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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 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
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 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。 Stimso