the red cross girl-第13节
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〃There are few sentries at Stillwater；〃 said Peter； 〃but I
want the best and I want it quick。 Get me the fourth class。〃
The next morning he was surprised by an early visit from
Stimson of the embassy。 The secretary was considerably
annoyed。
〃My dear Hallowell；〃 he protested； 〃why the devil didn't you
tell me you wanted a decoration？ Of course the State
department expressly forbids us to ask for one for ourselves；
or for any one else。 But what's the Constitution between
friends？ I'll get it for you at oncebut； on two conditions：
that you don't tell anybody I got it； and that you tell me
why you want it； and what you ever did to deserve it。〃
Instead； Peter explained fully and so sympathetically that
the diplomat demanded that he； too； should be enrolled as one
of the Gilman Defense Committee。
〃Doctor Gilman's history；〃 he said； 〃must be presented to the
Sultan。 You must have the five volumes rebound in red and
green； the colors of Mohammed； and with as much gold tooling
as they can carry。 I hope；〃 he added； they are not soiled。〃
〃Not by me；〃 Peter assured him。
〃I will take them myself；〃 continued Stimson； 〃to Muley
Pasha； the minister of foreign affairs； and ask him to
present them to his Imperial Majesty。 He will promise to do
so； but he won't； but he knows I know he won't so that is all
right。 And in return he will present us with the Order of the
Crescent of the third class。〃
〃Going up！〃 exclaimed Peter。 〃The third class。 That will cost
me my entire letter…of…credit。〃
〃Not at all；〃 said Stimson。 〃I've saved you from the
grafters。 It will cost you only what you pay to have the
books rebound。 And the THIRD class is a real honor of which
any one might be proud。 You wear it round your neck； and at
your funeral it entitles you to an escort of a thousand
soldiers。〃
〃I'd rather put up with fewer soldiers；〃 said Peter； 〃 and
wear it longer round my neck What's the matter with our
getting the second class or the first class？〃
At such ignorance Stimson could not repress a smile。
〃The first class；〃 he explained patiently； 〃is the Great
Grand Cross； and is given only to reigning sovereigns。 The
second is called the Grand Cross； and is bestowed only on
crowned princes； prime ministers； and men of world…wide
fame 。 。 。 。 〃
〃What's the matter with Doctor Gilman's being of world…wide
fame？〃 said Peter。 〃He will be some day； when Stetson starts
boosting。〃
〃Some day；〃 retorted Stimson stiffly； 〃 I may be an
ambassador。 When I am I hope to get the Grand Cross of the
Crescent； but not now。 I'm sorry you're not satisfied；〃 he
added aggrievedly。 〃No one can get you anything higher than
the third class； and I may lose my official head asking for
that。〃
〃Nothing is too good for old man Gilman；〃 said Peter； 〃nor
for you。 You get the third class for him； and I'll have
father make you an ambassador。〃
That night at poker at the club Peter sat next to Prince
Abdul； who had come from a reception at the Grand vizier 's
and still wore his decorations。 Decorations now fascinated
Peter； and those on the coat of the young prince he regarded
with wide…eyed awe。 He also regarded Abdul with wide…eyed
awe； because he was the favorite nephew of the Sultan； and
because he enjoyed the reputation of having the worst
reputation in Turkey。 Peter wondered why。 He always had found
Abdul charming； distinguished； courteous to the verge of
humility； most cleverly cynical； most brilliantly amusing。 At
poker he almost invariably won； and while doing so was so
politely bored； so indifferent to his cards and the cards
held by others； that Peter declared he had never met his
equal。
In a pause in the game； while some one tore the cover off a
fresh pack； Peter pointed at the star of diamonds that
nestled behind the lapel of Abdul's coat。
〃May I ask what that is？〃 said Peter。
The prince frowned at his diamond sunburst as though it
annoyed him； and then smiled delightedly。
〃It is an order；〃 he said in a quick aside； 〃bestowed only
upon men of world…wide fame。 I dined to…night；〃 he explained；
〃with your charming compatriot； Mr。 Joseph Stimson。〃
〃And Joe told？〃 said Peter。
The prince nodded。 〃Joe told；〃 he repeated； 〃but it is all
arranged。 Your distinguished friend； the Sage of Stillwater；
will receive the Crescent of the third class。〃
Peter's eyes were still fastened hungrily upon the diamond
sunburst。
〃Why；〃 he demanded； 〃can't some one get him one like that？〃
As though about to take offense the prince raised his
eyebrows； and then thought better of it and smiled。
〃There are only two men in all Turkey；〃 he said； 〃who could
do that。〃
〃And is the Sultan the other one？〃 asked Peter。 The prince
gasped as though he had suddenly stepped beneath a cold
shower； and then laughed long and silently。
〃You flatter me；〃 he murmured。
〃You know you could if you liked！〃 whispered Peter stoutly。
Apparently Abdul did not hear him。 〃I will take one card；〃 he
said。
Toward two in the morning there was seventy…five thousand
francs in the pot； and all save Prince Abdul and Peter had
dropped out。 〃Will you divide？〃 asked the prince。
〃Why should I？〃 said Peter。 〃I've got you beat now。 Do you
raise me or call？〃 The prince called and laid down a full
house。 Peter showed four tens。
〃I will deal you one hand； double or quits；〃 said the prince。
Over the end of his cigar Peter squinted at the great heap of
mother…of…pearl counters and gold…pieces and bank…notes。
〃You will pay me double what is on the table；〃 he said； 〃or
you quit owing me nothing。〃
The prince nodded。
〃Go ahead；〃 said Peter。
The prince dealt them each a hand and discarded two cards。
Peter held a seven； a pair of kings； and a pair of fours。
Hoping to draw another king； which might give him a three
higher than the three held by Abdul； he threw away the seven
and the lower pair。 He caught another king。 The prince showed
three queens and shrugged his shoulders。
Peter； leaning toward him； spoke out of the corner of his
mouth。
〃I'll make you a sporting proposition；〃 he murmured。 〃You owe
me a hundred and fifty thousand francs。 〃I'll stake that
against what only two men in the empire can give me。〃
The prince allowed his eyes to travel slowly round the circle
of the table。 But the puzzled glances of the other players
showed that to them Peter's proposal conveyed no meaning。
The prince smiled cynically。
〃For yourself？〃 he demanded。
〃For Doctor Gilman；〃 said Peter。
〃We will cut for deal and one hand will decide；〃 said the
prince。 His voice dropped to a whisper。 〃And no one must ever
know；〃 he warned。
Peter also could be cynical。
〃Not even the Sultan；〃 he said。
Abdul won the deal and gave himself a very good hand。 But the
hand he dealt Peter was the better one。
The prince was a good loser。 The next afternoon the GAZETTE
OFFICIALLY announced that upon Doctor Henry Gilman； professor
emeritus of the University of Stillwater； U。 S。 A。； the
Sultan had been graciously pleased to confer the Grand Cross
of the Order of the Crescent。
Peter flashed the great news to Stetson。 The cable caught him
at Quarantine。 It read： 〃Captured Crescent； Grand Cross。 Get
busy。〃
But before Stetson could get busy the campaign of publicity
had been brilliantly opened from Constantinople。 Prince
Abdul； although pitchforked into the Gilman Defense
Committee； proved himself one of its most enthusiastic
members。
〃For me it becomes a case of NOBLESSE OBLIGE；〃 he declared。
〃If it is worth doing at all it is worth doing well。 To…day
the Sultan will command that the 〃Rise and Fall〃 be
translated into Arabic； and that it be placed in the national
library。 Moreover； the University of Constantinople； the
College of Salonica； and the National Historical Society have
each elected Doctor Gilman an honorary member。 I proposed
him； the Patriarch of Mesopotamia seconded him。 And the
Turkish ambassador in America has been instructed to present
the insignia with his own hands。〃
Nor was Peter or Stimson idle。 To assist Stetson in his
press…work； and to further the idea that all Europe was now
clamoring for the 〃Rise and fall；〃 Peter paid an impecunious
but over…educated dragoman to translate it into five
languages； and Stimson officially wrote of this； and of the
bestowal of the Crescent to the State Department。 He pointed
out that not since General Grant had passed through Europe
had the Sultan so highly honored an American。 He added he had
been requested by the grand vizier who had been requested
by Prince Abdulto request the State Department to inform
Doctor Gilman of these high honors。 A request from such a
source was a command and； as desired； the State Department
wrote as requested by the grand vizier to Doctor Gilman； and
tendered congratulations。 The fact was sent out briefly from
Washington by Associated Press。 This official recognition by
the Government and by the newspapers was all and more than
Stetson wanted。 He took off his coat and with a megaphone；
rather than a pen； told the people of the United States who
Doctor Gilman was； who the Sultan was； what a Grand Cross
was； and why America's greatest historian was not without
honor
