MR. KNAPPS THINKS TO CATCH ME NAPPING, BUT THE PLOT IS DISCOVERED, AND
BARNABY BRACEGIRDLE IS OBLIGED TO LOOSEN HIS BRACES FOR THE SECOND TIME
ON MY ACCOUNT--DRAWING CARICATURES ENDS IN DRAWING BLOOD--THE USHER IS
USHERED OUT OF THE SCHOOL, AND I AM NEARLY USHERED INTO THE NEXT WORLD,
BUT INSTEAD OF BEING BOUND ON SO LONG A JOURNEY, I AM BOUND "'PRENTICE
TO A WATERMAN."
Ignorant of what had passed, I slept soundly; and the next morning found
the matron very grave with me, which I did not comprehend. The Dominie
also took no notice of my morning salute: but supposing him to be wrapt
in Euclid at the time, I thought little of it. The breakfast passed
over, and the bell rang for school. We were all assembled; the Dominie
walked in with a very magisterial air, followed by Mr Knapps, who,
instead of parting company when he arrived at his own desk, continued
his course with the Dominie to his pulpit. We all knew that there was
something in the wind; but of all, perhaps, I was the least alarmed.
The Dominie unfolded his large handkerchief, waved it, and blew his
nose, and the school was into profound silence. "Jacob Faithful, draw
near," said he, in a tone which proved that the affair was serious. I
drew near, wondering. "Thou hast been accused by Mr Knapps of
caricaturing, and holding up to the ridicule of the school, me--thy
master. Upon any other boy such disrespect should be visited severely;
but from thee, Jacob, I must add in the words of Caesar, `_Et tu
Brute_,' I expected, I had a right to expect, otherwise. _In se animi
ingrati crimen vitia omnia condit_. Thou understandest me, Jacob--
guilty or not guilty?"
"Not guilty, sir," replied I, firmly.
"He pleadeth net guilty, Mr Knapps; proceed, then, to prove thy
charge."
Mr Knapps then went to his desk, and brought out the drawings with
which he had been supplied by Barnaby Bracegirdle and the other boys.
"These drawings, sir, which you will please to look over, have all been
given up to me as the performance of Jacob Faithful. At first I could
not believe it to be true; but you will perceive, at once, that they are
all by the same hand."
"That I acknowledge," said the Dominie; "and all reflect upon my nose.
It is true that my nose is of large dimensions, but it was the will of
Heaven that I should be so endowed; yet are the noses of these figures
even larger than mine own could warrant, if the limner were correct, and
not malicious. Still have they merit," continued the Dominie, looking
at some of them; and I heard a gentle _cluck, cluck_, in his throat, as
he laughed at his own mis-representations. "_Artis adumbratae meruit
cum sedula laudem_, as Prudentius hath it. I have no time to finish the
quotation."
"Here is one drawing, sir," continued Mr Knapps, "which proves to me
that Jacob Faithful is the party; in which you and Mrs Bately are shown
up to ridicule. Who would have been aware that the candle went out in
your study, except Jacob Faithful?"
"I perceive," replied the Dominie, looking at it through his spectacles,
when put into his hand, "the arcana of the study have been violated."
"But, sir," continued Mr Knapps, "here is a more convincing proof. You
observe this caricature of yourself, with his own name put to it--his
own handwriting. I recognised it immediately; and happening to turn
over his Cornelius Nepos, observed the first blank leaf torn out. Here
it is, sir, and you will observe that it fits on to the remainder of the
leaf in the book exactly."
"I perceive that it doth; and am grieved to find that such is the case.
Jacob Faithful, thou are convicted of disrespect and of falsehood.
Where is Simon Swapps?"
"If you please, sir, may I not defend myself?" replied I. "Am I to be
flogged unheard?"
"Nay, that were an injustice," replied the Dominie; "but what defence
canst thou offer? _O puer infelix et sceleratus_!"
"May I look at those caricatures, sir?" said I.
The Dominie handed them to me in silence. I looked them all over, and
immediately knew them to be drawn by Barnaby Bracegirdle. The last
particularly struck me. I had felt confounded and frightened with the
strong evidence brought against me; but this re-assured me, and I spoke
boldly. "These drawings are by Barnaby Bracegirdle, sir, and not by me.
I never drew a caricature in my life."
"So didst thou assert that thou couldst not draw, and afterwards
provedst by thy pencil to the contrary, Jacob Faithful."
"I knew not that I was able to draw when I said so; but I wished to draw
when you supposed I was able--I did not like that you should give me
credit for what I could not do. It was to please you, sir, that I asked
for the pencil."
"I wish it were as thou statest, Jacob--I wish from my inmost soul that
thou wert not guilty."
"Will you ask Mr Knapps from whom he had these drawings, and at what
time? There are a great many of them."
"Answer, Mr Knapps, to the questions of Jacob Faithful."
"They have been given to me by the boys at different times during this
last month."
"Well, Mr Knapps, point out the boys who gave them."
Mr Knapps called out eight or ten boys, who came forward. "Did Barnaby
Bracegirdle give you none of them, Mr Knapps?" said I, perceiving that
Barnaby was not summoned.
"No," replied Mr Knapps.
"If you please, sir," said I to the Dominie, "with respect to the leaf
out of my Nepos, the Jacob Faithful was written on it by me on the day
that you gave it to me; but the _fecit_, and the caricature of yourself,
is not mine. How it came there I don't know."
"Thou hast disproved nothing, Jacob," replied the Dominie.
"But I have proved something, sir. On what day was it that I asked you
for the pencil to draw with? Was it not on a Saturday?"
"Last Saturday week, I think it was."
"Well, then, sir, Mr Knapps told you the day before that I could draw?"
"He did; and thou deniedst it."
"How, then, does Mr Knapps account for not producing those caricatures
of mine, which he says he has collected for a whole month? Why didn't
he give them to you before?"
"Thou puttest it shrewdly," replied the Dominie. "Answer, Mr Knapps,
why didst thou, for a fortnight at the least, conceal thy knowledge of
his offence?"
"I wished to have more proofs," replied the usher.
"Thou hearest, Jacob Faithful."
"Pray, sir, did you ever hear me speak of my poor mother but with
kindness?"
"Never, Jacob, thou hast ever appeared dutiful."
"Please, sir, to call up John Williams."
"John, Number 37, draw near."
"Williams," said I, "did you not tell me that Barnaby Bracegirdle had
drawn my mother flaming at the mouth?"
"Yes, I did."
My indignation now found vent in a torrent of tears. "Now, sir," cried
I, "if you believe that I drew the caricatures of you and Mrs Bately--
did I draw this, which is by the same person?" And I handed up to the
Dominie the caricature of my mother, which Mr Knapps had inadvertently
produced at the bottom of the rest. Mr Knapps turned white as a sheet.
The Dominie looked at the caricature, and was silent for some time. At
last he turned to the usher.
"From whom didst thou obtain this, Mr Knapps?"