mself.
This plague-spot had fretted more deeply than any other into the heart
of the school morality, and the least boys seemed the greatest
proficients in unbaring without a blush, its hideous ugliness.

CHAPTER III

"THE JOLLY HERRING"

"Velut unda supervenit undam."--VIRGIL.

The Anti-muffs request the honor of Williams' company to a spread they
are going to have to-morrow evening at half-past four, in their
smoking-room--

A note to this effect was put into Eric's hands by Wildney after
prayers. He read it when he got into his study, and hardly knew whether
to be pleased or disgusted at it.

He tossed it to Duncan, and said, "What shall I do?"

Duncan turned up his nose, and chucked the note into the fire.

"I'd give them that answer, and no other."

"Why?"

"Because, Eric," said Duncan, with more seriousness than was usual with
him, "I can't help thinking things have gone too far lately."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I'm no saint myself, Heaven knows; but I do think that the
fellows are worse now than I have ever known them--far worse. Your
friend Brigson reigns supreme out of the studies; he has laid down a law
that _no work_ is to be done down stairs ever under any pretence, and
it's only by getting into one of the studies that good little chaps
like Wright can get on at all. Even in the class-rooms there's so much
row and confusion that the mere thought of work is ridiculous."

"Well, there's no great harm in a little noise, if that's all."

"But it isn't all. The talk of nearly the whole school is getting most
blackguardly; shamelessly so. Only yesterday Wildney was chatting with
Vernon up here (you were out, or Vernon would not have been here) while
I was reading; they didn't seem to mind me, and I'm sure you'd have been
vexed to the heart if you'd heard how they talked to each other. At last
I couldn't stand it any longer, and bouncing up, I boxed both their ears
smartly, and kicked them down stairs."

As Eric said nothing, Duncan continued, "And I wish it ended in talk,
but----"

"But I believe you're turning Owenite. Why, bless me, we're only
schoolboys; it'll be lots of time to turn saint some other day."

Eric was talking at random, and in the spirit of opposition. "You don't
want to make the whole school such a muffish set as the rosebuds,
do you?"

There was something of assumed bravado in Eric's whole manner which
jarred on Duncan exceedingly. "Do as you like," he said, curtl