by
no means allow. On the contrary, I was compelled to address it and
stamp it then and there, and place it in the post-box in the hall.
Then, with compliments and good wishes, I was dismissed to bed, and left
the two friends talking school politics.

I felt a good deal more humbled by the manner in which they had received
my confession than if they had, as I had expected, roundly abused me.
To be let down easy, as if I was barely responsible for my actions, was
not conducive to my vanity; and if that was the object they had in view,
it was amply attained. I went to bed on my second night at Low Heath
with as little vanity in me as I could decently do with; and even that,
as I lay awake for an hour or two, oozed away, and did not return till
in a happy moment I fell asleep, and once more, and for a few
unconscious hours, became a hero to myself.

The next morning I tumbled out of bed at the call of the bell in no very
light-hearted way. First of all, Crofter would receive my letter;
secondly, I had still got Redwood's belt; thirdly, I had not done my
preparation; and fourthly, I felt concerned about Tempest and his
alliance with the expensive Wales. Strangely enough, this last trouble
weighed on me most as I dressed.

Tempest, I knew, was not well off. But he was proud, and not the sort
of fellow to shirk a thing on account of the cost. I could remember at
Dangerfield his spending all his money at the beginning of the term on
an absurdly expensive cricket bag, and having to go without spikes in
his shoes because he could not afford a set. At Low Heath, where
seniors were allowed to run up bills in certain shops, I was certain his
ignorance about money matters, added to the friendly encouragements of
an exquisite like Wales, would make it all the worse for him. Why, even
_I_ knew more about money than he did, and could reckon that if I
brought thirteen shillings up at the beginning of the term, I should
have just a shilling a week to bless myself with till break-up. Whereas
he, I verily believe, would consider that he had thirteen shillings a
week. And the worst of it was he would never let any one know how hard
up he was, or tolerate any remarks, except from a privileged chum like
Pridgin, on the subject.

As I joined my comrades in the faggery, in the fond hope of snatching a
precious quarter of an hour for my neglected studies, I found great
excitement and jubilation afoot. The printer had sent home the