the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第13章
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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
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
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
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
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 w
