Part 8 (2/2)
The next morning he was surprised by an early visit from Stimson of the emba.s.sy. The secretary was considerably annoyed.
”My dear Hallowell,” he protested, ”why the devil didn't you tell me you wanted a decoration? Of course the State department expressly forbids us to ask for one for ourselves, or for any one else. But what's the Const.i.tution between friends? I'll get it for you at once--but, on two conditions: that you don't tell anybody I got it, and that you tell me why you want it, and what you ever did to deserve it.”
Instead, Peter explained fully and so sympathetically that the diplomat demanded that he, too, should be enrolled as one of the Gilman Defense Committee.
”Doctor Gilman's history,” he said, ”must be presented to the Sultan.
You must have the five volumes rebound in red and green, the colors of Mohammed, and with as much gold tooling as they can carry. I hope,” he added, ”they are not soiled.”
”Not by me,” Peter a.s.sured him.
”I will take them myself,” continued Stimson, ”to Muley Pasha, the minister of foreign affairs, and ask him to present them to his Imperial Majesty. He will promise to do so, but he won't; but he knows I know he won't so that is all right. And in return he will present us with the Order of the Crescent of the third cla.s.s.”
”Going up!” exclaimed Peter. ”The third cla.s.s. That will cost me my entire letter-of-credit.”
”Not at all,” said Stimson. ”I've saved you from the grafters. It will cost you only what you pay to have the books rebound. And the THIRD cla.s.s is a real honor of which any one might be proud. You wear it round your neck, and at your funeral it ent.i.tles you to an escort of a thousand soldiers.”
”I'd rather put up with fewer soldiers,” said Peter, ”and wear it longer round my neck What's the matter with our getting the second cla.s.s or the first cla.s.s?”
At such ignorance Stimson could not repress a smile.
”The first cla.s.s,” he explained patiently, ”is the Great Grand Cross, and is given only to reigning sovereigns. The second is called the Grand Cross, and is bestowed only on crowned princes, prime ministers, and men of world-wide fame....”
”What's the matter with Doctor Gilman's being of world-wide fame?” said Peter. ”He will be some day, when Stetson starts boosting.”
”Some day,” retorted Stimson stiffly, ”I may be an amba.s.sador. When I am I hope to get the Grand Cross of the Crescent, but not now. I'm sorry you're not satisfied,” he added aggrievedly. ”No one can get you anything higher than the third cla.s.s, and I may lose my official head asking for that.”
”Nothing is too good for old man Gilman,” said Peter, ”nor for you.
You get the third cla.s.s for him, and I'll have father make you an amba.s.sador.”
That night at poker at the club Peter sat next to Prince Abdul, who had come from a reception at the Grand vizier's and still wore his decorations. Decorations now fascinated Peter, and those on the coat of the young prince he regarded with wide-eyed awe. He also regarded Abdul with wide-eyed awe, because he was the favorite nephew of the Sultan, and because he enjoyed the reputation of having the worst reputation in Turkey. Peter wondered why. He always had found Abdul charming, distinguished, courteous to the verge of humility, most cleverly cynical, most brilliantly amusing. At poker he almost invariably won, and while doing so was so politely bored, so indifferent to his cards and the cards held by others, that Peter declared he had never met his equal.
In a pause in the game, while some one tore the cover off a fresh pack, Peter pointed at the star of diamonds that nestled behind the lapel of Abdul's coat.
”May I ask what that is?” said Peter.
The prince frowned at his diamond sunburst as though it annoyed him, and then smiled delightedly.
”It is an order,” he said in a quick aside, ”bestowed only upon men of world-wide fame. I dined to-night,” he explained, ”with your charming compatriot, Mr. Joseph Stimson.”
”And Joe told?” said Peter.
The prince nodded. ”Joe told,” he repeated; ”but it is all arranged.
Your distinguished friend, the Sage of Stillwater, will receive the Crescent of the third cla.s.s.”
Peter's eyes were still fastened hungrily upon the diamond sunburst.
”Why,” he demanded, ”can't some one get him one like that?”
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