Whispering Tongues Read online

  CHAPTER IV.

  THE QUARREL OF FRIENDS.

  Parmenter, fresh from his extorted confession of hazing, went backacross the campus with his mind in a tumult. Half a dozen studentsspoke to him on the way, but he did not answer them. He could seenothing but Professor Lee's white, strong face; he could hear nothingbut his terrible words of condemnation.

  What right had this man to denounce him as brutal and unmanly? Would hehave dared to do so if he had known how deeply his own son was involvedin the mischief? It was plain that Charley had not told his father ofthe hazing. Van Loan must then have broken faith.

  But for the time all of Parmenter's anger was centered, not on VanLoan, who had betrayed him, but on Professor Lee, who had denounced him.

  Every moment some new recollection of the scene in President Mather'sstudy added fuel to the flame of his resentment. His indignation wasso great that it had not yet even occurred to him what punishment heshould receive for his offense, or whether he should receive any.

  He went up the section stairs blinded with passion, ready to strikeout savagely at anything and everything that pertained in any way toProfessor Lee.

  When he entered his room he found Charley Lee seated at his table.Certainly no meeting could have been more opportune for trouble.

  "I've been waiting for you," Charley said quietly. "I've just heardthat absurd story about father's opposition to your appointment to theprize stage."

  Parmenter went in and sat down. It was apparent that Charley did notknow what had just happened, and Parmenter was not quite ready to tellhim. He replied with forced coolness: "It seems to me that you're alittle late in gathering news, aren't you?"

  "Why, yes, I suppose so," answered Lee. "I might have known of it daysago if I'd been bright enough to take the hints I've had, and catch themeaning of the remarks I've overheard. But I didn't dream of such athing."

  "Oh, didn't you? Well, what do you think of it, now that you have heardabout it?"

  Parmenter was exasperatingly cool in manner and tone.

  "I don't know what to think of it," said Charley, "it has taken me soby surprise. I don't know whether it has any foundation in fact ornot. At any rate, any suggestion that father could have had any otherobject in view than to sustain his well-known opposition to physicalviolence of course you won't believe. Surely he has nothing against youpersonally."

  "No? Perhaps not; but can you explain to me why it was, then, that hechose me as the subject of his criticism and opposition? It occurs tome, for instance, that you were about as active in the rush as anyone,but I have not heard that any objections were raised to your going onthe prize stage."

  Lee's face turned red and then pale. Parmenter's speech cut deeply, buthe kept his temper. After a moment he said:

  "I don't think father intends to be unfair to anyone, nor partial toanyone, especially to me. And I repeat that he has nothing against youpersonally. I've heard him speak of you in the highest terms."

  "And I," responded Parmenter, deliberately, "have heard him speak of mein the lowest terms."

  "Fred, what do you mean?"

  "Just what I say. Within half an hour he has charged me with beingbrutal and criminal to the last degree."

  "There must be some mistake," stammered Lee, "somemisunderstanding--certainly he--"

  "None at all," interrupted Parmenter, rising from his chair and walkingthe floor savagely. "He did it knowingly, deliberately, cruelly, in thepresence of the entire faculty."

  A light dawned suddenly upon Lee's mind. "Was it about the hazing?" heasked.

  "Of course about the hazing. He had nothing else to bully me for. Itwas his last chance to put me down and clear the way for others."

  The fire that had been smoldering in Parmenter's breast was beginningto break out uncontrollably.

  Lee's face turned pale again. He was making an effort to hold himselfin check.

  "Don't be unjust, Fred," he said quietly. "You know that opposition tohazing is father's hobby, if he has one, and you should make allowancefor what he says in his excitement. But if you mean to insinuate thatfather is trying to push me up at your expense, I want you--"

  "I mean to insinuate nothing," interrupted Parmenter, hotly. "I sayplainly that there seems to be a powerful effort in some quarters tomake me the scapegoat for the sins of the whole class."

  "Fred, you are beside yourself."

  "It wouldn't be strange if I were. But what I'm saying is the truth.Who else was criticised and harassed for taking part in the rush?Tell me of another man! Who else is summoned before the faculty forhazing Van Loan, and browbeaten, abused, and insulted? Are you, forinstance? Tell me! Had you less to do with that affair than I? Yet youcan walk around in an atmosphere of innocence and honor, unharmed andunsuspected, while I, poor fool, must play the part of sacrificiallamb!"

  Parmenter's face was white with passion. He strode up and down thefloor like a madman.

  "Fred, be careful!" Lee's voice had a ring of danger in it now. "If VanLoan has betrayed you, do not charge it up to me and mine."

  "Oh, it was Van Loan, was it? I had my doubts whether I was indebted toVan Loan or you for that disclosure."

  This was cruel; besides, it was false, and Parmenter knew it; but hisrage was running away with his conscience and his tongue.

  "Take that back, Fred!" said Lee. "You know it's not true, and I won'tstand it!"

  "I take nothing back!" shouted Parmenter, angrily. "Do you hear me?Nothing!"

  "Then you are a coward and an ingrate, and I shall not stay to quarrelwith you!"

  "And I shall not attempt to detain you. Good-morning, sir!"

  The next moment Lee was gone, and the friendship that had grown closeand sweet between these young men through two years of college life hadbecome a shattered and pitiful wreck.

  Charley went down the section stairs and out on the campus, dazed andshocked. It was the cruellest blow his life had ever known. He wouldnever have dreamed that Parmenter could say such things to him, or hesuch things to Parmenter.

  He passed on across the campus with such a burden of sorrow and angeron his mind that he took no note where his steps were tending. Helooked up finally, and found himself in front of President Mather'sdoor. By some connection of ideas a new thought flashed into his mind.He stopped to consider it.

  "Why not?" he asked himself; "why not? It is right; it is just; thereis no reason why one should suffer and not both. I will do it, and doit now, while I have the strength, and then he cannot taunt me withgoing free while he suffers alone!"

  Charley walked rapidly up the steps and across the hall, and knockedat the president's door. He was bidden to enter. The members of thefaculty were still in the room, discussing Parmenter's case. Theylooked up at Lee in curiosity and surprise. He advanced toward thepresident and said:

  "Doctor Mather, I desire to say that I took part in the hazing ofFreshman Van Loan in April."

  The professors and tutors stared at him in open-eyed astonishment.

  "You did, Mr. Lee?" said the president interrogatively.

  "And whatever punishment," continued Charley, "anyone else receives forthat offense, I should receive the same."

  The president leaned forward in his chair. "We thank you, Mr. Lee,"he said, "for coming to us with this voluntary statement. Is thereanything else you wish to say about the matter--any explanation?"

  "No, nothing--except," turning for a moment toward his father, who satdumb with amazement and grief, "except that I am very sorry, indeed,especially on father's account."

  Then his lips trembled, his eyes filled with tears; he turned to leavethe room, and would have stumbled and fallen had not Tutor Delavantaken him kindly by the arm and led him away.

  It soon became known among the students that Parmenter and Lee had beenbefore the faculty in connection with the Van Loan case. The matterwas discussed freely at the dinner tables, on the campus, and in thesections; and opinions were many and varied as to the form and severityof the punishment that
would be meted out to the offenders.

  That evening, as Parmenter sat alone in his room, Tutor Delavan came inwith a letter for him. He delivered it with a few courteous words, andretired as quietly as he had come. Parmenter opened the letter and readit. It ran as follows:

  "CONCORD COLLEGE, May 5th.

  "MR. ALFRED B. PARMENTER:

  "_Dear Sir_,--The president and members of the faculty have taken into consideration your acknowledged connection with the hazing of Benjamin E. Van Loan on the night of April 12th. We greatly deprecate so serious a breach of college discipline. We desire to be as lenient with you as possible; but it is our duty and wish to banish this class of offenses from the college by any and every means in our power.

  "The judgment of the faculty is that your name be stricken from the list of competitors for the Sophomore prize of the present year; and that the competition for honors and prizes in your Junior year be likewise closed to you. It is accordingly so ordered, and of this order you will please take notice.

  "Yours with regret,

  "SYDENHAM E. MATHER, _President_.

  "_Attest_: R. E. HAGERMAN, _Secretary_."

  Parmenter laid the letter on his table, and stared from his windowacross the fields, the city, and the distant river to the far-offwestern hills. They were simply a dark, uneven band against a sky fromwhich the deepening twilight had brushed the last vestige of rose.

  The punishment was severe enough in all conscience. He could lay awaythe manuscript of his oration now, or burn it up as he chose; he wouldnever need it. He would indeed need nothing of the kind for two years.

  Two years of punishment and disgrace for an hour of silly revenge anddoubtful fun! To be cut off from the prize stage with the highest honoralmost within his grasp; it was hard, it was terrible!

  He had expected his mother and sister on at Commencement, to share inhis success. He would have to write to them now that they need notcome. Worse than that, he would have to tell them the reason why.

  There were others, too, people in the city, who knew of his hopes andambitions in oratory. He did not see how he could meet them now, orspeak to them on the subject.

  Another man would take his place on the stage. For some one else therewould be the golden opportunity, the exhilaration of oratory, theadmiration of the crowd, the ribboned bouquets, the rolling applause,the splendid triumph.

  Still he sat looking out upon the western sky. One star was glowing inthe clear expanse. Below the horizon there was nothing but darkness,pricked here and there by the lights of far-off electric lamps.

  At home there was a western porch where he had often sat with hismother and sister to watch just such an evening scene as this. His lipsbegan to quiver, and his eyes to fill with tears. He turned back intothe room, laid his head down on his bed, and gave way, for the firsttime in years, to a prolonged fit of weeping.

  But Parmenter's flood of tears had not the effect to clear his mentalsky.

  When he awoke on the following morning his heart was as hard and bittertoward Professor Lee as before; this feeling, strangely enough, stillovershadowing his resentment against Van Loan.

  As for Charley, Parmenter felt that it was all over between them now.The quarrel of the day before had settled that; and while, in his ownmind, he knew that he had provoked it, yet Charley had said somethings in his anger which he could not forget.

  After the blow had fallen, Parmenter had not cared to leave his roomuntil night, nor to converse with anybody; and he had not yet heard ofLee's confession.

  Coming back up the hill from a late breakfast that morning, and turningthe corner of South College to go into the chapel, he saw a crowd ofstudents at the bulletin-board reading and discussing some noticeposted thereon.

  He did not need to be told what it was. Instead of going to chapel tobe gazed at and commented on, he decided to pass directly to his room.When he was nearly across the campus he met Robinson hurrying over tochapel exercises.

  The bell was already tolling the final strokes, but Robinson stopped tospeak to him.

  "Well," he said, as if Parmenter already knew all about it, "you andCharley are cut."

  "Charley," exclaimed Parmenter in surprise. "What's he cut for?"

  "Why, for the Van Loan business, you know--same as you."

  "And who gave him away?"

  "Haven't you heard? He went in before the faculty yesterday, after theygot through with you, and accused himself--made a clean breast of it,voluntarily. What do you think of that?"

  Parmenter did not reply. He was too deeply moved to speak. Robinsonwent hurriedly on:

  "Yes, Bessick and Ogdenburg are put on in your places. The rest of usare trembling in our shoes, though I don't know why we need to; you andCharley won't give us away, and Van Loan can't. Say, Fred! is there anydoubt but what Van Loan broke his promise? Everybody thinks so."

  "Oh, I don't know, and I don't care now," replied Parmenter,impatiently. Robinson rattled on:

  "I hear he denies it; but there was no other way for it to get out,and he's such an all-round liar you can't believe him. Say, Fred, whenyou're sure of it just let us know; and if that Freshman don't sufferfor his perfidy, then--Oh, excuse me! There's the last bell."

  Robinson, who was an expert runner, shot across the campus, and enteredthe chapel on the heels of the last group of attendants.

  Parmenter passed on wearily to his room. And so Charley hadconfessed--and had been cut! Parmenter wondered what motive hadprompted the confession. Was it weakness or bravery?

  Well, there was some satisfaction in knowing that he himself was notthe only one to suffer. He did not know that he had much sympathy towaste on Charley, after all. He was sure he had none for Charley'sfather.

  He picked up a book and tried to study; but he read the pages over andover again without remembering a word that was printed on them. Deepin his breast a voice kept saying, "Poor Charley! poor Charley!"

  It aggravated him. He threw the book aside, put on his hat, and startedfor the city. At the college gate he came suddenly upon Lee, who waswalking up alone. His hands were deep in his pockets, his gait wasslow, his gaze was on the ground.

  When he looked up, Parmenter noticed that his face was pale andhaggard, and his eyes were bloodshot.

  Charley's appearance indicated that he had passed a sleepless night.He stopped, when he saw Parmenter, and seemed about to speak; but ina moment he changed his mind, for when Parmenter stopped in his turn,ready to reply to any friendly word, Lee passed on without a nod orsmile, or any kindly look.

  After that, whenever the two young men met, in the class-room, on thecampus, or the street, they had for each other nothing beyond themerest look of indifference, the merest nod of recognition.