Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student

by Oliver Optic

  CHAPTER IX.

  IN WHICH ERNEST STRIKES A HEAVY BLOW, AND WINS ANOTHER VICTORY.

  I was astonished at my own prowess, as I stood, with heaving breast,gazing at the prostrate form of the vanquished tyrant. I was a stoutyoung fellow, heavy enough and strong enough for a boy of fifteen; butI did not regard myself as a match for a full-grown man. I suppose thefury and impetuosity of the onslaught I made had given me the victorybefore Mr. Parasyte was able to bring all his power to bear upon me.

  I was satisfied with what I had done, and did not care to do any more.I wished to leave; but the principal had locked the door, and put thekey into his pocket. I glanced at the window, hoping to find a meansof egress in that direction, though it was at least ten feet above theground. But ten feet are nothing to a boy of spirit; and I was movingtowards the window, intending to take the leap, when Mr. Parasytesprang to his feet, and confronted me again. If ever a man wore theexpression of a demon, the principal of the Parkville LiberalInstitute did at that moment; and it was patent to me that, unless Icould effect my escape, my trials and troubles had but just commenced.

  I was more disposed to use strategy than force; for, in spite of thevictory I had won, I was fearful that the tyrant "carried too manyguns" for me. The malignity of his aspect was accompanied by anexpression of pain, as though he had been injured by his fall. Thiswas in my favor, if I was to be again compelled to break a lance withhim.

  "You villain!" gasped Mr. Parasyte, with one hand upon his side. "Howdare you resist?"

  "I have no fancy for being cut to pieces with a cowhide," I replied,as coolly as I could, which, however, was not saying much.

  "Your uncle wished me to reduce you to subjection, and to flog youtill you came to your senses."

  "I am not very grateful to my uncle for his request; and I have tosay, that I will not be tamely flogged either by you or by him."

  "What do you mean to do?" demanded he, apparently astonished to findme so resolute.

  "I mean to resist as long as I am flogged," I replied, twisting thecowhide I still held in my hand.

  Saying this, I jumped upon the window-seat, and unfastened the sash.

  "Stop!" said he, moving towards me.

  "I know what you mean now; and if you come near me, I will hit youover the head with the butt-end of this cowhide," I replied, raisingthe sash.

  "I intend to reduce you to subjection at any hazard," he added.

  Without making reply, I attempted to get out of the window in such away that I could drop to the ground, or "hang off" with my hands. Indoing this, I laid myself open to the assault of the enemy, who wasprompt in perceiving his advantage, and in availing himself of it.Seizing me by the collar with both hands, he dragged me back into theoffice, and hurled me heavily upon the floor, at the same timewrenching the cowhide from my grasp. I sprang to my feet with thecelerity of a wounded tiger; but the principal began to beat me with azeal corresponding to his malignity.

  A heavy round ruler on the desk, which had before attracted myattention, was available as a weapon, and in the fury of my passion Igrasped it. Without thought or consideration except in my own defence,I sprang upon the tyrant again, and dealt him several heavy blows withthe implement, until one was planted in such a place on his head thatit knocked him insensible upon the floor. Panting like a hunted deerfrom the rage which filled my soul, and from the violence of myexertions, I gazed upon the work I had done. Mr. Parasyte laymotionless upon the floor. I took the key from his vest pocket, andunlocked the door.

  In the hall I found several persons, including Mrs. Parasyte, and Mr.Hardy, one of the assistant teachers. They had been sitting in theparlor opposite the office, and had heard the noise of the desperatestruggle between the principal and myself.

  "What have you done!" exclaimed Mrs. Parasyte, greatly alarmed whenshe saw her husband lying senseless upon the floor.

  "This is bad business," added Mr. Hardy, as he hastened to theassistance of the principal.

  "Is he dead?" asked the wife, in tremulous tones.

  "No--O, no! But he has had a heavy blow on the temple," replied theteacher.

  I assisted Mrs. Parasyte and Mr. Hardy in carrying my foe to hischamber. I was alarmed myself. I feared that I had done more than Iintended to do. I went for the doctor at the lady's request; butbefore my return Mr. Parasyte had come to his senses, and complainedof a severe sickness at his stomach. The physician carefully examinedhim, and declared that his patient was not seriously injured. I neednot say that I was greatly relieved by this opinion. I left the room,intending to depart from the house, though it was now nearly eleveno'clock at night. Mr. Hardy followed me out into the hall, and wishedto know where I was going.

  "Home," I replied.

  "I'm afraid you have got into difficulty, Thornton," added he.

  "I can't help it if I have. I didn't mean to hurt him so badly; but itwas his own fault."

  "How did it happen?"

  I told him how it happened; but Mr. Hardy expressed no opinion on themerits of the case. He knew, as well as I did, that Mr. Parasyte hadbeen wrong from the beginning; but being in a subordinate position, itwas not proper for him to condemn his principal.

  "The boys are in a riotous condition, and it is fortunate they do notknow of this affair. I hope you do not intend to inform them--at leastnot to-night," he added.

  "No, sir, I do not. I have tried from the first to keep the peace.Poodles confessed to Mr. Parasyte that he had lied about the affair onthe pier, but he refused to believe him. I am sorry there has been anytrouble; but I couldn't help it."

  Mr. Hardy was really troubled; but he could not say anything, and hedid not. He was a poor man, trying to earn the means to study aprofession by teaching, and a word or a look of sympathy to a rebellike me would have cost him his situation. He was a just and a fairman, and as such was loved and respected by all the students. Many ofthe boys had often wished that he might be the principal of theacademy, instead of Mr. Parasyte, who had established and who stillowned the institution.

  There was nothing more to be said or done, and I left the academy forhome. I was sincerely sorry for what had happened. Even a quarrel inwhich I had been the victor had no pleasant reflections for me. Iwould have submitted to any punishment except the flogging, and bornethe injustice of it without a complaint; but I had been required toconfess that of which I was not guilty, and I could not do that. Ihated a lie of any kind, and I could not tell one to save myself fromthe consequences of the tyrant's rage and injustice.

  I considered all the events of the day as I walked home, and came tothe conclusion that I was not to blame for the mischief that had beendone. If I had been haughty and disobedient, it was because I had beentreated badly. I certainly did not deserve flogging, and it would havebeen impossible for me to submit to it. If I had been guilty, I couldhave borne even that.

  My uncle had counselled Mr. Parasyte to reduce me to subjection; andmuch I marvelled that he had found words to say so much. It was anevidence of interest in me which he had never before manifested. Itwas plain that, in the settlement of the difficulty, I must count uponthe opposition of my uncle, who had already espoused the principal'sside of the quarrel. But I did not make any rash resolves, preferringto act as my sense of right and justice should dictate when the timefor action came.

  As I approached the cottage by the lake, I saw a light in my uncle'slibrary. My guardian sat up late at night, and rose early in themorning. He did not sleep well, and he always looked pale and haggard.He was a misanthrope in the worst sense of the word. He seemed to haveno friends, and to care for no one in the world--not even for himself.Certainly he had no regard for me.

  Of his past history I knew nothing; but I had already concluded thathe had been subjected to some terrible disappointment or injustice. Heappeared to suffer all the time; and if he would have permitted it,how gladly would I have assuaged his woe by my sympathy! He was coldand forbidding, and would not permit me to speak a word to him. I hadonce tried to make h
im tell me something about my father and mother;but, with an expression of angry impatience upon his face, he hadturned and fled in disgust from me.

  I longed to know who and what my mother was; but my questions broughtno answer. One day, when my uncle was away, I had crept into hislibrary, and tried vainly to obtain some information from his booksand papers. He caught me in the room, and drove me out with a curseupon his lips. After that a spring lock was put upon the door, the keyof which he carried in his pocket.

  On the present occasion I had nothing to expect from my uncle; but Iwished to see him, and tell him my story. I knew that he could talk;for, during the preceding year, a man of thirty, elegantly dressed,came to the cottage one afternoon, and walked with my uncle into thegrove by the lake. They had business together, and it was not of apleasant nature; for, prompted by curiosity, I rowed my skiff up tothe shore, to learn what I might of the stranger's purpose. I couldnot understand a word that was said; but my uncle talked rapidly andfiercely, and a violent altercation ensued, which I feared would endin blows. The stranger did not come back to the cottage, and thesupper which Betsey had prepared for the guest was not needed.

  Learning from this that my uncle had a tongue, I asked him who thestranger was. The answer was only a savage frown. He had no tongue forme. Neither old Jerry nor his wife was any better informed than I was,for both assured me they did not know the stranger. Satisfied,therefore, that my uncle could talk, I was determined to see himbefore I went to bed, though it was nearly midnight. Perhaps, also, Iwas disposed to adopt this course, because my guardian had given suchbad advice to Mr. Parasyte. I was not insensible to the indulgencewith which I had ever been treated; and seeing that my silent unclewished to avoid me, I had generally favored him in doing so. It wasdifferent now. He had given an order or a permission to have mebrutally punished, and I was determined to make him "face the music."

  I entered the house, and passing through my uncle's chamber, stood atthe door of the library, which was fastened by the spring lock.