forthe
best
part
of
two
hours
—
the
Doctor
was
very
unlikely
to
be
detained
nearly
so
long
over
one
call
;
his
one
anxiety
was
lest
he
might
not
be
able
,
after
all
,
to
explain
himself
in
a
thoroughly
effective
manner
—
he
planned
out
a
little
scheme
for
doing
this
.
He
must
begin
gradually
of
course
,
so
as
not
to
alarm
the
schoolmaster
or
raise
doubts
of
his
sincerity
or
,
worse
still
,
his
sanity
.
Perhaps
a
slight
glance
at
instances
of
extraordinary
interventions
of
the
supernatural
from
the
earliest
times
,
tending
to
show
the
extreme
probability
of
their
survival
on
rare
occasions
even
to
the
present
day
,
might
be
a
prudent
and
cautious
introduction
to
the
subject
—
only
he
could
not
think
of
any
,
and
,
after
all
,
it
might
weary
the
Doctor
.
He
would
start
somewhat
in
this
manner
:
"
You
cannot
,
my
dear
sir
,
have
failed
to
observe
since
our
meeting
this
year
,
a
certain
difference
in
my
manner
and
bearing
"
—
one
's
projected
speeches
are
somehow
generally
couched
in
finer
language
than
,
when
it
comes
to
the
point
,
the
tongue
can
be
prevailed
upon
to
utter
.
Mr.
Bultitude
learned
this
opening
sentence
by
heart
,
he
thought
it
taking
and
neat
,
the
sort
of
thing
to
fix
his
hearer
's
attention
from
the
first
.
After
that
he
found
it
difficult
to
get
any
further
;
he
knew
himself
that
all
he
was
about
to
describe
was
plain
,
unvarnished
fact
—
but
how
would
it
strike
a
stranger
's
ear
?
He
found
himself
seeking
ways
in
which
to
tone
down
the
glaring
improbability
of
the
thing
as
much
as
possible
,
but
in
vain
;
"
I
do
n't
know
how
I
shall
ever
get
it
all
out
,
"
he
told
himself
at
last
;
"
if
I
think
about
it
much
longer
I
shall
begin
to
disbelieve
in
it
myself
.
"
Here
Biddlecomb
came
up
in
a
confidential
manner
and
sat
down
by
Paul
;
"
Dick
,
"
he
began
,
in
rather
a
trembling
voice
,
"
did
I
hear
the
Doctor
say
something
about
your
having
something
to
tell
him
?
"
"
Oh
Lord
,
here
's
another
of
them
now
!
"
thought
Paul
.
"
You
are
right
,
young
sir
,
"
he
said
:
"
have
you
any
objection
?
mention
it
,
you
know
,
if
you
have
,
pray
mention
it
.
It
's
a
matter
of
life
and
death
to
me
,
but
if
you
at
all
disapprove
,
of
course
that
ought
to
be
final
!
"
"
No
,
but
,
"
protested
Biddlecomb
,
"
I
,
I
daresay
I
've
not
treated
you
very
well
lately
,
I
—
—
"
"
You
were
kind
enough
to
suggest
several
very
uncommonly
unpleasant
ways
of
annoying
me
,
sir
,
"
said
Paul
resentfully
,
"
if
you
mean
that
.
You
've
kicked
me
more
than
once
,
and
your
handkerchief
,
unless
I
am
very
much
mistaken
,
had
the
biggest
and
the
hardest
knot
in
it
yesterday
.
If
that
gives
you
the
right
to
interfere
and
dictate
to
me
now
,
like
your
amiable
friend
,
Master
Chawner
,
I
suppose
you
have
it
.
"
"
Now
you
're
angry
,
"
said
Biddlecomb
humbly
;
"
I
do
n't
wonder
at
it
.
I
've
behaved
like
a
cad
,
I
know
,
but
,
and
this
is
what
I
wanted
to
say
,
I
was
sorry
for
you
all
the
time
.
"
"
That
's
very
comforting
,
"
said
Paul
drily
;
"
thank
you
.
I
'm
vastly
obliged
to
you
.
"
"
I
was
,
though
,
"
said
Biddlecomb
.
"
I
,
I
was
led
away
by
the
other
fellows
—
I
always
liked
you
,
you
know
,
Bultitude
.
"
"
You
've
a
very
odd
way
of
showing
your
affection
,
"
remarked
Mr.
Bultitude
;
"
but
go
on
,
let
me
hear
all
you
have
to
say
.
"
"
It
is
n't
much
,
"
said
Biddlecomb
,
quite
broken
down
;
"
only
do
n't
sneak
of
me
this
time
,
Dick
,
let
me
off
,
there
's
a
good
fellow
.
I
'll
stick
up
for
you
after
this
,
I
will
really
.
You
used
not
to
be
a
fellow
for
sneaking
once
.
It
's
caddish
to
sneak
!
"
"
Do
n't
be
alarmed
,
my
good
friend
,
"
said
Paul
;
"
I
wo
n't
poach
on
that
excellent
young
man
Chawner
's
preserves
.
What
I
am
going
to
tell
the
Doctor
has
nothing
to
do
with
you
.
"
"
On
your
honour
?
"
said
Biddlecomb
eagerly
.
"
Yes
,
"
said
Paul
testily
,
"
on
my
honour
.
Now
,
perhaps
,
you
'll
let
me
alone
.
No
,
I
wo
n't
shake
hands
,
sir
.
I
've
had
to
accept
your
kicks
,
but
I
do
n't
want
your
friendship
.
"
Biddlecomb
went
off
,
looking
slightly
ashamed
of
himself
but
visibly
relieved
from
a
haunting
fear
.
"
Thank
goodness
!
"
thought
Paul
,
"
he
was
n't
as
obstinate
as
the
other
fellow
.
What
a
set
they
are
!
I
knew
it
,
there
's
another
boy
coming
up
now
!
"
And
indeed
one
boy
after
another
came
up
in
the
same
way
as
Biddlecomb
had
done
,
some
cringing
more
than
others
,
but
all
vowing
that
they
had
never
intended
to
do
any
harm
,
and
entreating
him
to
change
his
mind
about
complaining
of
his
ill-treatment
.
They
brought
little
offerings
to
propitiate
him
and
prove
the
depth
of
their
unaltered
regard
—
pencil-cases
and
pocket-knives
,
and
so
forth
,
until
they
drove
Paul
nearly
to
desperation
.
However
,
he
succeeded
in
dispelling
their
fears
after
some
hot
arguments
,
and
had
just
sent
away
the
last
suppliant
,
when
he
saw
Jolland
too
rise
and
come
towards
him
.
Jolland
leaned
across
Paul
's
desk
with
folded
arms
and
looked
him
full
in
the
face
with
his
shallow
light
green
eyes
.
"
I
do
n't
know
what
you
've
said
to
all
those
chaps
,
"
he
began
;
"
they
've
come
back
looking
precious
glum
,
but
they
wo
n't
tell
me
what
you
said
,
"
(
Mr.
Bultitude
had
in
satisfying
their
alarm
taken
care
to
let
them
know
his
private
opinion
of
them
,
which
was
not
flattering
)
,
"
but
I
've
got
something
to
say
to
you
,
and
it
's
this
.
I
never
thought
you
would
quite
come
down
to
this
sort
of
thing
!
"
"
What
sort
of
thing
?
"
said
Paul
,
who
was
beginning
to
have
enough
of
it
.
"
Why
,
going
up
and
letting
on
against
all
of
us
—
it
's
mean
,
you
know
.
If
you
have
got
bashed
about
pretty
well
since
you
came
back
,
it
's
been
all
your
own
fault
,
and
you
know
it
.
Last
term
you
got
on
well
enough
—
this
time
you
began
to
be
queer
and
nasty
the
very
first
day
you
came
.
I
thought
it
was
one
of
your
larks
at
first
,
but
I
do
n't
know
what
it
is
now
,
and
I
do
n't
care
.
I
stood
up
for
you
as
long
as
I
could
,
till
you
acted
like
a
funk
yesterday
.
Then
I
took
my
share
in
lamming
you
,
and
I
'd
do
it
again
.
But
if
you
are
cad
enough
to
pay
us
all
out
in
this
way
,
I
'll
have
no
more
to
do
with
you
—
mind
that
.
That
's
all
I
came
to
say
.
"
This
was
an
unpalatable
way
of
putting
things
,
but
Paul
could
not
help
seeing
that
there
was
some
truth
in
it
.
Jolland
had
been
kind
to
him
,
too
,
in
a
careless
sort
of
way
,
and
at
some
cost
to
himself
;
so
it
was
with
more
mildness
than
temper
that
he
answered
him
.
"
You
're
on
the
wrong
tack
,
my
boy
,
the
wrong
tack
.
I
've
no
wish
to
tell
tales
of
anyone
,
as
I
've
been
trying
to
explain
to
your
friends
.
There
's
something
the
matter
with
me
which
you
would
n't
understand
if
I
told
you
.
"
"
Oh
,
I
did
n't
know
,
"
said
Jolland
,
mollified
;
"
if
it
's
only
physic
you
want
.
"
"
Whatever
it
is
,
"
said
Paul
,
not
caring
to
undeceive
him
,
"
it
wo
n't
affect
you
or
anyone
here
,
but
myself
.
You
're
not
a
bad
young
fellow
,
I
believe
.
I
do
n't
want
to
get
you
into
trouble
,
sir
;
you
do
n't
want
much
assistance
,
I
'm
afraid
,
in
that
department
.
So
be
off
,
like
a
good
fellow
,
and
leave
me
in
peace
.
"
All
these
interviews
had
taken
time
.
He
was
alarmed
on
looking
at
the
clock
to
see
that
it
was
nearly
eight
;
the
Doctor
was
a
long
time
over
that
call
—
for
the
first
time
he
began
to
feel
uneasy
—
he
made
hurried
mental
calculations
as
to
the
probability
of
the
Doctor
or
Chawner
being
the
first
to
return
.
The
walk
to
church
took
about
twenty
minutes
;
say
the
service
took
an
hour
,
allowing
for
the
return
,
he
might
expect
Chawner
by
about
half-past
eight
;
it
was
striking
the
hour
now
—
half
an
hour
only
in
which
he
could
hope
for
any
favourable
result
from
the
interview
!
For
he
saw
this
plainly
,
that
if
Chawner
were
once
permitted
to
get
the
Doctor
's
ear
first
and
show
him
that
infamous
love-note
,
no
explanation
of
his
(
even
if
he
had
nerve
to
make
it
then
,
which
he
doubted
)
could
possibly
seem
anything
more
than
a
desperate
and
far-fetched
excuse
;
if
he
could
anticipate
Chawner
,
on
the
other
hand
,
and
once
convince
the
Doctor
of
the
truth
of
his
story
,
the
informer
's
malice
would
fall
flat
.
And
still
the
long
hand
went
rapidly
on
,
as
Mr.
Bultitude
sat
staring
stupidly
at
it
with
a
faint
sick
feeling
—
it
had
passed
the
quarter
now
—
why
did
the
Doctor
delay
in
this
unwarrantable
manner
?
What
a
farce
social
civilities
were
—
if
he
had
allowed
himself
to
be
prevailed
on
to
stay
to
supper
!
Twenty
minutes
past
;
Chawner
and
the
others
might
return
at
any
moment
—
a
ring
at
the
bell
;
they
were
there
!
all
was
over
now
—
no
,
he
was
saved
,
that
was
Dr.
Grimstone
's
voice
in
the
hall
—
what
an
unconscionable
time
he
was
taking
off
his
greatcoat
and
gloves
.
But
all
comes
to
the
man
who
waits
.
In
another
moment
the
Doctor
looked
in
,
singled
out
Mr.
Bultitude
with
a
sharp
glance
,
and
a
,
"
Now
,
Bultitude
,
I
will
hear
you
!
"
and
led
the
way
to
his
study
.
Paul
staggered
rather
than
walked
after
him
:
as
usual
at
the
critical
moment
his
carefully
prepared
opening
had
deserted
him
—
his
head
felt
heavy
and
crowded
—
he
wanted
to
run
away
,
but
forced
himself
to
overcome
such
a
suicidal
proceeding
and
follow
to
the
study
.
There
was
a
lighted
reading-lamp
with
a
green
glass
shade
upon
the
table
.
The
Doctor
sat
down
by
it
in
an
armchair
by
the
fire
,
crossed
his
legs
,
and
joined
the
tops
of
his
fingers
together
.
"
Now
,
Bultitude
,
"
he
said
again
.
"
Might
I
—
might
I
sit
down
?
"
said
poor
Mr.
Bultitude
in
a
thick
voice
;
it
was
all
that
occurred
to
him
to
say
.
"
Sit
by
all
means
,
"
said
the
Doctor
blandly
.
So
Paul
drew
a
chair
opposite
the
Doctor
and
sat
down
.
He
tried
desperately
to
clear
his
head
and
throat
and
begin
;
but
the
only
distinct
thought
in
his
mind
just
then
was
that
the
green
lamp-shade
lent
a
particularly
ghastly
hue
to
the
Doctor
's
face
.
"
Take
your
time
,
Bultitude
,
"
said
the
latter
,
after
a
long
minute
,
in
which
a
little
skeleton
clock
on
the
mantelpiece
ticked
loudly
—
"
there
's
no
hurry
,
my
boy
.
"
But
this
only
reminded
Paul
that
there
was
every
need
for
hurry
—
Chawner
might
come
in
,
and
follow
him
here
,
unless
he
made
haste
.
Still
,
he
could
only
say
,
"
You
see
me
in
a
very
agitated
state
,
Dr.
Grimstone
—
a
very
agitated
state
,
sir
.
"
The
Doctor
gave
a
short
,
dry
cough
.
"
Well
,
Bultitude
,
"
he
said
.
"
The
fact
is
,
sir
,
I
'm
in
a
most
unfortunate
position
,
and
—
and
the
worst
of
it
is
,
I
do
n't
know
how
to
begin
.
"
Here
he
made
another
dead
stop
,
while
the
Doctor
raised
his
heavy
eyebrows
,
and
looked
at
the
clock
.
"
Do
you
see
any
prospect
of
your
finding
yourself
able
to
begin
soon
?
"
he
inquired
at
last
,
with
rather
suspicious
suavity
.
"
Perhaps
if
you
came
to
me
later
on
—
—
"
"
Not
for
the
world
!
"
said
Paul
,
in
a
highly
nervous
condition
.
"
I
shall
begin
very
soon
,
Doctor
,
I
shall
begin
directly
.
Mine
is
such
a
very
singular
case
;
it
's
difficult
,
as
you
see
,
to
,
to
open
it
!
"
"
Have
you
anything
on
your
mind
?
"
asked
the
Doctor
suddenly
.
Paul
could
hear
steps
and
voices
in
the
adjoining
cloakroom
—
the
churchgoers
had
returned
.
"
Yes
—
no
!
"
he
answered
,
losing
his
head
completely
now
.
"
That
's
a
somewhat
extraordinary
,
not
to
say
an
ambiguous
,
reply
,
"
said
the
Doctor
;
"
what
am
I
to
understand
by
—
—
"
There
was
a
tap
at
the
door
.
Paul
started
to
his
feet
in
a
panic
.
"
Do
n't
let
him
in
!
"
he
shrieked
,
finding
his
voice
at
last
.
"
Hear
me
first
—
you
shall
hear
me
first
!
Say
that
other
rascal
is
not
to
come
in
.
He
wants
to
ruin
me
!
"
"
I
was
going
to
say
I
was
engaged
,
"
said
the
Doctor
;
"
but
there
's
something
under
this
I
must
understand
.
Come
in
,
whoever
you
are
.
"
And
the
door
opened
softly
,
and
Chawner
stepped
meekly
in
;
he
was
rather
pale
and
breathed
hard
,
but
was
otherwise
quite
composed
.
"
Now
,
then
,
Chawner
,
"
said
the
Doctor
impatiently
,
"
what
is
it
?
Have
you
something
on
your
mind
,
too
?
"
"
Please
,
sir
,
"
said
Chawner
,
"
has
Bultitude
told
you
anything
yet
?
"
"
No
,
why
?
Hold
your
tongue
,
Bultitude
.
I
shall
hear
Chawner
now
—
not
you
!
"
"
Because
,
sir
,
"
explained
Chawner
,
"
he
knew
I
had
made
up
my
mind
to
tell
you
something
I
thought
you
ought
to
know
about
him
,
and
so
he
threatened
to
come
first
and
tell
some
falsehood
(
I
'm
sure
I
do
n't
know
what
)
about
me
,
sir
.
I
think
I
ought
to
be
here
too
.
"
"
It
's
a
lie
!
"
shouted
Paul
,
"
What
a
villain
that
boy
is
!
Do
n't
believe
a
word
he
says
,
Dr.
Grimstone
;
it
's
all
false
—
all
!
"
"
This
is
very
suspicious
,
"
said
the
Doctor
;
"
if
your
conscience
were
good
,
Bultitude
,
you
could
have
no
object
in
preventing
me
from
hearing
Chawner
.
Chawner
,
in
spite
of
some
obvious
defects
in
his
character
,
"
he
went
on
,
with
a
gulp
(
he
never
could
quite
overcome
a
repulsion
to
the
boy
)
,
"
is
,
on
the
whole
,
a
right-minded
and
,
ah
,
conscientious
boy
.
I
hear
Chawner
first
.
"
"
Then
,
sir
,
if
you
please
,
"
said
Chawner
,
with
an
odious
side
smirk
of
triumph
at
Paul
,
who
,
quite
crushed
by
the
horror
of
the
situation
,
had
collapsed
feebly
on
his
chair
again
,
"
I
thought
it
was
my
duty
to
let
you
see
this
.
I
found
it
to-day
in
Bultitude
's
prayerbook
,
sir
.
"
And
he
handed
Dick
's
unlucky
scrawl
to
the
Doctor
,
who
took
it
to
the
lamp
and
read
it
hurriedly
through
.
After
that
there
was
a
terrible
moment
of
dead
silence
;
then
the
Doctor
looked
up
and
said
shortly
,
"
You
did
well
to
tell
me
of
this
,
Chawner
;
you
may
go
now
.
"
When
they
were
alone
once
more
he
turned
upon
the
speechless
Paul
with
furious
scorn
and
indignation
.
"
Contemptible
liar
and
hypocrite
,
"
he
thundered
,
pacing
restlessly
up
and
down
the
room
in
his
excitement
,
till
Paul
felt
very
like
Daniel
,
without
his
sense
of
security
,
"
you
are
unmasked
—
unmasked
,
sir
!
You
led
me
to
believe
that
you
were
as
much
shocked
and
pained
at
this
girl
's
venturing
to
write
to
you
as
I
could
be
myself
.
You
called
it
,
quite
correctly
,
'
forward
and
improper
'
;
you
pretended
you
had
never
given
her
the
least
encouragement
—
had
not
heard
her
name
even
—
till
to-day
.
And
here
is
a
note
,
written
,
as
I
should
imagine
,
some
time
since
,
in
which
you
address
her
as
'
Connie
Davenant
,
'
and
have
the
impudence
to
admire
the
hat
she
wore
the
Sunday
before
!
I
shudder
,
sir
,
to
think
of
such
duplicity
,
such
precocious
and
shameless
depravity
.
It
astounds
me
.
It
deprives
me
of
all
power
to
think
!
"
Paul
made
some
faint
and
inarticulate
remark
about
being
a
family
man
—
always
most
particular
,
and
so
forth
—
luckily
it
passed
unheard
.
"
What
shall
I
do
with
you
?
"
continued
the
Doctor
;
"
how
shall
I
punish
such
monstrous
misconduct
?
"
"
Do
n't
ask
me
,
sir
,
"
said
Paul
,
desperately
—
"
only
,
for
heaven
's
sake
,
get
it
over
as
soon
as
possible
.
"
"
If
I
linger
,
sir
,
"
retorted
the
Doctor
,
"
it
is
because
I
have
grave
doubts
whether
your
offence
can
be
expiated
by
a
mere
flogging
—
whether
that
is
not
altogether
too
light
a
retribution
.
"
"
He
ca
n't
want
to
torture
me
,
"
thought
Paul
.
"
Yes
,
"
said
the
Doctor
again
,
"
the
doubt
has
prevailed
.
On
a
mind
so
hardened
the
cane
would
leave
no
lasting
impression
.
I
cannot
allow
your
innocent
companions
to
run
the
risk
of
contamination
from
your
society
.
I
must
not
permit
this
serpent
to
glide
uncrushed
,
this
cockatrice
to
practise
his
epistolary
wiles
,
within
my
peaceful
fold
.
My
mind
is
made
up
—
at
whatever
cost
to
myself
—
however
it
may
distress
and
grieve
your
good
father
,
who
is
so
pathetically
anxious
for
you
to
do
him
credit
,
sir
.
I
must
do
my
duty
to
the
parents
of
the
boys
entrusted
to
my
care
.
I
shall
not
flog
you
,
sir
,
for
I
feel
it
would
be
useless
.
I
shall
expel
you
.
"
"
What
!
"
Paul
leaped
up
incredulous
.
"
Expel
me
?
Do
I
hear
you
aright
,
Dr.
Grimstone
?
Say
it
again
—
you
will
expel
me
?
"
"
I
have
said
it
,
"
the
Doctor
said
sternly
;
"
no
expostulations
can
move
me
now
"
(
as
if
Mr.
Bultitude
was
likely
to
expostulate
!
)
"
Mrs.
Grimstone
will
see
that
your
boxes
are
packed
the
first
thing
to-morrow
morning
,
and
I
shall
take
you
myself
to
the
station
and
consign
you
to
the
home
you
have
covered
with
blushes
and
shame
,
by
the
9.15
train
,
and
I
shall
write
a
letter
to-night
explaining
the
causes
for
your
dismissal
.
"
Mr.
Bultitude
covered
his
face
with
his
hands
,
to
hide
,
not
his
shame
and
distress
,
but
his
indecent
rapture
.
It
seemed
almost
too
good
to
be
true
!
He
saw
himself
about
to
be
provided
with
every
means
of
reaching
home
in
comfort
and
safety
.
He
need
dread
no
pursuit
now
.
There
was
no
chance
,
either
,
of
his
being
forced
to
return
to
the
prison-house
—
the
Doctor
's
letter
would
convince
even
Dick
of
the
impossibility
of
that
.
And
,
best
of
all
,
this
magnificent
stroke
of
good
luck
had
been
obtained
without
the
ignominy
and
pain
of
a
flogging
,
without
even
the
unpleasant
necessity
of
telling
his
strange
secret
.
But
(
having
gained
some
experience
during
his
short
stay
at
the
school
)
he
had
the
duplicity
to
pretend
to
sob
bitterly
.
"
But
one
night
more
,
sir
,
"
continued
the
Doctor
,
"
shall
you
pass
beneath
this
roof
,
and
that
apart
from
your
fellows
.
You
will
occupy
the
spare
bedroom
until
the
morning
,
when
you
quit
the
school
in
disgrace
—
for
ever
.
"
I
said
in
another
chapter
that
this
Sunday
would
find
Paul
,
at
its
close
,
after
a
trying
course
of
emotions
,
in
a
state
of
delicious
ecstasy
of
pure
relief
and
happiness
—
and
really
that
scarcely
seems
too
strong
an
expression
for
his
feelings
.
When
he
found
himself
locked
securely
into
a
comfortable
,
warm
bedroom
,
with
curtains
and
a
carpet
in
it
,
safe
from
the
persecutions
of
all
those
terrible
boys
,
and
when
he
remembered
that
this
was
actually
the
last
night
of
his
stay
here
—
that
he
would
certainly
see
his
own
home
before
noon
next
day
,
the
reaction
was
so
powerful
that
he
could
not
refrain
from
skipping
and
leaping
about
the
room
in
a
kind
of
hysterical
gaiety
.
And
as
he
laid
his
head
down
on
a
yielding
lavender-scented
pillow
,
his
thoughts
went
back
without
a
pang
to
the
varied
events
of
the
day
;
they
had
been
painful
,
very
painful
,
but
it
was
well
worth
while
to
have
gone
through
them
to
appreciate
fully
the
delightful
intensity
of
the
contrast
.
He
freely
forgave
all
his
tormentors
,
even
Chawner
—
for
had
not
Chawner
procured
his
release
?
—
and
he
closed
his
eyes
at
last
with
a
smile
of
Sybaritic
satisfaction
and
gentle
longing
for
the
Monday
's
dawn
to
break
.
And
yet
some
,
after
his
experiences
,
would
have
had
their
misgivings
.
13.
A
Respite
"
Discipulorum
inter
jubeo
plorare
cathedras
.
"
Blithe
and
gay
was
Mr.
Bultitude
when
he
opened
his
eyes
on
Monday
morning
and
realised
his
incredible
good
fortune
;
in
a
few
hours
he
would
be
travelling
safely
and
comfortably
home
,
with
every
facility
for
regaining
his
rights
.
He
chuckled
—
though
his
sense
of
humour
was
not
large
—
he
chuckled
,
as
he
lay
snugly
in
bed
,
to
think
of
Dick
's
discomfiture
on
seeing
him
return
so
unexpectedly
;
he
began
to
put
it
down
,
quite
unwarrantably
,
to
his
own
cleverness
,
as
having
conceived
and
executed
such
a
stroke
of
genius
as
procuring
his
own
expulsion
.
He
remained
in
bed
until
long
after
the
getting-up
bell
had
rung
,
feeling
that
his
position
ensured
him
perfect
impunity
in
this
,
and
when
he
rose
at
length
it
was
in
high
spirits
,
and
he
dressed
himself
with
a
growing
toleration
for
things
in
general
,
very
unlike
his
ordinary
frame
of
mind
.
When
he
had
finished
his
toilet
,
the
Doctor
entered
the
room
.
"
Bultitude
,
"
he
said
gravely
,
"
before
sending
you
from
us
,
I
should
like
to
hear
from
your
own
lips
that
you
are
not
altogether
without
contrition
for
your
conduct
.
"
Mr.
Bultitude
considered
that
such
an
acknowledgment
could
not
possibly
do
any
harm
,
so
he
said
—
as
,
indeed
,
he
might
with
perfect
truth
—
that
"
he
very
much
regretted
what
had
passed
.
"
"
I
am
glad
to
hear
that
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
more
briskly
,
"
very
glad
;
it
relieves
me
from
a
very
painful
responsibility
.
It
may
not
impossibly
induce
me
to
take
a
more
lenient
view
of
your
case
.
"
"
Oh
!
"
gasped
Mr.
Bultitude
,
feeling
very
uncomfortable
all
at
once
.
"
Yes
;
it
is
a
serious
step
to
ruin
a
boy
's
career
at
its
outset
by
unnecessary
harshness
.
Nothing
,
of
course
,
can
palliate
the
extreme
baseness
of
your
behaviour
.
Still
from
certain
faint
indications
in
your
character
of
better
things
,
I
do
not
despair
even
yet
(
after
you
have
received
a
public
lesson
at
my
hands
,
which
you
will
never
forget
)
of
rearing
you
to
become
in
time
an
ornament
to
the
society
in
which
it
will
be
your
lot
to
move
.
I
will
not
give
up
in
despair
—
I
will
persevere
a
little
longer
.
"
"
Thank
you
!
"
Paul
faltered
,
with
a
sudden
sinking
sensation
.
"
Mrs.
Grimstone
,
too
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
"
has
been
interceding
for
you
;
she
has
represented
to
me
that
a
public
expression
of
my
view
of
your
conduct
,
together
with
a
sharp
,
severe
dose
of
physical
pain
,
would
be
more
likely
to
effect
a
radical
improvement
in
your
character
,
and
to
soften
your
perverted
heart
,
than
if
I
sent
you
away
in
hopeless
disgrace
,
without
giving
you
an
opportunity
of
showing
a
desire
to
amend
.
"
"
It
's
—
very
kind
of
Mrs.
Grimstone
,
"
said
Paul
faintly
.
"
Then
I
hope
you
will
show
your
appreciation
of
her
kindness
.
Yes
,
I
will
not
expel
you
.
I
will
give
you
one
more
chance
to
retrieve
your
lost
reputation
.
But
,
for
your
own
sake
,
and
as
a
public
warning
,
I
shall
take
notice
of
your
offence
in
public
.
I
shall
visit
it
upon
you
by
a
sound
flogging
before
the
whole
school
at
eleven
o'clock
.
You
need
not
come
down
till
then
—
your
breakfast
will
be
sent
up
to
you
.
"
Paul
made
a
frantic
attempt
to
dissuade
him
from
his
terrible
determination
.
"
Dr.
Grimstone
,
"
he
said
,
"
I
—
I
should
much
prefer
being
expelled
,
if
it
is
all
the
same
to
you
.
"
"
It
is
not
all
the
same
to
me
,
"
said
the
Doctor
.
"
This
is
mere
pride
and
obstinacy
,
Bultitude
;
I
should
do
wrong
to
take
any
notice
of
it
.
"
"
I
—
I
tell
you
I
have
great
objection
to
—
to
being
flogged
,
"
said
Paul
eagerly
;
"
it
would
n't
improve
me
at
all
;
it
would
harden
me
,
sir
,
—
harden
me
.
I
—
I
cannot
allow
you
to
flog
me
,
Dr.
Grimstone
.
I
have
strong
prejudices
against
the
system
of
corporal
punishment
.
I
object
to
it
on
principle
.
Expulsion
would
make
me
quite
a
different
being
,
I
assure
you
;
it
would
reform
me
—
save
me
—
it
would
indeed
.
"
"
So
,
to
escape
a
little
personal
inconvenience
,
you
would
be
content
to
bring
sorrow
upon
your
worthy
father
's
grey
head
,
would
you
,
sir
?
"
said
the
Doctor
.
"
I
shall
not
oblige
you
in
this
.
Nor
,
I
may
add
,
will
your
cowardice
induce
me
to
spare
you
in
your
coming
chastisement
.
I
leave
you
,
sir
—
we
shall
meet
again
at
eleven
!
"
And
he
stalked
out
of
the
room
.
Perhaps
,
though
he
did
not
admit
this
even
to
himself
,
there
were
more
considerations
for
commuting
the
sentence
of
expulsion
than
those
he
had
mentioned
.
Boys
are
not
often
expelled
from
private
schools
,
except
for
especially
heinous
offences
,
and
in
this
case
there
was
no
real
reason
why
the
Doctor
should
be
Quixotic
enough
to
throw
up
a
portion
of
his
income
—
particularly
if
he
could
produce
as
great
a
moral
effect
by
other
means
.
But
his
clemency
was
too
much
for
Mr.
Bultitude
;
he
threw
himself
on
the
bed
and
raved
at
the
hideous
fate
in
store
for
him
;
ten
short
minutes
ago
,
and
he
had
been
so
happy
—
so
certain
of
release
—
and
now
,
not
only
was
he
as
far
from
all
hope
of
escape
as
ever
,
but
he
had
the
certainty
before
him
of
a
sound
flogging
in
less
than
two
hours
!
Just
after
something
has
befallen
us
which
,
for
good
or
ill
,
will
make
a
great
change
in
our
lives
,
what
a
totally
new
aspect
the
common
everyday
things
about
us
are
apt
to
wear
—
the
book
we
were
reading
,
the
letter
we
had
begun
,
the
picture
we
knew
—
what
a
new
and
tender
attraction
they
may
have
for
us
,
or
what
a
grim
and
terrible
irony
!
Something
of
this
Paul
felt
dimly
,
as
he
finished
dressing
,
in
a
dazed
,
unconscious
manner
.
The
comfortable
bedroom
,
with
its
delicately-toned
wall-paper
and
flowery
cretonnes
,
had
become
altogether
hateful
in
his
eyes
now
.
Instead
of
feeling
grateful
(
as
he
surely
ought
to
have
been
)
for
the
one
night
of
perfect
security
and
comfort
he
had
passed
there
,
he
only
loathed
it
for
the
delusive
peace
it
had
brought
him
.
There
was
a
gentle
tap
at
the
door
,
and
Dulcie
came
in
,
bearing
a
tray
with
his
breakfast
,
and
looking
like
a
little
Royalist
bearing
food
to
a
fugitive
Cavalier
;
though
Paul
did
not
quite
carry
out
his
share
of
the
simile
.
"
There
!
"
she
said
,
almost
cheerfully
;
"
I
got
Mummy
to
let
me
take
up
your
breakfast
;
and
there
's
an
egg
for
you
,
and
muffins
.
"
Mr.
Bultitude
sat
on
a
chair
and
groaned
.
"
You
might
say
'
thank
you
,
'
"
said
Dulcie
,
pouting
.
"
That
other
girl
would
n't
have
brought
you
up
much
breakfast
if
she
'd
been
in
my
place
.
I
was
going
to
tell
you
that
I
'd
forgiven
you
,
because
very
likely
you
never
meant
her
to
write
to
you
"
(
Dulcie
had
not
been
told
the
sequel
to
the
Davenant
episode
,
which
was
quite
as
well
for
Paul
)
.
"
But
you
do
n't
seem
to
care
whether
I
do
or
not
.
"
"
I
feel
so
miserable
!
"
sighed
Paul
.
"
Then
you
must
drink
some
coffee
,
"
prescribed
Dulcie
decidedly
;
"
and
you
must
eat
some
breakfast
.
I
brought
an
egg
on
purpose
;
it
's
so
strengthening
,
you
know
.
"
"
Do
n't
!
"
cried
Paul
,
with
a
short
howl
of
distress
at
this
suggestion
.
"
Do
n't
talk
about
the
—
the
flogging
,
I
ca
n't
bear
it
.
"
"
But
it
's
not
papa
's
new
cane
,
you
know
,
Dick
,
"
said
Dulcie
consolingly
.
"
I
've
hidden
that
;
it
's
only
the
old
one
,
and
you
always
said
that
did
n't
hurt
so
very
much
,
after
a
little
while
.
It
is
n't
as
if
it
was
the
horsewhip
,
either
.
Daddy
lost
that
out
riding
in
the
holidays
.
"
"
Oh
,
the
horsewhip
's
worse
,
is
it
?
"
said
Paul
,
with
a
sickly
smile
.
"
Tom
says
so
,
"
said
Dulcie
.
"
After
all
,
Dick
,
it
will
be
all
over
in
five
minutes
,
or
,
perhaps
,
a
little
longer
,
and
I
do
think
you
ought
n't
to
mind
that
so
much
,
now
,
after
mamma
and
I
have
begged
you
off
from
being
expelled
.
We
might
never
have
seen
one
another
again
,
Dick
!
"
"
You
begged
me
off
!
"
cried
Paul
.
"
Yes
,
"
said
Dulcie
;
"
Daddy
would
n't
change
his
mind
for
ever
so
long
—
till
I
coaxed
him
.
I
could
n't
bear
to
let
you
go
.
"
"
You
've
done
a
very
cruel
thing
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
For
such
a
little
girl
as
you
are
,
you
've
done
an
immense
amount
of
mischief
.
But
for
you
,
that
letter
would
not
have
been
found
out
.
You
need
not
have
spoilt
my
only
chance
of
getting
out
of
this
horrible
place
!
"
Dulcie
set
down
the
tray
,
and
,
putting
her
hands
behind
her
,
leaned
against
a
corner
of
a
wardrobe
.
"
And
is
that
all
you
say
to
me
!
"
she
said
,
with
a
little
tremble
in
her
voice
.
"
That
is
all
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
I
've
no
doubt
you
meant
well
,
but
you
should
n't
have
interfered
.
All
this
has
come
upon
me
through
that
.
Take
away
the
breakfast
.
It
makes
me
ill
even
to
look
at
it
.
"
Dulcie
shook
out
her
long
brown
hair
,
and
clenched
her
small
fist
in
an
undeniable
passion
,
for
she
had
something
of
her
father
's
hot
temper
when
roused
.
"
Very
well
,
then
,
"
she
said
,
moving
with
great
dignity
towards
the
door
.
"
I
'm
very
sorry
I
ever
did
interfere
.
I
wish
I
'd
let
you
be
sent
home
to
your
papa
,
and
see
what
he
'd
do
to
you
.
But
I
'll
never
,
never
interfere
one
bit
with
you
again
.
I
wo
n't
say
one
single
word
to
you
any
more
...
.
I
'll
never
even
look
at
you
if
you
want
me
to
ever
so
much
...
.
I
shall
tell
Tipping
he
can
hit
you
as
much
as
ever
he
likes
,
and
I
shall
show
Tom
where
I
put
the
new
cane
—
and
I
only
hope
it
will
hurt
!
"
And
with
this
parting
shot
she
was
gone
.
Mr.
Bultitude
wandered
disconsolately
about
the
upper
part
of
the
house
after
this
,
not
daring
to
go
down
,
and
not
able
to
remain
in
any
one
place
.
The
maids
who
came
up
to
make
the
beds
looked
at
him
with
pitiful
interest
,
but
he
was
too
proud
to
implore
help
from
them
.
To
hide
would
only
make
matters
worse
,
for
,
as
he
had
not
a
penny
in
his
pocket
,
and
no
probability
of
being
able
to
borrow
one
,
he
must
remain
in
the
house
till
hunger
forced
him
from
his
hiding-place
—
supposing
they
did
not
hunt
him
out
long
before
that
time
.
The
shouts
of
the
boys
in
the
playground
during
their
half-hour
's
play
had
long
since
died
away
;
he
heard
the
clock
in
the
hall
strike
eleven
—
time
for
him
to
seek
his
awful
rendezvous
.
The
Doctor
had
not
forgotten
him
,
he
found
,
for
presently
the
butler
came
up
and
ceremoniously
announced
that
the
Doctor
"
would
see
him
now
,
if
he
pleased
.
"
He
stumbled
downstairs
in
a
half-unconscious
condition
,
the
butler
threw
open
the
two
doors
which
led
to
the
schoolroom
,
and
Paul
tottered
in
,
more
dead
than
alive
with
shame
and
fear
.
The
whole
school
were
at
their
places
,
with
no
books
before
them
,
and
arranged
as
if
to
hear
a
lecture
.
Mr.
Blinkhorn
alone
was
absent
,
for
,
not
liking
these
exhibitions
,
he
had
taken
an
opportunity
of
slipping
out
into
the
playground
,
round
which
he
was
now
solemnly
trotting
at
the
"
double
"
with
elbows
squared
and
head
up
;
an
exercise
which
he
said
was
an
excellent
thing
for
the
back
and
lungs
.
He
had
a
habit
of
suddenly
leaving
the
class
he
was
taking
to
indulge
in
it
for
a
few
minutes
,
returning
breathless
but
refreshed
.
Mr.
Tinkler
was
at
his
seat
,
wearing
that
faint
grin
on
his
face
with
which
he
might
have
prepared
to
see
a
pig
killed
or
a
bull-fight
,
and
all
the
boys
fixed
their
eyes
expectantly
on
Mr.
Bultitude
as
he
appeared
at
the
doorway
.
"
Stand
there
,
sir
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
who
was
standing
at
his
writing-table
in
an
attitude
;
"
out
there
in
the
middle
,
where
your
schoolfellows
can
see
you
.
"
Paul
obeyed
and
stood
where
he
was
told
,
looking
,
as
he
felt
,
absolutely
boneless
.
"
Some
of
those
here
,
"
began
the
Doctor
in
an
impressive
bass
,
"
may
wonder
why
I
have
called
you
all
together
on
this
,
the
first
day
of
the
week
;
most
of
those
who
reside
under
my
roof
are
acquainted
with
,
and
I
trust
execrate
,
the
miserable
cause
of
my
doing
so
.
"
If
there
is
one
virtue
which
I
have
striven
to
implant
more
than
any
other
in
your
breasts
,
"
he
continued
,
"
it
is
the
cultivation
of
a
modest
and
becoming
reserve
in
your
intercourse
with
those
of
the
opposite
sex
.
"
With
the
majority
I
have
,
I
hope
,
been
successful
,
and
it
is
as
painful
for
me
to
tell
as
for
you
to
hear
,
that
there
exists
in
your
midst
a
youthful
reprobate
,
trained
in
all
the
arts
of
ensnaring
the
vagrant
fancies
of
innocent
but
giddy
girlhood
.
"
See
him
as
he
cowers
there
before
your
gaze
,
in
all
the
bared
hideousness
of
his
moral
depravity
"
(
the
Doctor
on
occasions
like
these
never
spared
his
best
epithets
,
and
Paul
soon
began
to
feel
himself
a
very
villain
)
;
"
a
libertine
,
young
in
years
,
but
old
in
—
in
everything
else
,
who
has
not
scrupled
to
indite
an
amatory
note
,
so
appalling
in
its
familiarity
,
and
so
outrageous
in
the
warmth
of
its
sentiments
,
that
I
cannot
bring
myself
to
shock
your
ears
with
its
contents
.
"
You
do
well
to
shun
him
as
a
moral
leper
;
but
how
shall
I
tell
you
that
,
not
satisfied
with
pressing
his
effusions
upon
the
shrinking
object
of
his
precocious
affections
,
the
impious
wretch
has
availed
himself
of
the
shelter
of
a
church
to
cloak
his
insidious
advances
,
and
even
force
a
response
to
them
from
a
heedless
and
imprudent
girl
!
"
If
,
"
continued
the
Doctor
,
now
allowing
his
powerful
voice
to
boom
to
its
full
compass
—
"
if
I
can
succeed
in
bringing
this
coward
,
this
unmanly
dallier
in
a
sentiment
which
the
healthy
mind
of
boyhood
rejects
as
premature
,
to
a
sense
of
his
detestable
conduct
;
if
I
can
score
the
lesson
upon
his
flesh
so
that
some
faint
notion
of
its
force
and
purport
may
be
conveyed
to
what
has
been
supplied
to
him
as
a
heart
,
then
I
shall
not
have
lifted
this
hand
in
vain
!
"
He
shall
see
whether
he
will
be
allowed
to
trail
the
fair
name
of
the
school
for
propriety
and
correctness
of
deportment
in
the
dust
of
a
pew-floor
,
and
spurn
my
reputation
as
a
preceptor
like
a
church
hassock
beneath
his
feet
!
"
I
shall
say
no
more
;
I
will
not
prolong
these
strictures
,
deserved
though
they
be
,
beyond
their
proper
limits
...
.
I
shall
now
proceed
to
act
.
Richard
Bultitude
,
remain
there
till
I
return
to
mete
out
to
you
with
no
sparing
hand
the
punishment
you
have
so
richly
merited
.
"
With
these
awful
words
the
Doctor
left
the
room
,
leaving
Paul
in
a
state
of
abject
horror
and
dread
which
need
not
be
described
.
Never
,
never
again
would
he
joke
,
as
he
had
been
wont
to
do
with
Dick
in
lighter
moods
,
on
the
subject
of
corporal
punishment
under
any
circumstances
—
it
was
no
fit
theme
for
levity
;
if
this
—
this
outrage
were
really
done
to
him
,
he
could
never
be
able
to
hold
up
his
head
again
.
What
if
it
were
to
get
about
in
the
city
!
The
boys
,
who
had
sunk
,
as
they
always
did
,
into
a
state
of
torpid
awe
under
the
Doctor
's
eloquence
,
now
recovered
spirits
enough
to
rally
Paul
with
much
sprightly
humour
.
"
He
's
gone
to
fetch
his
cane
,
"
said
some
,
and
imitated
for
Paul
's
instruction
the
action
of
caning
by
slapping
a
ruler
upon
a
copy-book
with
a
dreadful
fidelity
and
resonance
;
others
sought
to
cross-examine
him
upon
the
love-letter
,
it
appearing
from
their
casual
remarks
that
not
a
few
had
been
also
honoured
by
communications
from
the
artless
Miss
Davenant
.
It
is
astonishing
how
unfeeling
even
ordinary
good-natured
boys
can
be
at
times
.
Chawner
sat
at
his
desk
with
raised
shoulders
,
rubbing
his
hands
,
and
grinning
like
some
malevolent
ape
:
"
I
told
you
,
Dickie
,
you
know
,
"
he
murmured
,
"
that
it
was
better
not
to
cross
me
.
"
And
still
the
Doctor
lingered
.
Some
kindly
suggested
that
he
was
"
waxing
the
cane
.
"
But
the
more
general
opinion
was
that
he
had
been
detained
by
some
visitor
;
for
it
appeared
that
(
though
Paul
had
not
noticed
it
)
several
had
heard
a
ring
at
the
bell
.
The
suspense
was
growing
more
and
more
unbearable
.
At
last
the
door
opened
in
a
slow
ominous
manner
,
and
the
Doctor
appeared
.
There
was
a
visible
change
in
his
manner
,
however
.
The
white
heat
of
his
indignation
had
died
out
:
his
expression
was
grave
but
distinctly
softened
—
and
he
had
nothing
in
his
hand
.
"
I
want
you
outside
,
Bultitude
,
"
he
said
;
and
Paul
,
still
uncertain
whether
the
scene
of
his
disgrace
was
only
about
to
be
shifted
,
or
what
else
this
might
mean
,
followed
him
into
the
hall
.
"
If
anything
can
strike
shame
and
confusion
into
your
soul
,
Richard
,
"
said
the
Doctor
,
when
they
were
outside
,
"
it
will
be
what
I
have
to
tell
you
now
.
Your
unhappy
father
is
here
,
in
the
dining-room
.
"
Paul
staggered
.
Had
Dick
the
brazen
effrontery
to
come
here
to
taunt
him
in
his
slavery
?
What
was
the
meaning
of
it
?
What
should
he
say
to
him
?
He
could
not
answer
the
Doctor
but
by
a
vacant
stare
.
"
I
have
not
seen
him
yet
,
"
said
the
Doctor
.
"
He
has
come
at
a
most
inopportune
moment
"
(
here
Mr.
Bultitude
could
not
agree
with
him
)
.
"
I
shall
allow
you
to
meet
him
first
,
and
give
you
the
opportunity
of
breaking
your
conduct
to
him
.
I
know
how
it
will
wring
his
paternal
heart
!
"
and
the
Doctor
shook
his
head
sadly
,
and
turned
away
.
With
a
curious
mixture
of
shame
,
anger
,
and
impatience
,
Paul
turned
the
handle
of
the
dining-room
door
.
He
was
to
meet
Dick
face
to
face
once
more
.
The
final
duel
must
be
fought
out
between
them
here
.
Who
would
be
the
victor
?
It
was
a
strange
sensation
on
entering
to
see
the
image
of
what
he
had
so
lately
been
standing
by
the
mantelpiece
.
It
gave
a
shock
to
his
sense
of
his
own
identity
.
It
seemed
so
impossible
that
that
stout
substantial
frame
could
really
contain
Dick
.
For
an
instant
he
was
totally
at
a
loss
for
words
,
and
stood
pale
and
speechless
in
the
presence
of
his
unprincipled
son
.
Dick
on
his
side
seemed
at
least
as
much
embarrassed
.
He
giggled
uneasily
,
and
made
a
sheepish
offer
to
shake
hands
,
which
was
indignantly
declined
.
As
Paul
looked
he
saw
distinctly
that
his
son
's
fraudulent
imitation
of
his
father
's
personal
appearance
had
become
deteriorated
in
many
respects
since
that
unhappy
night
when
he
had
last
seen
it
.
It
was
then
a
copy
,
faultlessly
accurate
in
every
detail
.
It
was
now
almost
a
caricature
,
a
libel
!
The
complexion
was
nearly
sallow
,
with
the
exception
of
the
nose
,
which
had
rather
deepened
in
colour
.
The
skin
was
loose
and
flabby
,
and
the
eyes
dull
and
a
little
bloodshot
.
But
perhaps
the
greatest
alteration
was
in
the
dress
.
Dick
wore
an
old
light
tweed
shooting-coat
of
his
,
and
a
pair
of
loose
trousers
of
blue
serge
;
while
,
instead
of
the
formally
tied
black
neckcloth
his
father
had
worn
for
a
quarter
of
a
century
,
he
had
a
large
scarf
round
his
neck
of
some
crude
and
gaudy
colour
;
and
the
conventional
chimney-pot
hat
had
been
discarded
for
a
shabby
old
wide-brimmed
felt
wideawake
.
Altogether
,
it
was
by
no
means
the
costume
which
a
British
merchant
,
with
any
self-respect
whatever
,
would
select
,
even
for
a
country
visit
.
And
thus
they
met
,
as
perhaps
never
,
since
this
world
was
first
set
spinning
down
the
ringing
grooves
of
change
,
met
father
and
son
before
!
14.
An
Error
of
Judgment
"
The
Survivorship
of
a
worthy
Man
in
his
Son
is
a
Pleasure
scarce
inferior
to
the
Hopes
of
the
Continuance
of
his
own
Life
.
"
Spectator
.
"
Du
bist
ein
Knabe
—
sei
es
immerhin
Und
fahre
fort
,
den
Fröhlichen
zu
spielen
.
"
Paul
was
the
first
to
break
a
very
awkward
silence
.
"
You
young
scoundrel
!
"
he
said
,
with
suppressed
rage
.
"
What
the
devil
do
you
mean
by
laughing
like
that
?
It
's
no
laughing
matter
,
let
me
tell
you
,
sir
,
for
one
of
us
!
"
"
I
ca
n't
help
laughing
,
"
said
Dick
;
"
you
do
look
so
queer
!
"
"
Queer
!
I
may
well
look
queer
.
I
tell
you
that
I
have
never
,
never
in
my
whole
life
,
spent
such
a
perfectly
infernal
week
as
this
last
!
"
"
Ah
!
"
observed
Dick
,
"
I
thought
you
would
n't
find
it
all
jam
!
And
yet
you
seemed
to
be
enjoying
yourself
,
too
,
"
he
said
with
a
grin
,
"
from
that
letter
you
wrote
.
"
"
What
made
you
come
here
?
Could
n't
you
be
content
with
your
miserable
victory
,
without
coming
down
to
crow
and
jeer
at
me
?
"
"
It
is
n't
that
,
"
said
Dick
.
"
I
—
I
thought
I
should
like
to
see
the
fellows
,
and
find
out
how
you
were
getting
on
,
you
know
.
"
These
,
however
,
were
not
his
only
and
his
principal
motives
.
He
had
come
down
to
get
a
sight
of
Dulcie
.
"
Well
,
sir
,
"
said
Mr.
Bultitude
,
with
ponderous
sarcasm
,
"
you
'll
be
delighted
to
hear
that
I
'm
getting
on
uncommonly
well
—
oh
,
uncommonly
!
Your
high-spirited
young
friends
batter
me
to
sleep
with
slippers
on
most
nights
,
and
,
as
a
general
thing
,
kick
me
about
during
the
day
like
a
confounded
football
!
And
last
night
,
sir
,
I
was
going
to
be
expelled
;
and
this
morning
I
'm
forgiven
,
and
sentenced
to
be
soundly
flogged
before
the
whole
school
!
It
was
just
about
to
take
place
as
you
came
in
;
and
I
've
every
reason
to
believe
it
is
merely
postponed
!
"
"
I
say
,
though
,
"
said
Dick
,
"
you
must
have
been
going
it
rather
,
you
know
.
I
've
never
been
expelled
.
Has
Chawner
been
sneaking
again
?
What
have
you
been
up
to
?
"
"
Nothing
.
I
solemnly
swear
—
nothing
!
They
're
finding
out
things
you
've
done
,
and
thrashing
me
.
"
"
Well
,
"
said
Dick
soothingly
,
"
you
'll
work
them
all
off
during
the
term
,
I
daresay
.
There
are
n't
many
really
bad
ones
.
I
suppose
he
's
seen
my
name
cut
on
his
writing-table
?
"
"
No
;
not
that
I
'm
aware
of
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
Oh
,
he
'd
let
you
hear
of
it
if
he
had
!
"
said
Dick
.
"
It
's
good
for
a
swishing
,
that
is
.
But
,
after
all
,
what
's
a
swishing
?
I
never
cared
for
a
swishing
.
"
"
But
I
do
care
,
sir
.
I
care
very
much
,
and
,
I
tell
you
,
I
wo
n't
stand
it
.
I
ca
n't
!
Dick
,
"
he
said
abruptly
as
a
sudden
hope
seized
him
.
"
You
,
you
have
n't
come
down
here
to
say
you
're
tired
of
your
folly
,
have
you
?
Do
you
want
to
give
it
up
?
"
"
Rather
not
,
"
said
Dick
.
"
Why
should
I
?
No
school
,
no
lessons
,
nothing
to
do
but
amuse
myself
,
eat
and
drink
what
I
like
,
and
lots
of
money
.
It
's
not
likely
,
you
know
.
"
"
Have
you
ever
thought
that
you
're
bringing
yourself
within
reach
of
the
law
,
sir
?
"
said
Paul
,
trying
to
frighten
him
.
"
Perhaps
you
do
n't
know
that
there
's
an
offence
known
as
'
false
personation
with
intent
to
defraud
,
'
and
that
it
's
a
felony
.
That
's
what
you
're
doing
at
this
moment
,
sir
!
"
"
Not
any
more
than
you
are
!
"
retorted
Dick
.
"
I
never
began
it
.
I
had
as
much
right
to
wish
to
be
you
as
you
had
to
wish
to
be
me
.
You
're
just
what
you
said
you
wanted
to
be
,
so
you
ca
n't
complain
.
"
"
It
's
useless
to
argue
with
you
,
I
see
,
"
said
Paul
.
"
And
you
've
no
feelings
.
But
I
'll
warn
you
of
one
thing
.
Whether
that
is
my
body
or
not
you
've
fraudulently
taken
possession
of
,
I
do
n't
know
;
if
it
is
not
,
it
is
very
like
mine
,
and
I
tell
you
this
about
it
.
The
sort
of
life
you
're
leading
it
,
sir
,
will
very
soon
make
an
end
of
you
,
if
you
do
n't
take
care
.
Do
you
think
that
a
constitution
at
my
age
can
stand
sweet
wines
and
pastry
,
and
late
hours
?
Why
,
you
'll
be
laid
up
with
gout
in
another
day
or
two
.
Do
n't
tell
me
,
sir
.
I
know
you
're
suffering
from
indigestion
at
this
very
minute
.
I
can
see
your
liver
(
it
may
be
my
liver
for
anything
I
know
)
is
out
of
order
.
I
can
see
it
in
your
eyes
.
"
Dick
was
a
little
alarmed
at
this
,
but
he
soon
said
:
"
Well
,
and
if
I
am
seedy
,
I
can
get
Barbara
to
take
the
stone
and
wish
me
all
right
again
,
ca
n't
I
?
That
's
easy
enough
,
I
suppose
.
"
"
Oh
,
easy
enough
!
"
said
Paul
,
with
a
suppressed
groan
.
"
But
,
Dick
,
you
do
n't
go
up
to
Mincing
Lane
in
that
suit
and
that
hat
?
Do
n't
tell
me
you
do
that
!
"
"
When
I
do
go
up
,
I
wear
them
,
"
said
Dick
composedly
.
"
Why
not
?
It
's
a
roomy
suit
,
and
I
hate
a
great
topper
on
my
head
;
I
've
had
enough
of
that
here
on
Sundays
.
But
it
's
slow
up
at
your
office
.
The
chaps
there
are
n't
half
up
to
any
larks
.
I
made
a
first-rate
booby-trap
,
though
,
one
day
for
an
old
yellow
buffer
who
came
in
to
see
you
.
He
was
in
a
bait
when
he
found
the
waste-paper
basket
on
his
head
!
"
"
What
was
his
name
?
"
said
Paul
,
with
forced
calm
.
"
Something
like
'
Shells
.
'
He
said
he
was
a
very
old
friend
of
mine
,
and
I
told
him
he
lied
.
"
"
Shellack
—
my
Canton
correspondent
—
a
man
I
was
anxious
to
be
of
use
to
when
he
came
over
!
"
moaned
Mr.
Bultitude
.
"
Miserable
young
cub
,
you
do
n't
know
what
mischief
you
've
done
!
"
"
Well
,
it
wo
n't
matter
much
to
you
now
,
"
said
Dick
;
"
you
're
out
of
it
all
.
"
"
Do
you
—
do
you
mean
to
keep
me
out
of
it
for
ever
,
then
?
"
asked
Paul
.
"
As
long
as
ever
I
can
!
"
returned
Dick
frankly
.
"
It
will
be
rather
interesting
to
see
what
sort
of
a
fellow
you
'll
grow
into
—
if
you
ever
do
grow
.
Perhaps
you
will
always
be
like
that
,
you
know
.
This
magic
is
a
rum
thing
to
meddle
with
.
"
This
suggestion
almost
maddened
Paul
.
He
made
one
stride
forward
,
and
faced
his
son
with
blazing
eyes
.
"
Do
you
think
I
will
put
up
with
it
?
"
he
said
,
between
his
teeth
.
"
Do
you
suppose
I
shall
stand
calmly
by
and
see
you
degrading
and
ruining
me
?
I
may
never
be
my
old
self
again
,
but
I
do
n't
mean
to
play
into
your
hands
for
all
that
.
You
ca
n't
always
keep
me
here
,
and
wherever
I
go
I
'll
tell
my
tale
.
I
know
you
,
you
clumsy
rogue
,
you
have
n't
the
sense
to
play
your
part
with
common
intelligence
now
.
You
would
betray
yourself
directly
I
challenged
you
to
deny
my
story
...
.
You
know
you
would
...
.
You
could
n't
face
me
for
five
minutes
.
By
Gad
!
I
'll
do
it
now
.
I
'll
expose
you
before
the
Doctor
—
before
the
whole
school
.
You
shall
see
if
you
can
dispose
of
me
quite
so
easily
as
you
imagine
!
"
Dick
had
started
back
at
first
in
unmistakable
alarm
at
this
unexpected
defiance
,
probably
feeling
his
self-possession
unequal
to
such
a
test
;
but
,
when
Paul
had
finished
,
he
said
doggedly
:
"
Well
,
you
can
do
it
if
you
choose
,
I
suppose
.
I
ca
n't
stop
you
.
But
I
do
n't
see
what
good
it
would
do
.
"
"
It
would
show
people
you
were
an
impudent
impostor
,
sir
,
"
said
Paul
sternly
,
going
to
the
door
as
if
to
call
the
Doctor
,
though
he
shrank
secretly
from
so
extreme
and
dangerous
a
measure
.
There
was
a
hesitation
in
his
manner
,
in
spite
of
the
firmness
of
his
words
,
which
Dick
was
not
likely
to
miss.
"
Stop
!
"
he
said
.
"
Before
you
call
them
in
,
just
listen
to
me
for
a
minute
.
Do
you
see
this
?
"
And
,
opening
his
coat
,
he
pulled
out
from
his
waistcoat
pocket
one
end
of
his
watch-chain
.
Hanging
to
it
,
attached
by
a
cheap
gilt
fastening
of
some
sort
,
was
a
small
grey
tablet
.
Paul
knew
it
at
once
—
it
was
the
Garudâ
Stone
.
"
You
know
it
,
I
see
,
"
said
Dick
,
as
Paul
was
about
to
move
towards
him
—
with
what
object
he
scarcely
knew
himself
.
"
Do
n't
trouble
to
come
any
closer
.
Well
,
I
give
you
fair
warning
.
You
can
make
things
very
nasty
for
me
if
you
like
.
I
ca
n't
help
that
—
but
,
if
you
do
—
if
you
try
to
score
off
me
in
any
way
,
now
or
at
any
time
—
if
you
do
n't
keep
it
up
when
the
Doctor
comes
in
—
I
tell
you
what
I
shall
do
.
I
shall
go
straight
home
and
find
young
Roly
.
I
shall
give
him
this
stone
,
and
just
tell
him
to
say
some
wish
after
me
.
I
do
n't
believe
there
are
many
things
it
ca
n't
do
,
and
all
I
can
say
is
—
if
you
find
yourself
and
all
this
jolly
old
school
(
except
Dulcie
)
taken
off
somewhere
and
stuck
down
all
at
once
thousands
of
miles
away
on
a
desolate
island
,
or
see
yourself
turned
into
a
Red
Indian
,
or
,
or
a
cabhorse
,
you
'll
have
yourself
to
thank
for
it
—
that
's
all
.
Now
you
can
have
them
all
up
and
fire
away
.
"
"
No
,
"
said
Paul
,
in
a
