Chapter 2

           Thiscamehometomewhen,twodayslater,IdroveoverwithFloratomeet,asMrs.Grosesaid,thelittlegentleman;andallthemoreforanincidentthat,presentingitselfthesecondevening,haddeeplydisconcertedme.Thefirstdayhadbeen,onthewhole,asIhaveexpressed,reassuring;butIwastoseeitwindupinkeenapprehension.Thepostbag,thatevening—itcamelate—containedaletterforme,which,however,inthehandofmyemployer,Ifoundtobecomposedbutofafewwordsenclosinganother,addressedtohimself,withasealstillunbroken.“This,Irecognize,isfromtheheadmaster,andtheheadmaster’sanawfulbore.Readhim,please;dealwithhim;butmindyoudon’treport.Notaword.I’moff!”Ibrokethesealwithagreateffort—sogreataonethatIwasalongtimecomingtoit;tooktheunopenedmissiveatlastuptomyroomandonlyattackeditjustbeforegoingtobed.Ihadbetterhaveletitwaittillmorning,foritgavemeasecondsleeplessnight.Withnocounseltotake,thenextday,Iwasfullofdistress;anditfinallygotsothebetterofmethatIdeterminedtoopenmyselfatleasttoMrs.Grose.

           “Whatdoesitmean?Thechild’sdismissedhisschool.”

           ShegavemealookthatIremarkedatthemoment;then,visibly,withaquickblankness,seemedtotrytotakeitback.“Butaren’ttheyall—?”

           “Senthome—yes.Butonlyfortheholidays.Milesmaynevergobackatall.”

           Consciously,undermyattention,shereddened.“Theywon’ttakehim?”

           “Theyabsolutelydecline.