Boarding schools -- England -- Juvenile fiction; Schools -- Fiction; Students -- Juvenile fiction
"Answer to your names," said the discipline master, producing a paper.
We could not help noticing that Tempest's name was mixed in along with
ours, and that no difference was made on account of his age or status.
We were then formed into double rank, and fours, and open order, and put
through a hideous series of extension exercises, irksome enough at any
time, but under present circumstances specially so. I heard Dicky Brown
beside me groan as he stood leaning over with his left knee bent, his
right leg stretched out behind, and his two arms doubled up at his side.
"I wonder they don't all kick," he whispered.
"Not easy like this," said I.
"How Tempest must be enjoying it!" Dick murmured.
"Poor beggar! it's a nasty dose for him."
But if Mr Jarman counted on any protest or resistance from his senior
victim, he was disappointed. Tempest went patiently and impassively
through the drill with the rest of us; but, as we could see, with a
blazing eye fixed all the while on the master. But I could guess the
struggle that was going on in my friend's breast. Mr Jarman may have
flattered himself he was "taking it out of him", Dicky and I knew
better.
We all took our cue from Tempest that morning, and any inclination to
rebel or mutiny was suppressed. We contented ourselves with glaring at
our tormentor, and denying him the excuse he probably desired of
prolonging the agony. My impression is that Mr Jarman was never so
happy as when he realised that he was absolute master of the situation.
The Roman emperors were not in it with him.
"Attention! Front!" said he at last, when the proceedings were becoming
dull even to him. "Stand at ease! Attention! Stand at ease!
Attention! Left turn! Dismiss! As you were! Dismiss!"
It was a prolonged insult, and we knew it. But Tempest stood it, and
so, consequently, did we. But as we filed from the place we felt that
Mr Jarman's turn would come some day.
Tempest, contrary to general expectation, evinced no haste to leave the
scene of his tribulation. There was yet a quarter of an hour to next
bell, and this he evidently decided to spend, as he had the right to do,
where he was. Mr Jarman was evidently annoyed to find, not only that
the senior was apparently unaffected by the humiliation through which he
had passed, but that now the drill was over he evinced an entire
unconcern in the master's presence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account