the daisy chain, or aspirations-第58章

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exclaimed　one；　〃here　has　Harrison　left　his　book　behind　him　that　he
was　showing　us　the　gladiators　in！〃　and；　standing　by　the　third
master's　desk；　he　turned　over　a　page　or　two　of　Smith's　'Antiquities'；
exclaiming；　〃It　is　full　of　pictureshere's　an　old　man　blowing　the
bellows〃

〃Let　me　see！〃　cried　Tom　May；　precipitating　himself　across　the　benches
and　over　the　desk；　with　so　little　caution；　that　there　was　an　outcry；
and；　to　his　horror；　he　beheld　the　ink　spilled　over　Mr。　Harrison's
book；　while；　〃There；　August！　you've　been　and　done　it！〃　　〃You'll　catch
it！　〃　resounded　on　all　sides。

〃What　good　will　staring　with　your　mouth　open　do！〃　exclaimed　Edward
Anderson；　the　eldest　present。　　〃Here！　a　bit　of　blotting…paper　this
moment！〃

Tom；　dreadfully　frightened；　handed　a　sheet　torn　from　an　old　paper…
case　that　he　had　inherited　from　Harry；　saying　despairingly；　〃It　won't
take　it　out；　will　it？〃

〃No；　little　stupid　head；　but　don't　you　see；　I'm　stopping　it　from
running　down　the　edges；　or　soaking　in。　　He　won't　be　the　wiser　till　he
opens　it　again　at　that　place。〃

〃When　he　does；　he　will；〃　said　the　bewildered　Tom。

〃Let　him。　　It　won't　tell　tales。〃

〃He's　coming！〃　cried　another　boy；　〃he　is　close　at　the　door。〃

Anderson　hastily　shut　the　book　over　the　blotting…paper；　which　he　did
not　venture　to　retain　in　his　hand；　dragged　Tom　down　from　the　desk；
and　was　apparently　entirely　occupied　with　arranging　his　own　box；　when
Mr。　Harrison　came　in。　　Tom　crouched　behind　the　raised　lid；　quaking　in
every　limb；　conscious　he　ought　to　confess；　but　destitute　of
resolution　to　do　so；　and；　in　a　perfect　agony　as　the　master　went　to
his　desk；　took　up　the　book；　and　carried　it　away；　so　unconscious；　that
Larkins；　a　great　wag；　only　waited　till　his　back　was　turned；　to
exclaim；　〃Ha！　old　fellow；　you　don't　know　what　you've　got　there！〃

〃Hallo！　　May　junior；　will　you　never　leave　off　staring？　you　won't　see
a　bit　farther　for　it；〃　said　Edward　Anderson；　shaking　him　by　the　ear；
〃come　to　your　senses；　and　know　your　friends。〃

〃He'll　open　it！〃　gasped　Tom。

〃So　he　will；　but　I'd　bet　ninety　to　one；　it　is　not　at　that　page；　or　if
he　does；　it　won't　tell　tales；　unless；　indeed；　he　happened　to　see　you
standing　there；　crouching　and　shaking。　　That's　the　right　way　to　bring
him　upon　you。〃

〃But　suppose　he　opens　it；　and　knows　who　was　in　school？〃

〃What　then？　　D'ye　think　we　can't　stand　by　each　other；　and　keep　our
own　counsel？〃

〃But　the　blotting…papersuppose　he　knows　that！〃

There　was　a　laugh　all　round　at　this；　〃as　if　Harrison　knew　everyone's
blotting…paper！〃

〃Yes；　but　Harry　used　to　write　his　name　all　over　hisseeand　draw
Union　Jacks　on　it。〃

〃If　he　did；　the　date　is　not　there。　　Do　you　think　the　ink　is　going　to
say　March　2nd？　　Why　should　not　July　have　done　it　last　half？〃

〃July　would　have　told　if　he　had；〃　said　Larkins。　　〃That's　no　go。〃

〃Ay！　　That's　the　waythe　Mays　are　all　like　girlscan't　keep　a
secretnot　one　of　them。　　There；　I've　done　more　for　you　than　ever　one
of　them　would　have　doneown　itand　he　strode　up　to　Tom；　and　grasped
his　wrists；　to　force　the　confession　from　him。〃

〃Butbut　he'll　ask　when　he　finds　it　out〃

〃Let　him。　　We　know　nothing　about　it。　　Don't　be　coming　the　good　boy
over　me　like　your　brothers。　　That　won't　doI　know　whose　eyes　are　not
too　short…sighted　to　read　upside　down。〃

Tom　shrank　and　looked　abject；　clinging　to　the　hope　that　Mr。　Harrison
would　not　open　the　book　for　weeks；　months；　or　years。

But　the　next　morning　his　heart　died　within　him；　when　he　beheld　the
unfortunate　piece　of　blotting…paper；　displayed　by　Mr。　Harrison；　with
the　inquiry　whether　any　one　knew　to　whom　it　belonged；　and　what　made
it　worse　was；　that　his　sight　would　not　reach　far　enough　to　assure　him
whether　Harry's　name　was　on　it；　and　he　dreaded　that　Norman　or　Hector
Ernescliffe　should　recognise　the　nautical　designs。　　However；　both　let
it　pass；　and　no　one　through　the　whole　school　attempted　to　identify
it。　　One　danger　was　past；　but　the　next　minute　Mr。　Harrison　opened　his
Smith's　'Antiquities'　at　the　page　where　stood　the　black　witness。　　Tom
gazed　round　in　despair；　he　could　not　see　his　brother's　face；　but
Edward　Anderson；　from　the　second　form；　returned　him　a　glance　of
contemptuous　encouragement。

〃This　book；〃　said　Mr。　Harrison；　〃was　left　in　school　for　a　quarter　of
an　hour　yesterday。　　When　I　opened　it　again；　it　was　in　this　condition。
Do　any　of　you　know　how　it　happened？〃　　A　silence；　and　he　continued；
〃Who　was　in　school　at　this　time？　　Anderson　junior；　can　you　tell　me
anything　of　it？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

〃You　know　nothing　of　it？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

Cold　chills　crept　over　Tom；　as　Mr。　Harrison　looked　round　to　refresh
his　memory。　　〃Larkins；　do　you　know　how　this　happened？〃

〃No；　sir；〃　said　Larkins　boldly；　satisfying　his　conscience　because　he
had　not　seen　the　manner　of　the　overthrow。

〃Ernescliffe；　were　you　there？〃

〃No；　sir。〃

Tom's　timid　heart　fluttered　in　dim　hope　that　he　had　been　overlooked；
as　Mr。　Harrison　paused；　then　said；　〃Remember；　it　is　concealment　that
is　the　evil；　not　the　damage　to　the　book。　　I　shall　have　a　good　opinion
ever　after　of　a　boy　honest　enough　to　confess；　May　junior；　I　saw　you；〃
he　added；　hopefully　and　kindly。　　〃Don't　be　afraid　to　speak　out　if　you
did　meet　with　a　mischance。〃

Tom　coloured　and　turned　pale。　　Anderson　and　Larkins　grimaced　at　him；
to　remind　him　that　they　had　told　untruths　for　his　sake；　and　that　he
must　not　betray　them。　　It　was　the　justification　he　wanted；　he　was
relieved　to　fancy　himself　obliged　to　tell　the　direct　falsehood；　for
which　a　long　course　of　petty　acted　deceits　had　paved　the　way；　for　he
was　in　deadly　terror　of　the　effects　of　truth。

〃No；　sir。〃　　He　could　hardly　believe　he　had　said　the　words；　or　that
they　would　be　so　readily　accepted；　for　Mr。　Harrison　had　only　the
impression　that　he　knew　who　the　guilty　person　was；　and　would　not
tell；　and；　therefore；　put　no　more　questions　to　him；　but；　after　a　few
more　vain　inquiries；　was　baffled；　and　gave　up　the　investigation。

Tom　thought　he　should　have　been　very　unhappy；　he　had　always　heard
that　deceit　was　a　heavy　burden；　and　would　give　continual　stings；　but
he　was　surprised　to　find　himself　very　comfortable　on　the　whole；　and
able　to　dismiss　repentance　as　well　as　terror。　　His　many　underhand
ways　with　Richard　had　taken　away　the　tenderness　of　his　conscience；
though　his　knowledge　of　what　was　right　was　clear；　and　he　was　quite
ready　to　accept　the　feeling　prevalent　at　Stoneborough；　that　truth　was
not　made　for　schoolboys。

The　axiom　was　prevalent；　but　not　universal；　and　parties　were　running
high。　　Norman　May；　who　as　head　boy　had；　in　play…hours；　the
responsibility；　and　almost　the　authority　of　a　master；　had　taken
higher　ground　than　was　usual　even　with　the　well…disposed；　and　felt　it
his　duty　to　check　abuses　and　malpractices　that　his　predecessors　had
allowed。　　His　friend；　Cheviot；　and　the　right…minded　set；　maintained
his　authority　with　all　their　might；　but　Harvey　Anderson　regarded　his
interference　as　vexatious；　always　took　the　part　of　the　offenders；　and
opposed　him　in　every　possible　way；　thus　gathering　as　his　adherents
not　only　the　idle　and　mischievous；　but　the　weak　and　mediocre；　and；
among　this　set；　there　was　a　positive　bitterness　of　feeling　to　May；
and　all　whom　they　considered　as　belonging　to　him。

In　shielding　Tom　May　and　leading　him　to　deceive；　the　younger　Anderson
had　gained　a　conquestin　him　the　Mays　had　fallen　from　that　pinnacle
of　truth　which　was　a　standing　reproach　to　the　average　Stoneborough
codeand；　from　that　time；　he　was　under　the　especial　patronage　of　his
friend。　　He　was　taught　the　most　ingenious　arts　of　saying　a　lesson
without　learning　it；　and　of　showing　up　other　people's　tasks；　whispers
and　signs　were　directed　to　him　to　help　him　out　of　difficulties；　and
he　was　sought　out　and　put　forward　whenever　a　forbidden　pleasure　was
to　be　enjoyed　by　stealth。　　These　were　his　stimulants　under　a　heavy
bondage；　he　was　teased　and　frightened；　bullied　and　tormented；
whenever　it　was　the　fancy　of　Ned　Anderson　and　his　associates　to　make
his　timidity　their　sport；　he　was　scorned　and　ill…treated；　and　driven；
by　bodily　terror；　into　acts　alarming　to　his　conscience；　dangerous　in
their　consequences；　and　painful　in　the　perpetration；　and　yet；　among
all　his