Page 140 - of-human-bondage-

from it for ever. His heart danced within him. That evening
in chapel he looked round at the boys, standing according
to their forms, each in his due place, and he chuckled with
satisfaction at the thought that soon he would never see
them again. It made him regard them almost with a friendly
feeling. His eyes rested on Rose. Rose took his position as a
monitor very seriously: he had quite an idea of being a good
influence in the school; it was his turn to read the lesson
that evening, and he read it very well. Philip smiled when he
thought that he would be rid of him for ever, and it would
not matter in six months whether Rose was tall and straight-
limbed; and where would the importance be that he was
a monitor and captain of the eleven? Philip looked at the
masters in their gowns. Gordon was dead, he had died of
apoplexy two years before, but all the rest were there. Philip
knew now what a poor lot they were, except Turner perhaps,
there was something of a man in him; and he writhed at the
thought of the subjection in which they had held him. In six
months they would not matter either. Their praise would
mean nothing to him, and he would shrug his shoulders at
their censure.
Philip had learned not to express his emotions by out-
ward signs, and shyness still tormented him, but he had
often very high spirits; and then, though he limped about
demurely, silent and reserved, it seemed to be hallooing in
his heart. He seemed to himself to walk more lightly. All
sorts of ideas danced through his head, fancies chased one
another so furiously that he could not catch them; but their
coming and their going filled him with exhilaration. Now,

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