Chapter10

thecareysmadeuptheirmindstosendphiliptoking’sschoolattercanbury.theneighbouringclergysenttheirsonsthere.itwasunitedbylongtraditiontothecathedral:itsheadmasterwasanhonorarycanon,andapastheadmasterwasthearchdeacon.boyswereencouragedtheretoaspiretoholyorders,andtheeducationwassuchasmightprepareanhonestladtospendhislifeingod’sservice.apreparatoryschoolwasattachedtoit,andtothisitwasarrangedthatphilipshouldgo.mr.careytookhimintotercanburyonethursdayafternoontowardstheendofseptember.alldayphiliphadbeenexcitedandratherfrightened.heknewlittleofschoollifebutwhathehadreadinthestoriesoftheboy’sownpaper.hehadalsoreaderic,orlittlebylittle.

whentheygotoutofthetrainattercanbury,philipfeltsickwithapprehension,andduringthedriveintothetownsatpaleandsilent.thehighbrickwallinfrontoftheschoolgaveitthelookofaprison.therewasalittledoorinit,whichopenedontheirringing;andaclumsy,untidymancameoutandfetchedphilip’stintrunkandhisplay-box.theywereshownintothedrawing-room;itwasfilledwithmassive,uglyfurniture,andthechairsofthesuitewereplacedroundthewallswithaforbiddingrigidity.theywaitedfortheheadmaster.

“what’smr.watsonlike?”askedphilip,afterawhile.

“you’llseeforyourself.”  therewasanotherpause.mr.careywonderedwhytheheadmasterdidnotcome.presentlyphilipmadeaneffortandspokeagain.

“tellhimi’vegotaclub-foot,”hesaid.

beforemr.careycouldspeakthedoorburstopenandmr.watsonsweptintotheroom.tophilipheseemedgigantic.hewasamanofoversixfeethigh,andbroad,withenormoushandsandagreatredbeard;hetalkedloudlyinajovialmanner;buthisaggressivecheerfulnessstruckterrorinphilip’sheart.heshookhandswithmr.carey,andthentookphilip’ssmallhandinhis.

“well,youngfellow,areyougladtocometoschool?”heshouted.

philipreddenedandfoundnowordtoanswer.

“howoldareyou?”

“nine,”saidphilip.

“youmustsaysir,”saidhisuncle.

“iexpectyou’vegotagoodlottolearn,”theheadmasterbellowedcheerily.

togivetheboyconfidencehebegantoticklehimwithroughfingers.philip,feelingshyanduncomfortable,squirmedunderhistouch.

“i’veputhiminthesmalldormitoryforthepresentyou’lllikethat,won’tyou?”headdedtophilip.“onlyeightofyouinthere.youwon’tfeelsostrange.”

thenthedooropened,andmrs.watsoncamein.shewasadarkwomanwithblackhair,neatlypartedinthemiddle.shehadcuriouslythicklipsandasmallroundnose.hereyeswerelargeandblack.therewasasingularcoldnessinherappearance.sheseldomspokeandsmiledmoreseldomstill.herhusbandintroducedmr.careytoher,andthengavephilipafriendlypushtowardsher.

“thisisanewboy,helen,hisname’scarey.”

withoutawordsheshookhandswithphilipandthensatdown,notspeaking,whiletheheadmasteraskedmr.careyhowmuchphilipknewandwhatbookshehadbeenworkingwith.thevicarofblackstablewasalittleembarrassedbymr.watson’sboisterousheartiness,andinamomentortwogotup.

“ithinki’dbetterleavephilipwithyounow.”

“that’sallright,”saidmr.watson.“he’llbesafewithme.he’llgetonlikeahouseonfire.won’tyou,youngfellow?”

withoutwaitingforananswerfromphilipthebigmanburstintoagreatbellowoflaughter.mr.careykissedphilipontheforeheadandwentaway.

“comealong,youngfellow,”shoutedmr.watson.“i’llshowyoutheschool-room.”

hesweptoutofthedrawing-roomwithgiantstrides,andphiliphurriedlylimpedbehindhim.hewastakenintoalong,bareroomwithtwotablesthatranalongitswholelength;oneachsideofthemwerewoodenforms.

“nobodymuchhereyet,”saidmr.watson.“i’lljustshowyoutheplayground,andtheni’llleaveyoutoshiftforyourself.”

mr.watsonledtheway.philipfoundhimselfinalargeplay-groundwithhighbrickwallsonthreesidesofit.onthefourthsidewasanironrailingthroughwhichyousawavastlawnandbeyondthissomeofthebuildingsofking’sschool.onesmallboywaswanderingdisconsolately,kickingupthegravelashewalked.

“hulloa,venning,”shoutedmr.watson.“whendidyouturnup?”

thesmallboycameforwardandshookhands.

“here’sanewboy.he’solderanderthanyou,sodon’tyoubullyhim.”

theheadmasterglaredamicablyatthetwochildren,fillingthemwithfearbytheroarofhisvoice,andthen

withaguffawleftthem.

“what’syourname?”

“carey.”

“what’syourfather?”

“he’sdead.”

“oh!doesyourmotherwash?”

“mymother’sdead,too.”

philipthoughtthisanswerwouldcausetheboyacertainawkwardness,butvenningwasnottobeturnedfromhisfacetiousnessforsolittle.

“well,didshewash?”hewenton.

“yes,”saidphilipindignantly.

“shewasawasherwomanthen?”

“no,shewasn’t.”

“thenshedidn’twash.”

thelittleboycrowedwithdelightattheessofhisdialectic.thenhecaughtsightofphilip’sfeet.

“what’sthematterwithyourfoot?”

philipinstinctivelytriedtowithdrawitfromsight.hehiditbehindtheonewhichwaswhole.

“i’vegotaclub-foot,”heanswered.

“howdidyougetit?”

“i’vealwayshadit.”

“let’shavealook.”

“no.”

“don’tthen.”