the red cross girl-第8章

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for　those　final　examinations　which；　should　he　pass　them　even
by　a　nose；　would　gain　him　his　degree；　he　did　not　cheat。　He
may　have　been　too　honest；　too　confident；　too　lazy；　but　Peter
did　not　cheat。　It　was　the　professors　who　cheated。

At　Stillwater　College；　on　each　subject　on　which　you　are
examined　you　can　score　a　possible　hundred。　That　means
perfection；　and　in；　the　brief　history　of　Stillwater；　which
is　a　very；　new　college；　only　one　man　has　attained　it。　After
graduating　he　〃accepted　a　position〃　in　an　asylum　for　the
insane；　from　which　he　was；　promoted　later　to　the　poor…house；
where　he　died。　Many　Stillwater　undergraduates　studied　his
career　and；　lest　they　also　should　attain　perfection；　were
afraid　to　study　anything　else。　Among　these　Peter　was　by　far
the　most　afraid。

The　marking　system　at　Stillwater　is　as　follows：　If　in　all　the
subjects　in　which　you　have　been　examined　your　marks　added
together　give　you　an　average　of　ninety；　you　are　passed　〃with
honors〃；　if　of　seventy…five；　you　pass　〃with　distinction〃；　if
Of　fifty；　You　just　〃pass。〃　It　is　not　unlike　the　grocer's
nice　adjustment　of　fresh　eggs；　good　eggs；　and　eggs。　The
whole　college　knew　that　if　Peter　got　in　among　the　eggs　he
would　be　lucky；　but　the　professors　and　instructors　of
Stillwater　'were　determined　that；　no　matter　what　young
Hallowell　might　do　to　prevent　it；　they　would　see　that　he
passed　his　examinations。　And　they　constituted　the　jury　of
awards。　Their　interest　in　Peter　was　not　because　they　loved
him　so　much；　but　because　each　loved　his　own　vine…covered
cottage；　his　salary；　and　his　dignified　title　the　more。　And
each　knew　that　that　one　of　the　faculty　who　dared　to　flunk
the　son　of　old　man　Hallowell；　who　had　endowed　Stillwater；　who
supported　Stillwater；　and　who　might　be　expected　to　go　on
supporting　Stillwater　indefinitely；　might　also　at　the　same
time　hand　in　his　official　resignation。

Chancellor　Black；　the　head　of　Stillwater；　was　an　up…to…date
college　president。　If　he　did　not　actually　run　after　money　he
went　where　money　was；　and　it　was　not　his　habit　to　be
downright　rude　to　those　who　possessed　it。　And　if　any　three…
thousand…dollar…a…year　professor；　through　a　too　strict
respect　for　Stillwater's　standards　of　learning；　should　lose
to　that　institution　a　half…million…dollar　observatory；
swimming…pool；　or　gymnasium；　he　was　the　sort　of　college
president；　who　would　see　to　it　that　the　college　lost　also　the
services　of　that　too　conscientious　instructor。

He　did　not　put　this　in　writing　or　in　words；　but　just　before
the　June　examinations；　when　on；　the　campus　he　met　one　of　the
faculty；　he　would　inquire　with　kindly　interest　as　to　the
standing　of　young　Hallowell。

〃That　is　too　bad！〃　he　would　exclaim；　but；　more　in　sorrow　than
in　anger。　〃Still；　I　hope　the　boy　can　pull　through。　He　is　his
dear　father's　pride；　and　his　father's　heart　is　set　upon　his
son's　obtaining　his　degree。　Let　us　hope　he　will　pull
through。〃　For　four　years　every　professor　had　been　pulling
Peter　through；　and　the　conscience　of　each　had　become
calloused。　They　had　only　once　more　to　shove　him　through　and
they　would　be　free　of　him　forever。　And　so；　although　they　did
not　conspire　together；　each　knew　that　of　the　firing　squad
that　was　to　aim　its　rifles　at；　Peter；　HIS　rifle　would　hold
the　blank　cartridge。

The　only　one　of　them　who　did　not　know　this　was　Doctor　Henry
Gilman。　Doctor　Gilman　was　the　professor　of　ancient　and　modern
history　at　Stillwater；　and　greatly　respected　and　loved。　He
also　was　the　author　of　those　well…known　text…books；　〃The
Founders　of　Islam；〃　and　〃The　Rise　and　Fall　of　the　Turkish
Empire。〃　This　latter　work；　in　five　volumes；　had　been　not
unfavorably　compared　to　Gibbon's　〃Decline　and　Fall　of　the
Roman　Empire。〃　The　original　newspaper　comment；　dated　some
thirty　years　back；　the　doctor　had　preserved；　and　would
produce　it；　now　somewhat　frayed　and　worn；　and　read　it　to
visitors。　He　knew　it　by　heart；　but　to　him　it　always　possessed
a　contemporary　and　news　interest。

〃Here　is　a　review　of　the　history；〃　he　would　sayhe　always
referred　to　it　as　〃the〃　history〃that　I　came　across　in　my
TRANSCRIPT。〃

In　the　eyes　of　Doctor　Gilman　thirty　years　was　so　brief　a
period　that　it　was　as　though　the　clipping　had　been　printed
the　previous　after…noon。

The　members　of　his　class　who　were　examined　on　the　〃Rise　and
Fall；〃　and　who　invariably　came　to　grief　over　it；　referred　to
it　briefly　as　the　Fall；〃　sometimes　feelingly　as　〃the。　。　。　。
Fall。〃　The〃　history　began　when　Constantinople　was　Byzantium；
skipped　lightly　over　six　centuries　to　Constantine；　and　in　the
last　two　Volumes　finished　up　the　Mohammeds　with　the　downfall
of　the　fourth　one　and　the　coming　of　Suleiman。　Since　Suleiman；
Doctor　Gilman　did　not　recognize　Turkey　as　being　on　the　map。
When　his　history　said　the　Turkish　Empire　had　fallen；　then　the
Turkish　Empire　fell。　Once　Chancellor　Black　suggested　that　he
add　a　sixth　volume　that　would　cover　the　last　three　centuries。

〃In　a　history　of　Turkey　issued　as　a　text…book；〃　said　the
chancellor；　〃I　think　the　Russian…Turkish　War　should　be
included。〃

Doctor　Gilman；　from　behind　his　gold…rimmed　spectacles；　gazed
at　him　in　mild　reproach。　〃The　war　in　the　Crimea！〃　he
exclaimed。　〃Why；　I　was　alive　at　the　time。　I　know　about　it。
That　is　not　history。〃

Accordingly；　it　followed　that　to　a　man　who　since　the
seventeenth　century　knew　of　no　event；　of　interest；　Cyrus
Hallowell；　of　the　meat…packers'　trust；　was　not　an　imposing
figure。　And　such　a　man　the　son　of　Cyrus　Hallowell　was　but　an
ignorant　young　savage；　to　whom　〃the〃　history　certainly　had
been　a　closed　book。　And　so　when　Peter　returned　his
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　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　。　。　。　。〃

〃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　sonlook　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　allYOU　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　order　that　you
may　know　it　backwardand　forward　you　will　spend　this　summer
in　Turkeyin　Constantinopleunti