the house running after
you."

"Not I," said East. Then, with an effort, he went on: "I'll tell you
what it is. I never stop during the Sacrament. I can see, from the
Doctor downward, how that tells against me."

"Yes, I've seen that," said Tom, "and I've been very sorry for it, and
Arthur and I have talked about it. I've often thought of speaking to
you, but it's so hard to begin on such subjects. I'm very glad you've
opened it. Now, why don't you!"

"I've never been confirmed,"[20] said East.

[20] #Confirmed#: admitted to church membership; here, to that
of the Church of England.

"Not been confirmed!" said Tom, in astonishment. "I never thought of
that. Why weren't you confirmed with the rest of us nearly three years
ago? I always thought you'd been confirmed at home."

"No," answered East, sorrowfully; "you see this was how it happened.
Last confirmation was soon after Arthur came, and you were so taken up
with him, I hardly saw either of you. Well, when the Doctor sent round
for us about it, I was living mostly with Green's set--you know the
sort. They all went in--I dare say it was all right, and they got good
by it; I don't want to judge them. Only all I could see of their
reasons drove me just the other way. 'Twas 'because the Doctor liked
it'; no boy got on who didn't stay the Sacrament; it was 'the correct
thing,' in fact, like having a good hat to wear on Sundays. I couldn't
stand it. I didn't feel that I wanted to lead a different life, I was
very well content as I was, and I wasn't going to sham religious to
curry favor[21] with the Doctor, or any one else."

[21] #Curry favor#: seek favor by flattery and the like.

East stopped speaking, and pegged away more diligently than ever with
his pencil. Tom was ready to cry. He felt half sorry at first that he
had been confirmed himself. He seemed to have deserted his earliest
friend, to have left him by himself at his worst need for those long
years. He got up and went and sat by East, and put his arm over his
shoulder.

"Dear old boy," he said, "how careless and selfish I've been! But why
didn't you come and talk to Arthur and me?"

"I wish to Heaven I had," said East, "but I was a fool. It's too late
talking of it now."

"Why too late? You want to be confirmed now, don't you?"

"I think so," said East. "I've thought about it a good deal; only
often I fancy I must be changing, because I see it's to do me good
here--just what stopped