the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第13节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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
44
… Page 45…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
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
45
… Page 46…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
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
46
… Page 47…
THE RED CROSS GIRL
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
