de
up to, or been taken up by any big fellow or master, and that it was now
quite a different place from what it was when he first came. And,
indeed, though he didn't actually boast of it, yet in his secret soul he
did to a great extent believe, that the great reform in the School had
been owing quite as much to himself as to any one else. Arthur, he
acknowledged, had done him good, and taught him a good deal; so had
other boys in different ways, but they had not had the same means of
influence on the School in general; and as for the Doctor, why, he was a
splendid master, but every one knew that masters could do very little
out of school hours. In short, he felt on terms of equality with his
chief, so far as the social state of the School was concerned, and
thought that the Doctor would find it no easy matter to get on without
him. Moreover, his school Toryism was still strong, and he looked still
with some jealousy on the Doctor, as somewhat of a fanatic in the matter
of change; and thought it very desirable for the School that he should
have some wise person (such as himself) to look sharply after vested
School-rights, and see that nothing was done to the injury of the
republic without due protest.

It was a new light to him to find, that, besides teaching the sixth, and
governing and guiding the whole School, editing classics, and writing
histories, the great Head-master had found time in those busy years to
watch over the career even of him, Tom Brown, and his particular
friends,--and, no doubt, of fifty other boys at the same time; and all
this without taking the least credit to himself, or seeming to know, or
let anyone else know, that he ever thought particularly of any boys at
all.

However, the Doctor's victory was complete from that moment over Tom
Brown at any rate. He gave way at all points, and the enemy marched
right over him, cavalry, infantry, and artillery, the land transport
corps, and the camp followers. It had taken eight long years to do it,
but now it was done thoroughly, and there wasn't a corner of him left
which didn't believe in the Doctor. Had he returned to school again,
and the Doctor begun the half-year by abolishing fagging, and football,
and the Saturday half-holiday, or all or any of the most cherished
school institutions, Tom would have supported him with the blindest
faith. And so, after a half confession of his previous shortcomings, and
sorrowful adieus to his tutor, from whom he