“Williams,” he said, “I have had a great regard for you, and felt a deep interest in you from the day I first saw you, and knew your excellent parents. At one time I had conceived great hopes of your future course, and your abilities seemed likely to blossom into noble fruit. But you fell off greatly, and grew idle and careless. At last an event happened, in which for a time you acted worthily of yourself, and which seemed to arouse you from your negligence and indifference. All my hopes in you revived; but as I continued to watch your course (more closely, perhaps, than you supposed), I observed with pain that those hopes must be again disappointed. It needs but a glance at your countenance to be sure that you are not so upright or right-minded a boy as you were two years ago. I can judge only from your outward course; but I deeply fear, Williams, I deeply fear, that in _other_ respects also you are going the down-hill road. And what am I to think now, when on the _same_ morning, you and your little brother _both_ come before me for such serious and heavy faults? I cannot free you from blame even for _his_ misdoings, for you are his natural guardian here; I am only glad that you were not involved with him in that charge.” “Let _me_ bear the punishment, sir, instead of him,” said Eric, by a sudden impulse; “for I misled him, and was there myself.” Dr. Rowlands paced the room in deep sorrow. “You, Williams! on the verge of the sixth form. Alas! I fear, from this, that the state of things among you is even worse than I had supposed.” Eric again hung his head. “No; you have confessed the sin voluntarily, and therefore at present I shall not notice it; only, let me entreat you to beware. But I must turn to the other matter. What excuse have you for your intolerable conduct to Mr. Rose, who, as I know, has shown you from the first the most unusual and disinterested kindness?” “I cannot defend myself, sir. I was excited, and could not control my passion.” “Then you must sit down here, and write an apology, which I shall make you read aloud before the whole school at twelve to-day.” Eric, with trembling hand, wrote his apology, and Dr. Rowlands glanced at it. “Come to me again at twelve,” he said. At twelve all the school were assembled, and Eric, pale and miserable, followed the Doctor into the great school-room. The masters stood at one end of the room, and among them Mr. Rose, who, however, appeared an indifferent and uninterested spectator of the transaction. Every eye was fixed on Eric, and every one pitied him. “We are assembled,” said Dr. Rowlands, “for an act of justice. One of your number has insulted a master publicly, and is ashamed of his conduct, and has himself written the apology which he will read. I had intended to add a still severer punishment, but Mr. Rose has earnestly begged me not to do so, and I have succumbed to his wishes. Williams, read your apology.”