The Fifth Form at Saint Dominic's: A School Story

by Talbot Baines Reed

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO.

  THE "DOMINICAN" COMES ROUND.

  The Fifth were a good while coming round on the question of Greenfieldsenior. But the delay was more on account of pride than because theystill considered their old class-fellow a knave. They had taken up sucha grand position last term, and talked so magnificently about honour,and morality, and the credit of the school, that it was a sad come-downnow to have to admit they had all been wrong, and still more that theyhad all been fools. And yet, after what had happened, they could nolonger retain their suspicions of Oliver Greenfield.

  A few of the better sort, like Pembury and Bullinger, had the courage,at whatever cost, to act up to their convictions, and declared at oncethat they had been wrong, and were ashamed of it.

  The next step was to approach Oliver, and that was more difficult, forhe was such a queer fellow there was no knowing where to have him.However, Pembury's wit helped him over the difficulty as usual.

  He was hobbling down the passage one morning when he suddenlyencountered Oliver and Wraysford, arm-in-arm, approaching him. If atany time in his life Pembury did feel uncomfortable and awkward he feltit now. If he let Oliver go by this time without making it up somehow,the chance might never come again; but how to set about it, that was thedifficulty, and every half-second brought the two nearer. Twentydifferent ideas flashed through his mind. He was not the sort of fellowto go to any one and eat humble-pie straight off. That was far too tamea proceeding. No, there was only one way he could think of, and hewould chance that.

  "Noll, old man," said he, in the old familiar tones, "you've got a sparearm. May I take it?"

  Oliver stopped short and looked at him for an instant in astonishment.Next moment, with a hearty "Rather!" he slipped his arm into that of thehappy Pembury, and the three went on their way rejoicing, a sight and amoral for all Saint Dominic's.

  That was the whole of Anthony Pembury's making up. As for Bullinger, hewrote his man a letter, worded in beautiful English, in the most eleganthandwriting and punctuated to a nicety, setting forth his contrition,and his hope that Greenfield would henceforth reckon him among hisfriends--"Yours very sincerely, H. Bullinger." This literary effort hecarefully dispatched by a Guinea-pig to its destination, and awaited areply with the utmost impatience. The reply was laconic, but highlysatisfactory. It was a verbal one, given by Oliver himself in classthat afternoon, who volunteered the information to the delightedBullinger that it was a "jolly day."

  It was indeed a jolly day to that contrite youth. He never believed itwould all be got over so easily. He had dreaded all sorts of scenes andlectures and humiliations, but here he was, by a single word, passedback straight into friendship, and no questions asked.

  The sight of Oliver surrounded by these three friends, of whom it wouldhave been hard to say which was the happiest, made a deep impression onthe rest of the Fifth, and certainly did not tend to make them feel morecomfortable as to what they ought to do in a similar direction.

  "It's all very well," said Ricketts, when the question was beingcanvassed for the hundredth time among his immediate friends. "I daresay they are all right, but it makes it jolly uncomfortable for us."

  "They oughtn't to have given in in this way without letting the rest ofus know first," said Braddy. "Just see what a corner it puts us in."

  "All I can say is," said Tom Senior, "I'll be better satisfied when Iknow who _did_ collar that paper if Greenfield didn't."

  "Oh, but," said Simon, seeing a chance, "I can assure you I saw him whenhe took it. I was going--"

  "Shut up, you great booby!" cried Ricketts; "who asked _you_ anythingabout it?"

  Simon modestly retired hereupon, and Braddy took up the talk.

  "Yes, who did take the paper? that's it. Greenfield must have done it.Why, he as good as admitted it last term."

  "Well, then, it's very queer those fellows making up to him," saidRicketts. "It's no use our trying to send the fellow to Coventry whenthe others don't back us up."

  "Wraysford always was daft about Greenfield," said Tom Senior, "but I amastonished at Pembury and Bullinger."

  "All I can say is," said Braddy, "Greenfield will have to ask me beforeI have anything to do with him."

  "And do you know," said Ricketts, "I heard to-day he is down to play inthe match against the County."

  "Is he?" exclaimed Braddy in excitement; "very well, then. _I_ shallnot play if he does. That's all about that."

  Ricketts laughed.

  "Awfully sorry, old man, but you're not in the fifteen this time."

  Braddy's face was a picture at this moment--he turned red and blue andwhite in his astonishment.

  "What!" he exclaimed, as soon as he could find words. "I'm not in theteam!"

  "You'll see the list on the notice board; you'd better go and look."

  Off went the wretched Braddy to be convinced of his fate.

  "You're in the team, Ricketts, I see," said Tom Senior. "Shall _you_play if Greenfield does?"

  "Don't know," said Ricketts. "A fellow doesn't get a chance to playagainst the County every day. It's precious awkward."

  "So it is; that's just where we began, too," said Tom, philosophically.And, as a matter of fact, whenever these young gentlemen of the Fifthstarted the subject of Greenfield senior among themselves, they alwaysfound themselves in the end at the identical place from which they hadset out.

  Nor were they the only boys at Saint Dominic's in this dilemma. TheGuinea-pigs and Tadpoles were equally taken aback by the new aspect ofaffairs. These young gentlemen had looked upon Oliver's "row" with hisclass as a peculiar mercy designed specially for their benefit. Theyhad hardly known such a happy time as that during which the row hadlasted. Did they want a pretext for a battle? Greenfield senior was aglorious bone of contention. Did they want an object for an indignationmeeting? What better object could they have than Greenfield senior?Did they want an excuse generally for laziness, disobedience, andtumult? Greenfield senior served for this too. Indeed, the name of theFifth Form Martyr had passed into a household word among the lowerschool, either of glory or reproach, and round it the small fry rallied,as round an old flag of battle.

  But now, both friend and foe were aghast. To the Guinea-pigs half thecharm of their position had been that they were Greenfield senior's solechampions in all Saint Dominic's. While every one else avoided him,they stuck to him, week-days and Sundays. Now, however, theydiscovered, with something like consternation, that they no longer hadthe field to themselves.

  The sight of Greenfield senior walking down the passage one day,arm-in-arm with Wraysford, and the next day with one arm in Wraysford'sand the other in Pembury's, and the day after between Pembury andBullinger, with Wraysford and Stephen in the rear, struck bewildermentand bitter jealousy to their hearts.

  They had come out into the passage to cheer, but they went away silentlyand sadly, feeling that their very occupation was departed.

  Bramble, always quick to see a chance, took advantage as usual of thispanic.

  "Hullo, I say, Guinea-pigs, you can shut up shop now, you know. We'regoing to let off Greenfield senior this time, ain't we, Padger? Jollyfellow, Greenfield senior."

  This was abominable! To have their hero and idol thus calmly taken outof their hands and appropriated by a set of sneaking Tadpoles was morethan human patience could endure!

  "Bah! A lot he'll care for _your_ letting him off!" exclaimed Paul, indire contempt. "He wouldn't touch you with a shovel."

  "Oh, yes, he would, though, wouldn't he, Padger? And what do you think,Guinea-pigs? _we're going to get Greenfield senior to take the chair atone of our meetings_!"

  Bramble came out with the last triumphant announcement with a positiveshout, which made the hearts of his adversaries turn cold. In vain theylaughed the idea to scorn; in vain they argued that if for the last sixmonths he had never said a word even to the Guinea-pigs, he would hardlynow come and take up with the Tadpoles. Bramble and Padger in
sisted ontheir story.

  "Now, you fellows," concluded Bramble, at the end of another oration;"those who say three cheers for Greenfield senior hold up--"

  The infuriated Paul here hurled the cap of a brother Guinea-pig, who wasstanding near him, full at the face of the speaker, who thereupon,altering the current of his observations, descended from his form and"went for" his opponent.

  From that day a keener war raged round the head of Greenfield seniorthan ever. Not of attack and defence of his character, but of rivalryas to whom should be accounted his foremost champions.

  It was at this critical period in the history of Saint Dominic's that anew number of the _Dominican_ came out. Pembury had been compelled towrite it nearly all himself, for, in the present state of dividedfeeling in the Fifth, he found it harder than ever to get contributions.

  Even those of his own way of thinking, Oliver, Wraysford, and Bullinger,begged to be let off, and, indeed, the two former ingeniously pleadedthat, as they were now really Sixth Form fellows (though remaining intheir old class till the Doctor came home), they had no right to have ahand in the Fifth Form magazine. And their conscientious scruples onthis ground were so strong that no persuasions of Anthony's could shakethem. So the unlucky editor had finally, as on a previous occasion, toretire into private life for a season, and get the whole thing outhimself, with only the aid of a few inches of "Sonits" from Simon.

  But "what man has done man can do," and this time the editor's effortswere crowned with no less success than on the former occasion.

  The _Dominican_ certainly did not seem to have lost its novelty, tojudge by the crowd which once more assembled outside the classic portalsof the Fifth, to peruse the contents of the now familiar big oak frame.

  "School News" was the first item of Tony's bill of fare.

  After announcing in appropriate terms the Doctor's illness, and"universal hope of seeing him back in all his former vigour" (one or twoboys whistled low as they read this, and thought the editor might atleast have been content to "speak for himself"), Anthony went on toannounce the various school events which had happened since thepublication of the last number. Christmas prize-day of course came infor a good share of the description, and contained a touch-off foreverybody.

  "The Guinea-pigs and Tadpoles," said the _Dominican_, "looked quiteunearthly in their cleanliness. It was commonly reported that one ortwo of them had washed their faces twice in one week. But this ishardly credible. It is, however, a fact that Bramble was shut up in hisstudy for half an hour with his grandmother and a basin of hot water,and that the conclusion come to from the yells and shrieks whichproceeded from the torture-chamber that evening, and the appearance ofthe dear child next day, is that he undoubtedly underwent one scrubbingthis term."

  Bramble's face turned so purple at the reading of this that it wasimpossible to say whether or not any traces of the scouring stillremained. He favoured Paul, who stood in front of him, with a furiouskick, which that young gentleman, always punctual in his obligations,promptly repaid, and the two combatants somehow managed to miss a gooddeal of what immediately followed.

  After describing the other incidents of prize-day, the _Dominican_ wenton as follows:

  "But the event of the day was the presentation of the NightingaleScholarship, which will be sufficiently fresh in our readers' memoriesto need no comment here, save this one word--that the only Dominican whobehaved himself like a gentleman during that remarkable scene was thewinner of the scholarship himself!"

  This was coming round with a vengeance! The Fifth had half expected it,and now they felt more uncomfortable than ever.

  Nor did the succeeding paragraphs leave them much chance of recovery.

  "The Waterston Exhibition, our readers will be glad to hear, has beenwon--and won brilliantly--by Oliver Greenfield, now of the Sixth. Nofellow in Saint Dominic's deserves the honour better."

  Then, as if his penitence were not yet complete, Pembury went on boldlyfarther on:

  "Speaking of Greenfield senior, it is time some of us who have beendoing him injustice for a whole term did what little we could to makeamends now. So here goes. Take notice, all of you, that we, theundersigned, are heartily ashamed of our conduct to Greenfield senior,and desire all Saint Dominic's to know it. Signed, A. Pembury, H.Wraysford, T. Bullinger."

  The effect of this manifesto was curious. Pembury himself had beenunable to prophesy how it would be taken. The boys in front of theboard, as they heard it read out, couldn't tell exactly whether to laughor be serious over the paragraph. Most, however, did the latter, andhurried on to the next sentence:

  "The following are also ashamed of themselves, but don't like to say so.The _Dominican_ means to give them a leg up:--Tom Senior, G. Ricketts,R. Braddy, and the rest of the Fifth, except Simon, who never was orcould be ashamed of himself while he lived to write such pathetic,soul-stirring lines as the following `Sonits:'"

  [It was a great relief to one or two who stood by that Pembury had thuscunningly gone on from grave to gay, and left no pause after the veryawkward paragraph about the Fifth.]

  Sonit A.

  To the _Dominican_.

  I cannot write as I would like all in a noisy room There's such a noise of mortal boys who sometimes go and come Oh I will to the woods away all in the lonely shade Where I no more of being disturbed need not to be afraid.

  Sonit B.

  To Dr Senior.

  Dear Doctor I am very grieved to hear that you are not well Oh cruel fate and yet methinks one cannot always tell Things are so catching nowadays I wonder if I ever Shall like unto the Doctor be by catching a low fever.

  Sonit C.

  To O-- G--.

  Oh Greenfield melancholy wite hear me once before I go 'Tis sad to see the blossoms all in autumn time fall low Canst thou recall that night in September when in the passage fair I met you all so unexpectedly and you didn't seem to care Oh may my hair turn white and me become a soreing lark Before the memory of that day shines out in life's last spark.

  [Wite, possibly wight.]

  This was beautiful. Saint Dominic's was beginning to appreciate poetryat last! Simon was positively delirious with triumph when, after theburst of laughter (he called it applause) which greeted the reading ofthis gem, some one cried out--

  "Oh, I say! read that last one again, some one!" And then, amidredoubled hilarity, the whole effusion was encored.

  The poet promptly sought out his enthusiastic admirer.

  "Oh! I say," said he, "would you like a copy of it?"

  "Eh--oh, rather!" was the reply.

  "Very good. You won't mind if I put a few more verses in, will you?Pembury had to cut some out."

  "My dear fellow, I shan't be happy unless I get at least twenty pages."

  So off went the delighted Simon to work at this self-imposed task, andcaring little about the rest of the _Dominican_.

  But some of that was worth reading, too. Tony's leading article, forinstance, was an important document. It was headed "Gone Up," andbegan, "Alas! our occupation's gone! No longer will the _Dominican_ beable to bring its sledge-hammer down on high places and walk into theSixth. For two of our men, O Fifth!--Greenfield and Wraysford--havejoined the classic ranks of those who eat toffee in the top form, andplay `odds and evens' under the highest desks of Saint Dominic's. Wemust be careful now, or we shall catch it. And yet we ought tocongratulate the Sixth! At last they have got intelligence and highprinciple, and two good men behind a scrimmage among them; and more arecoming! There's some hope for the Sixth yet, and we would not grudgeeven our two best men for such a good object as regenerating the topform of Saint Dominic's," and so on--not very flattering to the Sixth,or very comfortable for its two newest members, who, however, hadprudently retired from the scene long ago, as soon as the firstreferences to Oliver had been read out.

  Then came "Notes from Coventry, continued," which were very brief."Since our last, the population of Coventry has und
ergone a change. Theformer inhabitant has walked out with flying colours, and the place isempty. Who wants to go?"

  Then came one or two odd paragraphs; one of them was:--

  "By the way, the _Dominican_ wants to know why Loman is no longer amonitor? Do his engagements with friends in Maltby prevent his givingthe necessary time to this duty? or are the Sixth beginning to see thatif they want order in the school they must have fellows who have atleast a little influence to do it? They have done well in appointingWraysford. But why is Loman resigned? Who can tell? It's a riddle. Aprize for the best answer in our next."

  The finishing stroke, however, was Pembury's "Notes and Queries fromDown Below," supposed to be of special interest to the Fourth Junior.The first was as follows:--

  "Lessons.--Padger the Tadpole writes to ask, `How do you do lessons?'The answer is a simple one, Padger. If you are a member of the FourthJunior, as we have a vague idea you are, the way of `doing' lessonsthere is as follows: Sit at a desk full of old cherry-stones,orange-peel, and dusty sherbet, and put your elbows on it. Then withyour pen scatter as much ink as you conveniently can over your owncollar and face, and everybody else, without unduly exerting yourself.After that kick your right and left neighbours; then carefully rub yourhands in the dust and pass them several times over your countenance, allthe while making the most hideous and abominable howls and shrieks youcan invent. And then your lessons are `done.'"

  This paragraph so grievously incensed the honourable community at whichit was directed, that for the first time for some months Guinea-pigs andTadpoles made common cause to protest against the base insinuations itcontained.

  The "meeting" in the Fourth Junior that afternoon lasted, on and off,from half-past four to half-past eight. Among the speakers wereBramble, Paul, and Stephen; while Padger, Walker, and Rook did very goodexecution with their fists. About half-past seven the dust was so densethat it was impossible to see across the room; but those who knewreported that there was another row on about Greenfield senior, and thatPaul and Padger were having their twenty-seventh round! Anyhow, theGuinea-pigs and Tadpoles missed the rest of the _Dominican_, which,however, only contained one other paragraph of special interest:

  "To-morrow week the football match of the season, School against County,will be played in the Saint Dominic's meadow. We are glad to say theSchool team will be a crack one, including this time Greenfield senior,and excluding one or two of the `incompetents' of last term. Thefollowing is the school fifteen:--Stansfield (football captain), Brown,Winter, Callonby, Duncan, Ricketts, T. Senior, Henderson, Carter, andWatkins, forwards; Wren (school captain) and Forrester (iv.),quarter-back; Greenfield and Bullinger, half-back; and Wraysford, back.With a team like this the school ought to give a good account of itselfagainst our visitors."

  This announcement was interesting in more than one respect. Greenfield_was_ in the team, Loman was _not_.