histone
.
"
Now
then
,
Porter
,
what
is
all
this
business
about
?
"
"
Please
,
sir
,
"
said
Porter
,
"
he
told
me
last
term
he
had
a
lot
of
rabbits
at
home
,
and
if
I
liked
he
would
bring
me
back
a
lop-eared
one
and
let
me
have
it
cheap
,
and
I
gave
him
two
shillings
,
sir
,
and
sixpence
for
a
hutch
to
keep
it
in
;
and
now
he
pretends
he
does
n't
know
anything
about
it
!
"
To
Paul
's
horror
two
or
three
other
boys
came
forward
with
much
the
same
tale
.
He
remembered
now
that
during
the
holidays
he
had
discovered
that
Dick
was
maintaining
a
sort
of
amateur
menagerie
in
his
bedroom
,
and
that
he
had
ordered
the
whole
of
the
livestock
to
be
got
rid
of
or
summarily
destroyed
.
Now
it
seemed
that
the
wretched
Dick
had
already
disposed
of
it
to
these
clamorous
boys
,
and
,
what
was
worse
,
had
stipulated
with
considerable
forethought
for
payment
in
advance
.
For
the
first
time
he
repented
his
paternal
harshness
.
Like
the
netted
lion
,
a
paltry
white
mouse
or
two
would
have
set
him
free
;
but
,
less
happy
than
the
beast
in
the
fable
,
he
had
not
one
!
He
tried
to
stammer
out
excuses
.
"
It
's
extremely
unfortunate
,
"
he
said
,
"
but
the
fact
is
I
'm
not
in
a
position
to
meet
this
—
this
sudden
call
upon
me
.
Some
other
day
,
perhaps
—
—
"
"
None
of
your
long
words
,
now
,
"
growled
Tipping
.
(
Boys
hate
long
words
as
much
as
even
a
Saturday
Reviewer
.
)
"
Why
have
n't
you
brought
the
rabbits
?
"
"
Yes
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
.
"
Why
,
having
promised
to
bring
the
rabbits
with
you
,
have
n't
you
kept
your
word
?
You
must
be
able
to
give
some
explanation
.
"
"
Because
,
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
,
wriggling
with
embarrassment
,
"
I
—
that
is
my
father
—
found
out
that
my
young
rascal
of
a
son
—
I
mean
his
young
rascal
of
a
son
(
me
,
you
know
)
was
,
contrary
to
my
express
orders
,
keeping
a
couple
of
abominable
rabbits
in
his
bedroom
,
and
a
quantity
of
filthy
little
white
mice
which
he
tried
to
train
to
climb
up
the
banisters
.
And
I
kept
finding
the
brutes
running
about
my
bath-room
,
and
—
well
,
of
course
,
I
put
a
stop
to
it
;
and
—
no
,
what
am
I
saying
?
—
my
father
,
of
course
,
he
put
a
stop
to
it
;
and
,
in
point
of
fact
,
had
them
all
drowned
in
a
pail
of
water
.
"
It
might
be
thought
that
he
had
an
excellent
opportunity
here
of
avowing
himself
,
but
there
was
the
risk
that
Mr.
Blinkhorn
would
disbelieve
him
,
and
,
with
the
boys
,
he
felt
that
the
truth
would
do
anything
but
increase
his
popularity
.
But
dissembling
fails
sometimes
outside
the
copy-books
,
and
Mr.
Bultitude
's
rather
blundering
attempt
at
it
only
landed
him
in
worse
difficulties
.
There
was
a
yell
of
rage
and
disappointment
from
the
defrauded
ones
,
who
had
cherished
a
lingering
hope
that
young
Bultitude
had
those
rabbits
somewhere
,
but
(
like
Mr.
Barkis
and
his
wooden
lemon
)
found
himself
unable
to
part
with
them
when
the
time
came
to
fulfil
his
contract
.
And
as
contempt
is
a
frame
of
mind
highly
stimulating
to
one
's
self-esteem
,
even
those
who
had
no
personal
interest
in
the
matter
joined
in
the
execrations
with
hearty
goodwill
and
sympathy
.
"
Why
did
you
let
him
do
it
?
They
were
ours
,
not
his
.
What
right
had
your
governor
to
go
and
drown
our
rabbits
,
eh
?
"
they
cried
wrathfully
.
"
What
right
?
"
said
Paul
.
"
Must
n't
a
man
do
as
he
pleases
in
his
own
house
,
then
?
I
—
he
was
not
obliged
to
see
the
house
overrun
with
vermin
,
I
suppose
?
"
But
this
only
made
them
angrier
,
and
they
resented
his
defence
with
hoots
,
and
groans
,
and
hisses
.
Mr.
Blinkhorn
meanwhile
was
pondering
the
affair
conscientiously
.
At
last
he
said
,
"
But
you
know
the
Doctor
would
never
allow
animals
to
be
kept
in
the
school
,
if
Bultitude
had
brought
them
.
The
whole
thing
is
against
the
rules
,
and
I
shall
not
interfere
.
"
"
Ah
,
but
,
"
said
Chawner
,
"
he
promised
them
all
to
day-boarders
.
The
Doctor
could
n't
object
to
that
,
could
he
,
sir
?
"
"
True
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
,
"
true
.
I
was
not
aware
of
that
.
Well
then
,
Bultitude
,
since
you
are
prevented
from
performing
what
you
promised
to
do
,
I
'm
sure
you
wo
n't
object
to
do
what
is
fair
and
right
in
the
matter
?
"
"
I
do
n't
think
I
quite
follow
you
,
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
.
But
he
dreaded
what
was
coming
next
.
"
It
's
very
simple
.
You
have
taken
money
from
these
boys
,
and
if
you
ca
n't
give
them
value
for
it
,
you
ought
to
return
all
you
took
from
them
.
I
'm
sure
you
see
that
yourself
.
"
"
I
do
n't
admit
that
I
owe
them
anything
,
"
said
Paul
;
"
and
at
all
events
it
is
highly
inconvenient
to
pay
them
now
.
"
"
If
your
own
sense
of
honour
is
n't
enough
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
,
"
I
must
take
the
matter
into
my
own
hands
.
Let
every
boy
who
has
any
claim
upon
him
tell
me
exactly
what
it
is
.
"
One
boy
after
another
brought
forward
his
claim
.
One
had
entrusted
Dick
,
it
appeared
,
with
a
shilling
,
for
which
he
was
to
receive
a
mouse
with
a
"
plum
saddle
,
"
and
two
others
had
invested
ninepence
each
in
white
mice
.
With
Porter
's
half-crown
,
the
total
came
to
precisely
five
shillings
—
all
Paul
had
in
the
world
,
the
one
rope
by
which
he
could
ever
hope
to
haul
himself
up
to
his
lost
pinnacle
!
Mr.
Blinkhorn
,
naturally
enough
,
saw
no
reason
why
the
money
,
being
clearly
due
,
should
not
be
paid
at
once
.
"
Give
me
any
money
you
have
about
you
,
Bultitude
,
"
he
said
,
"
and
I
'll
satisfy
your
debts
with
it
,
as
far
as
it
goes
.
"
Paul
clasped
his
arm
convulsively
.
"
No
!
"
he
cried
hoarsely
,
"
not
that
!
Do
n't
make
me
do
that
!
I
—
I
ca
n't
pay
them
—
not
now
.
They
do
n't
understand
.
If
they
only
give
me
time
they
shall
have
double
their
money
back
—
waggon-loads
of
rabbits
,
the
best
rabbits
money
can
buy
—
if
they
'll
wait
.
Tell
them
to
wait
.
My
dear
sir
,
do
n't
see
me
wronged
!
I
wo
n't
pay
now
!
"
"
They
have
waited
long
enough
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
;
"
you
must
pay
them
.
"
"
I
tell
you
I
wo
n't
!
"
cried
Paul
;
"
do
you
hear
?
Not
one
sixpence
.
Oh
,
if
you
knew
!
That
infernal
Garudâ
Stone
!
What
fools
people
are
!
"
Then
in
his
despair
he
did
the
most
fatal
thing
possible
.
He
tried
to
save
himself
by
flight
,
and
with
a
violent
plunge
broke
through
the
circle
and
made
for
the
road
which
led
towards
the
station
.
Instantly
the
whole
school
,
only
too
glad
of
the
excitement
,
was
at
his
heels
.
The
unhappy
Colonial
Produce
merchant
ran
as
he
had
not
run
for
a
quarter
of
a
century
,
faster
even
than
he
had
on
his
first
experience
of
Coggs
'
and
Coker
's
society
on
that
memorable
Monday
night
.
But
in
spite
of
his
efforts
the
chase
was
a
short
one
.
Chawner
and
Tipping
very
soon
had
him
by
the
collar
,
and
brought
him
back
,
struggling
and
kicking
out
viciously
,
to
Mr.
Blinkhorn
,
whose
good
opinion
he
had
now
lost
for
ever
.
"
Please
,
sir
,
"
said
Chawner
,
"
I
can
feel
something
like
a
purse
in
his
pocket
.
Shall
I
take
it
out
,
sir
?
"
"
As
he
refuses
to
act
with
common
honesty
—
yes
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
.
It
was
Dick
's
purse
,
of
course
;
and
in
spite
of
Paul
's
frantic
efforts
to
retain
it
,
it
was
taken
from
him
,
its
contents
equitably
divided
amongst
the
claimants
,
and
the
purse
itself
returned
to
him
—
empty
.
"
Now
,
Bultitude
,
"
said
Mr.
Blinkhorn
,
"
if
you
really
wish
to
leave
the
field
,
you
may
.
"
Mr.
Bultitude
lost
what
little
temper
he
had
yet
to
lose
;
he
flung
the
useless
purse
from
him
and
broke
away
from
them
all
in
a
condition
little
removed
from
insanity
.
Leave
the
field
!
What
a
mockery
the
permission
was
now
.
How
was
he
to
get
home
,
a
distance
of
more
than
fifty
miles
,
without
a
penny
in
his
pocket
?
Ten
minutes
before
,
and
freedom
was
within
his
grasp
,
and
now
it
had
eluded
him
and
was
as
hopelessly
out
of
reach
as
ever
!
No
one
pitied
him
;
no
one
understood
the
real
extent
of
his
loss
.
Mr.
Blinkhorn
and
the
few
enthusiasts
went
back
to
their
unobtrusive
game
,
while
the
rest
of
the
school
discussed
the
affair
in
groups
,
the
popular
indignation
against
young
Bultitude
's
hitherto
unsuspected
meanness
growing
more
marked
every
instant
.
It
might
have
even
taken
some
decided
and
objectionable
form
before
long
,
but
when
it
was
at
its
height
there
was
a
sudden
cry
of
alarm
.
"
Cave
,
you
fellows
,
here
's
Grim
!
"
and
indeed
in
the
far
distance
the
Doctor
's
portly
and
imposing
figure
could
be
seen
just
turning
the
corner
into
the
field
.
Mr.
Bultitude
felt
almost
cheered
.
This
coming
to
join
his
pupils
'
sports
showed
a
good
heart
;
the
Doctor
would
almost
certainly
be
in
a
good
humour
,
and
he
cheated
himself
into
believing
that
,
at
some
interval
in
the
game
,
he
might
perhaps
find
courage
to
draw
near
and
seek
to
interest
him
in
his
incredible
woes
.
It
was
quite
extraordinary
to
see
how
the
game
,
which
had
hitherto
decidedly
languished
and
hung
fire
,
now
quickened
into
briskness
and
became
positively
spirited
.
Everyone
developed
a
hearty
interest
in
it
,
and
it
would
almost
seem
as
if
the
boys
,
with
more
delicacy
than
they
are
generally
credited
with
,
were
unwilling
to
let
their
master
guess
how
little
his
indulgence
was
really
appreciated
.
Even
Mr.
Tinkler
,
whose
novel
had
kept
him
spell-bound
on
his
rail
all
through
the
recent
excitement
,
now
slipped
it
hurriedly
into
his
pocket
and
rushed
energetically
into
the
fray
,
shouting
encouragement
rather
indiscriminately
to
either
side
,
till
he
had
an
opportunity
of
finding
out
privately
to
which
leader
he
had
been
assigned
.
Dr.
Grimstone
came
down
the
field
at
a
majestic
slow
trot
,
calling
out
to
the
players
as
he
came
on
—
"
Well
done
,
Mutlow
!
Finely
played
,
sir
!
Dribble
it
along
now
.
Ah
,
you
're
afraid
of
it
!
Run
into
it
,
sir
,
run
into
it
!
No
running
with
the
ball
now
,
Siggers
;
play
without
those
petty
meannesses
,
or
leave
the
game
!
There
,
leave
the
ball
to
me
,
will
you
—
leave
it
to
me
!
"
And
,
as
the
ball
had
rolled
in
his
direction
,
he
punted
it
up
in
an
exceedingly
dignified
manner
,
the
whole
school
keeping
respectfully
apart
,
until
he
had
brought
it
to
a
reasonable
distance
from
the
goal
,
when
he
kicked
it
through
with
great
solemnity
,
amidst
faint
,
and
it
is
to
be
feared
somewhat
sycophantic
applause
,
and
turned
away
with
the
air
of
a
man
surfeited
of
success
.
"
For
which
side
did
I
win
that
?
"
he
asked
presently
,
whereupon
Tipping
explained
that
his
side
had
been
the
favoured
one
.
"
Well
then
,
"
he
said
,
"
you
fellows
must
all
back
me
up
,
or
I
shall
not
play
for
you
any
more
;
"
and
he
kicked
off
the
ball
for
the
next
game
.
It
was
noticeable
that
the
party
thus
distinguished
did
not
seem
precisely
overwhelmed
with
pleasure
at
the
compliment
,
which
,
as
they
knew
from
experience
,
implied
considerable
exertion
on
their
part
,
and
even
disgrace
if
they
were
unsuccessful
.
The
other
side
too
looked
unhappy
,
feeling
themselves
in
a
position
of
extreme
delicacy
and
embarrassment
.
For
if
they
played
their
best
,
they
ran
some
risk
of
offending
the
Doctor
,
or
,
what
was
worse
,
drawing
him
over
into
their
ranks
;
while
if
,
on
the
other
hand
,
they
allowed
themselves
to
be
too
easily
worsted
,
they
might
be
suspected
of
sulkiness
and
temper
—
offences
which
he
was
very
ready
to
discover
and
resent
.
Dr.
Grimstone
for
his
part
enjoyed
the
exercise
,
and
had
no
idea
that
he
was
not
a
thoroughly
welcome
and
valued
playmate
.
But
though
it
was
pleasant
to
outsiders
to
see
a
schoolmaster
permitting
himself
to
share
in
the
recreation
of
his
pupils
,
it
must
be
owned
that
to
the
latter
the
advantages
of
the
arrangement
seemed
something
more
than
dubious
.
Mr.
Bultitude
,
being
on
the
side
adopted
by
the
Doctor
,
found
too
soon
that
he
was
expected
to
bestir
himself
.
More
than
ever
anxious
now
to
conciliate
,
he
did
his
very
best
to
conquer
his
natural
repugnance
and
appear
more
interested
than
alarmed
as
the
ball
came
in
his
way
;
but
although
(
in
boating
slang
)
he
"
sugared
"
with
some
adroitness
,
he
was
promptly
found
out
,
for
his
son
had
been
a
dashing
and
plucky
player
.
It
was
bitter
for
him
to
run
meekly
about
while
scathing
sarcasms
and
comments
on
his
want
of
courage
were
being
hurled
at
his
head
.
It
shattered
the
scanty
remnants
of
his
self-respect
,
but
he
dared
not
protest
or
say
a
single
word
to
open
the
Doctor
's
eyes
to
the
injustice
he
was
doing
him
.
He
was
unpleasantly
reminded
,
too
,
of
the
disfavour
he
had
acquired
amongst
his
companions
,
by
some
one
or
other
of
them
running
up
to
him
every
moment
when
the
Doctor
's
attention
was
called
elsewhere
,
and
startling
his
nerves
by
a
sly
jog
or
pinch
,
or
an
abusive
epithet
hissed
viciously
into
his
ears
—
Chawner
being
especially
industrious
in
this
respect
.
And
in
this
unsatisfactory
way
the
afternoon
dragged
along
until
the
dusk
gathered
and
the
lamps
were
lighted
,
and
it
became
too
dark
to
see
goal-posts
or
ball
.
By
the
time
play
was
stopped
and
the
school
reformed
for
the
march
home
,
Mr.
Bultitude
felt
that
he
was
glad
even
to
get
back
to
labour
as
a
relief
from
such
a
form
of
enjoyment
.
It
was
perhaps
the
most
miserable
afternoon
he
had
ever
spent
in
his
whole
easy-going
life
.
In
the
course
of
it
he
had
passed
from
brightest
hope
to
utter
despair
;
and
now
nothing
remained
to
him
but
to
convince
the
Doctor
,
which
he
felt
quite
unequal
to
do
,
or
to
make
his
escape
without
money
—
which
would
inevitably
end
in
a
recapture
.
May
no
one
who
reads
this
ever
be
placed
upon
the
horns
of
such
a
dilemma
!
9.
A
Letter
from
Home
"
Here
are
a
few
of
the
unpleasantest
words
That
ever
blotted
paper
...
.
And
every
word
in
it
a
gaping
wound
.
"
If
it
were
not
that
it
was
so
absolutely
essential
to
the
interest
of
this
story
,
I
think
I
should
almost
prefer
to
draw
a
veil
over
the
sufferings
of
Mr.
Bultitude
during
the
rest
of
that
unhappy
week
at
Crichton
House
;
but
it
would
only
be
false
delicacy
to
do
so
.
Things
went
worse
and
worse
with
him
.
The
real
Dick
in
his
most
objectionable
moods
could
never
have
contrived
to
render
himself
one
quarter
so
disliked
and
suspected
as
his
substitute
was
by
the
whole
school
—
masters
and
boys
.
It
was
in
a
great
measure
his
own
fault
,
too
;
for
to
an
ordinary
boy
the
life
there
would
not
have
had
any
intolerable
hardships
,
if
it
held
out
no
exceptional
attractions
.
But
he
would
not
accommodate
himself
to
circumstances
,
and
try
,
during
his
enforced
stay
,
to
get
as
much
instruction
and
enjoyment
as
possible
out
of
his
new
life
.
Perhaps
,
in
his
position
,
it
would
be
too
much
to
expect
such
a
thing
and
,
at
all
events
,
it
never
even
occurred
to
him
to
attempt
it
.
He
consumed
himself
instead
with
inward
raging
and
chafing
at
his
hard
lot
,
and
his
utter
powerlessness
to
break
the
spell
which
bound
him
.
Sometimes
,
indeed
,
he
would
resolve
to
bear
it
no
longer
,
and
would
start
up
impulsively
to
impart
his
misfortunes
to
some
one
in
minor
authority
—
not
the
Doctor
,
he
had
given
that
up
in
resigned
despair
long
since
.
But
as
surely
as
ever
he
found
himself
coming
to
the
point
,
the
words
would
stick
fast
in
his
throat
,
and
he
was
only
too
thankful
to
get
away
,
with
his
tale
untold
,
on
any
frivolous
pretext
that
first
suggested
itself
.
This
,
of
course
,
brought
him
into
suspicion
,
for
such
conduct
had
the
appearance
of
a
systematic
course
of
practical
joking
,
and
even
the
most
impartial
teachers
will
sometimes
form
an
unfavourable
opinion
of
a
particular
boy
on
rather
slender
grounds
,
and
then
find
fresh
confirmation
of
it
in
his
most
insignificant
actions
.
As
for
the
school
generally
,
his
scowls
and
his
sullenness
,
his
deficiency
in
the
daring
and
impudence
that
had
warmed
their
hearts
towards
Dick
,
and
,
above
all
,
his
strange
knack
of
getting
them
into
trouble
—
for
he
seldom
received
what
he
considered
an
indignity
without
making
a
formal
complaint
—
all
this
brought
him
as
much
hearty
dislike
and
contempt
as
,
perhaps
,
the
most
unsympathetic
boy
ever
earned
since
boarding-schools
were
first
invented
.
The
only
boy
who
still
seemed
to
retain
a
secret
tenderness
for
him
,
as
the
Dick
he
had
once
looked
up
to
and
admired
,
was
Jolland
,
who
persisted
in
believing
,
and
in
stating
his
belief
,
that
this
apparent
change
of
demeanour
was
a
perverted
kind
of
joke
on
Bultitude
's
part
,
which
he
would
condescend
to
explain
some
day
when
it
had
gone
far
enough
,
and
he
wearied
and
annoyed
Paul
beyond
endurance
by
perpetually
urging
him
to
abandon
his
ill-judged
experiment
and
discover
the
point
of
the
jest
.
But
for
Jolland
's
help
,
which
he
persevered
in
giving
in
spite
of
the
opposition
and
unpopularity
it
brought
upon
himself
,
Mr.
Bultitude
would
have
found
it
impossible
to
make
any
pretence
of
performing
the
tasks
required
of
him
.
He
found
himself
expected
,
as
a
matter
of
course
,
to
have
a
certain
familiarity
with
Greek
paradigms
and
German
conversation
scraps
,
propositions
in
Euclid
and
Latin
gerunds
,
of
all
of
which
,
having
had
a
strict
commercial
education
in
his
young
days
,
he
had
not
so
much
as
heard
before
his
metamorphosis
.
But
by
carefully
copying
Jolland
's
exercises
,
and
introducing
enough
mistakes
of
his
own
to
supply
the
necessary
local
colour
,
he
was
able
to
escape
to
a
great
degree
the
discovery
of
his
blank
ignorance
on
all
these
subjects
—
an
ignorance
which
would
certainly
have
been
put
down
as
mere
idleness
and
obstinacy
.
But
it
will
be
readily
believed
that
he
lived
in
constant
fear
of
such
discovery
,
and
as
it
was
,
his
dependence
on
a
little
scamp
like
his
son
's
friend
was
a
sore
humiliation
to
one
who
had
naturally
supposed
hitherto
that
any
knowledge
he
had
not
happened
to
acquire
could
only
be
meretricious
and
useless
.
He
led
a
nightmare
sort
of
existence
for
some
days
,
until
something
happened
which
roused
him
from
his
state
of
passive
misery
into
one
more
attempt
at
protest
.
It
was
Saturday
morning
,
and
he
had
come
down
to
breakfast
,
after
being
knocked
about
as
usual
in
the
dormitory
over
night
,
with
a
dull
wonder
how
long
this
horrible
state
of
things
could
possibly
be
going
to
last
,
when
he
saw
on
his
plate
a
letter
with
the
Paddington
post-mark
,
addressed
in
a
familiar
hand
—
his
daughter
Barbara
's
.
For
an
instant
his
hopes
rose
high
.
Surely
the
impostor
had
been
found
out
at
last
,
and
the
envelope
would
contain
an
urgent
invitation
to
him
to
come
back
and
resume
his
rights
—
an
invitation
which
he
might
show
to
the
Doctor
as
his
best
apology
.
But
when
he
looked
at
the
address
,
which
was
"
Master
Richard
Bultitude
,
"
he
felt
a
misgiving
.
It
was
unlikely
that
Barbara
would
address
him
thus
if
she
knew
the
truth
;
he
hesitated
before
tearing
it
open
.
Then
he
tried
to
persuade
himself
that
of
course
she
would
have
the
sense
to
keep
up
appearances
for
his
own
sake
on
the
outside
of
the
letter
,
and
he
compelled
himself
to
open
the
envelope
with
fingers
that
trembled
nervously
.
The
very
first
sentences
scattered
his
faint
expectations
to
the
winds
.
He
read
on
with
staring
eyes
,
till
the
room
seemed
to
rock
with
him
like
a
packet-boat
and
the
sprawling
school-girl
handwriting
,
crossed
and
recrossed
on
the
thin
paper
,
changed
to
letters
of
scorching
flame
.
But
perhaps
it
will
be
better
to
give
the
letter
in
full
,
so
that
the
reader
may
judge
for
himself
whether
it
was
calculated
or
not
to
soothe
and
encourage
the
exiled
one
.
Here
it
is
:
"
My
dearest
darling
Dick
,
—
I
hope
you
have
not
been
expecting
a
letter
from
me
before
this
,
but
I
had
such
lots
to
tell
you
that
I
waited
till
I
had
time
to
tell
it
all
at
once
.
For
I
have
such
news
for
you
!
You
ca
n't
think
how
pleased
you
will
be
when
you
hear
it
.
Where
shall
I
begin
?
I
hardly
know
,
for
it
still
seems
so
funny
and
strange
—
almost
like
a
dream
—
only
I
hope
we
shall
never
wake
up
.
"
I
think
I
must
tell
you
anyhow
,
just
as
it
comes
.
Well
,
ever
since
you
went
away
,
dear
Father
has
been
completely
changed
;
you
would
hardly
believe
it
unless
you
saw
him
.
He
is
quite
jolly
and
boyish
—
only
fancy
!
and
we
are
always
telling
him
he
is
the
biggest
baby
of
us
all
,
but
it
only
makes
him
laugh
.
Once
,
you
know
,
he
would
have
been
awfully
angry
if
we
had
even
hinted
at
it
.
"
Do
you
know
,
I
really
think
that
the
real
reason
he
was
so
cross
and
sharp
with
us
that
last
week
was
because
you
were
going
away
;
for
now
the
wrench
of
parting
is
over
,
he
is
quite
light-hearted
again
.
You
know
how
he
always
hates
showing
his
feelings
.
"
He
is
so
altered
now
,
you
ca
n't
think
.
He
has
actually
only
once
been
up
to
the
city
since
you
left
,
and
then
he
came
home
at
four
o'clock
,
and
he
seems
to
quite
like
to
have
us
all
about
him
.
Generally
he
stays
at
home
all
the
morning
and
plays
at
soldiers
with
baby
in
the
dining-room
.
You
would
laugh
to
see
him
loading
the
cannons
with
real
powder
and
shot
,
and
he
did
n't
care
a
bit
when
some
of
it
made
holes
in
the
sideboard
and
smashed
the
looking-glass
.
"
We
had
such
fun
the
other
afternoon
;
we
played
at
brigands
—
papa
and
all
of
us
.
Papa
had
the
upper
conservatory
for
a
robber-cave
,
and
stood
there
keeping
guard
with
your
pop-gun
;
and
he
would
n't
let
the
servants
go
by
without
a
kiss
,
unless
they
showed
a
written
pass
from
us
!
Miss
McFadden
called
in
the
middle
of
it
,
but
she
said
she
would
n't
come
in
,
as
papa
seemed
to
be
enjoying
himself
so
.
Boaler
has
given
warning
,
but
we
ca
n't
think
why
.
We
have
been
out
nearly
every
evening
—
once
to
Hengler
's
and
once
to
the
Christy
Minstrels
,
and
last
night
to
the
Pantomime
,
where
papa
was
so
pleased
with
the
clown
that
he
sent
round
afterwards
and
asked
him
to
dine
here
on
Sunday
,
when
Sir
Benjamin
and
Lady
Bangle
and
Alderman
Fishwick
are
coming
.
Wo
n't
it
be
jolly
to
see
a
clown
close
to
?
Should
you
think
he
'd
come
in
his
evening
dress
?
Miss
Mangnall
has
been
given
a
month
's
holiday
,
because
papa
did
n't
like
to
see
us
always
at
lessons
.
Think
of
that
!
"
We
are
going
to
have
the
whole
house
done
up
and
refurnished
at
last
.
Papa
chose
the
furniture
for
the
drawing-room
yesterday
.
It
is
all
in
yellow
satin
,
which
is
rather
bright
,
I
think
.
I
have
n't
seen
the
carpet
yet
,
but
it
is
to
match
the
furniture
;
and
there
is
a
lovely
hearthrug
,
with
a
lion-hunt
worked
on
it
.
"
But
that
is
n't
the
best
of
it
;
we
are
going
to
have
the
big
children
's
party
after
all
!
No
one
but
children
invited
,
and
everyone
to
do
exactly
what
they
like
.
I
wanted
so
much
to
have
you
home
for
it
,
but
papa
says
it
would
only
unsettle
you
and
take
you
away
from
your
work
.
"
Had
Dulcie
forgotten
you
?
I
should
like
to
see
her
so
much
.
Now
I
really
must
leave
off
,
as
I
am
going
to
the
Aquarium
with
papa
.
Mind
you
write
me
as
good
a
letter
as
this
is
,
if
that
old
Doctor
lets
you
.
Minnie
and
Roly
send
love
and
kisses
,
and
papa
sends
his
kind
regards
,
and
I
am
to
say
he
hopes
you
are
settling
down
steadily
to
work
.
"
With
best
love
,
your
affectionate
sister
,
"
Barbara
Bultitude
.
"
"
P.S.
—
I
nearly
forgot
to
say
that
Uncle
Duke
came
the
other
day
and
has
stayed
here
ever
since
.
He
is
going
to
make
papa
's
fortune
!
I
believe
by
a
gold
mine
he
knows
about
somewhere
,
and
a
steam
tramway
in
Lapland
.
But
I
do
n't
like
him
very
much
—
he
is
so
polite
.
"
It
would
be
nothing
short
of
an
insult
to
the
reader
's
comprehension
,
if
I
were
to
enter
into
an
elaborate
explanation
of
the
effect
this
letter
had
upon
Mr.
Bultitude
.
He
took
it
in
by
degrees
,
trying
to
steady
his
nerves
at
each
additional
item
of
poor
Barbara
's
well-meant
intelligence
by
a
sip
at
his
tin-flavoured
coffee
.
But
when
he
came
to
the
postscript
,
in
spite
of
its
purport
being
mercifully
broken
to
him
gradually
by
the
extreme
difficulty
of
making
it
out
from
two
undercurrents
of
manuscript
,
he
choked
convulsively
and
spilt
his
coffee
.
Dr.
Grimstone
visited
this
breach
of
etiquette
with
stern
promptness
.
"
This
conduct
at
table
is
disgraceful
,
sir
—
perfectly
disgraceful
—
unworthy
of
a
civilised
being
.
I
have
been
a
teacher
of
youth
for
many
years
,
and
never
till
now
did
I
have
the
pain
of
seeing
a
pupil
of
mine
choke
in
his
breakfast-cup
with
such
deplorable
ill-breeding
.
It
's
pure
greediness
,
sir
,
and
you
will
have
the
goodness
to
curb
your
indecent
haste
in
consuming
your
food
for
the
future
.
Your
excellent
father
has
frequently
complained
to
me
,
with
tears
in
his
eyes
,
of
the
impossibility
of
teaching
you
to
behave
at
meals
with
common
propriety
!
"
There
was
a
faint
chuckle
along
the
tables
,
and
several
drank
coffee
with
studied
elegance
and
self-repression
either
as
a
valuable
example
to
Dick
,
or
as
a
personal
advertisement
.
But
Paul
was
in
no
mood
for
reproof
and
instruction
.
He
stood
up
in
his
excitement
,
flourishing
his
letter
wildly
.
"
Dr.
Grimstone
!
"
he
said
;
"
never
mind
my
behaviour
now
.
I
've
something
to
tell
you
.
I
ca
n't
bear
it
any
longer
.
I
must
go
home
at
once
—
at
once
,
sir
!
"
There
was
a
general
sensation
at
this
,
for
his
manner
was
peremptory
and
almost
dictatorial
.
Some
thought
he
would
get
a
licking
on
the
strength
of
it
,
and
most
hoped
so
.
But
the
Doctor
dismissed
them
to
the
playground
,
keeping
Paul
back
to
be
dealt
with
in
privacy
.
Mrs.
Grimstone
played
nervously
with
her
dry
toast
at
the
end
of
the
table
,
for
she
could
not
endure
to
see
the
boys
in
trouble
and
dreaded
a
scene
,
while
Dulcie
looked
on
with
wide
bright
eyes
.
"
Now
,
sir
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
looking
up
from
his
marmalade
,
"
why
must
you
go
home
at
once
?
"
"
I
've
just
had
a
letter
,
"
stammered
Paul
.
"
No
one
ill
at
home
,
I
hope
?
"
"
No
,
no
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
It
's
not
that
;
it
's
worse
!
She
does
n't
know
what
horrible
things
she
tells
me
!
"
"
Who
is
'
she
'
?
"
said
the
Doctor
—
and
Dulcie
's
eyes
were
larger
still
and
her
face
paled
.
"
I
decline
to
say
,
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
.
It
would
have
been
absurd
to
say
'
my
daughter
,
'
and
he
had
not
presence
of
mind
just
then
to
transpose
the
relationships
with
neatness
and
success
.
"
But
indeed
I
am
wanted
most
badly
!
"
"
What
are
you
wanted
for
,
pray
?
"
"
Everything
!
"
declared
Paul
;
"
it
's
all
going
to
rack
and
ruin
without
me
!
"
"
That
's
absurd
,
"
said
the
Doctor
;
"
you
're
not
such
an
important
individual
as
all
that
,
Bultitude
.
But
let
me
see
the
letter
.
"
Show
him
the
letter
—
lay
bare
all
those
follies
of
Dick
's
,
the
burden
of
which
he
might
have
to
bear
himself
very
shortly
—
never
!
Besides
,
what
would
be
the
use
of
it
?
It
would
be
no
argument
in
favour
of
sending
him
home
—
rather
the
reverse
—
so
Paul
was
obliged
to
say
,
"
Excuse
me
,
Dr.
Grimstone
,
it
is
—
ah
—
of
a
private
nature
.
I
do
n't
feel
at
liberty
to
show
it
to
anyone
.
"
"
Then
,
sir
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
with
some
reason
,
"
if
you
ca
n't
tell
me
who
or
what
it
is
that
requires
your
presence
at
home
,
and
decline
to
show
me
the
letter
which
would
presumably
give
me
some
idea
on
the
subject
,
how
do
you
expect
that
I
am
to
listen
to
such
a
preposterous
demand
—
eh
?
Just
tell
me
that
!
"
Once
more
would
Paul
have
given
worlds
for
the
firmness
and
presence
of
mind
to
state
his
case
clearly
and
effectively
;
and
he
could
hardly
have
had
a
better
opportunity
,
for
schoolmasters
cannot
always
be
playing
the
tyrant
,
and
the
Doctor
was
,
in
spite
of
his
attempts
to
be
stern
,
secretly
more
amused
than
angry
at
what
seemed
a
peculiarly
precocious
piece
of
effrontery
.
But
Paul
felt
the
dismal
absurdity
of
his
position
.
Nothing
he
had
said
,
nothing
he
could
say
,
short
of
the
truth
,
would
avail
him
,
and
the
truth
was
precisely
what
he
felt
most
unable
to
tell
.
He
hung
his
head
resignedly
,
and
held
his
tongue
in
confusion
.
"
Pooh
!
"
said
the
Doctor
at
last
;
"
let
me
have
no
more
of
this
tomfoolery
,
Bultitude
.
It
's
getting
to
be
a
positive
nuisance
.
Do
n't
come
to
me
with
any
more
of
these
ridiculous
stories
,
or
some
day
I
shall
be
annoyed
.
There
,
go
away
,
and
be
contented
where
you
are
,
and
try
to
behave
like
other
people
.
"
"
'
Contented
!
'
"
muttered
Paul
,
when
out
of
hearing
,
as
he
went
upstairs
and
through
the
empty
schoolroom
into
the
playground
.
"
'
Behave
like
other
people
!
'
Ah
,
yes
,
I
suppose
I
shall
have
to
come
to
that
in
time
.
But
that
letter
—
—
Everything
upside
down
—
—
Bangle
asked
to
meet
a
common
clown
!
That
fellow
Duke
letting
me
in
for
gold-mines
and
tramways
!
It
's
all
worse
than
I
ever
dreamed
of
;
and
I
must
stay
here
and
be
'
contented
!
'
It
's
—
it
's
perfectly
damnable
!
"
All
through
that
morning
his
thoughts
ran
in
the
same
doleful
groove
,
until
the
time
for
work
came
to
an
end
,
and
he
found
himself
in
the
playground
,
and
free
to
indulge
his
melancholy
for
a
few
minutes
in
solitude
;
for
the
others
were
still
loitering
about
in
the
schoolroom
,
and
a
glass
outhouse
originally
intended
for
a
conservatory
,
but
now
devoted
to
boots
and
slates
,
and
the
books
liberally
besmeared
with
gilt
,
and
telling
of
the
exploits
of
boy-heroes
so
beloved
of
boys
.
Mr.
Bultitude
,
only
too
delighted
to
get
away
from
them
for
a
little
while
,
was
leaning
against
the
parallel
bars
in
dull
despondency
,
when
he
heard
a
rustling
in
the
laurel
hedge
which
cut
off
the
house
garden
from
the
gravelled
playground
,
and
looking
up
,
saw
Dulcie
slip
through
the
shrubs
and
come
towards
him
with
an
air
of
determination
in
her
proud
little
face
.
She
looked
prettier
and
daintier
than
ever
in
her
grey
hat
and
warm
fur
tippet
;
but
of
course
Paul
was
not
of
the
age
or
in
the
mood
to
be
much
affected
by
such
things
—
he
turned
his
head
pettishly
away
.
"
It
's
no
use
doing
that
,
Dick
,
"
she
said
:
"
I
'm
tired
of
sulking
.
I
sha
n't
sulk
any
more
till
I
have
an
explanation
.
"
Paul
made
the
sound
generally
written
"
Pshaw
!
"
"
You
ought
to
tell
me
everything
.
I
will
know
it
.
Oh
,
Dick
,
you
might
tell
me
!
I
always
told
you
anything
you
wanted
to
know
;
and
I
let
mamma
think
it
was
I
broke
the
clock-shade
last
term
,
and
you
know
you
did
it
.
And
I
want
to
know
something
so
very
badly
!
"
"
It
's
no
use
coming
to
me
,
you
know
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
I
ca
n't
do
anything
for
you
.
"
"
Yes
,
you
can
;
you
know
you
can
!
"
said
Dulcie
impulsively
.
"
You
can
tell
me
what
was
in
that
letter
you
had
at
breakfast
—
and
you
shall
too
!
"
"
What
an
inquisitive
little
girl
you
are
,
"
said
Paul
sententiously
.
"
It
's
not
nice
for
little
girls
to
be
so
inquisitive
—
it
does
n't
look
well
.
"
"
I
knew
it
!
"
cried
Dulcie
;
"
you
do
n't
want
to
tell
me
—
because
—
because
it
's
from
that
other
horrid
girl
you
like
better
than
me
.
And
you
promised
to
belong
to
me
for
ever
and
ever
,
and
now
it
's
all
over
!
Say
it
is
n't
!
Oh
,
Dick
,
promise
to
give
the
other
girl
up
.
I
'm
sure
she
's
not
a
nice
girl
.
She
's
written
you
an
unkind
letter
;
now
has
n't
she
?
"
"
Upon
my
word
,
"
said
Paul
,
"
this
is
very
forward
;
at
your
age
too
.
Why
,
my
Barbara
—
—
"
"
Your
Barbara
!
you
dare
to
call
her
that
?
Oh
,
I
knew
I
was
right
;
I
will
see
that
letter
now
.
Give
it
me
this
instant
!
"
said
Dulcie
imperiously
;
and
Paul
really
felt
almost
afraid
of
her
.
"
No
,
no
,
"
he
said
,
retreating
a
step
or
two
,
"
it
's
all
a
mistake
;
there
's
nothing
to
get
into
such
a
passion
about
—
there
is
n't
indeed
!
And
—
do
n't
cry
—
you
're
really
a
pretty
little
girl
.
I
only
wish
I
could
tell
you
everything
;
but
you
'd
never
believe
me
!
"
"
Oh
,
yes
,
I
would
,
Dick
!
"
protested
Dulcie
,
only
too
willing
to
be
convinced
of
her
boy-lover
's
constancy
;
"
I
'll
believe
anything
,
if
you
'll
only
tell
me
.
And
I
'm
sorry
I
was
so
angry
.
Sit
down
by
me
and
tell
me
from
the
very
beginning
.
I
promise
not
to
interrupt
.
"
Paul
thought
for
a
moment
.
After
all
,
why
should
n't
he
?
It
was
much
pleasanter
to
tell
his
sorrows
to
her
little
ear
and
hear
her
childish
wonder
and
pity
than
face
her
terrible
father
—
he
had
tried
that
.
And
then
she
might
tell
her
mother
;
and
so
his
story
might
reach
the
Doctor
's
ears
after
all
,
without
further
effort
on
his
part
.
"
Well
,
"
he
said
at
last
,
"
I
think
you
're
a
good-natured
little
girl
;
you
wo
n't
laugh
.
Perhaps
I
will
tell
you
!
"
So
he
sat
down
on
the
bench
by
the
wall
,
and
Dulcie
,
quite
happy
again
now
at
this
proof
of
good
faith
,
nestled
up
against
him
confidingly
,
waiting
for
his
first
words
with
parted
lips
and
eager
sparkling
eyes
.
"
Not
many
days
ago
,
"
began
Paul
,
"
I
was
somebody
very
different
from
—
—
"
"
Oh
,
indeed
,
"
said
a
jarring
,
sneering
voice
close
by
;
"
was
you
?
"
And
he
looked
up
and
saw
Tipping
standing
over
him
with
a
plainly
hostile
intent
.
"
Go
away
,
Tipping
,
"
said
Dulcie
;
"
we
do
n't
want
you
.
Dick
is
telling
me
a
secret
.
"
"
He
's
very
fond
of
telling
,
I
know
,
"
retorted
Tipping
.
"
If
you
knew
what
a
sneak
he
was
you
'd
have
nothing
to
do
with
him
,
Dulcie
.
I
could
tell
you
things
about
him
that
—
—
"
"
He
's
not
a
sneak
,
"
said
Dulcie
.
"
Are
you
,
Dick
?
Why
do
n't
you
go
,
Tipping
.
Never
mind
what
he
says
,
Dick
;
go
on
as
if
he
was
n't
there
.
I
do
n't
care
what
he
says
!
"
It
was
a
most
unpleasant
situation
for
Mr.
Bultitude
,
but
he
did
not
like
to
offend
Tipping
.
"
I
—
I
think
—
some
other
time
,
perhaps
,
"
he
said
nervously
.
"
Not
now
.
"
"
Ah
,
you
're
afraid
to
say
what
you
were
going
to
say
now
I
'm
here
,
"
said
the
amiable
Tipping
,
nettled
by
Dulcie
's
little
air
of
haughty
disdain
.
"
You
're
a
coward
;
you
know
you
are
.
You
pretend
to
think
such
a
lot
of
Dulcie
here
,
but
you
dare
n't
fight
!
"
"
Fight
!
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
.
"
Eh
,
what
for
?
"
"
Why
,
for
her
,
of
course
.
You
ca
n't
care
much
about
her
if
you
dare
n't
fight
for
her
.
I
want
to
show
her
who
's
the
best
man
of
the
two
!
"
"
I
do
n't
want
to
be
shown
,
"
wailed
poor
Dulcie
piteously
,
clinging
to
the
reluctant
Paul
;
"
I
know
.
Do
n't
fight
with
him
,
Dick
.
I
say
you
're
not
to
.
"
"
Certainly
not
!
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
with
great
decision
.
"
I
should
n't
think
of
such
a
thing
!
"
and
he
rose
from
the
bench
and
was
about
to
walk
away
,
when
Tipping
suddenly
pulled
off
his
coat
and
began
to
make
sundry
demonstrations
of
a
martial
nature
,
such
as
dancing
aggressively
towards
his
rival
and
clenching
his
fists
.
By
this
time
most
of
the
other
boys
had
come
down
into
the
playground
,
and
were
looking
on
with
great
interest
.
There
was
an
element
of
romance
in
this
promised
combat
which
gave
it
additional
attractions
.
It
was
like
one
of
the
struggles
between
knightly
champions
in
the
Waverley
novels
.
Several
of
them
would
have
fought
till
they
could
n't
see
out
of
their
eyes
if
it
would
have
given
them
the
least
chance
of
obtaining
favour
in
Dulcie
's
sight
,
and
they
all
envied
Dick
,
who
was
the
only
boy
that
was
not
unmercifully
snubbed
by
their
capricious
little
princess
.
Paul
alone
was
blind
to
the
splendour
of
his
privileges
.
He
examined
Tipping
carefully
,
as
the
latter
was
still
assuming
a
hostile
attitude
and
chanting
a
sort
of
war-cry
supposed
to
be
an
infallible
incentive
to
strife
.
"
Yah
,
you
're
afraid
!
"
he
sang
very
offensively
.
"
I
would
n't
be
a
funk
!
"
"
Pooh
!
"
said
Paul
at
last
;
"
go
away
,
sir
,
go
away
!
"
"
Go
away
,
eh
?
"
jeered
Tipping
.
"
Who
are
you
to
tell
me
to
go
away
?
Go
away
yourself
!
"
"
Certainly
,
"
said
Paul
,
only
too
happy
to
oblige
.
But
he
found
himself
prevented
by
a
ring
of
excited
backers
.
"
Do
n't
funk
it
,
Dick
!
"
cried
some
,
forgetting
recent
ill-feeling
in
the
necessity
for
partisanship
.
"
Go
in
and
settle
him
as
you
did
that
last
time
.
I
'll
second
you
.
You
can
do
it
!
"
"
Do
n't
hit
each
other
in
the
face
,
"
pleaded
Dulcie
,
who
had
got
upon
a
bench
and
was
looking
down
into
the
ring
—
not
,
if
the
truth
must
be
told
,
without
a
certain
pleasurable
excitement
in
the
feeling
that
it
was
all
about
her
.
And
now
Mr.
Bultitude
discovered
that
he
was
seriously
expected
to
fight
this
great
hulking
boy
,
and
that
the
sole
reason
for
any
disagreement
was
an
utterly
unfounded
jealousy
respecting
this
little
girl
Dulcie
.
He
had
not
a
grain
of
chivalry
in
his
disposition
—
chivalry
being
an
eminently
unpractical
virtue
—
and
naturally
he
saw
no
advantage
in
letting
himself
be
mauled
for
the
sake
of
a
child
younger
than
his
own
daughter
.
Dulcie
's
appeal
enraged
Tipping
,
who
took
it
as
addressed
solely
to
himself
.
"
You
ought
to
be
glad
to
stick
up
for
her
,
"
he
said
between
his
teeth
.
"
I
'll
mash
you
for
this
—
see
if
I
do
n't
!
"
Paul
thought
he
saw
his
way
clear
to
disabuse
Tipping
of
his
mistaken
idea
.
"
Are
you
proposing
,
"
he
asked
politely
,
"
to
—
to
'
mash
'
me
on
account
of
that
little
girl
there
on
the
seat
?
"
"
You
'll
soon
see
,
"
growled
Tipping
.
"
Shut
your
head
,
and
come
on
!
"
"
No
,
but
I
want
to
know
,
"
persisted
Mr.
Bultitude
.
"
Because
,
"
he
said
with
a
sickly
attempt
at
jocularity
which
delighted
none
,
"
you
see
,
I
do
n't
want
to
be
mashed
.
I
'm
not
a
potato
.
If
I
understand
you
aright
,
you
want
to
fight
me
because
you
think
me
likely
to
interfere
with
your
claim
to
that
little
girl
's
—
ah
—
affections
?
"
"
That
's
it
,
"
said
Tipping
gruffly
;
"
so
you
'd
better
waste
no
more
words
about
it
,
and
come
on
.
"
"
But
I
do
n't
care
about
coming
on
,
"
protested
Paul
earnestly
.
"
It
's
all
a
mistake
.
I
've
no
doubt
she
's
a
very
nice
little
girl
,
but
I
assure
you
,
my
good
boy
,
I
've
no
desire
to
stand
in
your
way
for
one
instant
.
She
's
nothing
to
me
—
nothing
at
all
!
I
give
her
up
to
you
.
Take
her
,
young
fellow
,
with
my
blessing
!
There
,
now
,
that
's
all
settled
comfortably
—
eh
?
"
He
was
just
looking
round
with
a
self-satisfied
and
relieved
air
,
when
he
began
to
be
aware
that
his
act
of
frank
unselfishness
was
not
as
much
appreciated
as
it
deserved
.
Tipping
,
indeed
,
looked
baffled
and
irresolute
for
one
moment
,
but
a
low
murmur
of
disgust
arose
from
the
bystanders
,
and
even
Jolland
declared
that
it
was
"
too
beastly
mean
.
"
As
for
Dulcie
,
she
had
been
looking
on
incredulously
at
her
champion
's
unaccountable
tardiness
in
coming
to
the
point
.
But
this
public
repudiation
was
too
much
for
her
.
She
gave
a
little
low
wail
as
she
heard
the
shameless
words
of
recantation
,
and
then
,
without
a
word
,
jumped
lightly
down
from
her
bench
and
ran
away
to
hide
herself
somewhere
and
cry
.
Even
Paul
,
though
he
knew
that
he
had
done
nothing
but
what
was
strictly
right
,
and
had
acted
purely
in
self-protection
,
felt
unaccountably
ashamed
of
himself
as
he
saw
this
effect
of
his
speech
.
But
it
was
too
late
now
.
10.
The
Complete
Letter-Writer
"
Accelerated
by
ignominious
shovings
—
nay
,
as
it
is
written
,
by
smitings
,
twitchings
,
spurnings
à
posteriori
not
to
be
named
.
"
—
French
Revolution
.
"
This
letter
being
so
excellently
ignorant
will
breed
no
terror
in
the
youth
.
"
—
Twelfth
Night
.
Mr.
Bultitude
had
meant
to
achieve
a
double
stroke
of
diplomacy
—
to
undeceive
Dulcie
and
conciliate
the
lovesick
Tipping
.
But
whatever
his
success
may
have
been
in
the
former
respect
,
the
latter
object
failed
conspicuously
.
"
You
sha
n't
get
off
by
a
shabby
trick
like
that
,
"
said
Tipping
,
exasperated
by
the
sight
of
Dulcie
's
emotion
;
"
you
've
made
her
cry
now
,
and
you
shall
smart
for
it
.
So
,
now
,
are
you
going
to
stand
up
to
me
like
a
man
,
or
will
you
take
a
licking
?
"
"
I
'm
not
going
to
help
you
to
commit
a
breach
of
the
peace
,
"
said
Paul
with
great
dignity
.
"
Go
away
,
you
quarrelsome
young
ruffian
!
Get
one
of
your
schoolfellows
to
fight
you
,
if
you
must
fight
.
I
do
n't
want
to
be
mixed
up
with
you
in
any
way
.
"
But
at
this
Tipping
,
whose
blood
was
evidently
at
boiling
point
,
came
prancing
down
on
him
in
a
Zulu-like
fashion
,
swinging
his
long
arms
like
a
windmill
,
and
finding
that
his
enemy
made
no
attempt
at
receiving
him
,
but
only
moved
away
apprehensively
,
he
seized
him
by
the
collar
as
a
prelude
to
dealing
him
a
series
of
kicks
behind
.
Although
Mr.
Bultitude
,
as
we
have
seen
,
was
opposed
to
fighting
as
a
system
he
could
not
submit
to
this
sort
of
thing
without
at
least
some
attempt
to
defend
himself
;
and
judging
it
of
the
highest
importance
to
disable
his
adversary
in
the
most
effectual
manner
before
the
latter
had
time
to
carry
out
his
offensive
designs
,
he
turned
sharply
round
and
hit
him
a
very
severe
blow
in
the
lower
part
of
his
waistcoat
.
The
result
fulfilled
his
highest
expectations
.
Tipping
collapsed
like
a
pocket-rule
,
and
staggered
away
speechless
,
and
purple
with
pain
,
while
Paul
stood
calm
and
triumphant
.
He
had
shown
these
fellows
that
he
was
n't
going
to
stand
any
nonsense
.
They
would
leave
him
alone
after
this
,
perhaps
.
But
once
more
there
were
cries
and
murmurs
of
"
Shame
!
"
"
No
hitting
below
the
belt
!
"
"
Cad
—
coward
!
"
It
appeared
that
,
somehow
,
he
had
managed
to
offend
their
prejudices
even
in
this
.
"
It
's
very
odd
,
"
he
thought
;
"
when
I
did
n't
fight
they
called
me
a
coward
,
and
now
,
when
I
do
,
I
do
n't
seem
to
have
pleased
them
much
.
I
do
n't
care
,
though
.
I
've
settled
him
.
"
But
after
a
season
of
protracted
writhing
by
the
parallel
bars
,
Tipping
came
out
,
still
gasping
and
deadly
pale
,
leaning
on
Biddlecomb
's
shoulder
,
and
was
met
with
universal
sympathy
and
condolence
.
"
Thanks
!
"
he
said
with
considerable
effort
.
"
Of
course
—
I
'm
not
going
—
to
fight
him
after
a
low
trick
like
that
;
but
perhaps
you
fellows
will
see
that
he
does
n't
escape
quite
as
easily
as
he
fancies
?
"
There
was
a
general
shout
.
"
No
;
he
shall
pay
for
it
!
We
'll
teach
him
to
fight
fair
!
We
'll
see
if
he
tries
that
on
again
!
"
Paul
heard
it
with
much
uneasiness
.
What
new
devilry
were
they
about
to
practise
upon
him
?
He
was
not
left
long
in
doubt
.
"
I
vote
,
"
suggested
Biddlecomb
,
as
if
he
were
proposing
a
testimonial
,
"
we
make
him
run
the
gauntlet
.
Grim
wo
n't
come
out
and
catch
us
.
I
saw
him
go
out
for
a
drive
an
hour
ago
.
"
And
the
idea
was
very
favourably
entertained
.
Paul
had
heard
of
"
running
the
gauntlet
,
"
and
dimly
suspected
that
it
was
not
an
experience
he
was
likely
to
enjoy
,
particularly
when
he
saw
everyone
busying
himself
with
tying
the
end
of
his
pocket-handkerchief
into
a
hard
knot
.
He
tried
in
vain
to
excuse
himself
,
declaring
again
and
again
that
he
had
never
meant
to
injure
the
boy
.
He
had
only
defended
himself
,
and
was
under
the
impression
that
he
was
at
perfect
liberty
to
hit
him
wherever
he
could
,
and
so
on
.
But
they
were
in
no
mood
for
excuses
.
With
a
stern
magisterial
formality
worthy
of
a
Vehm-Gericht
,
they
formed
in
two
long
lines
down
the
centre
of
the
playground
;
and
while
Paul
was
still
staring
in
wonder
at
what
this
strange
manœuvre
might
mean
,
somebody
pounced
upon
him
and
carried
him
up
to
one
end
of
the
ranks
,
where
Tipping
had
by
this
time
sufficiently
recovered
to
be
able
to
"
set
him
going
,
"
as
he
chose
to
call
it
,
with
a
fairly
effective
kick
.
After
that
he
had
a
confused
sense
of
flying
madly
along
the
double
line
of
avengers
under
a
hail
of
blows
which
caught
him
on
every
part
of
his
head
,
shoulders
,
and
back
till
he
reached
the
end
,
where
he
was
dexterously
turned
and
sent
spinning
up
to
Tipping
again
,
who
in
his
turn
headed
him
back
on
his
arrival
,
and
forced
him
to
brave
the
terrible
lane
once
more
.
Never
before
had
Mr.
Bultitude
felt
so
sore
and
insulted
.
But
they
kept
it
up
long
after
the
thing
had
lost
its
first
freshness
—
until
at
last
exhaustion
made
them
lean
to
mercy
,
and
they
cuffed
him
ignominiously
into
a
corner
,
and
left
him
to
lament
his
ill-treatment
there
till
the
bell
rang
for
dinner
,
for
which
,
contrary
to
precedent
,
his
recent
violent
exercise
had
excited
little
appetite
.
"
I
shall
be
killed
soon
if
I
stay
here
,
"
he
moaned
;
"
I
know
I
shall
.
These
young
brigands
would
murder
me
cheerfully
,
if
they
were
not
afraid
of
being
caned
for
it
.
I
'm
a
miserable
man
,
and
I
wish
I
was
dead
!
"
Although
that
afternoon
,
being
Saturday
,
was
a
half-holiday
,
Mr.
Bultitude
was
spared
the
ordeal
of
another
game
at
football
;
for
a
smart
storm
of
rain
and
sleet
coming
on
about
three
o'clock
kept
the
school
—
not
altogether
unwilling
prisoners
—
within
doors
for
the
day
.
The
boys
sat
in
their
places
in
their
schoolroom
,
amusing
themselves
after
their
several
fashions
—
some
reading
,
some
making
libellous
copies
of
drawings
that
took
their
fancy
in
the
illustrated
papers
,
some
playing
games
;
others
,
too
listless
to
play
and
too
dull
to
find
pleasure
in
the
simplest
books
,
filled
up
the
time
as
well
as
they
could
by
quarrelling
and
getting
into
various
depths
of
hot
water
.
Paul
sat
in
a
corner
pretending
to
read
a
story
relating
the
experiences
of
certain
infants
of
phenomenal
courage
and
coolness
in
the
Arctic
regions
.
They
killed
bears
and
tamed
walruses
all
through
the
book
;
but
for
the
first
time
,
perhaps
,
since
their
appearance
in
print
their
exploits
fell
flat
.
Not
,
however
,
that
this
reflected
any
discredit
upon
the
author
's
powers
,
which
are
justly
admired
by
all
healthy-minded
boys
;
but
it
was
beyond
the
power
of
literature
just
then
to
charm
Mr.
Bultitude
's
thoughts
from
the
recollection
of
his
misfortunes
.
As
he
took
in
all
the
details
of
his
surroundings
—
the
warm
close
room
;
the
raw-toned
desks
and
tables
at
which
a
rabble
of
unsympathetic
boys
were
noisily
whispering
and
chattering
,
with
occasional
glances
in
his
direction
,
from
which
,
taught
by
experience
,
he
augured
no
good
;
the
high
uncurtained
windows
,
blurred
with
little
stars
of
half-frozen
rain
,
and
the
bare
,
bleak
branches
of
the
trees
outside
tossing
drearily
against
a
low
leaden
sky
—
he
tried
in
vain
to
cheat
himself
into
a
dreamy
persuasion
that
all
this
misery
could
not
be
real
,
but
would
fade
away
as
suddenly
and
mysteriously
as
it
had
stolen
upon
him
.
Towards
the
close
of
the
afternoon
the
Doctor
came
in
and
took
his
place
at
the
writing-table
,
where
he
was
apparently
very
busy
with
the
composition
of
some
sort
of
document
,
which
he
finished
at
last
with
evident
satisfaction
at
the
result
of
his
labour
.
Then
he
observed
that
,
according
to
their
custom
of
a
Saturday
afternoon
,
the
hour
before
tea-time
should
be
devoted
to
"
writing
home
.
"
So
the
books
,
chess-boards
,
and
dominoes
were
all
put
away
,
and
a
new
steel
pen
and
a
sheet
of
notepaper
,
neatly
embossed
with
the
heading
"
Crichton
House
School
"
in
old
English
letters
,
having
been
served
out
to
everyone
,
each
boy
prepared
himself
to
write
down
such
things
as
filial
affection
,
strict
truthfulness
,
and
the
desire
of
imparting
information
might
inspire
between
them
.
Paul
felt
,
as
he
clutched
his
writing
materials
,
much
as
a
shipwrecked
mariner
might
be
expected
to
do
at
finding
on
his
desolate
island
a
good-sized
flag
and
a
case
of
rockets
.
His
hopes
revived
once
more
;
he
forgot
the
smarts
left
by
the
knots
in
the
handkerchiefs
,
he
had
a
whole
hour
before
him
—
it
was
possible
to
set
several
wires
in
motion
for
his
release
in
an
hour
.
Yes
,
he
must
write
several
letters
.
First
,
one
to
his
solicitor
detailing
,
as
calmly
and
concisely
as
his
feelings
would
allow
,
the
shameful
way
in
which
he
had
been
treated
,
and
imploring
him
to
take
measures
of
some
sort
for
getting
him
out
of
his
false
and
awkward
position
;
one
to
his
head
clerk
,
to
press
upon
him
the
necessity
of
prudence
and
caution
in
dealing
with
the
impostor
;
notes
to
Bangle
and
Fishwick
putting
them
off
—
they
should
not
be
outraged
by
an
introduction
to
a
vulgar
pantomime
clown
under
his
roof
;
and
lastly
(
this
was
an
outburst
he
could
not
deny
himself
)
,
a
solemn
impressive
appeal
to
the
common
humanity
,
if
not
to
the
ordinary
filial
instincts
,
of
his
undutiful
son
.
His
fingers
tingled
to
begin
.
Sentences
of
burning
,
indignant
eloquence
crowded
confusedly
into
his
head
—
he
would
write
such
letters
as
would
carry
instant
conviction
to
the
most
practical
and
matter-of-fact
minds
.
The
pathos
and
dignity
of
his
remonstrances
should
melt
even
Dick
's
selfish
,
callous
heart
.
Perhaps
he
overrated
the
power
of
his
pen
—
perhaps
it
would
have
required
more
than
mere
ink
to
persuade
his
friends
to
disbelieve
their
own
senses
,
and
see
a
portly
citizen
of
over
fifty
packed
into
the
frame
of
a
chubby
urchin
of
fourteen
.
But
,
