“Above all,” cried Finch, and a note of exultation rang in his voice, “above all for the way you’ve treated Anthony Deering. I know him, and he is the soul of honor, he has a heart. You or I aren’t fit to unlace his boots. You kept him from getting what he deserved—the Head Prefectship.”
“Deering told you that?”
“No, Deering didn’t tell me that. Deering’s not that sort, don’t you know it, can’t you believe it? He isn’t a sneak; but I am; and I listened under the windows of the faculty room the night you spoke against him, the first night of this year. And what had he done against you except what half the fellows do to most of the masters more or less all the time? But you wouldn’t forgive him, though he was fool enough to be sorry for what he had done, for making fun of you. But you couldn’t be kind. I listened—I heard it all. You saved that paper, and bided your time, that’s what you did—waited your chance to get even. Do you know that many a night I’ve laid in bed and prayed for courage to get up and come over and do some terrible thing to you. I’ve actually wanted to kill you. But I don’t want to now. The bitterest medicine you can take is to have, for once in your life, some one else, though it’s only a worthless rotten chap like me, tell you to your face that you are cruel and unkind and that he despises you.”
At last Finch stopped. He was trembling violently, his cheeks were blazing, his eyes feverish and wild, but his soul was filled with a sense of triumph.
For a moment Mr. Roylston covered his face with his hand. Then he rose up quickly, master of himself again.
“You are excited and irresponsible.”
“I’m excited,” said Finch, “but I know perfectly well what I’m saying.”
“Of course,” said Mr. Roylston, “if you are not suddenly gone insane, you must leave this school at once. You will come with me instantly to Doctor Forester.”
“Oh, I’m ready to be fired.”
Mr. Roylston made no reply, but opened the study door, and motioned to the boy to follow him. They left Howard House and walked rapidly across the quadrangle to the Rectory. It was a warm humid night, after a week of intense cold. There was a pale young moon in the western sky.