Breaking Away; or, The Fortunes of a Student Read online

  CHAPTER III.

  IN WHICH ERNEST IS EXPELLED FROM THE PARKVILLE LIBERAL INSTITUTE.

  "Fellow-students," I continued, when the school-room was still enoughfor me to be heard, "I am willing to submit to the rules of theInstitute, and even to the injustice of the principal. For my sake, aswell as for your own, behave like men."

  I folded my arms, and was silent again. I felt that it was better tosuffer than to resist, and such an exhibition of rowdyism was not tomy taste. I glanced at Mr. Parasyte, to intimate to him that he couldsay what he pleased; and he took the hint.

  "Young gentlemen, this is a new experience to me. In twenty years as ateacher, I have never been thus insulted."

  This was an imprudent remark.

  "Be fair, then!" shouted Bob Hale; and the cry was repeated by others,until the scene of disorder promised to be renewed.

  I raised my hand, and shook my head, deprecating the conduct of theboys. Once more they heeded, though it was evidently as a particularfavor to me, rather than because it was in keeping with their ideas ofright and justice.

  "I intend to be fair, young gentlemen," continued Mr. Parasyte; "thatis the whole study of my life. I am astonished and mortified at thisunlooked-for demonstration. I was about to make a further statement inregard to Thornton, when you interrupted me. I told you that Ipurposed to give him an opportunity to redeem his character. I intendto do my duty on this painful occasion, though the walls of theParkville Liberal Institute should crumble above my head, and crush mein the dust."

  "Let her crumble!" said a reckless youth, as Mr. Parasyte waxedeloquent.

  "Will you be silent, or will you compel me to resort to that which Iabhor--to physical force?"

  Some of the boys glanced at each other with a meaning smile when thisremark was uttered; but I shook my head, to signify my disapprobationof anything like resistance or tumult.

  "Thornton," added Mr. Parasyte, turning to me, "I have fairly andimpartially heard your story, and carefully weighed all yourstatements. I have come to the conclusion, deliberately and withoutprejudice, that you were the aggressor."

  "I was not, sir," I replied, as gently as I could speak, and yet asfirmly.

  "It appears that Poodles placed his hand upon your arm merely toattract your attention; whereupon you struck him a severe blow in theface, which caused him to reel and fall over backward into the lake,"said Mr. Parasyte, so pompously that I could not tell whether heintended to "back out" of his position or not.

  "Poodles hit me in the head, and was on the point of repeating theblow, when I knocked him over in self-defence."

  "It does not appear to me that Poodles, who is a remarkablygentlemanly student, would have struck you for simply refusing toassist him about his examples. Such a course would not be consistentwith the character of Poodles."

  "No, sir, I did not strike him at any time," protested Poodles.

  "I find it impossible to change my opinion of the merits of this case;and for the good of the Parkville Liberal Institute, I must adhere tothe sentence I have already--with regret and sorrow--pronounced uponyou. But--"

  There were again strong signs of another outbreak among the pupils,and I begged them to be silent.

  "The conduct of Thornton in this painful emergency merits and receivesmy approbation. His love of order and his efforts to preserve properdecorum in the school-room are worthy of the highest commendation,"continued Mr. Parasyte; "and I would gladly remit the penalty I haveimposed upon him without any conditions whatever; but I feel that sucha course, after the extraordinary events of this day, would besubversive of the discipline and good order which have evercharacterized the Parkville Liberal Institute. I shall, however,impose a merely nominal condition upon Thornton, his compliance withwhich shall immediately restore him to the full enjoyment of hisrights and privileges as a member of this academy. I wish to be aslenient as possible, and, as I observed, the penalty will be merelynominal.

  "As the quarrel occurred when the parties were alone, so also may thereparation be made in private; for after Thornton's magnanimousbehavior to-day, under these trying circumstances, I do not wish tohumiliate or mortify him. I wish that it were consistent with my ideasof stern duty to impose no penalty."

  Mr. Parasyte had certainly retreated a long way from his originalposition. I did not wish to be expelled, and I hailed withsatisfaction his manifestation of leniency; and rather than lose theadvantages of the school, I was willing to submit to the nominalpenalty at which he hinted, supposing it would be a deprivation ofsome privilege.

  "I have not resisted your authority, sir; and I do not mean to do sonow," I replied, submissively; for, as the popular sentiment of thestudents sustained me, I could afford to yield.

  "Your conduct since the quarrel is entirely satisfactory; I may saythat it merits my admiration." This was toadying to the boys, whom hefeared. "I have sentenced you to expulsion, the severest penalty knownin the discipline of the Parkville Liberal Institute; but, Thornton, Ipropose to remit this penalty altogether on condition that, inprivate, and at your own convenience, but within one week, youapologize to Poodles for your conduct. I could not make the conditionany milder, I think."

  Mr. Parasyte smiled as though he had entirely forgiven me; as thoughhe had, in some mysterious manner, wiped out the stains of falsehoodupon my character. I bowed, but made no reply. I was sentenced toexpulsion; but the penalty was to be remitted on condition that Iwould apologize to Poodles.

  Apologize to Poodles! For what? For his attack upon me, or for thelies he had told about me? It was no more possible for me to apologizefor knocking him over when he assailed me than it would have been forme to leap across Lake Adieno in the widest place. I did not wish todeprive myself of the advantages of attending the Parkville LiberalInstitute; but if my remaining depended upon my humiliating myselfbefore Poodles, upon my declaring that what I had done was wrong, whenI believed it was right, I was no longer to be a student in theacademy.

  The exercises of the school proceeded as usual for a couple of hours,and there were no further signs of insubordination among the boys. Atrecess I purposely kept away from my more intimate friends, for I didnot wish to tell them what course I intended to pursue, fearful thatit would renew the disturbance.

  An hour before the close of the session, the boys were required tobring in their examination papers in arithmetic. Every student, evento Poodles, handed in solutions to all the problems, and Mr. Parasyteand his assistants at once devoted themselves to the marking of them.In half an hour the principal was ready to report the result.

  Half a dozen of the class had all the examples right, and I was one ofthe number. Very much to my astonishment, Poodles also was announcedas one of the six; and when his name was mentioned, a score of thestudents glanced at me.

  I did not understand it. I was quite satisfied that Poodles could notdo the problems himself, and it was certain that he had obtainedassistance from some one, though the declaration on the paper was dulysigned. He had found a friend less scrupulous than I had been. Someone must have performed the examples for him; and as he had them allcorrect, it was evident that one of the six, who alone had presentedperfect papers, must have afforded the assistance. After throwing outPoodles and myself, there were but four left; and two of these, to mycertain knowledge, had joined in the demonstration in my favor:indeed, they were my friends beyond the possibility of a doubt.Between the other two I had no means of forming an opinion.

  During the afternoon Mr. Parasyte had been very uneasy and nervous. Itwas plain to him that he ruled the boys by their free will, ratherthan by his own power; and this was not a pleasant thing for a manlike him to know. Doubtless he felt that he had dropped the reins ofhis team, which, though going very well just then, might take it intoits head to run away with him whenever it was convenient. Probably hefelt the necessity of doing something to reestablish his authority,and to obtain a stronger position than that he now occupied. If, withthe experience I have since acquired, I could have spoken
to him, Ishould have told him that justice and fairness alone would make himstrong as a disciplinarian.

  "Poodles," said Mr. Parasyte, just before the close of the session, "Isee that all your examples were correctly performed, and that yousigned the declaration on the paper."

  "Yes, sir," replied Poodles.

  "When did you perform them?"

  "I did all but two of them last night."

  "And when did you do those two?" continued the principal, mildly, butwith the air of a man who expects soon to make a triumphant point.

  "Between schools, at noon, while the students were at dinner and atplay."

  "Very well. You had them all done but two when you met Thornton to-daynoon?"

  "Yes, sir."

  "Thornton," added Mr. Parasyte, turning to me, "I have no dispositionto hurry you in the unsettled case of to-day, though the result ofPoodles's examination shows that he had no need of the assistance yousay he asked of you; but perhaps it would be better that you shouldstate distinctly whether or not you intend to apologize. It is quitepossible that there was a misunderstanding between you and Poodles,which a mutual explanation might remove."

  "I do not think there was any misunderstanding," I replied.

  "If you wish to meet Poodles after school, I offer my services as afriend to assist in the adjustment of the dispute."

  "I don't want to meet him," said Poodles.

  Mr. Parasyte actually rebuked him for this illiberal sentiment; andwhile he was doing so, I added that I had no desire to meet Poodles,as proposed. I now think I was wrong; but I had a feeling that theprincipal intended to browbeat me into an acknowledgment.

  "Very well, Thornton; if you refuse to make peace, you must take theconsequences. Do you intend to apologize to Poodles, or not?"

  "I do not, sir," I replied, decidedly.

  "Then you are expelled from the Parkville Liberal Institute."