days till further
notice. There are some," he said. "I am well aware, who, though
present yesterday, were not detected. I am sorry for it for _their_
sakes; they will be more likely to sin again. In cases like this,
punishment is a blessing, and impunity a burden." On leaving the room
he bade Eric follow him into his study. Eric obeyed, and stood before
the head-master with downcast eyes.

"Williams," he said, "I have had a great regard for you, and felt a deep
interest in you from the day I first saw you, and knew your excellent
parents. At one time I had conceived great hopes of your future course,
and your abilities seemed likely to blossom into excellent fruit. But
you fell off greatly, and grew idle and careless. At last an event
happened, in which for a time you acted worthily of yourself; and which
seemed to arouse you from your negligence and indifference. All my
hopes in you revived; but as I continued to watch your course (more
closely perhaps than you supposed), I observed with pain that those
hopes must be again disappointed. It needs but a glance at your
countenance to be sure that you are not so upright or right-minded a boy
as you were two years ago. I can judge only from your outward course;
but I deeply fear, Williams--I deeply fear, that in _other_ respects
also you are going the down-hill road. And what am I to think now,
when, on the _same_ morning, you and your little brother _both_ come
before me for such serious and heavy faults? I cannot free you from
blame even for _his_ misdoings, for you are his natural guardian here; I
am only glad that you were not involved with him in that charge."

"Let _me_ bear the punishment, sir, instead of him," said Eric, by a
sudden impulse; "for I misled him, and was there myself."

Dr Rowlands paced the room in deep sorrow. "You, Williams! on the
verge of the sixth-form. Alas! I fear, from this, that the state of
things among you is even worse than I had supposed."

Eric again hung his head.

"No; you have confessed the sin voluntarily, and therefore at present I
shall not notice it; only, let me entreat you to beware. But I must
turn to the other matter. What excuse have you for your intolerable
conduct to Mr Rose, who, as I know, has shown you from the first the
most unusual and disinterested kindness?"

"I cannot defend myself, sir. I was excited, and could not control my
passion."

"Then you must sit down here, and write an apology,