"Oh, about that bill you gave me. How much was it?"
"Two pounds and sixpence, young gentleman."
"I said I'd see it paid for you, didn't I?"
"You did. I don't want to show up--"
"All right, you needn't. Here's the money; give me the change, please,
and a receipt."
Mr Marple opened his eyes very wide at the sight of a five-pound note
within three days of the end of term. "I--I hope it's all right," said
he, hesitatingly. "You needn't have it if you don't want," said I,
mounting my high horse.
"I'm sure I'm much obliged to you, young gentleman," said the tradesman,
giving the note a professional twitch, and proceeding to count out the
change from his till. "I shall always be pleased to attend to any
little orders from Mr Tempest or you."
"You can make out the receipt to Tempest," said I; "I expect he won't
get much more here."
"Don't say that. I'm sure no offence was meant."
It was a delicious sensation to feel myself master of the situation like
this. I could have bullied Marple if I had liked, but I resolved not to
be too hard on him.
"I'm sure I'm much obliged," said he, "for all your trouble. Have you
seen these pretty little pencil-sharpers? They are quite new. I shall
be pleased if you will accept one, young gentleman."
A pencil-sharpener was the very thing I wanted. All the term I had been
wrestling with a blunt penknife, which no sooner uncovered the lead at
the end of a pencil than it broke it off. So in a weak moment I
accepted the gift, and forfeited my advantage.
From Marple's I proceeded to the confectioner's, where a score of nearly
a pound stood against Tempest. Here, again, I experienced the sweets of
being treated with distinguished consideration, and being asked to
partake of a strawberry ice (how Rammage, by the way, continued to have
strawberry ices in the middle of December I have never yet clearly
understood) while the receipt was being made out.
Mr Winget, the hatter, rather disappointed me by offering me nothing
more than his sincere thanks for the settlement of his little bill. He
might at least, I thought, have offered me a mourning hatband or a new
school ribbon. His bill, however, was only five shillings, so probably
the profit did not permit of any gratuitous allowance in recognition of
my distinguished services.
I was consoled, however, by Mr Ringstead, the games man, who presented
me with a net-bag for holding tennis balls, and urged me, whenever I
wanted any little thing in the way of repairs to bats, or fresh spikes
to my running shoes, to let him know.
It was all very pleasant, and I grieve to say that the shady side of all
this petty bribery and corruption never once occurred to my simple mind.
I returned to school covered with self-satisfaction, and virtuously
clutching in my hand half-a-crown, the final change out of the "fiver."
This in due course I put in an envelope, together with the batch of
receipts, and laid on Crofter's table after morning school, with the
laconic message under the flap, "All right, T.J. iv."
I was far too knowing to let out my secret to the Philosophers, whose
agitation and indignation at Tempest's probable expulsion knew no bounds
and somewhat amused me.
"Look here, Sarah," said Langrish, as I entered for the first time after
my disgrace of the previous day--I knew my comrades well enough to be
sure they would like to see me--"we all know you're about the
beastliest, howlingest cad in Low Heath; so that's all right."
"I'm glad you think so."
"Yes, and you've been told to clear out, as it's your fault Tempest's
expelled."
"Is it? That's all you know," said I.
"Yes, and you're kicked out of the Philosophers, and we're going to
invite Dicky Brown to join us. _He's_ a decent chap."
This was rather a blow.
"I thought no town-boys were eligible."
"No cads are; that's why you're out of it."
"Look here--" said I.
"We're not going to look here. You can cut and go, and sit on the
stairs. We don't want you in here, do we, you chaps?"
"Rather not, unless we've got our kicking boots on."
"All right," said I, feeling I must play one or two of my trumps. "I
sha'n't tell you what I was going to."
"Pooh, we know all about it," said Coxhead. But it was plain by the way
they had all pricked their ears they did not.
"Oh, if you know, it's all right. But you don't know the latest."
"We don't want to, unless it's that old Tempest has got off."
"That's just what it is," said I triumphantly.
"Good old Sarah! how do you know?"
"Never mind, it's a secret; but it's a fact, honour bright."
"What, has he paid all his bills?"
"They're all paid, I know that."
"I suppose," said Langrish, "as that motion about Sarah being kicked out
wasn't properly seconded, it's off, isn't it?"
"Does any gentleman second the motion?" said Coxhead, glancing round
the assembled Philosophers.
No one seconded it.
"Jolly lucky shave for you, young Sarah," said Coxhead.
"Thanks awfully," said I.
"We may as well divide up the pool now?" suggested Warminster.
With a generosity which was really touching, the Philosophers had
clubbed together the shattered fragments of their term's pocket-money to
assist Tempest in his financial troubles. They had done it
ungrudgingly, nay enthusiastically, and it was not against them that the
enthusiasm remained now as each one unexpectedly received back his
Philosopher's mite from the depths of the kindly "pool."
It is all very well keeping a secret like mine for twenty-four hours.
It was an effort, but I did it, and prevailed on my comrades to keep it
too. It was even harder work to prevail upon them as a matter of policy
to accept the temporary supremacy of Crofter in the house. Nothing
would induce them to refrain from cheering Tempest (much to his
displeasure) on every possible occasion. It made it awkward for me
sometimes when this happened in Crofter's presence; for as things now
were in Sharpe's, a cheer for the old captain meant a hoot at the new;
and I felt that Crofter, did the fellows only know all, did not deserve
their resentment.
After forty-eight hours I could not restrain myself any longer. It was
not fair to myself, or Crofter, or Low Heath, that every one should
suppose Tempest was to be expelled when he really was not. So, with
some misgivings, I decided to put myself in his way and break the
agreeable news to him, and so have everything cleared up before the end
of term.
It was not difficult to find an excuse. I had not been to Tempest's
rooms since our unlucky quarrel, and had been suffering inconvenience
ever since by the fact that my Latin Gradus was there. On the last day
but one of the term, therefore, I developed a burning desire to consult
my missing handbook, and must needs go in search of it.
Tempest was sitting, miserably enough, before the fire, with his feet on
the fender and his hands up to the back of his head as I entered. It
was not till I was well in the room and had closed the door that he
turned round and saw me.
I thought at first he meant to fly at me, his face clouded so angrily.
But it changed to a look of contempt as he said,--
"Well?"
"Tempest, I'm awfully sorry, really I am, but--"
"Don't let us have any of that. If I thought you'd meant it, I should
precious soon know what to do. You've done me about the worst turn a
fellow could, and if you weren't a conceited young ass it would be some
use thrashing you. As it is, somebody else may do that when I'm gone."
The wretchedness of his tone quite touched me. I forgot my anger and
sense of resentment, and all the old affection and loyalty came back
with a rush. How could I ever have imagined a fellow like Crofter was
worthy to hold a candle to my old Dux?
"Really, Tempest," began I, losing my head and blundering I scarcely
knew whither, "when you saw me talking to Crofter--" He uttered an angry
exclamation.
"There, now, shut up about your friend Crofter. I don't want to hear
about him."
"He's not my friend, Tempest; he's--he's yours."
He wheeled round in his chair and laughed bitterly.
"It's a queer time to joke," said he, with a laugh that cut me through.
"It's no joke, Tempest. You don't know what he's done for you."
"Don't I? I fancy I do."
"About the bills," said I, faltering, "you know."
"Ah! don't come here to tell me about that."
"It was all of his own accord he paid them."
"He what?" shouted Tempest, springing from his chair and facing round.
"Paid them, you know; at least, I paid them for him."
"You? Paid?" and he caught me by the collar and shook me like a puppy.
"You said you knew," gasped I.
"Paid my bills! You say that blackguard had the cheek to--"
"He got me to do it; it was his money, though."
He groaned as if some one had wounded him. A crimson flush of shame and
mortification overspread his face, and for a moment he stared at me
speechless.
Then he pulled himself together and strode out of the room. Utterly
bewildered and half terrified, I followed him. What had I done to
offend him? Had all the trouble of the term turned his head?
To my alarm he made straight for Crofter's study. No one was there. He
turned and saw me.
"Tell Crofter I want him at once."
I departed with my heart in my mouth. At the foot of the staircase I
met Crofter.
"Tempest wants to see you," said I; "he sent me to--to ask you to come."
"He doesn't know?" inquired Crofter.
"Yes--I told him--I--I thought I ought to let him know." Crofter
laughed his sweet laugh.
"If I had wanted it known all over Low Heath," said he, "I could hardly
have done better than tell you to keep it a secret. I'd much sooner he
had not known. However--where is he?"
"In your study, I think."
I felt constrained to follow. Crofter evidently was expecting to be the
recipient of an outburst of effusive gratitude. I had not the courage
to disabuse him.
He walked pleasantly and graciously into his study, where Tempest stood,
flushing and biting his lips, awaiting him. "Is this true what that
youngster says, that you've had the--that you've paid bills of mine?"
"I'm sorry he told you, Tempest. I thought it might get you out of a
difficulty, and I--"
"And you expect me to thank you! Take that, for daring to meddle in my
affairs!"
And he struck Crofter on the cheek--not a hard blow, but one which sent
the recipient reeling across the room with astonishment.
For a moment I expected a fight. Crofter, however, pale, but smiling
still, declined the challenge.
"You'll be sorry, I'm sure," said he, as coolly as he could. "I only
wanted to do you a good turn, and--"
"I'm sorry already," said Tempest, who had already gathered himself
together. "I hoped you'd fight like a man. As you're afraid to, I'm
sorry I touched you."
"I see nothing to fight about," said Crofter. "I don't see what there
is to be angry about."
Tempest waited motionless for a few uncomfortable moments, in the hope
that Crofter would pluck up spirit to accept the challenge. But, as
Crofter only smiled, he turned on his heel and strode out of the room.
As he passed me, he beckoned me imperiously to follow him. I did so in
terror.
He put a piece of paper and a pen before me.
"Write down there an account of every bill you paid, and the amount."