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XIV

hen a wave of religiosity passed through the school. Bad
Tlanguage was no longer heard, and the little nastinesses
of small boys were looked upon with hostility; the bigger
boys, like the lords temporal of the Middle Ages, used the
strength of their arms to persuade those weaker than them-
selves to virtuous courses.
Philip, his restless mind avid for new things, became
very devout. He heard soon that it was possible to join a
Bible League, and wrote to London for particulars. These
consisted in a form to be filled up with the applicant’s name,
age, and school; a solemn declaration to be signed that he
would read a set portion of Holy Scripture every night for a
year; and a request for half a crown; this, it was explained,
was demanded partly to prove the earnestness of the appli-
cant’s desire to become a member of the League, and partly
to cover clerical expenses. Philip duly sent the papers and
the money, and in return received a calendar worth about
a penny, on which was set down the appointed passage to
be read each day, and a sheet of paper on one side of which
was a picture of the Good Shepherd and a lamb, and on the
other, decoratively framed in red lines, a short prayer which
had to be said before beginning to read.
Every evening he undressed as quickly as possible in
order to have time for his task before the gas was put out.

Of Human Bondage