the red cross girl-第9章

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may　know　it　backwardand　forward　you　will　spend　this　summer
in　Turkeyin　Constantinopleuntil　I　send　you　permission　to
come　home。〃

〃Constantinople！〃　yelled　Peter。　〃In　August！　Are　you　serious？〃

〃　Do　I　look　it？〃　asked　Peter's　father。　He　did。

〃In　Constantinople；〃　explained　Mr。　Hallowell　senior；　〃there
will　be　nothing　to　distract　you　from　your　studies；　and　in
spite　of　yourself　every　minute　you　will　be　imbibing　history
and　local　color。〃

〃I'll　be　imbibing　fever；〃；　returned　Peter；　〃and　sunstroke　and
sudden　death。　If　you　want　to　get　rid　of　me；　why　don't　you
send　me　to　the　island　where　they　sent　Dreyfus？　It's　quicker。
You　don't　have　to　go　to　Turkey　to　study　about　Turkey。〃

〃You　do！〃　said　his　father。

Peter　did　not　wait　for　the　festivities　of　commencement　week。
All　day　he　hid　in　his　room；　packing　his　belongings　or　giving
them　away　to　e　members　of　his　class；　who　came　to　tell　him
what　a　rotten　shame　it　was；　and　to　bid　him　good…by。　They
loved　Peter　for　himself　alone；　and　at　losing　him　were　loyally
enraged。　They　sired　publicly　to　express　their　sentiments；　and
to　that　end　they　planned　a　mock　trial　of　the　Rise　and　Fall；〃
at　which　a　packed　jury　would　sentence　it　to　cremation。　They
planned　also　to　hang　Doctor　Gilman　in　effigy。　The　effigy　with
a　rope　round　its　neck　was　even　then　awaiting　mob　violence。　It
was　complete　to　the　silver…white　beard　and　the　gold
spectacles。　But　Peter　squashed　both　demonstrations。　He　did
not　know　Doctor　Gilman　had　been　forced　to　resign；　but　he
protested　that　the　horse…play　of　his　friends　would　make　him
appear　a　bad　loser。　〃It　would　look；　boys；〃　he　said；　〃as
though　I　couldn't　take　my　medicine。　Looks　like　kicking
against　the　umpire's　decision。　Old　Gilman　fought　fair。　He
gave　me　just　what　was　coming　to　me。　I　think　a　darn　sight　more
of　him　than　do　of　that　bunch　of　boot…lickers　that　had　the
colossal　nerve　to　pretend　I　scored　fifty！〃

Doctor　Gilman　sat　in　his　cottage　that　stood　the　edge　of　the
campus；　gazing　at　a　plaster　bust　of　Socrates　which　he　did　not
see。　Since　that　morning　he　had　ceased　to　sit　in　the　chair　of
history　at　Stillwater　College。　They　were　retrenching；　the
chancellor　had　told　him　curtly；　cutting　down　unnecessary
expenses；　for　even　in　his　anger　Doctor　Black　was　too
intelligent　to　hint　at　his　real　motive；　and　the　professor　was
far　too　innocent　of　evil；　far　too　detached　from　college
politics　to　suspect。　He　would　remain　a　professor　emeritus　on
half　pay；　but　he　no　longer　would　teach。　The　college　he　had
served　for　thirty　years…since　it　consisted　of　two　brick
buildings　and　a　faculty　of　ten　young　menno　longer　needed
him。　Even　his　ivy…covered　cottage；　in　which　his　wife　and　he
had　lived　for　twenty　years；　in　which　their　one　child　had
died；　would　at　the　beginning　of　the　next　term　be　required　of
him。　But　the　college　would　allow　him　those　six　months　in
which　to　〃look　round。〃　So；　just　outside　the　circle　of　light
from　his　student　lamp；　he　sat　in　his　study；　and　stared　with
unseeing　eyes　at　the　bust　of　Socrates。　He　was　not　considering
ways　and　means。　They　must　be　faced　later。　He　was　considering
how　he　could　possibly　break　the　blow　to　his　wife。　What
eviction　from　that　house　would　mean　to　her　no　one　but　he
understood。　Since　the　day　their　little　girl　had　died；　nothing
in　the　room　that　had　been　her　playroom；　bedroom；　and　nursery
had　been　altered；　nothing　had　been　touched。　To　his　wife；
somewhere　in　the　house　that　wonderful；　God…given　child　was
still　with　them。　Not　as　a　memory　but　as　a　real　and　living
presence。　When　at　night　the　professor　and　his　wife　sat　at
either　end　of　the　study　table；　reading　by　the　same　lamp；　he
would　see　her　suddenly　lift　her　head；　alert　and　eager；　as
though　from　the　nursery　floor　a　step　had　sounded；　as　though
from　the　darkness　a　sleepy　voice　had　called　her。　And　when
they　would　be　forced　to　move　to　lodgings　in　the　town；　to　some
students'　boarding…house；　though　they　could　take　with　them
their　books；　their　furniture；　their　mutual　love　and
comradeship；　they　must　leave　behind　them　the　haunting
presence　of　the　child；　the　colored　pictures　she　had　cut　from
the　Christmas　numbers　and　plastered　over　the　nursery　walls；
the　rambler　roses　that　with　her　own　hands　she　had　planted　and
that　now　climbed　to　her　window　and　each　summer　peered　into
her　empty　room。

Outside　Doctor　Gilman's　cottage；　among　the　trees　of　the
campus；　paper　lanterns　like　oranges　aglow　were　swaying　in　the
evening　breeze。　In　front　of　Hallowell　the　flame　of　a　bonfire
shot　to　the　top　of　the　tallest　elms；　and　gathered　in　a　circle
round　it　the　glee　club　sang；　and　cheer　succeeded　cheer…cheers
for　the　heroes　of　the　cinder　track；　for　the　heroes　of　the
diamond　and　the　gridiron　；　cheers　for　the　men　who　had　flunked
especially　for　one　man　who　had　flunked。　But　for　that　man　who
for　thirty　years　in　the　class　room　had　served　the　college
there　were　no　cheers。　No　one　remembered　him；　except　the　one
student　who　had　best　reason　to　remember　him。　But　this
recollection　Peter　had　no　rancor　or　bitterness　and；　still
anxious　lest　he　should　be　considered　a　bad　loser；　he　wished
Doctor　Gilman　a　every　one　else　to　know　that。　So　when　the
celebration　was　at　its　height　and　just　before　train　was　due
to　carry　him　from　Stillwater；　ran　across　the　campus　to　the
Gilman　cottage　say　good…by。　But　he　did　not　enter　the　cottage
He　went　so　far　only　as　half…way　up　the　garden　walk。　In　the
window　of　the　study　which　opened　upon　the　veranda　he　saw
through　frame　of　honeysuckles　the　professor　and　wife　standing
beside　the　study　table。　They　were　clinging　to　each　other；　the
woman　weep　silently　with　her　cheek　on　his　shoulder；　thin；
delicate；　well…bred　hands　clasping　arms；　while　the　man
comforted　her　awkward　unhappily；　with　hopeless；　futile
caresses。

Peter；　shocked　and　miserable　at　what　he　had　seen；　backed
steadily　away。　What　disaster　had　befallen　the　old　couple　he
could　not　imagine。　The　idea　that　he　himself　might　in　any　way
connected　with　their　grief　never　entered　mind。　He　was　certain
only　that；　whatever　the　trouble　was；　it　was　something　so
intimate　and　personal　that　no　mere　outsider　might　dare　to
offer　his　sympathy。　So　on　tiptoe　he　retreated　down　the　garden
walk　and；　avoiding　the　celebration　at　the　bonfire；　returned
to　his　rooms。　An　hour　later　the　entire　college　escorted　him
to　the　railroad　station；　and　with　〃He's　a　jolly　good　fellow〃
and　〃He's　off　to　Philippopolis　in　the　morning〃　ringing　in
his　ears；　he　sank　back　his　seat　in　the　smoking…car　and　gazed
at　the　lights　of　Stillwater　disappearing　out　of　his　life。　And
he　was　surprised　to　find　that　what　lingered　his　mind　was　not
the　students；　dancing　like　Indians　round　the　bonfire；　or　at
the　steps　of　the　smoking…car　fighting　to　shake　his　hand；　but
the　man　and　woman　alone　in　the　cottage　stricken　with　sudden
sorrow；　standing　like　two　children　lost　in　the　streets；　who
cling　to　each　other　for　comfort　and　at　the　same　moment
whisper　words　of　courage。

Two　months　Later；　at　Constantinople；　Peter；　was　suffering
from　remorse　over　neglected　opportunities；　from　prickly　heat；
and　from　fleas。　And　it　not　been　for　the　moving…picture　man；
and　the　poker　and　baccarat　at　the　Cercle　Oriental；　he　would
have　flung　himself　into　the　Bosphorus。　In　the　mornings　with
the　tutor　he　read　ancient　history；　which　he　promptly　forgot；
and　for　the　rest　of　the　hot；　dreary　day　with　the　moving…
picture　man　through　the　bazaars　and　along　the　water…front　he
stalked　suspects　for　the　camera。

The　name　of　the　moving…picture　man　was　Harry　Stetson。　He　had
been　a　newspaper　reporter；　a　press…agent；　and　an　actor　in
vaudeville　and　in　a　moving…picture　company。　Now　on　his　own
account　he　was　preparing　an　illustrated　lecture　on　the　East；
adapted　to　churches　and　Sunday…schools。　Peter　and　he　wrote　it
in　collaboration；　and　in　the　evenings　rehearsed　it　with
lantern　slides　before　an　audience　of　the　hotel　clerk；　the
tutor；　and　the　German　soldier　of　fortune　who　was　trying　to
sell　the　young　Turks　very　old　battleships。　Every　other
foreigner　had　fled　the　city；　and　the　entire　diplomatic　corps
had　removed　itself　to　the　summer　capital　at　Therapia。

There　Stimson；　the　first　secretary　of　the　embassy　and；　in　the
absence　of　the　ambassador；　CHARGE　D'AFFAIRES；　invited　Peter
to　become　his　guest。　Stimson　was　most　anxious　to　be　polite　to
Peter；　for　Hallowell　senior　was　a　power　in　the　party　then　in
office；　and　a　word　from　him　at　Washington　in　favor　of　a
rising　young　diplomat　would　do　no　harm。　But　Peter　was　afraid
his　father　would　consider　Therapia　〃out　of　bounds。〃


〃He　sent　me　to　Constantinople；〃　explained　Peter；　〃and　if　he
thinks　I'm　not　playing　the　game　the　Lord　only　knows　where　he
might　send　me　next…and　he　might　cut　off　my　allowance。〃

In　the　matter　of　allowance　Peter's　father　had　been　most
generous。　This　was　fortunate；　for　poker；　as　the　pashas　and
princes　played　it　at　he　Cercle；　was　no　game　for　cripples　or
children。　But；　owing　to　his　letter…of…credit　and　his　illspent
life；　Peter　was　able　to　hold　his　own　against　men　three　times
his　age　and　of　fortunes　nearly　equal　to　that　of　his　father。
Only　they　disposed　of　their　wealth　differently。　On　many
hot　evening　Peter　saw　as　much　of　their　money　scattered　over
the　green　table　as　his　father　had　spent　over　the　Hallowell
athletic　field。

In　this　fashion　Peter　spent　his　first　month　of　exilein　the
morning　trying　to　fill　his　brain　with　names　of　great　men　who
had　been　a　long　time　dead；　and　in　his　leisure　hours　with
local　color。　To　a　youth　of　his　active　spirit　it　was　a　full
life　without　joy　or　recompense。　A　Letter　from　Charley　Hines；
a　classmate　who　lived　at　Stillwater；　which　arrived　after
Peter　had　endured　six　weeks　of　Constantinople；　released　him
from　boredom　and　gave　life　a　real　interest。　It　was　a　letter
full　of　gossip　intended　to　amuse。　One　paragraph　failed　of　its
purpose。　It　read：　〃Old　man　Gilman　has　got　the　sack。　The
chancellor　offered　him　up　as　a　sacrifice　to　your　father；　and
because　he　was　unwise　enough　to　flunk　you。　He　is　to　move　out
in　September。　I　ran　across　them　last　week　when　I　was　looking
for　rooms　for　a　Freshman　cousin。　They　were　reserving　one　in
the　same　boarding…house。　It's　a　shame；　and　I　know　you'll
agree。　They　are　a　fine　old　couple；　and　I　don't　like　to　think
of　them　herding　with　Freshmen　in　a　shine　boardinghouse。　Black
always　was　a　swine。〃

Peter　spent　fully　ten　minutes　getting　to　the　cable　office。

〃Just　learned；〃　he　cabled　his　father；　〃Gilman　dismissed
because　flunked　me　consider　this　outrageous　please　see　he
is　reinstated。〃

The　answer；　which　arrived　the　next　day；　did　not　satisfy
Peter。　It　read：　〃Informed　Gilman　acted　through　spite　have　no
authority　as　you　know　to　interfere　any　act　of　black。〃

Since　Peter　had　learned　of　the　disaster　that　through　his
laziness　had　befallen　the　Gilmans；　his　indignation　at　the
injustice　had　been　hourly　increasing。　Nor　had　his　banishment
to　Constantinople　strengthened　his　filial　piety。　On　the
contrary；　it　had　rendered　him　independent　and　but　little
inclined　to　kiss　the　paternal　rod。　In　consequence　his　next
cable　was　not　conciliatory。

〃Dismissing　Gilman　Looks　more　Like　we　acted　through　spite
makes　me　appear　contemptible　Black　is　a　toady　will　do　as
you　direct　please　reinstate。〃

To　this　somewhat　peremptory　message　his　father　answered：

〃If　your　position　unpleasant　you