DowncomesRobinson’scoachinaminuteortwo，witharivalcornopean，andawaygothetwovehicles，horsesgalloping，boyscheering，hornsplayingloud。Thereisaspecialprovidenceoverschool-boysaswellassailors，ortheymusthaveupsettwentytimesinthefirstfivemiles——sometimesactuallyabreastofoneanother，andtheboysontheroofsexchangingvolleysofpeas；nownearlyrunningoverapost-chaisewhichhadstartedbeforethem；nowhalf-wayupabank；nowwithawheelandahalfoverayawningditch:andallthisinadarkmorning，withnothingbuttheirownlampstoguidethem。However，it’salloveratlast，andtheyhaverunovernothingbutanoldpiginSouthamStreet。ThelastpeasaredistributedintheCornMarketatOxford，wheretheyarrivebetweenelevenandtwelve，andsitdowntoasumptuousbreakfastattheAngel，whichtheyaremadetopayforaccordingly。Herethepartybreaksup，allgoingnowdifferentways；andTomordersoutachaiseandpairasgrandasalord，thoughhehasscarcelyfiveshillingsleftinhispocket，andmorethantwentymilestogethome。
“Whereto，sir？“
“RedLion，Farringdon，“saysTom，givinghostlerashilling。
“Allright，sir——RedLion，Jem，“tothepostboy；andTomrattlesawaytowardshome。AtFarringdon，beingknowntotheinnkeeper，hegetsthatworthytopayfortheOxfordhorses，andforwardhiminanotherchaiseatonce；andsothegorgeousyounggentlemanarrivesatthepaternalmansion，andSquireBrownlooksratherblueathavingtopaytwopoundtenshillingsforthepostingexpensesfromOxford。Buttheboy’sintensejoyatgettinghome，andthewonderfulhealthheisin，andthegoodcharacterhebrings，andthebravestorieshetellsofRugby，itsdoingsanddelights，soonmollifytheSquire，andthreehappierpeopledidn’tsitdowntodinnerthatdayinEnglanditistheboy’sfirstdinneratsixo’clockathome——greatpromotionalreadythantheSquireandhiswifeandTomBrown，attheendofhisfirsthalf-yearatRugby。
“TheyareslaveswhowillnotchooseHatred，scoffing，andabuse，RatherthaninsilenceshrinkFromthetruththeyneedsmustthink；
TheyareslaveswhodarenotbeIntherightwithtwoorthree。“
LOWELL，StanzasonFreedom。
Thelower-fourthform，inwhichTomfoundhimselfatthebeginningofthenexthalf-year，wasthelargestforminthelowerschool，andnumberedupwardsoffortyboys。Younggentlemenofallagesfromninetofifteenweretobefoundthere，whoexpendedsuchpartoftheirenergiesaswasdevotedtoLatinandGreekuponabookofLivy，the“Bucolics“ofVirgil，andthe“Hecuba“ofEuripides，whichweregroundoutinsmalldailyportions。Thedrivingofthisunluckylower-fourthmusthavebeengrievousworktotheunfortunatemaster，foritwasthemostunhappilyconstitutedofanyintheschool。Herestuckthegreatstupidboys，who，forthelifeofthem，couldnevermastertheaccidence——theobjectsalternatelyofmirthandterrortotheyoungsters，whoweredailytakingthemupandlaughingattheminlesson，andgettingkickedbythemforsodoinginplay-hours。Therewerenolessthanthreeunhappyfellowsintailcoats，withincipientdownontheirchins，whomtheDoctorandthemasteroftheformwerealwaysendeavouringtohoistintotheupperschool，butwhoseparsingandconstruingresistedthemostwell-meantshoves。Thencamethemassoftheform，boysofelevenandtwelve，themostmischievousandrecklessageofBritishyouth，ofwhomEastandTomBrownwerefairspecimens。Asfulloftricksasmonkeys，andofexcusesasIrishwomen，makingfunoftheirmaster，oneanother，andtheirlessons，Argushimselfwouldhavebeenpuzzledtokeepaneyeonthem；andasformakingthemsteadyorseriousforhalfanhourtogether，itwassimplyhopeless。Theremainderoftheformconsistedofyoungprodigiesofnineandten，whoweregoinguptheschoolattherateofaformahalf-year，allboys’handsandwitsbeingagainstthemintheirprogress。Itwouldhavebeenoneman’sworktoseethattheprecociousyoungstershadfairplay；andasthemasterhadagooddealbesidestodo，theyhadn’t，andwereforeverbeingshoveddownthreeorfourplaces，theirversesstolen，theirbooksinked，theirjacketswhitened，andtheirlivesotherwisemadeaburdentothem。
Thelower-fourth，andalltheformsbelowit，wereheardinthegreatschool，andwerenottrustedtopreparetheirlessonsbeforecomingin，butwerewhippedintoschoolthree-quartersofanhourbeforethelessonbeganbytheirrespectivemasters，andthere，scatteredaboutonthebenches，withdictionaryandgrammar，hammeredouttheirtwentylinesofVirgilandEuripidesinthemidstofbabel。Themastersofthelowerschoolwalkedupanddownthegreatschooltogetherduringthisthree-quartersofanhour，orsatintheirdesksreadingorlookingovercopies，andkeepingsuchorderaswaspossible。Butthelower-
fourthwasjustnowanovergrownform，toolargeforanyonemantoattendtoproperly，andconsequentlytheelysiumoridealformoftheyoungscapegraceswhoformedthestapleofit。
Tom，ashasbeensaid，hadcomeupfromthethirdwithagoodcharacter，butthetemptationsofthelower-fourthsoonprovedtoostrongforhim，andherapidlyfellaway，andbecameasunmanageableastherest。Forsomeweeks，indeed，hesucceededinmaintainingtheappearanceofsteadiness，andwaslookeduponfavourablybyhisnewmaster，whoseeyeswerefirstopenedbythefollowinglittleincident。
Besidesthedeskwhichthemasterhimselfoccupied，therewasanotherlargeunoccupieddeskinthecornerofthegreatschool，whichwasuntenanted。Torushandseizeuponthisdesk，whichwasascendedbythreestepsandheldfourboys，wasthegreatobjectofambitionofthelower-fourthers；andthecontentionsfortheoccupationofitbredsuchdisorderthatatlastthemasterforbadeitsusealtogether。This，ofcourse，wasachallengetothemoreadventurousspiritstooccupyit；andasitwascapaciousenoughfortwoboystoliehidtherecompletely，itwasseldomthatitremainedempty，notwithstandingtheveto。Smallholeswerecutinthefront，throughwhichtheoccupantswatchedthemastersastheywalkedupanddown；andaslessontimeapproached，oneboyatatimestoleoutanddownthesteps，asthemasters’backswereturned，andmingledwiththegeneralcrowdontheformsbelow。TomandEasthadsuccessfullyoccupiedthedesksomehalf-dozentimes，andweregrownsorecklessthattheywereinthehabitofplayingsmallgameswithfivesballsinsidewhenthemasterswereattheotherendofthebigschool。Oneday，asill-luckwouldhaveit，thegamebecamemoreexcitingthanusual，andtheballslippedthroughEast’sfingers，androlledslowlydownthestepsandoutintothemiddleoftheschool，justasthemastersturnedintheirwalkandfacedrounduponthedesk。Theyoungdelinquentswatchedtheirmaster，throughthelookoutholes，marchslowlydowntheschoolstraightupontheirretreat，whilealltheboysintheneighbourhood，ofcourse，stoppedtheirworktolookon；andnotonlyweretheyignominiouslydrawnout，andcanedoverthehandthenandthere，buttheircharactersforsteadinessweregonefromthattime。However，astheyonlysharedthefateofsomethree-fourthsoftherestoftheform，thisdidnotweighheavilyuponthem。
Infact，theonlyoccasionsonwhichtheycaredaboutthematterwerethemonthlyexaminations，whentheDoctorcameroundtoexaminetheirform，foronelong，awfulhour，intheworkwhichtheyhaddoneintheprecedingmonth。ThesecondmonthlyexaminationcameroundsoonafterTom’sfall，anditwaswithanythingbutlivelyanticipationsthatheandtheotherlower-
fourthboyscameintoprayersonthemorningoftheexaminationday。
Prayersandcalling-overseemedtwiceasshortasusual，andbeforetheycouldgetconstruesofatitheofthehardpassagesmarkedinthemarginoftheirbooks，theywereallseatedround，andtheDoctorwasstandinginthemiddle，talkinginwhisperstothemaster。Tomcouldn’thearawordwhichpassed，andneverliftedhiseyesfromhisbook；butheknewbyasortofmagneticinstinctthattheDoctor’sunder-lipwascomingout，andhiseyebeginningtoburn，andhisgowngettinggatheredupmoreandmoretightlyinhislefthand。Thesuspensewasagonizing，andTomknewthathewassureonsuchoccasionstomakeanexampleoftheSchool-houseboys。“Ifhewouldonlybegin，“thoughtTom，“Ishouldn’tmind。“
Atlastthewhisperingceased，andthenamewhichwascalledoutwasnotBrown。Helookedupforamoment，buttheDoctor’sfacewastooawful；Tomwouldn’thavemethiseyeforallhewasworth，andburiedhimselfinhisbookagain。
Theboywhowascalledupfirstwasaclever，merrySchool-houseboy，oneoftheirset；hewassomeconnectionoftheDoctor’s，andagreatfavourite，andraninandoutofhishouseasheliked，andsowasselectedforthefirstvictim。
“Tristelupusstabulis，“beganthelucklessyoungster，andstammeredthroughsomeeightortenlines。
“There，thatwilldo，“saidtheDoctor；“nowconstrue。“
Oncommonoccasionstheboycouldhaveconstruedthepassagewellenoughprobably，butnowhisheadwasgone。
“Tristelupus，thesorrowfulwolf，“hebegan。
Ashudderranthroughthewholeform，andtheDoctor’swrathfairlyboiledover。Hemadethreestepsuptotheconstruer，andgavehimagoodboxontheear。Theblowwasnotahardone，buttheboywassotakenbysurprisethathestartedback；
theformcaughtthebackofhisknees，andoverhewentontothefloorbehind。Therewasadeadsilenceoverthewholeschool。NeverbeforeandneveragainwhileTomwasatschooldidtheDoctorstrikeaboyinlesson。Theprovocationmusthavebeengreat。However，thevictimhadsavedhisformforthatoccasion，fortheDoctorturnedtothetopbench，andputonthebestboysfortherestofthehourandthough，attheendofthelesson，hegavethemallsucharatingastheydidnotforget，thisterriblefield-daypassedoverwithoutanyseverevisitationsintheshapeofpunishmentsorfloggings。Fortyyoungscapegracesexpressedtheirthankstothe“sorrowfulwolf“
intheirdifferentwaysbeforesecondlesson。
Butacharacterforsteadinessoncegoneisnoteasilyrecovered，asTomfound；andforyearsafterwardshewentuptheschoolwithoutit，andthemasters’handswereagainsthim，andhisagainstthem。Andheregardedthem，asamatterofcourse，ashisnaturalenemies。
Matterswerenotsocomfortable，either，inthehouseastheyhadbeen；foroldBrookeleftatChristmas，andoneortwoothersofthesixth-formboysatthefollowingEaster。Theirrulehadbeenrough，butstrongandjustinthemain，andahigherstandardwasbeginningtobesetup；infact，therehadbeenashortforetasteofthegoodtimewhichfollowedsomeyearslater。Justnow，however，allthreatenedtoreturnintodarknessandchaosagain。Forthenewprepostorswereeithersmallyoungboys，whoseclevernesshadcarriedthemuptothetopoftheschool，whileinstrengthofbodyandcharactertheywerenotyetfitforashareinthegovernment；orelsebigfellowsofthewrongsort——boyswhosefriendshipsandtasteshadadownwardtendency，whohadnotcaughtthemeaningoftheirpositionandwork，andfeltnoneofitsresponsibilities。Sounderthisno-governmenttheSchool-housebegantoseebadtimes。Thebigfifth-formboys，whowereasportinganddrinkingset，soonbegantousurppower，andtofagthelittleboysasiftheywereprepostors，andtobullyandoppressanywhoshowedsignsofresistance。Thebiggersortofsixth-formboysjustdescribedsoonmadecommoncausewiththefifth，whilethesmallersort，hamperedbytheircolleagues’desertiontotheenemy，couldnotmakeheadagainstthem。Sothefagswerewithouttheirlawfulmastersandprotectors，andriddenoverrough-shodbyasetofboyswhomtheywerenotboundtoobey，andwhoseonlyrightoverthemstoodintheirbodilypowers；