　dragoman。　They　were　laden　with　the　raw　material　for　breakfast。　The　correspondent　looked　keenly　among　the　students；　for　it　was　plain　that　they　had　been　talking　of　him。　It；　filled　him　with　rage；　and　for　a　stifling　moment　he　could　not　think　why　he　failed　to　immediately　decamp　in　chagrin　and　leave　eleven　orphans　to　whatever　fate。　their　general　incompetence　might　lead　them。　It　struck　him　as　a　deep　shame　that　even　then　he　and　his　paid　man　were　carrying　in　the　breakfast。　He　wanted　to　fling　it　all　on　the　floor　and　walk　out。　Then　he　remembered　Marjory。　She　was　the　reason。　She　was　the　reason　for　everything。

But　he　could　not　repress　certain；　of　his　thoughts。　〃Say；　you　people；〃　he　said；　icily；　〃　　you　had　better　soon　learn　to　hustle　for　yourselves。　I　may　be　a　dragoman；　and　a　butler；　and　a　cook；　and　a　housemaid；　but　I'm　blowed　if　I'm　a　wet　nurse。〃　In　reality；　he　had　taken　the　most　generous　pleasure　in　working　for　the　others　before　their　eyes　had　even　been　opened　from　sleep；　but　it　was　now　all　turned　to　wormwood。　It　is　certain　that　even　this　could　not　have　deviated　this　executive　man　from　labour　and　management。　because　these　were　his　life。　But　he　felt　that　he　was　about　to　walk　out　of　the　room；　consigning　them　all　to　Hades。　His　glance　of　angry；　reproach　fastened　itself　mainly　upon　Peter　Tounley；　because　he　knew　that　of　all；　Peter　was　the　most　innocent。

Peter；　Tounley　was　abashed　by　this　glance。　So　you've　brought　us　something　to　eat；　old　man。　That　is　tremendously　nice　of　you…we…appreciate　it　like　everything。〃

Coleman　was　mollified　by　Peter's　tone。　Peter　had　had　that　emotion　which　is　equivalent　to　a　sense　of　guilt；　although　in　reality　he　was　speckless。　Two　or　three　of　the　other　students　bobbed　up　to　a　sense　of　the　situation。　They　ran　to　Coleman；　and　with　polite　cries　took　his　provisions　from　him。　One　dropped　a　bunch　of　lettuce　on　the　floor；　and　others　reproached　him　with　scholastic　curses。　Coke　was　seated　near　the　window；　half　militant；　half　conciliatory。　It　was　impossible　for　him　to　keep　up　a　manner　of　deadly　enmity　while　Coleman　was　bringing　in　his　breakfast。　He　would　have　much　preferred　that　Coleman　had　not　brought　in　his　breakfast。　He　would　have　much　preferred　to　have　foregone　breakfast　altogether。　He　would　have　much　preferred　anything。　There　seemed　to　be　a　conspiracy　of　circumstance　to　put　him　in　the　wrong　and　make　him　appear　as　a　ridiculous　young　peasant。　He　was　the　victim　of　a　benefaction；　and　he　hated　Coleman　harder　now　than　at　any　previous　time。　He　saw　that　if　he　stalked　out　and　took　his　breakfast　alone　in　a　cafe；　the　others　would　consider　him　still　more　of　an　outsider。　Coleman　had　expressed　himself　like　a　man　of　the　world　and　a　gentleman；　and　Coke　was　convinced　that　he　was　a　superior　man　of　the　world　and　a　superior　gentleman；　but　that　he　simply　had　not　had　words　to　express　his　position　at　the　proper　time。　Coleman　was　glib。　Therefore；　Coke　had　been　the　victim　of　an　attitude　as　well　as　of　a　benefaction。　And　so　he　deeply　hated　Coleman。

The　others　were　talking　cheerfully。　〃What　the　deuce　are　these；　Coleman　？　Sausages？　Oh；　my。　And　look　at　these　burlesque　fishes。　Say；　these　Greeks　don't　care　what　they　eat。　Them　thar　things　am　sardines　in　the　crude　state。　No　？　Great　God；　look　at　those　things。　Look。　What？　Yes；　they　are。　Radishes。　Greek　synonym　for　radishes。〃

The　professor　entered。　〃　Oh；〃　he　said　apologetically；　　as　if　he　were　intruding　in　a　boudoir。　All　his　serious　desire　to　probe　Coleman　to　the　bottom　ended　in　embarrassment。　Mayhap　it　was　not　a　law　of　feeling；　but　it　happened　at　any　rate。　〃　He　had　come　in　a　puzzled　frame　of　mind；　even　an　accusative　frame　of　mind；　and　almost　immediately　he　found　himself　suffer。　ing　like　a　culprit　before　his　judge。　It　is　a　phenomenon　of　what　we　call　guilt　and　innocence。

〃　Coleman　welcomed　him　cordially。　〃　Well；　professor；　　good…morning。　I've　rounded　up　some　things　that　at　least　may　be　eaten。〃

〃　You　are　very　good　〃　very　considerate；　Mr。　Coleman；〃　answered　the　professor；　hastily。　〃　I'am　sure　we　are　much　indebted　to　you。〃　He　had　scanned　the　correspondent's　face；　land　it　had　been　so　devoid　of　guile　that　he　was　fearful　that　his　suspicion；　a　base　suspicion；　of　this　noble　soul　would　be　detected。　〃　No；　no；　we　can　never　thank　you　enough。〃

Some　of　the　students　began　to　caper　with　a　sort　of　decorous　hilarity　before　their　teacher。　〃　Look　at　the　sausage；　professor。　Did　you　ever　see　such　sausage　〃　Isn't　it　salubrious　〃　And　see　these　other　things；　sir。　Aren't　they　curious　〃　I　shouldn't　wonder　if　they　were　alive。　Turnips；　sir？　No；　sir。　I　think　they　are　Pharisees。　I　have　seen　a　Pharisee　look　like　a　pelican；　but　I　have　never　seen　a　Pharisee　look　like　a　turnip；　so　I　think　these　turnips　must　be　Pharisees；　sir；　Yes；　they　may　be　walrus。　We're　not　sure。　Anyhow；　their　angles　are　geometrically　all　wrong。　Peter；　look　out。〃　　Some　green　stuff　was　flung　across　the　room。　The　professor　laughed；　Coleman　laughed。　Despite　Coke；　dark…browed；　sulking。　and　yet　desirous　of　reinstating　himself；　the　room　had　waxed　warm　with　the　old　college　feeling；　the　feeling　of　lads　who　seemed　never　to　treat　anything　respectfully　and　yet　at　the　same　time　managed　to　treat　the　real　things　with　respect。　The　professor　himself　contributed　to　their　wild　carouse　over　the　strange　Greek　viands。　It　was　a　vivacious　moment　common　to　this　class　in　times　of　relaxation；　and　it　was　understood　perfectly。

Coke　arose。　〃　I　don't　see　that　I　have　any　friends　here；〃　he　said；　hoarsely；　〃　and　in　consequence　I　don't　see　why　I　should　remain　here。〃

All　looked　at　him。　At　the　same　moment　Mrs。　Wainwright　and　Marjory　entered　the　room。






CHAPTER　XIX。

〃Good…morning；〃　said　Mrs。　Wainwright　jovially　to　the　students　and　then　she　stared　at　Coleman　as　if　he　were　a　sweep　at　a　wedding。

〃　Good…morning；〃　said　Marjory。

Coleman　and　the　students　made　reply。　〃　Good…morning。　Good…morning。　Good…morning。　Good…morning〃

It　was　curious　to　see　this　greeting；　this　common　phrase；　this　bit　of　old　ware；　this　antique；　come　upon　a　dramatic　scene　and　pulverise　it。　Nothing　remained　but　a　ridiculous　dust。　Coke；　glowering；　with　his　lips　still　trembling　from　heroic　speech；　was　an　angry　clown；　a　pantaloon　in　rage。　Nothing　was　to　be　done　to　keep　him　from　looking　like　an　ass。　He；　strode　toward　the　door　mumbling　about　a　walk　before　breakfast。

Mrs。　Wainwright　beamed　upon　him。　〃　Why；　Mr。　Coke；　not　before　breakfast　？　You　surely　won't　have　time。〃　It　was　grim　punishment。　He　appeared　to　go　blind；　and　he　fairly　staggered　out　of　the　door　mumbling　again；　mumbling　thanks　or　apologies　or　explanations。　About　the　mouth　of　Coleman　played　a　sinister　smile。　The　professor　cast。　upon　his　wife　a　glance　expressing　weariness。　It　was　as　if　he　said　〃　There　you　go　again。　You　　can't　keep　your　foot　out　of　it。〃　She　understood　the　glance；　and　so　she　asked　blankly：　〃Why；　What's　the　matter？　Oh。〃　Her　belated　mind　grasped　that　it　waw　an　aftermath　of　the　quarrel　of　Coleman　and　Coke。　Marjory　looked　as　if　　she　was　distressed　in　the　belief　that　her　mother　had　been　stupid。　Coleman　was　outwardly　serene。　It　was　Peter　Tounley　who　finally　laughed　a　cheery；　healthy　laugh　and　they　all　looked　at　him　with　gratitude　as　if　his　sudden　mirth　had　been　a　real　statement　or　recon…　ciliation　and　consequent　peace。

The　dragoman　and　others　disported　themselves　until　a　breakfast　was　laid　upon　the　floor。　The　adventurers　squatted　upon　the　floor。　They　made　a　large　company。　The　professor　and　Coleman　discussed　the　means　of　getting　to　Athens。　Peter　Tounley　sat　next　to　Marjory。　〃　Peter；〃　she　said；　privately；　〃　what　was　all　this　trouble　between　Coleman　and　Coke　？　〃

Peter　answered　blandly：　〃　Oh；　nothing　at　Nothing　at　all。〃

〃　Well；　but〃　she　persisted；　〃　what　was　the　cause　of　it？〃

He　looked　at　her　quaintly。　He　was　not　one　of　those　in　love　with　her；　but　be　was　interested　in　the　affair。　〃　Don't　you　know　？　〃　he　asked。

She　understood　from　his　manner　that　she　had　been　some　kind　of　an　issue　in　the　quarrel。　〃　No；〃　she　answered；　hastily。　〃　I　don't。〃

〃Oh；　I　don't　　mean　that；〃　said　Peter。　〃I　only　me