FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  
for the dessert, Billy," called several voices; and that worthy proceeded to put on the table some figs, cakes, oranges, and four black bottles of wine. There was a general grab for these dainties, and one boy shouted, "I say, I've had no wine." "Well, it's all gone. We must get some brandy--it's cheaper," said Brigson; and accordingly some brandy was brought in, which the boys diluted with hot water, and soon despatched. "Here! before you're all done swilling," said Brigson, "I've got a health; 'Confound muffs and masters, and success to the anti's.'" "And their chairman,' suggested Wildney. "And their chairman, the best fellow in the school," added Brigson. The health was drunk with due clamor, and Eric got up to thank them. "I'm not going to spout," he said; "but boys must be boys, and there's no harm in a bit of fun. I for one have enjoyed it, and am much obliged to you for asking me; and now I call for a song." "Wildney! Wildney's song," called several. Wildney had a good voice, and struck up, without the least bashfulness-- "Come, landlord, fill the flowing bowl, Until it does run overt Come, landlord, fill," &c "Now," he said, "join in the chorus!" The boys, all more or less excited, joined in heartily and uproariously-- "For to-night we'll merry merry be! For to-night we'll merry merry be! For to-night we'll merry merry be! To-morrow we'll be sober!" While Wildney sang, Eric had time to think. As he glanced round the room, at the flushed faces of the boys, some of whom he could not recognise in the dusky atmosphere, a qualm of disgust and shame passed over him. Several of them were smoking, and, with Bull and Brigson heading the line on each, side of the table, he could not help observing what a bad set they looked. The remembrance of Russell came back to him. Oh, if Edwin could have known that he was in such company at such a place! And by the door stood Billy, watching them all like an evil spirit, with a leer of saturnine malice on his evil face. But the bright little Wildney, unconscious of Eric's bitter thoughts, sang on with overflowing mirth. As Eric looked at him, shining out like a sunbeam among the rest, he felt something like blood-guiltiness on his soul, when, he felt that he was sanctioning the young boy's presence in that degraded assemblage. Wildney meanwhile was just beginning the next verse, when he was interrupted by a gener
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149  
150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Wildney

 

Brigson

 
health
 
landlord
 

looked

 
chairman
 

brandy

 
called
 
assemblage
 

degraded


Several
 
observing
 

heading

 

smoking

 
presence
 

glanced

 
interrupted
 

beginning

 

flushed

 

disgust


atmosphere

 

recognise

 

passed

 

remembrance

 

spirit

 

saturnine

 

watching

 

sunbeam

 
malice
 

shining


bitter

 
overflowing
 

unconscious

 

bright

 

Russell

 

sanctioning

 

thoughts

 

guiltiness

 

company

 

bashfulness


despatched

 

brought

 

diluted

 

suggested

 

fellow

 
school
 
success
 

swilling

 

Confound

 

masters