Wilberforce Read Online Free Page A
Author: H. S. Cross
let Pocklington poach you.
The Eagleâs neck colored:
âItâs more that I submitted my credentials and they offered me a post.
âYouâbutâhow could you? John exclaimed.
He realized at once this was the wrong thing to say.
âJust what sort of post is it?
âHousemaster.
Johnâs heart sank. The Eagle had been waiting years to become a Housemaster at the Academy, laboring as undermaster in Clementâs since before the War.
âI suppose congratulations are in order, John said.
It sounded grudging.
âSo you see my dilemma, the Eagle said.
âWhat dilemma?
Now he was sounding bitter. It was no way to treat a friend.
âBurton.
âWhat business is it of his?
Of course Burton-Lee would interfere. He was loyal to the Headmaster and had been at the Academy more than thirty years. John detested him on almost every ground, but if Burton could dissuade the Eagle from leaving â¦
âThe thing is, Burtonâs had an offer himself, the Eagle said.
âWhat! From where?
âSome place in Dorset.
âWhat place ?
âAnd heâs thinking of taking it.
âButâbut he canât! You canât! This simply makes no sense.
Johnâs neck cramped. He could think of nothing to say, nothing to protest the monstrous notion of Burton and the Eagle both abandoning the Academy. The Eagle drank his pint in pained silence, and John realized the notion made every kind of sense. He collapsed into a sulk:
âWilberforce wrecked his shoulder.
âOh, yes?
âPartial dislocation, Matron said.
âDidnât he break his arm last year? the Eagle asked.
âThree years ago.
John remembered everythingâcurse of the historianâbut, honestly, how could the Eagle have got to the point of confusing last year with three years ago? It required a perverse ignorance of time.
âAnd that was no accident, John told him.
âI thought he fell down some stairs.
âThatâs what everyone said, but obviously it wasnât true.
âIt wasnât?
The Eagle sat forward, curiosity piqued.
âOf course not. Bradley was responsible.
âBradley pushed Wilberforce down the stairs?
âForget the stairs, John said impatiently. It happened in Bradleyâs study.
The Eagle goggled behind his thick spectacles:
âBut you never told me this. Are you saying Bradley deliberately broke Wilberforceâs arm and ribs and whatever else?
âPerhaps not deliberately, John admitted, but he did it. It was all to do with the digging debacle andâ
âYou mean your archaeology project?
âYesâ
âWhen they dug up Gallowhillâs skullâ
âIt wasnât his skull.
âI know you always suspected Wilberforce, but was there ever proof?
âBradley found proof, obviously.
The Eagle removed his spectacles and wiped them, as he always did when considering a thorny proposition:
âBack up, Grievous. Are you saying Bradley beat Wilberforce senseless because he found proof of the Gallowhill business?
âItâs the only explanation, John said. Number one, Wilberforce helped me dig the archaeology pit and so had opportunity to plant the skull. Number two, Gallowhill meant the world to Bradley. Number three, on the very same day that weâre told Hazlehurstâs JCR have dealt with the matter, we hear that Wilberforce is in the Tower, having fallen down a flight of stairs. So. I ask you.
The Eagle peered into his empty glass.
âThatâs a serious allegation. Did you discuss it with S-K?
âWhat do you think? John asked. But by that time Wilberforce had gone home, so S-K put it off until the next term, and then there was the blowup with Wilberforce refusing confirmation.
âThat! I still canât believe he had the nerve to thwart S-K. I wouldnât.
âBut isnât that precisely what youâre doing with Pocklington? John argued.
The Eagle
The Eagleâs neck colored:
âItâs more that I submitted my credentials and they offered me a post.
âYouâbutâhow could you? John exclaimed.
He realized at once this was the wrong thing to say.
âJust what sort of post is it?
âHousemaster.
Johnâs heart sank. The Eagle had been waiting years to become a Housemaster at the Academy, laboring as undermaster in Clementâs since before the War.
âI suppose congratulations are in order, John said.
It sounded grudging.
âSo you see my dilemma, the Eagle said.
âWhat dilemma?
Now he was sounding bitter. It was no way to treat a friend.
âBurton.
âWhat business is it of his?
Of course Burton-Lee would interfere. He was loyal to the Headmaster and had been at the Academy more than thirty years. John detested him on almost every ground, but if Burton could dissuade the Eagle from leaving â¦
âThe thing is, Burtonâs had an offer himself, the Eagle said.
âWhat! From where?
âSome place in Dorset.
âWhat place ?
âAnd heâs thinking of taking it.
âButâbut he canât! You canât! This simply makes no sense.
Johnâs neck cramped. He could think of nothing to say, nothing to protest the monstrous notion of Burton and the Eagle both abandoning the Academy. The Eagle drank his pint in pained silence, and John realized the notion made every kind of sense. He collapsed into a sulk:
âWilberforce wrecked his shoulder.
âOh, yes?
âPartial dislocation, Matron said.
âDidnât he break his arm last year? the Eagle asked.
âThree years ago.
John remembered everythingâcurse of the historianâbut, honestly, how could the Eagle have got to the point of confusing last year with three years ago? It required a perverse ignorance of time.
âAnd that was no accident, John told him.
âI thought he fell down some stairs.
âThatâs what everyone said, but obviously it wasnât true.
âIt wasnât?
The Eagle sat forward, curiosity piqued.
âOf course not. Bradley was responsible.
âBradley pushed Wilberforce down the stairs?
âForget the stairs, John said impatiently. It happened in Bradleyâs study.
The Eagle goggled behind his thick spectacles:
âBut you never told me this. Are you saying Bradley deliberately broke Wilberforceâs arm and ribs and whatever else?
âPerhaps not deliberately, John admitted, but he did it. It was all to do with the digging debacle andâ
âYou mean your archaeology project?
âYesâ
âWhen they dug up Gallowhillâs skullâ
âIt wasnât his skull.
âI know you always suspected Wilberforce, but was there ever proof?
âBradley found proof, obviously.
The Eagle removed his spectacles and wiped them, as he always did when considering a thorny proposition:
âBack up, Grievous. Are you saying Bradley beat Wilberforce senseless because he found proof of the Gallowhill business?
âItâs the only explanation, John said. Number one, Wilberforce helped me dig the archaeology pit and so had opportunity to plant the skull. Number two, Gallowhill meant the world to Bradley. Number three, on the very same day that weâre told Hazlehurstâs JCR have dealt with the matter, we hear that Wilberforce is in the Tower, having fallen down a flight of stairs. So. I ask you.
The Eagle peered into his empty glass.
âThatâs a serious allegation. Did you discuss it with S-K?
âWhat do you think? John asked. But by that time Wilberforce had gone home, so S-K put it off until the next term, and then there was the blowup with Wilberforce refusing confirmation.
âThat! I still canât believe he had the nerve to thwart S-K. I wouldnât.
âBut isnât that precisely what youâre doing with Pocklington? John argued.
The Eagle
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