oided ever since, seeing that their sayings and doings were of
a kind of which the less said the better) had been steadily going
on in their way, getting more and more idle, reckless and
insolent. Their doings had been already so scandalous on several
occasions as to call for solemn meetings of the college
authorities; but, no vigorous measures having followed, such
deliberations had only made matters worse, and given the men a
notion that they could do what they pleased with impunity. This
night the climax had come; it was as though the flood of misrule
had at last broken banks and overflowed the whole college.

For two hours the wine party in Blake's large ground-floor rooms
was kept up with a wild, reckless mirth, in keeping with the
host's temper. Blake was on his mettle. He had asked every man
with whom he had a speaking acquaintance, as if he wished to face
out his disaster at once to the whole world. Many of the men came
feeling uncomfortable, and would sooner have stayed away and
treated the pluck as real misfortune. But after all Blake was the
best judge of how he liked to be treated, and, if he had a fancy
for giving a great wine on the occasion, the civilest thing to do
was to get to it. And so they went, and wondered as much as he
could desire at the brilliant coolness of their host, speculating
and doubting nevertheless in their own secret hearts whether it
wasn't acting after all. Acting it was, no doubt, and not worth
the doing; no acting is. But one must make allowances. No two men
take a thing just alike, and very few can sit down quietly when
they have lost a fall in life's wrestle, and say: "Well, here I
am, beaten no doubt this time. But my own fault, too. Now, take a
good look at me, my good friends, as I know you all want to do,
and say your say out, for I mean getting up again directly and
having another turn at it."

Blake drank freely himself, and urged his guests to drink, which
was a superfluous courtesy for the most part. Many of the men
left his room considerably excited. They had dispersed for an
hour or so to billiards, or a stroll in the town, and at ten
o'clock reassembled at supper parties, of which there were
several in college this evening, especially a monster one at
Chanter's rooms--a "champagne supper," as he had carefully and
ostentatiously announced on the cards of invitation.

This flaunting the champagne in their faces had been resented by
Drysdale and others, who drank hi