Digby Heathcote Part 37

After prayers Dr Graham stood up in his desk, looking very grave.

"I had wished," he said, "to abolish flogging in the school; but while any of the boys are guilty not only of ungentlemanly but dishonest conduct, I must retain the custom, as I fear that it is the only punishment which they are likely to dread. I regret to say that seven boys, of different ages, were guilty, last night, of going out of the house, and of robbing the orchard of a neighbour. He saw them, counted their numbers, traced them back here. He believes that he will be able to identify some of them. Instead of severely punis.h.i.+ng them on the spot, as they deserved, he came here this morning and told me of the circ.u.mstance, that I may deal with them as I judge right. Those who were engaged in this notable exploit come forward and let me know what you have to say for yourselves."

The Doctor ceased. There was a pause, then a slight shuffling of feet, and six boys left their desks, and slowly, and with evident reluctance, walked up to the Doctor.

"I understood that there were seven. I hope the seventh will soon make his appearance."

The seventh, however, did not come up. The Doctor then asked the six who pleaded guilty what induced them to commit the crime.

One said, because he liked apples; another replied, because he had been asked by others; but four of them confessed that they did it simply because they liked the excitement and danger of the exploit.

"I believe that you have all told me the truth," answered the Doctor.

"One I shall flog, to teach him that he must not allow his appet.i.te to tempt him to commit a crime; the next, that he must not consent to do what is wrong because another asks him; and the other four, because they evidently require to have it impressed on their minds that taking that which does not belong to them is a crime both in the sight of G.o.d and man. After breakfast, you six come into my room. And now I wish the seventh culprit to come forward. I have given him time to consider what he will do."

No one moved.

"Julian Langley, why do you not come forward?" said the Doctor, in a stern voice.

"Sir, I know nothing about it," answered Julian, in a sharp, quick voice.

"Whose shoe is this?" asked the Doctor. "Come here, sir, and tell me."

Julian was now compelled to come forward. He walked with an unabashed air up to the Doctor's desk, casting a look either of triumph or scorn at the boys who had confessed their crime.

"If that is my shoe, somebody may have dropped it, wherever it was found," he observed, coolly.

"Did anybody carry away this knife, with your name engraved on it?"

asked the Doctor; "and how was it that you had only one shoe by your bedside this morning, the fellow of this one, covered with mud of the same colour?"

"Really, sir, those are difficult questions to answer just at present,"

replied Julian; "all I can say is, that I cannot account for the circ.u.mstances you speak of."

"I would fain not believe you guilty of a direct falsehood, and I must, therefore, conclude that the seventh thief who stole Mr Ladgrove's apples is yet to be found," said the Doctor, gravely. "But mark me, Julian Langley, I especially charge these six boys, if they have any respect for truth and honesty, and I also charge the rest of the school, not to speak to you, not to hold any communication with you, for at least a month to come, if they know you to be guilty of the crime which you now deny. I fix a month, because I hope during that time, if you are guilty, and are so punished, you will repent of the crime of stealing, as also of that of falsehood. Now, sir, go back to your seat."

The six boys who were to be flogged sat by themselves, and did not approach, or even look at, Julian Langley. Digby greatly feared that Julian was guilty. He watched them anxiously. Hanson was one of them.

How grateful he felt that Gusty was not, and he resolved to watch over him with greater care than he had before done.

After breakfast, the boys went to the Doctor's room to be flogged. They came back into school looking very unhappy, as boys are apt to do who have been thus castigated. The play hours came round, not one of them went near Julian. He approached one of them after the other, but they all, even little Hanson, walked away from him. Others besides Digby were watching what would take place.

At length Arthur Haviland, Digby, Ranger, Newland and others called a council, and agreed to inquire into the matter. Although the guilty boys considered themselves in honour bound not to confess to any of the masters, yet when questioned directly by their own companions, they at once owned that Julian Langley had not only been with them, but was actually the very instigator of the expedition. The consequence was, that Julian was sent strictly to Coventry by the whole school.

During that whole month not a boy spoke to him. Every one knew him to be guilty. He tried to get them to speak to him, and constantly spoke to fellows, but no one would answer him. The Doctor considered that he was sufficiently punished, and those who had been flogged said that they would a hundred times rather be flogged and get it over, than undergo the punishment he had endured. He did not, however, appear to feel the disgrace, or the complete loss of his character. As soon as the month was over, he spoke to every one, and tried to enter into conversation with all who would talk to him. The Doctor, of course, knew all that had occurred, and though he hoped that Julian would have been sufficiently punished, he kept a very watchful eye over him.

At last the holidays again came round, and the Squire asked his boys if they would like to invite Julian Langley to spend some of the time with them.

"Oh, no, no," answered Digby, "on no account. I am sure Kate does not like him; nor do I as I used to do, and he is not a good companion for Gusty."

Digby was quite surprised how rapidly the holidays came round and round.

Home was very pleasant, but so was school, and it was difficult to say at which the time pa.s.sed the quickest. It had been intended that Digby should be sent to Eton, but Squire Heathcote was so pleased with Dr Graham's system, and the progress his boys made in every way, that he resolved to let them remain on at Grangewood.

"People say that boys ought to be sent to public schools to get their pride knocked out of them, to be taught manners, and to make acquaintances who are likely to be useful to them in their future life,"

observed the Squire. "Now, I may honestly boast that my boys have no pride to be knocked out of them, their manners are good, and I hope that they will make their own way without having to depend on others."

So Digby and Gusty remained on at Grangewood, Dr Graham did his utmost to merit the confidence placed in him. He devoted all his time and thoughts not only to the mental instruction of his boys, but to making them religious, and happy, and healthy, and true gentlemen, in the fullest sense of the word. Julian Langley did not long remain at the school. After the occurrence before described he had lost all influence, as well as respect, in the school. Still he contrived to lead some of the other boys into mischief, and was, at length, guilty of acts which induced the Doctor finally to expel him. Digby continued steadily and honestly to do his duty. He became very popular with the masters as well as with his companions--even Mrs Pike acknowledged that she little thought when he first came that he would turn out so well.

He was one of the chief leaders at all games and sports, and few surpa.s.sed him in any of their athletic exercises, at the same time that no one read harder, or made better progress than he did. At length he rose to be the head of the school; and then, after a year spent partly with Mr Nugent, and partly travelling with Arthur Haviland abroad, he went to Cambridge, where Arthur already was. Here, though one of the most active boating and cricketing men, he read steadily and perseveringly, and finally, very much to his own surprise, when he took his degree, came out as a wrangler, though not so high up in the list as his friend Arthur Haviland had been the year before. [Note: a wrangler is a person at Cambridge University who has pa.s.sed their finals in Mathematics with First Cla.s.s Honours.] During the long vacation, just before his last term, he was reading with Mr Nugent, when, one evening, a knock was heard at the door, and the maid-servant came in to say that a person wished to see the Rector. Mr Nugent went out, and there he saw a stout, but pale-faced, ragged, altogether disreputable-looking young man.

"What is it you want with me?" asked Mr Nugent, looking hard at him.

"What, don't even you know me?" asked the stranger, in a hoa.r.s.e tone.

Again the Rector scanned his features. "No, indeed I do not," he answered. "I think that you must be labouring under some mistake or other."

"Indeed I am not," answered the stranger. "I know you, Mr Nugent, perfectly, and you once knew me. If I was to tell you my name you might be astonished, perhaps, for I was once a pupil of yours. My name is Julian Langley."

"Julian Langley!" exclaimed Mr Nugent, starting up. "Are you brought to this miserable condition? But would not your father--would not your friends a.s.sist you?"

"My father has discarded me, and I have no friends--no one who cares for me," answered Julian, bitterly. "I am suffering from hunger and thirst, and am but half clothed, as you see. I must die if I am not relieved.

Will you help me?"

"I will. Come in; you shall have food at once," answered Mr Nugent.

"You will find an old friend here who will afford you, I know, his sincerest sympathy, my nephew, Digby Heathcote."

"He will afford me his supercilious pity and contempt," muttered Julian.

"No, no, no," said Mr Nugent, kindly; "come in."

"Beggars must not be choosers," answered Julian, gruffly, following Mr Nugent into the study.

Digby, till Mr Nugent mentioned his name, did not recognise Julian.

The moment he did, he sprang up, and putting out his hand pressed it warmly; but Julian, turning away his head, received the greeting with coldness and indifference.

"And how is it that you come to us in such a plight?" asked Mr Nugent, after supper had been placed on the table, and Julian had done ample justice to it. "I inquire, pray understand, not for simple curiosity, but that I may the better be able to help you."

"Thank you," answered Julian, filling a tumbler half full of brandy from a spirit-case which stood on the table, and tossing off the contents.

"Oh, I have gone through all sorts of wonderful adventures. I have been out in Spain, fighting for the Const.i.tutionalists against Don Carlos, but I got more kicks than half-pence there; and then I was s.h.i.+pwrecked; and, finally, I have been leading a somewhat vagabond life about England. I turned actor for a time, but the characters given me were not very exalted, and I quarrelled with the manager, who was a brute, and left the company. Not a very lucid account of myself; but, at all events, here I am without a farthing in my purse, or rather, without even a purse to put a farthing in if I had one." And with a look of despair he turned his pockets inside out, and leant back in his chair.

Both Mr Nugent and Digby were silent. They felt sure that his own misconduct had brought him to his present condition, and yet they were unwilling to hint to him that such was the case. In the meantime he once more leaned forward, and again helped himself largely from the spirit-case. Mr Nugent and Digby looked at each other. They had no difficulty in guessing the cause of his present condition. Some conversation ensued with the unhappy young man, but they could scarcely hope that they were eliciting the truth from him. There was no bed for him in the house. He said that he infinitely preferred sleeping at the inn. Against his better judgment, perhaps, as he was leaving the house, Mr Nugent kindly put a five-pound note into his hand. The next day he did not appear, and Digby set off into the town to look for him. He was told that he was at the inn, in his room. He found him with a spirit bottle by his side, sitting on the floor, and perfectly unconscious.

Digby, begging the people of the house, who were but too well accustomed to such events, to put him to bed, left the place, feeling that he could then do nothing for him. The next day, when Digby went back to the inn, the landlord said that he had left it altogether, because he had refused to supply him with more liquor. Digby, determining to make another attempt to rescue him from destruction, on inquiry, found that he had gone on to a neighbouring town. There he followed him, and there he found him in the same condition as before, having spent the whole of Mr Nugent's liberal gift. Digby waited till he had recovered his senses, spoke to him earnestly and kindly, entreating him to abandon his evil courses. At last Julian said that he had one aunt who would, he knew, could he reach her house, try and reconcile him to his father, and that he had resolved firmly to reform. Digby instantly offered him ten pounds, urging him to set off without delay to his relative's house.

Thus the former friends, who had started together in life with such equal advantages, parted.

Digby in vain waited to hear from Julian. He never reached his relative's house. Nearly a year after that, Digby heard of his death in a hospital, of _delirium tremens_, a most horrible complaint, brought on by excessive drinking.

A couple of years after Arthur Haviland left College, the papers announced his marriage with Katharine, third daughter of Digby Heathcote, Esq, of Bloxholme, etc.

"I am truly thankful that my dear, dear little sister Kate has married so excellent a fellow," wrote Digby to an old friend, when speaking of the event. "What a contrast to that wretched being, Julian Langley, whom my father and his had once intended for her. I have known Arthur for a number of years. He is, and he always was as a boy, a thoroughly high-principled, honourable fellow, a sincere, pious Christian, and as kind-hearted, sensible, and judicious as any person I have ever met. I am convinced of the truth of the saying that 'the boy is the father of the man.' I have had many proofs of it in my experience, and I should always strongly recommend my friends to reflect what their friends were as boys before they introduce them to their families, and especially to their sisters, whose jealous guardians they should ever endeavour to prove."

No one laboured harder to prepare the triumphal arches to welcome Miss Kate, as he called her, on her first visit to Bloxholme after the event mentioned above, than did John Pratt, and curious were the presents he had prepared for her, most of which might have suited her early tastes, but certainly not her present ones. Among other things were two young kittens, a litter of ferrets, four pigeons, a flitch of bacon--this was given, as he said, in advance--a puppy, and a nest of young owlets. He continues as active as ever, and the constant attendant on Digby in all rural sports whenever the young heir pays a visit to his home.