THE COLLEGE AND THE CIRCUS
could have done much, but I would have kept my mouth shut, anyhow. Or if he had only tackled me five minutes ago it wouldn't have been so bad, but now—the fire's started, and I don't see how I can stop it. Listen to that!" A few loud voices in the distance were already shouting, with evident enthusiasm: "Hel-lo-o! Everybody! Indignation meeting—eight o'clock this evening—in the English room. Everybody come!"
The only thing for Stehman to do now was to get up in the mass meeting and urge obedience to the Faculty's command. It made him flush to think of it. "They wouldn't understand," he said to himself. "They would only know that that Mexican mucker is laying for me—or else they'd think that because I'm on probation I'm afraid—of course they would. They all saw the President talking to me; they could draw their own conclusions. Besides, what would be the use? I couldn't tell them to be good little boys; they wouldn't take me seriously; they would think I was a hypocrite." It was a disquieting thought. "If it would be
30
