“Why don’t you know it? Let’s take the words one by one. We’ll soon see if you don’t know it.”
Philip stood silent, very white, trembling a little, with his head bent down on the book. The master’s breathing grew almost stertorous.
“The headmaster says you’re clever. I don’t know how he sees it. General information.” He laughed savagely. “I don’t know what they put you in his form for, Blockhead.”
He was pleased with the word, and he repeated it at the top of his voice.
“Blockhead! Blockhead! Club-footed blockhead!”
That relieved him a little. He saw Philip redden suddenly. He told him to fetch the Black Book. Philip put down his Caesar and went silently out. The Black Book was a sombre volume in which the names of boys were written with their misdeeds, and when a name was down three times it meant a caning. Philip went to the headmaster’s house and knocked at his study-door. Mr. Perkins was seated at his table.
“May I have the Black Book, please, sir.”
“There it is,” answered Mr. Perkins, indicating its place by a nod of his head. “What have you been doing that you shouldn’t?”
“I don’t know, sir.”
Mr. Perkins gave him a quick look, but without answering went on with his work. Philip took the book and went out. When the hour was up, a few minutes later, he brought it back.