按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Two weeks later； when Peter arrived at Stillwater to take the
history examination； which； should he pass it； would give him
his degree； he found on every side evidences of the
〃worldwide fame〃 he himself had created。 The newsstand at the
depot； the book…stores； the drugstores； the picture…shops；
all spoke of Doctor Gilman； and postcards showing the ivy…
covered cottage； photographs and enlargements of Doctor
Gilman； advertisements of the different。 editions of 〃the〃
history proclaimed his fame。 Peter； fascinated by the success
of his own handiwork； approached the ivy…covered cottage in a
spirit almost of awe。 But Mrs。 Gilman welcomed him with the
same kindly； sympathetic smile with which she always gave
courage to the unhappy ones coming up for examinations； and
Doctor Gilman's high honors in no way had spoiled his gentle
courtesy。
The examination was in writing； and when Peter had handed in
his papers Doctor Gilman asked him if he would prefer at once
to know the result。
〃I should indeed！〃 Peter assured him。
〃Then I regret to tell you； Hallowell；〃 said the professor；
〃that you have not passed。 I cannot possibly give you a mark
higher than five。〃 In real sympathy the sage of Stillwater
raised his eyes； but to his great astonishment he found that
Peter； so far from being cast down or taking offense； was
smiling delightedly； much as a fond parent might smile upon
the precocious act of a beloved child。
〃I am afraid；〃 said Doctor Gilman gently； 〃that this summer
you did not work very hard for your degree！〃
Peter Laughed and picked up his hat。
〃To tell you the truth； Professor；〃 he said； 〃you're right I
got working for something worth whileand I forgot about the
degree。〃
Chapter 3。 THE INVASION OF ENGLAND
This is the true inside story of the invasion of England in
1911 by the Germans； and why it failed。 I got my data from
Baron von Gottlieb； at the time military attach？of the
German Government with the Russian army in the second
Russian…Japanese War； when Russia drove Japan out of
Manchuria； and reduced her to a third…rate power。 He told me
of his part in the invasion as we sat； after the bombardment
of Tokio； on the ramparts of the Emperor's palace； watching
the walls of the paper houses below us glowing and smoking
like the ashes of a prairie fire。
Two years before； at the time of the invasion； von Gottlieb
had been Carl Schultz； the head…waiter at the East Cliff
Hotel at Cromer； and a spy。
The other end of the story came to me through Lester Ford；
the London correspondent of the New York Republic。 They gave
me permission to tell it in any fashion I pleased； and it is
here set down for the first time。
In telling the story； my conscience is not in the least
disturbed； for I have yet to find any one who will believe
it。
What led directly to the invasion was that some week…end
guest of the East Cliff Hotel left a copy of 〃The Riddle of
the Sands〃 in the coffee…room； where von Gottlieb found it；
and the fact that Ford attended the Shakespeare Ball。 Had
neither of these events taken place； the German flag might
now be flying over Buckingham Palace。 And； then again； it
might not。
As every German knows； 〃The Riddle of the Sands〃 is a novel
written by a very clever Englishman in which is disclosed a
plan for the invasion of his country。 According to this plan
an army of infantry was to be embarked in lighters； towed by
shallow…draft； sea…going tugs； and despatched simultaneously
from the seven rivers that form the Frisian Isles。 From there
they were to be convoyed by battle…ships two hundred and
forty miles through the North Sea； and thrown upon the coast
of Norfolk somewhere between the Wash and Mundesley。 The fact
that this coast is low…lying and bordered by sand flats which
at low water are dry； that England maintains no North Sea
squadron； and that her nearest naval base is at Chatham； seem
to point to it as the spot best adapted for such a raid。
What von Gottlieb thought was evidenced by the fact that as
soon as he read the book he mailed it to the German
Ambassador in London； and under separate cover sent him a
letter。 In this he said： 〃I suggest your Excellency bring
this book to the notice of a certain royal personage； and of
the Strategy Board。 General Bolivar said； 'When you want
arms； take them from the enemy。' Does not this also follow
when you want ideas？〃
What the Strategy Board thought of the plan is a matter of
history。 This was in 1910。 A year later； during the
coronation week； Lester Ford went to Clarkson's to rent a
monk's robe in which to appear at the Shakespeare Ball； and
while the assistant departed in search of the robe； Ford was
left alone in a small room hung with full…length mirrors and
shelves； and packed with the uniforms that Clarkson rents for
Covent Garden balls and amateur theatricals。 While waiting；
Ford gratified a long； secretly cherished desire to behold
himself as a military man； by trying on all the uniforms on
the lower shelves； and as a result； when the assistant
returned； instead of finding a young American in English
clothes and a high hat； he was confronted by a German officer
in a spiked helmet fighting a duel with himself in the
mirror。 The assistant retreated precipitately； and Ford；
conscious that he appeared ridiculous； tried to turn the
tables by saying； 〃 Does a German uniform always affect a
Territorial like that？〃
The assistant laughed good…naturedly。
〃It did give me quite a turn；〃 he said。 〃It's this talk of
invasion； I fancy。 But for a fact； sir； if I was a Coast
Guard； and you came along the beach dressed like that； I'd
take a shot at you； just on the chance； anyway。〃
〃And； quite right； too！〃 said Ford。
He was wondering when the invasion did come whether he would
stick at his post in London and dutifully forward the news to
his paper； or play truant and as a war correspondent watch
the news in the making。 So the words of Mr。 Clarkson's
assistant did not sink in。 But a few weeks later young Major
Bellew recalled them。 Bellew was giving a dinner on the
terrace of the Savoy Restaurant。 His guests were his nephew；
young Herbert； who was only five years younger than his
uncle； and Herbert's friend Birrell； an Irishman； both in
their third term at the university。 After five years' service
in India； Bellew had spent the last 〃Eights〃 week at Oxford；
and was complaining bitterly that since his day the
undergraduate had deteriorated。 He had found him serious；
given to study； far too well behaved。 Instead of Jorrocks； he
read Galsworthy； instead of 〃wines〃 he found pleasure in
debating clubs where he discussed socialism。 Ragging；
practical jokes； ingenious hoaxes； that once were wont to set
England in a roar； were a lost art。 His undergraduate guests
combated these charges fiercely。 His criticisms they declared
unjust and without intelligence。
〃You're talking rot！〃 said his dutiful nephew。 〃Take Phil
here； for example。 I've roomed with him three years and I can
testify that he has never opened a book。 He never heard of
Galsworthy until you spoke of him。 And you can see for
yourself his table manners are quite as bad as yours！〃
〃Worse！〃 assented Birrell loyally。
〃And as for ragging！ What rags； in your day； were as good as
ours； as the Carrie Nation rag； for instance； when five
hundred people sat through a temperance lecture and never
guessed they were listening to a man from Balliol？〃
〃And the Abyssinian Ambassador rag！〃 cried Herbert。 〃What
price that？ When the DREADNOUGHT manned the yards for him and
gave him seventeen guns。 That was an Oxford rag； and carried
through by Oxford men。 The country hasn't stopped laughing
yet。 You give us a rag！〃 challenged Herbert。 〃 Make it as
hard as you like； something risky； something that will make
the country sit up； something that will send us all to jail；
and Phil and I will put it through whether it takes one man
or a dozen。 Go on；〃 he persisted； 〃And I bet we can get fifty
volunteers right here in town and all of them
undergraduates。〃
〃Give you the idea； yes！〃 mocked Bellew； trying to gain time。
〃That's just what I say。 You boys to…day are so dull。 You
lack ini