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would have let their tongues be cut out of them before information
could have been wrung from any word of theirs。 But Ernest was not
an ideal boy； and he was not strong enough for his surroundings； I
doubt how far any boy could withstand the moral pressure which was
brought to bear upon him； at any rate he could not do so； and after
a little more writhing he yielded himself a passive prey to the
enemy。 He consoled himself with the reflection that his papa had
not played the confidence trick on him quite as often as his mamma
had； and that probably it was better he should tell his father； than
that his father should insist on Dr Skinner's making an inquiry。
His papa's conscience 〃jabbered〃 a good deal； but not as much as his
mamma's。 The little fool forgot that he had not given his father as
many chances of betraying him as he had given to Christina。
Then it all came out。 He owed this at Mrs Cross's； and this to Mrs
Jones； and this at the 〃Swan and Bottle〃 public house； to say
nothing of another shilling or sixpence or two in other quarters。
Nevertheless； Theobald and Christina were not satiated； but rather
the more they discovered the greater grew their appetite for
discovery； it was their obvious duty to find out everything； for
though they might rescue their own darling from this hotbed of
iniquity without getting to know more than they knew at present；
were there not other papas and mammas with darlings whom also they
were bound to rescue if it were yet possible？ What boys； then； owed
money to these harpies as well as Ernest？
Here； again； there was a feeble show of resistance； but the
thumbscrews were instantly applied； and Ernest； demoralised as he
already was； recanted and submitted himself to the powers that were。
He told only a little less than he knew or thought he knew。 He was
examined； re…examined； cross…examined； sent to the retirement of his
own bedroom and cross…examined again； the smoking in Mrs Jones'
kitchen all came out； which boys smoked and which did not； which
boys owed money and； roughly； how much and where； which boys swore
and used bad language。 Theobald was resolved that this time Ernest
should； as he called it； take him into his confidence without
reserve； so the school list which went with Dr Skinner's half…yearly
bills was brought out； and the most secret character of each boy was
gone through seriatim by Mr and Mrs Pontifex； so far as it was in
Ernest's power to give information concerning it； and yet Theobald
had on the preceding Sunday preached a less feeble sermon than he
commonly preached； upon the horrors of the Inquisition。 No matter
how awful was the depravity revealed to them； the pair never
flinched； but probed and probed； till they were on the point of
reaching subjects more delicate than they had yet touched upon。
Here Ernest's unconscious self took the matter up and made a
resistance to which his conscious self was unequal； by tumbling him
off his chair in a fit of fainting。
Dr Martin was sent for and pronounced the boy to be seriously
unwell； at the same time he prescribed absolute rest and absence
from nervous excitement。 So the anxious parents were unwillingly
compelled to be content with what they had got alreadybeing
frightened into leading him a quiet life for the short remainder of
the holidays。 They were not idle； but Satan can find as much
mischief for busy hands as for idle ones； so he sent a little job in
the direction of Battersby which Theobald and Christina undertook
immediately。 It would be a pity； they reasoned； that Ernest should
leave Roughborough； now that he had been there three years； it would
be difficult to find another school for him； and to explain why he
had left Roughborough。 Besides； Dr Skinner and Theobald were
supposed to be old friends； and it would be unpleasant to offend
him； these were all valid reasons for not removing the boy。 The
proper thing to do； then； would be to warn Dr Skinner confidentially
of the state of his school； and to furnish him with a school list
annotated with the remarks extracted from Ernest； which should be
appended to the name of each boy。
Theobald was the perfection of neatness； while his son was ill
upstairs； he copied out the school list so that he could throw his
comments into a tabular form； which assumed the following shape
only that of course I have changed the names。 One cross in each
square was to indicate occasional offence； two stood for frequent；
and three for habitual delinquency。
Smoking Drinking beer Swearing Notes
at the 〃Swan and Obscene
and Bottle。〃 Language。
Smith O O XX Will smoke
next half
Brown XXX O X
Jones X XX XXX
Robinson XX XX X
And thus through the whole school。
Of course； in justice to Ernest； Dr Skinner would be bound over to
secrecy before a word was said to him； but； Ernest being thus
protected； he could not be furnished with the facts too completely。
CHAPTER XLIII
So important did Theobald consider this matter that he made a
special journey to Roughborough before the half year began。 It was
a relief to have him out of the house； but though his destination
was not mentioned； Ernest guessed where he had gone。
To this day he considers his conduct at this crisis to have been one
of the most serious laches of his lifeone which he can never think
of without shame and indignation。 He says he ought to have run away
from home。 But what good could he have done if he had？ He would
have been caught； brought back and examined two days later instead
of two days earlier。 A boy of barely sixteen cannot stand against
the moral pressure of a father and mother who have always oppressed
him any more than he can cope physically with a powerful full…grown
man。 True； he may allow himself to be killed rather than yield； but
this is being so morbidly heroic as to come close round again to
cowardice； for it is little else than suicide； which is universally
condemned as cowardly。
On the re…assembling of the school it became apparent that something
had gone wrong。 Dr Skinner called the boys together； and with much
pomp excommunicated Mrs Cross and Mrs Jones； by declaring their
shops to be out of bounds。 The street in which the 〃Swan and
Bottle〃 stood was also forbidden。 The vices of drinking and
smoking； therefore； were clearly aimed at； and before prayers Dr
Skinner spoke a few impressive words about the abominable sin of
using bad language。 Ernest's feelings can be imagined。
Next day at the hour when the daily punishments were read out；
though there had not yet been time for him to have offended； Ernest
Pontifex was declared to have incurred every punishment which the
school provided for evil…doers。 He was placed on the idle list for
the whole half year； and on perpetual detentions； his bounds were
curtailed； he was to attend junior callings…over； in fact he was so
hemmed in with punishments upon ever side that it was hardly
possible for him to go outside the school gates。 This unparalleled
list of punishments inflicted on the first day of the half year； and
intended to last till the ensuing Christmas holidays； was not
connected with any specified offence。 It required no great
penetration therefore； on the part of the boys to connect Ernest
with the putting Mrs Cross's and Mrs Jones's shops out of bounds。
Great indeed was the indignation about Mrs Cross who； it was known；
remembered Dr Skinner himself as a small boy only just got into
jackets； and had doubtless let him have many a sausage and mashed
potatoes upon deferred payment。 The head boys assembled in conclave
to consider what steps should be taken； but hardly had they done so
before Ernest knocked timidly at the head…room door and took the
bull by the horns by explaining the facts as far as he could bring
himself to do so。 He made a clean breast of everything except about
the school list and the remarks he had made about each boy's
character。 This infamy was more than he could own to； and he kept
his counsel concerning it。 Fortunately he was safe in doing so； for
Dr Skinner； pedant and more than pedant though he was； had still
just sense enough to turn on Theobald in the matter of the school
list。 Whether he resented being told that he did not know the
characters of his own boys； or whether he dreaded a scandal about
the school I know not； but when Theobald had handed him the list；
over which he had expended so much pains； Dr Skinner had cut him
uncommonly short； and had then and there； with more suavity than was
usual with him； committed it to the flames before Theobald's own
eyes。
Ernest got off with the head boys easier than he expected。 It was
admitted that the offence； heinous though it was； had been committed
under extenuating circumstances； the frankness with which the
culprit had confessed all； his evidently unfeigned remorse； and the
fury with which Dr Skinner was pursuing him tended to bring about a
reaction