the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第11部分
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examination paper in a condition almost as spotless as that in which he
had received it； Doctor Gilman carefully and conscientiously； with malice
toward none and； with no thought of the morrow； marked〃 five。〃
Each of the other professors and instructors had marked Peter fifty。 In
their fear of Chancellor Black they dared not give the boy less； but they
refused to be slaves to the extent of crediting him with a single point
higher than was necessary to pass him。 But Doctor Gilman's five
completely knocked out the required average of fifty； and young Peter was
〃found〃 and could not graduate。 It was an awful business！ The only son of
the only Hallowell refused a degree in his father's own private collegethe
son of the man who had built the Hallowell Memorial； the new Laboratory；
the Anna Hallowell Chapel； the Hallowell Dormitory； and the Hallowell
Athletic Field。 When on the bulletin board of the dim hall of the Memorial
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to his departed grandfather Peter read of his own disgrace and downfall；
the light the stained…glass window cast upon his nose was of no sicklier a
green than was the nose itself。 Not that Peter wanted an A。M。 or an A。B。；
not that he desired laurels he had not won； but because the young man was
afraid of his father。 And he had cause to be。 Father arrived at Stillwater the
next morning。 The interviews that followed made Stillwater history。
〃My son is not an ass！〃 is what Hallowell senior is said to have said to
Doctor Black。 〃And if in four years you and your faculty cannot give him
the rudiments of an education； I will send him to a college that can。 And
I'll send my money where I send Peter。〃
In reply Chancellor Black could have said that it was the fault of the
son and not of the college； he could have said that where three men had
failed to graduate one hundred and eighty had not。 But did he say that？ Oh；
no； he did not say that！ He was not that sort of； a college president。 Instead；
he remained calm and sympathetic； and like a conspirator in a comic opera
glanced apprehensively round his； study。 He lowered his voice。
〃There has been contemptible work here； 〃he whispered〃spite and a
mean spirit of reprisal。 I have been making a secret investigation； and I
find that this blow at your son and you； and at the good name of our
college was struck by one man； a man with a grievanceDoctor Gilman。
Doctor Gilman has repeatedly desired me to raise his salary。〃 This did not
happen to be true； but in such a crisis Dotor Black could not afford to be
too particular。
〃I have seen no reason for raising his salaryand there you have the
explanation。 In revenge he has made this attack。 But he overshot his mark。
In causing us temporary embarrassment he has brought about his own
downfall。 I have already asked for his resignation。〃
Every day in the week Hallowell was a fair； sane man； but on this
particular day he was wounded； his spirit was hurt； his self…esteem
humiliated。 He was in a state of mind to believe anything rather than that
his son was an idiot。
〃I don't want the man discharged；〃 he protested； 〃just because Peter is
lazy。 But if Doctor Gilman was moved by personal considerations； if he
sacrificed my Peter in order to get even 。 。 。 。〃
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〃That；〃 exclaimed Black in a horrified whisper； 〃is exactly what he did！
Your generosity to the college is well known。 You are recognized all over
America as its patron。 And he believed that when I refused him an increase
in salary it was really you who refused itand he struck at you through
your son。 Everybody thinks so。 The college is on fire with indignation。
And look at the mark he gave Peter！ Five！ That in itself shows the malice。
Five is not a mark； it is an insult！ No one； certainly not your brilliant son
look how brilliantly he managed the glee…club and foot…ball touris stupid
enough to deserve five。 No； Doctor Gilman went too far。 And he has been
justly punished！〃
What Hallowell senior was willing to believe of what the chancellor
told him； and his opinion of the matter as expressed to Peter； differed
materially。
〃They tell me；〃 he concluded； 〃that in the fall they will give you
another examination； and if you pass then； you will get your degree。 No
one will know you've got it。 They'll slip it to you out of the side…door like
a cold potato to a tramp。 The only thing people will know is that when
your classmates stood up and got their parchmentsthe thing they'd been
working for four years； the only reason for their going to college at all
YOU were not among those present。 That's your fault； but if you don't get
your degree next fall that will be my fault。 I've supported you through
college and you've failed to deliver the goods。 Now you deliver them next
fall； or you can support yourself。〃
〃That will be all right；〃 said Peter humbly； 〃I'll pass next fall。〃
〃I'm going to make sure of that；〃 said Hallowell senior。 〃To… morrow
you will take those history books that you did not open； especially
Gilman's 'Rise and Fall；' which it seems you have not even purchased； and
you will travel for the entire summer with a private tutor 。 。 。 。〃
Peter； who had personally conducted the foot…ball and base… ball teams
over half of the Middle States and daily bullied and browbeat them；
protested with indignation。 〃WON'T travel with a private tutor！〃
〃If I say so；〃 returned Hallowell senior grimly； 〃you'll travel with a
governess and a trained nurse； and wear a strait jacket。 And you'll continue
to wear it until you can recite the history of Turkey backward。 And in
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order that you 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
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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
