Julian Home | Page 2

the monitor I fag for--Bruce, the head of the school."
"Well, show me your hero."
"There he sits, right in the middle of them, opposite us. There, that's he just going to speak now."
He pointed to a tall, handsome fellow, with a look of infinite self-confidence, who at that moment made a low bow to the assembly, and then began to recite with much force a splendid burst of oratory from one of Burke's great speeches; which he did with the air of one who had no doubt that Burke himself might have studied with benefit the scorn which he flung into his invective and the Olympian grace with which he waved his arm. A burst of applause followed the conclusion of his recitation, during which Bruce took his seat with a look of unconcealed delight and triumph.
"There, papa--what do you think of that? Wasn't I right now?" said the young Hartonian, whose name was Walter Thornley.
But the old gentleman's only answer was a quiet smile, and he had not joined in the general clapping. "Is Home to take any part in the speeches?" he inquired.
"Oh, yes! He's got some part or other in one of the Shakespeare scenes; but he won't do it half as well as Bruce."
"I observe he's got several of the prizes."
"Yes, that's true. He's a fellow that grinds, you know, and so he can't help getting some. But Bruce, now, never opens a book, and yet he's swept off no end of a lot, as you'll see."
"Humph! Walter, I don't much believe in your boys that `never open a book,' and, as far as I can observe, the phrase must be taken with very considerable latitude; I still believe that the boy who `grinds,' as you call it, is the abler boy of the two."
"Yes, Walter," said his brother, an old Hartonian, "whenever a fellow, who has got a prize, tells you he won it without opening a book, set him down as a shallow puppy, and don't believe him."
By this time four of the monitors were standing up to recite a scene from the Merchant of Venice, and Home among them; his part was a very slight one, and although there was nothing remarkable in his way of acting, yet he had evidently studied with intelligence his author's meaning, and his modest self-possession attracted favourable regards. But, a few minutes after, he had to recite alone a passage of Tennyson's Morte d'Arthur, and then he appeared to greater advantage. Standing in a perfectly natural attitude, he began in low clear tones, enunciating every line with a distinctness that instantly won attention, and at last warming with his theme he modulated his voice with the requirements of the verse, and used gestures so graceful, yet so unaffected, that when with musical emphasis he spoke the last lines,--
"Long stood Sir Bedivere Resolving many memories, till the hull Looked one black dot against the verge of dawn, And on the mere the wailing died away,--"
he seemed entirely absorbed in the subject, and for half a minute stood as if unconscious, until the deep murmur of applause startled his meditations, and he sat down as naturally as he had risen.
"Well done, old Home," said Walter; while Mr Thornley nodded rapidly two or three times, and murmured after him,--
"And on the mere the wailing died away."
"Really, I think Julian did that admirably, did he not?" said a young and lovely girl to her mother, as Home sat down.
"By jingo," whispered Walter, "I believe these people just by us are Home's people."
"People!" said his sister; "what do you mean by his people?"
"Oh, you know, Mary; you girls are always shamming you don't understand plain English. I mean his people."
Mary smiled, and looked at the strangers. "Yes, no doubt of it," she said, "that young lady has just the same features as Mr Home, only softened a little; more refined they could not be. And they've been hearing all your rude remarks, Walter, no doubt."
The boy was right, for when the speeches were over, they saw Home offer his arm to the two ladies and lead them out into the courtyard, where everybody was waiting, under the large awning, to hear the lions of the day cheered as they came down the school steps. Bruce was leading the cheers; he seemed to know everybody and everybody to know him, and as group after group passed him, he was bowing and smiling repeatedly while he listened to the congratulations which were lavished upon him from all sides. Among the last his own family came out, and when he gave his arm to his mother and descended the school steps, one of the other monitors suddenly cried--
"Three cheers for the Head of the school."
The boys cordially echoed the cheers, and taking off his hat, Bruce