CHAPTER VII
THANKS TO ACTON
After the Carthusian match there was but one topic, or to be strictlyaccurate, perhaps, two topics of interest in the school--who would becock-house at footer and who would get the Perry Exhibition.
The rest of the houses knew that Biffen's house was not now theunconsidered article it was once; that it wasn't the door-mat upon whichany one might wipe his feet before proceeding into the inner circles ofthe housers' competition, and there was more than a little curiosity tosee how far the "resurrected" house would mount.
But not a single soul dreamt that it would reach the final. The wholeschool gasped for a fortnight on end as Biffen's annihilated Dover's,Hargen's, Sharpe's, and Merishall's _seriatim_, and at last facedCorker's house in the final. This was a resurrected house with avengeance! Corker's had had a bye in the first round and had been drawnagainst rather rickety houses since, but they were generally fancied topull off the final as usual, for Bourne was captain, and they had Hodgsonand Roberts of the eleven as well. The wonderful progress of Biffen's hadthrown an awful lot of excitement into the game.
The match was fixed for the last Saturday in the term, and the result ofthe Perry Exhibition was to be announced on the evening of the same day,so the last Saturday was going to be the memorable day of the Michaelmasstretch.
If you want a full account of the match you had better write to the editorof _The Amorian_. He will send you the magazine with a page or so ofdescription and account, but all I'm going to say is that Bourne and Actonplayed as they had never played before--I think I've said that beforeabout Acton, but he really was superlative in the housers' final--and thatfive minutes from time the score was "one all." Then Acton showed theschool a stroke of genius. He brought Raven out from centre-forward, wherehe was quite unable to cope with Bourne, whispered him to go "back" withWorcester, and before any one could realize what was happening he wasplaying forward himself. He' was a "lambent flame along the ground" if youlike. In a second Biffen's were swarming round Roberts in goal, Actonpassed out to Chalmers, who was ready for the pass, and in a twinkling theball was in the net. From the row you might have imagined the school hadgone mad.
ACTON JUST REACHED IT WITH HIS HEAD.]
The ball was kicked off again. Almost immediately Acton secured near thecentre. He dribbled through the ruck of his opponents until he saw Bourneupon him. With a smile of triumph upon his lips he gently rolled theleather to Chalmers, who was hungrily waiting for the pass out on thetouch-line. Chalmers waltzed beautifully for the short run almost to thecorner flag. He steadied himself for one instant after his run, and thenlifted the ball magnificently into the goal mouth. As the leather wasskimming past, Acton just reached it with his head and deflected it highand dry out of Roberts' reach into the net. It was the supreme effortof his splendid game.
Biffen's had won by three goals to one!
They carried Acton off the field in ecstasy, and nearly scared Dame Biffenout of her wits by the "whisper" of "cock-house." Well, it certainly wasunusual.
After tea the whole of St. Amory's crowded into the Speech Room to hearthe result of the Perry Exhibition. There would not be a fellow away, Ishould fancy, bar the cripples in the hospital, for there was no end ofexcitement. Was this to be another Biffen's triumph? Was Raven of theFifth to beat Hodgson, the chosen of the Sixth, for the Perry? It was notto be expected that he would, but when the whisper circled round thatActon had '"coached" him in classics it was agreed that perhaps therewould be another feather in Acton's cap.
The masters were there on the platform in serried ranks, the whole fiftyof them, from Corker to Pfenning who "does" the music.
Corker, as usual, went straight to the mark, whilst the entire mass offellows kept a death-like silence. "The result of the examination for thePerry Exhibition is as follows:--
1st. Arthur Raven, 672 marks. 2nd. Theodore Hodgson, 591 marks. 3rd. Augustus Vernon Robert Todd, 114 marks."
Then out broke the usual uproar, "shivering the silence," as some onesays, "into clamour." We all cheered for Raven, who scored a popular andunexpected victory, for why should a Fifth Form fellow beat one of theSixth? Biffen's crowd kept up the cheering until Corker rose again.
"I can heartily congratulate Raven on his success, for his classicalknowledge was distinctly good. Hodgson I can also congratulate, for hispapers too were good. As for Augustus Vernon Robert Todd"--we all yelledwith laughter as Dr. Moore scrambled in hot haste through Todd's awfullist of names, but were again quiet when he dropped his eye-glasses fromhis eagle's beak, a sure sign he was going to "savage" somebody--"as for_his_ performance in this _examination_, I can only regard it asa very bad practical joke, or as his _ballon d'essai_ for somekindergarten scholarship."
Raven got up from his seat near the door. He was pale to the lips, but hisvoice was clear and unhesitating. "If you please, sir, may I say a word?"
"Eh, what?" said Corker. "Say a word? Oh, certainly."
"I am very glad indeed to hear that I have won the Perry Exhibition. Iknow in my own mind that I could never have beaten my friend Hodgson if Ihad not had Acton's help. I owe the winning of the Exhibition entirely tohim, for he has read the whole of the classics with me and helped me inevery way in his power. I cannot thank him enough for all he has done, butat least I owe him this open acknowledgment."
Corker looked no end pleased, and turned round and beamed on Biffen, whosegood-natured easy face shone with pleasure and delight.
"Biffen," said good old Corker, audibly, "your house is fortunate inhaving Acton, and St. Amory such a good amateur coach in classics.Cock-house, too, bless me!"
And can you wonder that Biffen's, frenzied with delight, carried Raven andActon shoulder high through the gas-lit streets?
Whilst the Biffenites were thus shouting their way home, one unhappy youthhurried to his room feeling as though the moon had fallen out of heavenand crushed him--Todd. After that night when he had made the bet withCotton, he had neither worked for the Perry nor yet left it alone, butloafed about with Cotton as usual, and piffled with the work for theExhibition. As a last-lap spurt, he had, in the last week or so,desperately stuffed himself with cunning tips leading twistingly tonowhere. Never had any one faced a serious examination with such a rag-bagof tips as Todd, and the examination had found him out with a vengeance.As he slunk along to his quarters, Corker's words were buzzing in his earsunendingly. "As for Augustus Vernon Robert Todd"--"_ballond'essai_"--"Kindergarten!" Oh! it was a sickener, and how the fellows hadlaughed!
As for his bet with Cotton about cock-house, why, he had, when he sawthose goals put on at the last moment, felt a cold shiver run down hisback. He had crawled off the Acres a sick and sorry and miserable wretch.Cotton had, being rather riled at his chum's temper for the last month,hinted, in unmistakable terms, that the debt was to be paid on returnafter holidays. Todd contemplated the ravishing prospect of the futurewith unmixed feelings. Between the upper and nether millstones of the lostExhibition and the lost bet he had been crashed, annihilated!
When he had shut the study door, in sheer despair of spirit, he laid hishead on the table and--Well, did he blub? All I know is, the Rev. E.Taylor knocked at the door once, twice, thrice, and Todd heard him not.The house master came in and surveyed the bowed form of poor Gus with agood-natured smile, tempered with some scorn. He took the liberty ofloudly poking Gus's decaying fire, whereat the young gentleman sprang upinstanter.
"I knocked, Todd, but I suppose you were thinking too deeply to hear me."
"Sorry, sir," said Gus, hurriedly getting the master a chair, "and, as amatter of fact, I was thinking."
"Yes!"
"What an awful ass I've been, sir!" "I don't know quite about the ass, butyou've certainly not been an epitome of all that's wise this term. It wason that very subject that I came here to have a word with you before we gofor the holidays."
Gus looked blankly into the grate.
"This exhibition of yours, Todd, in the e
xamination is just the answer youmight expect to the problem you've set yourself. 'How can I get somethingof value by doing nothing for it?' I must say... etc." Taylor spoke verymuch to the point to Todd for about half an hour, taking the ribs out ofGus's conceit one by one, until he felt very much like a damp, damagedgamp, and about as helpless. One by one he took him through the catalogueof the aimless, stupid, footling performances in the term, and Gus blanklywondered how the dickens Taylor knew quite so much of his doings, He feltthat the house master was not a bad imitation of Corker on a flayingexpedition. I must say that Taylor's performance was a considerable trifleabove the average "beak's wigging," but the sting of his discourse was inthe tail. "Now, Todd, would you like me to ask Dr. Moore to transfer youto some other house, where your very intimate friends will not absorb somuch of your time?"
Todd blushed purple at this very broad hint.
"I'd rather stay where I am; I am not quite an incapable, sir."
"No; I don't think you are--not quite. Dr. Moore, however, is somewhat outof patience with you, and proposes drastic measures."
"Home?" inquired Todd, with gloomy conviction.
"Yes," said the house master. "Dr. Moore has written your father. But youare coming back next term, when you will have the chance of showing thatthat awful performance in the Exhibition is not your true form. I hopeyou'll take it."
Todd said bitterly, "I will, sir."
"I am glad of that," said Taylor, "and I believe you will. Good night,Todd."
"Good night, sir."
Todd packed up his portmanteaux that night as gloomily and as savagely asthough his shirts were his deadly enemies. But there was a square,determined thrust-out of his weak chin which boded ill for Jim Cotton'sclassics and mathematics in the future.
Acton's Feud: A Public School Story Page 7