the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第16节
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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
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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。
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〃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
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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 save in
his own country。 Columns of this were paid for and appeared as 〃patent
insides；〃 with a portrait of Doctor Gilman taken from the STILLWATER
COLLEGE ANNUAL； and a picture of the Grand Cross drawn from
imagination； in eight hundred newspapers of the Middle； Western； and
Eastern States。 special articles； paragraphs； portraits； and pictures of the
Grand Cross followed； and； using Stillwater as his base； Stetson continued
to flood the country。 Young Hines； the local correspondent； acting under
instructions by cable from Peter； introduced him to Doctor Gilman as a
traveller who lectured on Turkey； and one who was a humble admirer of
the author of the 〃Rise and fall。〃 Stetson； having studied it as a student
crams an examination； begged that he might sit at the feet of the master。
And for several evenings； actually at his feet； on the steps of the ivy…
covered cottage； the disguised press…agent drew from the unworldly and
unsuspecting scholar the simple story of his life。 To this； still in his
character as disciple and student； he added photographs he himself made
of the master； of the master's ivy…covered cottage； of his favorite walk
across the campus； of the great historian at work at his desk； at work in his
rose garden； at play with his wife on the croquet lawn。 These he held until
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the insignia should be actually presented。 This p
