Ernest used to wonder how Mr. Templer could be so blind, for he
supposed Mr. Templer must have cribbed when he was at school, and
would ask himself whether he should forget his youth when he got
old, as Mr. Templer had forgotten his. He used to think he never could
possibly forget any part of it.
Then there was Mrs. Jay, who was sometimes very alarming. A few days
after the half year had commenced, there being some little extra noise
in the hall, she rushed in with her spectacles on her forehead and her
cap strings flying, and called the boy whom Ernest had selected as his
hero the "rampingest-scampingest-rackety-tackety-tow-row-roaringest
boy in the whole school." But she used to say things that Ernest
liked. If the Doctor went out to dinner, and there were no prayers,
she would come in and say, "Young gentlemen, prayers are excused
this evening"; and, take her for all in all, she was a kindly old soul
enough.
Most boys soon discover the difference between noise and actual
danger, but to others it is so unnatural to menace, unless they mean
mischief, that they are long before they leave off taking turkey-cocks
and ganders au serieux. Ernest was one of the latter sort, and found
the atmosphere of Roughborough so gusty that he was glad to shrink out
of sight and out of mind whenever he could.
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