第7部分(第3/7 頁)

o　1200　pounds　a　year。　Also；　as　I　was　supposed　to　be　not　very　bright；　I　dare　say　it　was　thought　that　to　send　me　to　a　public　school　would　be　to　waste　money。　So　it　was　decreed　that　I　should　go　to　the　Grammar　School　at　Ipswich；　which　had　the　advantages　of　being　cheap　and　near　at　hand。

Never　shall　I　forget　my　arrival　at　that　educational　establishment；　to　which　my　father　conducted　me。　We　travelled　via　Norwich；　where　he　bought　me　a　hat。　For　some　reason　best　known　to　himself；　the　head…gear　which　he　selected　was　such　as　is　generally　worn　by　a　curate；　being　of　the　ordinary　clerical　black　felt　and　shape。　In　this　weird　head…dress　I　was　duly　delivered　at　Ipswich　Grammar　School。　As　soon　as　my　father　had　tumultuously　departed　to　catch　his　train；　I　was　sent　into　the　playground；　where　I　stood　a　forlorn　and　lanky　figure。　Presently　a　boy　came　up　and　hit　me　in　the　face；　saying：

“Phillips”　（I　think　that　was　his　name）　“sends　this　to　the　new　fellow　in　a　parson’s　hat。”

This　was　too　much　for　me；　for　underneath　my　placid　exterior　I　had　a　certain　amount　of　spirit。

“Show　me　Phillips；”　I　said；　and　a　very　big　boy　was　pointed　out　to　me。

I　went　up　to　him；　made　some　appropriate　repartee　to　his　sarcasm　about　my　hat；　and　hit　him　in　the　face。　Then　followed　a　fight；　of　which；　as　he　was　so　much　larger　and　stronger；　of　course　I　got　the　worst。　However；　I　gained　the　respect　of　my　schoolfellows；　and　thenceforth　my　clergyman’s　hat　was　tolerated　until　I　managed　to　procure　another。

I　spent　two　or　three　years　at　Ipswich。　At　that　time　it　was　a　rough　place；　and　there　was　much　bullying　of　which　the　masters　were　not　aware。　The　best　thing　about　the　school　was　its　head　master；　Dr。　Holden；　with　whom　I　became　very　friendly　in　after　life　when；　as　it　chanced；　we　lived　almost　next　doo