Chapter15

theking’sschoolattercanbury,towhichphilipwentwhenhewasthirteen,prideditselfonitsantiquity.ittraceditsorigintoanabbeyschool,foundedbeforetheconquest,wheretherudimentsoflearningweretaughtbyaugustinemonks;and,likemanyanotherestablishmentofthissort,onthedestructionofthemonasteriesithadbeenreorganisedbytheofficersofkinghenryviiiandthusacquireditsname.sincethen,pursuingitsmodestcourse,ithadgiventothesonsofthelocalgentryandoftheprofessionalpeopleofkentaneducationsufficienttotheirneeds.oneortwomenofletters,beginningwithapoet,thanwhomonlyshakespearehadamoresplendidgenius,andendingwithawriterofprosewhoseviewoflifehasaffectedprofoundlythegenerationofwhichphilipwasamember,hadgoneforthfromitsgatestoachievefame;ithadproducedoneortwoeminentlawyers,buteminentlawyersarecommon,andoneortwosoldiersofdistinction;butduringthethreecenturiessinceitsseparationfromthemonasticorderithadtrainedespeciallymenofthechurch,bishops,deans,canons,andaboveallcountryclergymen:therewereboysintheschoolwhosefathers,grandfathers,great-grandfathers,hadbeeneducatedthereandhadallbeenrectorsofparishesinthedioceseoftercanbury;andtheycametoitwiththeirmindsmadeupalreadytobeordained.butthereweresignsnotwithstandingthateventherechangeswerecoming;forafew,repeatingwhattheyhadheardathome,saidthatthechurchwasnolongerwhatitusedtobe.itwasn’tsomuchthemoney;buttheclassofpeoplewhowentinforitweren’tthesame;andtwoorthreeboysknewcurateswhosefathersweretradesmen:they’drathergoouttothecolonies(inthosedaysthecolonieswerestillthelasthopeofthosewhocouldgetnothingtodoinengland)thanbeacurateundersomechapwhowasn’tagentleman.atking’sschool,asatblackstablevicarage,atradesmanwasanyonewhowasnotluckyenoughtoownland(andhereafinedistinctionwasmadebetweenthegentlemanfarmerandthelandowner),ordidnotfollowoneofthefourprofessionstowhichitwaspossibleforagentlemantobelong.amongtheday-boys,ofwhomtherewereaboutahundredandfifty,sonsofthelocalgentryandofthemenstationedatthedepot,thosewhosefatherswereengagedinbusinessweremadetofeelthedegradationoftheirstate.

themastershadnopatiencewithmodernideasofeducation,whichtheyreadofsometimesinthetimesortheguardian,andhopedferventlythatking’sschoolwouldremaintruetoitsoldtraditions.thedeadlanguagesweretaughtwithsuchthoroughnessthatanoldboyseldomthoughtofhomerorvirgilinafterlifewithoutaqualmofboredom;andthoughinthecommonroomatdinneroneortwobolderspiritsestedthatmathematicswereofincreasingimportance,thegeneralfeelingwasthattheywerealessnoblestudythantheclassics.neithergermannorchemistrywastaught,andfrenchonlybytheform-masters;theycouldkeeporderbetterthanaforeigner,and,sincetheyknewthegrammaraswellasanyfrenchman,itseemedunimportantthatnoneofthemcouldhavegotacupofcoffeeintherestaurantatboulogneunlessthewaiterhadknownalittleenglish.geographywastaughtchieflybymakingboysdrawmaps,andthiswasafavouriteoccupation,especiallywhenthecountrydealtwithwasmountainous:itwaspossibletowasteagreatdealoftimeindrawingtheandesortheapennines.themasters,graduatesofoxfordorcambridge,wereordainedandunmarried;ifbychancetheywishedtomarrytheycouldonlydosobyacceptingoneofthesmallerlivingsatthedisposalofthechapter;butformanyyearsnoneofthemhadcaredtoleavetherefinedsocietyoftercanbury,whichowingtothecavalrydepothadamartialaswellasanecclesiasticaltone,forthemonotonyoflifeinacountryrectory;andtheywerenowallmenofmiddleage.

theheadmaster,ontheotherhand,wasobligedtobemarriedandheconductedtheschooltillagebegantotelluponhim.whenheretiredhewasrewardedwithamuchbetterlivingthananyoftheunder-masterscouldhopefor,andanhonorarycanonry.

butayearbeforephilipenteredtheschoolagreatchangehadcomeoverit.ithadbeenobviousforsometimethatdr.fleming,whohadbeenheadmasterforthequarterofacentury,wasbecometoodeaftocontinuehisworktothegreatergloryofgod;andwhenoneofthelivingsontheoutskirtsofthecityfellvacant,withastipendofsixhundredayear,thechapterofferedittohiminsuchamannerastoimplythattheythoughtithightimeforhimtoretire.hecouldnursehisailmentscomfortablyonsuchanincome.twoorthreecurateswhohadhopedforprefermenttoldtheirwivesitwasscandaloustogiveaparishthatneededayoung,strong,andenergeticmantoanoldfellowwhoknewnothingofparochialwork,andhadfeatheredhisnestalready;butthemutteringsoftheunbeneficedclergydonotreachtheearsofacathedralchapter.andasfortheparishionerstheyhadnothingtosayinthematter,andthereforenobodyaskedfortheiropinion.thewesleyansandthebaptistsbothhadchapelsinthevillage.

whendr.flemingwasthusdisposedofitbecamenecessarytofindaessor.itwascontrarytothetraditionsoftheschoolthatoneofthelower-mastersshouldbechosen.thecommon-roomwasunanimousindesiringtheelectionofmr.watson,headmasterofthepreparatoryschool;hecouldhardlybedescribedasalreadyamasterofking’sschool,theyhadallknownhimfortwentyyears,andtherewasnodangerthathewouldmakeanuisanceofhimself.butthechaptersprangasurpriseonthem.itchoseamancalledperkins.atfirstnobodyknewwhoperkinswas,andthenamefavourablyimpressednoone;butbeforetheshockofithadpassedaway,itwasrealisedthatperkinswasthesonofperkinsthelinendraper.dr.fleminginformedthemastersjustbeforedinner,andhismannershowedhisconsternation.suchofthemaswerediningin,atetheirmealalmostinsilence,andnoreferencewasmadetothemattertilltheservantshadlefttheroom.thentheysetto.thenamesofthosepresentonthisoccasionareunimportant,buttheyhadbeenknowntogenerationsofschool-boysassighs,tar,winks,squirts,andpat.

theyallknewtomperkins.thefirstthingabouthimwasthathewasnotagentleman.theyrememberedhimquitewell.hewasasmall,darkboy,withuntidyblackhairandlargeeyes.helookedlikeagipsy.hehadcometotheschoolasaday-boy,withthebestscholarshipontheirendowment,sothathiseducationhadcosthimnothing.ofcoursehewasbrilliant.ateveryspeech-dayhewasloadedwithprizes.hewastheirshow-boy,andtheyrememberednowbitterlytheirfearthathewouldtrytogetsomescholarshipatoneofthelargerpublicschoolsandsopassoutoftheirhands.dr.fleminghadgonetothelinendraperhisfather—theyallrememberedtheshop,perkinsandcooper,inst.catherine’sstreet—andsaidhehopedtomwouldremainwiththemtillhewenttooxford.theschoolwasperkinsandcooper’sbestcustomer,andmr.perkinswasonlytoogladtogivetherequiredassurance.tomperkinscontinuedtotriumph,hewasthefinestclassicalscholarthatdr.flemingremembered,andonleavingtheschooltookwithhimthemostvaluablescholarshiptheyhadtooffer.hegotanotheratmagdalenandsettleddowntoabrilliantcareerattheuniversity.theschoolmagazinerecordedthedistinctionsheachievedyearafteryear,andwhenhegothisdoublefirstdr.fleminghimselfwroteafewwordsofeulogyonthefrontpage.itwaswithgreatersatisfactionthattheywelcomedhisess,sinceperkinsandcooperhadfallenuponevildays:cooperdranklikeafish,andjustbeforetomperkinstookhisdegreethelinendrapersfiledtheirpetitioninbankruptcy.

induecoursetomperkinstookholyordersandenteredupontheprofessionforwhichhewassoadmirablysuited.hehadbeenanassistantmasteratwellingtonandthenatrugby.

buttherewasquiteadifferencebetweenwelcominghisessatotherschoolsandservingunderhisleadershipintheirown.tarhadfrequentlygivenhimlines,andsquirtshadboxedhisears.theycouldnotimaginehowthechapterhadmadesuchamistake.noonecouldbeexpectedtoforgetthathewasthesonofabankruptlinendraper,andthealcoholismofcooperseemedtoincreasethedisgrace.itwasunderstoodthatthedeanhadsupportedhiscandidaturewithzeal,sothedeanwouldprobablyaskhimtodinner;butwouldthepleasantlittledinnersintheprecinctseverbethesamewhentomperkinssatatthetable?andwhataboutthedepot?hereallycouldnotexpectofficersandgentlementoreceivehimasoneofthemselves.itwoulddotheschoolincalculableharm.parentswouldbedissatisfied,andnoonecouldbesurprisediftherewerewholesalewithdrawals.andthentheindignityofcallinghimmr.perkins!themastersthoughtbywayofprotestofsendingintheirresignationsinabody,buttheuneasyfearthattheywouldbeacceptedwithequanimityrestrainedthem.

“theonlythingistoprepareourselvesforchanges,”saidsighs,whohadconductedthefifthformforfiveandtwentyyearswithunparalleledincompetence.

andwhentheysawhimtheywerenotreassured.dr.fleminginvitedthemtomeethimatluncheon.hewasnowamanofthirty-two,tallandlean,butwiththesamewildandunkemptlooktheyrememberedonhimasaboy.hisclothes,ill-madeandshabby,wereputonuntidily.hishairwasasblackandaslongasever,andhehadplainlyneverlearnedtobrushit;itfelloverhisforeheadwitheverygesture,andhehadaquickmovementofthehandwithwhichhepusheditbackfromhiseyes.hehadablackmoustacheandabeardwhichcamehighuponhisfacealmosttothecheek-bones,hetalkedtothemastersquiteeasily,asthoughhehadpartedfromthemaweekortwobefore;hewasevidentlydelightedtoseethem.heseemedunconsciousofthestrangenessofthepositionandappearednottonoticeanyoddnessinbeingaddressedasmr.perkins.

whenhebadethemgood-bye,oneofthemasters,forsomethingtosay,remarkedthathewasallowinghimselfplentyoftimetocatchhistrain.

“iwanttogoroundandhavealookattheshop,”heansweredcheerfully.

therewasadistinctembarrassment.theywonderedthathecouldbesotactless,andtomakeitworsedr.fleminghadnotheardwhathesaid.hiswifeshouteditinhisear.

“hewantstogoroundandlookathisfather’soldshop.”  onlytomperkinswasunconsciousofthehumiliationwhichthewholepartyfelt.heturnedtomrs.fleming.

“who’sgotitnow,d’youknow?”

shecouldhardlyanswer.shewasveryangry.

“it’sstillalinendraper’s,”shesaidbitterly.“groveisthename.wedon’tdealthereanymore.”

“iwonderifhe’dletmegooverthehouse.”

“iexpecthewouldifyouexplainwhoyouare.”

itwasnottilltheendofdinnerthateveningthatanyreferencewasmadeinthecommon-roomtothesubjectthatwasinalltheirminds.thenitwassighswhoasked:

“well,whatdidyouthinkofournewhead?”theythoughtoftheconversationatluncheon.itwashardlyaconversation;itwasamonologue.perkinshadtalkedincessantly.hetalkedveryquickly,withaflowofeasywordsandinadeep,resonantvoice.hehadashort,oddlittlelaughwhichshowedhiswhiteteeth.theyhadfollowedhimwithdifficulty,forhisminddartedfromsubjecttosubjectwithaconnectiontheydidnotalwayscatch.hetalkedofpedagogics,andthiswasnaturalenough;buthehadmuchtosayofmoderntheoriesingermanywhichtheyhadneverheardofandreceivedwithmisgiving.hetalkedoftheclassics,buthehadbeentogreece,andhediscoursedofarchaeology;hehadoncespentawintering;theycouldnotseehowthathelpedamantoteachboystopassexaminations,hetalkedofpolitics.itsoundedoddtothemtohearhimcomparelordbeaconsfieldwithalcibiades.hetalkedofmr.gladstoneandhomerule.theyrealisedthathewasaliberal.theirheartssank.hetalkedofgermanphilosophyandoffrenchfiction.theycouldnotthinkamanprofoundwhoseinterestsweresodiverse.

itwaswinkswhosummedupthegeneralimpressionandputitintoaformtheyallfeltconclusivelydamning.winkswasthemasteroftheupperthird,aweak-kneedmanwithdroopingeye-lids,hewastootallforhisstrength,andhismovementswereslowandlanguid.hegaveanimpressionoflassitude,andhisnicknamewaseminentlyappropriate.

“he’sveryenthusiastic,”saidwinks.

enthusiasmwasill-bred.enthusiasmwasungentlemanly.theythoughtofthesalvationarmywithitsbrayingtrumpetsanditsdrums.enthusiasmmeantchange.theyhadgoose-fleshwhentheythoughtofallthepleasantoldhabitswhichstoodinimminentdanger.theyhardlydaredtolookforwardtothefuture.

“helooksmoreofagipsythanever,”saidone,afterapause.

“iwonderifthedeanandchapterknewthathewasaradicalwhentheyelectedhim,”anotherobservedbitterly.

butconversationhalted.theyweretoomuchdisturbedforwords.

whentarandsighswerewalkingtogethertothechapterhouseonspeech-dayaweeklater,tar,whohadabittertongue,remarkedtohiscolleague:

“well,we’veseenagoodmanyspeech-dayshere,haven’twe?iwonderifweshallseeanother.”

sighswasmoremelancholyeventhanusual.

“ifanythingworthhavingcomesalonginthewayofalivingidon’tmindwheniretire.”