the daisy chain, or aspirations-第52节

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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　sufferings；　the　little　coward　dreaded　nothing　so　much　as
truth；　though　it　would　have　set　him　free　at　once　from　this　wretched
tyranny。

Excepting　on　holidays；　and　at　hours　when　the　town…boys　were　allowed
to　go　home；　there　were　strict　rules　confining　all　except　the　sixth
form　to　their　bounds；　consisting　of　two　large　courts；　and　an
extensive　field　bordered　by　the　river　and　the　road。　　On　the　opposite
side　of　the　bridge　was　a　turnpike　gate；　where　the　keeper　exposed
stalls　of　various　eatables；　very　popular　among　the　boys；　chiefly
because　they　were　not　allowed　to　deal　there。　　Ginger…beer　could　also
be　procured；　and　there　were　suspicions　that　the　bottles　so　called
contained　something　contraband。

〃August；〃　said　Norman；　as　they　were　coming　home　from　school　one
evening；　〃did　I　see　you　coming　over　the　bridge？〃

Tom　would　not　answer。

〃So　you　have　been　at　Ballhatchet's　gate？　　I　can't　think　what　could
take　you　there。　　If　you　want　tarts；　I　am　sure　poor　old　Betty's　are
just　as　good。　　What　made　you　go　there？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Tom。

〃Well；　mind　you　don't　do　it　again；　or　I　shall　have　to　take　you　in
hand；　which　I　shall　be　very　sorry　to　do。　　That　man　is　a　regular　bad
character；　and　neither　my　father　nor　Dr。　Hoxton　would　have　one　of　us
have　anything　to　do　with　him；　as　you　know。〃

Tom　was　in　hopes　it　was　over；　but　Norman　went　on。　　〃I　am　afraid　you
are　getting　into　a　bad　way。　　Why　won't　you　mind　what　I　have　told　you
plenty　of　times　before；　that　no　good　comes　of　going　after　Ned
Anderson；　and　Axworthy；　and　that　set。　　What　were　you　doing　with　them
to…day？〃　　But；　receiving　no　answer；　he　went　on。　　〃You　always　sulk
when　I　speak　to　you。　　I　suppose　you　think　I　have　no　right　to　row　you；
but　I　do　it　to　save　you　from　worse。　　You　can't　never　be　found　out。〃
This　startled　Tom；　but　Norman　had　no　suspicion。　　〃If　you　go　on；　you
will　get　into　some　awful　scrape；　and　papa　will　be　grieved。　　I　would
not；　for　all　the　world；　have　him　put　out　of　heart　about　you。　　Think
of　him；　Tom；　and　try　to　keep　straight。〃　　Tom　would　say　nothing；　only
reflecting　that　his　elder　brother　was　harder　upon　him　than　any　one
else　would　be；　and　Norman　grew　warmer。　　〃If　you　let　Anderson　junior
get　hold　of　you；　and　teach　you　his　tricks；　you'll　never　be　good　for
anything。　　He　seems　good…natured　now；　but　he　will　turn　against　you；
as　he　did　with　Harry。　　I　know　how　it　is；　and　you　had　better　take　my
word；　and　trust　to　me　and　straightforwardness；　when　you　get　into　a
mess。〃

〃I'm　in　no　scrape；〃　said　Tom；　so　doggedly；　that　Norman　lost　patience；
and　spoke　with　more　displeasure。　〃You　will　be　then；　if　you　go　out　of
bounds；　and　run　Anderson's　errands；　and　shirk　work。　　You'd　better
take　care。　　It　is　my　place　to　keep　order；　and　I　can't　let　you　off　for
being　my　brother；　so　remember；　if　I　catch　you　going　to　Ballhatchet's
again；　you　may　make　sure　of　a　licking。〃

So　the　warning　closedTom　more　alarmed　at　the　aspect　of　right；　which
he　fancied　terrific；　and　Norman　with　some　compunction　at　having　lost
temper　and　threatened；　when　he　meant　to　have　gained　him　by　kindness。

Norman　recollected　his　threat　with　a　qualm　of　dismay　when；　at　the　end
of　the　week；　as　he　was　returning　from　a　walk　with　Cheviot；　Tom　darted
out　of　the　gate…house。　　He　was　flying　across　the　bridge；　with
something　under　his　arm；　when　Norman　laid　a　detaining　hand　on　his
collar；　making　a　sign　at　the　same　time　to　Cheviot　to　leave　them。

〃What　are　you　doing　here？〃　said　Norman　sternly；　marching　Tom　into　the
field。　　〃So　you've　been　there　again。　　〃What's　that　under　your
jacket？〃

〃Onlyonly　what　I　was　sent　for；〃　and　he　tried　to　squeeze　it　under
the　flap。

〃What　is　it？　a　bottle〃

〃Onlyonly　a　bottle　of　ink。〃

Norman　seized　it；　and　gave　Tom　a　fierce　angry　shake；　but　the
indignation　was　mixed　with　sorrow。　　〃Oh；　Tom；　Tom；　these　fellows　have
brought　you　a　pretty　pass。　　Who　would　have　thought　of　such　a　thing
from　us！〃

Tom　cowered；　but　felt　only　terror。

〃Speak　truth；〃　said　Norman；　ready　to　shake　it　out　of　him；　〃is　this
for　Anderson　junior？〃

Under　those　eyes；　flashing