felt, except by a very few
of the bigger boys with whom he came more directly in contact; and he
was looked upon with great fear and dislike by the great majority even
of his own house. For he had found School and School-house in a state
of monstrous license and misrule, and was still employed in the
necessary but unpopular work of setting up order with a strong hand.

[17] #Medes and Persians#: ancient nations of the east; noted
for their adherence to the laws of their forefathers.

However, as has been said, old Brooke triumphed, and the boys cheered
him, and then the Doctor. And then more songs came, and the healths of
the other boys about to leave, who each made a speech, one flowery,
another maudlin,[18] a third prosy, and so on, which are not necessary
to be here recorded.

[18] #Maudlin#: silly.

Half-past nine struck in the middle of the performance of "Auld Lang
Syne," a most obstreperous proceeding; during which there was an
immense amount of standing with one foot on the table, knocking mugs
together and shaking hands, without which accompaniments it seems
impossible for the youth of Britain to take part in that famous old
song. The under-porter of the School-house entered during the
performance, bearing five or six long wooden candlesticks, with
lighted dips[19] in them, which he proceeded to stick into their holes
in such part of the great tables as he could get at; and then stood
outside the ring till the end of the song, when he was hailed with
shouts.

[19] #Dips#: cheap tallow candles.

"Bill, you old muff,[20] the half-hour hasn't struck."

[20] #Muff#: usually a soft, useless kind of person; here,
codger.

"Sing us a song, old boy." "Don't you wish you may get the table?"

Bill remonstrated: "Now, gentlemen, there's only ten minutes to
prayers, and we must get the hall straight."

Shouts of "No, no!" and a violent effort to strike up "Billie Taylor"
for the third time. Bill looked appealingly to old Brooke, who got up
and stopped the noise. "Now, then, lend a hand, you youngsters, and
get the tables back, clear away the jugs[21] and glasses. Bill's
right. Open the windows, Warner." The boy addressed, who sat by the
long ropes, proceeded to pull up the great windows, and let in a
clear fresh rush of night air, which made the candles flicker and
gutter and the fires roar. The circle broke up, each collaring his
own jug, glass, and song-book; Bill pounced on the big