MARLBOROUGH COLLEGE. 137 



length was heard to whisper to his mate; " Hold, enough ! we have 

 heard, I think, enough about that old shoe." 



When the rebellion broke out, this incident was made the subject 

 of unfavourable demonstration ; and a leather article which had 

 been discarded from the foot of some labourer or tramp, was hoisted 

 on a pole and stuck over the obnoxious master's desk. But these 

 desks were next the objects for attack ; and one day when I was 

 strolling into school, I spied a vandal band going round the place 

 smashing the desks to atoms. It so happened that the master I 

 was under then had never beaten me, and I rather liked him ; so I 

 begged the vandals to spare his desk ; and I used such convincing 

 arguments on the subject, that they very kindly left it standing, 

 alone amid the general wreck. 



Anyone who has seen the comical manner in which a Crane 

 regards its nest when an oologist steals its eggs, may form some 

 idea of the facial workings of each master as he came into school, 

 and saw his usual resting place was gone. My master's face of 

 course was radiant ; and hearing what had happened, he, much 

 to my confusion, thanked me in no measured terms, but I, who 

 was quite unaccustomed to such courteous words, and really felt 

 ashamed that so slight an action on my part should be rewarded 

 thus, was quite dumbfounded, and indeed as some kind friends 

 informed me after, I looked exactly like a fool whilst the harangue 

 was going on. They asked me also, why I didn't say something on 

 my part, but I replied, or at least ought to have replied, in the words 

 Dr. Johnson : " No, Sir ! when the king had said it, it was so to 

 be. It was not for me to bandy civilities with my sovereign." 



What was the grievance of the leader of these vandals, I never 

 knew, or have forgotten; very probably he didn't know himself; 

 but he was expelled soon after, and I met him in Calcutta, as he 

 passed the competitive examination for the civil service, being a 

 very clever lad. His eyes were unusually close together, giving him 

 a sinister look, but he was full of fun, and doubtless full of mischief 

 too. Many a hearty laugh we had over our days at school, but the 



