urning
the tables on everybody by dying.

At preparation the boys, with that lust to punish to which a crowd
is always susceptible, slid along the form to get as far from
me as possible and to leave plenty of room for myself and my
contamination.

In the dormitory no one spoke to me, but as I was getting into my
pyjamas one of the dormitory prefects burst in and addressed a
senior boy:

"I say, talking about this row of Rupert Ray's, isn't the Gray Doe
going to catch it to-morrow, by jove?"

In my anxiety about Doe I forgot that I was banned.

"What's he going to get?" My voice sounded husky and strange. The
boys didn't answer me or show that they had heard. They
ostentatiously proceeded with their conversation. Even Pennybet had
his back turned. I flung myself into my bed in a way that nearly
broke the springs, and, pulling the clothes furiously over my head,
left my bare feet showing, at which several boys laughed
contemptuously.

Oh, the horrid activity of my wide-awake brain! I couldn't sleep,
and even found difficulty in keeping my eyes shut. Once, as I raised
my weary lids, I found that the lights had gone out since I last
opened my eyes. And my headache, which had spread to the back of my
neck, was getting but little relief from my frequent changes of
position. Oh, the horrible conglomeration of ideas that crowded my
mind! Recent scenes and conversations entangled themselves in one
another. Ray did it--Ray did it--my darling little son--good-bye and
God bless you--there has been no bias, prejudice, or bigotry, but
heaps of love from your devoted and affectionate mother--Ray did
it--it's good-bye to him, I suppose--good-bye and God bless you--

"_Good-night, Ray_."

That must be Doe's voice; it came from reality and not from dreams:
it came loudly out of the silence of the dormitory and not from the
chorus of conflicting sentences droning in my mind: it was a real
voice, but I was too tired and too far lost in stupor to answer it:
good-night, Ray--it's good-bye to him, I suppose--heaps of
love--there was some comfort in that--heaps of love from your
devoted and affectionate mother. Ah! when shall I get properly off
to sleep? Let me turn over on to my other side and put my hand under
the pillow--but it was young Ray--Ray did it--Ray did it--how that
detestable sentence swells till it packs my head!--and I must be
asleep now, for I see Fillet fitting a rope across the door of an
unknown bedroom wherein