use? Order was kept all right when you
were here; you are strong. But when you have left, who is going to take
your place? Foster could have, but he's leaving. Davenport's leaving
too, so's Collins. The new prefects will be weak. At the best they would
have had a hard time. But probably the prefectorial dignity would have
been sufficient, if you hadn't smashed it up. You say 'personality' must
rule, but there is not so much personality flying about. We weak men
have got to shelter ourselves behind the strength of a system, and you
have smashed that. No one is going to obey me next term. They know I am
incapable; but they wouldn't have found it out but for you. That's what
you've done this term. You yourself have succeeded, but your success has
meant the ruin of the House for at least a year, that's what you have
done. And I expect you are jolly proud of yourself, too. You only care
for yourself."

Rudd finished exhausted, and stood there gasping. Gordon looked straight
at him for a second or so, then picked up a book and began to read; Rudd
shifted from foot to foot for a minute and then moved out quickly.

What an ass the man was, thought Gordon. The beaten man always tries to
make the victor's defeat seem less. It is all he has to do. Damn it all,
a man has to look after himself in this world; everyone was struggling
to get to the top, and the weak had to be knocked out of the way.

Then Foster came in aglow with excitement, and the two went up to the
tuck-shop and ate numerous ices, and made a great row, and knocked over
many chairs, and threw sugar about. Rudd was clean forgotten, as they
rolled back triumphantly, just as the roll bell was ringing. Work was
over. Gordon wandered round the studies, talking to everyone; in second
hall they had a celebration supper for the whole side. They had two
huge pies, a ham, countless eclairs; they sang songs, laughed and told
anecdotes. They finished with the school _Carmen_, and drank to the
House's future success. Laughing and singing, they at last made for the
dormitories.

But when the lights went out, and silence descended on the dormitory,
Gordon began to think of his conversation with Rudd; and, as he thought,
there came over him again the fierce longing to get to the heart of
things and to see life as it was, shorn of its coverings. Looking at his
career from the spectator's point of view, even Christy would have to
own that it had been eminently successful. He had b