Active Service - Stephen Crane (librera reader .TXT) 📗

Before She Perceived

Coleman. " Oh," She Said And Stopped. Then She

Spoke The Immortal Sentence,  A Sentence Which,

Curiously Enough Is Common To The Drama,  To The

Novel,  And To Life. " I Thought No One Was Here."

She Looked as If She Was Going to Retreat,  But It Would

Have Been Hard To Make Such Retreat Graceful,  And

Probably For This Reason She Stood Her Ground.

 

Coleman Immediately Moved to A Point Between

Her And The Door. "You Are Not Going to Run Away

From Me,  Marjory Wainwright," He Cried,  Angrily.

" You At Least Owe It To Me To Tell Me Definitely That

You Don'T Love Me-That You Can'T Love Me-"

 

She Did Not Face Him With All Of Her Old Spirit,  But

She Faced him,  And In her Answer There Was The Old

Marjory. " A Most Common Question. Do You Ask

All Your Feminine Acquaintances That? "

 

"I Mean-" He Said. "I Mean That I Love You

And-"

 

"Yesterday-No. To-Day-Yes. To-Morrow-Who

Knows. Really,  You Ought To Take Some Steps To

Know Your Own Mind."

 

" Know My Own Mind," He Retorted in a Burst Of In-

Dignation. "You Mean You Ought To Take Steps To

Know Your Own Mind."

 

" My Own Mind! You-" Then She Halted in

Acute Confusion And All Her Face Went Pink. She Had

Been Far Quicker Than The Man To Define The Scene.

She Lowered her Head. Let Me Past,  Please-"

 

But Coleman Sturdily Blocked the Way And Even

Took One Of Her Struggling hands. "Marjory-"

And Then His Brain Must Have Roared with A Thousand

Quick Sentences For They Came Tumbling out,  One

Over The Other. * * Her Resistance To The Grip Of His

Fingers Grew Somewhat Feeble. Once She Raised her

Eyes In a Quick Glance At Him. * * Then Suddenly

She Wilted. She Surrendered,  She Confessed without

Words. " Oh,  Marjory,  Thank God,  Thank God-"

Peter Tounley Made A Dramatic Entrance On The

Gallop. He Stopped,  Petrified. "Whoo!" He Cried.

"My Stars! " He Turned and Fled. But Coleman

Called after Him In a Low Voice,  Intense With Agitation.

 

" Come Back Here,  You Young Scoundrel! Come Baok

Here I "

 

Peter Returned,  Looking very Sheepish. " I Hadn'T

The Slightest Idea You-"

 

" Never Mind That Now. But Look Here,  If You Tell

A Single Soul-Particularly Those Other Young

Scoundrels-I'Ll Break-"

 

" I Won'T,  Coleman. Honest,  I Won'T." He Was

Far More Embarrassed than Coleman And Almost Equally

So With Marjory. He Was Like A Horse Tugging at A

Tether. "I Won'T,  Coleman! Honest!"

 

" Well,  All Right,  Then." Peter Escaped.

 

The Professor And His Wife Were In their Sitting room

Writing letters. The Cablegrams Had All Been Answered,

But As The Professor Intended to Prolong His

Journey Homeward Into A Month Of Paris And London,

There Remained the Arduous Duty Of Telling their

Friends At Length Exactly What Had Happened. There

Was Considerable Of The Lore Of Olden Greece In the

Professor'S Descriptions Of Their Escape,  And In those

Of Mrs. Wainwright There Was Much About The Lack Of

Hair-Pins And Soap.

 

Their Heads Were Lowered over Their Writing when

The Door Into The Corridor Opened and Shut Quickly,

And Upon Looking up They Saw In the Room A Radiant

Girl,  A New Marjory. She Dropped to Her Knees By

Her Father'S Chair And Reached her Arms To His Neck.

" Oh,  Daddy! I'M Happy I I'M So Happy! "

 

" Why-What-" Began The Professor Stupidly.

 

" Oh,  I Am So Happy,  Daddy!

 

Of Course He Could Not Be Long In making his Conclusion.

The One Who Could Give Such Joy To Marjory

Was The One Who,  Last Night,  Gave Her Such Grief.

The Professor Was Only A Moment In understanding.

He Laid His Hand Tenderly Upon Her Head " Bless My

Soul," He Murmured. "And So-And So-He-"

 

At The Personal Pronoun,  Mrs. Wainwright Lum-

Bered frantically To Her Feet. " What ? " She Shouted.

Coleman ? "

 

" Yes," Answered marjory. " Coleman." As She

Spoke The Name Her Eyes Were Shot With Soft Yet

Tropic Flashes Of Light.

 

Mrs. Wainwright Dropped suddenly Back Into Her

Chair. "Well-Of-All-Things!"

The Professor Was Stroking his Daughter'S Hair And

Although For A Time After Mrs. Wainwright'S Outbreak

There Was Little Said,  The Old Man And The Girl Seemed

In Gentle Communion,  She Making him Feel Her Happiness,

He Making her Feel His Appreciation. Providentially

Mrs. Wainwright Had Been So Stunned by The

First Blow That She Was Evidently Rendered incapable Of

Speech.

 

" And Are You Sure You Will Be Happy With Him?

Asked her Father Gently.

 

" All My Life Long," She Answered.

 

" I Am Glad! I Am Glad! " Said The Father,  But Even

As He Spoke A Great Sadness Came To Blend With His

Joy. The Hour When He Was To Give This Beautiful

And Beloved life Into The Keeping of Another Had Been

Heralded by The God Of The Sexes,  The Ruthless God

That Devotes Itself To The Tearing of Children From The

Parental Arms And Casting them Amid The Mysteries Of

An Irretrievable Wedlock. The Thought Filled him

With Solemnity.

 

But In the Dewy Eyes Of The Girl There Was No Question.

The World To Her Was A Land Of Glowing promise.

 

" I Am Glad," Repeated the Professor.

 

The Girl Arose From Her Knees. " I Must Go Away

And-Think All About It," She Said,  Smiling. When

The Door Of Her Room Closed upon Her,  The Mother

Arose In majesty.

 

" Harrison Wainwright," She Declaimed,  "You Are

Not Going to Allow This Monstrous Thing! "

 

The Professor Was Aroused from A Reverie By These

Words. "What Monstrous Thing ? " He Growled.

 

" Why,  This Between Coleman And Marjory."

 

" Yes," He Answered boldly.

 

" Harrison! That Man Who-"

 

The Professor Crashed his Hand Down On The Table.

"Mary! I Will Not Hear Another Word Of It! "

 

" Well," Said Mrs. Wainwright,  Sullen And Ominous,

" Time Will Tell! Time Will Tell!"

 

When Coleman Bad Turned from The Fleeing peter

Tounley Again To Marjory,  He Found Her Making the

Preliminary Movements Of A Flight. "What'S The

Matter? " He Demanded anxiously.

 

" Oh,  It'S Too Dreadful"

 

" Nonsense," Lie Retorted stoutly. " Only Peter

Tounley! He Don'T Count. What Of That ? "

 

' Oh,  Dear! " She Pressed her Palm To A Burning

Cheek. She Gave Him A Star-Like,  Beseeching glance.

Let Me Go Now-Please."

 

" Well," He Answered,  Somewhat Affronted,  " If You

Like--"

 

At The Door She Turned to Look At Him,  And This

Glance Expressed in its Elusive Way A Score Of Things

Which She Had Not Yet Been Able To Speak. It Explained

That She Was Loth To Leave Him,  That She Asked

Forgiveness For Leaving him,  That Even For A Short Absence

She Wished to Take His Image In her Eyes,  That

He Must Not Bully Her,  That There Was Something now

In Her Heart Which Frightened her,  That She Loved him,

That She Was Happy---

 

When She Had Gone,  Coleman Went To The Rooms Of

The American Minister. A Greek Was There Who

Talked wildly As He Waved his Cigarette. Coleman

Waited in well-Concealed impatience For The Dvapora-

Tion Of This Man. Once The Minister,  Regarding the

Correspondent Hurriedly,  Interpolated a Comment.

" You Look Very Cheerful ? "

 

" Yes," Answered coleman,  " I'Ve Been Taking your

Advice."

 

" Oh,  Ho ! " Said The Minister.

 

The Greek With The Cigarette Jawed endlessly.

Coleman Began To Marvel At The Enduring good Man-

Ners Of The Minister,  Who Continued to Nod And Nod In

Polite Appreciation Of The Greek'S Harangue,  Which,

Coleman Firmly Believed,  Had No Point Of Interest

Whatever. But At Last The Man,  After An Effusive Farewell,

Went His Way.

 

" Now," Said The Minister,  Wheeling in his Chair

Tell Me All About It."

 

Coleman Arose,  And Thrusting his Hands Deep In his

Trousers' Pockets,  Began To Pace The Room With Long

Strides. He,  Said Nothing,  But Kept His Eyes On The

Floor.

 

" Can I Have A Drink ? " He Asked,  Abruptly Pausing.

 

" What Would You Like? " Asked the Minister,  Benevolently,

As He Touched the Bell.

 

" A Brandy And Soda. I'D Like It Very Much. You

See," He Said,  As He Resumed his Walk,  " I Have No Kind

Of Right To Burden You With My Affairs,  But,  To Tell The

Truth,  If I Don'T Get This News Off My Mind And Into

Somebody'S Ear,  I'Ll Die. It'S This-I Asked marjory

Wainwright To Marry Me,  And-She Accepted,  And-

That'S All."

 

" Well,  I Am Very Glad," Cried the Minister,  Arising

And Giving his Hand. "And As For Burdening me With

Your Affairs,  No One Has A Better Right,  You Know,

Since You Released me From The Persecution Of Washington

And The Friends Of The Wainwrights. May Good

Luck Follow You Both Forever. You,  In my Opinion,

Are A Very,  Very Fortunate Man. And,  For Her Part

She Has Not Done Too Badly."

 

Seeing that It Was Important That Coleman Should

Have His Spirits Pacified in part,  The Minister Continued:

" Now,  I Have Got To Write An Official Letter,  So You

Just Walk Up And Down Here And Use Up This Surplus

Steam. Else You'Ll Explode."

 

But Coleman Was Not To Be Detained. Now That He

Had Informed the Minister,  He Must Rush Off Some.

Where,  Anywhere,  And Do-He Knew Not What.

 

All Right," Said The Minister,  Laughing. " You

Have A Wilder Head Than I Thought. But Look Here,"

He Called,  As Coleman Was Making for The Door. " Am

I To Keep This News A Secret? "

 

Coleman With His Hand On The Knob,  Turned im.

Pressively. He Spoke With Deliberation. " As Far As

I Am Concerned,  I Would Be Glad To See A Man Paint It

In Red letters,  Eight Feet High,  On The Front Of The King'S

Palace."

 

The Minister,  Left Alone,  Wrote Steadily And Did Not

Even Look Up When Peter Tounley And Two Others

Entered,  In response To His Cry Of Permission. How

Ever,  He Presently Found Time To Speak Over His

Shoulder To Them. "Hear The News?"

 

"No,  Sir," They Answered.

 

" Well,  Be Good Boys,  Now,  And Read The Papers And

Look At Pictures Until I Finish This Letter. Then I Will Tell You."

 

They Surveyed him Keenly. They Evidently

Judged that The News Was Worth Hearing,  But,  Obediently,

They Said Nothing. Ultimately The Minister

Affixed a Rapid Signature To The Letter,  And Turning,

Looked at The Students With A Smile.

" Haven'T Heard The News,  Eh ?"

 

"No,  Sir."

 

"Well,  Marjory Wainwright Is Engaged to Marry

Coleman."

 

The Minister Was Amazed to See The Effect Of This

Announcement Upon The Three Students. He Had Expected

The Crows And Cackles Of Rather Absurd

Merriment With Which Unbearded youth Often Greets,

Such News. But There Was No Crow Or Cackle. One

Young Man Blushed scarlet And Looked guiltily At The

Floor. With A Great Effort He Muttered: " Shes Too

Good For Him." Another Student Had Turned ghastly

Pate And Was Staring. It Was Peter Tounley Who Relieved

The Minister'S Mind,  For Upon That Young Man'S

Face Was A Broad Jack-O-Lantern Grin,  And The Minister

Saw That,  At Any Rate,  He Had Not Made A Complete

Massacre.

 

Peter Tounley Said Triumphantly: "I Knew It ! "

 

The Minister Was Anxious Over The Havoc He Had

Wrought With The Two Other Students,  But Slowly The

Colour Abated in one Face And Grew In the Other.  To

Give Them Opportunity,  The Minister Talked busily To

Peter Tounley. "And How Did You Know It,  You

Young Scamp ?"

 

Peter Was Jubilant. " Oh,  -I Knew It! I Knew It I

I Am Very Clever."

 

The Student Who Had Blushed now Addressed the

Minister In a Slightly Strained voice. " Are You Positive

That It Is True,  Mr. Gordner?,"

 

" I Had It On The Best Authority," Replied the Minister Gravely.

 

The Student Who Had Turned pale Said: " Oh,  It'S

True,  Of Course."

 

" Well," Said Crudely The One Who Had Blushed,

She'S A Great Sight Too Good For Coleman Or Anybody

Like Him. That'S All I'Ve Got To Say."

 

" Oh,  Coleman Is A Good Fellow," Said Peter Tounley,

Reproachfully. " You'Ve No Right To Say That-Exactly.

You Don'T Know Where You'D. Be Now If It Were Not For

Coleman."

 

The,  Response Was,  First,  An Angry Gesture. " Oh,

Don'T Keep Everlasting rubbing that In.  For Heaven'S

Sake,  Let Up. - Supposing i Don'T. Know Where I'D Be

Now If,It Were Not For Rufus Coleman? What Of It?

For The Rest Of My Life Have I Got To--"

 

The Minister Saw. That This Was The Embittered speech

Of A Really Defeated youth,  So,  To Save Scenes,  He Gently

Ejected the Trio. " There,  There,  Now ! Run Along

Home Like Good Boys. I'Ll Be Busy Until Luncheon.

And I -Dare Say You Won'T Find Coleman Such A Bad

Chap."'

 

In The Corridor,  One Of The Students Said Offensively

To Peter Tounley : " Say,  How In hell Did You Find

Out All This So Early ? "

 

Peter'S Reply Was Amiable In tone. " You Are A

Damned bleating little Kid And You Made A Holy Show

Of Yourself Before Mr. Gordner. There'S Where You

Stand.  Didn'T You See That He Turned us Out Because

He Didn'T Know But What You Were Going to Blubber

Or Something. - You Are A Sucking pig,  And If You

Want To Know How I Find Out Things Go Ask The Delphic

Oracle,  You Blind Ass."

 

"