第3部分(第5/7 頁)

as　not　perhaps　strange　that　I　did　not　learn　much　at　these　London　day　schools　—　for　I　went　to　two　of　them。　The　first　I　left　suddenly。　It　was　managed　by　the　head　master　and　an　usher　whose　names　I　have　long　forgotten。　The　usher　was　a　lanky；　red…haired；　pale…faced　man　whom　we　all　hated　because　of　his　violent　temper　and　injustice。　On　one　occasion　when　his　back　was　turned　to　the　class　to　which　I　belonged；　that　I　presume　was　the　lowest；　I　amused　myself　and　my　panions　by　shaking　my　little　fists　at　him；　whereon　they　laughed。　The　usher　wheeled　round　and　asked　why　we　were　laughing；　when　some　mean　boy　piped　out：

“Please；　sir；　because　Haggard　is　shaking　his　fists　at　you。”

He　called　me　to　him　and　I　perceived　that　he　was　trembling　with　rage。

“You　young　brute！”　he　said。　“I’ll　see　you　in　your　grave　before　you　shake　your　fists　at　me　again。”

Then　he　doubled　his　own　and；　striking　me　first　on　one　side　of　the　head　and　then　on　the　other；　knocked　me　all　the　way　down　the　long　room　and　finally　over　a　chair　into　a　heap　of　slates　in　a　corner；　where　I　lay　a　while　almost　senseless。　I　recovered　and　went　home。　Here　my　eldest　sister　Ella；　noticing　my　bruised　and　dazed　condition；　cross…examined　me　until　I　told　her　the　truth。　An　interview　followed　between　my　father　and　the　master　of　the　school；　which　resulted　in　a　dismissal　of　the　usher　and　my　departure。　Afterwards　I　met　that　usher　in　the　Park　somewhere　near　the　Row；　and　so　great　was　my　fear　of　him　that　I　never　stopped　running　till　I　reached　the　Marble　Arch。

After　this　my　father　sent　me　to　a　second　day　school　where　the　pupils　were　supposed　to　receive　a　sound　business　education。

Then　came　the　examination　that　I　have　mentioned　at　the　hands　of　my　brother…inlaw。　As　a　result　I　was　despatched　to　the　Rev。　Mr。　Graham；　wh