Gladiator - Philip Wylie (readnow .TXT) 📗

when you see him in action. It’ll terrify you. Because you’ll have the same damned weird feeling I have⁠—that he isn’t doing one tenth of what he can do⁠—that he’s really just playing with us all. By God, if I was a bit superstitious, I’d throw up my job and get as much distance between me and that bird as I could. I’m telling you simply to prepare you. There’s something mighty funny about him, and the sooner we find out, the better.”

Mr. Woodman left the dormitory. Lefty and Chuck stared at each other for the space of a minute, and then, with one accord, they went together to the registrar’s office. There they found Hugo’s address on the campus, and in a few minutes they were at his door.

“Come in,” Hugo said. He smiled when he saw Lefty and Chuck. “Want some more trunks moved?”

“Maybe⁠—later.” They sat down, eying Hugo speculatively. Lefty acted as spokesman. “Listen here, guy, we’ve just seen Woodie and he says you’re phenomenal⁠—so much so that it isn’t right.”

Hugo reddened. He had feared that his exhibition was exaggerated by his eagerness to impress the coach. He said nothing and Lefty continued: “You’re going to be here for four years and you’re going to love this place. You’re going to be willing to die for it. All the rest of your life the fact that you went to old Webster is going to make a difference. But there’s one thing that Webster insists on⁠—and that’s fair play. And honesty⁠—and courage. You’ve come from a little town in the West and you’re a stranger here. Understand, this is all in a spirit of friendship. So far⁠—we like you. We want you to be one of us. To belong. You have a lot to learn and a long way to go. I’m being frank because I want to like you. For instance, Chuck here is a millionaire. My old man is no dead stick in the Blue Book. Things like that will be different from what you’ve known before. But the important thing is to be a square shooter. Don’t be angry. Do you understand?”

Hugo walked to the window and looked out into the thickened gloom. He had caught the worry, the repression, in Lefty’s voice. The youth, his merry blue eyes suddenly grave, his poised self abnormally disturbed, had suggested a criticism of some sort. What was it? Hugo was hurt and a little frightened. Would his college life be a repetition of Indian Creek? Would the athletes and the others in college of his own age fear and detest him⁠—because he was superior? Was that what they meant? He did not know. He was loath to offend Lefty and Chuck. But there seemed no alternative to the risk. No one had talked to him in that way for a long time. He sat on his bed. “Fellows,” he said tersely, “I don’t think I know what you’re driving at. Will you tell me?”

The roommates fidgeted. They did not know exactly, either. They had come to fathom the abnormality in Hugo. Chuck lit a cigarette. Lefty smiled with an assumed ease. “Why⁠—nothing, Danner. You see⁠—well⁠—I’m quarterback of the football team. And you’ll probably be on it this year⁠—we haven’t adopted the new idea of keeping freshmen off the varsity. Just wanted to tell you those⁠—well⁠—those principles.”

Hugo knew he had not been answered. He felt, too, that he would never in his life give away his secret. The defences surrounding it had been too immutably fixed. His joy at knowing that he had been accepted so soon as a logical candidate for the football team was tempered by this questioning. “I have principles, fellows.”

“Good.” Lefty rose. “Guess we’ll be going. By the way, Woodie said you smashed a couple of track records today. Where’d you learn?”

“Nowhere.”

“How come, then?”

“Just⁠—natural.”

Lefty summoned his will. “Sure it isn’t⁠—well⁠—unhealthy. Woodie says there are a couple of diseases that make you⁠—well⁠—get tough⁠—like stone.”

Hugo realized the purpose of the visit. “Then⁠—be sure I haven’t any diseases. My father had an M.D.” He smiled awkwardly. “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been stronger than most people. And I probably have a little edge still. Just an accident, that’s all. Is that what you were wondering about?”

Lefty smiled with instant relief. “Yes, it is. And I’m glad you take it that way. Listen⁠—why don’t you come over to the Inn and take dinner with Chuck and me? Let commons go for tonight. What say?”

At eleven Hugo wound his alarm clock and set it for seven. He yawned and smiled. All during supper he had listened to the glories of Webster and the advantages of belonging to the Psi Delta fraternity, to descriptions of parties and to episodes with girls. Lefty and Chuck had embraced him in their circle. They had made suggestions about what he should wear and whom he should know; they had posted him on the behaviour best suited for each of his professors. They liked him and he liked them, immensely. They were the finest fellows in the world. Webster was a magnificent university. And he was going to be one of its most glorious sons.

He undressed and went to bed. In a moment he slept, drawing in deep, swift breaths. His face was smiling and his arm was extended, whether to ward off shadows or to embrace a new treasure could not be told. In the bright sunshine of morning his alarm jangled and he woke to begin his career as an undergraduate.

VII

From the day of his arrival Webster University felt the presence of Hugo Danner. Classes, football practice, hazing, fraternity scouting began on that morning with a feverish and good-natured hurly-burly that, for a time, completely bewildered him. Hugo participated in everything. He went to the classroom with pleasure. It was never difficult for him to learn and never easier than in those first few weeks. The professors he had known (and he reluctantly