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of our family； could not consistently take me to task for fighting Conway；
nor was he disposed to do so； for the Captain was well aware of the long…
continued provocation I had endured。
〃Ah； you rascal！〃 cried the old gentleman； after hearing my story。 〃Just
like me when I was young…always in one kind of trouble or another。 I
believe it runs in the family。〃
〃I think；〃 said Miss Abigail； without the faintest expression） on her
countenance； 〃that a table…spoonful of hot…dro…〃 The Captain interrupted
Miss Abigail peremptorily； directing her to make a shade out of cardboard
and black silk to tie over my eye。 Miss Abigail must have been possessed
with the idea that I had taken up pugilism as a profession； for she turned
out no fewer than six of these blinders。
〃They'll be handy to have in the house；〃 says Miss Abigail； grimly。
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Of course； so great a breach of discipline was not to be passed over by
Mr。 Grimshaw。 He had； as we suspected； witnessed the closing scene of
the fight from the school…room window； and the next morning； after
prayers； I was not wholly unprepared when Master Conway and myself
were called up to the desk for examination。 Conway； with a piece of court…
plaster in the shape of a Maltese cross on his right cheek； and I with the
silk patch over my left eye； caused a general titter through the room。
〃Silence！〃 said Mr。 Grimshaw； sharply。
As the reader is already familiar with the leading points in the case of
Bailey versus Conway； I shall not report the trial further than to say that
Adams； Marden； and several other pupils testified to the fact that Conway
had imposed on me ever since my first day at the Temple School。 Their
evidence also went to show that Conway was a quarrelsome character
generally。 Bad for Conway。 Seth Rodgers； on the part of his friend； proved
that I had struck the first blow。 That was bad for me。
〃If you please； sir；〃 said Binny Wallace； holding up his hand for
permission to speak； 〃Bailey didn't fight on his own account； he fought on
my account； and； if you please； sir； I am the boy to be blamed； for I was
the cause of the trouble。〃
This drew out the story of Conway's harsh treatment of the smaller
boys。 As Binny related the wrongs of his playfellows； saying very little of
his own grievances； I noticed that Mr。 Grimshaw's hand； unknown to
himself perhaps； rested lightly from time to time on Wallace's sunny hair。
The examination finished； Mr。 Grimshaw leaned on the desk thoughtfully
for a moment and then said：
〃Every boy in this school knows that it is against the rules to fight。 If
one boy maltreats another； within school…bounds； or within school…hours；
that is a matter for me to settle。 The case should be laid before me。 I
disapprove of tale…bearing； I never encourage it in the slightest degree； but
when one pupil systematically persecutes a schoolmate； it is the duty of
some head…boy to inform me。 No pupil has a right to take the law into his
own hands。 If there is any fighting to be done； I am the person to be
consulted。 I disapprove of boys' fighting； it is unnecessary and unchristian。
In the present instance； I consider every large boy in this school at fault；
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The Story of a Bad Boy
but as the offence is one of omission rather than commission； my
punishment must rest only on the two boys convicted of misdemeanor。
Conway loses his recess for a month； and Bailey has a page added to his
Latin lessons for the next four recitations。 I now request Bailey and
Conway to shake hands in the presence of the school； and acknowledge
their regret at what has occurred。〃
Conway and I approached each other slowly and cautiously； as if we
were bent upon another hostile collision。 We clasped hands in the tamest
manner imaginable； and Conway mumbled； 〃I'm sorry I fought with you。'
〃I think you are；' I replied； drily； 〃and I'm sorry I had to thrash you。〃
〃You can go to your seats；〃 said Mr。 Grimshaw； turning his face aside
to hide a smile。 I am sure my apology was a very good one。
I never had any more trouble with Conway。 He and his shadow； Seth
Rodgers； gave me a wide berth for many months。 Nor was Binny Wallace
subjected to further molestation。 Miss Abigail's sanitary stores； including a
bottle of opodeldoc； were never called into requisition。 The six black silk
patches； with their elastic strings； are still dangling from a beam in the
garret of the Nutter House； waiting for me to get into fresh difficulties。
1 〃Tom Brown's School Days at Rugby〃
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CHAPTER Eleven
All About Gypsy
This record of my life at Rivermouth would be strangely incomplete
did I not devote an entire chapter to Gypsy。 I had other pets； of course； for
what healthy boy could long exist without numerous friends in the animal
kingdom？ I had two white mice that were forever gnawing their way out
of a pasteboard chateau； and crawling over my face when I lay asleep。 I
used to keep the pink…eyed little beggars in my bedroom； greatly to the
annoyance of Miss Abigail； who was constantly fancying that one of the
mice had secreted itself somewhere about her person。
I also owned a dog； a terrier； who managed in some inscrutable way to
pick a quarrel with the moon； and on bright nights kept up such a ki…yi…ing
in our back garden； that we were finally forced to dispose of him at private
sale。 He was purchased by Mr。 Oxford； the butcher。 I protested against the
arrangement and ever afterwards； when we had sausages from Mr。 Oxford…
s shop； I made believe I detected in them certain evidences that Cato had
been foully dealt with。
Of birds I had no end…robins； purple…martins； wrens； bulfinches；
bobolinks； ringdoves； and pigeons。 At one time I took solid comfort in the
iniquitous society of a dissipated old parrot； who talked so terribly； that the
Rev。 Wibird Hawkins； happening to get a sample of Poll's vituperative
powers； pronounced him 〃a benighted heathen；〃 and advised the Captain
to get rid of him。 A brace of turtles supplanted the parrot in my affections；
the turtles gave way to rabbits； and the rabbits in turn yielded to the
superior charms of a small monkey； which the Captain bought of a sailor
lately from the coast of Africa。
But Gypsy was the prime favorite； in spite of many rivals。 I never
grew weary of her。 She was the most knowing little thing in the world。 Her
proper sphere in life…and the one to which she ultimately attained…was the
saw…dust arena of a travelling circus。 There was nothing short of the three
R's； reading； 'riting； and 'rithmetic； that Gypsy couldn't be taught。 The gift
of speech was not hers； but the faculty of thought was。
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My little friend； to be sure； was not exempt from certain graceful
weaknesses； inseparable； perhaps； from the female character。 She was very
pretty； and she knew it。 She was also passionately fond of dress…by which I
mean her best harness。 When she had this on； her curvetings and prancings
were laughable； though in ordinary tackle she went along demurely
enough。 There was something in the enamelled leather and the silver…
washed mountings that chimed with her artistic sense。 To have her mane
braided； and a rose or a pansy stuck into her forelock； was to make her too
conceited for anything。
She had another trait not rare among her sex。 She liked the attentions
of young gentlemen； while the society of girls bored her。 She would drag
them； sulkily； in the cart； but as for permitting one of them in the saddle；
the idea was preposterous。 Once when Pepper Whitcomb's sister； in spite
of our remonstrances； ventured to mount her； Gypsy gave a little indignant
neigh； and tossed the gentle Emma heels over head in no time。 But with
any of the boys th