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I went downstairs to my mother； who was sitting in the hall by the open
door。
〃Father says I may go！〃 I said。
She got up and took me in her arms。
〃My dear； I am so glad； although we shall miss you dreadfully。。。。 Hugh？〃
〃Yes； mother。〃
〃Oh； Hugh； I so want you to be a good man！〃
Her cry was a little incoherent； but fraught with a meaning that came
home to me； in spite of myself。。。。
A while later I ran over to announce to the amazed Tom Peters that I was
actually going to Harvard with him。 He stood in the half…lighted
hallway； his hands in his pockets； blinking at me。
〃Hugh； you're a wonder！〃 he cried。 〃How in Jehoshaphat did you work
it？〃。。。
I lay long awake that night thinking over the momentous change so soon to
come into my life； wondering exultantly what Nancy Willett would say now。
I was not one； at any rate； to be despised or neglected。
VI。
The following September Tom Peters and I went East together。 In the
early morning Boston broke on us like a Mecca as we rolled out of the old
Albany station； joint lords of a 〃herdic。〃 How sharply the smell of the
salt…laden east wind and its penetrating coolness come back to me！ I
seek in vain for words to express the exhilarating effect of that briny
coolness on my imagination； and of the visions it summoned up of the
newer； larger life into which I had marvellously been transported。 We
alighted at the Parker House； full…fledged men of the world； and tried to
act as though the breakfast of which we partook were merely an incident；
not an Event； as though we were Seniors； and not freshmen； assuming an
indifference to the beings by whom we were surrounded and who were
breakfasting； too；although the nice…looking ones with fresh faces and
trim clothes were all undoubtedly Olympians。 The better to proclaim our
nonchalance； we seated ourselves on a lounge of the marble…paved lobby
and smoked cigarettes。 This was liberty indeed！ At length we departed
for Cambridge； in another herdic。
Boston！ Could it be possible？ Everything was so different here as to
give the place the aspect of a dream： the Bulfinch State House； the
decorous shops； the still more decorous dwellings with the purple…paned
windows facing the Common； Back Bay； still boarded up； ivy…spread；
suggestive of a mysterious and delectable existence。 We crossed the
Charles River； blue…grey and still that morning； traversed a nondescript
district； and at last found ourselves gazing out of the windows at the
mellowed； plum…coloured bricks of the University buildings。。。。 All at
once our exhilaration evaporated as the herdic rumbled into a side street
and backed up before the door of a not…too…inviting； three…storied house
with a queer extension on top。 Its steps and vestibule were； however；
immaculate。 The bell was answered by a plainly overworked servant girl；
of whom we inquired for Mrs。 Bolton； our landlady。 There followed a
period of waiting in a parlour from which the light had been almost
wholly banished； with slippery horsehair furniture and a marble…topped
table； and Mrs。 Bolton； when she appeared； dressed in rusty black；
harmonized perfectly with the funereal gloom。 She was a tall； rawboned；
severe lady with a peculiar red…mottled complexion that somehow reminded
one of the outcropping rocks of her native New England soil。
〃You want to see your rooms； I suppose；〃 she remarked impassively when we
had introduced ourselves； and as we mounted the stairs behind her Tom； in
a whisper； nicknamed her 〃Granite Face。〃 Presently she left us。
〃Hospitable soul！〃 said Tom； who； with his hands in his pockets； was
gazing at the bare walls of our sitting…room。 〃We'll have to go into the
house…furnishing business； Hughie。 I vote we don't linger here to…day
we'll get melancholia。〃
Outside； however； the sun was shining brightly； and we departed
immediately to explore Cambridge and announce our important presences to
the proper authorities。。。。 We went into Boston to dine。。。。 It was not
until nine o'clock in the evening that we returned and the bottom
suddenly dropped out of things。 He who has tasted that first； acute
homesickness of college will know what I mean。 It usually comes at the
opening of one's trunk。 The sight of the top tray gave me a pang I shall
never forget。 I would not have believed that I loved my mother so much！
These articles had been packed by her hands； and in one corner； among the
underclothes on which she had neatly sewed my initials； lay the new Bible
she had bought。 〃Hugh Moreton Paret； from his Mother。 September； 1881。〃
I took it up （Tom was not looking） and tried to read a passage； but my
eyes were blurred。 What was it within me that pressed and pressed until
I thought I could bear the pain of it no longer？ I pictured the sitting…
room at home； and my father and mother there； thinking of me。 Yes； I
must acknowledge it； in the bitterness of that moment I longed to be back
once more in the railed…off space on the floor of Breck and Company；
writing invoices。。。。
Presently； as we went on silently with our unpacking； we became aware of
someone in the doorway。
〃Hello； you fellows！〃 he cried。 〃We're classmates； I guess。〃
We turned to behold an ungainly young man in an ill…fitting blue suit。
His face was pimply； his eyes a Teutonic blue； his yellow hair rumpled；
his naturally large mouth was made larger by a friendly grin。
〃I'm Hermann Krebs；〃 he announced simply。 〃Who are you？〃
We replied； I regret to say； with a distinct coolness that did not seem
to bother him in the least。 He advanced into the room； holding out a
large； red； and serviceable hand； evidently it had never dawned on him
that there was such a thing in the world as snobbery。 But Tom and I had
been 〃coached〃 by Ralph Hambleton and Perry Blackwood； warned to be
careful of our friendships。 There was a Reason！ In any case Mr。 Krebs
would not have appealed to us。 In answer to a second question he was
informed what city we hailed from； and he proclaimed himself likewise a
native of our state。
〃Why； I'm from Elkington！〃 he exclaimed； as though the fact sealed our
future relationships。 He seated himself on Tom's trunk and added：
〃Welcome to old Harvard！〃
We felt that he was scarcely qualified to speak for 〃old Harvard；〃 but we
did not say so。
〃You look as if you'd been pall…bearers for somebody；〃 was his next
observation。
To this there seemed no possible reply。
〃You fellows are pretty well fixed here；〃 he went on； undismayed； gazing
about a room which had seemed to us the abomination of desolation。 〃Your
folks must be rich。 I'm up under the skylight。〃
Even this failed to touch us。 His fatherhe told us with undiminished
candourhad been a German emigrant who had come over in '49； after the
cause of liberty had been lost in the old country； and made eye…glasses
and opera glasses。 There hadn't been a fortune in it。 He； Hermann； had
worked at various occupations in the summer time； from peddling to
farming； until he had saved enough to start him at Harvard。 Tom； who had
been bending over his bureau drawer； straightened up。
〃What did you want to come here for？〃 he deman