第35章

Thishappenedataboutnoon，butbytheoneo’clockdinner-hourtheeffectoftheconfirmationhadwornoff，andhesawnoreasonwhyheshouldforegohisannualamusementwiththebonfire；sohewentwiththeothersandwasveryvalianttilltheimagewasactuallyproducedandwasabouttobeburnt；thenhefeltalittlefrightened。Itwasapoorthingenough，madeofpaper，calicoandstraw，buttheyhadchristeneditTheRev。TheobaldPontifex，andhehadarevulsionoffeelingashesawitbeingcarriedtowardsthebonfire。Stillheheldhisground，andinafewminuteswhenallwasoverfeltnonetheworseforhavingassistedataceremonywhich，afterall，waspromptedbyaboyishloveofmischiefratherthanbyrancour。

IshouldsaythatErnesthadwrittentohisfather，andtoldhimoftheunprecedentedwayinwhichhewasbeingtreated；heevenventuredtosuggestthatTheobaldshouldinterfereforhisprotectionandremindedhimhowthestoryhadbeengotoutofhim，butTheobaldhadhadenoughofDrSkinnerforthepresent；theburningoftheschoollisthadbeenarebuffwhichdidnotencouragehimtomeddleasecondtimeintheinternaleconomicsofRoughborough。HethereforerepliedthathemusteitherremoveErnestfromRoughboroughaltogether，whichwouldformanyreasonsbeundesirable，ortrusttothediscretionoftheheadmasterasregardsthetreatmenthemightthinkbestforanyofhispupils。

Ernestsaidnomore；hestillfeltthatitwassodiscreditabletohimtohaveallowedanyconfessiontobewrungfromhim，thathecouldnotpressthepromisedamnestyforhimself。

Itwasduringthe“MotherCrossrow。”asitwaslongstyledamongtheboys，thataremarkablephenomenonwaswitnessedatRoughborough。Imeanthatoftheheadboysundercertainconditionsdoingerrandsfortheirjuniors。TheheadboyshadnoboundsandcouldgotoMrsCross’swhenevertheyliked；theyactually，therefore，madethemselvesgo-betweens，andwouldgetanythingfromeitherMrsCross’sorMrsJones’sforanyboy，nomatterhowlowintheschool，betweenthehoursofaquartertonineandnineinthemorning，andaquartertosixandsixintheafternoon。Bydegrees，however，theboysgrewbolder，andtheshops，thoughnotopenlydeclaredinboundsagain，weretacitlyallowedtobeso。

Imaysparethereadermoredetailsaboutmyhero’sschooldays。Herose，alwaysinspiteofhimself，intotheDoctor’sform，andforthelasttwoyearsorsoofhistimewasamongthepraepostors，thoughheneverroseintotheupperhalfofthem。Hedidlittle，andIthinktheDoctorrathergavehimupasaboywhomhehadbetterleavetohimself，forherarelymadehimconstrue，andheusedtosendinhisexercisesornot，prettymuchasheliked。Histacit，unconsciousobstinacyhadintimeeffectedmoreeventhanafewboldsalliesinthefirstinstancewouldhavedone。Totheendofhiscareerhispositioninterpareswaswhatithadbeenatthebeginning，namely，amongtheupperpartofthelessreputableclass——

whetherofseniorsorjuniors——ratherthanamongthelowerpartofthemorerespectable。

OnlyonceinthewholecourseofhisschoollifedidhegetpraisefromDrSkinnerforanyexercise，andthishehastreasuredasthebestexampleofguardedapprovalwhichhehaseverseen。HehadhadtowriteacopyofAlcaicson“ThedogsofthemonksofStBernard。”

andwhentheexercisewasreturnedtohimhefoundtheDoctorhadwrittenonit：“InthiscopyofAlcaics——whichisstillexcessivelybad——IfancythatIcandiscernsomefaintsymptomsofimprovement。”

Ernestsaysthatiftheexercisewasanybetterthanusualitmusthavebeenbyafluke，forheissurethathealwaysliked