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The　professor　had　then　asked　with　considerable　spirit　for　the　proofs　upon　which　Mrs。　Wainwright　named　Coleman　a　monster；　and　had　made　a　wry　face　over　her　completely　conventional　reply。　He　had　told　her　categorically　his　opinion　of　her　erudition　in　such　matters。

But　Mrs。　Wainwright　was　not　to　be　deterred　from　an　exciting　espousal　of　the　cause　of　her　sex。　Upon　the　instant　that　the　professor　strenuously　opposed　her　she　becamean　apostle；　an　enlightened；　uplifted　apostle　to　the　world　on　the　wrongs　of　her　sex。　She　had　come　down　with　this　thing　as　if　it　were　a　disease。　Nothing　could　stop　her。　Her　husband；　her　daughter；　all　influences　in　other　directions；　had　been　overturned　with　a　roar；　and　the　first　thing　fully　clear　to　the　professor's　mind　had　been　that　his　wife　was　riding　affably　in　the　carriage　with　Nora　Black。　Coleman　aroused　when　he　heard　one　of　the　students　cry　out：　〃　Why；　there　is　Rufus　Coleman's　dragoman。　He　must　be　here。〃　A　moment　later　they　thronged　upon　him。　〃　Hi；　old　man；　caught　you　again！　Where　did　you　break　to？　Glad　to　catch　you；　old　boy。　How　are　you　making　it？　Where's　your　horse？〃

〃　Sent　the　horses　on　to；　Athens；〃　said　Coleman。　He　had　not　yet　recovered　his　composure；　and　he　was　glad　to　find　available　this　commonplace　return　to　their　exuberant　greetings　and　questions。　〃　Sent　them　on　to　Athens　with　the　groom。〃

In　the　mean　time　the　engine　of　the　little　train　was　screaming　to　heaven　that　its　intention　of　starting　was　most　serious。　The　diligencia　careered　to　the　station　platform　and　unburdened。　Coleman　had　had　his　dragoman　place　his　luggage　in　a　little　first…class　carriage　and　he　defiantly　entered　it　and　closed　the　door。　He　had　a　sudden　return　to　the　old　sense　of　downfall；　and　with　it　came　the　original　rebellious　desires。　However；　he　hoped　that　somebody　would　intrude　upon　him。　It　was　Peter　Tounley。　The　student　flung　open　the　door　and　then　yelled　to　the　distance　：　〃　Here's　an　empty　one。〃　He　clattered　into　the　compartment。　〃　Hello；　Coleman！　Didn't　know　you　were　in　here！　〃　At　his　heels　came　Nora　Black；　Coke　and　Marjory。　〃　Oh！　〃　they　said；　when　they　saw　the　occupant　of　the　carriage。　〃　Oh　！　〃　Coleman　was　furious。　He　could　have　distributed　some　of　his　traps　in　a　way　to　create　more　room；　but　he　did　not　move。







CHAPTER　XXIV。

THERE　was　a　demonstration　of　the　unequalled　facilities　of　a　European　railway　carriage　for　rendering　unpleasant　things　almost　intolerable。　These　people　could　find　no　way　to　alleviate　the　poignancy　of　their　position。　Coleman　did　not　know　where　to　look。　Every　personal　mannerism　becomes　accentuated　in　a　European　railway　carriage。　If　you　glance　at　a　man；　your　glance　defines　itself　as　a　stare。　If　you　carefully　look　at　nothing；　you　create　for　yourself　a　resemblance　to　all　wooden…headed　things。　A　newspaper　is；　then；　in　the　nature　of　a　preservative；　and　Coleman　longed　for　a　newspaper。

It　was　this　abominable　railway　carriage　which　exacted　the　first　display　of　agitation　from　Marjory。　She　flushed　rosily；　and　her　eyes　wavered　over　the　cornpartment。　Nora　Black　laughed　in　a　way　that　was　a　shock　to　the　nerves。　Coke　seemed　very　angry；　indeed；　and　Peter　Tounley　was　in　pitiful　distress。　Everything　was　acutely；　painfully　vivid；　bald；　painted　as　glaringly　as　a　grocer's　new　wagon。　It　fulfilled　those　traditions　which　the　artists　deplore　when　they　use　their　pet　phrase　on　a　picture；　〃It　hurts。〃　The　damnable　power　of　accentuation　of　the　European　railway　carriage　seemed；　to　Coleman's　amazed　mind；　to　be　redoubled　and　redoubled。

It　was　Peter　Tounley　who　seemed　to　be　in　the　greatest　agony。　He　looked　at　the　correspondent　beseechingly　and　said：　〃It's　a　very　cold　morning；　Coleman。〃　This　was　an　actual　appeal　in　the　name　of　humanity。

Coleman　came　squarely。　to　the　front　and　even　grinned　a　little　at　poor　Peter　Tounley's　misery。　〃Yes；　it　is　a　cold　morning；　Peter。　I　should　say　it　to　one　of　the　coldest　mornings　in　my　recollection。〃

Peter　Tounley　had　not　intended　a　typical　American　emphasis　on　the　polar　conditions　which　obtained　in　the　compartment　at　this　time；　but　Coleman　had　given　the　word　this　meaning。　Spontaneously　every　body　smiled；　and　at　once　the　tension　was　relieved。　But　of　course　the　satanic　powers　of　the　railway　carriage　could　not　be　altogether　set　at　naught。　Of　course　it　fell　to　the　lot　of　Coke　to　get　the　seat　directly　in　front　of　Coleman；　and　thus；　face　to　face；　they　were　doomed　to　stare　at　each　other。

Peter　Tounley　was　inspired　to　begin　conventional　babble；　in　which　he　took　great　care　to　make　an　appear。　ance　of　talking　to　all　in　the　carriage。　〃　Funny　thing　I　never　knew　these　mornings　in　Greece　were　so　cold。　I　thought　the　climate　here　was　quite　tropical。　It　must　have　been　inconvenient　in　the　ancient　times；　when；　I　am　told；　people　didn't　wear　near　so　many…　er…clothes。　Really；　I　don't　see　how　they　stood　it。　For　my　part；　I　would　like　nothing　so　much　as　a　buffalo　robe。　I　suppose　when　those　great　sculptors　were　doing　their　masterpieces；　they　had　to　wear　gloves。　Ever　think　of　that？　Funny；　isn't　it？　Aren't　you　cold；　Marjory　？　I　am。　jingo！　Imagine　the　Spartans　in　ulsters；　going　out　to　meet　an　enemy　in　cape…overcoats；　and　being　desired　by　their　mothers　to　return　　with　their　ulsters　or　wrapped　in　them。〃

It　was　rather　hard　work　for　Peter　Tounley。　Both　Marjory　and　Coleman　tried　to　display　an　interest　in　his　labours；　and　they　laughed　not　at　what　he　said；　but　because　they　believed　it　assisted　him。　The　little　train；　meanwhile；　wandered　up　a　great　green　slope；　and　the　day　rapidly　coloured　the　land。

At　first　Nora　Black　did　not　display　a　militant　mood；　but　as　time　passed　Coleman　saw　clearly　that　she　was　considering　the　advisability　of　a　new　attack。　She　had　Coleman　and　Marjory　in　conjunction　and　where　they　were　unable　to　escape　from　her。　The　opportunities　were　great。　To　Coleman；　she　seemed　to　be　gloating　over　the　possibilities　of　making　more　mischief。　She　was　looking　at　him　speculatively；　as　if　considering　the　best　place　to　hit　him　first。　Presently　she　drawled　：　〃　Rufus；　I　wish　you　would　fix　my　rug　about　me　a　little　better。〃　Coleman　saw　that　this　was　a　beginning。　Peter　Tounley　sprang　to　his　feet　with　speed　and　en…　thusiasm。　〃　Oh；　let　me　do　it　for　you。〃　He　had　her　well　muffled　in　the　rug　before　she　could　protest；　even　if　a　protest　had　been　rational。　The　young　man　had　no　idea　of　defending　Coleman。　He　had　no　knowledge　of　the　necessity　for　it。　It　had　been　merely　the　exercise　of　his　habit　of　amiability；　his　chronic　desire　to　see　everybody　comfortable。　His　passion　in　this　direction　was　well　known　in　Washurst；　where　the　students　had　borrowed　a　phrase　from　the　photographers　in　order　to　describe　him　fully　in　a　nickname。　They　called　him　〃　Look…pleasant　Tounley。〃　This　did　not　in　any　way　antagonise　his　perfect　willingness　to　fight　on　occasions　with　a　singular　desperation；　which　usually　has　a　small　stool　in　every　mind　where　good　nature　has　a　throne。

〃　Oh；　thank　you　very　much；　Mr。　Tounley；〃　said　Nora　Black；　without　gratitude。　〃　Rufus　is　always　so　lax　in　these　matters。〃

〃I　don't　know　how　you　know　it；〃　said　Coleman　boldly；　and　he　looked　her　fearlessly　in　the　eye。　The　battle　had　begun。

〃　Oh；〃　responded　Nora；　airily；　〃　I　have　had　opportunity　enough　to　know　it；　I　should　think；　by　this　time。〃

〃　No；〃　said　Coleman；　〃　since　I　have　never　paid　you　particular　and　direct　attention；　you　cannot　possibly　know　what　I　am　lax　in　and　what　I　am　not　lax　in。　I　would　be　obliged　to　be　of　service　at　any　time；　Nora；　but　surely　you　do　not　consider　that　you　have　a　right　to　my　services　superior　to　any　other　right。〃

Nora　Black　simply　went　mad；　but　fortunately　part　of　her　madness　was　in　the　form　of　speechlessness。　Otherwise　there　might　have　been　heard　something　　approaching　to　billingsgate。

Marjory　and　Peter　Tounley　turned　first　hot　and　then　cold；　and　looked　as　if　they　wanted　to　fly　away；　and　even　Coke；　penned　helplessly　in　with　this　unpleasant　incident；　seemed　to　have　a　sudden　attack　of　distress。　The　only　frigid　person　was　Coleman。　He　had　made　his　declaration　of　independence；　and　he　saw　with　glee　that　the　victory　was　complete。　Nora　Black　might　storm　and　rage；　but　he　had　announced　his　position　in　an　unconventional　blunt　way　which　nobody　in　the　carriage　could　fail　to　understand。　He　felt　somewhat　like　smiling　with　confidence　and　defiance　in　Nora's　face；　but　he　still　had　the　fear　for　Marjory。

Unexpectedly；　the　fight　was　all　out　of　Nora　Black。　She　had　the　fury　of　a　woman　scorned；　but　evidently　she　had　perceived　that　all　was　over　and　lost。　The　remainder　of　her　wrath　dispensed　itself　in　glares　which　Coleman　withstood　with　great　composure。

A　strained　silence　fell　upon　the　group　which　lasted　until　they　arrived　at　the　little　port　of　Mesalonghi；　whence　they　were　to　take　ship　for　Patras。　Coleman　found　himself　wondering　why　he　had　not　gone　flatly　at　the　great　question　at　a　much　earlier　period；　indeed　at　the　first　moment　when　the　great　question　began　to　make　life　exciting　for　him。　He　thought　that　if　he　had　charged　Nora's　guns　in　the　beginning　they　would　have　turned　out　to　be　the　same　incapable　artillery。　Instead　of　that　he　had　run　away　and　continued　to　run　away　until　he　was　actually　cornered　and　made　to　fight；　and　his　easy　victory　had　defined　him　as　a　person　who　had；　earlier；　indulged　in　much　stupidity　and　cowardice。　Everything　had　worked　out　so　simply；　his