but didn't say,
"seeing as how he only came out of Egypt himself last night at bedtime."

"Well, Tom," said he at last, "you see, when you and I came to school
there were none of these sort of notions. You may be right--I dare say
you are. Only what one has always felt about the masters is, that it's
a fair trial of skill and last between us and them--like a match at
football or a battle. We're natural enemies in school--that's the fact.
We've got to learn so much Latin and Greek, and do so many verses, and
they've got to see that we do it. If we can slip the collar and do so
much less without getting caught, that's one to us. If they can get more
out of us, or catch us shirking, that's one to them. All's fair in war
but lying. If I run my luck against theirs, and go into school without
looking at my lessons, and don't get called up, why am I a snob or a
sneak? I don't tell the master I've learnt it. He's got to find out
whether I have or not. What's he paid for? If he calls me up and I get
floored, he makes me write it out in Greek and English. Very good. He's
caught me, and I don't grumble. I grant you, if I go and snivel to him,
and tell him I've really tried to learn it, but found it so hard without
a translation, or say I've had a toothache, or any humbug of that kind,
I'm a snob. That's my school morality; it's served me, and you too, Tom,
for the matter of that, these five years. And it's all clear and fair,
no mistake about it. We understand it, and they understand it, and I
don't know what we're to come to with any other."

Tom looked at him pleased and a little puzzled. He had never heard
East speak his mind seriously before, and couldn't help feeling how
completely he had hit his own theory and practice up to that time.

"Thank you, old fellow," said he. "You're a good old brick to be
serious, and not put out with me. I said more than I meant, I dare say,
only you see I know I'm right. Whatever you and Gower and the rest do, I
shall hold on. I must. And as it's all new and an uphill game, you see,
one must hit hard and hold on tight at first."

"Very good," said East; "hold on and hit away, only don't hit under the
line."

"But I must bring you over, Harry, or I shan't be comfortable. Now, I'll
allow all you've said. We've always been honourable enemies with the
masters. We found a state of war when we came, and went into it of
course. Only don't you think things are altered a good deal? I don't
feel as