Dr. Wortles School | Page 9

back to the stream, and the assistant
with his face turned towards the cliff. A loud exclamation broke from
his lips as he saw the fall, but in a moment,--almost before the Doctor
had realised the accident which had occurred,--he was in the water, and
two minutes afterwards young De Lawle, drenched indeed, frightened,
and out of breath, but in nowise seriously hurt, was out upon the bank;
and Mr. Peacocke, drenched also, but equally safe, was standing over
him, while the Doctor on his knees was satisfying himself that his little
charge had received no fatal injury. It need hardly be explained that
such a termination as this to such an accident had greatly increased the
good feeling with which Mr. Peacocke was regarded by all the
inhabitants of the school and Rectory.
CHAPTER III.
THE MYSTERY.
MR. PEACOCKE himself said that in this matter a great deal of fuss
was made about nothing. Perhaps it was so. He got a ducking, but,
being a strong swimmer, probably suffered no real danger. The boy,
rolling down three or four feet of bank, had then fallen down six or
eight feet into deep water. He might, no doubt, have been much hurt.
He might have struck against a rock and have been killed,--in which
case Mr. Peacocke's prowess would have been of no avail. But nothing
of this kind happened. Little Jack De Lawle was put to bed in one of
the Rectory bed-rooms, and was comforted with sherry-negus and

sweet jelly. For two days he rejoiced thoroughly in his accident, being
freed from school, and subjected only to caresses. After that he rebelled,
having become tired of his bed. But by that time his mother had been
most unnecessarily summoned. Unless she was wanted to examine the
forlorn condition of his clothes, there was nothing that she could do.
But she came, and, of course, showered blessings on Mr. Peacocke's
head,--while Mrs. Wortle went through to the school and showered
blessings on Mrs. Peacocke. What would they have done had the
Peacockes not been there?
"You must let them have their way, whether for good or bad," the
Doctor said, when his assistant complained rather of the
blessings,--pointing out at any rate their absurdity. "One man is damned
for ever, because, in the conscientious exercise of his authority, he
gives a little boy a rap which happens to make a small temporary mark
on his skin. Another becomes a hero because, when in the equally
conscientious performance of a duty, he gives himself a ducking. I
won't think you a hero; but, of course, I consider myself very fortunate
to have had beside me a man younger than myself, and quick and ready
at such an emergence. Of course I feel grateful, but I shan't bother you
by telling you so."
But this was not the end of it. Lady De Lawle declared that she could
not be happy unless Mr. and Mrs. Peacocke would bring Jack home for
the holidays to De Lawle Park. Of course she carried her blessings up
into Mrs. Peacocke's little drawing-room, and became quite convinced,
as was Mrs. Wortle, that Mrs. Peacocke was in all respects a lady. She
heard of Mr. Peacocke's antecedents at Oxford, and expressed her
opinion that they were charming people. She could not be happy unless
they would promise to come to De Lawle Park for the holidays. Then
Mrs. Peacocke had to explain that in her present circumstances she did
not intend to visit anywhere. She was very much flattered, and
delighted to think that the dear little boy was none the worse for his
accident; but there must be an end of it. There was something in her
manner, as she said this, which almost overawed Lady De Lawle. She
made herself, at any rate, understood, and no further attempt was made
for the next six weeks to induce her or Mr. Peacocke to enter the

Rectory dining-room. But a good deal was said about Mr.
Peacocke,--generally in his favour.
Generally in his favour,--because he was a fine scholar, and could swim
well. His preaching perhaps did something for him, but the swimming
did more. But though there was so much said of good, there was
something also of evil. A man would not altogether refuse society for
himself and his wife unless there were some cause for him to do so. He
and she must have known themselves to be unfit to associate with such
persons as they would have met at De Lawle Park. There was a mystery,
and the mystery, when unravelled, would no doubt prove to be very
deleterious to the character of the persons concerned. Mrs. Stantiloup
was quite sure that such must be the case. "It might be very well," said
Mrs.