"It don't matter what he says, Frank; he can't undo what we have done,
and old Eely will never dare to tackle you again."
"Or you."
"Oh, I didn't say that. Come on."
We went up to where Mr Rebble was standing, and found that Mr Hasnip
was there too.
As we went in, Mr Hasnip came close to my side. "Nice object you look
for a gentleman's son, sir! Going to be a soldier, eh?"
"Yes, sir!"
"Then keep your fighting for the enemy, not for your schoolfellows."
Then in a lower voice--"Gave him a thorough good thrashing, didn't you?"
he said.
"Yes, sir: I suppose so."
"Humph! serve him right. He wanted his comb cut. Getting insufferable
with his conceit!--By the way, you needn't tell any of your
schoolfellows I said that, for, of course, you had no business to
fight."
"I didn't want to, sir, but Burr major made us fight. He sent a lot of
the boys to bring us into the loft, `to take the conceit out of us,' he
said."
"And you took the conceit out of him instead, eh? Well, I daresay he
wishes he had not sent for you now."
"I'm afraid he does."
"Yes. Well, here we are. I'm a terrible tartar to you over your
lessons, but I'm not angry with you. Had some fights too, when I was
your age. Now then, speak up like a man."
The door was thrown open, and we had to walk in, the two ushers standing
on either side of the door, like policemen dealing with culprits, and
then ranging us before the Doctor's table, behind which he sat, leaning
back in his great leather-covered chair.
"Er--rum!" he coughed. "Sit down, Mr Rebble--take a chair, Mr Hasnip.
Let me see," he continued, adjusting his gold-rimmed eyeglasses. "Burr
major, Burr junior,--humph! ought to be Burr minor,--Natural History
Mercer who loves poaching the General's rabbits, Dicksee, and Hodson."
The Doctor looked severe, but not very, as he inspected us all.
"Hah!" he ejaculated at last; "four as disreputable-looking fellows as
it would be possible to find in the lowest town in Sussex. Aren't you
ashamed of yourselves?"
"No answer, eh?" said the Doctor, after a pause. "Well, Hodson, you are
not like these four. You did not fight, I suppose."
"No, sir. I was Burr major's second."
"That's almost as bad as the fighting. Come, you shall speak out. Who
was in the wrong?"
"Please, sir, I'd rather not give an opinion."
"Please, sir, I know!" cried Dicksee.
"Thank you. I would rather take some other boy's opinion," cried the
Doctor sarcastically. "Your eyes don't look as if you can see clearly.
There, it is plain enough to me that you were all in the wrong, and I
feel greatly annoyed to find my young gentlemen conducting themselves
like the disreputable low boys who frequent the fairs and racecourses of
the county. Look at yourselves. Did you ever see such a ghastly sight?
Burr major, your face is horrible. As for you, Dicksee, I am ashamed
of you. Suppose any of your relatives presented themselves at this
moment, and wanted to see you. What could I say? There, actually, as I
speak, I can hear wheels coming up the road, and, as they are light
wheels, they must either be those of visitors, or of the butcher's
cart--I--er--mean some trade-person's cart, which is not likely at this
time of day. Fighting, young gentlemen, is a brutal practice, dating
back to the very earliest ages of mankind, and no doubt imitated from
the wild beasts whom they saw around them. Whereas you live in these
later days, in the midst of civilisation in its highest, most cultivated
forms, so that there is no excuse whatever for your acts."
The Doctor coughed, and the two ushers looked at each other and nodded
their approval.
"Look at yourselves," continued the Doctor; and we all turned sharply to
gaze in a small circular mirror at the end of the library.
"No, no," said the Doctor blandly, "I did not mean at your bodily
disfigurations in the glass, but at the mental blurs in your natures.
I--There, boys!" he cried suddenly; "I am not in the vein to moralise in
this way, so I must speak plainly. I am ashamed of you, and, occupying
as I do toward you the temporary position of parent, I honestly declare
that if I did my duty by you, I should get a cane or a rod, and flog you
all severely, but--"
"May I come in?" said a pleasant voice, and the door was slightly
opened.
"Yes, my dear. No! engaged. What is it?"
"That lady and gentleman have driven over from Rye about their sons,"
said Mrs Doctor, coming right in; "and--Oh, my dears! what have you
been doing?"
"There, there, Matilda!" cried the Doctor hastily. "Go back! I'll come
in a few minutes;" and he hurried the pleasant old lady out of the room,
before turning to us.
"There! you see," he cried,--"you see the effect your appearance has
upon one who always takes the greatest of interest in you, and, er--Mr
Rebble, I feel disposed to be lenient this time, as the boys have pretty
well punished themselves. I leave it to you. Moderate impositions.
There, go at once and shut yourselves up in your dormitories. No, more
fighting, mind, or I shall be as severe as the sternest tyrant you read
of in your classic studies."
He hurried out of the library, and the ushers took us all into custody
again, and led us out into the playground.
"There!" said Mr Rebble; "you heard the Doctor's orders. Go to your
rooms. Not you, Hodson. Come to my desk, and I'll set your imposition
at once. Nice and easily you have got off. You can come down to-morrow
morning, I suppose."
The two masters went off with Hodson, and we four made our way to the
back staircase so hurriedly, that we nearly wedged ourselves at the
foot, with the result that we were once more face to face, Mercer and I
against Burr major and Dicksee, as in the fight.
I felt shocked now and more sorry than ever for Burr major, as I fully
realised how terribly I had knocked him about. My hand twitched, and I
was about to raise it, and offer to shake hands, or say something about
being sorry; but he checked it at once by giving me a virulent look, and
saying,--
"Wait a bit; I'll pay you out for all this," and, thrusting me aside, he
sent me staggering against the wall, and rushed up-stairs, but only to
trip and fall sprawling.
"Serve you right," cried Dicksee. "Yah!" Then, turning to us, he held
out his hand. "Here, I'll be friends with you both."