"Hush! no more talking," said Mr Rose, who did everything very gently and quietly. Eric heard him, but he was inclined to linger, and had always received such mild treatment from Mr Rose, that he didn't think he would take much notice of the delay. For the moment he did not, so Wildney began to chatter again. "All study-boys to leave the room," said Mr Rose. Eric just glanced round and moved slightly; he might have gone away, but that he caught a satirical look in Wildney's eye, and besides wanted to show off a little indifference to his old master, with whom he had had no intercourse since their last-mentioned conversation. "Williams, go away instantly; what do you mean by staying after I have dismissed you?" said Mr Rose sternly. Every one knew what a favourite Eric had once been, so this speech created a slight titter. The boy heard it just as he was going out of the room, and it annoyed him, and called to arms all his proud and dogged obstinacy. Pretending to have forgotten something, he walked conceitedly back to Wildney, and whispered to him, "I shan't go if he chooses to speak like that." A red flush passed over Mr Rose's cheek; he took two strides to Eric, and laid the cane sharply once across his back. Eric was not quite himself, or he would not have acted as he had done. His potations, though not deep, had, with the exciting events of the evening, made his head giddy, and the stroke of the cane, which he had not felt now for two years, roused him to madness. He bounded up, sprang towards Mr Rose, and almost before he knew what he was about, had wrenched the cane out of his hands, twisted it violently in the middle until it broke, and flung one of the pieces furiously into the fire. For one instant, boy and master--Eric Williams and Mr Rose--stood facing each other amid breathless silence, the boy panting and passionate, with his brain swimming, and his heart on fire; the master pale, grieved, amazed beyond measure, but perfectly self-collected. "After that exhibition," said Mr Rose, with cold and quiet dignity, "you had better leave the room." "Yes, I had," answered Eric bitterly; "there's your cane." And, flinging the other fragment at Mr Rose's head, he strode blindly out of the room, sweeping books from the table, and overturning several boys in his way. He then banged the door with all his force, and rushed up into his study. Duncan was there, and, remarking his wild look and demeanour, asked, after a moment's awkward silence, "Is anything the matter, Williams?" "Williams!" echoed Eric with a scornful laugh; "yes, that's always the way with a fellow when he's in trouble. I always know what's coming when you begin to leave off calling me by my Christian name." "Very well, then," said Duncan good-humouredly, "what's the matter, Eric?"