Table of Contents

CHAPTER YI I L

Page 1 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR

Once t o ever y man and nat i on, cor nea t he moment t o deci de,

I n t he st r i f e of Tr ut h wi t h Fal sehood, f or t he good or evi l si de ;

Then i t i s t he br ave man chooses, whi l e t he cowar d st ands asi de,

Doubt i ng i u hi s abj ect spi r i t ; t i l l hi s Lor d i s cr uci f i ed.

"

ARRANGED FOR THE PRESS

BY A MOTHER.

RI CHMOND:

18G1.

V*

Ent er ed accor di ng t o t he Act of Congr ess, i n t he year 1861, by

WEST & JOHNSTON,

I n t he Cl er k' s Of f i ce of t he Di st r i ct Cour t of t he Uni t ed St at es i n and

f or t he Di st r i ct of Vi r gi ni a.

PREFACE

The best and most usef ul year s of my l i f e have

been empl oyed i n t eachi ng t he young — i n an ef f or t

t ot r ai n my young count r y women t o pr oper i nt el l ec-

t ual sel f - cul t ur e, and t o l ead t hem i n t he pat hs of

t r ut h and r i ght ; i n shor t , t o f ol l ow out t he t eachi ngs

and f ol l ow up t he wi shes of anxi ous, t ender , pi ous

par ent s, who, f or t he sake of l i t er ar y advant ages, had

consent ed t o t he t empor ar y r emoval of t hei r chi l dr en

f r om t he sacr ed sanct uar y of home. My pupi l s ar e

scat t er ed al l over our br oad and beaut i f ul St at e, and

t hat of our si st er and nei ghbor . Nor t h Car ol i na.

Page 2 of 96

Some dwel l i n t he f ar Sout h, some i n t he f ar West ,

and a f ew ar e doi ng t hei r wor k i n nor t her n homes,

and f ewer st i l l abr oad i n our mot her - l and ; and i t

gl addens my hear t t o know, t hat as t he shadows

l engt hen i n my own descent t o t he gr ave, t hei r r i si ng

and mer i di an sun shi nes upon good chr i st i an daugh-

t er s, si st er s, wi ves, and mot her s, who ar e doi ng t he

wor k of l i f e wel l and t r ul y, and t r ai ni ng ot her s f or

an i nher i t ance beyond t he ski es. I never cease t o

pr ay f or t hem and t ender l y t o l ook af t er t hem, and

among t he r ewar ds of my l abor i ous wor k i s t he

3

I V PREFACE.

r ecol l ect i on of t l i ei r l ovi ug l oyal t y, and t he r ever si on

of af l f ect i onat e r egar d whi ch t hese young peopl e most

ki ndl y and cor di al l y exhi bi t . Though separ at ed by

sunder i ng pat hs we somet i mes meet ; and when t hat

i s not al l owed, I comf or t mysel f wi t h t he aspi r at i on :

* ' Daught er s and pupi l s may we meet

Wher e knowl edge has i t s j oy compl et e,

And l ove no par t i ng knows. "

Though no l onger act i vel y engaged i n t he wor k of

educat i on I cannot l ose my i nt er est i n t he ment al and

spi r i t ual wel f ar e of t he young of our count r y ; and,

wi t h t he hope of benef i t t i ng t hem and of keepi ng

t he l i nks of associ at i on br i ght , I have sought t o

ar r ange t hi s l i t t l e vol ume. I t i s compi l ed f r om a

wor k r ef er r i ng i mmedi at el y t o t he school l i f e of

hoys, but cont ai ni ng so much of gener al appl i cat i on,

t hat I am sur e no par ent or chi l d, no t eacher or

pupi l , can r ead i t wi t hout havi ng ever y good mot i ve

qui ckened and ever y hi gh pr i nci pl e st r engt hened. I

have i nt r oduced some of t he pr ayer s of Dr . Ar nol d,

pr epar ed f or speci al occasi ons and under t he pecul i ar

ci r cumst ances t hat ar i se i n l i f e at school ; and t o t hi s

pr ef ace I have subj oi ned a shor t pr ayer f r om my own

l i t t l e col l ect i on, wi t h t he hope t hat i t may assi st some

yout hf ul t eacher i n her of f i ce of devot i on, and per haps

r emi nd some of t hose who once dwel t wi t h me " as

chi l dr en" of t hose mor ni ng hour s, when, f or year s,

we knel t t oget her and made t he " of f er i ng t o t he

Lor d" t he f i r st busi ness of ever y day.

PREFACE. V

Wi t h t he hope t hat t he cont i nued bl essi ng of our

Heavenl y Fat her may r est upon my pupi l s, t hi s l i t t l e

Tol ume i s dedi cat ed t o t hei r chi l dr en by t hei r Mo-

t her s' Teacher .

ANNA MEAD CHALMERS.

Fest i val of Al l Sai nt s, 1860.

Page 3 of 96

: ^ 52' i 74

MOKNI NG PRAYER FOR A FEMALE

SCHOOL.

O t hou gi - eat and gl or i ous God, who makest t he out -

goi ngs of t he mor ni ng and eveni ng t o pr ai se t hee, we, t hy

hel pl ess chi l dr en, woul d acknowl edge t hy goodness i n per -

mi t t i ng us t o behol d t he l i ght of anot her day. We have

• l ai d our sel ves down i n peace and sl ept , and have awaked,

f or t hou hast sust ai ned us ; and now, O Lor d, wi t h gr at e-

f ul hear t s, we kneel bef or e t hee t o ask f or t hy cont i nued

pr ot ect i on and t o i mpl or e f r om t hee t hat gr ace whi ch can

al one enabl e us t o spend t hi s day i n saf et y and peace,

The dar kness and t he l i ght ar e bot h ahke t o t hee. Thou

ar t about our beds by ni ght and our pat hs by day, and

spi est out al l our ways, and t her e i s not a wor d of our

mout hs, but t hou, O Lor d, knowest i t al t oget her . May

t hi s sol emn t hought so af f ect om* mot i ves and act i ons,

t hat t hey may be al ways accept abl e i n t hy si ght .

We ar e col l ect ed t oget her f or t he pur pose of r ecei vi ng

i nst r uct i on, and ar e now about t o commence anot her t er m

of dut y. We f eel om' own weakness, and pr ay f or t he

ai d of t hy Hol y Spi r i t , t hat we may be gui ded and bl essed

i n al l we under t ake. Make us di l i gent i n our st udi es,

r espect f ul and at t ent i ve t o our t eacher s, and gent l e and

af f ect i onat e t o each ot her . May we l i ve t oget her as a band

of si st er s, and be ki ndl y af f ect i oned one t owar d anot her

Let al l anger , evi l speaki ng and i mpat i ence be f ar f r om

t he hear t s of each one of us, and t he same mi nd dwel l i n

us t hat was al so i n our Lor d Jesus Chr i st .

T

Vl l l MORNI NG PRAYER FOR A FEMALE SCHOOL.

Suf f er US not t o f or get , O Lor d, t hat i t i s a par t of our

dut y t o t hee, f ai t hf ul l y t o i mpr ove our t i me and pr esent

pr i vi l eges, and whi l e we ar e pur sui ng our dai l y st udi es,

may we be l ed t o seek t hat knowl edge whi ch causet h not

t o er r and wi l l make us wi se t o sal vat i on. May we set

t he Lor d Jesus Chr i st al ways bef or e us as our gr eat Mast er

and Teacher , and so l ear n of hi m t hat we may at l engt h

be f ound among hi s r edeemed chi l dr en on hi gh.

Most gr aci ous God gr ant t hat t hy bl essi ng may r est

upon t hi s school — make i t a nur ser y of vi r t ue, of know-

l edge and hol i ness — may a sense of t hy cont i nual pr esence

check ever y unhol y f eel i ng and cal m ever y unr ul y t emper .

Oh may each of t hese bel oved chi l dr en " seek t hee ear l y, "

and accor di ng t o t hy gr aci ous pr omi se f i nd t hee a good and

gr aci ous God — a God of l ove and t r ut h. Sanct i f y t he i nst r uc -

t i ons t hey r ecei ve, and gui de t hei r 3' oung hear t s t o t hee,

t he gr eat f ount ai n of l i ght and knowl edge. May t hei r

Page 4 of 96

bodi es and soul s be pr eci ous i n t hy si ght . I f i t seemet h

good unt o t hee, pr eser ve t hem f r om si ckness ; but may

t hey al ways r emember t hat t hey ar e not t oo young t o di e,

and t hat one day i n t hy si ght i s as a t housand j ^ ear s, and

a t housand year s as one day.

Let t hy heavenl y bl essi ng r est upon t he t eacher s of t hi s

school and upon t hose who pr esi de i n t hi s househol d,

May a sense of t hei r r esponsi bl e t r ust keep t hem cl ose t o

t hee, t hei r onl y saf e counsel l or . Gi ve t hem a r i ght j udg-

ment i n al l t hi ngs — wi sdom f r om on hi gh t o gui de, and

gr ace f r om on hi gh t o st r engt hen. Whi l e t r ai ni ng t he

mi nds of t hese young per sons i n t he way of knowl edge

and usef ul ness, may t hey never f or get t he pr i cel ess val ue

of t hei r i mmor t al soul s — f or each of whi ch t he Lor d Jesus

Chr i st di ed — and may t he sanct i f yi ng i nt l uences of t hy

I l ol y Spi r i t accompany al l t hei r t eachi ngs.

MORNI NG PRATER FOR A FEMALE SCHOOL. i x

We now commi t our sel ves, O Lor d, t o t hee. Make us

a happy and l ovi ng f ami l y ; bl ess our absent par ent s and

f r i ends, and t ake us al l t hi s day and f or ever under t he

shadow of t hy Fat her l y wi ngs.

We ask f or t hese and al l ot her bl essi ngs i n t he name of

our Lor d and Savi our Jesus Chi - i st , ^ men.

I NTEODUCTI ON.

I t was r ecent l y sai d by Lor d Br ougham, t hat no

book publ i shed i n Engl and f or t he l ast f i f t y year s

had done mor e good t han " Tom Br own' s School

Days, " and a good and gi f t ed cl er gyman of our own

Amer i can Chur ch, has pr onounced i t a most abl e

auxi l i ar y i n t he r el i gi ous educat i on of t he young.

I t s i nt er est and i nf l uence cannot be at t r i but ed t o t he

nar r at i ve — f or t hat i s so sl i ght as har dl y t o f or m a

st or y — bei ng not hi ng mor e t han a ser i es of pi ct ur es

of t he var i ous par t s of a school boy' s l i f e. Ther e

must be somet hi ng under t hi s t o gi ve val ue t o t he

vol ume; and i t i s f ound i n t he i mpr ess i t bear s of t he

spi r i t and t eachi ng of t he nobl e Dr . Ar nol d.

We f i nd her e i l l ust r at ed i n t he ever y day i nci dent s

of school l i f e, t he pr i nci pl e whi ch t hi s gr eat t eacher

so t hor oughl y possessed hi msel f , and wi t h whi ch he

so successf ul l y i nspi r ed hi s pupi l s, t hat t her e was a

wor k — an i ndi vi dual wor k f or each t o do i n t hi s

wor l d ; and t hat t he onl y r eal happi ness was t o be

f ound i n doi ng t hat wor k t r ul y and f ai t hf ul l y. To

how many di d he t hus unf ol d a new l i f e, causi ng a

st r ange j oy t o come over t he weakest as wel l as

st r ongest at di scover i ng t hat he had t he means of

XU I NTRODUCTI ON.

Page 5 of 96

bei ng usef ul . Hi s pupi l s f el t a sympat het i c t hr i l l ,

caught f r om a mast er who was hi msel f ear nest l y at

wor k i n t he wor l d, and whose wor k was hear t i l y and

cheer f ul l y sust ai ned and const ant l y car r i ed f or war d

i n t he f ear of God.

Wi t h t hi s ef f or t t o encour age i ndi vi dual obl i gat i on

and r esponsi bi l i t y was anot her , whi ch i n Dr . Ar nol d' s

syst em was onl y subor di nat e t o t he f i r st , as an evi l

t o be cor r ect ed r at her t han a dut y enf or ced. I t was

t he subj ugat i on of t hat sl avi sh submi ssi on t o t he

opi ni on and habi t s ef eacj ^ ot hcr , whi ch he consi der ed

t he cr owni ng evi l of publ i c school educat i on. No

hal f year passed wi t hout hi s pr eachi ng upon i t ; he

t ur ned i t over and over i n ever y possi bl e poi nt of

vi ew ; he dwel t upon i t as t he one mast er f aul t of

al l , and sol emnl y and ear nest l y di d he r ei t er at e and

enj oi n t he wor ds of t he pr ophet ,

" Fear not , nor heed one anot her ' s voi ces,

But f ear and heed t he voi ce of God onl y. "

These t wo f eat ur es i n t he syst em of Dr . Ar nol d ar e

most st r i ki ngl y i l l ust r at ed i n " Tom Br own' s School

Days, " t hat st or y of Rugby exper i ence, whi ch an

' ^ ol d boy" has t ol d wi t h so much t r ut h and humor

and f ond mi nut eness of det ai l . The book has passed

t hr ough numer ous edi t i ons, and i t may seem a need-

l ess and bol d st ep t o t ouch or mut i l at e i t . But i t

i s our hi gh val ue of i t s t eachi ngs t hat l eads us t o

make t hi s compi l at i on. We bel i eve t hat a mor e

I NTRODUCTI ON" . Xl l l

t ouchi ng and i nspi r i ng sket ch of t r ut h and manl y-

pi et y i n a boy was never wr i t t en, t han t hat of Geor ge

Ar t hur , f ound near t he cl ose of t hi s vol ume, and

we want t o br i ng t hat sket ch i nt o t he hands of ever y

boy and gi r l i n our l and ; t o gi ve i t a ni che i n ever y

Sunday- school l i br ar y, and t hus t o show how, even

i n t he secul ar school r oom, t he gr ace and beaut y of

ear l y pi et y can t r ansf or m and el evat e t he r ude and

sel f i sh.

Excel l ent and amusi ng as i t al l i s, t her e i s much

i n " Tom Br own" t hat i s i nappl i cabl e t o our Amer i can

school l i f e and syst em, ( I wi sh, i ndeed, t hat i t wer e

not so, and t hat our boys had t hei r cr i cket mat ches

and boxi ng cl ubs) , and we have, t her ef or e, wi t h t he

per mi ssi on of t he publ i sher s, sel ect ed an epi sode,

" t he t ur ni ng poi nt of t he her o' s l i f e, " i n whi ch t he

t r ue spi r i t of t he di sci pl i ne of Dr . Ar nol d i s most

f ul l y and happi l y i l l ust r at ed. Thi s i s t he nucl eus of

our l i t t l e book, but we have gone hack t o St anl ey' s

Li f e of Ar nol d, and f or war d t o " Tom Br own at

Oxf or d, " gl eani ng f r om each such i nci dent s and r ecol -

l ect i ons as f ul l y i l l ust r at ed t he same r ul i ng pr i nci pl e

of di si nt er est ed ef f or t f or t he wel f ar e of t he young,

based upon a const ant sense of t hei r r esponsi bi l i t y

t o God i n t he per f or mance of ever y dut y, t he enj oy -

ment of ever y pl easur e. I n shor t , st r i vi ng t o show

Page 6 of 96

t hat i t was possi bl e t o bey l i t er al l y t he apost ol i c

i nj unc t i on, " Whet her y e eat or dr i nk ^ or what ev er

XI V I NTRODUCTI ON.

ye do, do al l i n t l i o name of J es ns Cl i r i s t , " s o t hat ,

not onl y t he c hur c h, but t he s c hool - r oom, t he s t udy ,

and t he pl ay gr ound, woul d be made s c enes of heal t hy

chr i s t i an f eel i ng and ac t i v i t y .

We wi l l now gi v e a s l i ght s k et c h of Tom Br own' s

ear hj day s at Rugby , t hat t he por t i on of t he v ol ume

ex t r ac t ed may be mor e f ul l y under s t ood. Hi s ex pe-

r i enc es ar e l i k e t hos e of ot her s at an Engl i s h publ i c

sc hool . Though i n t he mai n a t r ue, br av e boy , he

i s eas i l y l ed of f by unwi s e c ompani ons ; mak es war

upon s c hool r egul at i ons ; get s f l ogged f or t r es pas s i ng;

r epor t ed f or s c r ambl i ng on t he r oof of t he t ower and

t her e s c r at c hi ng hi s name on t he mi nut e hand of t he

cl oc k ; puni s hed f or goi ng t o Kugby Fai r , and ot her -

wi s e s ubj ec t ed t o t he penal t i es " made and pr ov i ded"

f or v ar i ous t r eas ons , f el oni es , and mi s demeanor s .

Dr . Ar nol d was a s i l ent obs er v er of hi s c our s e. He

saw t hat t her e was t al ent and t r ut h and r i ght f eel i ng

at t he bot t om, t hough as t he ol d v er ger s ai d, ' ' Br own

was mi ght y bad on t op, ' ' ^ and t he Dr . ' s pec ul i ar di s -

ci pl i ne i s now br ought upon t he s t age. Henr y

Eas t , t he f i dus ac hat es of t he her o, i s a boy of s i mi -

l ar t emper and f eel i ng, and. bei ng an ol der Rugbean

has t ak en hi m by t he hand, and t oget her , t hey wer e

get t i ng i nt o " al l s or t s of s c r apes . " Ac t i v e, ear nes t ,

mer c ur i al boy s , who woul d nev er mak e t he r egul ar

sc hool wor k t hei r f i r s t bus i nes s . So t he Doc t or

r es ol v ed t o gi v e Br own, i n par t i c ul ar , s ome obj ec t

I NTEODUCTI ON. Xr

bes i des games and mi s c hi ef t o ex pend hi s s ur pl us

ener gy upon. At t he end of t he s ec ond hal f - y ear ,

when t he new boy s c ame, t he Dr . wi t hout as s i gni ng

any r eas on, ar r anged t hat Br own and Eas t s houl d

be s epar at ed, and t hat Geor ge Ar t hur , a qui et , r e-

f i ned, t i mi d boy , wi t h a del i c at e body and s t r ong

pr i nc i pl es , ' ^ s houl d be as s i gned t o Tom as a c hum.

Hi s hope was , t hat hav i ng s ome one t o l ean upon

hi m, Tom woul d s t and s t r ai ght hi ms el f , and gr adu-

al l y at t ai n mor al t hought f ul nes s and s t r engt h. The

st or y , as we now t ak e i t up, wi l l s how t he s uc c es s of

t he ex per i ment . The mut ual i nf l uenc e of boy s of

suc h di f i ' er ent c har ac t er s i s s t r i k i ngl y s hown, by t he

wi s dom and s agac i t y of Dr . Ar nol d. The adv ant age

i s r ec i pr oc al . Ar t hur r ec l ai ms Tom, who, i n hi s t ur n

wi ns Ar t hur by degr ees f r om phy s i c al t i mi di t y , and

i ni t i at es hi m i nt o t he at hl et i c s of t he pl ac e.

We i ns er t , i n c ont i nuat i on, t he c l os i ng pages of

t he book , wi t h s ome not i c es f r om St anl ey of t he deat h

of Dr . Ar nol d. Not hi ng c an be mor e t ouc hi ng, and

at t he s ame c i me mor e manl y , t han t he gr i ef wi t h

whi c h Br own r ec ei v es t he s ad news ; t he r us h and

Page 7 of 96

conf l i c t of f eel i ng ; s or r ow f or t he l os s of one s o

deepl y l ov ed and r ev er enc ed ; r egr et at t he r et r os pec t

of hi s own c ar el es s boy hood, whi c h, i n t he s ol emn

l i ght of t hat hour ,

" St amps wi t h r emor s e eac h wai t ed hour of t i me,

And dar k ens eac h y oung f ol l y i nt o c r i me. "

XVI I NTRODUCTI ON.

t he bur s t of gr at ef ul l ov e t hat t he memor y of hi s ol d

mas t er ex c i t es , ar e al l t ol d wi t h a s i mpl i c i t y , t r ut h,

and manl y pi et y , whi c h mus t - f i ad i t s way t o ev er y

f eel i ng hear t .

That t hi s "

Epi s ode, " i n whi c h t he r el i gi ous c ha-

r ac t er of t he y out hf ul Ar t hur i s s o happi l y del i neat ed,

may l ead ot her s c hool boy s t o " go and do l i k ewi s e, "

i s t he s i nc er e wi s h of t he " Mot her " who ar r anged

t hes e pages .

Vi r gi ni a, Fes t i v al of Al l Sai nt s , 18 GO.

BSOWI T I ND I STHUR:

CHAPTER I .

HOW THE TI DE TURNED.

" Onc e t o ev er y man and nat i on, c omes t he moment t o dec i de

I n t he s t r i f e of Tr ut h wi t h Fal s ehood, f or t he good or er i l s i de;

* * * » * *

Then i t i s t he bi * av e man c hoos es , whi l e t he c owar d s t ands as i de.

Doubt i ng i n hi s abj ec t s pi r i t , t i l l hi s Lor d i s c r uc i f i ed. "

Lowel l .

The t ur ni ng poi nt i n Tom Br own' s s c hool

car eer had now c ome, and t l i e manner of i t was

as f ol l ows . On t he ev eni ng of t he f i r s t day of t he

nex t hal f - y ear , Tom, Eas t , and anot her s c hool -

hous e boy , who had j us t been dr opped at t he

Spr ead Eagl e by t he ol d Regul at or , r us hed i nt o

t he mat r on' s r oom i n hi gh s pi r i t s , s uc h as al l

r eal boy s ar e i n when t hey f i r s t get bac k , how-

ev er f ond t hey may be of home.

' ' Wel l , Mr s . Wi x i e, " s hout ed one, s ei z i ng

on t he met hodi c al , ac t i v e l i t t l e dar k - ey ed woman,

who was bus y s t owi ng away t he l i nen of t he

a2 n

Page 8 of 96

18 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

boy s who had al r eady ar r i v ed i n t hei r s ev er al

pi geon- hol es , ' ' her e we ar e agai n y ou s ee, j ol l y

as ev er . Let us hel p y ou put t he t hi ngs away . "

" And, Mar y , " c r i ed anot her , ( s he was c al l ed

i ndi f f er ent l y by ei t her name, ) ' %ho' s c ome bac k ?

Has t he Doc t or made ol d J ones l eav e ? How

many new boy s ar e t her e ? "

" Am I and Eas t t o hav e Gr ay ' s s t udy ? You

know y ou pr omi s ed t o get i t f or us i f y ou

coul d, " s hout ed Tom.

" And am I t o s l eep m No. 4?" r oar ed Eas t .

" How' s ol d Sam, and Bogl e, and Sal l y ?"

" Bl es s t he boy s , " c r i es Mar y , at l as t get t i ng

i n a wor d, " why y ou' l l s hak e me t o deat h.

Ther e, now, do go away up t o t he hous ek eeper ' s

r oom and get y our s upper s ; y ou k now I hav en' t

t i me t o t al k — y ou' l l f i nd pl ent y mor e i n t he

hous e. Now, Mas t er Eas t , do l et t hos e t hi ngs

al one — y ou' r e mi x i ng up t hr ee ne\ \ i boy s '

t hi ngs . " And s he r us hed at Eas t , who es c aped

r ound t he open t r unk s hol di ng up a pr i z e.

* ' Hul l o, l ook her e, Tommy , " s hout ed he,

" her e' s f un! " and he br andi s hed abov e hi s

head s ome pr et t y l i t t l e ni ght - c aps , beaut i f ul l y

made and mar k ed, t he wor k of l ov i ng f i nger s

i n s ome di s t ant c ount r y home. The k i nd mo-

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 19

t her and s i s t er s , wl i o s ewed t hat del i c at e s t i t c l i i ng

wi t h ac hi ng hear t s , l i t t l e t hought of t he t r oubl e

t hey mi ght be br i ngi ng on t he y oung head f or

whi c h t hey wer e meant . The l i t t l e mat r on was

wi s er , and s nat c hed t he c aps f r om Eas t bef or e

he c oul d l ook at t he name on t hem.

' ' Now, Mas t er Eas t , I s hal l be v er y angr y i f

you don' t go, " s ai d s he; " t her e' s s ome c api t al

col d beef and pi c k l es up s t ai r s , and I won' t hav e

you ol d boy s i n my r oom f i r s t ni ght . "

• " Hur r ah f or t he pi c k l es ! Come al ong. Tom-

my , c ome al ong, Smi t h. We s hal l f i nd out who

t he y oung c ount i s , I ' l l be bound ; I hope he' l l

sl eep i n my r oom. Mar y ' s al way s v i c i ous f i r s t

week "

As t he boy s t ur ned t o l eav e t he r oom, t he

mat r on t ouc hed Tom' s ar m, and s ai d, " Mas t er

Br own, pl eas e s t op a mi nut e. I want t o s peak

t o y ou. "

' ' Ver y Av el l , Mar y . I ' l l c ome i n a mi nut e.

Page 9 of 96

Eas t ; don' t f i ni s h t he pi c k l es — "

" Oh, Mas t er Br own, " went on t he l i t t l e mat r on

when t he r es t had gone, " y ou' r e t o hav e Gr ay ' s

st udy , Mr s . Ar nol d s ay s . And s he want s y ou

t o t ak e i n t hi s y oung gent l eman. He' s a new

boy and t hi r t een y ear s ol d, t hough he don' t l ook

20 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

i t . He' s v er y del i c at e, and l i as nev er been f r om

home bef or e. And I t ol d Mr s . Ar nol d I t bougbt

you' d be k i nd t o hi m, and s ec t hat t hey don' t

bul l y hi m at f i r s t . He' s put i nt o y our f or m,

and I ' v e gi v en hi m t he bed nex t t o y our s i n

K umber 4 ; s o Eas t c an' t s l eep t her e t hi s hal f . "

Tom was r at her put about by t hi s s peec h.

He had got t he doubl e s t udy whi c h he c ov et ed,

but her e wer e c ondi t i ons at t ac hed whi c h gr eat l y

moder at ed hi s j oy . He l ook ed ac r os s t he r oom,

and i n t he f ar c or ner of t he s of a, was awar e of a

sl i ght , pal e boy , wi t h l ar ge bl ue ey es and l i ght

f ai r hai r , who s eemed r eady t o s hr i nk t hr ough

t he f l oor . He s aw at a gl anc e t hat t he l i t t l e

st r anger was j us t t he boy whos e f i r s t hal f - y ear

at a publ i c s c hool woul d be mi s er y t o hi ms el f i f

he wer e l et al one, or c ons t ant anx i et y t o any

one who meant t o s ee hi m t hr ough hi s t r oubl es ,

Tom was t oo hones t t o t ak e i n t he y oungs t er

and t hen l et hi m s hi f t f or hi ms el f ; and i f he

t ook hi m as hi s c hum i ns t ead of Eas t , wher e

wer e al l hi s pet pl ans of hav i ng a bot t l ed- beer

cel l ar under hi s wi ndow, and mak i ng ni ght - l i nes

and s l i ngs , and pl ot t i ng ex pedi t i ons t o Br own-

sov er Mi l l s and Cal dec ot t ' s Spi nney ? Eas t and

he had made up t hei r mi nds t o get t hi s s t udy ,

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 21

and t hen ev er y ni ght f r om l oc k i ng- i i p t i l l t en

t hey woul d be t oget her , t o t al k about f i s hi ng,

dr i nk bot t l ed- beer , r ead Mar r y at t ' s nov el s , and

sor t bi r ds ' eggs . And t hi s new boy woul d mos t

l i k el y nev er go out of t he c l os e, and woul d be

af r ai d of wet f eet , and al way s get t i ng l aughed

at , and c al l ed Mol l y , or J enny , or s ome der oga-

t or y f emi ni ne ni c k name.

The mat r on wat c hed hi m f or a moment , and

saw what was pas s i ng i n hi s mi nd, and s o, l i k e

a wi s e negot i at or , t hr ew i n an appeal t o hi s

war m hear t . ' • Poor l i t t l e f el l ow, " s ai d s he i n

al mos t a whi s per , ' ' hi s f at her ' s dead, and he' s

got no br ot her s . And hi s mamma, s uc h a k i nd

sweet l ady , al mos t br ok e her hear t at l eav i ng

hi m t hi s mor ni ng ; and s he s ai d one of hi s s i s t er s

was l i k e t o di e of dec l i ne, and s o — "

" Wel l , wel l , " bur s t i n Tom, wi t h s omet hi ng

l i k e a s i gh at t he ef f or t , " I s uppos e I mus t gi v e

Page 10 of 96

up Eas t . Come al ong, y oung ' un. What ' s y our

name? We' l l go and hav e s ome s upper , and

t hen I ' l l s how y ou our s t udy , "

" Hi s name' s Gr eor ge Ar t hur , " s ai d t he mat r on,

wal k i ng up t o hi m wi t h Tom, who gr as ped hi s

l i t t l e del i c at e hand as t he pr oper pr el i mi nar y t o

mak i ng a c hum of hi m, and f el t as i f he c oul d

22 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

hav e bl own l i i m away . " I ' v e had l i i s book s

and t i l i ngs put i nt o t he s t udy , whi c h hi s mamma

has had new paper ed, and t he s of a c ov er ed, and

new gr een- bai z e c ur t ai ns ov er t he door , " ( t he

di pl omat i c mat r on t hr ew t hi s i n, t o s how t hat

t he new boy was c ont r i but i ng l ar gel y t o t he par t -

ner s hi p c omf or t s . ) " And Mr s . Ar nol d t ol d me

t o s ay , " s he added, ' ' t hat s he s houl d l i k e y ou

bot h t o c ome up t o t ea wi t h her . You k now

t he way , Mas t er Br own, and t he t hi ngs ar e j us t

gone up, I k now. " *

^ Her e was an announc ement f or Mas t er Tom !

t

' He w^ as t o go up t o t ea t he f i r s t ni ght , j us t as i f

he wer e a s i x t h or f i f t h- f or m boy , and of i mpor t -

anc e i n t he s c hool wor l d, i ns t ead of t he mos t

r ec k l es s s c apegr ac e among t he f ags . He f el t

hi ms el f l i f t ed on t o a hi gher mor al and s oc i al

pl at f or m at onc e. Nev er t hel es s he c oul dn' t gi v e

up, wi t hout a s i gh, t he i dea of t he j ol l y s upper

i n t he hous ek eeper ' s r oom wi t h Eas t and t he

r es t , and a r us h r ound t o al l t he s t udi es of hi s

f r i ends af t er war ds , t o pour out t he deeds and

wonder s of t he hol i day s , t o pl ot f i f t y pl ans f or

t he c omi ng hal f - y ear , and t o gat her news of who

had l ef t , and what new boy s had c ome, wdi o had

got who' s s t udy , and wher e t he new pr i epos t or s

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 23

sl ept . Howev er , Tom c ons ol ed hi ms el f wi t h

t hi nk i ng t hat he c oul dn' t hav e done al l t hi s

wi t h t he new boy at hi s heel s , and s o mar c hed

of f al ong t he pas s ages t o t he Doc t or ' s pr i v at e

hous e, wi t h hi s y oung c har ge i n t ow, i n mon-

st r ous good humour wi t h hi ms el f and al l t he

wor l d.

I t i s needl es s , and woul d be i mper t i nent t o

t el l , how t he t wo y oung boy s wer e r ec ei v ed i n

t hat dr awi ng- r oom. The l ady who pr es i ded

t her e i s s t i l l l i v i ng, and has c ar r i ed wi t h her t o

her peac ef ul home i n t he Nor t h t he r es pec t and

l ov e of al l t hos e who ev er f el t and s har ed t hat

gent l e and hi gh- br ed hos pi t al i t y . Ay e, many i s

t he br av e hear t now doi ng i t s wor k and bear i ng

i t s l oad i n c ount r y c ur ac i es , London c hamber s ,

Page 11 of 96

under t he I ndi an sun, and i n Aust r al i an t owns

and cl ear i ngs, whi ch l ooks back wi t h f ond and

gr at ef ul memor y t o t hat school - house dr awi ng-

r oom, and dat es much of i t s hi ghest and best

t r ai ni ng t o t he l essons l ear nt t her e.

Besi des Mr s. Ar nol d and one or t wo of t he

el der chi l dr en, t her e wer e one of t he younger

mast er s, young Br ooke, who was now i n t he

si xt h and had succeeded t o hi s br ot her ' s posi t i on

and i nf l uence, and anot her si xt h- f or m boy t her e,

24 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

t al ki ng t oget her bef or e t l i e f i r e. The mast er

and young Br ooke, now a gr eat st r appi ng f el l ow

si x l eet hi gh, ei ght een year s ol d, and power f ul

as a coal - heaver , nodded ki ndl y t o Tom t o hi s

i nt ense gl or y, and t hen went on t al ki ng; t he

ot her di d not not i ce t hem. The host ess, af t er a

f ew ki nd wor ds, w^ hi ch l ed t he boys at once and

i nsensi bl y t o f eel at t hei r ease, t o begi n t al ki ng

t o one anot her , l ef t t hem wi t h her own chi l dr en

whi l e she f i ni shed a l et t er . The young ones got

on f ast and wel l , Tom hol di ng f or t h about a

pr odi gi ous pony he had been r i di ng out hunt i ng,

and hear i ng st or i es of t he wi nt er gl or i es of t he

l akes, when t ea came i n, and i mmedi at el y af t er

t he Doct or hi msel f .

, How f r ank, and ki nd, and manl y, was hi s

gr eet i ng t o t he par t y by t he f i r e ; i t di d Tom' s

hear t good t o see hi m and young Br ooke shake

hands, and l ook one anot her i n t he f ace; and

he di dn' t f ai l t o r emar k t hat Br ooke w^ as near l y

as t al l and qui t e as br oad as t he Doct or . And

hi s cup was f ul l , when i n anot her moment hi s

mast er t ur ned t o hi m wi t h anot her war m shake

of t he hand; and seemi ngl y obl i vi ous of al l t he

l at e scr apes whi ch he had been get t i ng i nt o,

sai d, " Ah, Br own, you her e! I hope you l ef t

your f at her and al l qui t e wel l at home. "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 25

, Yes, si r , qui t e wel l . "

" And t hi s i s t he l i t t l e f el l ow who i s t o shar e

your st udy. Wel l , he doesn' t l ook as we shoul d

l i ke t o see hi m. He want s some Eugby ai r ,

and cr i cket . And you must t ake hi m some

good l ong w^ al ks, t o Bi l t on Gr ange, and Cal de-

cot t ' s Spi nney, and show hi m what a pr et t y l i t t l e

count r y we have about her e. "

Tom wonder ed i f t he Doct or knew t hat hi s

vi si t s t o Bi l t on Gr ange wer e f or t he pur pose of

t aki ng r ook' s nest s ( a pr oceedi ng st r ongl y di s-

count enanced by t he owner t her eof ) , and t hose

t o Cal decot t ' s Spi nney, wer e pr ompt ed chi ef l y by

Page 12 of 96

t he conveni ences f or set t i ng ni ght - l i nes. What

di dn' t t he Doct or know? And what a nobl e

use he al ways made of i t . He al most r esol ved t o

abj ur e r ook- pi es and ni ght - l i nes f or ever . The

t ea went mer r i l y of f , t he Doct or now t al ki ng of

hol i day doi ngs, and t hen of t he pr ospect s of t he

hal f - year , what chance t her e was f or t he Bal l i ol

schol ar shi p, whet her t he el even woul d be a good

one. Ever ybody was at t hei r ease, and ever y-

body f el t t hat he, young as he mi ght be, was of

some use i n t he l i t t l e school wor l d, and had a

wor k t o do t her e.

Soon af t er t ea t he Doct or went of f t o hi s st udy,

2b

26 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

and t he young boys a f ew mi nut es af t er war ds

t ook t l i ei r l eave, and went out of t l i e pr i vat e

door whi ch l ed f r om t he Doct or ' s house i nt o t he

mi ddl e passage.

At t he f i r e, at t he f ur t her end of t he passage,

was a cr owd of boys i n l oud t al k and l aught er .

Ther e was a sudden pause when t he door opened,

and t hen a gr eat shout of gr eet i ng, as Tom was

r ecogni zed mar chi ng down t he passage.

' ' Hul l o, Br own, wher e do you come f r om ?"

" Oh, I ' ve been t o t ea wi t h t he Doct or , " says

Tom, wi t h gr eat di gni t y.

' ' My eye, " cr i ed East . ' ' Oh ! so t hat ' s why

Mar y cal l ed you back, and you di dn' t come t o

supper . You l ost somet hi ng — t hat beef and

pi ckl es was no end good. "

^' I say, young f el l ow, " cr i ed Hal l , det ect i ng

Ar t hur and cat chi ng hi m by t he col l ar , ' ' what ' s

your name ? Wher e do you come f r om ? How

ol d ar e you ?"

Tom saw Ar t hur shr i nk back and l ook scar ed,

as al l t he gr oup t ur ned t o hi m, but t hought i t

best t o l et hi m answer , j ust st andi ng by hi s si de

t o suppor t i n case of need.

' ' Ar t hur , si r . I come f r om Devonshi r e. "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 27

* ' Don' t cal l me ' si r , ' you young muf f . How

ol d ar e you ?"

' ' Thi r t een. "

" Can you si ng ?"

Page 13 of 96

The poor boy was t r embl i ng and hesi t at i ng.

Tom st r uck i n — " You be hanged, Tadpol e.

He' l l have t o si ng, whet her he can or not , Sat ur -

day t wel ve weeks, and t hat ' s l ong enough of f

yet . "

" Do you know hi m at home, Br own ?"

" No, but he' s my chum i n Gr ay' s ol d st udy,

and i t ' s near pr ayer t i me, and I haven' t had a

l ook at i t yet . Come al ong, Ar t hur . "

Away went t he t wo, Tom l ongi ng t o get hi s

char ge saf e under cover , wher e he mi ght advi se

hi m on hi s depor t ment .

" What a queer chum f or Tom Br own, " was

t he comment at t he f i r e ; and i t must be con-

f essed so t hought Tom hi msel f , as he l i ght ed

hi s candl e, and sur veyed t he new gr een- bai ze

cur t ai ns, and t he car pet and sof a wi t h much

sat i sf act i on.

" I say, Ar t hur , what a br i ck your mot her i s

t o make us so cosy. But l ook her e now, you

must answer st r ai ght up when t he f el l ows speak

t o you, and don' t be af r ai d. I f you' r e af r ai d,

28 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

you' l l get bul l i ed. And don' t you say you

can si ng ; and don' t you ever t al k about home,

and your mot her and si st er s. "

Poor l i t t l e Ar t hur l ooked r eady t o cr y.

' ' But pl ease, " sai d he, ' ' mayn' t I t al k about

— about home t o you ?"

' ^ Oh, yes, I l i ke i t . But don' t t al k t o boys

you don' t know, or t hey' l l cal l you home- si ck,

or mamma' s dar l i ng, or some such st uf f . What

a j ol l y desk! i s t hat your ' s? And what st un-

ni ng bi ndi ng ! why, your school - books l ook l i ke

novel s. "

And Tom was soon deep i n Ar t hur ' s goods

and chat t el s, al l new and good enough f or a

f i f t h - f or m boy, and har dl y t hought of hi s f r i ends

out si de, t i l l t he pr ayer - bel l r ung.

I have al r eady descr i bed t he school - house

pr ayer s ; t hey wer e t he same on t he f i r st ni ght

as on t he ot her ni ght s, save f or t he gaps caused

by t he absence of t hose boys who came l at e,

and t he l i ne of new boys who st ood al l t oget her

at t he f ur t her t abl e — of al l sor t s and si zes, l i ke

young bear s, wi t h al l t hei r t r oubl es t o come, as

Tom' s f at her had sai d t o 1dm when he was i n

t he same posi t i on. He t hought of i t as he l ooked

at t he l i ne, and poor l i t t l e sl i ght Ar t hur st andi ng

Page 14 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 29

wi t h t her Q; and as l i e was l eadi ng hi m np st ai r s

t o Number 4, di r ect l y af t er pr ayer s, and showi ng

hi m hi s bed. I t was a huge, hi gh, ai r y r oom,

wi t h t wo l ar ge wi ndows l ooki ng on t o t he school

cl ose. Ther e wer e t wel ve beds i n t he r oom.

The one i n t he f ur t hest cor ner by t he f i r epl ace,

occupi ed by t he si xt h- f or m boy who was r espon-

si bl e f or t he di sci pl i ne of t he r oom, and t he r est

by boys i n t he l ower - f i f t h and ot her j uni or f or ms,

al l f ags, ( f or t he f i f t h- f or m boys, as has been sai d,

sl ept i n r ooms by t hemsel ves. ) Bei ng f ags, t he

el dest of t hem was not mor e t han about si xt een

year s ol d, and wer e al l bound t o be up and i n

bed by t en ; t he si xt h- f or m boys came t o bed

f r om t en t o a quar t er past , ( at whi ch t i me t he

ol d ver ger came r ound t o put t he candl es out , )

except when t hey sat up t o r ead.

Wi t hi n a f ew mi nut es, t her ef or e, of t hei r

ent r y, al l t he ot her boys who sl ept i n Number

4 had come up. The l i t t l e f el l ows went qui et l y

t o t hei r own beds, and began undr essi ng and

t al ki ng t o one anot her i n whi sper s ; whi l e t he

el der , amongst whom was Tom, sat chat t i ng

about on one anot her ' s beds, wi t h t hei r j acket

and wai st coat s of f . Poor l i t t l e Ar t hur was over -

whel med wi t h t he novel t y of hi s posi t i on. The

30 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

i dea of sl eepi ng i n t l i e r oom wi t h st r ange boys,

had cl ear l y never cr ossed l i i s mi nd bef or e, and

was as pai nf ul as i t was st r ange t o l i i m. He

coul d l i ar dl y bear t o t ake l i i s j acket of f ; how-

ever , pr esent l y wi t h an ef f or t of f i t came, and

t hen he paused and l ooked at Tom, who was

si t t i ng at t he bot t om of hi s bed, t al ki ng and

l aughi ng.

^' Pl ease, Br own, " he whi sper ed, " may I wash

my f ace and hands ?"

" Of cour se, i f you l i ke, " sai d Tom st ar i ng;

" t hat ' s your washhand- st and under t he wi ndow,

second f r om your bed. You' l l have t o go down

f or mor e wat er i n t he mor ni ng i f you use i t al l . "

And on he went wi t h hi s t al k, whi l e Ar t hur

st ol e t i mi dl y f r om bet ween t he beds out t o hi s

washhand- st and, and began hi s abl ut i ons, t her eby

dr awi ng f or a moment on hi msel f t he at t ent i on

of t he r oom.

On went t he t al k and l aught er . Ar t hur

f i ni shed hi s washi ng and undr essi ng, and put on

hi s ni ght - gown. He t hen l ooked r ound mor e

ner vousl y t han ever . Two or t hr ee of t he l i t t l e

boys wer e al r eady i n bed, si t t i ng up wi t h t hei r

chi ns on t her knees. The l i ght bur ned cl ear ,

Page 15 of 96

t he noi se went on, I t was a t r yi ng moment f or

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 31

t l i e poor l i t t l e l onel y boy ; however t hi s t i me l i e

di dn' t ask Tom what he mi ght or mi ght not do,

but dr opped on hi s knees by hi s bedsi de, as he

had done ever y day f r om hi s chi l dhood, t o open

hi s hear t t o Hi m, who hear et h t he cr y and bear et h

t he sor r ows of t he t ender chi l d, and t he st r ong

man i n agony.

Tom was si t t i ng at t he bot t om of hi s bed unl ac -

i ng hi s boot s, so t hat hi s back was t owar ds Ar t hur ,

and he di dn' t see what had happened, and l ooked

up i n wonder at t he sudden si l ence. Then t wo

or t hr ee boys l aughed and sneer ed, and a bi g

br ut al f el l ow, who was st andi ng i n t he mi ddl e

of t he r oom, pi cked up a sl i pper , and shi ed i t at

t he kneel i ng boy, cal l i ng hi m a sni vel l i ng young

shaver . Then Tom saw t he whol e, and t he next

n^ oment t he boot he had j ust pul l ed of f l ew

st r ai ght at t he head of t he bul l y, who had j ust

t i me t o t hr ow up hi s ar m and cat ch i t on hi s

el bow.

" Conf ound you. Br own, what ' s t hat f or ?"

r oar ed he, st ampi ng wi t h pai n.

" Kever mi nd what I mean, " sai d Tom, st ep-

pi ng on t o t he f l oor , ever y dr op of bl ood i n hi s

body t i ngl i ng; " i f any f el l ow want s t he ot her

boot , he knows how t o get i t . "

32 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

Wl i at woul d have been t he r esul t i s doubt f ul ,

f or at t hi s moment t he si xt h- f or m boy came i n,

and not anot her wor d coul d be sai d. Tom and

t he r est r ushed i nt o bed and f i ni shed t hei r un-

r obi ng t her e, and t he ol d ver ger , as punct ual as

t he cl ock, had put out t he candl e i n anot her

mi nut e, and t oddl ed on t o t he next r oom, shut t i ng

t hei r door wi t h hi s usual " Good ni ght , genl ' m' n. "

Ther e wer e many boys i n t he r oom by whom

t hat l i t t l e scene was t aken t o hear t bef or e t hey

sl ept . But sl eep seemed t o have deser t ed t he

pi l l ow of poor Tom. For some t i me hi s exci t e-

ment , and t he f l ood of memor i es whi ch chased

one anot her t hr ough hi s br ai n, kept hi m f r om

t hi nki ng or r esol vi ng. Hi s head t hr obbed, hi s

hear t l eapt , and he coul d har dl y keep hi msel f

f r om spr i ngi ng out of bed and r ushi ng about t he

r oom. Then t he t hought of hi s own mot her

came acr oss hi m, and t he pr omi se he had made

at her knee, year s ago, never t o f or get t o kneel

by hi s bedsi de, and gi ve hi msel f up t o hi s Fat her ,

bef or e he l ai d hi s head on hi s pi l l ow, f r om whi ch

i t mi ght never r i se ; and he l ay down gent l y and

Page 16 of 96

cr i ed as i f hi s hear t woul d br eak. He was onl y

f our t een year s ol d.

I t was no l i ght act of cour age i n t hose days,

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 33

my dear boys, f or a l i t t l e f el l ow t o say hi s pr ayer s

publ i cl y, even at Rugby. A f ew year s l at er ,

wben Ar nol d' s manl y pi et y bad begun t o l eaven

t he scbool , t he t abl es t ur ned ; bef or e be di ed, i n

t he scbool - bouse at l east , and I bel i eve i n t he

ot her bouses, t be r ul e was t he ot her way. But

poor Tom had come t o school i n ot her t i mes. The

f i r st f ew ni ght s af t er he came he di d not kneel

down because of t he noi se, but sat up i n bed t i l l

t he candl e was out , and t hen st ol e out and sai d

hi s pr ayer s, i n f ear l est some one shoul d f i nd hi m

out . So di d many anot her poor l i t t l e f el l ow.

Then he began t o t hi nk t hat he mi ght j ust as

Avel l say hi s pr ayer s i n bed, and t hen t hat i t

di dn' t mat t er whet her he was kneel i ng, or si t t i ng,

or l yi ng down. And so i t had come t o pass wi t h

Tom, as wi t h al l who wi l l not conf ess t hei r Lor d

bef or e men ; and f or t he l ast year he had pr o-

babl y not sai d hi s pr ayer s i n ear nest a dozen

t i mes.

Poor Tom ! t he f i r st and bi t t er est f eel i ng whi ch

was l i ke t o br eak hi s hear t , was t he sense of hi s

o^ vn cowar di ce. The vi ce of al l ot her s whi ch he

l oat hed was br ought i n and bur ned i n on hi s own

soul . He had l i ed t o hi s mot her , t o hi s con-

sci ence, t o hi s God. How coul d he bear i t ?

34 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

And t hen t he poor l i t t l e weak boy, whom he had

pi t i ed and al most scor ned f or hi s weakness, had

done t hat , whi ch he, br aggar t as he was, dar ed not

do. The f i r st dawn of comf or t came t o hi m i n

swear i ng t o hi msel f t hat he woul d st and by t hat

boy t hr ough t hi ck and t hi n, and cheer hi m, and

hel p hi m, and bear hi s bur t hens, f or t he good

deed done t hat ni ght . Then he r esol ved t o wr i t e

home next day and t el l hi s mot her al l , and what

a cowar d her son had been. And t hen peace

came t o hi m as he r esol ved, l ast l y, t o bear hi s

t est i mony next mor ni ng. The mor ni ng woul d

be har der t han t he ni ght t o begi n wi t h, but he

f el t t hat he coul d not af f or d t o l et one chance

sl i p. Sever al t i mes he f al t er ed, f or t he devi l

showed hi m f i r st , al l hi s ol d f r i ends cal l i ng hi m

" Sai nt , " and " Squar e- t oes, " and a dozen har d

names, and whi sper ed t o hi m t hat hi s mot i ves

woul d be mi sunder st ood, and he woul d onl y be

l ef t al one wi t h t he new boy ; wher eas i t was hi s

dut y t o keep al l means of i nf l uence, t hat he

mi ght do good t o t he l ar gest number . And t hen

came t he mor e subt l e t empt at i on, " Shal l I not

Page 17 of 96

be showi ng mysel f br aver t han ot her s by doi ng

t hi s ? Have I any r i ght t o begi n i t now ? Ought

I not r at her t o pr ay i n my own st udy, l et t i ng

I

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 35

ot l i er boys know t hat I do so, and t r yi ng t o l ead

t l i em t o i t , whi l e i n publ i c at l east I sl i onl d go

on as I have done?" However , hi s good angel

was t oo st r ong t hat ni ght , and he t ur ned on hi s

si de and sl ept , t i r ed of t r yi ng t o r eason, but

r esol ved t o f ol l ow t he i mpul se whi ch had been

so st r ong, and i n whi ch he had f ound peace.

Next mor ni ng he was up and washed and

dr essed, al l but hi s j acket and wai st coat , j ust as

t he t en mi nut es' bel l began t o r i ng, and t hen i n

t he f ace of t he whol e r oom knel t down t o pr ay.

Not f i ve wor ds coul d he say — t he bel l mocked

hi m ; he was l i st eni ng f or ever y whi sper i n t he

r oom — what wer e t hey al l t hi nki ng of hi m?

He was ashamed t o go on kneel i ng, ashamed t o

r i se f r om hi s knees. At l ast , as i t Aver e f r om hi s

i nmost hear t , a st i l l smal l voi ce seemed t o br eat he

f or t h t he wor ds of t he publ i can, " God be mer ci -

f ul t o me a si nner ! " He r epeat ed t hem over and

over , cl i ngi ng t o t hem as f or hi s l i f e, and r ose

f r om hi s knees comf or t ed and humbl ed, and r eady

t o f ace t he whol e wor l d. I t was not needed ; t wo

ot her boys besi des Ar t hur had al r eady f ol l owed

hi s exampl e, and he went down t o t he gr eat school

wi t h a gl i mmer i ng of anot her l esson i n hi s hear t —

t he l esson t hat he who has conquer ed hi s own cow-

36 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

ar d spi r i t has conquer ed t he whol e out war d wor l d;

and t hat ot her one, whi ch t he ol d pr ophet l ear nt

i n t he cave at Mount I l or eb, when he hi d hi s

f ace, and t he st i l l smal l voi ce asked, " What doest

t hou her e, El i j ah ?" t hat however we may f ancy

our sel ves al one on t he si de of good, t he Ki ng

and Lor d of men i s nowher e wi t hout Hi s wi t -

nesses ; f or i n ever y soci et y, however seemi ngl y

cor r upt and godl ess, t her e ar e t hose who have

not bowed t he knee t o Baal .

He f ound, t oo, how gr eat l y he had exagger at ed

t he ef f ect t o be pr oduced by hi s act . For a f ew

ni ght s t her e was a sneer or a l augh when he

knel t down, but t hi s passed of f soon, and one by

one al l t he ot her boys but t hr ee or f our f ol l owed

t he l ead. I f ear t hat t hi s was i n some measur e

owi ng t o t he f act , t hat Tom coul d pr obabl y have

t hr ashed any boy i n t he r oom except t he pr ae-

post or ; at any r at e, ever ybody knew t hat he

Page 18 of 96

woul d t r y upon ver y sl i ght pr ovocat i on, and

di dn' t choose t o r un t he r i sk of a har d f i ght

because Tom Br own had t aken a f ancy t o say

hi s pr ayer s. Some of t he smal l boys of Number

4 communi cat ed t he new st at e of t hi ngs t o t hei r

chums, and i n sever al ot her r ooms t he poor l i t t l e

f el l ows t r i ed i t on ; i n one i nst ance or so, wher e

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 3t

t he pr a3post er hear d of i t and i nt er f er ed ver y

deci dedl y, wi t h par t i al success ; hut i n t he r est ,

af t er a shor t st r uggl e, t he conf essor s wer e bul l i ed

or l aughed down, and t he ol d st at e of t hi ngs went

on f or some t i me l onger . Bef or e ei t her Tom

Br own or Ar t hur l ef t t he school - house, t her e

was no r oom i n whi ch' i t had not become t he

r egul ar cust om. I t r ust i t i s so st i l l , and t hat

t he ol d heat hen st at e of t hi ngs has gone out f or

ever .

CHAPTER 11. .

THE NEW BOY.

* ' And Heaven' s r i ch i nst i nct s i n hi m gr ew

As ef f or t l ess as woodhmd nooks

Send vi ol et s up and pai nt t hem bl ue. " — Lowel l .

I DO not mean t o r ecount al l t he l i t t l e t r oubl es

and annoyances whi cl i t hr onged upon Tom at

t he begi nni ng of t hi s hal f - year , i n hi s new-

char act er of bear - l eader t o a gent l e l i t t l e boy

st r ai ght f r om home. He seemed t o hi msel f t o

have become a new boy agai n, wi t hout any of

t he l ong- suf f er i ng and meekness i ndi spensabl e

f or suppor t i ng t hat char act er wi t h moder at e

success. Fr om mor ni ng t i l l ni ght he had t he

f eel i ng of r esponsi bi l i t y on hi s mi nd, and even

i f he l ef t Ar t hur i n t hei r st udy or i n t he cl ose

f or an hour , was never at ease t i l l he had hi m i n

si ght agai n. He wai t ed f or hi m at t he door s of

t he school af t er ever y l esson and ever y cal l i ng-

over ; wat ched t hat no t r i cks wer e pl ayed hi m,

and none but t he r egul at i on quest i ons asked;

kept hi s eye on hi s pl at e at di nner and br eakf ast ,

t o see t hat no unf ai r depr edat i ons wer e made

38

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 89

upon hi s vi ands; i n shor t , as East r emar ked,

cackl ed af t er Mm l i ke a hen wi t h one chi ck. / -

Ar t hur t ook a l ong t i me t hawi ng t oo, whi ch

made i t al l t he har der ^ vor k ; was sadl y t i mi d ;

scar cel y ever spoke unl ess Tom spoke t o hi m

f i r st ; and, wor st of al l , woul d agr ee wi t h hi m i n

Page 19 of 96

ever yt hi ng, t he har dest t hi ng i n t he wor l d f or

Br own t o bear . He got qui t e angr y somet i mes,

as t hey sat t oget her of a ni ght i n t hei r st udy, at

t hi s pr ovoki ng habi t of agr eement , and was on

t he poi nt of br eaki ng out a dozen t i mes wi t h a

l ect ur e upon t he pr opr i et y of a f el l ow havi ng a

wi l l of hi s own and speaki ng out ; but managed

t o r est r ai n hi msel f by t he t hought t hat i t mi ght

onl y f r i ght en Ar t hur , and t he r emembr ance of

t he l esson he had l ear nt f r om hi m on hi s f i r st

ni ght at Number 4. Then he woul d r esol ve t o

si t st i l l , and not say a wor d t i l l Ar t hur began ;

but he was al ways beat at t hat game, and had

pr esent l y t o begi n t al ki ng i n despai r , f ear i ng l est

Ar t hur mi ght t hi nk he was vexed at somet hi ng

i f he di dn' t , and dog- t i r ed of si t t i ng t ongue- t i ed.

I t was har d wor k 1 But Tom had t aken i t up ;

and meant t o st i ck t o i t , and go t hr ough wi t h i t ,

so as t o sat i sf y hi msel f ; i n whi ch r esol ut i on he

was much assi st ed by t he chaf f i ng of East and

40 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

I l l s ot l i er ol d f r i ends, who began t o cal l l i i m " dr y -

nur se, " and ot her wi se t o br eak t hei r smal l wi t

on hi m. But when t hey t ook ot her gr ound, as

t hey di d ever y now and t hen, Tom was sor el y

puzzl ed.

' ' Tel l you what , Tommy, " East woul d say,

you' l l spoi l young hopef ul wi t h t oo much cod-

dl i ng. Why can' t you l et hi m^ go about by

hi msel f , and f i nd hi s own l evel ? He' l l never be

wor t h a but t on, i f you go on keepi ng hi m under

your ski r t s. "

" Wel l , but he ai n' t f i t t o f i ght hi s own way

yet ; I ' m t r yi ng t o get hi m t o i t ever y day — but

he' s ver y odd. Poor l i t t l e beggar ! I can' t make

hi m out a bi t . He ai n' t a bi t l i ke anyt hi ng I ' ve

ever seen or hear d of — he seems al l over ner ves ;

anyt hi ng you say, seems t o hur t hi m l i ke a cut

or a bl ow. "

" That sor t of boy' s no use her e, " sai d East ,

" he' l l ony spoi l . Now I ' l l t el l you what you do,

Tommy. Go and get a ni ce l ar ge band- box

made, and put hi m i n wi t h pl ent y of cot t on- wool ,

and a pap- bot t l e, l abel l ed ' Wi t h car e — t hi s si de

up, ' and send hi m back t o mamma. "

" I t hi nk I shal l make a hand of hi m t hough, "

sai d Tom, smi l i ng, " say what you wi l l . Ther e' s

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 41

somet l i i ng about hi m, ever y now and t hen, whi cl i

shows me he' s got pl uck somewher e i n hi m.

That ' s t he onl y t hi ng af t er al l , t hat ' l l wash, ai n' t

Page 20 of 96

i t , ol d Scud ? But how t o get at i t and br i ng

i t out ?"

Tom t ook one hand out of hi s br eeches- pocket

and st uck i t i n hi s back hai r f or a scr at ch, gi vi ng

hi s hat a t i l t over hi s nose, hi s one met hod of i n-

voki ng wi sdom. He st ar ed at t he gr ound wi t h

a l udi cr ousl y puzzl ed l ook, and pr esent l y l ooked

up and met East ' s eyes. That young gent l emen

sl apped hi m on t he back, and t hen put hi s ar m

r ound hi s shoul der , as t hey st r ol l ed t hr ough t he

quadr angl e t oget her . " Tom, " sai d he, " bl est i f

you ai n' t t he best ol d f el l ow ever was — I do l i ke

t o see you go i nt o a t hi ng. Hang i t , I wi sh I

coul d t ake t hi ngs as you do — but I never can

get hi gher t han a j oke. Ever yt hi ng' s a j oke. I f

I was goi ng t o be f l ogged next mi nut e, I shoul d

be i n a bl ue f unk, but I coul dn' t hel p l aughi ng

at i t f or t he l i f e of me. "

Af t er t hi s East came a good deal t o t hei r st udy,

and t ook not i ce of Ar t hur ; and soon al l owed t o

Tom, t hat he was a t hor ough l i t t l e gent l eman,

and woul d get over hi s shyness al l i n good t i me i

whi ch much comf or t ed our her o. He f el t ever y

2b2

42 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

day, t oo, t he val ue of havi ng an obj ect i n hi s

l i f e, somet hi ng t hat dr ew hi m out of hi msel f ;

and, i t bei ng t he dul l t i me of t he year , and no

games goi ng about f or whi ch he much car ed, was

happi er t han he had ever yet been at school ,

whi ch was sayi ng a gr eat deal .

. The t i me whi ch Tom al l owed hi msel f away

f r om hi s char ge, was f r om l ocki ng- up t i l l supper -

t i me. Dur i ng t hi s hour , or hour - and- a- hal f , he

used t o t ake hi s f l i ng, goi ng r ound t o t he st udi es

of al l hi s acquai nt ance, spar r i ng or gossi pi ng i n

t he hal l , now j umpi ng t he ol d i r on- bound t abl es,

or car vi ng a bi t of hi s name on t hem, t hen j oi n-

i ng i n some chor us of mer r y voi ces ; i n f act ,

bl owi ng of f hi s st eam, as we shoul d now cal l i t .

Thi s pr ocess was so congeni al t o hi s t emper ,

and Ar t hur showed hi msel f so pl eased at t he

ar r angement , t hat i t was sever al weeks bef or e

Tom was ever i n t hei r st udy bef or e supper . One

eveni ng, however , he r ushed i n t o l ook f or an ol d

chi sel , or some cor ks, or ot her ar t i cl e essent i al t o

hi s pur sui t f or t he t i me bei ng, and whi l e r um-

magi ng about i n t he cupboar ds, l ooked up f or a

moment , and was caught at once by t he f i gur e

of poor l i t t l e Ar t hur . The boy was si t t i ng wi t h

hi s el bows on t he t abl e, and hi s head l eani ng on

Page 21 of 96

i

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 43

hi s handS; and bef or e hi m an open book, on

whi ch hi s t ear s wer e f al l i ng f ast . Tom shut t he

door at once, and sat down on t he sof a by Ar -

t hur , put t i ng hi s ar m r ound hi s neck.

" Why, young' un! what ' s t he mat t er ?" sai d he

ki ndl y; " you ai n' t unhappy, ar e you?"

" Oh no. Br own, " s^ d t he l i t t l e boy, l ooki ng

up wi t h t he gr eat t ear s i n hi s eyes, " you ar e so

ki nd t o me, I ' m ver y happy. "

" Why don' t you cal l me Tom? l ot s of boys

do, t hat I don' t l i ke hal f so much as you. What

ar e you r eadi ng t hen ? Hang i t , you must come

about wi t h me, and not mope your sel f , " and Tom

cast down hi s eyes on t he book and saw i t was

t he Bi bl e. He was si l ent f or a mi nut e, and

t hought t o hi msel f , " Lesson Number 2, Tom

Br own, " — and t hen sai d gent l y —

" I ' m ver y gl ad t o see t hi s, Ar t hur , and

ashamed t hat I don' t r ead t he Bi bl e mor e, mysel f .

Do you r ead i t ever y ni ght bef or e supper whi l e

I ' m out ?"

" Yes. "

" Wel l , I wi sh you' d wai t t i l l af t er war ds, and

t hen we' d r ead t oget her . But , Ar t hur , why

does i t make you cr y ?"

" Oh, i t i sn' t t hat I ' m unhappy. But at home,

44 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

wl i i l e my f at l i er was al i ve, we al ways r ead t he

l essons af t er t ea ; and I l ove t o r ead t hem over

now, and t r y t o r emember what he sai d about

t hem. I can' t r emember al l , and I t hi nk I

scar cel y i mder st and a gr eat deal of what I do

r emember . But i t al l comes back t o me, so f r esh,

t hat I can' t hel p cr yi ng ^ omet i mes t o t hi nk I

shal l never r ead t hem agai n wi t h hi m. "

Ar t hur had never spoken of hi s home bef or e,

and Tom hadn' t encour aged hi m t o do so, as hi s

bl under i ng school - boy r easoni ng made hi m t hi nk

t hat Ar t hur woul d be sof t ened and l ess manl y

f or t hi nki ng of home. But now he was f ai r l y

i nt er est ed, and f or got al l about chi sel s and

bot t l ed beer ; whi l e wi t h ver y l i t t l e encour age-

ment Ar t hur l aunched i nt o hi s home hi st or y,

and t he pr ayer - bel l put t hem bot h out sadl y

when i t r ang t o cal l t hem t o t he hal l .

Page 22 of 96

Fr om t hi s t i me Ar t hur const ant l y spoke of

hi s home, and above al l , of hi s f at her , who had

been dead about a year , and whose memor y Tom

soon got t o l ove and r ever ence al most as much

as hi s own son di d.

Ar t hur ' s f at her had been t he cl er gyman of a

par i sh i n t he Mi dl and count i es, whi ch had r i sen

i nt o a l ar ge t own dur i ng t he war , and upon

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 45

whi cl i t he I i ar d year s wHi ch f ol l owed had f al l en

wi t h a f ear f ul wei ght . The t r ade had been hal f

r ui ned; and t hen came t he ol d sad st or y, of mas -

t er s r educi ng t hei r est abl i shment s, men t ur ned

of f and wander i ng about , hungr y and wan i n

body, and f i er ce i n soul , f r om t he t hought of

wi ves and chi l dr en st ar vi ng at home, and t he

l ast st i cks of f ur ni t ur e goi ng t o t he pawn- shop.

Chi l dr en t aken f r om school , and l oungi ng about

t he di r t y st r eet s and cour t s, t oo l i st l ess al most t o

pl ay, and squal i d i n r ags and mi ser y. And t hen

t he f ear f ul st r uggl e bet ween t he empl oyer s and

men; l ower i ngs of wages, st r i kes, and t he l ong

cour se of of t - r epeat ed cr i me, endi ng ever y now

and t hen wi t h a r i ot , a f i r e, and t he count y yeo-

manr y. Ther e i s no need her e t o dwel l upon

such t al es ; t he Engl i shman i nt o whose soul t hey

have not sunk deep, i s not wor t hy t he name:

you Engl i sh boys f or whom t hi s book i s meant

( God bl ess your br i ght f aces and ki nd hear t s ! )

wi l l l ear n i t al l soon enough.

I nt o such a par i sh and st at e of soci et y, Ar t hur ' s

f at her had been t hr own at t he age of t went y - f i ve,

a young mar r i ed par son, f ul l of f ai t h, hope, and

l ove. He had bat t l ed wi t h i t l i ke a man, and

had l ot s of f i ne Ut opi an i deas about t he per f ect -

46 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

abi l i t y of manki nd, gl or i ous l i umar i i t y, and such

l i ke knocked out of hi s head ; and a r eal , whol e-

some Chr i st i an l ove f or t he poor , st r uggl i ng,

si nni ng men, of whom he f el t hi msel f one, and

wi t h and f or whom he spent f or t une, and st r engt h

and l i f e, dr i ven i nt o hi s hear t . He had bat t l ed

l i ke a man, and got t en a man' s r ewar d. No si l -

ver t eapot s or sal ver s, wi t h f l ower y i nscr i pt i ons,

set t i ng f or t h hi s vi r t ues and t he appr eci at i on of

a gent eel par i sh; no f at l i vi ng or st al l , f or whi ch

he never l ooked, and di dn' t car e ; no si ghs and

pr ai ses of comf or t abl e dowager s and wel l got - up

young women, who wor ked hi m sl i pper s, sugar ed

hi s t ea, and ador ed hi m as " a devot ed man ; " but

a manl y r espect , wr ung f r om t he unwi l l i ng soul s

of men who f anci ed hi s or der t hei r nat ur al ene-

mi es ; t he f ear and hat r ed of ever y one who was

f al se or unj ust i n t he di st r i ct , wer e he mast er or

Page 23 of 96

man; and t he bl essed si ght of women and chi l -

dr en dai l y becomi ng mor e human and mor e

homel y, a comf or t t o t hemsel ves and t o t hei r

husbands and f at her s.

These t hi ngs of cour se t ook t i me, and had t o

be f ought f or Avi t h t oi l and sweat of br ai n and

hear t , and wi t h t he l i f e bl ood pour ed out . A

' '

t hat , Ar t hur had l ai d hi s account t o gi ve, a.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 41

t ook as a mat t er of cour se ; nei t her pi t yi ng hi m-

sel f , or l ooki ng on hi msel f as a mar t yr , when he

f el t t he wear and t ear maki ng hi m f eel ol d bef or e

hi s t i me, and t he st i f l i ng ai r of f ever dens t el l i ng

on hi s heal t h. Hi s wi f e seconded hi m i n ever y-

t hi ng. She had been r at her f ond of soci et y, and

much admi r ed and r un af t er bef or e her mar r i age ;

and t he London wor l d t o whi ch she had bel onged,

pi t i ed poor Fanny Evel yn when she mar r i ed t he

young cl er gyman, and went t o set t l e i n t hat

smoky hol e Tur l ey, a ver y nest of char t i sm and

at hei sm, i n a par t of t he count y whi ch al l t he

decent f ami l i es had had t o l eave f or year s. ' How-

ever , somehow or ot her she di dn' t seem t o car e.

I f her husband' s l i vi ng had been amongst gr een

f i el ds and near pl easant nei ghbour s, she woul d

have l i ked i t bet t er , t hat she never pr et ended t o

deny. But t her e t hey wer e: t he ai r wasn' t bad

af t er al l ; t he peopl e wer e ver y good sor t of peo-

pl e, ci vi l t o you i f you wer e ci vi l t o t hem, af t er

t he f i r st br ush ; and t hey di dn' t expect t o wor k

mi r acl es, and conver t t hem al l of i - hand i nt o

model Chr i st i ans. ' So he and she went qui et l y

among t he f ol k, t al ki ng t o and t r eat i ng t hem

j ust as t hey woul d have done peopl e of t hei r own

r ank. They di dn' t f eel t hat t hey wer e doi ng

48 BROWN AND ARTUUR.

anyt l i i ng out of t he common way, and so wer e

per f ect l y nat ur al , and had none of t hat condescen-

si on or consci ousness of manner , whi ch so

out r ages t he i ndependent poor . And t hus t hey

gr adual l y won r espect and conf i dence ; and af t er

si xt een year s he was l ooked up t o by t he whol e

nei ghbour hood as t he j ust man, t he man t o whom

mast er s and men coul d go i n t hei r st r i kes, and

al l i n t hei r quar r el s and di f f i cul t i es, and by whom

t he r i ght and t r ue wor d woul d be sai d wi t hout

f ear or f avour . And t he women had come

r ound t o t ake her advi ce, and go t o her as a

f r i end i n al l t hei r t r oubl es ; whi l e t he chi l dr en

al l wor shi pped t he ver y gr ound she t r od on.

They had t hr ee chi l dr en, t wo daught er s and a

son, l i t t l e Geor ge, who came bet ween hi s si st er s.

He had been a ver y del i cat e boy f r om hi s chi l d-

hood; t hey t hought he had a t endency t o

Page 24 of 96

consumpt i on, and so he had been kept at home

and t aught by hi s f at her , who had made a

compani on of hi m, and f r om whom he had gai ned

good schol ar shi p, and a knowl edge of and i nt er est

i n many subj ect s whi ch boys i n gener al never

come acr oss t i l l t hey ar e many year s ol der .

Just as he r eached hi s t hi r t eent h year , and

hi s f at her had set t l ed t hat he was st r ong enough

Bi i O' vVX AND ARTHUR. 49

t o go t o school , and, af t er much debat i ng wi t h

hi msel f , had r esol ved t o send hi m t her e, a des-

per at e t yphus- f ever br oke out i n t he t own ; most

of t he ot her cl er gy, and al most al l t he doct or s,

r an away ; t he wor k f el l wi t h t enf ol d wei ght on

t hose who st ood t o t hei r wor k. Ar t hur and hi s

wi f e bot h caught t he f ever , of whi ch he di ed i n

a f ew days, and she r ecover ed, havi ng been abl e

t o nur se hi m t o t he end, and st or e up hi s l ast

wor ds. He was sensi bl e t o t he l ast , and cal m

and happy, l eavi ng hi s wi f e and chi l dr en wi t h

f ear l ess t r ust f or a f ew year s i n t he hands of t he

Lor d and Fr i end who had l i ved and di ed f or

hi m, and f or whom he, t o t he best of hi s power ,

had l i ved and di ed. Hi s wi dow^ s mour ni ng

was deep and gent l e ; she was mor e af f ect ed by

t he r equest of t he Commi t t ee of a Fr eet hi nki ng

cl ub, est abl i shed i n t he t own by some of t he

f act or y hands ( whi ch he had st r i ven agai nst wi t h

mi ght and mai n, and near l y suppr essed) , t hat

some of t hei r number mi ght be al l owed t o hel p

bear t he cof f i n, t han any t hi ng el se. Two of

t hem wer e chosen, who, wi t h si x ot her l abour i ng

men, hi s own f el l ow- wor kmen and f r i ends, bor e

hi m t o t he gr ave — a man who had f ought t he

Lor d' s f i ght , even unt o t he deat h. The shops

3c

50 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

wer e cl osed, and t he f act or i es shut t hat day i n

t he par i sh, yet no mast er st opped t he day' s

wages; but f or many a year af t er war ds t he

t ownsf ol k f el t t he want of t hat br ave, hopef ul ,

l ovi ng par son, and hi s wi f e, who had l i ved t o

t each t hem mut ual f or bear ance and hel pf ul ness,

and had al most at l ast gi ven t hem a gl i mpse of

what t hi s ol d wor l d woul d be, i f peopl e woul d

l i ve f or God and each ot her , i nst ead of f or

t hemsel ves.

What has al l t hi s t o do wi t h our st or y ? Wel l ,

my dear boys, l et a f el l ow go on hi s own way,

or you won' t get any t hi ng out of hi m wor t h

havi ng. I must show you what sor t of a man i t

was who had begot t en and t r ai ned l i t t l e Ar t hur ,

or el se you won' t bel i eve i n hi m, whi ch I am

Page 25 of 96

r esol ved you shal l do, and you won' t see how he,

t he t i mi d, weak boy, had poi nt s i n hi m f r om

whi ch t he br avest and st r ongest r ecoi l ed, and

made hi s pr esence and exampl e f el t f r om t he

f i r st , on al l si des, unconsci ousl y t o hi msel f , and

wi t hout t he l east at t empt at pr osel yt i zi ng. The

spi r i t of hi s f at her was i n hi m, and t he Fr i end t o

whom hi s f at her had l ef t hi m di d not negl ect t he

t r ust .

Af t er supper t hat ni ght , and al most ni ght l y

BEOWN AND ARTHUR. 51

f or year s af t er war ds, Tom and Ar t hur , , and by

degr ees East occasi onal l y, and somet i mes one,

somet i mes anot her , of t hei r f r i ends, r ead a chapt er

of t he Bi bl e t oget her , and t al ked i t over af t er -

war ds. Tom was at f i r st ut t er l y ast oni shed, and

al most shocked, at t he sor t of way i n whi ch

Ar t hur r ead t he book, and t al ked about t he men

and women whose l i ves wer e t her e t ol d. The

f i r st ni ght t hey happened t o f al l on t he chapt er s

about t he f ami ne i n Egypt , and Ar t hur began

t al ki ng about Joseph as i f he wer e a l i vi ng

st at esman ; j ust as he mi ght have t al ked about

Lor d Gr ey and t he Eef or m Bi l l ; onl y t hat t hey

wer e much mor e l i vi ng r eal i t i es t o hi m. The

book was t o hi m, Tom saw, t he most vi vi d and

del i ght f ul hi st or y of r eal peopl e, who mi ght do

r i ght or wr ong, j ust l i ke any one who was

wal ki ng about i n Rugby — t he Doct or , or t he

mast er , or t he si xt h- f or m boys. But t he ast on-

i shment soon passed of f , t he scal es seemed t o

dr op f r om hi s eyes, and t he book became at once

and f or ever , t o hi m t he gr eat human and di vi ne

book, and t he men and women, whom he had

l ooked upon as somet hi ng qui t e di f f er ent f r om

hi msel f , became hi s f r i ends and counsel l or s.

For our pur poses, however , t he hi st or y of one

52 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

ni ght ' s r eadi ng Avi l l be snf f i ci ent , whi cl i must be

t ol d her e, now we ar e on t he subj ect , t hough i t

di dn' t happen t i l l a year af t er war ds, and l ong

af t er t he event s r ecor ded i n t he next chapt er of

our st or y.

Ar t hur , Tom and East wer e t oget her one

ni ght , and r ead t he st or y of Naaman comi ng t o

El i sha t o be cur ed of hi s l epr osy. When t he

chapt er was f i ni shed, Tom shut t he Bi bl e wi t h

a sl ap.

" I can' t st and t hat f el l ow I STaaman, " sai d he,

" af t er what he' d seen and f el t , goi ng back and

bowi ng hi msel f down i n t he house of Ki mmon,

because hi s ef i emi nat e scoundr el of a mast er di d

i t . I wonder El i sha t ook t he t r oubl e t o heal

Page 26 of 96

hi m. How he must have despi sed hi m. "

" Yes t her e you go of f " as usual , wi t h a shel l

on your head, " st uck i n East , who al ways t ook

t he opposi t e si de t o Tom; hal f f r om l ove of

ar gument , hal f f r om convi ct i on. " How do you

know he di dn' t t hi nk bet t er of i t ? how do you

know hi s mast er was a scoundr el ? Hi s l et t er

don' t l ook l i ke i t , and t he book don' t say so. "

" I don' t car e, " r ej oi ned Tom; " why di d

Naaman t al k about bowi ng down, t hen, i f he

di dn' t mean t o do i t ? He wasn' t l i kel y t o ge

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 53

mor e i n ear nest wl i en he got back t o cour t , and

away f r om t he pr ophet . "

" Wel l but , Tom, " sai d Ar t hur , " see what El i sha

says t o hi m, ' Go i n peace. ' He woul dn' t have

sai d t hat i f Naaman had been i n t he wr ong. "

" I don' t see t hat t hat means mor e t han sayi ng,

' You' r e not t he man I t ook you f or . ' "

" No, no, t hat won' t do at al l , " sai d East ; " r ead

t he wor ds f ai r l y, and t ake men as you f i nd t hem.

I l i ke Naaman, and t hi nk he was a ver y f i ne

f el l ow. "

" I don' t , " sai d Tom posi t i vel y.

" Wel l , I t hi nk East i s r i ght , " sai d Ar t hur ;

" I can' t see but what i t ' s r i ght t o do t he best

you can, t hough i t mayn' t be t he best absol ut el y.

Ever y man i sn' t bor n t o be a mar t yr . "

" Of cour se, of cour se, " sai d East ; " but he' s

on one of hi s pet hobbi es. How of t en have I

t ol d you, Tom, t hat you must dr i ve a nai l wher e

i t ' l l go. "

' ' And how of t en have I t ol d you, " r ej oi ned

Tom, ' ^ t hat i t ' l l al ways go wher e you want , i f

you onl y st i ck t o i t and hi t har d enough. I

hat e hal f - measur es and compr omi ses. "

' ' Yes, he' s a whol e- hog man, i s Tom. Must

have t he whol e ani mal , hai r and t eet h, cl aws and

54 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

t ai l , " l aughed East . ' ' Sooner have no br ead any

day, t han hal f t he l oaf . "

" I don' t know, " sai d Ar t hur , ' ' i t ' s r at her

puzzl i ng; but ai n' t most r i ght t hi ngs got by

pr oper compr omi ses, I mean wher e t he pr i nci -

pl e i sn' t gi ven up ?"

Page 27 of 96

" That ' s j ust t he poi nt , " sai d Tom; " I don' t

obj ect t o a compr omi se, wher e you don' t gi ve up

your pr i nci pl e. "

" Not you, " sai d East l aughi ngl y. ' ' I know

hi m of ol d, Ar t hur , and you' l l f i nd hi m out some

day. Ther e i sn' t such a r easonabl e f el l ow i n t he

wor l d, t o hear hi m t al k. He never want s any-

t hi ng but what ' s r i ght and f ai r ; onl y when you

come t o set t l e what ' s r i ght and f ai r , i t ' s ever y

t hi ng t hat he want s, and not hi ng t hat you want .

And t hat ' s hi s i dea of a compr omi se. Gi ve me

t he Br own compr omi se when I ' m on Ms si de. "

" Now, Har r y, " sai d Tom, " no mor e chaf f —

I ' m ser i ous. Look her e — t hi s i s what makes

my bl ood t i ngl e ; " and he t ur ned over t he pages

of hi s Bi bl e and r ead, " Shadr ach, Meshach, and

Abednego answer ed and sai d t o t he ki ng, " O

Nebuchadnezzar , we ar e not car ef ul t o answer

t hee i n t hi s mat t er . I f i t he so, our God whom

we ber ve i s abl e t o del i ver us f r om t he bur ni ng

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 55

f i er y f ur nace, and He wi l l del i ver ns out of t hi ne

hand, O ki ng. But ^ not , be i t known unt o

t hee, ki ng, t hat we wi l l not ser ve t hy gods,

nor wor shi p t he gol den i mage whi ch t hou hast

set up. He r ead t he l ast ver se t wi ce, emphasi z-

i ng t he not s, and dwel l i ng on t hem as i f t hey

gave hi m act ual pl easur e, and wer e har d t o par t

wi t h.

They wer e si l ent a mi nut e, and t hen Ar t hur

sai d, " Yes t hat ' s a gl or i ous st or y, but i t don' t

pr ove your poi nt , Tom, I t hi nk. Ther e ar e

t i mes when t her e i s onl y one way, and t hat t he

hi ghest , and t hen t he men ar e f ound t o st and i n

t he br each. "

" Ther e' s al ways a hi ghest way, and i t ' s al ways

t he r i ght one, " sai d Tom. " How many t i mes

has t he Doct or t ol d us t hat i n hi s ser mons i n t he

l ast year , I shoul d l i ke t o know ?"

" Wel l , you ai n' t goi ng t o convi nce us, i s he

Ar t hur ? No Br own compr omi se t o- ni ght , " sai d

East , l ooki ng at hi s wat ch. " But i t ' s past ei ght

and we must go t o f i r st l esson. What a bor e. "

So t hey t ook down t hei r books and f el l t o

wor k; but Ar t hur di dn' t f or get , and t hought

l ono^ and of t en over t he conver sat i on.

CHAPTER I I I ,

ARTHUR MAKES A FRI END.

Page 28 of 96

" Let nat ur e be your t eacher ,

Sweet i s t he l or e whi ch Nat ur e br i ngs;

Our meddl i ng i nt el l ect

Mi s- shapcB t he beaut eous f or ms of t hi ngs,

\ Ve mi i r der t o di ssect —

Enough of Sci ence and of Ar t ;

Cl ose up t hose bar r en l eaves,

Come f or t h, and br i ng wi t h you a hear t

That wat ches and r ecei ves. " — Wor dswor t h.

About si x weeks af t er t he begi nni ng of t l i e

hal f , as Tom and Ar t hur wer e si t t i ng one ni ght

bef or e supper begi nni ng t hei r ver ses, Ar t hur

suddenl y st opped, and l ooked up, and sai d,

" Tom, do you know anyt hi ng of Mar t i n ?"

" Yes, " sai d Tom, t aki ng hi s hand out of hi s

back hai r , and del i ght ed t o t hr ow hi s Gr adus ad

Par nassum on t o t he sof a : " I know hi m pr et t y

wel l . He' s a ver y good f el l ow, but as mad as a

hat t er . He' s cal l ed Madman, you know. And

never was such a f el l ow f or get t i ng al l sor t s of

r um t hi ngs about hi m. He t amed t wo snakes

l ast hal f , and used t o car r y t hem about i n hi s

pocket , and I ' l l be bound he' s got some hedge-

56

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 61

hogs and r at s i n hi s cupboar d now, and no one

knows what besi des. "

" I shoul d l i ke ver y much t o know hi m, " sai d

Ar t hur ; " he was next t o me i n t he f or m t o- day,

and he' d l ost hi s book and l ooked over mi ne,

and he seemed so ki nd and gent l e, t hat I l i ked

hi m ver y much. "

" Ah, poor ol d madman, he' s al ways l osi ng hi s

books, " sai d Tom, " and get t i ng cal l ed up and

f l oor ed because he hasn' t got t hem. "

" I l i ke hi m al l t he bet t er , " sai d Ar t hur .

* * Wel l , he' s gr eat f un, I can t el l you, " sai d

Tom, t hr owi ng hi msel f back on t he sof a and

chuckl i ng at t he r emembr ance. " We had such

a game wi t h hi m one day l ast hal f . He had

been ki cki ng up hor r i d scent s f or some t i me i n

hi s st udy, t i l l I suppose some f el l ow t ol d Mar y,

and she t ol d t he Doct or . Any how, one day a

l i t t l e bef or e di nner , when he came down f r om

t he l i br ar y, t he Doct or , i nst ead of goi ng home,

came st r i di ng i nt o t he hal l . East and I and f i ve

Page 29 of 96

or si x ot her f el l ows wer e at t he f i r e, and pr e-

ci ousl y we st ar ed, f or he don' t come i n l i ke t hat

once a year , unl ess i t ' s a wet day and t her e' s a

f i ght i n t he hal l . " East , " says he, " j ust come

and show me Mar t i n' s st udy. " ^ ' Oh, her e' s a

3*

58 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

game, " whi sper ed t he r est of us, and we al l cut

up st ai r s af t er t he Doct or , East l eadi ng. As we

got i nt o t he New Row, whi ch was har dl y wi de

enough t o hol d t he Doct or and hi s gown, cl i ck,

cl i ck, cl i ck, we hear d i n t he ol d madman' s den.

Then t hat st opped al l of a sudden, and t he bol t s

went t o l i ke f un : t he madman knew East ' s st ep,

and t hought t her e was goi ng t o be a si ege.

" I t ' s t he Doct or , Mar t i n. He' s her e and want s

t o see you, " si ngs out East .

' Then t he bol t s went back sl owl y, and t he door

opened, and t her e was t he ol d madman st andi ng,

l ooki ng pr eci ous scar ed ; hi s j acket of f , hi s shi r t -

sl eeves up t o hi s el bows, and hi s l ong ski nny

ar ms al l cover ed wi t h anchor s and ar r ows and

l et t er s, t at t ooed i n wi t h gunpowder l i ke a sai l or -

boy' s, and a smel l f i t t o knock you down comi ng

out . ' Twas al l t he Doct or coul d do t o st and hi s

gr ound, and East and I , who wer e l ooki ng i n

under hi s ar ms, hel d our noses t i ght . The ol d

magpi e was st andi ng on t he wi ndow- si l l , al l hi s

f eat her s dr oopi ng, and l ooki ng di sgust ed and

hal f - poi soned.

" ' What can you be about , Mar t i n?' says t he

Doct or ; ' you r eal l y must n' t go on i n t hi s way —

you' r e a nui sance t o t he whol e passage. '

BROWN AND ARTHUR. o9

^" ' Pl ease, si r , I was onl y mi xi ng up t hi s pow-

der , t her e i sn' t any har m i n i t ; and t he madman

sei zed ner vousl y on hi s pest l e and mor t ar , t o

show t he Doct or t he har ml essness of hi s pur sui t s,

and went of f poundi ng : cl i ck, cl i ck, cl i ck ; he

hadn' t gi ven si x cl i cks bef or e, puf f ! up went t he

whol e i nt o a gr eat bl aze, away w^ ent t he pest l e

and mor t ar acr oss t he st udy, and back we t umbl ed

i nt o t he passage. The magpi e f l ut t er ed down

i nt o t he cour t , scr eami ng, and t he madman danced

out , howl i ng, wi t h hi s f i nger s i n hi s mout h.

The Doct or caught hol d of hi m, and cal l ed t o

us t o f et ch some wat er . ' Ther e, you si l l y f el -

l ow, ' sai d he, qui t e pl eased t hough t o f i nd he

wasn' t much hur t , ' you see you don' t know t he

l east what you ar e doi ng wi t h al l t hese t hi ngs ;

and now, mi nd, you must gi ve up pr act i si ng

chemi st r y by your sel f . ' Then he t ook hol d of

hi s ar m and l ooked at i t , and I saw he had t o

Page 30 of 96

bi t e hi s l i p, and hi s eyes t wi nkl ed ; but he sai d,

qui t e gr ave, ' Her e, you see, you' ve been maki ng

al l t hese f ool i sh mar ks on your sel f , whi ch you

can never get out , and you' l l be ver y sor r y f or

i t i n a year or t wo; now come down t o t he

housekeeper ' s r oom, and l et us see i f you ar e

hur t . ' And away went t he t wo, and we al l st ai d

60 BROWN AND ARTHUR

and had a r egul ar t ur n- out of t he den, t i l l Mar t i n

came back wi t h hi s hand bandaged and t ur ned

us out . However , I ' l l go and see what he' s

af t er , and t el l hi m t o come i n af t er pr ayer s t o

supper . " And away went Tom t o f i nd t he boy

i n quest i on, who dwel t i n a l i t t l e st udy by hi m-

sel f , i n New Row.

The af or esai d Mar t i n, whom Ar t hur had t aken

such a f ancy f or , was one of t hose unf or t unat es,

who wer e at t hat t i me of day ( and ar e, I f ear ,

st i l l ) qui t e out of t hei r pl aces at a publ i c - school .

I f we knew how t o use our boys, Mar t i n woul d

have been sei zed upon and educat ed as a nat u-

r al phi l osopher . He had a passi on f or bi r ds,

beast s, and i nsect s, and knew mor e of t hem and

t hei r habi t s t han any one i n Rugby; except ,

per haps, t he Doct or , who knew ever yt hi ng. He

was al so an exper i ment al chemi st on a smal l

scal e, and had made unt o hi msel f an el ect r i c

machi ne, f r om whi ch i t was hi s gr eat est pl easur e

and gl or y t o admi ni st er smal l shocks t o any

smal l boys who wer e r ash enough t o vent ur e

i nt o hi s st udy. And t hi s was by no means an

advent ur e f r ee f r om exci t ement ; f or , besi des t he

pr obabi l i t y of a snake dr oppi ng on t o your head

or t wi ni ng l ovi ngl y up your l eg, or a r at get t i ng

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 61

i nt o your br eeches- pocket i n sear cl i of f ood,

t her e was t he ani mal and chemi cal odour t o be

f aced, whi ch al ways hung about t he den, and

t he chance of bei ng bl o^ Ti up i n some of t he

many exper i ment s whi ch Mar t i n was al ways

t r yi ng, wi t h t he most wondr ous r esul t s i n t he

shape of expl osi ons and smel l s t hat mor t al boy

ever hear d of Of cour se, poor Mar t i n, i n con-

sequence of hi s pur sui t s, had become an I shma-

el i t e i n t he house. I n t he f i r st - pl ace he hal f -

poi soned al l hi s nei ghbour s, and t hey i n t ur n

wer e al ways on t he l ook- out t o pounce upon any

of hi s numer ous l i ve st ock, and dr i ve hi m f r ant i c,

by ent i ci ng hi s pet ol d magpi e out of hi s wi n-

dow i nt o a nei ghbour i ng st udy, and maki ng t he

di sr eput abl e ol d bi r d dr unk on t oast soaked i n

beer and sugar . Then Mar t i n, f or hi s si ns, i n-

habi t ed a st udy l ooki ng i nt o a smal l cour t some

t en f eet acr oss, t he wi ndow of whi ch was com-

pl et el y commanded by t hose of t he st udi es

Page 31 of 96

opposi t e i n t he si ck- r oom r ow, t hese l at t er be-

i ng at a sl i ght l y hi gher el evat i on. East , and

anot her boy of an equal l y t or ment i ng and i nge-

ni ous t ur n of mi nd, now l i ved exact l y opposi t e,

and had expended huge pai ns and t i me i n t he

pr epar at i on of i nst r ument s of annoyance f or t he

62 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

bel i oof of Mar t i n and l i i s l i ve col ony. One

mor ni ng an ol d basket made i t s appear ance, sus-

pended by a shor t cor d out si de Mar t i n' s wi ndow,

i n whi ch wer e deposi t ed an amat eur nest cont ai n-

i ng f our young hungr y j ackdaws, t he pr i de and

gl or y of Mar t i n' s l i f e f or t he t i me bei ng, and

whi ch he was cur r ent l y asser t ed t o have hat ched

upon hi s own per son. Ear l y i n t he mor ni ng

and l at e at ni ght he was t o be seen hal f out of

t he wi ndow, admi ni st er i ng t o t he var i ed want s

of hi s cal l ow br ood. Af t er deep cogi t at i on.

East and hi s chum had spl i ced a kni f e on t o t he

end of a f i shi ng- r od ; and havi ng wat ched Mar -

t i n out , had, af t er hal f an hour ' s sever e sawi ng,

cut t he st r i ng by whi ch t he basket was suspended,

and t umbl ed i t on t o t he pavement bel ow, wi t h

hi deous r emonst r ance f r om t he occupant s. Poor

Mar t i n, r et ur ni ng f r om hi s shor t absence, col -

l ect ed t he f r agment s and r epl aced hi s br ood

( except one whose neck had been br oken i n t he

descent ) i n t hei r ol d l ocat i on, suspendi ng t hem

t hi s t i me by st r i ng and wi r e t wi st ed t oget her ,

def i ant of any shar p i nst r ument whi ch hi s per -

secut or s coul d command. But , l i ke t he Kussi an

engi neer s at Sebast opol , East and hi s chum had

an answer f v: >r ever y move of t he adver sar y;

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 63

and t l i e next day had mount ed a gun i n t he

shape of a pea- shoot er upon t he l edge of t hei r

wi ndow, t r ai ned so as t o bear exact l y upon t he

spot whi ch Mar t i n had t o occupy whi l e t endi ng

hi s nur sel i ngs. The moment he began t o f eed

t hey began t o shoot ; i n vai n di d t he enemy

hi msel f i nvest i n a pea- shoot er , and endeavour

t o answer t he f i r e whi l e he f ed t he young bi r ds

wi t h hi s ot her hand ; hi s at t ent i on was di vi ded,

and hi s shot s f l ew wi l d, whi l e ever y one of t hei r s

t ol d on hi s f ace and hands, and dr ove hi m i nt o

howl i ngs and i mpr ecat i ons. He had been dr i ven

t o ensconce t he nest i n a cor ner of hi s al r eady

t oo wel l - f i l l ed den.

Hi s door was bar r i caded by a set of i ngeni ous

bol t s of hi s own i nvent i on, f or t he si eges wer e

f r equent by t he nei ghbour s when any unusual l y

ambr osi al odour spr ead i t sel f f r om t he den t o

t he nei ghbour i ng st udi es. The door panel s wer e

i n a nor mal st at e of smash, but t he f r ame of t he

door r esi st ed al l besi eger s, and behi nd i t , t he

Page 32 of 96

owner car r i ed on hi s var i ed pur sui t s; much i n

t he same st at e of mi nd, I shoul d f ancy, as a

bor der - f ar mer l i ved i n, i n t he days of ol d moss-

t r ooper s, when hi s hol d mi ght be summoned or

hi s cat t l e car r i ed of f at any mi nut e of ni ght or day.

64 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Open, Mar t i n, ol d boy — i t ' s onl y I , Tom

Br own. "

" Oh, ver y wel l , st op a moment . " One bol t

went back. " You' r e sur e East i sn' t t ber e?"

" JSTo, no, bang i t , open. " Tom gave a ki ck,

t he ot her bol t cr eaked, and he ent er ed t he den.

Den i ndeed i t was, about f i ve f eet si x i nches

l ong by f i ve wi de, and seven f eet hi gh. About

si x t at t er ed school - books, and a f ew chemi cal

books. Taxi der my, St anl ey on Bi r ds, and an odd

vol ume of Bewi ck, t he l at t er i n much bet t er

pr eser vat i on, occupi ed t he t op shel ves. The

ot her shel ves, wher e t hey had not been cut away

and used by t he owner f or ot her pur poses, wer e

f i t t ed up f or t he abi di ng pl aces of bi r ds, beast s,

and r ept i l es. Ther e was no at t empt at car pet or

cur t ai n. The t abl e was ent i r el y occupi ed by t he

gr eat wor k of Mar t i n, t he el ect r i c machi ne, whi ch

was cover ed car ef ul l y wi t h t he r emai ns of hi s

t abl e- cl ot h. The j ackdaw cage occupi ed one wal l ,

and t he ot her was ador ned by a smal l hat chet , a

pai r of cl i mbi ng i r ons, and hi s t i n candl e- box, i n

whi ch, he was f or t he t i me bei ng, endeavor i ng t o

r ai se a hopef ul young f ami l y of f i el d- mi ce. As

not hi ng shoul d be l et t o l i e usel ess, i t was wel l

t hat t he candl e- box was t hus occupi ed, f or can-

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 65

di es Mar t i n never had. A pound was i ssued t o

hi m weekl y, as t o t he ot her boys, but as candl es

wer e avai l abl e capi t al , and easi l y exchangeabl e

f or bi r ds' - eggs or young bi r ds, Mar t i n' s pound

i nvar i abl y f ound i t s way i n a f ew hour s t o How-

l et t ' s, t he bi r d- f anci er ' s i n t he Bi l t on r oad, who

woul d gi ve a hawk' s or ni ght i ngal e' s egg, or

young l i nnet , i n exchange. Mar t i n' s i ngenui t y

was t her ef or e f or ever on t he r ack t o suppl y hi m-

sel f wi t h a l i ght ; j ust now he had hi t upon a

gr and i nvent i on, and t he den was l i ght ed by a

f l ar i ng cot t on- wi ck i ssui ng f r om a gi nger - beer

bot t l e f ul l of some dol ef ul composi t i on. When

l i ght al t oget her f ai l ed hi m, Mar t i n woul d l oaf

about by t he f i r es i n t he passages or hal l , af t er

t he manner of Bi ggs, and t r y t o do hi s ver ses or

l ear n hi s l i nes by t he f i r e- l i ght .

" Wel l , ol d boy, you haven' t got any sweet er

i n t he den t hi s hal f . How t hat st uf f i n t he bot -

Page 33 of 96

t l e smel l s. Never mi nd, I ai n' t goi ng t o st op,

but you come up af t er pr ayer s t o our st udy ; you

know young Ar t hur ; we' ve got Gr ay' s st udy.

We' l l have a good supper and t al k ^ - bout bi r d' s-

nest i ng, "

Mar t i n was evi dent l y hi ghl y pl eased at t he

i nvi t at i on, and pr omi sed t o be up wi t hout f ai l .

3b2

66 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

As soon as pr ayer s wer e over , and t l i e si xt h

and f i f t l i - f or m boys had wi t hdr awn t o t he ar i st o-

cr at i c secl usi on of t hei r own r oom, and t he r est ,

or democr acy, had sat down t o t hei r supper i n

t he hal l ; Tom and Ar t hur , havi ng secur ed t hei r

al l owances of br ead and cheese, st ar t ed on t hei r

f eet t o cat ch t he eye of t he pr a^ post er of t he week,

who r emai ned i n char ge dur i ng supper , wal ki ng

up and down t he hal l . He happened t o be an

easy- goi ng f el l ow, so t hey got a pl easant nod t o

t hei r " Pl ease may I go out ?" and away t hey

scr ambl ed t o pr epar e f or Mar t i n a sumpt uous

banquet . Thi s, Tom had i nsi st ed on, f or he was

i n gr eat del i ght on t he occasi on ; t he r eason of

whi ch del i ght must be expounded. The f act

was, t hat t hi s was t he f i r st at t empt at a f r i endshi p

of hi s own whi ch Ar t hur had made, and Tom

hai l ed i t as gr and st ep. The ease wi t h whi ch

he hi msel f became hai l - f el l ow- wel l - met wi t h any

body, and bl under ed i nt o and out of t went y

f r i endshi ps a hal f - year , made hi m somet i mes sor -

r y and somet i mes angr y at Ar t hur ' s r eser ve

and l onel i ness. Tr ue, Ar t hur was al ways pl ea-

sant , and even j ol l y, wi t h any boys who came

wi t h Tom t o t hei r st udy ; but Tom f el t t hat i t

was onl y t hr ough hi m, as i t wer e, t hat hi s chum

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 6T

associ at ed wi t h ot l i er s, and t hat but f or hi m Ar -

t hur woul d have been dwel l i ng i n a wi l der ness.

Thi s i ncr eased hi s consci ousness of r esponsi bi l -

i t y ; and t hough he hadn' t r easoned i t out and

made i t cl ear t o hi msel f ; yet somehow he knew

t hat t hi s r esponsi bi l i t y, t hi s t r ust whi ch he had

t aken on hi m wi t hout t hi nki ng about i t , head-

over - heel s i n f act , was t he cent r e and t ur ni ng-

poi nt of hi s school - l i f e, t hat whi ch was t o make

hi m or mar hi m ; hi s appoi nt ed wor k and t r i al

f or t he t i me bei ng. And Tom was becomi ng a

new boy, t hough Avi t h f r equent t umbl es i n t he

di r t and per pet ual har d bat t l e wi t h hi msel f , and

was dai l y gr owi ng i n manf ul ness, and t hought -

f ul ness, as ever y hi gh- cour aged and wel l - pr i nci -

pl ed boy must , when he f i nds hi msel f f or t he

f i r st t i me consci ousl y at gr i ps wi t h sel f and t he

devi l . Al r eady he coul d t ur n al most wi t hout a

si gh f r om t he school gat es, f r om whi ch had j ust

Page 34 of 96

scamper ed of f East and t hr ee or f our ot her s of

hi s own par t i cul ar set , bound f or some j ol l y l ar k

not qui t e accor di ng t o l aw, and i nvol vi ng pr ob-

abl y a r ow wi t h l out s, keeper s, or f ar m- l abour er s,

t he ski ppi ng di nner or cal l i ng- over , some of

Phoebe Jenni ngs' s beer , and a ver y possi bl e f l og-

gi ng at t he end of al l as a r el i sh. He had qui t e got

68

BROWN AND ARTHUR,

over t he st age i n wl i i cl i l i e woul d gr umbl e t o

hi msel f , " Wel l , hang i t , i t ' s ver y har d of t he

Doct or t o have saddl ed me wi t h Ar t hur . Why

coul dn' t he have chummed hi m wi t h Fogey, or

Thomki n, or any of t he f el l ows who never do

anyt hi ng but wal k r ound t he cl ose, and f i ni sh

t hei r copi es t he f i r st day t hey' r e set ? But al -

t hough al l t hi s was past , he of t en l onged, and

f el t t hat he was r i ght i n l ongi ng, f or mor e t i me

f or t he l egi t i mat e past i mes of cr i cket , f i ves,

bat hi ng, and f i shi ng wi t hi n bounds, i n whi ch

Ar t hur coul d not yet be hi s compani on; and

he f el t t hat when t he young' un ( as he now gen-

er al l y cal l ed hi m) had f ound a pur sui t and some

ot her f r i end f or hi msel f , he shoul d be abl e t o

gi ve mor e t i me t o t he educat i on of hi s own body

wi t h a cl ear consci ence. h

And now what he so wi shed f or had come

t o pass ; he al most hai l ed i t as a speci al pr ovi -

dence, ( as i ndeed i t was, but not f or t he r easons

he gave f or i t — what pr ovi dences ar e ?) t hat

Ar t hur shoul d have si ngl ed out Mar t i n of al l

f el l ows, f or a f r i end. ' ' The ol d madman i s t he

ver y f el l ow, " t hought he; " he wi l l t ake hi m

scr ambl i ng over hal f t he count r y af t er bi r ds*

eggs and f l ower s, make hi m r un and swi m and

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 69

cl i mb l i ke an I ndi an, and not t each hi m a wor d

of any t hi ng bad, or keep hi m f r om hi s l essons.

What l uck I " And so, wi t h mor e t han hi s

usual hear t i ness, he di ved i nt o hi s cupboar d,

and haul ed out an ol d knuckl e- bone of ham,

and t wo or t hr ee bot t l es of beer , t oget her wi t h

t he sol emn pewt er , onl y used on st at e occasi ons ;

whi l e Ar t hur , equal l y el at ed at t he easy accom-

pl i shment s of hi s f i r st act of vi ol at i on i n t he

j oi nt est abl i shment , pr oduced f r om hi s si de a

bot t l e of pi ckl es, and a pot of j am, and cl ear ed

t he t abl e. I n a mi nut e or t wo t he noi se of t he

boys comi ng up f r om supper was hear d, and

Mar t i n knocked and was admi t t ed, bear i ng hi s

Page 35 of 96

br ead and cheese, and t he t hr ee f el l t o wi t h

hear t y go' od wi l l upon t he vi ands, t al ki ng f ast er

t han t hey eat , f or al l shyness di sappear ed i n a

moment bef or e Tom' s bot t l ed- beer and hospi t abl e

ways. " Her e' s Ar t hur , a r egul ar young t own-

mouse, wi t h a nat ur al t ast e f or t he woods, Mar -

t i n, l ongi ng t o br eak hi s neck cl i mbi ng t r ees, and

wi t h a passi on f or young snakes. "

" Wel l I say, " sput t er ed out Mar t i n eager l y,

' ' wi l l you come t o- mor r ow, bot h of you, t o

Cal decot t ' s Spi nney t hen, f or I know of a kes -

t r el ' s nest , up a f i r t r ee — I can' t get at i t wi t hout

10 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

hel p ; and, Br own, you can cl i mb agai nst any

one. "

" yes, do l et ns go, " sai d Ar t hur ; I never

saw a hawk' s nest or a hawk' s egg^

" You j ust come down t o my st udy t hen, and

I ' l l show you f i ve sor t s, " sai d Mar t i n.

" Aye, t he Ol d madman has got t he best col l ec -

t i on i n t he house, out - and- out , " sai d Tom ; and

t hen Mar t i n, war mi ng wi t h unaccust omed good

cheer and t he chance of a conver t , l aunched

out i nt o a pr oposed bi r ds' - nest i ng campai gn, be-

t r ayi ng al l manner of i mpor t ant secr et s ; a gol -

den- cr est ed wr en' s nest near But l i n' s Mound, a

moor - hen who was si t t i ng on f our t een eggs i n a

pond down t he Bar byr oad, and a ki ngf i sher ' s

nest i n a cor ner of t he ol d canal abova Br owns-

over Mi l l . He had hear d, he sai d, t hat no one

had ever got a ki ngf i sher ' s nest out per f ect , and

t hat t he Br t i sh Museum, or t he Gover nment , or

somebody, had of f er ed 100 t o any one who

coul d br i ng t hem a nes t and eggs not damaged.

I n t he mi ddl e of whi c h as t oundi ng announc e-

ment , t o whi c h t he ot her s wer e l i s t eni ng wi t h

open ear s , and al r eady c ons i der i ng t he appl i c a-

t i on of t he

100, a k noc k c ame t o t he door , and

Eas t ' s v oi c e was hear d c r av i ng admi t t anc e.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 71

' ' Ther e' s Har r y , " s ai d Tom, " we' l l l et hi m i n —

I ' l l k eep hi m s t eady , Mar t i n. I t hought t he ol d

boy woul d s mel l out t he s upper .

The f ac t was , t hat Tom' s hear t t ad al r eady

smi t t en hi m, f or not as k i ng hi s ' f i dus Ac hat es '

t o t he f eas t , al t hough onl y an ex t empor e af f ai r ;

and t hough pr udenc e and t he des i r e t o get Mar -

t i n and Ar t hur t oget her al one at f i r s t , had ov er -

come hi s s c r upl es , he was now hear t i l y gl ad t o

open t he door , br oac h anot her bot t l e of beer ,

and hand ov er t he ol d ham- k nuc k l e t o t he s ear c h-

Page 36 of 96

i ng of hi s ol d f r i end' s pocket kni f e.

' ' Ah, you gr eedy vagabonds, " sai d East , wi t h

hi s mout h f ul l , " I knew t her e was somet hi ng

goi ng on, when I saw you cut of f out of t he

hal l so qui ck wi t h your supper s. What a st un-

ni ng t ap, Tom ! you ar e a wunner f or bot t l i ng

t he swi pes. "

" I ' ve had pr act i ce enough f or t he si xt h i n my

t i me, and i t ' s har d i f I haven^ t pi cked up a

wr i nkl e or t wo f or my own benef i t . "

. " Wel l ol d madman, and how goes t he bi r ds' -

nest i ng campai gn? How' s Howl et . I expect

t he young r ooks' l l be out i n anot her f or t ni ght ,

and t hen my t ur n comes. "

' ' Ther e' l l be no young r ooks f i t f or pi es f or a

12 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

mont h yet ; shows how much you know about

i t , " r ej oi ned Mar t i n, who, t hough ver y good

f r i ends wi t h East , r egar ded hi m wi t h consi der a-

bl e suspi ci cf h f or hi s pr opensi t y i n pr act i cal

j okes.

" Scud knows not hi ng and car es f or not hi ng

but gr ub and mi schi ef , " sai d Tom ; * ' but young

r ook pi e, ' speci al l y when you' ve had t o cl i mb

f or t hem, i s ver y pr et t y eat i ng. However , I say.

Scud, we' r e al l goi ng af t er a hawk' s nest t o-

mor r ow, i n Cal decot t ' s Spi nney, and i f you' l l

come and behave your sel f , we' l l have a st unni ng

cl i mb. "

" And a bat he i n Agani ppe, Hoor ay ! I ' m

your man. "

No, no ; no bat hi ng i n Agani ppe ; t hat ' s wher e

our bet t er s go. "

" Wel l , wel l , never mi nd. I ' m f or t he kawk' s

nest and anyt hi ng t hat t ur ns up. "

And t he bot t l ed- beer bei ng f i ni shed, and hi s

hunger appeased, East depar t ed t o hi s st udy,

' Hhat sneak Jones, " as he i nf or med t hem, who

had j ust got i nt o t he si xt h and occupi ed t he

next st udy, havi ng i nst i t ut ed a ni ght l y vi si t at i on

upon East and hi s chum, t o t hei r no smal l di s-

comf or t .

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 73

When he was gone, Mar t i n r ose t o f ol l ow, but

Tom st opped hi m. " No one goes near New

Eow, " sai d he, " so you may j ust as wel l st op her e

and do your ver ses, and t hen we' l l have some

mor e t al k. We' l l be no end qui et ; besi des no

Page 37 of 96

pr i Tepost er comes her e now — we haven' t been

vi si t ed once t hi s hal f . "

So t he t abl e was cl ear ed, t he cl ot h r est or ed,

and t he t hr ee f el l t o wor k wi t h Gr adus and di c-

t i onar y upon t he mor ni ng' s vul gus.

They wer e t hr ee ver y f ai r exampl es of t he

way i n whi ch such t asks wer e done at Rugby,

i n t he consul shi p of Pl ancus. And doubt l ess

t he met hod i s l i t t l e changed, f or t her e i s not hi ng

new under t he sun, especi al l y at school s.

Now be i t known unt o al l you boys who ar e at

school s whi ch do not r ej oi ce i n t he t i me- honour ed

i nst i t ut i on of t he vul gus, ( commonl y supposed

t o have been est abl i shed by Wi l l i am of Wyke-

ham at Wi nchest er , and i mpor t ed t o Rugby by

Ar nol d, mor e f or t he sake of t he l i nes whi ch wer e

l ear nt by hear t wi t h i t , t han f or i t s i nt r i nsi c val ue,

as I ' ve al ways under st ood, ) t hat i t i s a shor t ex -

er ci se, i n Gr eek or Lat i n ver se, on a gi ven sub-

j ect , t he mi ni mum number of l i nes bei ng f i xed

f or each f or m. The mast er of t he f or m gave out

* l i BROWN AND ARTHUR.

at f our t h l esson on t he pr evi ous day t he subj ect

f or next mor ni ng' s vul gus, and at f i r st l esson

each boy had t o br i ng hi s vul gus r eady t o be

l ooked over ; and wi t h t he vul gus, a cer t ai n

number of l i nes f r om one of t he Lat i n or Gr eek

poet s, t hen bei ng const r ued i n t he f or m, had t o

be got by hear t . The mast er at f i r st l esson,

cal l ed up each boy i n t he f or m i n or der , and put

hi m on i n t he l i nes. I f he coul dn' t say t hem,

or seem t o say t hem, by r eadi ng t hem of f t he

mast er ' s or some ot her boy' s book who st ood

near , he was sent back, and went bel ow al l t he

boys who di d so say or seem t o say t hem ; but

m ei t her case hi s vul gus was l ooked over by t he

mast er , who gave and ent er ed i n hi s book, t o t he

cr edi t or di scr edi t o^ t he boy, so many mar ks

as t he composi t i on mer i t ed. At Eugby, vul gus

and l i nes wer e t he f i r st l esson ever y ot her day

i n t he week, on Tuesdays, Thur sdays, and Sat -

ur days; and as t her e wer e t hi r t y- ei ght weeks

i n t he school year , i t i s obvi ous t o t he meanest

capaci t y t hat t he mast er of each f or m had t o set

one hundr ed and f our t een subj ect s ever y year ,

t wo hundr ed and t went y- ei ght ever y t wo year s,

and so on. Now t o per sons of moder at e i nven-

t i on t hi s was a consi der abl e t ask, and human

BROWN AND ARTHUR. t 5

nat ur e bei ng pr one t o r epeat i t sel f , i t wi l l not

be wonder ed t hat t he mast er s gave t he same ,

subj ect s somet i mes over agai n af t er a cer t ai n

l apse of t i me. To meet and r ebuke t hi s bad

Page 38 of 96

habi t of t he mast er s, t he school - boy mi nd, wi t h

i t s accust omed i ngenui t y, had i nvent ed an el ab-

or at e syst em of t r adi t i on. Al most ever y boy

kept hi s own vnl gus wr i t t en out i n a book, and

t hese books wer e dul y handed down f r om boy

t o boy, t i l l ( i f t he t r adi t i on has gone on t i l l

now) I suppose t he popul ar boys, i n whose

hands bequeat hed vul gus- books have accumul a-

t ed, ar e pr epar ed wi t h t hr ee or f our vul guses

on any subj ect i n heaven or ear t h, or i n " mor e

wor l ds t han one, " whi ch an unf or t unat e mast er

can pi t ch upon. At any r at e, such l ucky f el l ows

gener al l y had one f or t hemsel ves and one f or a

f r i end i n my t i me. The onl y obj ect i on t o t he

t r adi t i onar y met hod of doi ng your vul gus was,

t he r i sk t hat t he successi ons mi ght have become

conf used, and so t hat you and anot her f ol l ower

of t r adi t i on shoul d show up t he same i dent i cal

vul sr us some f i ne mor ni nsr , i n whi ch case, when

i t happened, consi der abl e gr i ef was t he r esul t —

but when di d such r i sks hi nder boys or men

f r om shor t cut s and pl easant pat hs?

76

BROWN AND ARTHUR.

Now i n t he st udy t hat ni ght , Tom was t he up-

hol der of t he t r adi t i onar y met hod of vul gus

doi ng. He car ef ul l y pr oduced t wo l ar ge vul gus-

books, and began di vi ng i nt o t hem, and pi cki ng

out a l i ne her e, and an endi ng t her e ( t ags as

t hey wer e vul gar l y cal l ed, ) t i l l he had got t en

al l t hat he t hought he coul d make f i t . He t hen

pr oceeded t o pat ch hi s t ags t oget her wi t h t he

hel p of hi s Gr adus, pr oduci ng an i ncongr uous

and f eebl e r esul t of ei ght el egi ac l i nes, t he

mi ni mum quant i t y f or hi s f or m, and f i ni shi ng

up wi t h t wo hi ghl y mor al l i nes ext r a, maki ng

t en i n al l , whi ch he cr i bbed ent i r e f r om one of hi s

books, begi nni ng " O genus humanum, " and

whi ch he hi msel f must have used a dozen t i mes

bef or e, whenever an unf or t unat e or wi cked her o,

of what ever nat i on or l anguage under t he sun,

w^ as t he subj ect . I ndeed he began t o have gr eat

doubt s whet her t he mast er woul dn' t r emember

t hem, and so onl y t hr ew t hem i n as ext r a l i nes,

because i n any case t hey woul d cal l of f ' at t ent i on

f r om t he ot her t ags, and i f det ect ed, bei ng ext r a

l i nes, he woul dn' t be sent back t o do t wo mor e

i n t hei r pl ace, whi l e i f t hey passed must er agai n

he woul d get mar ks f or t hem.

The second met hod, pur sued by Mar t i n, may

Bl l OWN AND ARTHUR. Yt

Page 39 of 96

be cal l ed t he dogged, or pr osai c met hod. He,

no mor e t han Tom, t ook any pl easur e i n t he

t ask, but havi ng no ol d vul gus- books of hi s own

or any one' s el se, coul d not f ol l ow t he t r adi t i on-

ar y met hod, f or whi ch, t oo, as Tom r emar ked,

he hadn' t t he geni us. Mar t i n t hen pr oceeded

t o wr i t e down ei ght l i nes i n Engl i sh, of t he most

mat t er - of - f act ki nd, t he f i r st t hat came i nt o hi s

head ; and t o conver t t hese, l i ne by l i ne, by mai n

f or ce of Gr adus and di ct i onar y, i nt o Lat i n t hat

woul d scan. Thi s was al l he car ed f or , t o pr o-

duce ei ght l i nes wi t h no f al se quant i t i es or con-

cor ds: whet her t he wor ds wer e apt , or what t he

sense was, mat t er ed not hi ng; and, as t he ar t i cl e

was al l new, not a l i ne beyond t he mi ni mum di d

t he f ol l ower s of t he dogged met hod ever pr oduce.

The t hi r d, or ar t i st i c met hod, was Ar t hur ' s.

He consi der ed f i r st what poi nt i n t he char act er

or event whi ch was t he subj ect coul d most neat l y

be br ought out wi t hi n t he l i mi t s of a vul gus,

t r yi ng al ways t o get hi s i dea i nt o t he ei ght l i nes,

but not bi ndi ng hi msel f t o t en or even t wel ve

l i nes i f he coul dn' t do t hi s. He t hen set t o

wor k, as much as possi bl e wi t hout Gr adus or

ot her hel p, t o cl ot he hi s i dea i n appr opr i at e

Lat i n or Gr eek, and woul d not be sat i sf i ed t i l l

Y8 BROWN AM) ARTHUR.

he had pol i shed i t wel l up Avi t h t he apt est and

most poet i c wor ds and phr ases he coul d get at .

A f our t h met hod i ndeed was i n use i n t he

school , but of t oo si mpl e a ki nd t o r equi r e de-

scr i pt i on. I t may be cal l ed t he vi car i ous met hod,

obt ai ned amongst bi g boys of l azy or bul l y-

i ng habi t s, and consi st ed si mpl y i n maki ng

cl ever boys whom t hey coul d t hr ash, do t hei r

whol e vul gus f or t hem, and const r ue i t t o t hem

af t er war ds; whi ch l at t er i s a met hod not t o be

encour aged, and whi ch I st r ongl y advi se you

al l not t o pr act i ce. Of t he ot her s you wi l l f i nd

t he t r adi t i onar y most t r oubl esome, unl ess you

can st eal your vul guses whol e ( exper t o cr ede)

and t hat t he ar t i st i c met hod pays t he best , bot h

i n mar ks and ot her ways.

The vul guses bei ng f i ni shed by ni ne o' cl ock,

and Mar t i n havi ng r ej oi ced above measur e i n

t he abundance of l i ght , and of Gr adus and di c -

t i onar y, and ot her conveni ences al most unknown

t o hi m f or get t i ng t hr ough t he wor k, and havi ng

been pr essed by Ar t hur t o come and do hi s ver ses

t her e whenever he l i ked, t he t hr ee boys went

down t o Mar t i n' s den, and Ar t hur was i ni t i at ed

i nt o t he l or e of bi r ds' eggs t o hi s gr eat del i ght .

The exqui si t e col our i ng and f or ms ast oni shed

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 19

Page 40 of 96

and cl i ar med hi m who had scar cel y ever seen

any but a hen' s egg or an ost r i ch' s, and by t he

t i me he was l ugged away t o bed he had l ear ned

t he names of at l east t went y sor t s, and dr eamt

of t he gl or i ous per i l s of t r ee- cl i mbi ng, and t hat

he had f ound a r oc' s egg i n t he i sl and as bi g as

Si nbad' s, and cl ouded l i ke a t i t - l ar k' s i n bl owi ng

whi ch, Mar t i n and he had near l y been dr owned

i n t he yol k.

CHAPTER I V.

FEVER I N THE SCHOOL.

' Thi s our hope f or al l t hat ' s mor t al ,

And we t oo shal l bur st t he bond ;

Deat h keeps wat ch besi de t he por t al ,

But ' t i s l i f e t hat dwel l s beyond. "

John St kr mno.

Two year s have passed si nce t he event s r e-

cor ded i n t he l ast chapt er , and t he end of t he

summer hal f - year i s agai n dr awi ng on. Mar t i n

has l ef t and gone on a cr ui se i n t he Sout h Paci -

f i c; i n one of hi s uncl e' s shi ps ; t he ol d magpi e,

as di sr eput abl e as ever , hi s l ast bequest t o Ar -

t hur , l i ves i n t he j oi nt st udy. Ar t hur i s near l y

si xt een, and at t he head of t he t went y, havi ng

gone up t he school at t he r at e of a f or m a hal f -

year . East and Tom have been much mor e de-

l i ber at e i n t hei r pr ogr ess, and ar e onl y a l i t t l e

way up t he f i f t h f or m. Gr eat st r appi ng boys

t hey ar e, but st i l l t hor ough boys, f i l l i ng about

t he same pl ace i n t he house t hat young Br ooke

f i l l ed when t hey wer e new boys, and much t he

same sor t of f el l ows. Const ant i nt er cour se wi t h

80

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 81

Ar t hur has done much f or bot h of t hem, espe-

ci al l y f or Tom ; but much r emai ns yet t o be done,

i f t hey ar e t o get al l t he good out of Rugby

whi ch i s t o be got t her e i n t hese t i mes. Ar t hur

i s st i l l f r ai l and del i cat e, wi t h mor e spi r i t t han

body; but t hanks t o hi s i nt i macy wi t h Tom and

Mar t i n, has l ear ned t o swi m, and r un, and pl ay

cr i cket , and has never hur t hi msel f by t oo much

r eadi ng.

One eveni ng as t hey wer e al l si t t i ng down t o

supper i n t he f i f t h- f or m r oom, some one st ar t ed

a r epor t t hat a f ever had br oken out at one of

t he boar di ng- houses; " t hey say, " he added, " t hat

Thompson i s ver y i l l , and t hat Dr . Rober t son

Page 41 of 96

has been sent f or f r om Nor t hampt on. "

" Then we shal l al l be sent home, " cr i ed an-

ot her . " Hur r ah! f i ve weeks' ext r a hol i days,

and no f i f t h- f or m exami nat i on ! "

" I hope not , " sai d Tom; " t her e' l l be no

Mar yl ebone mat ch t hen at t he end of t he hal f . "

Some t hought one t hi ng, some anot her , many

di dn' t bel i eve t he r epor t ; but t he next day,

Tuesday, Dr . Rober t son ar r i ved, and st ayed al l

day, and had l ong conf er ences wi t h t he Doct or .

On " Wednesday mor ni ng, af t er pr ayer s, t he

Doct or addr essed t he whol e school . Ther e wer e

82 BROWN AND ARTHUE.

sever al cases of f ever i n di f f er ent houses, l i e sai d,

but Dr . Eober t son af t er t he most car ef ul exami -

nat i on had assur ed hi m t hat i t was not i nf ect i ous,

and t hat i f pr oper car e wer e t aken t her e coul d

be no r eason f or st oppi ng t he school wor k at

pr esent . The exami nat i ons wer e j ust comi ng

on, and i t woul d be ver y unadvi sabl e t o br eak

up now. However , any boys who chose t o do

so wer e at l i ber t y t o wr i t e home, and, i f t hei r

par ent s wi shed i t , t o l eave at once. He shoul d

send t he whol e school home i f t he f ever spr ead.

The next day Ar t hur si ckened, but t her e was

no ot her case. Bef or e t he end of t he week

t hi r t y or f or t y boys had gone, but t he r est st ayed

on. Ther e was a gener al wi sh t o pl ease t he

Doct or , and a f eel i ng t hat i t was cowar dl y t o

r un away.

On t he Sat ur day Thompson di ed, i n t he br i ght

af t er noon, whi l e t he cr i cket - mat ch was goi ng on

as usual on t he bi g- si de gr ound; t he Doct or ,

comi ng f r om hi s deat h- bed, passed al ong t he

gr avel - wal k at t he si de of t he cl ose, but no one

knew what had happened t i l l t he next day.

At mor ni ng l ect ur e i t began t o be r umor ed, and

by af t er noon chapel was known gener al l y ; and

a f eel i ng of ser i ousness and awe at t he act ual

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 83

pr esence of deat h among t hem, came over t he

whol e school . I n al l t he l ong year s of hi s mi n-

i st r y t he Doct or per haps never spoke wor ds

whi ch sank deeper t han some of t hose i n t hat

day' s ser mon. " When I came yest er day f r om

vi si t i ng al l but t he ver y deat h- bed of hi m who

has been t aken f r om us, and l ooked ar ound upon

al l t he f ami l i ar obj ect s and scenes wi t hi n our

own gr ound, wher e your common amusement s

wer e goi ng on, wi t h your common cheer f ul ness

Page 42 of 96

and act i vi t y, I f el t t her e was not hi ng pai nf ul i n

wi t nessi ng t hat ; i t di d not seem i n any way shock -

i ng or out of t une wi t h t hose f eel i ngs whi ch t he

si ght of a dyi ng Chr i st i an must be supposed t o

awaken. The unsui t abl eness i n poi nt of nat ur al

f eel i ng bet ween scenes of mour ni ng and scenes of

l i vel i ness di d not at al l pr esent i t sel f . But I di d

f eel t hat i f at t hat moment any of t hose f aul t s had

been br ought bef or e me whi ch somet i mes occur

amongst us ; had I hear d t hat any of you had

been gui l t y of f al sehood, or of dr unkenness, or

of any ot her such si n ; had I hear d f r om any

quar t er t he l anguage^ of pr of aneness, or of un-

ki ndness, or of i ndecency ; had I hear d or seen

any si gns of t hat wr et ched f ol l y, whi ch cour t s

t he l augh of f ool s by af f ect i ng not t o dr ead evi l

S4 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

and not t o car e f or good, t hen t he unsui t abl eness

of any of t hese t hi ngs wi t h t he scene I had j ust

qui t t ed woul d i ndeed have been most i nt ensel y-

pai nf ul . And why ? Not because such t hi ngs

woul d r eal l y have been wor se t han at any ot her

t i me, but because at such a moment t he eyes ar e

opened r eal l y t o know good and evi l , because

we t hen f eel what i t i s so t o l i ve as t hat deat h

becomes an i nf i ni t e bl essi ng, and what i t i s so t o

l i ve al so, t hat i t wer e good f or us i f we had

never been bor n.

Tom had gone i nt o t he chapel i n si ckeni ng

anxi et y about Ar t hur , but he came out cheer ed

and st r engt hened by t hose gr and wor ds, and

wal ked up al one t o t hei r st udy. And when he sat

down and l ooked r ound, and saw Ar t hur ' s st r aw-

hat and cr i cket - j acket hangi ng on t hei r pegs, and

mar ked al l hi s l i t t l e neat ar r angement s, not one

of whi ch had been di st ur bed, t he t ear s i ndeed

r ol l ed down hi s cheeks, but t hey wer e cal m and

bl essed t ear s, and he r epeat ed t o hi msel f , ' ' Yes,

Geor di e' s eyes ar e opened — he knows what i t i s

so t o l i ve as t hat deat h becomes an i nf i ni t e bl ess -

i ng. But do I ? Oh God, can I bear t o l ose

hi m?

The week passed mour nf ul l y away. No mor e

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 85

boys si ckened, but Ar t hur was r epor t ed wor se

each day, and hi s mot her ar r i ved ear l y i n t he

week. Tom made many appeal s t o be al l owed t o

see hi m, and sever al t i mes t r i ed t o get up t o t he

si ck- r oom ; but t he housekeeper was al ways i n

t he way, and at l ast spoke t o t he Doct or , who

ki ndl y, but per empt or i l y f or bade hi m.

FROM STANLEY' S LI FE OF ARNOLD.

Page 43 of 96

I t was af t er a season of si ckness of t hi s ki nd, t hat Dr .

Ar nol d r et ur ni ng one mor ni ng f r om t he deat h- bed of one

of t he boys, was much t r oubl ed t o f i nd t hat t he change

i n hi s f eel i ngs f r om at t endance on t hi s bed of si ckness

and deat h had been ver y gr eat ; he t hought t her e ought

not t o be such a cont r ast , and, t hat i t was pr obabl y owi ng

t o t he school wor k not bei ng suf f i ci ent l y sanct i f i ed t o

God' s gl or y — t hat i f , i t wer e i n t r ut h a r el i gi on wor k, t he

t r ansi t i on t o i t f r om a deat h- bed woul d be sl i ght ; he t her e-

f or e i nt ended f or t he f ut ur e t o of f er an especi al pr ayer be-

f or e t he f i r st l esson, t hat t he day' s wor k mi ght be under -

t aken and car r i ed on, sol el y t o t he gl or y of God and t hei r

i mpr ovement s.

The subj oi ned i s t he pr ayer , used ever af t er ,

unt i l t he mour nf ul day of Dr . Ar nol d' s deat h : —

O Lor d, who by Thy Hol y Apost l e has t aught us t o do

al l t hi ngs i n t he name of t he Lor d Jesus, and t o Thy

gl or y, gi ve Thy bl essi ng, we pr ay Thee t o t hi s our dai l y

wor k, t hat we may do i t i n f ai t h and hear t i l y, as t o t he

Lor d, and not unt o men. Al l our power s of body and

mi nd ar e t hi ne, and we woul d f ai n devot e t hem t o Thy

ser vi ce. Sanct i f y t hem and t he wor k i n whi ch t hey ar e

86 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

engaged ; l et us not be sl ot hf ul , but f er vent i n spi r i t ; and

do t hou, O Lor d, so bl ess our ef f or t s, t hat t hey may

br i ng f or t h i n us t he f r ui t s of t r ue wi sdom.

St r engt hen t he f acul t i es of our mi nds, and di spose us t o

exer t t hem ; but , l et us al ways r emember t o exer t t hem

f or Thy gl or y, and save us f r om al l pr i de or vani t y, or

r el i ance upon our own power s or wi sdom. Teach us t o

seek af t er t r ut h, and enabl e us t o gai n i t ; but gr ant t hat

we may ever speak t he t r ut h i n l ove ; t hat , whi l e we know

ear t hl y t hi ngs, we may know Thee, and be known by

Thee, i n and t hr ough Thy Son Jesus Chr i st . Gi ve us t hi s

day Thy Hol y Spi r i t , t hat we may be t hi ne i n body and

i n spi r i t , i n al l our wor k and i n al l our r ef r eshment s,

t hr ough Jesus Chr i st , Thy Son, Our Lor d. Amen.

Thompson was bur i ed on t he Tuesday, and

t he bur i al ser vi ce; so soot hi ng and gr and al ways,

but beyond al l wor ds sol emn when r ead over a

boy' s gr ave t o hi s compani ons, br ought Tom

much comf or t , and many st r ange new t hought s

and l ongi ngs. He went back t o hi s r egul ar

l i f e, and pl ayed cr i cket and bat hed as usual :

i t seemed t o hi m t hat t hi s was t he r i ght t hi ng

t o do, and t he new t hought s and l ongi ngs be-

came mor e br ave and heal t hy f or t he ef f or t .

The cr i si s came on Sat ur day, t he day week t hat

Thompson had di ed ; and dur i ng t hat l ong af -

t er noon Tom sat i n hi s st udy r eadi ng hi s Bi bl e,

and goi ng ever y hal f - hour t o t he housekeeper ' s

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 87

Page 44 of 96

r oom; expect i ng each t i me t o hear t hat t he gen-

t l e and br ave l i t t l e spi r i t had gone home. But

God had wor k f or Ar t hur t o do; t he cr i si s

passed — on Sunday eveni ng he was decl ar ed

out of danger ; on Monday he sent a message t o

Tom t hat he was al most wel l , had changed hi s

r oom, and was t o be al l owed t o see hi m t he

next day.

I t was eveni ng when t he housekeeper sum-

moned hi m t o t he si ck- r oom. Ar t hur was l yi ng

on t he sof a by t he open wi ndow, t hr ough whi ch

t he r ays of t he west er n sun st ol e gent l y, l i ght -

i ng up hi s whi t e f ace and gol den hai r . Tom

r emember ed a Ger man pi ct ur e of an angel whi ch

he knew ; of t en had he t hought how t r anspar ent

and gol den and spi r i t - l i ke i t was ; and he shud-

der ed t o t hi nk how l i ke i t Ar t hur l ooked, and

f el t a shock as i f hi s bl ood had al l st opped shor t ,

as he r eal i zed how near t he ot her wor l d hi s

f r i end must have been t o l ook l i ke t hat . Never

t i l l t hat moment had he f el t how hi s l i t t l e chum

had t wi ned hi msel f r ound hi s hear t - st r i ngs ; and

as he st ol e gent l y acr oss t he r oom, and knel t

down, and put hi s ar m r ound Ar t hur ' s head on

t he pi l l ow, f el t ashamed and hal f angr y at hi s

own r ed and br own f ace, and t he boundi ng

88 BROWN AND AQTHUR.

sense of heal t h and power whi ch f i l l ed ever y

f i br e of hi s body, and made ever y moment of

mer e l i vi ng, a j oy t o hi m. He needn' t have

t r oubl ed hi msel f , i t was t hi s ver y st r engt h and

power so di f f er ent f r om hi s own whi ch dr ew

Ar t hur so t o hi m.

Ar t hur l ai d hi s t hi n whi t e hand, on whi ch

t he bl ue vei ns st ood out so pl ai nl y, on Tom' s

gr eat br own f i st , and smi l ed at hi m ; and t hen

l ooked out of t he wi ndow agai n, as i f he coul dn' t

bear t o l ose a moment of t he sunset , i nt o t he'

t ops of t he gr eat f eat her y el ms, r ound whi ch t he

r ooks wer e ci r cl i ng and cl angi ng, r et ur ned i n

f l ocks f r om t hei r eveni ng' s f or agi ng par t i es.

The el ms r ust l ed, t he spar r ows i n t he i vy j ust

out si de t he wi ndow chi r ped and f l ut t er ed about ,

quar r el l i ng and maki ng i t up agai n ; t he r ooks,

young and ol d, t al ked i n chor us, and t he mer r y

shout s of t he boys, and t he sweet cl i ck of t he

cr i cket - bat s, came up cheer i l y f r om bel ow.

" Dear Geor ge, " sai d Tom, " I am so gl ad t o

be l et up t o see you at l ast . I ' ve t r i ed har d t o

come so of t en, but t hey woul dn' t l et me bef or e. "

" Oh, I know, Tom ; Mar y has t ol d me ever y

day about you, and how she was obl i ged t o

make t he Doct or speak t o you t o keep you away.

Page 45 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 89

I ' m ver y gl ad you di dn' t get up, f or you mi ght

have caught i t , and you coul dn' t st and bei ng i l l

wi t h al l t he mat ches goi ng on. And you' r e i n

t he el even, t oo, I hear — I ' m so gl ad. "

" Yes, ai n' t i t j ol l y?" sai d Tom, pr oudl y;

I ' m ni nt h t oo. I made f or t y at t he l ast pi e-

mat ch, and caught t hr ee f el l ows out . So I was

put i n above Jones and Tucker . Tucker ' s so

savage, f or he was head of t he t went y - t wo.

" Wel l , I t hi nk you ought t o be hi gher yet , "

sai d Ar t hur , who was as j eal ous f or t he r enown

of Tom i n games, as Tom was f or hi s as a

schol ar .

" Never mi nd, I don' t car e about cr i cket or

any t hi ng now you ar e get t i ng wel l , Geor di e ;

and I shoul dn' t have been hur t , I know, i f t hey' d

have l et me come up, — not hi ng hur t s me. But

you' l l get about now di r ect l y, won' t you? You

won' t bel i eve how cl ean I ' ve kept t he st udy.

Al l your t hi ngs ar e j ust as you l ef t t hem; and I

f eed t he ol d magpi e j ust when you used, t hough

I have t o come i n f r om bi g- si de f or hi m, t he ol d

r i p. He won' t l ook pl eased, al l I can do, and

st i cks hi s head f i r st on one si de and t hen on t he

ot her , and bl i nks at me bef or e he' l l begi n t o eat ,

t i l l I ' m hal f i ncl i ned t o box hi s ear s. And

90 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

whenever East comes i n, you shoul d see hi m

hop of f t o t he wi ndow, dot and go one, t hough

Har r y woul dn' t t ouch a f eat her of hi m now. "

Ar t hur l aughed. " Ol d Gr avey has a good

memor y, he can' t f or get t he si eges of poor Mar -

t i n' s den i n ol d t i mes. He paused a moment

and t hen went on. " You can' t t hi nk how of t en

I ' ve been t hi nki ng of ol d Mar t i n si nce I ' ve been

i l l ; I suppose one' s mi nd get s r est l ess, and l i kes

t o wander of f t o st r ange unknown pl aces. I

wonder what queer new pet s t he ol d boy has

got ; how he must be r evel l i ng i n t he t housand

new bi r ds, beast s, and f i shes. " Tom f el t a pang

of j eal ousy, but ki cked i t out i n a moment .

" Fancy hi m on a Sout h- sea i sl and, wi t h t he

Cher okees or Pat agoni ans, or some such wi l d

ni gger s ; " ( Tom' s et hnol ogy and geogr aphy wer e

f aul t y, but suf f i ci ent f or hi s needs; ) ' ' t hey' l l

make t he ol d madman cock medi ci ne- man, and

t at t oo hi m al l over . Per haps he' s cut t i ng about

now al l bl ue, and has a squaw and a wi gwam.

He' l l i mpr ove t hei r boomar angs, and be abl e

t o t hr ow t hem t oo, wi t hout havi ng ol d Thomas

sent af t er hi m by t he Doct or t o t ake t hem away. "

Ar t hur l aughed at t he r emembr ance of t he

Page 46 of 96

boomar ang st or y, but t hen l ooked gr ave agai n,

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 91

and sai d, " He' l l conver t al l t he I sl and, I know. "

" Yes i f he don' t bl ow i t up f i r st . "

" Do you r emember , Tom, how you and East

used t o l augh at hi m and chaf f hi m, because he

sai d he was sur e t he r ooks al l had cal l i ng- over ,

or pr ayer s, or somet hi ng of t he sor t , when t he

l ocki ng- up bel l r ang. Wel l , I decl ar e, " sai d

Ar t hur , l ooki ng up ser i ousl y i nt o Tom' s l augh-

i ng eyes, ' ' I do t hi nk he was r i ght . Si nce I ' ve

been l yi ng her e I ' ve wat ched t hem ever y ni ght ;

and do you know t hey r eal l y do come and per ch

al l of t hem j ust about l ocki ng- up t i me; and t hen

f i r st t her e' s a r egul ar chor us of caws, and t hen

t hey st op a bi t , and one ol d f el l ow, or per haps t wo

or t hr ee i n di f f er ent t r ees, caw sol os, and t hen of f

t hey al l go agai n, f l ut t er i ng about and cawi ng

any how t i l l t hey r oost . "

" I wonder i f t he ol d bl acki es do t al k?" sai d

Tom, l ooki ng up at t hem. " How t hey must

abuse me and East , and pr ay f or t he Doct or f or

st oppi ng t he sl i ngi ng. "

' ' Ther e! I qok! l ook! " cr i ed Ar t hur , ' ' don' t

you see t he ol d f el l ow wi t hout a t ai l comi ng up ?

Mar t i n used t o cal l hi m ' t he cl er k. ' He can' t

st eer hi msel f . You never saw such" f un as he i s

i n a hi gh wi nd, when he can' t st eer hi msel f

92 BROWN AND ARTHUR,

home, and get s car r i ed r i ght past t he t r ees, and

has t o bear up agai n and agai n bef or e he can

per ch. "

The l ocki ng- np bel l began t o t ol l , and t he

t wo boys wer e si l ent and l i st ened t o i t . The

sound soon car r i ed Tom of f t o t he r i ver and t he

woods, and he began t o go over i n hi s mi nd t he

many occasi ons on whi ch he had hear d t hat

t ol l comi ng f ai nt l y down t he br eeze, and had t o

pack up hi s r od i n a hur r y and make a r un f or

i t , t o get i n bef or e t he gat es wer e shut . He was

r oused wi t h a st ar t f r om hi s memor i es by

Ar t hur ' s voi ce, gent l e and weak f r om hi s l at e

i l l ness.

" Tom, wi l l you be angr y i f I t al k t o you

ver y ser i ousl y ?"

' ^ No, dear ol d boy, not I . But ai n' t you

f ai nt , Ar t hur , or i l l ? What can I get f or you?

Don' t say anyt hi ng t o hur t your sel f now, you

ar e ver y weak ; l et me come up agai n ?"

Page 47 of 96

" NO; no, I shan' t hur t mysel f ; I ' d sooner

speak t o you now, i f you don' t mi nd. I ' ve

asked Mar y t o t el l t he Doct or t hat you ar e wi t h

me, so you needn' t go down t o cal l i ng- over ; and

I mayn' t have anot her chance, f or I shal l most

l i kel y have t o go home f or change of ai r t o get

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 93

wel l , and mayn' t come back t l i i s hal f . "

" Oh, do you t hi nk you must go away bef or e

t he end of t he hal f ? I ' m so sor r y. I t ' s mor e

t han f i ve weeks yet t o t he hol i days, and al l t he

f i f t h- f or m exami nat i on and hal f t he cr i cket

mat ches t o come yet . And what shal l I do al l

t hat t i me al one i n our st udy ? Why, Ar t hur ,

i t wi l l be mor e t han t wel ve weeks bef or e I see

you agai n. Oh, hang i t , I can' t st and t hat .

Besi des who' s t o keep me up t o wor ki ng at

t he exami nat i on books ? I shal l come out bot -

t om of t he f or m, as sur e as eggs i s eggs. '

Tom was r at t l i ng on, hal f i n j oke, hal f i n

ear nest , f or he want ed t o get Ar t hur out of hi s

ser i ous vei n, t hi nki ng i t woul d do hi m har m

but Ar t hur br oke i n — '

" Oh, pl ease Tom, st op, or you' l l dr i ve al l I

had t o say out of my head. And I ' m al r eady

hor r i bl y af r ai d I ' m goi ng t o make you angr y. ' '

" Don' t gammon, young' un, " r ej oi ned Tom,

( t he use of t he ol d name, dear t o hi m f r om ol d

r ecol l ect i ons, made Ar t hur st ar t and smi l e, and

f eel qui t e happy; ) " you know you ai n' t af r ai d

and you' ve never made me angr y si nce t he

f i r st mont h we chummed t oget her . Now I ' m

goi ng t o be qui t e sober f or a quar t er of an hour .

94 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

whi cl i i s mor e t l i an I am once i n a year , so

make t he most of i t ; heave ahead, and pi t ch

i nt o me r i ght and l ef t . "

Dear Tom, I ai n t goi ng t o pi t ch i nt o you, "

sai d Ar t hur pi t eousl y ; " and i t seems so cocky

i n me t o be advi si ng you, who' ve been my back-

bone ever si nce I ' ve been at Kugby, and have

made t he school a par adi se t o me. Ah, I see I

shal l never do i t , unl ess I go head- over - heel s at

once, as you sai d when you t aught me t o swi m.

Tom, I want you t o gi ve up usi ng vul gus- books

and cr i bs. "

Ar t hur sank back on t o hi s pi l l ow wi t h a

si gh, as i f t he ef i f or t had been gr eat ; but t he

Page 48 of 96

wor st was now over , and he l ooked st r ai ght at

Tom, who was evi dent l y t aken aback. He

l eant hi s el bows on hi s knees and st uck hi s

hands i nt o hi s hai r , whi st l ed a ver se of Bi l l y

Tayl or , and t hen was qui t e si l ent f or anot her

mi nut e. Not a shade cr ossed hi s f ace, but he

was cl ear l y puzzl ed. At l ast he l ooked up and

caught Ar t hur ' s anxi ous l ook, t ook hi s hand,

and sai d si mpl y —

" Why, young' un ?"

" Because you' r e t he honcst est boy i n Rugby,

and t hat ai n' t honest . "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 95

" I don' t see t hat . "

What wer e you sent t o Eugby f or ?"

" Wel l ; I don' t know exact l y — nobody ever

t ol d me. I suppose because al l boys ar e sent t o

a publ i c school i n Engl and. "

" But what do you t hi nk your sel f ? What do

you want t o do her e and t o car r y away?"

Tom t hought a mi nut e. " I want t o be A 1

at cr i cket and f oot bal l , and al l t he ot her games,

and t o make my hands keep my head agai nst

any f el l ow, l out or gent l eman. I want t o get

i nt o t he si xt h bef or e I l eave, and pl ease t he

Doct or ; and I want t o car r y away j ust as much

Lat i n and Gr eek as wi l l t ake me t hr ough Ox-

f or d r espect abl y. Ther e now, young' un, I never

t hought of i t bef or e, but t hat ' s pr et t y much my

f i gur e. Ai n' t i t al l on t he squar e? What have

you got t o say t o t hat ?"

" Why, t hat you' r e pr et t y sur e t o do al l t hat

you want t hen. "

" Wel l , I hope so. But you' ve f or got one

t hi ng, t hat I want t o l eave behi nd me. I want

t o l eave behi nd me, " sai d Tom, speaki ng sl ow

and l ooki ng much moved, " t he name of a f el l ow

who never bul l i ed a l i t t l e boy, or t ur ned hi s

back on a bi g one. "

96 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

Ar t hur pr essed hi s haud, and af t er a moment ' s

si l ence went on: ' ' You say, Tom, you want t o

pl ease t he Doct or . Now do you want t o pl ease

hi m by what he t hi nks you do, or by what you

r eal l y do?"

" By what I r eal l y do, of cour se. "

Page 49 of 96

" Does he t hi nk you use cr i bs and vul gus-

books?"

Tom f el t at once t hat hi s f l ank was t ur ned,

but he coul dn' t gi ve i n. " He was at Wi nchest er

hi msel f , sai d he, " he knows al l about i t ' . '

" Yes, but does he t hi nk you use t hem ? Do

you t hi nk he appr oves of i t ?"

' ' You young vi l l ai n, " sai d Tom, shaki ng hi s

f i st at Ar t hur hal f vexed and hal t pl eased, " I

never t hi nk about i t . Hang i t — t her e, per haps

he don' t . Wel l , I suppose he don' t . "

Ar t hur saw t hat he had got hi s poi nt ; he

knew hi s f r i end wel l , and was wi se i n si l ence as

i n speech. He onl y sai d, " I woul d sooner have

t he Doct or ' s good opi ni on of me as I r eal l y am,

t han any man' s i n t he wor l d. "

Af t er anot her mi nut e Tom besr an ae^ ai n:

" Look her e, young' un, how on ear t h am I t o

get t i me t o pl ay t he mat ches t hi s hal f , i f I gi ve

up cr i bs? We' r e i n t he mi ddl e of t hat l ong

I

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 91

cr abbed chor as i n t he Agamemnon, I can onl y

j ust make bead or t ai l of i t wi t h t he cr i b. Then

t her e' s Per i cl es' speech comi ng on i n Thucydi des,

and t he ' Bi r ds' t o get up f or t he exami nat i on, be-

si des t he Taci t us. Tom gr oaned at t he t hought

of hi s accumul at ed l abour s. ' ' I say, young' un,

t her e' s onl y f i ve weeks or so l ef t t o hol i days,

mayn' t I go on as usual f or t hi s hal f ? I ' l l t el l t he

Doct or about i t some day, or you may. "

Ar t hur l ooked out of t he wi ndow ; t he t wi -

l i ght had come on and al l was si l ent . He r e-

peat ed i n a l ow voi ce, ' ' I n t hi s t hi ng t he Lor d,

par don t hy ser vant , t hat when my mast er goet h

i nt o t he house of Ri mmon t o wor shi p t her e, and

he l eanet h on my hand, and I bow down mysel f

i n t he house of Ri mmon, t he Lor d par don t hy

ser vant i n t hi s t hi ng. "

Not a wor d mor e was sai d on t he subj ect , and

t he boys wer e agai n si l ent . One of t hose bl essed

shor t si l ences, i n whi ch t he r esol ves whi ch col our

a l i f e ar e so of t en t aken.

Tom was t he f i r st t o br eak i t . " You' ve been

ver y i l l i ndeed, haven' t you, Geor di e ?" sai d he

wi t h a mi xt ur e of awe and cur i osi t y, f eel i ng as

Page 50 of 96

i f hi s f r i end had been i n some st r ange pl ace or

scene, of whi ch he coul d f or m no i dea, and f ul l

5e

98 BROWN AND ARTI I L' R.

of t l i e memor y of hi s own t hought s dur i ng t he

l ast week.

" Yes, ver } ^ I ' m sur e t he Dcxj t or t hought I

was goi ng t o di e. He gave me t he Sacr ament

l ast Sunday, and you can' t t hi nk what he i s when

one i s i l l . He sai d such br ave, and t ender , and

gent l e t hi ngs t o me, I f el t qui t e l i ght and st r ong

af t er i t , and never had any mor e f ear . My

mot her br ought our ol d medi cal man, who at -

t ended me when I was a poor si ckl y chi l d ; he

sai d my const i t ut i on was qui t e changed, and

t hat ' I ' m f i t f or anyt hi ng now. I f i t hadn' t , I

coul dn' t have st ood t hr ee days of t hi s i l l ness.

That ' s al l t hanks t o you, and t he games you' ve

made me f ond of "

" Mor e t hanks t o ol d Mar t i n, " sai d Tom ; " he' s

been your r eal f r i end. "

" I STonsense, Tom, he never coul d have done

f or me what you have. "

" Wel l , I don' t know, I di d l i t t l e enough. Di d

t hey t el l you — you won' t mi nd hea, r i ng i t now,

I know — t hat poor Thompson di ed l ast week ?

The ot her t hr ee boys ar e get t i ng qui t e r ound,

l i ke you. "

" Oh, yes, I hear d of i t . "

Then Tom, who was qui t e f ul l of i t , t ol d

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 99

Ar t hur of t i i e bur i al ser vi ce i n t he chapel , and

how i t had i mpr essed hi m, and, he bel i eved, al l

t he ot her boys. " And t hough t he Doct or never

sai d a wor d about i t , " sai d he, " and i t was a

hal f - hol i day and mat ch day, t her e wasn' t a game

pl ayed i n t he cl ose al l t he af t er noon, and t he

boys al l went about as i f i t wer e Sunday. "

" I ' m ver y gl ad of i t , " sai d Ar t hur . " But ,

Tom, I ' ve had such st r ange t hought s about deat h

l at el y. I ' ve never t ol d a soul of t hem, not even

my mot her . Somet i mes I t hi nk t hey' r e wr ong, but ,

do you know, I don' t t hi nk i n my hear t I coul d

be ver y sor r y at t he deat h of any of my f r i ends. "

Tom was t aken qui t e aback. " What i n t he

wor l d i s t he young' un af t er now, " t hought he ;

" I ' ve swal l owed a good many of hi s cr ot chet s, but

Page 51 of 96

t hi s al t oget her beat s me. He can' t be qui t e r i ght

i n hi s head. " He di dn' t want t o say a wor d, and

shi f t ed about uneasi l y i n t he dar k; however ,

Ar t hur seemed t o be wai t i ng f or an answer , so

at l ast he sai d, " I don' t t hi nk I qui t e see what

you mean, Gr eor di e. One' s t ol d so of t en t o t hi nk

about deat h, t hat I ' ve t r i ed i t on somet i mes, es -

peci al l y t hi s l ast week. But we won' t t al k of i t

now. I ' d bet t er go — you' r e get t i ng t i r ed, and I

shal l do you har m. "

100 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" No, no, i ndeed I ai n' t , Tom ; you must st op

t i l l ni ne, t her e' s onl y t went y mi nut es. I ' ve set -

t l ed you shal l st op t i l l ni ne. And oh ! do l et

me t al k t o you — I must t al k t o you. I see i t ' s

j ust as I f ear ed. You t hi nk I ' m hal f mad — don' t

you now ?"

" Wel l , I di d t hi nk i t odd what you sai d,

Geor di e, as you ask me. "

Ar t hur paused a moment , and t hen sai d

qui ckl y, " I ' l l t el l you how i t al l happened. At

f i r st , when I was sent t o t he si ck- r oom and f ound

I had r eal l y got t he f ever , I was t er r i bl y f r i ght -

ened. I t hought I shoul d di e, and I coul d not

f ace i t f or a moment . I don' t t hi nk i t was sheer

cowar di ce at f i r st , but I t hought how har d i t was

t o be t aken away f r om my mot her and si st er s and

you al l , j ust as I was begi nni ng t o see my way

t o many t hi ngs, and t o f eel t hat I mi ght be a

man and do a man' s wor k. To di e wi t hout hav-

i ng f ought , and wor ked, and gi ven one' s l i f e

away, was t oo har d t o bear . I got t er r i bl y i m-

pat i ent , and accused God of i nj ust i ce, and st r ove

t o j ust i f y mysel f ; and t he har der I st r ove t he

deeper I sank. Then t he i mage of my dear

f at her of t en came acr oss me, but I t ur ned f r om

i t . Whenever i t came, a heavy numbi ng t hr ob

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 101

seemed t o t ake hol d of my hear t , and say, dead

— dead — dead. And I cr i ed out , ' The l i vi ng,

t he l i vi ng shal l pr ai se Thee God ; t he dead can-

not pr ai se Thee. Ther e i s no wor k i n t he gr ave;

i n t he ni ght no man can wor k. But I can wor k.

I can do gr eat t hi ngs. I wi l l do gr eat t hi ngs.

Why wi l t t hou sl ay me?" And so I st r uggl ed

and pl unged, deeper and deeper , and went down

i nt o a l i vi ng bl ack t omb. I Avas al one t her e,

wi t h no power t o st i r or t hi nk; al one wi t h

mysel f ; beyond t he r each of al l human f el -

l owshi p ; beyond Chr i st ' s r each^ I t hought , i n

my ni ght mar e. You, who ar e br ave, and br i ght ,

and st r ong, can have no i dea of t hat agony.

Pr ay t o God you never may. Pr ay as f or your

l i f e. "

Page 52 of 96

Ar t hur st opped — f r om exhaust i on, Tom

t hought ; but what bet ween hi s f ear l est Ar t hur

shoul d hur t hi msel f , hi s awe, and l ongi ng f or

hi m t o go on, he coul dn' t ask or st i r t o hel p

hi m.

Pr esent l y he went on, but qui t e cal m and

sl ow. ' ' I don' t know how l ong I was i n t hat

st at e. For mor e t han a day I know, f or I was

qui t e consci ous, and l i ved my out er l i f e al l t he

t i me, and t ook my medi ci nes, and spoke t o my

102 BROWN AND ARTHt FR.

mot her , and hear d what t hey sai d. But I di dn' t

t ake much not e of t i me, I t hought t i me was

over f or me, and t hat t hat t omb was what was

beyond. Wel l , on l ast Sunday mor ni ng, as I

seemed t o l i e i n t hat t omb, al one, as I t hought ,

f or ever and ever , t he bl ack dead wal l was cl ef t

i n t wo, and I was caught up and bor ne t hr ough

i nt o t he l i ght by some gr eat power , some l i vi ng

mi ght y spi r i t . Tom, do you r emember t he l i v-

i ng cr eat ur es and t he wheel s i n Ezeki el ? I t

was j ust l i ke t hat : ' when t hey went I hear d

t he noi se of t hei r wi ngs, l i ke t he noi se of gr eat

wat er s, as t he voi ce of t he Al mi ght y, t he voi ce

of speech, as t he noi se of an host ; when t hey

st ood t hey l et down t hei r wi ngs' — ' and t hey

went ever y one st r ai ght f or war d ; whi t her t he

spi r i t was t o go t hey went , and t hey t ur ned not

when t hey went . ' And we r ushed t hr ough t he

br i ght ai r , whi ch was f ul l of myr i ads of l i vi ng

cr eat ur es, and paused on t he br i nk of a gr eat

r i ver . And t he power hel d me up, and I knew

t hat t hat gr eat r i ver was t he gr ave, and deat h

dwel t t her e ; but not t he deat h I had met i n t he

bl ack t omb, t hat I f el t was gone f or ever . For on

t he ot her bank of t he gr eat r i ver I saw men

and women and chi l dr en r i si ng up pur e and

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 103

br i ght ; and t he t ear s wer e wi ped f r om t hei r eyes,

and t hey put on gl or y and st r engt h, and al l

wear i ness and pai n f el l away. And beyond

wer e a mul t i t ude whi ch no man conl d number ,

and t hey wor ked at some gr eat wor k ; and t hey

who r ose f r om t he r i ver went on and j oi ned i n

t he wor k. They al l wor ked, and each wor ked

i n a di f f er ent way, but al l at t he same wor k.

And I saw t her e my f at her , and t he men i n t he

ol d t own whom I knew when I was a chi l d ;

many a har d st er n man, who never came t o

chur ch, and whom t hey cal l ed at hei st and i nf i .

del . Ther e t hey wer e, si de by s- i de wi t h my

f at her , whom I had seen t oi l and di e f or t hem,

and women and l i t t l e chi l dr en, and t he seal was

on t he f or eheads of al L And I l onged t o see

Page 53 of 96

what t he wor k was, and coul d not ; so I t r i ed t o

pl unge i n t he r i ver , f or I t hought I woul d j oi n

t hem, but I coul d not . Then I l ooked about t o

see how t hey got i nt o t he r i ver . And t hi s I

coul d not see, but I saw myr i ads on t hi s si de,

and t hey t oo wor ked, and I knew t hat i t was

t he same wor k ; and t he same seal was on t hei r

f or eheads. And t hough I saw t hat t her e was

t oi l and angui sh i n t he wor k of t hese, and t hat

most t hat wer e wor ki ng wer e bl i nd and f eebl e,

104 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

yet I l onged no mor e t o pl unge i nt o t l i e r i ver ,

but mor e and mor e t o know what t he wor k was.

And as I l ooked I saw my mot her and mj - si s-

t er s, and I saw t he Doct or , and you, Tom, and

hundr eds mor e whom I knew ; and at l ast I saw

mysel f t oo, and I was t oi l i ng and doi ng ever so

l i t t l e a pi ece of t he gr eat wor k. Then i t al l

mel t ed away, and t he power l ef t me, and as i t

l ef t me I t hought I hear d a voi ce say, ' The

vi si on i s f or an appoi nt ed t i me ; t hough i t t ar r y,

wai t f or i t , f or i n t he end i t shal l speak and not

l i e, i t shal l sur el y come, i t shal l not t ar r y. ' I t

was ear l y mor ni ng I know t hen, i t was so qui et

and cool , and my mot her was f ast asl eep i n t he

chai r by my bedsi de; but i t wasn' t onl y a dr eam

of mi ne. I know i t wasn' t a dr eam. Then I

f el l i nt o a deep sl eep, and onl y woke af t er af t er -

noon chapel ; and t he Doct or came and gave me

t he Sacr ament , as I t ol d you. I t ol d hi m and

my mot her I shoul d get wel l — I knew I shoul d ;

but I coul dn' t t el l t hem why. " " Tom, sai d

Ar t hur , gent l y, af t er anot her mi nut e, " do you

see why I coul d not gr i eve now t o see my dear est

f r i end di e? I t can' t be — i t i sn' t al l f ever or

i l l ness. God woul d never have l et me see i t so

cl ear i f i t wasn' t t r ue. I don' t under st and i t al l

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 105

yet — i t wi l l t ake me my l i f e and l onger t o do

t l i at — t o f i nd out what t he wor k i s. "

When Ar t hur st opped, t her e was a l ong pause.

Tom coul d not speak, he was al most af r ai d t o

br eat he, l est he shoul d br eak t he t r ai n of Ar t hur ' s

t hought s. He l onged, t o hear mor e, and t o ask

quest i ons. I n anot her mi nut e ni ne o' cl ock

st r uck, and a gent l e t ap at t he door cal l ed t hem

bot h back i nt o t he wor l d agai n. They di d not

answer , however , f or a moment , and so t he door

opened, and a l ady came i n car r yi ng a candl e.

She went st r ai ght t o t he sof a, and t ook hol d

of Ar t hur ' s hand, and t hen st ooped down and

ki ssed hi m.

" My dear est boy, you f eel a l i t t l e f ever i sh

Page 54 of 96

agai n. Why di dn' t you have l i ght s ? You' ve

t al ked t oo much and exci t ed your sel f i n t he dar k. "

' ' Oh no, mot her , you can' t t hi nk how wel l - I

f eel . I shal l st ar t wi t h you t o- mor r ow f or Devon-

shi r e. But , mot her , her e' s my f r i end, her e' s Tom

Br own — you know hi m ?"

" Yes, i ndeed, I ' ve known hi m f or year s, " she

sai d, and hel d out her hand t o Tom, who was

now st andi ng up behi nd t he sof a. Thi s was

Ar t hur ' s mot her . Tal l and sl i ght and f ai r , wi t h

masses of gol den hai r dr awn back f r om t he

5* E

106 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

br oad whi t e f or ehead, and t he cahi i bl ue eye

meet i ng hi s so deep and open — t he eye t hat he

knew so wel l , f or i t was hi s f r i end' s over agai n,

and t he l ovel y t ender mout h t hat t r embl ed whi l e

he l ooked. She st ood t her e a woman of t hi r t y-

ei ght , ol d enough t o be hi s mot her , and one

whose f ace showed t he l i nes whi ch must be

wr i t t en on t he f aces of good men' s wi ves and

wi dows — but he t hought he had never seen any-

t hi ng so beaut i f ul . He coul dn' t hel p wonder i ng

i f Ar t hur ' s si st er s wer e l i ke her .

Tom hel d her hand, and l ooked st r ai ght i n

her f ace ; he coul d nei t her l et i t go nor speak.

' ' Now, Tom, " sai d Ar t hur , l aughi ng, ' ' wher e

ar e your manner s ? you' l l st ar e my mot her out

of count enance. " Tom dr opped t he l i t t l e hand

wi t h a si gh. " Ther e, si t down; bot h of you.

Her e, dear est mot her , t her e' s r oom her e, " and

he made a pl ace on t he sof a f or her . " Tom,

you needn' t go ; I ' m sur e you won' t be cal l ed

up at f i r st l esson. " Tom f el t t hat he woul d r i sk

bei ng f l oor ed at ever y l esson f or t he r est of hi s

nat ur al school - l i f e, sooner t han go ; so he sat

down. " And now, " sai d Ar t hur , " I have r eal -

i zed one of t he dear est wi shes of my l i f e — t o see

you t wo t oget her . "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 107

And t hen he l ed away t he t al k t o t hei r home

i n Devonshi r e, and t he r ed br i ght ear t h, and t he

deep gr een combes, and t he peat st r eams l i ke

cai r n- gor m pebbl es, and t he wi l d moor wi t h i t s

hi gh cl oudy Tor s f or a gi ant backgr ound t o t he

pi ct ur e — t i l l Tom got j eal ous, and st ood up f or

t he cl ear chal k st r eams, and t he emer al d wat er

meadows and gr eat el ms and ^ vi l l ows of t he dear

ol d Royal count y, as he gl or i ed t o cal l i t . And

t he mot her sat , qui et and l ovi ng, r ej oi ci ng i n

t hei r l i f e. The quar t er - t o- t en st r uck, and t he

Page 55 of 96

bel l r ang f or bed, bef or e t hey had wel l begun

t hei r t al k as i t seemed.

Then Tom r ose wi t h a si gh t o go.

" Shal l I see you i n t he mor ni ng, Geor di e?"

sai d he, as he shook hi s f r i end' s hand. " Never

mi nd t hough, you' l l be back next hal f , and I

shan' t f or get t he house of Ri mmon. "

Ar t hur ' s mot her got up and wal ked wi t h hi m

t o t he door , and t her e gave hi m her hand agai n,

and agai n hi s eyes met t hat deep l ovi ng l ook,

whi ch was l i ke a spel l upon hi m. Her voi ce

t r embl ed sl i ght l y as she sai d " Good ni ght —

you ar e one who knows l yhat our Fat her has

pr omi sed t o t he f r i end of t he wi dow and t he

108 Er t OWN AND ARTHUR.

f at her l ess. May He deal wi t h you as you have

deal t wi t h me and mi ne ! "

Tom was qui t e upset ; he mumbl ed, somet hi ng

about owi ng ever y t hi ng good i n hi m t o Geor di e

— l ooked i n her f ace agai n, pr essed her hand t o

hi s l i ps, and r ushed down st ai r s t o hi s st udy,

wher e he sat t i l l ol d Thomas came ki cki ng at

t he door , t o t el l hi m hi s al l owance woul d be

st opped i f he di dn' t go of f t o bed. ( I t woul d

have been st opped anyhow, but t hat he was a

gr eat f avour i t e wi t h t he ol d gent l eman, who l oved

t o come out i n t he af t er noons i nt o t he cl ose t o

Tom' s wi cket , and bowl sl ow t wi st er s t o hi m,

and t al k of t he gl or i es of by- gone Sur r ey her oes,

wi t h whom he had pl ayed i n f or mer gener at i ons. )

So Tom r oused hi msel f and t ook up hi s candl e

t o go t o bed; and t hen, f or t he f i r st t i me, was

awar e of a beaut i f ul new f i shi ng- r od, wi t h ol d

Et on' s mar k on i t , and a spl endi dl y bound Bi bl e,

whi ch l ay on hi s t abl e, on t he t i t l e- page of whi ch

was wr i t t en — " Tom Br own, f r om hi s af f ect i on-

at e and gr at ef ul f r i ends, Fr ances Jane Ar t hur ;

Geor ge Ar t hur . "

I l eave you al l t o guess how he sl ept , and what

he dr eamt of

/ ^ ^

CHAPTER YI .

HAEEY east ' s DI LEMMAS AND DELI VEKANCES.

" The Hol y Supper i s kept i ndeed,

I n what so we shar e wi t h anot her ' s need — •

Not t hat whi ch we gi ve, but t hat we shar e,

For t he gi f t wi t hout t he gi ver i s bar e :

Who best ows hi msel f wi t h hi s al ms f eeds t hr ee.

Page 56 of 96

Hi msel f , hi s hunger i ng nei ghbour , and me. "

LOWELL— r / i e Vi si on of Si r Laun/ al , p. 11.

The next mor ni ng af t er br eakf ast , Tom, East ,

and Gower met as nsi i al t o l ear n t hei r second

l esson t oget her . Tom had been consi der i ng how

t o br eak hi s pr oposal of gi vi ng up t he cr i b t o

t he ot her s, and havi ng f ound no bet t er way ( as

i ndeed none bet t er can ever be f ound by man or

boy) , t ol d t hem si mpl y what had happened ; how

he had been t o see Ar t hur , who had t al ked t o

hi m upon t he subj ect , and what he had sai d, and

f or hi s par t he had made up hi s mi nd and wasn' t

goi ng t o use cr i bs any mor e. And not bei ng

qui t e sur e of hi s gr ound, t ook t he hi gh and

pat het i c t one, and was pr oceedi ng t o say, " how

t hat havi ng l ear nt hi s l essons wi t h t hem f or so

many year s, i t woul d gr i eve hi m much t o put an

end t o t he ar r angement , and he hoped at any

109

110 BROWN AND ARTI i r R.

r at e t l i at i f t hey woul dn' t go on wi t h l i i m, t hey

shoul d st i l l be j ust as good f r i ends, and r espect

one anot her ' s mot i ves — but — "

Her e t he ot her boys, who had been l i st eni ng

wi t h open eyes and ear s, bur st i n —

" St uf f and nonsense ! " cr i ed Gower . ^ ^ Her e,

East , get down t he cr i b and f i nd t he pl ace. "

" Oh, Tommy, Tommy! " sai d East , pr oceed-

i ng t o do as he was bi dden, " t hat i t shoul d ever

have come t o t hi s. I knew Aut hur ' d be t he

r ui n of you some day, and you of me. And now

t he t i me' s come" — and he made a dol ef ul f ace.

' ^ I don' t know about t he r ui n, " answer ed

Tom; ' ' I know t hat you and I woul d have had

t he sack l ong ago, i f i t hadn' t been f or hi m.

And you know i t as wel l as I . "

" Wel l , we wer e i n a baddi sh way bef or e he

came, I own, but t hi s new cr ot chet of hi s i s past

a j oke. "

" Let ' s gi ve i t a t r i al , Har r y ; come — you know

how of t en he has been r i ght and we wr ong. "

" Now don' t you t wo be j awi ng away about

yoi mg Squar e- t oes, " st r uck i n Gower . " He' s

no end of a sucki ng wi seacr e, I dar e say, but

we' ve no t i me t o l ose, and I ' ve got t he f i ves' -

cour t at hal f - past ni ne. "

'

Page 57 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR. I l l

" I say, Gower , " sai d Tom, appeal i ngl y, " be a

good f el l ow, and l et ' s t r y i f we can' t get on

wi t hout t l i e cr i b. "

" What ! i n t hi s chor us ? Why we shan' t get

t hr ough t en l i nes. "

" I say, Tom, " cr i ed East , havi ng hi t on a new

i dea, " don' t you r emember when we wer e i n

' t he upper - f our t h, and ol d Momus caught me

const r ui ng of f t he l eaf of a cr i b whi ch I ' d t or n

out and put i n my book, and whi ch woul d f l oat

out on t o t he f l oor ; he sent me up t o be f l ogged

f or i t ?"

' ' Yes, I r emember i t ver y wel l . "

" Wel l , t he Doct or , af t er he' d f l ogged me,

t ol d me hi msel f t hat he di dn' t f l og me f or usi ng

a t r ansl at i on, but f or t aki ng i t i nt o l esson, and

usi ng i t t her e, when I hadn' t l ear nt a wor d be-

f or e I came i n. He sai d t her e was no har m i n

usi ng a t r ansl at i on t o get a cl ue t o har d passa-

ges, i f you' d t r i ed al l you coul d f i r st t o make

t hem out wi t hout . "

" Di d he t hough?" sai d Tom: " t hen Ar t hur

must be wr ong. "

" Of cour se he i s, " sai d Gr ower , " t he l i t t l e pr i g.

We' l l onl y use t he cr i b when we can' t const r ue

wi t hout i t . Go ahead, East . "

112

BROWN AND ARTHUR.

And on t l i i s agr eement t l i ey st ar t ed. Tom

sat i sf i ed wi t h havi ng made hi s conf essi on, and

not sor r y t o have a l ocus poeni t ent i ce. , and not t o

be depr i ved al t oget her of t he nse of hi s ol d and

f ai t hf ul f r i end.

The boys went on as usual , each t aki ng a

sent ence i n t ur n, and t he cr i b bei ng handed t o

t he one whose t ur n i t was t o const r ue. Of cour se

Tom coul dn' t obj ect t o t hi s, as, was i t not si mpl y

l yi ng t her e t o be appeal ed t o i n case t he sent ence

shoul d pr ove t oo har d al t oget her f or t he con-

st r uer ? But i t must be owned t hat Gower and

East di d not make ver y t r emendous exer t i ons f o

conquer t hei r sent ences bef or e havi ng r ecour se

t o i t s hel p. Tom, however , wi t h t he most

her oi c vi r t ue and gal l ant r y, r ushed i nt o hi s sen-

Page 58 of 96

t ence, sear chi ng i n a hi gh- mi nded manner f or

nomi nat i ve and ver b, and t ur ni ng over hi s di c-

t i onar y f r ant i cal l y f or t he f i r st har d wor d whi ch

st opped hi m. But i n t he meant i me, Gower , who

was bent on get t i ng t o f i ves, woul d peep qui et l y

i nt o t he cr i b, and t hen suggest , " Don' t you t hi nk

t hi s i s t he meani ng?" * ^ I t hi nk you must t ake

i t t hi s way, Br own ; " and as Tom di dn' t see hi s

way t o not pr of i t i ng by t hese suggest i ons, t he

l esson went on about as qui ckl y as usual , and

BROWN AND ARTHUR 113

Gower was abl e t o st ar t f or t l i e f i ves' - cour t

wi t hi n f i ve mi nut es of t he hal f hour .

When Tom and East wer e l ef t f ace t o f ace,

t hey l ooked at one anot her f or a mi nut e, Tom

puzzl ed; and East chock f ul l of f un, and t hen

bur st i nt o a r oar of l aught er .

" Wel l , Tom, " sai d East , r ecover i ng hi msel f ,

" I don' t see any obj ect i on t o t he new way. I t ' s

about as good as t he ol d one, I t hi nk; besi des,

t he advant age i t gi ves one of f eel i ng vi r t uous,

and l ooki ng down on one' s nei ghbour s. "

Tom shoved hi s hand i nt o hi s back hai r . I

ai n' t so sur e, " sai d he; " you t wo f el l ows car r i ed

me of f ' my l egs ; I don' t t hi nk we r eal l y t r i ed one

sent ence f ai r l y. Ar e you sur e you r emember

what t he Doct or sai d t o you ?"

" Yes. And I ' l l swear I coul dn' t make out

one of my sent ences t o- day. No, nor never

coul d. I r eal l y don' t r emember , " sai d East ,

speaki ng sl owl y and i mpr essi vel y, " t o have

come acr oss one Lat i n or Gr eek sent ence t hi s

hal f t hat I coul d go and const r ue by t he l i ght

of nat ur e. Wher eby I am sur e Pr ovi dence i n-

t ended cr i bs t o be used. "

" The t hi ng t o f i nd out / ' sai d Tom, medi t a-

t i vel y, " i s, how l ong one ought t o gr i nd at a

e2

114 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

sent ence wi t l i out l ooki ng at t he cr i b. Now I

t hi nk i f one f ai r l y l ooks out al l t he wor ds one

don' t knoW; and t hen can' t hi t i t , t hat ' s enough. "

" To be sur e, Tommy, " sai d East , demur el y,

but wi t h a mer r y t wi nkl e i n hi s eye. " Your

new doct r i ne t oo, ol d f el l ow, " added he, " when

one comes t o t hi nk of i t , i s a cut t i ng at t he r oot

of al l school mor al i t y. You' l l t ake away mu-

t ual hel p, br ot her l y l ove, or i n t he vul gar t ongue

gi vi ng const r ues, whi ch I hol d t o be one of our

hi ghest vi r t ues. For how can you di st i ngui sh

Page 59 of 96

bet ween get t i ng a const r ue f r om anot her boy,

and usi ng a cr i b? Hang i t , Tom, i f you' r e

goi ng t o depr i ve al l our school - f el l ows of t he

chance of exer ci si ng Chr i st i an benevol ence and

bei ng good Samar i t ans, I shal l cut t he con-

cer n. "

" I wi sh you woul dn' t j oke about i t , Har r y ;

i t ' s har d enough t o see one' s way, a pr eci ous

si ght har der t han I t hought l ast ni ght . But I

suppose t her e' s a use and an abuse of bot h, and

one' l l get st r ai ght enough somehow. But you

can' t make out anyhow t hat one has a r i ght t o

use ol d vul gus- books and copybooks. "

' ' Hul l o, mor e her esy! how f ast a f el l ow goes

down hi l l when he once get s hi s head bef or e hi s

BRO\ YN AND ARTHUR. 115

l egs. Li st en t o me, Tom. Not use ol d vul gus-

books — why, you Got h! ai n' t we t o t ake t he

benef i t of t he wi sdom, and admi r e and use t he

wor k of past gener at i ons ? Not use ol d copy-

books ! " Why you mi ght as wel l say we ought

t o pul l down West mi nst er Abbey, and put up a

go- t o- meet i ng shop wi t h chur chwar den wi ndows ;

or never r ead Shakespear e, but onl y Sher i dan

Knowl es. Thi nk of al l t he wor k and l abour

t hat our pr edecessor s have best owed on t hese

ver y books, and ar e we t o make t hei r wor k of

no val ue?

" I say, Har r y, pl ease don' t chaf f ; I ' m r eal l y

ser i ous. "

' ' And t hen, i s i t not our dut y t o consul t t he

pl easur e of ot her s r at her t han our own, and

above al l t hat of our mast er s ? Fancy t hen t he

di f f er ence t o t hem i n l ooki ng over a vul gus

whi ch has been car ef ul l y t ouched and r et ouched

by t hemsel ves and ot her s, and whi ch must br i ng

t hem a sor t of dr eamy pl easur e, as i f t hey' d met

t he t hought or expr essi on of i t somewher e or

anot her — bef or e t hey wer e bor n per haps; and

t hat of cut t i ng up, and maki ng pi ct ur e- f r ames

r ound al l your and my f al se quant i t i es, and

ot her monst r osi t i es. Why, Tom, you woul dn' t

116 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

be so cr uel as never t o l et ol d Momi i s hum over

t he ' 0 genus humanum' agai n, and t hen l ook

up doubt i ngl y t hr ough hi s spect acl es, and end

by smi l i ng and gi vi ng t hr ee ext r a mar ks f or i t ;

j ust f or ol d sake' s sake, I suppose. "

" Wel l , " sai d Tom get t i ng up i n somet hi ng as

l i ke a huf f as he was capabl e of , " i t ' s deuced

har d t hat when a f el l ow' s r eal l y t r yi ng t o do

Page 60 of 96

what he ought , hi s best f r i ends' l l do not hi ng but

chaf f hi m and t r y t o put hi m down. " And he

st uck hi s books under hi s ar m and hi s hat on

hi s head, pr epar at or y t o r ushi ng out i nt o t he

quadr angl e, t o t est i f y wi t h hi s own soul of t he

f ai t hl essness of f r i endshi ps.

" Now don' t be an ass, Tom, " sai d East , cat ch-

i ng hol d of hi m, " you know me wel l enough by

t hi s t i me ; my bar k' s wor se t han my bi t e. You,

can' t expect t o r i de your new cr ot chet wi t hout

anybody' s t r yi ng t o st i ck a net t l e under hi s t ai l

and make hi m ki ck you of f : especi al l y as we

shal l al l have t o go on f oot st i l l . But now si t

down and l et ' s go over i t agai n. I ' l l be as ser i -

ous as a j udge. "

Then Tom sat hi msel f down on t he t abl e, andj

waxed el oquent about al l t he r i ght eousness andj

advant ages of t he new pl an, as vvas hi s wont

BROWxN AND ARTHUR. 117

whenever he t ook up any t hi ng; goi ng i nt o i t

as i f hi s l i f e depended upon i t , and spar i ng no

abuse whi ch he coul d t hi nk of , of t he opposi t e

met hod, whi ch he denounced as ungent l emanl y,

cowar dl y, mean, l yi ng, and no one knows what

besi des. " Ver y cool of Tom, " as East t hought ,

but di dn' t say, " seei ng as how he onl y came out

of Egypt hi msel f l ast ni ght at bed- t i me. "

Wel l , Tom, " sai d he at l ast , " you see when

you and I came t o school t her e wer e none of

t hese sor t of not i ons. You may be r i ght — I

dar e say you ar e. Onl y what one has al ways

f el t about t he mast er s i s, t hat i t ' s a f ai r t r i al of

ski l l , and l ast bet ween us and t hem — l i ke a

mat ch at f oot bal l , or a bat t l e. We' r e nat ur al

enemi es i n school , t hat ' s t he f act . We' ve got t o

l ear n so much Lat i n and Gr eek and do so many

ver ses, and t hey' ve got t o see t hat we do i t . I f

we can sl i p t he col l ar and do so much l ess wi t h-

out get t i ng caught , t hat ' s one t o us. I f t hey can

get mor e out of us, or cat ch us shi r ki ng, t hat ' s

one t o t hem. Al l ' s f ai r i n war , but l yi ng. I f I

r un my l uck agai nst t hei r ' s and go i nt o school

wi t hout l ooki ng at my l esson, and don' t get

cal l ed up, why am I a snob or a sneak ? I don' t

t el l t he mast er I have l ear nt i t . He' s got t o

118 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

f i nd out whet her I have or not : what ' s he pai d

f or ? I f he cal l s me up and I get f l oor ed, he

makes me wr i t e i t out i n Gr eek and Engl i sh.

Yer y good, he' s caught me, and I don' t gr umbl e,

I gr ant you, i f I go and sni vel t o hi m, and t el l

hi m I ' ve r eal l y t r i ed t o l ear n i t but f ound i t so

har d wi t hout a t r ansl at i on, or say I ' ve had a

Page 61 of 96

t oot hache or any humbug of t hat ki nd, I ' m a

snob. That ' s my school mor al i t y; i t ' s ser ved

me, and you t oo, Tom, f or t he mat t er of t hat ,

t hese f i ve year s. And i t s al l cl ear and f ai r no

mi st ake about i t . We under st aand i t , and t hey

under st and i t , and I don' t know what we' r e t o

come t o wi t h any ot her .

Tom l ooked at hi m, pl eased, and a l i t t l e puz-

zl ed. He had never hear d East speak hi s mi nd

ser i ousl y bef or e, and coul dn' t hel p f eel i ng how

compl et el y he had hi t hi s own t heor y and

pr act i ce up t o t hat t i me.

" Thank you, ol d f el l ow, " sai d he. " You' r e a

good ol d br i ck t o be ser i ous, and not put out

wi t h me. I sai d mor e t han I meant , I dar e

say, onl y you see I know I ' m r i ght : what ever

you and Gower and t he r est do, I shal l hol d on

— I must . And as i t ' s al l new and an up- hi l l

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 119

game, you see, one must hi t har d and hol d on

t i ght at f i r st . "

' Ver y good, " sai d East ; hol d on and hi t away

onl y don' t hi t under t he l i ne. "

' ' But I must br i ng you over , Har r y, or I

shan' t be comf or t abl e. Now I al l ow al l you' ve

sai d. We' ve al ways been honor abl e enemi es

wi t h t he mast er s. We f ound a st at e of war

when we came, and went i nt o i t of cour se.

Onl y don' t you t hi nk t hi ngs ar e al t er ed a good

deal ? I don' t f eel as I used t o t he mast er s.

They seem t o me t o t r eat one qui t e di f f er ent l y. "

' ' Yes, per haps t hey do, " sai d East ; t her e' s a

new set you see, most l y, who don' t f eel qui t e sur e

of t hemsel ves yet . They don' t want t o f i ght t i l l

t hey know t he gr ound. "

" I don' t t hi nk i t ' s onl y t hat , " sai d Tom.

" And t hen t he Doct or , he does t r eat one so

openl y, and l i ke a gent l eman, and as i f one was

wor ki ng wi t h hi m. "

" Wel l , so he does, " sai d East ; " he' s a spl en-

di d f el l ow, and when I get i nt o t he si xt h I shal l

act accor di ngl y. Onl y you know he has not h-

i ng t o do wi t h our l essons now, except exam-

i ni ng us. I say t hough, " l ooki ng at hi s wat ch,

" i t ' s j ust t he quar t er . Come al ong. "

120 BROWN AND MI TUUR.

As t hey wal ked out t hey got a message, t o say

' t hat Ar t hur was j ust st ar t i ng and woul d l i ke

t o say good- bye ; so t hey went down t o t he pr i -

Page 62 of 96

vat e ent r ance of t he school - house, and f ound an

open car r i age, wi t h Ar t hur pr opped up wdt h pi l -

l ows i n i t , l ooki ng al r eady bet t er , Tom t hought .

They j umped up on t o t he st eps t o shake

hands wi t h hi m, and Tom mumbl ed t hanks f or

t he pr esent s he had f ound i n hi s st udy, and

l ooked r ound anxi ousl y f or Ar t hur ' s mot her .

East , who had f al l en back i nt o hi s usual

humour , l ooked quai nt l y at Ar t hur and sai d —

" So you' ve been at i t agai n, t hr ough t hat hot -

headed conver t of your s t her e. He' s been

maki ng our l i ves a bur t hen t o us al l t he mor ni ng

about usi ng cr i bs. I shal l get f l oor ed t o a cer -

t ai nt y at second l esson, i f I ' m cal l ed up. "

Ar t hur bl ushed and l ooked down. Tom

st r uck i n —

" Oh, i t ' s al l r i ght . He' s conver t ed al r eady ;

he al ways comes t hr ough t he mud af t er us,

gr umbl i ng and sput t er i ng. "

The cl ock st r uck and t hey had t o go of f t o

school , wi shi ng Ar t hur a pl easant hol i day ; Tom

l i nger i ng behi nd a moment t o send hi s t hanks

and l ove t o Ar t hur ' s mot her .

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 121

Tom r enewed t he di scussi on af t er second l es-

son, and succeeded so f ar as t o get East t o pr o-

mi se t o gi ve t he new pl an a f ai r t r i al .

Encour aged by hi s success, i n t he eveni ng,

when t hey wer e si t t i ng al one i n t he l ar ge st ud} ' ' ,

wher e East l i ved now al most , ' vi ce Ar t hur on

l eave, ' af t er exami ni ng t he new f i shi ng- r od, whi ch

bot h pr onounced t o be t he genui ne ar t i cl e, ( ' pl ay

enough t o t hr ow a mi dge t i ed on a si ngl e hai r

ao^ ai nst t he wi nd, and st r ens: t h enous^ h t o hol d

a gr ampus, ' ) t hey nat ur al l y began t al ki ng about

Ar t hur . Tom, who was st i l l bubbl i ng over

wi t h l ast ni ght ' s scene and al l t he t hought s of

t he l ast week, and want i ng t o cl i nch and f i x t he

whol e i n hi s own mi nd, whi ch he coal d never

do wi t hout f i r st goi ng t hr ough t he pr ocess of

bel abour i ng somebody el se wi t h i t al l , suddenl y

r ushed i nt o t he subj ect of Ar t hur ^ s i l l ness, and

what he had sai d about deat h.

East had gi ven hi m t he desi r ed openi ng, af t er

a ser i o- comi c gr umbl e, " t hat l i f e wasn' t wor t h

havi ng now t hey wer e t i ed t o a young beggar

who was al ways ' r ai si ng hi s st andar d; ' and

t hat he. East , was l i ke a pr ophet ' s donkey, who

Page 63 of 96

was obl i ged t o st r uggl e on af t er t he donkey- man

who went af t er t he pr ophet ; t hat he had none

6f

122 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

of t l i e pl easur e of st ar t i ng t he new cr ot chet s,

and di dn' t hal f under st and t hem, but had t o

t ake t he ki cks, and car r y t he l uggage as i f he

had al l t he f un, " he t hr ew hi s l egs up on t o t he

sof a, and put hi s hands behi nd hi s head, and

sai d —

' ' Wel l , af t er al l , he' s t he most wonder f ul l i t t l e

f el l ow I ever came acr oss. Ther e ai n' t such a

meek, humbl e boy i n t he school . Hanged i f I

don' t t hi nk now r eal l y, Tom, t hat he bel i eves

hi msel f a much wor se f el l ow t han you or I , and

t hat he don' t t hi nk he has mor e i nf l uence i n t he

house t han Dot Bowl es, who came l ast quar t er ,

and ai n' t t en yet . But he t ur ns you and me

r ound hi s l i t t l e f i nger , ol d boy — t her e' s no mi s-

t ake about t hat . " And East nodded at Tom

sagaci ousl y,

' ' Now or never , " t hought Tom; so shut t i ng

hi s eyes and har deni ng hi s hear t , he went st r ai ght

at i t , r epeat i ng al l t hat Ar t hur had sai d, as near

as he coul d r emember i t , i n t he ver y wor ds, and

al l he hi msel f had t hought . The l i f e seemed t o

ooze out of i t as he went on, and sever al t i mes

he f el t i ncl i ned t o st op, gi ve i t al l up, and change

t he subj ect . But somehow he was bor ne on; he

had a necessi t y upon hi m t o speak i t al l out ,

BROWN AND AUTHUR. 123

and di d so. At t he end l i e l ooked at East wi t h

some anxi et y, and was del i ght ed t o see t hat t hat

young gent l eman was t hought f ul and at t ent i ve.

The f act i s, t hat i n t he st age of hi s i nner l i f e at

whi ch Tom had l at el y ar r i ved, hi s i nt i macy wi t h,

and f r i endshi p f or East , coul d not have l ast ed i f

he had not made hi m awar e of , and a shar er i n,

t he t hought s t hat wer e begi nni ng t o exer ci se

hi m. Nor i ndeed coul d t he f r i endshi p have

l ast ed i f East had shown no sympat hy wi t h

t hese t hought s ; so t hat i t was a gr eat r el i ef t o

have unbosomed hi msel f , and t o have f ound t hat

hi s f r i end coul d l i st en.

Tom had al ways had a sor t of i nst i nct t hat

East ' s l evi t y was onl y ski n- deep, and t hi s i nst i nct

was a t r ue one. East had no want of r ever ence

f or anyt hi ng he f el t t o be r eal ; but hi s was one

of t hose nat ur es t hat bur st i nt o what i s gene-

r al l y cal l ed r eckl essness and i mpi et y t he moment

t hey f eel t hat anyt hi ng i s bei ng pour ed upon

Page 64 of 96

t hem f or t hei r good, whi ch does not come home

t o t hei r i nbor n sense of r i ght , or whi ch appeal s

t o anyt hi ng l i ke sel f - i nt er est i n t hem. Dar i ng

and honest by nat ur e, and out - spoken t o an ex-

t ent whi ch al ar med al l r espect abi l i t i es, wi t h a

const ant f und of ani mal heal t h and spi r i t s whi ch

124 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

l i e di d not f eel bound t o cur b i n any way, l i e

had gai ned f or hi msel f , wi t h t he st eady par t of

t he school , ( i ncl udi ng as wel l t hose who wi shed

t o appear st eady as t hose who r eal l y wer e so, )

t he char act er of a boy whom i t woul d be dan-

ger ous t o be i nt i mat e wi t h ; whi l e hi s own hat r ed

of ever y t hi ng cr uel , or under hand, or f al se,

and hi s hear t y r espect f or what he coul d see t o

be good and t r ue, kept of f t he r est . /

Tom, besi des bei ng ver y l i ke East i n many

poi nt s of char act er , had l ar gel y devel oped i n hi s

composi t i on t he capaci t y f or t aki ng t he weakest

si de. Thi s i s not put t i ng i t st r ongl y enough, i t

was a necessi t y wi t h hi m, he coul dn' t hel p i t , any

mor e t han he coul d eat i ng or dr i nki ng. He

coul d never pl ay on t he st r ongest si de wi t h any

hear t at f oot bal l or cr i cket , and was sur e t o

make f r i ends wi t h any boy who was unpopul ar ,

or down on hi s l uck.

Now, t hough East was not what i s gener al l y

cal l ed unpopul ar , Tom f el t mor e and mor e ever y

day, as t hei r char act er s devel oped, t hat he st ood

al one, and di d not make f r i ends among t hei r

cont empor ar i es; and t her ef or e sought hi m out .

Tom was hi msel f much mor e popul ar , f or hi s

power of det ect i ng humbug was much l ess acut e,

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 125

and Ms i nst i nct s wer e much mor e soci abl e. He

was at t hi s per i od of hi s l i f e, t oo, l ar gel y gi ven

t o t aki ng peopl e f or what t hey gave t hem-

sel ves out t o be; but hi s si ngl eness of hear t ,

f ear l essness, and honest y, wer e j ust what East

appr eci at ed, and t hus t he t wo had been dr awn

i nt o gr eat i nt i macy.

Thi s i nt i macy had not been i nt er r upt ed by

Tom' s guar di anshi p of Ar t hur .

East had of t en, as has been sai d, j oi ned t hem

i n r eadi ng t he Bi bl e ; but t hei r di scussi ons had

al most al ways t ur ned upon t he char act er s of t he

men and w^ omen of whom t hey r ead, and not

become per sonal t o t hemsel ves. I n f act , t he

t wo had shr unk f r om per sonal , r el i gi ous di scus-

si ons, not knowi ng how i t mi ght end ; and f ear -

f ul of r i ski ng a f r i endshi p ver y dear t o bot h,

and whi ch t hey f el t somehow, wi t hout qui t e

Page 65 of 96

knowi ng why, woul d never be t he same, but

ei t her t enf ol d st r onger or sapped at i t s f ounda-

t i on, af t er such a communi ng t oget her .

What a bot her al l t hi s expl ai ni ng i s ! I wi sh

we coul d get on wi t hout i t . But we can' t . How-

ever , you' l l al l f i nd, i f you haven' t f ound i t

al r eady, t hat a t i me comes i n ever y human f r i end-

shi p, when you must go down i nt o t he dept hs

126 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

of your sel f , and l ay bar e what i s t her e t o your

f r i end, and wai t i n f ear f or hi s answer . A f ew

moment s may do i t ; and, i t may be ( most l i kel y

wi l l be, as you ar e Engl i sh boys) , t hat you never

do i t but once. But done i t must be, i f t he

f r i endshi p i s t o be wor t h t he name, you must

f i nd what i s t her e, at t he ver y r oot and bot t om

of one anot her ' s hear t s ; and i f you ar e at one

t her e, not hi ng on ear t h can, or at l east ought , t o

sunder you.

East had r emai ned l yi ng down unt i l Tom

f i ni shed speaki ng, as i f f ear i ng t o i nt er r upt hi m ;

he now sat up at t he t abl e and l eant hi s head on

one hand, t aki ng up a penci l wi t h t he ot her and

wor ki ng l i t t l e hol es wi t h i t i n t he t abl e- cover .

Af t er a bi t he l ooked up, st opped t he penci l ,

and sai d, " Thank you ver y much, ol d f el l ow;

t her e' s no ot her boy i n t he house woul d have

done i t f or me but you or Ar t hur . I can see

wel l enough, " he went on af t er a pause, " al l t he

best bi g f el l ows l ook on me wi t h suspi ci on ; t hey

t hi nk I ' m a devi l - may- car e r eckl ess young scamp

— so I am — el even hour s out of t wel ve — but

not t he t wel f t h. Then al l of our cont empor ar i es

wor t h knowi ng, f ol l ow sui t of cour se; we' r e

ver y good f r i ends at games and al l t hat , but not

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 12Y

a soul of t l i em but you and Ar t hur ever t r i ed t o

br eak t l i r ongl i t he cr ust , and see whet her t her e

was any t hi ng at t he bot t om of mej and t hen

t he bad ones, I won' t st and, and t hey know t hat . "

" Don' t you t hi nk t hat ' s hal f f ancy, Har r y?"

" Not a bi t of i t , " sai d East , bi t t er l y, peggi ng

away wi t h hi s penci l . " I see i t al l pl ai n enough.

Bl ess you, you t hi nk ever ybody' s as st r ai ght -

f or war d and ki nd- hear t ed as you ar e. "

' ' Wel l , but what ' s t he r eason of i t ? Ther e

must be a r eason. You can pl ay al l t he games

as wel l as any one, and si ng t he best song, and

ar e t he best company i n t he house. You f ancy

you' r e not l i ked, Har r y. I t ' s al l f ancy. "

Page 66 of 96

" I onl y wi sh i t was, Tom. I know I coul d be

popul ar enough wi t h al l t he bad ones, but t hat

I won' t have, and t he good ones won' t have me. "

" Why not ?, " per si st ed Tom; " you don' t dr i nk

or swear , or get out at ni ght ; you never bul l y,

or cheat at l essons. I f you onl y showed you

l i ked i t , you' d have al l t he best f el l ows i n t he

house r unni ng af t er you. "

" Not I , " sai d East . Then wi t h an ef f or t he

went on, " I ' l l t el l you what i t i s. I never st op

t he Sacr ament . I can see f r om t he Doct or down

war dS; how t hat t el l s agai nst me. "

128 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Yes I ' ve seen t hat , " sai d Tom, " and I ' ve

been ver y sor r y f or i t , and Ar t hur and I have

t al ked about i t . I ' ve of t en t hought of speaki ng

t o you, but i t ' s so har d t o begi n on such subj ect s.

I ' m ver y gl ad you' ve opened i t . Now, why don' t

you?"

* ' I ' ve never been conf i r med, " sai d East .

" Not been conf i r med ! " sai d, Tom i n as-

t oni shment . I never t hought of t hat . Why

wer en' t you conf i r med wi t h t he r est of us near l y

t hr ee year s ago ? I al ways t hought you' d been

conf i r med at home. "

" No, " answer ed East , sor r owf ul l y; you see

t hi s was how i t happened. Last Conf i r mat i on

was soon af t er Ar t hur came, and you wer e so

t aken up wi t h hi m, I har dl y saw ei t her of you.

Wel l , when t he Doct or sent r ound f or us about

i t , I was l i vi ng most l y wi t h Gr een' s set — you

know t he sor t . They al l went i n — I dar e say

i t was al l r i ght , and t hey got good by i t ; I don' t

want t o j udge t hem. Onl y al l I coul d see of

t hei r r easons dr ove me j ust t he ot her way. ' T was,

' because t he Doct or l i ked i t ; ' ' no boy got on

who di d' nt st ay t he Sacr ament ; ' i t was ' t he

cor r ect t hi ng, ' i n f act , l i ke havi ng a good hat t o

wear on Sundays. I coul dn' t st and i t . I di dn' t

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 129

f eel t hat I want ed t o l ead a di f f er ent l i f e, I was

ver y wel l cont ent as I was, and I wasn' t goi ng

t o sham r el i gi ous t o cur r y f avour wi t h t he Doc-

t or , or any one el se. "

East st opped speaki ng, and pegged away mor e

di l i gent l y t han ever wi t h hi s penci l . Tom

was r eady t o cr y. He f el t hal f sor r y at f i r st

t hat he had been conf i r med hi msel f He seemed

t o have deser t ed hi s ear l i est f r i end, t o have l ef t

hi m by hi msel f at hi s wor st need f or t hose l ong

Page 67 of 96

year s. He got up and went and sat by East ,

and put hi s ar m over hi s shoul der .

' ' Dear ol d boy, " he sai d, " how car el ess and

sel f i sh I ' ve been. But why di dn' t you come

and t al k t o Ar t hur and me ?"

" I wi sh t o heaven I had, " sai d East , " but I

was a f ool . I t ' s t oo l at e t al ki ng of i t now. "

" Why t oo l at e ? You want t o be conf i r med

now, don' t you ?"

" I t hi nk so, " sai d East . ' ' I ' ve t hought about

i t a good deal ; onl y of t en I f ancy I must be

changi ng, because I see i t ' s t o do me good her e,

j ust what st opped me l ast t i me. And t hen I go

back agai n. "

" I ' l l t el l you now how ' t was wi t h me, " sai d

Tom, war ml y. " I f i t hadn' t been f or Ar t hur , I

6*

/

130 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

shoul d have done j ust as you di d. I l i ope I

shoul d. I honour you f or i t . But t hen he

made i t out j ust as i f i t was t aki ng t he weak

si de bef or e al l t he wor l d — gc>i j i g i no^ ce f or al l

agai nst ever y t hi ng t hat ' s st r ong and r i ch and

pr oud and r espect abl e, a l i t t l e band of br ot her s

agai nst t he whol e wor l d. And t he Doct or

seemed t o say so t oo, onl y he sai d a gr eat deal

" Ah, " gr oaned East , " but t her e agai n, t hat ' s

j ust anot her of my di f f i cul t i es whenever I t hi nk

about t he mat t er . I don' t want t o be one of

your sai nt s, one of your el ect , what ever t he

r i ght phr ase i s. My sympat hi es ar e al l t he

ot her way ; wi t h t he many, t he poor devi l s who

r un about t he st r eet s, and don' t go t o chur ch.

Don' t st ar e, Tom ; mi nd I ' m t el l i ng you al l t hat ' s

i n my hear t — as f ar as I know i t — but i t s al l a

muddl e. You must be gent l e wi t h me i f you

want t o l and me. Now I ' ve seen a gr eat deal

of t hi s sor t of r el i gi on, I was br ed up i n i t , and

I can' t st and i t . I f ni net een- t went i et hs of t he

wor l d ar e t o be l ef t t o uncovenant ed mer ci es,

and t hat sor t of t hi ng, whi ch means i n pl ai n

Engl i sh t o go t o hel l , and t he ot her t went i et h

ar e t o r ej oi ce at i t al l , why — "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 131

Page 68 of 96

' ' Oi l ! but , Har r y, t hey ai n' t , t hey dont , " br oke

i n Tom, r eal l y shocked. " Oh, how I wi sh

Ar t hur hadn' t gone! I ' m such a f ool about

t hese t hi ngs. But i t ' s al l you want t oo. East ,

i t i s i ndeed. I t cut s bot h ways somehow, bei ng

conf i r med and t aki ng t he Sacr ament . I t makes

you f eel on t he si de of al l t he good and al l

t he bad t oo, of ever ybody i n t he wor l d. Onl y

t her e' s some gr eat , dar k, st r ong power , whi ch i s

cr ushi ng you and ever ybody el se. That ' s what

Chr i st conquer ed, and we' ve got t o f i ght . What

a f ool I am ! I can' t expl ai n. I f Ar t hur wer e

onl y her e ! "

' ' I begi n t o get a gl i mmer i ng of what you

mean, " sai d East .

" I say now, " sai d Tom eager l y, " do you r e-

member how we bot h hat ed Fl ashman ?" i ^

" Of cour se I do, " sai d East ; " I hat e hi m st i l l .

What t hen ?

" Wel l , when I came t o t ake t he Sacr ament , I

had a gr eat st r uggl e about t hat . I t r i ed t o put

hi m out of my head; and when I coul dn' t do

t hat , I t r i ed t o t hi nk of hi m as evi l , as some-

t hi ng t hat t he Lor d who was l ovi ng me hat ed,

and whi ch I mi ght hat e t oo. But i t woul dn' t

do. I br oke down; I bel i eve Chr i st hi msel f

132 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

' br oke me down; and when t i i e Doct or gave me

t l i e br ead and wi ne, and l eant over me pr ayi ng,

I pr ayed f or poor Fl ashman as i f i t had been

you or Ar t hur . "

East bur i ed hi s f ace i n hi s hands on t he t abl e.

Tom coul d f eel t he t abl e t r embl e. At l ast he

l ooked up. " Thank you agai n, Tom, " sai d he;

" you don' t know what you may have done f or

me t o ni ght . I t hi nk I see now how t he r i ght

sor t of sympat hy wi t h poor devi l s i s got at . "

" And you' l l st op t he Sacr ament next t i me

won' t you ?" sai d Tom.

" Can I bef or e I ' m conf i r med ?, '

" Go and ask t he Doct or . "

" I wi l l . "

That ver y ni ght af t er " pr ayer s, East f ol l owed

t he Doct or and t he ol d Yer ger , bear i ng t he can-

dl e, up st ai r s. Tom wat ched, and saw t he

Doct or t ur n r ound when he hear d f oot st eps f ol -

l owi ng hi m cl oser t han usual , and say, - ' Hah,

East ! Do you want t o speak t o me, my man ?"

Page 69 of 96

" I f you pl ease, si r ; " and t he pr i vat e door

cl osed, and Tom went t o hi s st udy i n a st at e of

gr eat t r oubl e of mi nd.

I t was al most an hour bef or e East came back ;

t hen he r ushed i n br eat hl ess.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 133

" Wel l , i t ' s al l r i ght , " l i e shout ed, sei zi ng Tom*

by t he hand. " I f eel as i f a t on wei ght wer e

of f my mi nd. "

" Hur r ah, " sai d Tom ; " I knew i t woul d be, but

t el l us al l about i t . "

" Wel l , I j ust t ol d hi m al l about i t . You

can' t t hi nk how ki nd and gent l e he was, t he

gr eat gr i m man, whom I ' ve f ear ed mor e t han

anybody on ear t h. When I st uck, he l i f t ed me,

j ust as i f I ' d been a l i t t l e chi l d. And he seemed

t o know al l I ' d f el t , and t o have gone t hr ough

i t al l . And I bur st out cr yi ng — mor e t han I ' ve

done t hi s f i ve year s, and he sat down by me,

and st r oked my head ; and I went bl under i ng

. on, and t ol d hi m al l ; much wor se t hi ngs t han

I ' ve t ol d you. And he wasn' t shocked a bi t ,

and di dn' t snub me, or t el l me I was a f ool , and

i t was al l not hi ng but pr i de or wi ckedness,

t hough I dar e say i t was. And he di dn' t t el l

me not t o f ol l ow out my t hought s, and he di dn' t

gi ve me any cut - and- dr i ed expl anat i on. But

when I ' d done he j ust t al ked a bi t , I can har dl y

r emember what he sai d, yet ; but i t seemed t o

spr ead r ound me l i ke heal i ng, and st r engt h, and

l i ght ; and t o bear me up, and pl ant me on a

r ock; wher e I coul d hol d my f oot i ng and f i ght

134 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

f or mysel f . I don' t know wl i at t o do, I f eel so

happy. And i t ' s al l owi ng t o you, dear ol d

boy ! " and he si ezed Tom' s hand agai n.

" And you' r e t o come t o t he Communi on?"

sai d Tom.

" Yes, and t o be conf i r med i n t he hol i days. "

Tom' s del i ght was as gr eat as hi s f r i end' s.

But he hadn' t yet had out al l hi s own t al k, and was

bent on i mpr ovi ng t he occasi on : so he pr oceeded

t o pr opound Ar t hur ' s t heor y about not bei ng

sor r y f or hi s f r i ends' deat hs, whi ch he had

hi t her t o kept i n t he backgr ound, and by whi ch

he was much exer ci sed; f or he di dn' t f eel i t

honest t o t ake what pl eased hi m and t l i r ow over

t he r est , and was t r yi ng vi gor ousl y t o per suade

hi msel f t hat he shoul d l i ke al l hi s best f r i ends

t o di e of f - hand.

Page 70 of 96

But East ' s power s of r emai ni ng ser i ous wer e

exhaust ed, and i n f i ve mi nut es he was sayi ng

t he most r i di cul ous t hi ngs he coul d t hi nk of ,

t i l l Tom was al most get t i ng angr y agai n.

Despi t e of hi msel f ) however , he coul dn' t hel p

l aughi ng and gi vi ng i t up, when East appeal ed

t o hi m " Wel l , Tom, you ai n' t goi ng t o punch

my head because I i nsi st upon bei ng sor r y when

you go t o ear t h ?"

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 135

And so t hei r t al k f i ni shed f or t hat t i me, and

t hey t r i ed t o l ear n f i r st l esson ; wi t h ver y poor

success, as appear ed next mor ni ng, when t hey

wer e cal l ed up, and nar r owl y escaped bei ng

f l oor ed, whi ch i l l - l uck, however , di d not si t

heavi l y on ei t her of t hei r soul s.

k

k

CEAPTER YI L

TOM br own' s l ast MATCH.

" Heaven gr ant t he manl i er hear t , t hat t i mel y, er e

Yout h f l y, wi t h l i f e' s r eal t empest woul d be copi ng;

The f r ui t of dr eamy hopi ng

I s, waki ng, bl ank despai r . "

Cl ocqh. Amhar val i a.

The cur t ai n now r i ses upon t he l ast act of

our l i t t l e dr ama — f or har d- l i ear t ed publ i sher s

war n me t hat a si ngl e vol ume must of necessi t y

have an end. Wel l , wel l ! t he pl easant est t hi ngs

must come t o an end. I l i t t l e t houo^ ht l ast I ons:

vacat i on, when I began t hese pages t o hel p

whi l e away some spar e t i me at a wat er i ng- pl ace,

how vi vi dl y many an ol d scene, whi ch had l ai n

hi d away f or year s i n some dust y ol d cor ner of

my br ai n, woul d come back agai n, and st and

bef or e me as cl ear and br i ght , as i f i t had hap-

pened yest er day. The book has been a most

gr at ef ul t ask t o me, and I onl y hope t hat al l

you, my dear young f r i ends, who r ead i t , ( f r i ends

assur edl y you must be, i f you get as f ar as t hi s, )

wi l l be hal f as sor r y t o come t o t he l ast st age as

I am.

Not but what t her e has been a sol emn and a

136

Page 71 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 13Y

sad si de t o i t . " As t l i e ol d scenes became l i vi ng,

and t he act or s i n t l i em became l i vi ng t oo, many

a gr ave i n t he Cr i mea and di st ant I ndi a, as wel l

as i n t he qui et chur chyar ds of our dear ol d

count r y, seemed t o open and send f or t h t hei r

dead, and t hei r voi ces and l ooks and ways wer e

agai n i n one' s ear s and eyes, as i n t he ol d school -

days. But t hi s was not sad; how shoul d i t be,

i f we bel i eve as our Lor d has t aught us ? How

shoul d i t be, when one mor e t ur n of t he wheel ,

and we shal l be by t hei r si des agai n, l ear ni ng

f r om t hem agai n, per haps, as we di d when we

wer e new boys ?

Then t her e wer e ot her s of t he ol d f aces so dear

t o us once, who had somehow or anot her j ust

gone cl ean out of si ght — ar e t hey dead or l i vi ng ?

We know not , but t he t hought of t hem br i ngs

no sadness wi t h i t . Wher ever t hey ar e, we can

wel l bel i eve t hey ar e doi ng God' s wor k and

get t i ng Hi s wages.

But ar e t her e not some, whom we st i l l see

somet i mes i n t he st r eet s, whose homes and

haunt s we know, whom we coul d pr obabl y f i nd

al most any day i n t he week i f we wer e set t o

do i t , yet f r om whom we ar e r eal l y f ar t her t han

we ar e f r om t he dead, and f r om t hose who have

2p

138 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

gone out of our ken? Yes, t her e ar e and must

be sucl i ; and t her ei n l i es t he sadness of ol d

school memor i es. Yet of t hese our ol d comr ades,

f r om whom mor e t han t i me and space separ at e us,

t her e ar e some, by whose si des we can f eel sur e

t hat we shal l st and agai n when t i me shal l be no

mor e. We may t hi nk o^ one anot her now as

danger ous f anat i cs or nar r ow bi got s, wi t h whom ^

no t r uce i s possi bl e, f r om whom we shal l onl y

sever mor e and mor e t o t he end of our l i ves,

whom i t woul d be our r espect i ve dut i es t o i m-

pr i son or hang, i f we had t he power . We must

go our way, and t hey t hei r s, as l ong as f l esh and

spi r i t hol d t oget her ; but l et our own Kugby

poet speak wor ds of heal i ng f or t hi s t r i al :

" To veer how vai n! on, onwar d st r ai n,

Br ave bar ks ! i n l i ght , i n dar kness t oo;

Thr ough wi nds and t i des, one compass gui des,

To t hat , and your own sel ves, be t r ue.

But , bl i t he br eeze ! and gr eat seas.

Though ne' er t hat ear l i est par t i ng past ,

On your wi de pl ai n t hey j oi n agai n,

Page 72 of 96

Toget her l ead t hem home at l ast .

One por t , met hought , al i ke t hey sought ,

One pur pose hol d wher e' er t hey f ar e.

boundi ng br eeze, r ushi ng seas !

At l ast , at l ast , uni t e t hem t her e ! " *

* CLOUGn. Ambar val i a.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 139

Thi s i s not mer e l ongi ng, i t i s a pr ophecy. So

over t hese t oo, our ol d f r i ends who ar e f r i ends

no mor e, we sor r ow not as men wi t hout hope.

I t i s onl y f or t hose who seem t o us t o have l ost

compass and pur pose, and t o be dr i f t i ng hel p-

l essl y on r ocks and qui cksands ; whose l i ves ar e

spent i n t he ser vi ce of t he wor l d, t he f l esh and

t he devi l ; f or sel f al one, and not f or t hei r f el l ow-

men, t hei r count r y, or t hei r God, t hat we must

mour n and pr ay wi t hout sur e hope and wi t hout

l i ght ; t r ust i ng onl y t hat He, i n whose hands

t hey as wel l as we ar e, who has di ed f or t hem as

wel l as f or us, who sees al l Hi s cr eat ur es

" Wi t h l ar ger , ot her eyes t han our s,

To make al l owance f or us al l , "

wi l l , i n Hi s own way and at Hi s own t i me, l ead

t hem al so home.

Anot her t wo year s have passed, and i t i s

agai n t he end of t he summer hal f - year at Rugby ;

i n f act ; t he school has br oken up. The f i f t h-

f or m exami nat i ons wer e over l ast week, and

upon t hem have f ol l owed t he speeches, and t he

si xt h- f or m exami nat i ons f or exhi bi t i ons; and

t hey t oo, ar e over now. The boys have gone

t o al l t he - wi nds of heaven, except t he t own

140 BROWN AND ARTHUR,

boys and t l i e el even, and t he f ew ent husi ast s

besi des who have asked l eave t o st ay i n t hei r

houses t o see t he r esul t of t he cr i cket mat ches.

For t hi s year t he Wel l esbur n r et ur n mat ch and

t he Mar yl ebone mat ch ar e pl ayed at Rugby, t o

t he gr eat del i ght of t he t own and nei ghbour -

hood, and t he sor r ow of t hose aspi r i ng young

cr i cket er s who have been r eckoni ng f or t he l ast

t hr ee mont hs on showi ng of f at Lor ds' gr ound.

The Doct or st ar t ed f or t he l akes yest er day

mor ni ng, af t er an i nt er vi ew wi t h t he capt ai n of

t he el even, i n t he pr esence of Thomas, at whi ch

he ar r anged i n what school t he cr i cket di nner s

wer e t o be, and al l ot her mat t er s necessar y f or

t he sat i sf act or y car r yi ng out of t he f est i vi t i es;

and war ned t hem as t o keepi ng al l spi r i t uous

Page 73 of 96

l i quor s out of t he cl ose, and havi ng t he gat es

cl osed by ni ne o' cl ock.

The Wel l esbur n mat ch was pl ayed out wi t h

gr eat success yest er day, t he school wi nni ng by

t hr ee wi cket s ; and t o- day t he gr eat event of t he

cr i cket i ng year , t he Mar yl ebone mat ch, i s bei ng

pl ayed. What a mat ch i t has been! The Lon-

don el even came down by an af t er noon t r ai n

yest er day, i n t i me t o see t he end of t he " Wel l es -

bur n mat ch ; and as soon as i t was over , t hei r

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 141

l eadi ng men and umpi r e i nspect ed t l i e gr ound,

cr i t i ci zi ng i t r at her unmer ci f ul l y. The capt ai n

of t he school el even, and one or t wo ot her s, who

had pl ayed t he Lor ds' mat ch bef or e and knew

ol d Mr . Ai sl ebi e and sever al of t he Lor ds' men,

accompani ed t hem; whi l e t he r est of t he el even

l ooked on f r om under t he Thr ee Tr ees wi t h

admi r i ng eyes, and asked one anot her t he names

of t he i l l ust r i ous st r anger s, and r ecount ed how

many r uns each of t hem had made i n t he l at e

mat ches i n Bel l ' s Li f e. They l ooked such har d-

bi t t en, wi r y, whi sker ed f el l ows, t hat t hei r young

adver sar i es f el t r at her despondi ng as t o t he

r esul t of t he mor r ow' s mat ch. The gr ound was

at l ast chosen, and t wo men set t o wor k upon i t

t o wat er and r ol l ; and t hen, t her e bei ng yet

some hal f - hour of dayl i ght , some one had sug-

gest ed a dance on t he t ur f . The cl ose was hal f

f ul l of ci t i zens and t hei r f ami l i es, and t he i dea

was hai l ed wi t h ent husi asm. The cor nopean

pl ayer was st i l l on t he gr ound. I n f i ve mi nut es

t he el even and hal f - a- dozen of t he Wel l esbur n

and Mar yl ebone men got par t ner s somehow or an-

ot her , and a mer r y count r y dance was goi ng on, t o

whi ch ever y one f l ocked, and new coupl es j oi ned

i n ever y mi nut e, t i l l t her e wer e a hundr ed of

142 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

t hem goi ng down t he mi ddl e and up agai n —

and t he l ong l i ne of school - bui l di ngs l ooked

gr avel y do^ vn on t hem, ever y wi ndow gl owi ng

wi t h t he l ast r ays of t he west er n sun, and t he

r ooks cl anged about i n t he t ops of t he ol d el ms,

gr eat l y exci t ed and r esol ved on havi ng t hei r

count r y dance t oo, and t he gr eat f l ag f l apped

l azi l y i n t he gent l e west er n br eeze. Al t oget her ,

i t was a si ght whi ch woul d have made gl ad t he

hear t of our br ave ol d f ounder , Lawr ence Sher i f f ,

i f he wer e hal f as good a f el l ow as I t ake hi m

t o have been. I t was a cheer f ul si ght t o see ;

but what made i t so val uabl e i n t he si ght of t he

capt ai n of t he school el even was, t hat he t her e

saw hi s young hands shaki ng of f t hei r shyness

and awe of t he Lor ds' men, as t hey cr ossed

hands and caper ed about on t he gr ass t oget her ;

Page 74 of 96

f or t he st r anger s ent er ed i nt o i t al l , and t hr ew

away t hei r ci gar s, and danced and shout ed l i ke

boys ; whi l e ol d Mr . Ai sl ebi e st ood by l ooki ng

on, i n hi s whi t e hat , l eani ng on a bat , i n benevo-

l ent enj oyment . " Thi s hop wi l l be wor t h t hi r t y

r uns t o us t o- mor r ow, and wi l l be t he maki ng

of Haggl es and Johnson, " t hi nks t he young

l eader , as he r evol ves many t hi ngs i n hi s mi nd,

st andi ng by t he si de of Mr . Ai sl ebi e, whom he

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 143

wi l l not l eave f or a mi i mt e; f or he f eel s t hat t he

char act er of t he school f or cour t esy i s r est i ng on

hi s shoul der s.

But when a quar t er t o ni ne st r uck, and he

saw ol d Thomas begi nni ng t o f i dget about wi t h

t he keys i n hi s hand, he t hought of t he Doct or ' s

par t i ng moni t i on, and st opped t he cor nopean at

once, not wi t hst andi ng t he l oud- voi ced r emon-

st r ances f r om al l si des ; and t he cr owd scat t er ed

away f r om t he cl ose, t he el even al l goi ng i nt o

t he school - house, wher e supper and beds wer e

pr ovi ded f or t hem by t he Doct or ' s or der s.

Deep had been t he consul t at i ons at supper as

t o t he or der of goi ng i n, who shoul d bowl t he

f i r st over , whet her i t woul d be best t o pl ay

st eady or f r eel y ; and t he youngest hands de-

cl ar ed t hat t hey shoul dn' t be a bi t ner vous, and

pr ai sed t hei r opponent s as t he j oi l i est f el l ows i n

t he wor l d, except , per haps, t hei r ol d f r i ends t he

Wel l esbur n men. How f ar a l i t t l e good- nat ur e

f r om t hei r el der s wi l l go wi t h t he r i ght sor t of

boys !

The mor ni ng had dawned br i ght and war m,

t o t he i nt ense r el i ef of many an anxi ous young-

st er , up bet i mes t o mar k t he si gns of t he weat her .

The el even went down i n a body bef or e br eak-

I

144 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

f ast , f or a pl unge i n t he col d bat h i n t he cor ner

of t he cl ose. The gr ound was i n spl endi d or der ,

and soon af t er t en o' cl ock, bef or e spect at or s had

ar r i ved, al l was r eady, and t wo of t he Lor ds*

men t ook t hei r pl aces at t he wi cket ; t he school ,

wi t h t he usual l i ber al i t y of young hands, havi ng

put t hei r adver sar i es i n f i r st . Ol d Bai l ey st epped

up t o t he mcket , and cal l ed pl ay, and t he mat ch

has begun.

" Oh, wel l bowl ed! wel l bowl ed, Johnson! "

cr i es t he capt ai n, cat chi ng up t he bal l and send-

Page 75 of 96

i ng i t hi gh above t he r ook t r ees, whi l e t he t hi r d

Mar yl ebone man wal ks away f r om t he wi cket ,

and ol d Bai l ey gr avel y set s up t he mi ddl e st ump

agai n and put s t he bai l s on.

^' How many r uns?" Away scamper t hr ee

boys t o t he scor i ng- t abl e, and ar e back agai n i n

a mi nut e amongst t he r est of t he el even, who

ar e col l ect ed t oget her i n a knot bet ween wi cket .

" Onl y ei ght een r uns, and t hr ee wi cket s down! "

" Huzza f or ol d Kugbyl " si ng^ out Jack Hag-

gl es, t he l ong- st op, t oughest and bur l i est of boys,

commonl y cal l ed " Swi per Jack; " and f or t hwi t h

st ands on hi s head, and br andi shes hi s l egs i n

t he ai r i n t r i umph, t i l l t he next boy cat ches

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 145

hol d of hi s heel s and t hr ows hi m over on t o hi s

back.

" St eady t her e, don' t be such an ass, Jack, "

says t he capt ai n; " we haven' t got t he best

wi cket yet . Ah, l ook out now at cover - poi nt , "

adds he, as he sees a l ong- ar med, bar e- headed,

sl ashi ng- l ooki ng pl ayer comi ng t o t he wi cket .

" And, Jack, mi nd your hi t s; he st eal s mor e

r uns t han any man i n Engl and. "

And t hey al l f i nd t hat t hey have got t hei r

wor k t o do now. The new comer ' s of f - hi t t i ng

i s t r emendous, and hi s r unni ng l i ke a f l ash of

l i ght ni ng. He i s never i n hi s gr ound, except

when hi s wi cket i s down. Not hi ng i n t he whol e

game so t r yi ng t o boys; he has st ol en t hr ee

byes i n t he f i r st t en mi nut es, and Jack Eaggl es

i s f ur i ous, and begi ns t hr owi ng over savagel y t o

t he f ur t her wi cket , unt i l he i s st er nl y st opped by

t he capt ai n. I t i s al l t hat t he young gent l eman

can do t o keep hi s t eam st eady, but he knows

t hat ever y t hi ng depends on i t , and f aces hi s

wor k br avel y. The scor e cr eeps up t o f i f t y, t he

boys begi n t o l ook bl ank, and t he spect at or s,

who ar e now must er i ng st r ong, ar e ver y si l ent .

The bal l f l i es of f hi s bat t o al l par t s of t he f i el d,

and he gi ves no r est and no cat ches t o any one.

l a

146 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

But cr i ckei i s f ul l of gl or i ous chances, and t he

goddess who pr esi des over i t l oves t o br i ng down

t he most ski l f ul pl ayer s. Johnson, t he young

bowl er , i s get t i ng wi l d, and bowl s a bal l al most

wi de t o t he oi f ; t he bat t er st eps out and cut s i t

beaut i f ul l y t o wher e cover - poi nt i s st andi ng ver y

deep, i n f act , al most of f t he gr ound. The bal l

comes ski mmi ng and t wi st i ng al ong about t hr ee

f eet f r om t he gr ound. He r ushes at i t , and i t

Page 76 of 96

st i cks somehow or ot her i n t he f i nger s of hi s

l ef t hand, t o t he ut t er ast oni shment of hi msel f

and t he whol e f i el d. Such a cat ch hasn' t been

made i n t he cl ose f or year s, and t he cheer i ng i s

maddeni ng. * ' Pr et t y cr i cket , " says t he capt ai n,

t hr owi ng hi msel f on t he gr ound by t he deser t ed

wi cket wi t h a l ong br eat h ; he f eel s t hat a cr i si s

has passed.

I wi sh I had space t o descr i be t he whol e

mat ch; how t he capt ai n st umped t he next man

of f a l eg- shoot er , and bowl ed sl ow cobs t o ol d

Mr . Ai sl ebi e, who came i n f or t he l ast wi cket .

How t he Lor ds' men wer e out by hal f - past t wel ve

o' cl ock f or ni net y- ei ght r uns. How t he capt ai n

of t he school el even went i n f i r st t o gi ve hi s

men pl uck, and scor ed t went y- f i ve i n beaut i f ul

st yl e ; how Rugby was onl y f our behi nd i n t he

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 14t

f i r st i nni ngs. What a gl or i ous di nner t hey had

i n t he f our t h- f or m school , and how t he cover -

poi nt hi t t er sang t he most t oppi ng comi c songs,

and ol d Mr . Ai sl ebi e made t he best speeches t hat

ever wer e hear d, af t er war ds. But I haven' t

space, t hat ' s t he f act , and so you must f ancy i t

al l , and car r y your sel ves on t o hal f - past seven

o' cl ock, when t he school ar e agai n i n, wi t h f i ve

wi cket s down and onl y t hi r t y - t wo r uns t o make

t o wi n. The Mar yl ebone men pl ayed car el essl y

i n t hei r second i nni ngs, but t hey ar e wor ki ng

l i ke hor ses now t o save t he mat ch.

Ther e i s much heal t hy, hear t y, happy l i f e scat -

t er ed up and down t he cl ose ; but t he gr oup t o

whi ch I beg t o cal l your speci al at t ent i on i s

t her e, on t he sl ope of t he i sl and, whi ch l ooks

t owar ds t he cr i cket - gr ound. I t consi st s of t hr ee

f i gur es; t wo ar e seat ed on a bench, and one on

t he gr ound at t hei r f eet . The f i r st , a t al l , sl i ght ,

and r at her gaunt man, wi t h a bushy eyebr ow

and a dr y, humour ous smi l e, i s evi dent l y a cl er -

gyman. He i s car el essl y dr essed, and l ooks

r at her used- up, whi ch i sn' t much t o be wonder ed

at , seei ng t hat he has j ust f i ni shed si x weeks of

exami nat i on wor k; but t her e he basks, and

spr eads hi msel f out i n t he eveni ng sun, bent on

148 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

enj oyi ng l i f e, t hough he doesn' t qui t e know

what t o do wi t h hi s ar ms and l egs. Sur el y i t i s

our young f r i end t he young Mast er , whom we

have had gl i mpses of bef or e, but hi s f ace has

gai ned a gr eat deal si nce we l ast came acr oss

hi m.

And by hi s si de, i n whi t e f l annel shi r t and

t r ouser s, st r aw hat , t he capt ai n' s bel t , and t he

Page 77 of 96

unt anned yel l ow cr i cket - shoes whi ch al l t he

el even wear , si t s a st r appi ng f i gur e near si x f eet

hi gh, wi t h r uddy t anned f ace and whi sker s,

cur l y br own hai r , and a l aughi ng, danci ng eye.

He i s l eani ng f or war d, wi t h hi s el bows r est i ng

on hi s knees, and dandl i ng hi s f avour i t e bat ,

wi t h whi ch he has made t hi r t y or f or t y r uns t o-

day, i n hi s st r ong br own hands. I t i s Tom

Br own, gr own i nt o a young man ni net een year s

ol d, a pr aepost or and capt ai n of t he el even,

spendi ng hi s l ast day as a Kugby boy, and, l et

us hope, as much wi ser as he i s bi gger si nce we

l ast had t he pl easur e of comi ng acr oss hi m.

And at t hei r f eet , on t he war m, dr y gr ound,

si mi l ar l y dr essed, si t s Ar t hur , Tur ki sh- f ashi on,

wi t h hi s bat acr oss hi s knees. He, t oo, i s no

l onger a boy; l ess of a boy, i n f act , t han Tom,

i f one may j udge f r om t he t hought f ul ness of hi s

I

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 149

f ace, whi ch i s somewhat pal er , t oo, t han one

coul d wi sh; but hi s f i gur e, t hough sl i ght , i s

wel l - kni t and act i ve, and al l hi s ol d t i mi di t y has

di sappear ed, and i s r epl aced by si l ent , quai nt

f un, wi t h whi ch hi s f ace t wi nkl es al l over , as he

l i st ens t o t he br oken t al k bet ween t he ot her t wo,

i n whi ch he j oi ns ever y now and t hen.

Al l t hr ee ar e wat chi ng t he game eager l y, and

j oi ni ng i n t he cheer i ng whi ch f ol l ows ever y good

hi t . I t i s pl easi ng t o see t he easy, f r i endl y f oot -

i ng whi ch t he pupi l s ar e on wi t h t hei r mast er ,

per f ect l y r espect f ul , yet wi t h no r eser ve and

not hi ng f or ced i n t hei r i nt er cour se. Tom has

cl ear l y abandoned t he ol d t heor y of ' ^ nat ur al

enemi es" i n t hi s case, at any r at e.

But i t i s t i me t o l i st en t o what t hey ar e say -

i ng, and see what we can gat her out of i t .

* ' I don' t obj ect t o your t heor y, " says t he mas -

t er , " and I al l ow you have made a f ai r case f or

your sel f . But now, i n such books as Ar i st o-

phanes, f or i nst ance, you' ve been r eadi ng a pl ay

t hi s hal f wi t h t he Doct or , haven' t you ?"

" Yes, t he Kni ght s, " answer ed Tom.

" Wel l , I ' m sur e you woul d have enj oyed t he

wonder f ul humour of i t t wi ce as much i f you

had t aken mor e pai ns wi t h your schol ar shi p. ' *

150 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

Page 78 of 96

^' " Wel l , si r , I don' t bel i eve any boy i n t he

f or m enj oyed t he set s- t o bet ween Cl eon and

t he Sausage- sel l er mor e t han I di d — eh, Ar -

t hur ?" sai d Tom, gi vi ng hi m a st i r mt h hi s f oot .

' ' Yes, I must say he di d, " sai d Ar t hur . " I

t hi nk, si r , you' ve hi t upon t he wr ong book

t her e. "

" Not a bi t of i t , " sai d t he mast er . ' ' Why,

i n t hose ver y passages of ar ms, how can you

t hor oughl y appr eci at e t hem unl ess you ar e

mast er of t he weapons ? and t he weapons ar e

t he l anguage whi ch you. Br own, have never

hal f wor ked at ; and so, as I say, you must

have l ost al l t he del i cat e shades of meani ng whi ch

makes t he best par t of t he f un. "

" Oh! wel l pl ayed — br avo, Johnson! " shout ed

Ar t hur , dr oppi ng hi s bat and cl appi ng f ur i ousl y,

and Tom j oi ned i n wi t h a " br avo, Johnson I "

whi ch mi ght have been hear d at t he chapel .

" Eh! what was i t ? I di dn' t see, " i nqui r ed

t he mast er ; " t hey onl y got one r un, I t hought ?"

" No, but such a bal l , t hr ee- quar t er s l engt h

and comi ng st r ai ght f or hi s l eg- bai l . Not hi ng

but t hat t ur n of t he wr i st coul d have saved hi m,

and he dr ew i t away t o l eg f or a saf e one.

Br avo, Johnson ! "

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 151

" How wel l t hey ar e bowl i ng, t hough, " sai d

Ar t hur ; " t hey don' t mean t o be beat , I can see. "

" Ther e noAV, " st r uck i n t he mast er , " you see

t hat ' s j ust what I have been pr eachi ng t hi s hal f -

hour . The del i cat e pl ay i s t he t r ue t hi ng. I

don' t under st and cr i cket , so I don' t enj oy t hose

f i ne dr aws whi ch you t el l me ar e t he best pl ay,

t hough when you or Raggl es hi t a bal l har d

away f or si x, I am as del i ght ed as any one.

Don' t you see t he anal ogy?"

" Yes, si r , " answer ed Tom, l ooki ng up

r ogui shl y, " I see; onl y t he quest i on r emai ns,

whet her I shoul d have got most good by under -

st andi ng Gr eek par t i cl es or cr i cket t hor oughl y.

I ' m such a t hi ck, I never shoul d have had t i me

f or bot h. "

" I see you ar e an i ncor r i gi bl e, " sai d t he mas -

t er , wi t h a chuckl e; " but I r ef ut e you by an

exampl e. Ar t hur t her e, has t aken i n Gr eek and

cr i cket t oo. "

" Yes, but no t hanks t o hi m; Gr eek came

nat ur al t o hi m. Why, when he f i r st came I

r emember he used t o r ead Her odot us f or pl ea-

sur e as I di d Don Qui xot e, and coul dn' t have

Page 79 of 96

made a f al se concor d i f he' d t r i ed ever so har d

— and t hen I l ooked af t er hi s cr i cket . "

152 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Out ! Bai l ey l i as gi ven l i i m out — do you see,

Tom?" cr i es Ar t hur . " How f ool i sh of t hem t o

r un so har d. "

^' Wel l , i t can' t be hel ped ; he has pl ayed ver y

wel l . Whose t ur n i s i t t o go i n ?"

" I don' t know, t hey' ve got your l i st i n t he

t ent . "

" Let ' s go and see, " sai d Tom, r i si ng ; but at

t hi s moment Jack Eaggl es and t wo or t hr ee

mor e come r unni ng t o t he i sl and moat .

" Oh, Br own, mayn' t I go i n next ?" shout s

t he Swi per .

" Whose name i s next on t he l i st ?" says t he

capt ai n.

" Wi nt er ' s, and t hen Ar t hur ' s, " answer s t he

boy who car r i es i t ; " but t her e ar e onl y t went y -

si x r uns t o get , and no t i me t o l ose. I hear d

Mr . Ai sl ebi e say t hat t he st umps must be dr awn

at a quar t er - past ei ght exact l y. "

" Oh, do l et t he Swi per go i n, " chor us t he

boys; so Tom yi el ds agai nst hi s bet t er j udg-

ment .

" I dar e say now I ' ve l ost t he mat ch by t hi s

nonsense, " he says, as he si t s down agai n ; " t hey' l l

be sur e t o get Jack' s wi cket i n t hr ee or f our

mi nut es ; however , you' l l have t he chance, si r .

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 153

of seei ng a har d hi t or t wo, " adds he, smi l i ng and

t ur ni ng t o t he mast er .

" Come, none of your i r ony, Br own, " answer s

t he mast er . " I ' m begi nni ng t o under st and t he

game sci ent i f i cal l y. What a nobl e game i t i s,

t oo. "

' ' I sn' t i t ? But i t ' s mor e t han a game. I t ' s

an i nst i t ut i on, " sai d Tom.

" Yes, " sai d Ar t hur , " t he bi r t hr i ght of Br i t i sh

boys, ol d and young, as habeas cor pus and t r i al

by j ur y ar e of Br i t i sh men. "

" The di sci pl i ne and r el i ance on one anot her

whi ch i t t eaches i s so val uabl e, I t hi nk, " went

on t he mast er , " i t ought t o be such an unsel f i sh

Page 80 of 96

game. I t mer ges t he i ndi vi dual i n t he el even ;

he doesn' t pl ay t hat he may wi n, but t hat hi s

si de may. "

" That ' s ver y t r ue, " sai d Tom, " and t hat ' s

why f oot bal l and cr i cket , now one comes t o t hi nk

of i t , ar e such much bet t er games t han f i ves' or

har e- and- hounds, or any ot her s wher e t he obj ect

i s t o come i n f i r st or t o wi n f or onesel f , and

not t hat one' s si de may wi n. "

" And t hen t he capt ai n of t he el even! " sai d

t he mast er , ' ' what a post i s hi s i n our school -

wor l d ! al most as har d as t he Doct or ' s ; r equi r i ng

l 54 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

ski l l , and gent l eness, and f i r mness, and I know

not what ot her r ar e qual i t i es. "

' ' Whi ch don' t he wi sh he may get ?" sai d

Tom, l aughi ng ; " at any r at e, he hasn' t got t hem

yet , or he woul dn' t have been such a f l at t o- ni ght

as t o l et Jack Kaggl es go i n out of hi s t ur n. "

" Ah! t he Doct or never woul d have done

t hat , " sai d Ar t hur , demur el y. " Tom, you' ve a

gr eat deal t o l ear n yet i n t he ar t of r ul i ng. "

" Wel l , I wi sh you' d t el l t he Doct or so, t hen,

and get hi m t o l et me st op t i l l I ' m t went y. I

don' t want t o l eave, I ' m sur e. "

" What a si ght i t i s, " br oke i n t he mast er ,

' ' t he Doct or as a r ul er . Per haps our s i s t he

onl y l i t t l e cor ner of t he Br i t i sh Empi r e whi ch i s

t hor oughl y, wi sel y, and st r ongl y r ul ed j ust now.

I ' m mor e and mor e t hankf ul ever y day of my

l i f e t hat I came her e t o be under hi m. "

" So am I , I ' m sur e, " sai d Tom; " and mor e

and mor e sor r y t hat I ' ve got t o l eave. "

" Ever y pl ace and t hi ng one sees her e r emi nds

one of some wi se act of hi s, " went on t he mast er .

" Thi s i sl and now — you r emember t he t i me,

Br own, when i t was l ai d out i n smal l gar dens,

and cul t i vat ed by f r ost - bi t t en f ags i n Febr uar y

and Mar ch?"

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 155

' ' Of cour se I do, " sai d Tom ; ' ' di dn' t I l i at e

spendi ng t wo hour s i n t he af t er noons gr ubbi ng

i n t he t ough di r t wi t h t he st ump of a f i ves' bat ?

But t ur f - car t was good f un enough. "

^' I dar e say i t was, but i t was al ways l eadi ng

t o f i ght s wi t h t he t ownspeopl e; and t hen t he

st eal i ng f l ower s out of al l t he gar dens i n Kugby

Page 81 of 96

f or t he East er show was abomi nabl e. "

" Wel l , so i t was, " sai d Tom, l ooki ng down ;

" but we f ags coul dn' t hel p our sel ves. But what

has t hat t o do wi t h t he Doct or ' s r ul i ng?"

" A gr eat deal , I t hi nk, " sai d t he mast er ;

" what br ought i sl and- f aggi ng t o an end ?"

" Why, t he East er speeches wer e put of f t i l l

mi dsummer , " sai d Tom, " and t he si xt h had t he

gymnast i c pol es put up her e. "

" Wel l , and who changed t he t i me of t he

speeches, and put t he i dea of gymnast i c pol es

i nt o t he heads of t hei r wor shi ps t he si xt h f or m ?"

sai d t he mast er .

" The Doct or , I suppose, " sai d Tom. " I never

t hought of t hat . "

" Of cour se you di dn' t , " sai d t he mast er , " or

el se, f ag as you wer e, you woul d have shout ed

wi t h t he whol e school agai nst put t i ng down ol d

cust oms. And t hat ' s t he way t hat al l t he Doc -

156 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

t or ' s r ef or ms have been car r i ed out when he has

been l ef t t o hi msel f — qui et l y and nat ur al l y,

put t i ng a good t hi ng i n t he pl ace of a bad, and

l et t i ng t he bad di e out ; no waver i ng and no

hur r y — t he best t hi ng t hat coul d be done f or t he

t i me bei ng, and pat i ence f or t he r est . "

" Just Tom' s own way, " chi med i n Ar t hur ,

nudgi ng Tom wi t h hi s el bow, " dr i vi ng a nai l

wher e i t wi l l go ; " t o whi ch al l usi on Tom an-

swer ed by a sl y ki ck.

" Exact l y so, " sai d t he mast er , i nnocent of t he

al l usi on and by- pl ay.

Meant i me Jack Raggl es, wi t h hi s sl eeves

t ucked up above hi s gr eat br own el bows, scor n-

i ng pads and gl oves, has pr esent ed hi msel f at

t he wi cket ; and havi ng r un one f or a f or war d

dr i ve of Johnson' s, i s about t o r ecei ve hi s f i r st

bal l . Ther e ar e onl y t went y - f our r uns t o make,

and f our wi cket s t o go down, a wi nni ng mat ch

i f t hey pl ay decent l y st eady. The bal l i s a ver y

swi f t one, and r i ses f ast , cat chi ng Jack on t he

out si de of t he t hi gh, and boundi ng away as i f

f r om I ndi a- r ubber , whi l e t hey r un t wo f or a l eg-

bye ami dst gr eat appl ause, and shout s f r om

Jack' s many admi r er s. The next bal l i s a beau-

t i f ul l y pi t ched bal l f or t he out er st ump, whi ch

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 15t

Page 82 of 96

t he r eckl ess and unf eel i ng Jack cat ches hol d of ,

and hi t s r i ght r ound t o l eg f or f i ve, whi l e t he

appl ause becomes deaf eni ng; onl y sevent een

r uns t o get wi t h f our wi cket s — t he game i s al l

but our s !

I t i s over now, and Jack wal ks swagger i ng

about hi s wi cket , wi t h t he bat over hi s shoul der ,

whi l e Mr . Ai sl ebi e hol ds a shor t par l ey wi t h hi s

men. Then t he cover - poi nt hi t t er , t hat cunni ng

man, goes on t o bowl sl ow t wi st er s. Jack waves

hi s hand t r i umphant l y t owar ds t he t ent , as much

as t o say, " See i f I don' t f i ni sh i t al l of f now i n

t hr ee hi t s. "

Al as, my son Jack ! t he enemy i s t oo ol d f or

t hee. The f i r st bal l of t he over Jack st eps out

and meet s, swi pi ng wi t h al l hi s f or ce. I f he had

onl y al l owed f or t he t wi st ! but he hasn' t , and

so t he bal l goes spi nni ng up st r ai ght i nt o t he

ai r , as i f i t woul d never come down agai n.

Away r uns Jack, shout i ng and t r ust i ng t o t he

chapt er of acci dent s ; but t he bowl er r uns st ead-

i l y under i t , j udgi ng ever y spi n, and, cal l i ng

out , " I have i t , " cat ches i t , and pl ayf ul l y pi t ches

i t on t o t he back of t he st al war t Jack, who i s

depar t i ng wi t h a r uef ul count enance.

" I knew how i t woul d be, " says Tom, r i si ng.

158 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Come al ong, t he game' s get t i ng ver y ser i ous. "

So t hey l eave t he i sl and and go t o t he t ent ,

and af t er deep consul t at i on Ar t hur i s sent i n,

and goes of f t o t he wi cket wi t h a l ast exhor t at i on

f r om Tom, t o pl ay st eady and keep hi s bat

st r ai ght . To t he suggest i ons t hat Wi nt er i s t he

best bat l ef t , Tom onl y r epl i es, " Ar t hur i s t he

st eadi est , and Johnson wi l l make t he r uns i f t he

wi cket i s onl y kept up. "

" I am sur pr i sed t o see Ar t hur i n t he el even, "

sai d t he mast er , as t hey st ood t oget her i n f r ont

of t he dense cr owd, whi ch was now cl osi ng

i n r ound t he gr ound.

" Wel l , I ' m not qui t e sur e t hat he ought t o be

i n f or hi s pl ay, " sai d Tom, ^ ' but I coul dn' t hel p

put t i ng hi m i n. I t wi l l do hi m so much good,

and you can' t t hi nk what I owe hi m. "

The mast er smi l ed. The cl ock st r i kes ei ght ,

and t he whol e f i el d becomes f ever ed wi t h exci t e-

ment . Ar t hur , af t er t wo nar r ow escapes, scor es

one; and Johnson get s t he bal l . The bowl i ng

and f i el di ng ar e super b, and Johnson' s bat t i ng

wor t hy t he occasi on. He makes her e a t wo, and

t her e a one, managi ng t o keep t he bal l t o hi msel f ,

and Ar t hur backs up and r uns per f ect l y ; onl y

el even r uns t o make now, and t he cr owd scar cel y

Page 83 of 96

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 159

br eat he. At l ast Ar t hur get s t he bal l agai n, and

act ual l y dr i ves i t f or war d f or t wo, and f eel s

pr ouder t han when he got t he t hr ee best pr i zes,

at hear i ng Tom' s shout s of j oy, ' ' Wel l pl ayed,

wel l pl ayed, young' unl "

But t he next bal l i s t oo much f or a young

hand, and hi s bai l s f l y di f f er ent ways. Ni ne r uns

t o make, and t wo wi cket s t o go down — i t i s t oo

much f or human ner ves.

Bef or e Wi nt er can get i n, t he omni bus whi ch

i s t o t ake t he Lor ds' men t o t he t r ai n pul l s up at

t he si de of t he cl ose, and Mr . Ai sl ebi e and Tom

consul t , and gi ve out t hat t he st umps wi l l be

dr awn af t er t he next over . And so ends t he

gr eat mat ch. Wi nt er and Johnson car r y out

t hei r bat s, and, i t bei ng a one day' s mat ch, t he

Lor ds' men ar e decl ar ed wi nner s, t hey havi ng

scor ed t he most i n t he f i r st i nni ngs.

But such a def eat i s a vi ct or y : so t hi nk Tom

and al l t he school el even, as t hey accompany

t hei r conquer or s t o t he omni bus, and send t hem

of f wi t h t hr ee r i ngi ng cheer s, af t er Mr . Ai sl ebi e

has shaken hands al l r ound, sayi ng t o Tom, ' * I

must compl i ment you, si r , on your el even, and

I hope we shal l have you f or a member i f you

come up t o t own. "

160 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

As Tom and t he r est of t l i e el even wer e t ur n-

i ng back i nt o t l i e cl ose, and ever ybody was be-

gi nni ng t o cr y out f or anot her count r y dance,

encour aged by t he success of t he ni ght bef or e,

t he young mast er who was j ust l eavi ng t he cl ose,

st opped hi m, and asked hi m t o come up t o t ea

at hal f - past ei ght , addi ng, ' ' I won' t keep you

mor e t han hal f - an- hour , and ask Ar t hur t o come

up t oo. "

" I ' l l come up wi t h you di r ect l y i f you' l l l et

me, " sai d Tom, " f or I f eel r at her mel anchol y,

and not qui t e up t o t he count r y dance and sup-

per wi t h t he r est . "

' ' Do, by al l means, " sai d t he mast er , I ' l l wai t

her e f or you. "

So Tom went of f t o get hi s boot s and t hi ngs

f r om t he t ent , t o t el l Ar t hur of t he i nvi t at i on,

and t o speak t o hi s second i n command about

st oppi ng t he danci ng and shut t i ng up t he cl ose

as soon as i t gr ew dusk. Ar t hur pr omi sed t o

f ol l ow as soon as he had had a dance. So Tom

handed hi s t hi ngs over t o t he man i n char ge of

Page 84 of 96

t he t ent , and wal ked qui et l y away t o t he gat e

wher e t he mast er was wai t i ng, and t he t wo t ook

t hei r way t oget her up t he Hi l mDr t on r oad.

Of cour se t hey f ound t he mast er ' s house l ocked

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 161

up; and al l t l i e ser vant s away i n t he cl ose, about

t hi s t i me no doubt f oot i ng i t away on t he gr ass

wi t h ext r eme del i ght t o t hemsel ves, and i n ut t er

obl i vi on of t he unf or t unat e bachel or t hei r mas-

t er , whose one enj oyment i n t he shape of meal s

was hi s " di sh of t ea" ( as our gr andmot her s

cal l ed i t ) , i n t he eveni ng; and t he phr ase was

apt i n hi s case, f or he al ways pour ed hi s out i nt o

t he saucer bef or e dr i nki ng. Gr eat was t he good

man' s hor r or at f i ndi ng hi msel f shut out of hi s

own house. Had he been al one he woul d have

t r eat ed i t as a mat t er of cour se, and woul d have

st r ol l ed cont ent edl y up and down hi s gr avel -

wal k unt i l some one came home; but he was

hur t at t he st ai n on hi s char act er of host , es -

peci al l y as t he guest was a pupi l . However , t he

guest seemed t o t hi nk i t a gr eat j oke, and

pr esent l y as t hey poked about r ound t he house,

mount ed a wal l f r om whi ch he coul d r each a

passage wi ndow : t he wi ndow, as i t t ur ned out ,

was not bol t ed, so i n anot her mi nut e Tom was

i n t he house and down at t he f r ont door , whi ch

he opened f r om i nsi de. The mast er chuckl ed

gr i ml y at t hi s bur gl ar i ous ent r y, and i nsi st ed on

l eavi ng t he hal l door and t wo of t he f r ont wi n-

dows open, t o f r i ght en t he t r uant s on t hei r

g2

162 BROWN AND ARTHUR,

r et ur n ; and t l i en t he t wo set about f or agi ng f or

t ea, i n wl i i cl i oper at i on t he mast er was much at

f aul t , havi ng t he f ai nt est possi bl e i dea of wher e

t o f i nd anj r t hi ng, and bei ng mor eover wonder ous-

l y shor t - si ght ed ; but Tom by a sor t of i nst i nct

knew t he r i ght cupboar ds i n t he ki t chen and

pant r y, and soon managed t o pl ace on t he

snugger y t abl e bet t er mat er i al s f or a meal t han

had appear ed t her e pr obabl y dur i ng t he r ei gn

of hi s t ut or , who was t hen and t her e i ni t i at ed,

amongst ot her t hi ngs, i nt o t he excel l ence of t hat

myst er i ous condi ment , a dr i ppi ng cake. The

cake was newl y baked, and al l r i ch and f l aky ;

Tom had f ound i t r eposi ng i n t he cook' s pr i vat e

cupboar d, awai t i ng her r et ur n; and as a war n

i ng t o her t hey f i ni shed i t t o t he l ast cr umb.

The ket t l e sang away mer r i l y on t he hob of t he

snugger y, f or , not wi t hst andi ng t he t i me of year ,

t hey l i ght ed a f i r e, t hr owi ng bot h t he wi ndows

wi de open at t he same t i me ; t he heap of books

and paper s wer e pushed away t o t he ot her end

of t he t abl e, and t he gr eat sol i t ar y engr avi ng of

Page 85 of 96

Ki ng' s Col l ege Chapel over t he mant el - pi ece l ook-

ed l ess st i f f t han usual , as t hey set t l ed t hemsel ves

down i n t he t wi l i ght t o t he ser i ous dr i nki ng of t ea.

Af t er some t al k on t he mat ch, and ot her i n-

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 163

di j f f er ent subj ect s, t he conver sat i on came nat u-

r al l y back t o Tom' s appr oacbi ng depar t ur e, over

whi ch he began agai n t o make hi s moan.

" Wel l , we shal l al l mi ss you qui t e as much

as you wi l l mi ss us, " sai d t he mast er . " You ar e

t he Nest or of t he school now, ar e you not ?

" Yes, ever si nce East l ef t , " answer ed Tom.

" By- t he- bye have you hear d f r om hi m?"

^' Yes I had a l et t er i n Febr uar y, j ust bef or e

he st ar t ed f or I ndi a t o j oi n hi s r egi ment . "

" He wi l l make a capi t al of f i cer . "

" Aye, won' t he?" sai d Tom, br i ght eni ng; "

" no f el l ow coul d handl e boys bet t er , and I sup-

pose sol di er s ar e ver y l i ke boys. And he' l l

never t el l t hem t o go wher e he won' t go hi msel f .

No mi st ake about t hat — a br aver f el l ow never

wal ked. "

" Hi s year i n t he si xt h wi l l have t aught hi m

a good deal t hat wi l l be usef ul t o hi m now. "

" So i t wi l l , " sai d Tom st ar i ng i nt o t he f i r e.

" Poor dear Har r y, " he went on, ' ' how wel l I

r emember t he day we wer e put out of t he t went y.

How he r ose t o t he si t uat i on, and bur nt hi s

ci gar - cases, and gave away hi s pi st ol s, and pon-

der ed on t he const i t ut i onal aut hor i t y of t he

si xt h, and hi s new dut i es t o t he Doct or , and t he

164 BROWN AND ARTHUR

f i f t l i - f or m, and t he f ags. Aye, and no f el l ow

ever act ed up t o t hem bet t er , t hough he was

al ways a peopl e' s man — f or t he f ags, and agai nst

const i t ut ed aut hor i t i es. He coul dn' t hel p t hat ,

you know. I ' m sur e t he Doct or must have l i ked

hi m ?" sai d Tom, l ooki ng up i nqui r i ngl y.

" The. Doct or sees t he good i n ever y one, and

appr eci at es i t , " sai d t he mast er dogmat i cal l y,

" but I hope East wi l l get a good col onel . He

won' t do i f he can' t r espect t hose above hi m.

How l ong i t t ook hi m, even her e, t o l ear n t he

l esson of obeyi ng. "

" Wel l , I wi sh I was al ongsi de of hi m, " sai d

Tom. " I f I can' t be at Rugby, I want t o be at

Page 86 of 96

wor k i n t he wor l d, and not dawdl i ng away

t hr ee year s at Oxf or d. "

" What do you mean by " at wor k i n t he

wor l d ?" sai d t he mast er , pausi ng, wi t h hi s l i ps

cl ose t o hi s saucer - f ul l of t ea, and peer i ng at

Tom over i t .

" Wel l , I mean r eal wor k ; one' s pr of essi on ;

what ever one wi l l have r eal l y t o do, and make

one' s l i vi ng by i t . I want t o be doi ng some r eal

good, f eel i ng t hat I am not onl y at pl ay i n t he

wor l d, " ^ answer ed Tom, r at her puzzl ed t o f i nd

out hi msel f what he r eal l y di d mean.

BROWN AND A' RTHUR. 165

" You ar e mi xi ng up t wo ver y di f f er ent t hi ngs

i n your head, I t hi nk, Br own, " sai d t he mast er ,

put t i ng down hi s empt y saucer , " and you ought

t o get cl ear about t hem. You t al k of ' wor ki ng

t o get your l i vi ng, ' and ' doi ng some r eal good

i n t he wor l d, ' i n t he same br eat h. Now you

may be get t i ng a ver y good l i vi ng i n a pr of es-

si on, and yet doi ng no good at al l i n t he wor l d,

but qui t e t he cont r ar y, at t he same t i me. Keep

t he l at t er bef or e you as your one obj ect , and you

wi l l be r i ght , whet her you make a l i vi ng or not ;

but i f you dwel l on t he ot her , you' l l ver y l i kel y

dr op i nt o mer e money - maki ng, and l et t he wor l d

t ake car e of i t sel f f or good or evi l . Don' t be i n

a hur r y about f i ndi ng your wor k i n t he wor l d

f or your sel f ; you ar e not ol d enough t o j udge

f or your sel f yet , but j ust l ook about you i n t he

pl ace you f i nd your sel f i n, and t r y t o make

t hi ngs a l i t t l e bet t er and honest er t her e. You' l l

f i nd pl ent y t o keep your hand i n at Oxf or d, or

wher ever el se you go. And don' t be l ed away

t o t hi nk t hi s par t of t he wor l d i mpor t ant , and

t hat uni mpor t ant . Ever y cor ner of t he wor l d

i s i mpor t ant . No man knows whet her t hi s par t

or t hat i s most so, but ever y man may do some

honest wor k i n hi s own cor ner . " And t hen t he

166 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

good man went on t o t al k wi sel y t o Tom of t he

sor t of w^ or k whi ch, he mi ght t ake up as an un-

der gr aduat e ; and war ned hi m of t he pr eval ent

Uni ver si t y si ns, and expl ai ned t o hi m t he many

and gr eat di f f er ences bet ween Uni ver si t y and

school l i f e ; t i l l t he t wi l i ght changed i nt o dar k -

ness, and t hey hear d t he t r uant ser vant s st eal i ng

i n by t he back ent r ance.

" I wonder wher e Ar t hur can be, " sai d Tom

at l ast , l ooki ng at hi s wat ch ; " why, i t s near l y

hal f - past ni ne al r eady. "

" Oh, he i s comf or t abl y at supper wdt h t he

Page 87 of 96

el even, f or get f ul of hi s ol dest f r i ends, " sai d t he

mast er . " Not hi ng has gi ven me gr eat er pl ea-

sur e, " he went on, ^ ^ t han your f r i endshi p f or

hi m, i t has been t he maki ng of you bot h. "

" Of me, at any r at e, " answer ed Tom; " I

shoul d never have been her e now but f or hi m.

I t was t he l ucki est chance i n t he wor l d t hat

sent hi m t o Eugby, and made hi m my chum. "

" Why do you t al k of t he l ucky chances ? sai d

t he mast er : " I don' t know t hat t her e ar e any

such t hi ngs i n t he wor l d ; at any r at e t her e was

nei t her l uck nor chance i n t hat mat t er . "

Tom l ooked at hi m i nqui r i ngl y, and he went

on, " Do you r emember when t he Doct or l ect ur ed

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 16t

you and East at t l i e end of one hal f - year , wl i en

you wer e i n t he shel l , and had been get t i ng i nt o

al l sor t s of scr apes?"

" Yes, wel l enough, " sai d Tom, " i t was t he

hal f - year bef or e Ar t hur came. "

" Exact l y so" answer ed t he mast er . " Now I

was wi t h hi m a f ew mi nut es af t er war ds, and he

was i n gr eat di st r ess about you t wo. And, af t er

some t al k, we bot h agr eed t hat you i n par t i cul ar

want ed some obj ect i n t he school beyond games

and mi schi ef , f or i t was qui t e cl ear t hat you

never woul d make t he r egul ar school wor k your

f i r st obj ect . And so t he Doct or at t he begi nni ng

of t he next hal f - year , l ooked out t he best of t he

new boys and separ at ed you and East , and put

t he youug boy i nt o your st udy, i n t he hope t hat

when you had somebody t o l ean on you, you

woul d begi n t o see t o st and a l i t t l e st eadi er your -

sel f , and get manl i ness and t hought f ul ness. And

I can assur e you he has wat ched t he exper i ment

ever si nce wi t h gr eat sat i sf act i on. Ah! not one

of you boys wi l l ever know t he anxi et y you

have gi ven hi m, or t he car e wi t h whi ch he has

wat ched over ever y st ep i n your school l i ves. "

Up t o t hi s t i me Tom had never whol l y gi ven

i n t o, or under st ood t he Doct or . At f i r st he had

168 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

t hor ougl i l y f ear ed l i i m. For some year s, as I

have t r i ed t o show, he had l ear nt t o r egar d hi m

wi t h l ove and r espect , and t o t hi nk hi m a ver y

gr eat and wi se and good man. But , as r egar ded

hi s own posi t i on i n t he school , of whi ch he was

no l i t t l e pr oud, Tom had no i dea of gi vi ng any

one cr edi t f or i t but hi msel f ; and t r ut h t o t el l ,

was a ver y sel f - concei t ed young gent l eman on

Page 88 of 96

t he subj ect . He was wont t o boast t hat he had

f ought hi s own way f ai r l y up t he school , and

had never made up t o, or been t aken up by any

bi g f el l ow or mast er , and t hat i t was now qui t e

a di f f er ent pl ace f r om what i t was when he f i r st

came. And i ndeed, t hough he di dn' t act ual l y

boast of i t , yet i n hi s secr et soul he di d t o a

gr eat ext ent bel i eve, t hat t he gr eat r ef or m i n t he

school had been owi ng qui t e as much t o hi msel f

as t o any one el se. Ar t hur , he acknowl edged,

had done hi m good, and t aught hi m a good deal ,

so had ot her boys i n di f f er ent ways ; but t hey

had not had t he same means of i nf l uence on t he

school i n gener al ; and as f or t he Doct or , why

he was a spl endi d mast er , bnt ever y one knew

t hat mast er s coul d do ver y l i t t l e out of school

hour s. I n shor t , he f el t on t er ms of equal i t y

wi t h hi s chi ef ; so f ar as t he soci al st at e of t he

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 1G9

school was concer ned, and t l i ought t hat t he

Doct or woul d f i nd i t no easy mat t er t o get on

wi t hout hi m. Mor eover , hi s school t or yi sm was

st i l l st r ong, and he l ooked st i l l wi t h some j eal -

ousy on t he Doct or , as somewhat of a f anat i c i n

t he mat t er of change ; and t hought i t ver y desi -

r abl e f or t he school t hat he shoul d have some

wi se per son ( such as hi msel f ) t o l ook shar pl y

af t er vest ed school - r i ght s, and see t hat not hi ng

was done t o t he i nj ur y of t he r epubl i c wi t hout

due pr ot est .

I t was a new l i ght t o hi m t o f i nd, t hat besi des

t eachi ng t he si xt h, and gover ni ng and gui di ng

t he whol e school , edi t i ng cl assi cs, and wr i t i ng

hi st or i es, t he gr eat head- mast er had f ound t i me

i n t hose busy year s t o wat ch over t he car eer ,

even of hi m, Tom Br own, and hi s par t i cul ar

f r i ends, — and, no doubt , of f i f t y ot her boys at

t he same t i me ; and al l t hi s wi t hout t aki ng t he

l east cr edi t t o hi msel f , or seemi ng t o know, or

l et any one el se know, t hat he ever t hought par -

t i cul ar l y of any boy at al l .

However , t he Doct or ' s vi ct or y was compl et e

f r om t hat moment over Tom Br own at any r at e.

He gave way at al l poi nt s, and t he enemy

mar ched r i ght over hi m, cal var y, i nf ant r y, and

8h

J 70 r >E( . WN AND ARTI RR.

ar t i l l er y, t l i e l and t r anspor t cor ps, and t he camp

f ol l ower s. I t had t aken ei ght l ong year s t o do

i t , but now i t was done t hor oughl y, and t her e

wasn' t a cor ner of hi m l ef t Avhi ch di dn' t bel i eve

Page 89 of 96

i n t he Doct or . Had ] i c r et ur ned t o school agai n,

and t he Doct or began t he hal f - year by abol i sh-

i ng f aggi ng, and f oot bal l , and t he Sat ur day hal f -

hol i da} ^ , or al l or any of t he most cher i shed

school i nst i t ut i ons, Tom woul d have suppor t ed

hi m wi t h t he bl i ndest f ai t h. And so, af t er a

hal f conf essi on of hi s pr evi ous shor t - comi ngs,

and sor r owf ul adi eus t o hi s t ut or , f r om whom he

r ecei ved t wo beaut i f ul l y - bound vol umes of t he

Doct or ' s Ser mons, as a par t i ng pr esent , he

mar ched down t o t he school - house, a her o- wor -

shi pper , who woul d have sat i sf i ed t he soul of

Thomas Car l yl e hi msel f .

Ther e he f ound t he el even at hi gh j i nks af t er

supper . Jack Raggi es shout i ng comi c songs, and

per f or mi ng f eat s of st r engt h; and was gr eet ed

by a chor us of mi ngl ed r emonst r ance at hi s

deser t i on, and j oy at hi s r eappear ance. And

f al l i ng i n wi t h t he humour of t he eveni ng, was

soon as gr eat a boy as al l t he r est ; and at t en

o' cl ock was chai r ed r ound t he quadr angl e, on

one of t he hal l benches, bor ne al of t by t he el even.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. HI

shout i ng i n chor us, " For he' s a j ol l y good f el -

l ow, " whi l e ol d Thomas i n a mel t i ng mood, and

t he ot her school - house ser vant s, st ood l ooki ng

on.

And t he next mor ni ng af t er br eakf ast he

squar ed up al l t he cr i cket i ng account s, went

r ound t o hi s t r adesmen and ot her acquai nt ance,

and sai d hi s hear t y good- byes ; and by t wel ve

o' cl ock was i n t he t r ai n, and away f or London,

no l onger a school - boy, and di vi ded i n hi s

t hought s bet ween her o- wor shi p, honest r egr et s

over t he l ong st age of hi s l i f e whi ch was now

sl i ppi ng out of si ght behi nd hi m, and hopes

and r esol ves f or t he next st age, upon whi ch he

was ent er i ng wi t h al l t he conf i dence of a young

t r avel l er .

CHAPTER YI I L

FI NI S.

" St r auge f r i end, past , pr esent , and t o be;

Loved deepl i er , dar kl i er under st ood;

Behol d, I dr eam a dr eam of good,

And mi ngl e al l t he wor l d wi t h t hee. "

Tennyson.

I n t l i e summer of 1842, our her o st opped

once agai n at t he wel l - known st at i on ; and,

l eavi ng hi s bag and f i shi ng- r od wi t h a por t er ,

wal ked sl owl y and sadl y np t owar ds t he t own.

I t was now Jul y. He had r ushed away f r om

Page 90 of 96

Oxf or d t he moment t hat t er m was over , f or a

f i shi ng r ambl e i n Scot l and, wi t h t wo col l ege

f r i ends, and had been f or t hr ee weeks l i vi ng on

oat cake, mut t on- hams, and whi skey, i n t he

wi l dest par t s of Skye. They had descended one

sul t r y eveni ng on t he l i t t l e i nn at Kyl e Ehea

f er r y, and whi l e Tom and anot her of t he par t y

put t hei r t ackl e t oget her and began expl or i ng

t he st r eam f or a sea- t r out f or supper , t he t hi r d

st r ol l ed i nt o t he house t o ar r ange f or t hei r en-

t er t ai nment . Pr esent l y he came out i n a l oose

bl ouse and sl i pper s, a shor t pi pe i n hi s mout h,

and an ol d newspaper i n hi s hand, and t hr ew

1Y2

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 173

hi msel f on t l i e heat her y scr ub, whi ch met t he

shi ngl e wi t hi n easy hai l of t he f i sher men. Ther e

he l ay, t he pi ct ur e of f r ee- and- easy l oaf i ng, hand-

t o- mout h young Engl and, " i mpr ovi ng hi s mi nd, "

as he shout ed t o t hem, by t he per usal of t he

f or t ni ght - ol d weekl y paper , soi l ed wi t h t he

mar ks of t oddy- gl asses and t obacco- ashes, t he

l egacy of t he l ast t r avel l er , whi ch he had hunt ed

out f r om t he ki t chen of t he l i t t l e host el r j ^ , and,

bei ng a yout h of a communi cat i ve t ur n of mi nd,

began i mpar t i ng t he cont ent s t o t he f i sher man

as he went on.

" What a bot her t hey ar e maki ng about t hese

wr et ched cor n l aws; her e' s t hr ee or f our col -

umns f ul l of not hi ng but sl i di ng scal es and

f i xed dut i es. Hang t hi s t obacco, i t ' s al ways

goi ng out ! Ah, her e' s somet hi ng bet t er — a

spl endi d mat ch bet ween Kent and Engl and,

Br own Kent wi nni ng by t hr ee wi cket s. Fe] i x

f i f t y- si x r uns wi t hout a chance, and not out ! "

Tom, i nt ent on a f i sh whi ch had r i sen at hi m

t wi ce, answer ed onl y wi t h a gr unt ,

" Any t hi ng about t he Goodwood?" cal l ed out

t he t hi r d man.

" Kor y- o- mor e dr awn. But t er f l y col t ami ss, "

shout ed t he st udent .

174 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Just my l uck, " gr umbl ed t he i nqui r er , j er k-

i ng l i i s f l i es ol T t he wat er , and t hr owi ng agai n

wi t h a heavy, sul l en spl ash, and f r i ght eni ng

Tom' s f i sh.

* ' I say, can' t you t hr ow l i ght er over t her e ?

We ai n' t f i shi ng f or gr ampuses, " shout ed Tom

acr oss t he st r eam.

" Hul l o, Br own! her e' s somet hi ng f or you, "

Page 91 of 96

cal l ed out t he r eadi ng man next moment . " Why,

your ol d mast er , Ar nol d of Rugby, i s dead. "

Tom' s hand st opped hal f - way i n hi s cast , and

hi s l i ne and f l i es went al l t angl i ng r ound and

r ound hi s r od; you mi ght have knocked hi m

over wi t h a f eat her . Nei t her of hi s compani ons

t ook any not i ce of hi m l ucki l y; and, wi t h a

vi ol ent ef f or t , he set t o wor k mechani cal l y t o

di sent angl e hi s l i ne. He f el t compl et el y car r i ed

of f hi s mor al and i nt el l ect ual l egs, as i f he had

l ost hi s st andi ng- poi nt i n t he i nvi si bl e wor l d.

Besi des whi ch, t he deep- l ovi ng l oyal t y whi ch

he f el t f or hi s ol d l eader made t he shock i n-

t ensel y pai nf ul . I t was t he f i r st gr eat wr ench

of hi s l i f e, t he f i r st gap whi ch t he angel Deat h

had made i n hi s ci r cl e, and he f el t numbed, and

beat en- down, and spi r i t l ess. Wel l , wel l ! I be-

l i eve i t was good f or hi m and f or many ot her s

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 1T«^

i n l i ke case ; who had t o l ear n by t hat l oss, t hat

. t he soul of man cannot st and or l ean upon any

human pr op, however st r ong, and wi se, and

good; but t hat He upon whom al one i t can

st and and l ean wi l l knock away al l such pr ops

i n Hi s own wi se and mer ci f ul way, unt i l t her e i s

no gr ound or st ay l ef t but Hi msel f , t he Kock of

Ages, upon whom al one a sur e f oundat i on f or

ever y soul of man i s l ai d.

As he wear i l y l abour ed at hi s l i ne, t he t hought

st r uck hi m, " I t may al l be f al se, a mer e newspaper

l i e, " and he st r ode up t o t he r ecumbent smoker .

" Let me l ook at t he paper , " sai d he.

' ' Not hi ng el se i n i t , " answer ed t he ot her , hand-

i ng i t up t o hi m l i st l essl y. — Hul l o Br own 1 what ' s

t he mat t er , ol d f el l ow — ai n' t you wel l ?"

" Wher e i s i t ? " sai d Tom, t ur ni ng over t he

l eaves, hi s hands t r embl i ng, and hi s eyes swi m-

mi ng, so t hat he coul d not r ead.

" What ? What ar e you l ooki ng f or ? " sai d hi s

f r i end, j umpi ng up and l ooki ng over hi s shoul der .

" That — about Ar nol d, " sai d Tom.

' ' Oh her e, " sai d t he ot her , put t i ng hi s f i nger

on t he par agr aph. Tom r ead, i t over and over

agai n; t her e coul d be no mi st ake of i dent i t y,

t hough t he account was shor t enough.

I TG BROWN AND ARTHUR.

" Thank you, " sai d l i e at l ast , dr oppi ng t l i o

paper , ' ' I shal l go f or a wal kf - aon' t you and

Page 92 of 96

Her ber t wai t supper f or me. " And away he

st r ode, up over t he moor at t he back of t l i e

house, t o be al one, and mast er hi s gr i ef i f possi -

bl e.

Hi s f r i end l ooked af t er hi m, sympat hi zi ng and

wonder i ng, and knocki ng t he ashes out of hi s

pi pe, wal ked over t o Her ber t . Af t er a shor t

par l ey t hey wal ked t oget her up t o t he house.

* ' I ' m af r ai d t hat conf ounded newspaper has

spoi l ed Br own' s f un f or t hi s t r i p. "

" How odd t hat he shoul d be so f ond of hi s

ol d mast er , " sai d Her ber t . Yet t hey al so wer e

bot h publ i c- school men.

The t wo, however , not wi t hst andi ng Tom' s pr o-

hi bi t i on, wai t ed supper f or hi m, and had ever y-

t hi ng r eady when he came back some hal f - an-

hoLi r af t er war ds. But he coul d not j oi n i n t hei r

cheer f ul t al k, and t he par t y was soon si l ent , not -

wi t hst andi ng t he ef f or t s of al l t hr ee. One t hi ng

onl y had Tom r esol ved, and t hat was t hat he

coul dn' t st ay i n Scot l and any l onger ; he f el t an

i r r esi st i bl e l ongi ng t o get t o Kugby, and t hen

home, and soon br oke i t t o t he ot her s, who had

t oo much t act t o oppose.

BROWN AND ARTHUR. l i t

So by dayl i ght t he next mor ni ng he was

mar chi ng t hr o ^ i i Rosshi r e, and i n t he eveni ng

hi t t he Cal edoni an canal , t ook t he next st eamer ,

and t r avel l ed as f ast as boat and r ai l way conl d

car r y hi m t o t he Rugby st at i on.

As he wal ked up t o t he t own he f el t shy and

af r ai d of bei ng seen, and t ook t he back st r eet s ;

why, he di dn' t know, but he f ol l owed hi s i nst i nct .

At t he school - gat es he made a dead pause ; t her e

was not a soul i n t he quadr angl e — al l was l onel y,

and si l ent , and sad. So wi t h anot her ef f or t he

st r ode t hr ough t he quadr angl e, and i nt o t he

school - house of f i ces.

He f ound t he l i t t l e mat r on i n her r oom, i n deep

mour ni ng ; shook her hand, t r i ed t o t al k, and

moved ner vousl y about : she was evi dent l y t hi nk-

i ng of t he same subj ect as he, but he coul dn' t be-

gi n t al ki ng.

" Wher e shal l I f i nd Thomas?" sai d he at

l ast , get t i ng desper at e.

* ^ I n t he ser vant s' hal l , I t hi nk, si r . But won' t

you t ake any t hi ng ? " sai d t he mat r on, l ooki ng

r at her di sappoi nt ed.

* ' No, t hank you, " sai d he, and st r ode of f agai n

t o f i nd t he ol d ver ger , who was si t t i ng i n hi s

Page 93 of 96

l i t t l e den as of ol d, puzzl i ng over hi er ogl yphi cs.

8*

iI

I

I t s BROWN AND ARTHUR.

He l ooked np t l i r ougl i hi s spect acl es, , as Tom

sei zed hi s hand and wr uns: i t .

' ' Ah! you' ve hear d al l about i t , si r , I see, "

sai d he.

Tom nodded, and t hen sat down on t he shoe-

boar d, whi l e t he ol d man t ol d hi s t al e, and wi ped

hi s spect acl es, and f ai r l y f l owed over wi t h quai nt ,

homel y, honest sor r ow.

By t he t i me he had done, Tom f el t much

bet t er .

" Wher e i s he bur i ed, Thomas ? " sai d he at

l ast .

" Under t he al t ar i n t he chapel , si r , " answer ed

Thomas. " You' d l i ke t o have t he key, I dar e

say. "

" Thank you, Thomas, — yes, I shoul d, ver y

much. " And t he ol d man f umbl ed among hi s

bunch, and t hen got up, as t hough he woul d go

wdt h hi m ; but af t er a f ew st eps st opped shor t

and sai d, " Per haps you' d l i ke t o go by your sel f ,

si r ?"

Tom nodded, and t he bunch of keys wer e

handed t o hi m wi t h an i nj unct i on t o be sur e and

l ock t he door af t er hi m, and br i ng t hem back

bef or e ei ght o' cl ock.

He wal ked qui ckl y t hr ough t he quadr angl e

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 1* 79

and out i nt o t he cl ose. The l ongi ng whi ch had

been upon hi m and dr i ven hi m t hns f ar ^ l i ke t he

gad- f l y i n t he Gr eek l egends, gi vi ng hi m no r est

i n mi nd or body, seemed al l of a sudden not t o

be sat i sf i ed, but t o shr i vel up, and pal l . ' * ' Why

shoul d I go on? I t ' s no use, " he t hought , and

t hr ew hi msel f at f ul l l engt h on t he t ur f , and

l ooked vaguel y and l i st l essl y at al l t he wel l -

known obj ect s. Ther e wer e a f ew of t he t own

boys pl ayi ng cr i cket , t hei r wi cket pi t ched on t he

Page 94 of 96

best pi ece i n t he mi ddl e of t he bi g- si de gr ound,

a si n about equal t o sacr i l ege i n t he eyes of a

capt ai n of t he el even. He was ver y near l y get -

t i ng up t o go and send t hem of f . " Pshaw ! t hey

won' t r emember me. They' ve mor e r i ght t her e

t han I , " he mut t er ed. And t he t hought t hat hi s

scept r e had depar t ed, and hi s mar k was wear i ng

out , came home t o hi m f or t he f i r st t i me, and bi t -

t er l y enough. He was l yi ng on t he ver y spot

wher e t he f i ght s came of f ; wher e he hi msel f had

f ought si x year s ago hi s f i r st and l ast bat t l e. —

He conj ur ed up t he scene t i l l he coul d al most

hear t he shout s of t he r i ng, and East ' s whi sper

i n hi s ear ; and l ooki ng acr oss t he cl ose t o t he

Doct or ' s pr i vat e door , hal f expect ed t o see i t

open, and t he t al l f i gur e i n cap and gown

I

180 BROWN AND ARTHUR.

come st r i di ng under t he el m- t r ees t owar ds hi m.

No, no ! t hat si ght coul d never be seen agai n.

Ther e was no f l ag f l yi ng on t he r ound t ower ;

t he school - house wi ndows wer e al l shut t er ed up ;

and when t he f l ag went up agai n, and t he shut -

t er s came down, i t woul d be t o wel come a st r an-

ger . Al l t hat was l ef t on ear t h of hi m whom he

had honour ed, was l yi ng col d and st i l l under t he

chapel f l oor . He woul d go i n and see t he pl ace

once mor e, and t hen l eave i t once f or al l . New

men and new met hods mi ght do f or ot her peopl e;

l et t hose who woul d wor shi p t he r i si ng st ar , he

at l east woul d be f ai t hf ul t o t he sun whi ch had

set . And so he got up, and wal ked t o t he chapel

door and i ml ocked i t , f ancyi ng hi msel f t he onl y

mour ner i n al l t he br oad l and, and f eedi ng on hi s

own sel f i sh sor r ow.

He passed t hr ough t he vest i bul e, and t hen

paused f or a moment t o gl ance over t he empt y

benches. Hi s hear t was st i l l pr oud and hi gh;

and he wal ked up t o t he seat whi ch he had l ast

occupi ed as a si xt h- f or m boy, and sat hi msel f

down t her e t o col l ect hi s t hought s.

And, t r ut h t o t el l , t hey needed col l ect i ng and

set t l i ng i n or der not a l i t t l e. The memor i es of

ei ght year s wer e al l danci ng t hr ough hi s br ai n,

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 181

m

and car r yi ng hi m about whi t her t hey woul d ;

whi l e beneat h t hem al l , hi s hear t was t hr obbi ng

wi t h t he dul l sense of a l oss t hat coul d never be

Page 95 of 96

made up t o hi m. The r ays of t he eveni ng sun

came sol emnl y t hr ough t he pai nt ed wi ndows

above hi s head and f el l i n gor geous col our s on t he

opposi t e wal l , and t he per f ect st i l l ness soot hed

hi s spi r i t by l i t t l e and l i t t l e. And he t ur ned t o

t he pul pi t , and l ooked at i t , and t hen l eani ng

f or war d, wi t h hi s head on hi s hands, gr oaned

al oud. — ' I f he coul d onl y have seen t he Doct or

agai n f or one f i ve mi nut es, t o have t ol d hi m al l

t hat was i n hi s hear t , what he owed t o hi m, how

he l oved and r ever enced hi m, and woul d, by

God' s hel p, f ol l ow hi s st eps i n l i f e and deat h, he

coul d hwve bor ne i t al l wi t hout a mur mur . But

t hat he shoul d have gone away f or ever wi t hout

knowi ng i t al l , was t oo much t o bear . ' " But

am I sur e t hat he does not know i t al l ? " — t he

t hought made hi m st ar t — " May he not even

now be near me, i n t hi s ver y chapel ? I f he be,

am I sor r owi ng as he woul d have me sor r ow —

as I shal l wi sh t o have sor r owed when I shal l

meet hi m agai n ? "

He r ai sed hi msel f up and l ooked r ound ; and

af t er a mi nut e r ose and wal ked humbl y down

182 BROAVN AND ARTHUR.

t o t he l oAvcst bench, and sat down on t he ver y

seat whi ch he had occupi ed on hi s f i r st Sunday

at Eugby. And t hen t he ol d memor i es r ushed

back agai n, but sof t ened and subdued, and soot h-

i ng hi m as he l et hi msel f be car r i ed away by

t hem. And he l ooked up at t he gr eat pai nt ed

wi ndow above t he al t ar , and r emember ed how,

when a l i t t l e boy, he used t o t r y not t o l ook

t hr ough i t at t he el m- t r ees and t he r ooks, bef or e

t he pai nt ed gl ass came — and t he subscr i pt i on

f or t he pai nt ed gl ass, and t he l et t er he wr ot e

home f or money t o gi ve t o i t . And t her e, down

bel ow, was t he ver y name of t he boy who sat

on hi s r i ght hand on t hat f i r st day, scr at ched

r udel y i n t he oak pannel l i ng.

And t hen came t he t hought of al l hi s ol d

school - f el l ows; and f or m af t er f or m of boys,

nobl er , and br aver , and pur er t han he, r ose up

and seemed t o r ebuke hi m. Coul d he not t hi nk

of t hem, and what t hey had f el t and wer e f eel i ng ;

t hey who had honour ed and l oved f r om t he f i r st ,

t he man whom he had t aken year s t o know and

l ove ? Coul d he not t hi nk of t hose yet dear er t o

hi m who was gone, who bor e hi s name and shar -

ed hi s bl ood, and wer e now wi t hout a husband

or a f at her ? Then t he gr i ef whi ch he began t o

BROWN AND ARTHUR. 183

shar e wi t h ot her s became gent l e and hol y, and

Page 96 of 96

he r ose up once mor e, and wal ked up t he st eps

t o t he al t ar ; and whi l e t he t ear s f l owed f r eel y

down hi s cheeks, knel t down humbl y and hope-

f ul l y, t o l ay down t her e hi s shar e of a bur den

whi ch had pr oved i t sel f t oo heavy f or hi m t o

bear i n hi s own st r engt h.

Her e l et us l eave hi m — wher e bet t er coul d wo

l eave hi m, t han at t he al t ar , bef or e whi ch he had

f i r st caught a gl i mpse of t he gl or y of hi s bi r t h-

r i ght , and f el t t he dr awi ng of t he bond whi ch

l i nks al l l i vi ng soul s t oget her i n one br ot her hood

— at t he gr ave beneat h t he al t ar of hi m who had

opened hi s eyes t o see t hat gl or y, and sof t ened

hi s hear t t i l l i t coul d f eel t hat bond.

And l et us not be har d on hi m, i f at t hat

moment hi s soul i s f ul l er of t he t omb and hi m

who l i es t her e, t han of t he al t ar and Hi m of

whom i t speaks. Such st ages have t o be gone

t hr ough, I bel i eve, by al l young and br ave soul s,

who must wi n t hei r way t hr ough her o- wor shi p,

t o t he wor shi p of Hi m who i s t he Ki ng and Lor d

of her oes. For i t i s onl y t hr ough our myst er i ous

human r el at i onshi ps, t hr ough t he l ove and t en-

der ness and pur i t y of mot her s, and si st er s, and

wi ves, — t hr ough t he st r engt h and cour age and

184 " ^ ^ BROWN AND ARTHUR.

wi sdom of f at her s, and br ot l i er s, and t cacl i er s,

t hat we can come t o t he knowl edge of Hi m, i n

whom al one t he l ove, and t he t ender ness, and

t he pm' i t y, and t he st r engt h, and t he cour age,

and t he wi sdom of al l t hese dwel l f or ever and

ever i n per f ect f ul ness.

THE END.