Louis School Days | Page 8

the dark as to its
origin."
"Like the origin of all truly great," answered Frank, "it was very simple:
Churchill came one day to me with his usual 'Do tell us a bit, that's a
good fellow,' and after he had badgered me some minutes, I asked him
if he had not the smallest idea of his lesson--so, after looking at it
another minute, he begins thus, 'Omnes, all.' 'Bravo!' replied I.
'Conticuere--What's that, Frank?' 'Were silent,' I answered: 'Go on.'
After deep cogitation, and sundry hints, he discovered that tenebant
must have some remote relationship to a verb signifying to hold fast,
and forthwith a bright thought strikes him, and on we go: 'Intentique
ora tenebant--and intently they hold their oars,' he said, exultingly.
'Very well,' quoth I, approvingly, and continued for him, 'Inde toro
pater--the waters flowed glibly farther on, ab alto--to the music of the
spheres; the inseparable Castor and Pollux looking down benignantly
on their namesake below.' Here I was stopped by the innocent youth's
remark, that I certainly was quizzing, for he knew that Castor and
Pollux were the same in Latin as in English. Whereupon, I demanded,
with profound gravity, whether gemini did not mean twins, and if the
twins were not Castor and Pollux--and if he knew (who knew so much
better than I) whether or no there might not be some word in the Latin
language, besides gemini, signifying twins; and that if it was his
opinion that I was quizzing, he had better do his lesson himself. He
looked hard, and, thinking I was offended, begged pardon; and
believing that jubes was Castor and Pollux, we got on quite
famously--and he was quite reassured when we turned from the

descriptive to the historical, beginning with Aeneas sic orsus
infandum--Aeneas was such a horrid bear."
"Didn't you tell him of his mistake?" asked Louis, who could not help
laughing.
"What! spoil the fun and the lesson I meant to give him?--not I."
"Well, what then, Frank?" said Reginald.
"Why, imagine old Whitworth's surprise, when, confident in the free
translation of a first-class man, Oars flowed on as glibly as the waters;
Whitworth heard him to the end in his old dry way, and then asked him
where he got that farrago of nonsense;--I think he was promoted to the
society of dunces instanter, and learns either Delectus or Eutropius now.
Of course, he never applied again to me."
Louis did not express his opinion that Frank was ill-natured, though he
thought so, in spite of the hearty laugh with which his story was greeted.
When he turned again to his lesson, he found his book had been
abstracted.
"I tell you what," cried Reginald, fiercely, "I won't have Louis
tormented--who has taken his book? It's you, Ferrers, I am sure."
"I! did you ever!" replied that young gentleman. "I appeal to you,
Digby--did you see me touch his book?"
"I did not, certainly," said Frank.
"Give me the book," exclaimed Reginald, jumping upon the table,
"give me the book, and let's have no more such foolery."
"Get down, Mortimer, you're not transparent," cried several voices.
Reginald, however, paid no attention to the command, but pouncing
upon Ferrers at a vantage, threw him backwards off the form, tumbling
over his prostrate foe, and in his descent bringing down books, inkstand,
papers, and one of the candles, in glorious confusion.

"What's the row!" exclaimed Salisbury, adding an expression more
forcible than elegant; and, starting from his seat, he pulled Reginald by
main force from his adversary, with whom he was now struggling on
the floor, and at the same instant the remaining candle was
extinguished. Louis was almost stunned by the noise that ensued: some
taking his brother's part, and some that of Ferrers, while, in the dark,
friend struggled and quarrelled with friend as much as foe, no one
attempting to quell the tumult, until the door was suddenly burst open,
and Hamilton with Trevannion and two or three from the school-room
entered. Hamilton stood still for a moment, astonished by the
unlooked-for obscurity. His entrance checked the combatants, who at
first imagined that one of their masters had made his appearance, if that
could be said to appear which was hardly discernible in the dim light
which came through the half-open door. Hamilton begged one of the
boys with him to fetch a light, and taking advantage of the momentary
lull, he called out, "Is this Bedlam, gentlemen? You ought to be
ashamed of yourselves! What's the matter, Mortimer?"
"Oh!" replied Ferrers, "they've been teasing his little brother, and he
can't abide it."
"I only mean to say, that Louis shan't be plagued in this manner," cried
Reginald, passionately; "and you know if the others were not here you
wouldn't dare to do it,