As far as the principal was concerned, I felt that, provoked and irritated by his tyranny and injustice2, I had exhibited a proud and defiant3 spirit, which was dangerous to the discipline of the school. I was sorry that, when he called me back, I had not[67] obeyed. While I was in the school-room, or on the premises4 of the academy, I should have yielded obedience5, both in fact and in spirit; and I could not excuse my defiant bearing by the plea that I had been expelled. I was willing, after reflection, to apologize to Mr. Parasyte.
He proposed to pay for my boat. This was a great concession6 on his part, though it was called forth7 by the belief that he was legally liable for its destruction. He was willing to do me justice in that respect, if I would humiliate8 myself before Poodles, and publicly heal the wound which the discipline of the Institute had received at my hands. Even at that time it seemed to me to be noble and honorable to acknowledge an error and atone9 for it; and I am quite sure, if I could have felt that I had done wrong, I should have been glad to own it, and to make the confession10 in the presence of the students. There was a principle at stake, and something more than mere11 personal feeling.
While I was debating with myself what I should do, Mr. Parasyte appeared again. It was a matter of infinite importance to him. The prosperity, if not[68] the very existence, of his school depended upon the issue of this affair; and he was naturally nervous and excited. The students were in a state of incipient12 rebellion, as their conduct in the afternoon indicated, and it was of the highest moment to the Institute to have the matter amicably13 adjusted.
On the one hand, if I apologized to Poodles and the principal, the "powers that be" would be vindicated14, and the authority of the master fully15 established. On the other hand, if I declined to do so, and the sentence of expulsion was carried out, the boys were in sympathy with me, and the rebellion might break out afresh, and end in the total dissolution of the establishment. Under these circumstances, it was not strange that Mr. Parasyte desired to see me again.
"I hope you have carefully considered your position, Thornton," said he.
"I have," I replied; "and I am willing to apologize to you, but not to Poodles."
"That is something gained," added he; and I could see his face brighten up under the influence of a hope.[69]
"My manner was defiant, and my conduct disobedient. I am willing to apologize to you for this, and to submit to such punishment as you think proper to inflict16."
"That is very well; but it does not fully meet the difficulty. You must also apologize to Poodles, which you are aware may be done in private."
"I cannot do it, sir, either in public or in private. Poodles was wholly and entirely17 to blame."
"I think not; when I settled the case it was closed up, and it must not be opened again; at least not till some new testimony18 is obtained. I cannot eat my own words."
"You may obtain new testimony, if you desire," I suggested.
"What?"
"Poodles signed the declaration that he had performed the examples on the papers without assistance."
"He did. Have you any doubt that such is the case?" asked Mr. Parasyte, though he must have been satisfied that Poodles did not work out the examples.[70]
"I am entirely confident that he did not perform them. Mr. Parasyte," I continued, earnestly, "I desire to stay at the Institute. It would be very bad for me to be turned out, and I am willing to confess I have done wrong. If you give Poodles the paper with the examination on it, and he can perform one half of the examples, even now, without help, I will apologize to him in public or in private."
"That looks very fair, but it is not," replied the principal, rubbing his head, as if to stimulate19 his ideas.
"If Poodles can do the problems, I shall be willing to believe that I am mistaken. In my opinion, he cannot perform a single one of them, let alone the whole of them."
"I object to this proceeding20," said he, impatiently. "It will be equivalent to my making a confession."
The bell rang for the boys to assemble for the evening devotions. It gave Mr. Parasyte a shock, for the business was still unsettled. I had submitted to him a method by which he could ascertain21 the truth or falsehood of Poodle's statements; but it involved an[71] acknowledgment that he, Mr. Parasyte, was in the wrong. He seemed to be afraid it would be proved that he had made a blunder; that he had given an unjust judgment22. I was fully aware that the principal's position was a difficult and painful one, and I was even disposed to sympathize with him to a certain extent, though I was the victim of his partiality and injustice. The perils23 and discomforts24 of his situation, however, had been produced by his own hasty and unfair judgment; and it would have been far better for him even to apologize to me. He would have lost nothing with the boys by such a course; for never in my life did I have so exalted25 an opinion of a schoolmaster, as when, conscious that he had done wrong, he nobly and magnanimously acknowledged his error, and begged the forgiveness of the boy whom he had unintentionally misjudged.
I feel bound to say, in this connection, and after a longer experience of the world, that many schoolmasters, "armed with a little brief authority," are the most contemptible26 of petty tyrants27. Their arrogance28 and oppression are intolerable; and I have often[72] wondered, that where such men have been planted, they have not produced more of the evil fruit of strife29 and rebellion. Mr. Parasyte was one of this class; and the fact that he was a splendid teacher did not help his influence in the slightest degree.
"There is the bell for evening prayers, Thornton, and it is necessary for me to know instantly what you intend to do," said the principal.
"I shall not apologize to Poodles; I will to you."
"Think well of it."
"I have done so. If Poodles can do one half the examples on the paper, I will apologize."
"I have decided30 that question, and shall not open it again."
"I have nothing more to say, Mr. Parasyte," I replied, with becoming dignity, as I braced31 myself for the consequences of the decision I had made.
"You are an obstinate32 and self-willed fellow!" exclaimed the principal, irritated by the result.
I made no reply.
"The consequences be upon your own head."
I bowed in silence.[73]
"You have lost your good character and your boat."
I glanced out of the window, and saw the boys filing into the school-room.
"I shall explain this matter to your fellow-students, and tell them what I proposed."
"Do so," I answered.
He could not help seeing that I was thoroughly33 in earnest, and that I did not intend to yield any more than I had indicated. He was vexed34, annoyed, angry, and bolted out of the room, at last, in no proper frame of mind to conduct the religious exercises of the hour. It was quite dark now; and I lay down upon the bed, to think of what had passed, and to conjecture35 the result of my conduct. How I sighed then for some kind friend to advise me! How I wished that I had a father who would tell me what to do, and fight my battle for me! How I longed for a tender mother, into whose loving face I could gaze as I related the sad experience of that eventful day! Perhaps she would bid me apologize to Poodles, for the sake of saving my good name, and retaining my con[74]nection with the school. If so, though it would be weak and unworthy, I could humble36 myself for her sake.
I felt that I had done right. I had made all the concession which truth and justice required of me, and I was quite calm. I hardly inquired why Mr. Parasyte was keeping me a prisoner in the Institute after he had expelled me, or what he intended to do with me. About nine o'clock my own clothes were brought back to me by one of the servants; but the door was securely locked when he retired37.
A few minutes later, and before the sound of the servant's retreating footsteps had ceased, I heard some one thrust a key into the door. It did not fit, and a dozen others were tried in like manner, but with no better success. I heard a whispered consultation38; and then the door began to strain, and crack, until the bolt yielded, and it flew open. My sympathizing friends, the students, headed by Bob Hale, had broken it down.
"Come, Ernest," said Bob. "You needn't stay in here any longer. We want you down stairs."[75]
"What are you going to do?" I asked, quietly, of my excited deliverers.
"There is no law or justice in this concern; and we are going to put things to rights," replied Tom Rush, a good fellow, who had spent a week's vacation with me circumnavigating Lake Adieno in the Splash.
"You know I don't approve of any rows or riots," I added.
"No row nor riot about it. We have taken possession of this establishment, and we are going to straighten things out,—you can bet your life on that."
"Where is Mr. Parasyte?"
"He has gone up to see your uncle. He told us, at evening prayers, what an obstinate boy you were; how kind, and tender, and forgiving he had been to you, and how he had exhausted39 good nature in trying to bring you to a proper sense of duty."
"Did he say that?"
"He did, and much more. But come with us. The fellows have captured the citadel40, and we hold the school-room now, waiting for you."[76]
"I will go with you; but I don't want the fellows to make a disturbance41."
"No disturbance at all, Ernest; but we have turned the assistant teachers out, and mean to ascertain who is right and who is wrong in this matter."
The rebellion had actually broken out again; and the students, in the most high-handed manner, had established a tribunal in the school-room, to try the issue of my affair with the principal. I followed Bob Hale, Tom Rush, and half a dozen others, who constituted the committee to wait on me. They conducted me to the main school-room, which was a large hall. At every door and window were stationed two or three of the larger boys, with their hockies, bats, and rulers as weapons, to defend the court, as they called it, from any interruption.
About two thirds of the students were there assembled; and though the gathering42 was a riotous43 proceeding, the boys were in as good order as during the sessions of the school. In an arm-chair, on the platform, sat Henry Vallington, one[77] of the oldest and most dignified44 students of the Institute, who, it appeared, was to act as judge. Before him were Bill Poodles and Dick Pearl,—the latter being one of the six whose examples were all right,—arraigned for trial, and guarded by four stout45 students.
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1
piecemeal
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| adj.零碎的；n.片，块；adv.逐渐地；v.弄成碎块 | |
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2
injustice
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| n.非正义，不公正，不公平，侵犯（别人的）权利 | |
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3
defiant
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| adj.无礼的，挑战的 | |
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premises
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| n.建筑物，房屋 | |
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5
obedience
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| n.服从，顺从 | |
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6
concession
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| n.让步，妥协；特许(权) | |
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7
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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8
humiliate
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| v.使羞辱，使丢脸[同]disgrace | |
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9
atone
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| v.赎罪，补偿 | |
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10
confession
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| n.自白，供认，承认 | |
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11
mere
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| adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过 | |
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12
incipient
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| adj.起初的，发端的，初期的 | |
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13
amicably
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| adv.友善地 | |
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14
vindicated
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| v.澄清（某人/某事物）受到的责难或嫌疑( vindicate的过去式和过去分词 )；表明或证明（所争辩的事物）属实、正当、有效等；维护 | |
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15
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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16
inflict
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| vt.(on)把…强加给，使遭受，使承担 | |
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17
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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18
testimony
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| n.证词；见证，证明 | |
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19
stimulate
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| vt.刺激，使兴奋；激励，使…振奋 | |
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20
proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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21
ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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22
judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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23
perils
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| 极大危险( peril的名词复数 )； 危险的事（或环境） | |
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24
discomforts
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| n.不舒适( discomfort的名词复数 )；不愉快，苦恼 | |
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25
exalted
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| adj.(地位等)高的，崇高的；尊贵的，高尚的 | |
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26
contemptible
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| adj.可鄙的，可轻视的，卑劣的 | |
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27
tyrants
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| 专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物 | |
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28
arrogance
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| n.傲慢，自大 | |
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29
strife
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| n.争吵，冲突，倾轧，竞争 | |
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30
decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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31
braced
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| adj.拉牢的v.支住( brace的过去式和过去分词 )；撑牢；使自己站稳；振作起来 | |
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32
obstinate
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| adj.顽固的，倔强的，不易屈服的，较难治愈的 | |
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33
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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34
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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35
conjecture
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| n./v.推测，猜测 | |
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36
humble
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| adj.谦卑的，恭顺的；地位低下的；v.降低，贬低 | |
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37
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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38
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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39
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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40
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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41
disturbance
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| n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调 | |
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42
gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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43
riotous
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| adj.骚乱的；狂欢的 | |
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44
dignified
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| a.可敬的，高贵的 | |
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