The Unbearable Bassington

nful experience already registered in the past; unfortunately it still belonged to the future, and what was still more horrible, to the immediate future. Lik

ially ordained for newly-joined boys. His fellow juniors of a term's longer standing had graphically enlightened him as to the inevitable consequences of his lapse; the dread which attac

very best, over the bac

ne across you, of course

alk l

be aimed exactly at the same sp

there might be an element of exaggeration

and his weird swear-words whenever he got hurt were eagerly treasured by those who were fortunate enough to hear them. At athletics in general he was a showy performer, and although new to the functions of a prefect he had already established a reputation as an effective and artistic caner. In appearance he exactly fitted his fanciful Pagan name. His large green-grey eyes seemed for ever asparkle with goblin mischief and the joy of revelry, and the curved lips might have been those of some wickedly-laughing faun; one almost expected to see

nd wondering, from the depths of a very ordinary brain,

y your turn to

violinist might handle his Strad. "I gave Greyson some mint-chocolate to let me toss whether I

sted such of them as had the saving grace of humour at their disposal, but if they sighed when he passed from their immediate responsibility it was a sigh of relief rather than of regret. The more enlightened and experienced of them realised that he was something ou

ndingly larger belief in their own powers were

es," a form-master once remarked to a colleague whose House had

I should try," rep

asked the

gements, and if you start in to tame the obviously untame

s are Nature's

ure's highly finished product when they are in the schoolboy stage, and we, who are sup

ns to them when

r; "that is their tragedy. Bassington will c

the language of Peter Pa

ld mind and knew nothing whatever about boys. To make only one criticism on that particular work, can you imagine a lot of British boys, or boys of any country that one knows of, who

that is the meaning of the 'Never-never Land.' I daresay you're right in your criticism, but I don't agree with you about Bassington. He's a handful to deal with,

ained a form-master's inalienable

self with the exact position of a chair

rything's re

elegant in the Circus, languidly awaiting the introd

ue in two min

better not be l

st ounce the panic that must be now possessing his foredoomed victim, probably at this moment hovering miserably outside the do

Lancelot entered in response to a h

breathlessly; adding by way of id

s, "but there is probably worse to follow. You

oter practice,

us briefly, pic

on the board," hazarded L

excuses, and our charge is two extra

an article of furniture seemed more hateful in Lancelot's eyes. Comus could well remember the time w

chalk," he said to

ognised the truth of

ude which he would have scorned to apply to a diagr

rouble to look pleasant, because I can't see your face anyway. It may sound uno

dly aware of what a good cane can be made to do in really efficient h

gain. Kindly get back into the same position. If you get down again b

of his executioner. He stayed there somehow or other while Comus ma

've been asked to be kind to you. As a beginning you can clean out my study this afternoon. Be awfully careful how you dust the

r study is," said Lance

re, you'd better keep this chalk in your pocket, it's sure to come in handy

a feverish half-hour in looking for it, i

you an awful hot time if they like, but most of them are rather decent. Some are Beasts. Bassin

aps for herself with the lavish splendour of feminine imagination