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master of Roughborough School？ To whom had he owed money at any
time？ Whose ox had he taken； whose ass had he taken； or whom had he
defrauded？ What whisper had ever been breathed against his moral
character？ If he had become rich it was by the most honourable of
all meanshis literary attainments； over and above his great works
of scholarship； his 〃Meditations upon the Epistle and Character of
St Jude〃 had placed him among the most popular of English
theologians； it was so exhaustive that no one who bought it need
ever meditate upon the subject againindeed it exhausted all who
had anything to do with it。 He had made 5000 pounds by this work
alone； and would very likely make another 5000 pounds before he
died。 A man who had done all this and wanted a piece of bread and
butter had a right to announce the fact with some pomp and
circumstance。 Nor should his words be taken without searching for
what he used to call a 〃deeper and more hidden meaning。〃 Those who
searched for this even in his lightest utterances would not be
without their reward。 They would find that 〃bread and butter〃 was
Skinnerese for oyster…patties and apple tart； and 〃gin hot〃 the true
translation of water。
But independently of their money value； his works had made him a
lasting name in literature。 So probably Gallio was under the
impression that his fame would rest upon the treatises on natural
history which we gather from Seneca that he compiled； and which for
aught we know may have contained a complete theory of evolution； but
the treatises are all gone and Gallio has become immortal for the
very last reason in the world that he expected； and for the very
last reason that would have flattered his vanity。 He has become
immortal because he cared nothing about the most important movement
with which he was ever brought into connection （I wish people who
are in search of immortality would lay the lesson to heart and not
make so much noise about important movements）； and so； if Dr Skinner
becomes immortal； it will probably be for some reason very different
from the one which he so fondly imagined。
Could it be expected to enter into the head of such a man as this
that in reality he was making his money by corrupting youth； that it
was his paid profession to make the worse appear the better reason
in the eyes of those who were too young and inexperienced to be able
to find him out； that he kept out of the sight of those whom he
professed to teach material points of the argument； for the
production of which they had a right to rely upon the honour of
anyone who made professions of sincerity； that he was a passionate
half…turkey…cock half…gander of a man whose sallow； bilious face and
hobble…gobble voice could scare the timid； but who would take to his
heels readily enough if he were met firmly； that his 〃Meditations on
St Jude；〃 such as they were； were cribbed without acknowledgment；
and would have been beneath contempt if so many people did not
believe them to have been written honestly？ Mrs Skinner might have
perhaps kept him a little more in his proper place if she had
thought it worth while to try； but she had enough to attend to in
looking after her household and seeing that the boys were well fed
and； if they were ill； properly looked afterwhich she took good
care they were。
CHAPTER XXVIII
Ernest had heard awful accounts of Dr Skinner's temper； and of the
bullying which the younger boys at Roughborough had to put up with
at the hands of the bigger ones。 He had now got about as much as he
could stand； and felt as though it must go hard with him if his
burdens of whatever kind were to be increased。 He did not cry on
leaving home； but I am afraid he did on being told that he was
getting near Roughborough。 His father and mother were with him；
having posted from home in their own carriage； Roughborough had as
yet no railway； and as it was only some forty miles from Battersby；
this was the easiest way of getting there。
On seeing him cry； his mother felt flattered and caressed him。 She
said she knew he must feel very sad at leaving such a happy home；
and going among people who； though they would be very good to him；
could never； never be as good as his dear papa and she had been；
still； she was herself； if he only knew it； much more deserving of
pity than he was； for the parting was more painful to her than it
could possibly be to him； etc。； and Ernest； on being told that his
tears were for grief at leaving home； took it all on trust； and did
not trouble to investigate the real cause of his tears。 As they
approached Roughborough he pulled himself together； and was fairly
calm by the time he reached Dr Skinner's。
On their arrival they had luncheon with the Doctor and his wife； and
then Mrs Skinner took Christina over the bedrooms； and showed her
where her dear little boy was to sleep。
Whatever men may think about the study of man； women do really
believe the noblest study for womankind to be woman； and Christina
was too much engrossed with Mrs Skinner to pay much attention to
anything else； I daresay Mrs Skinner； too； was taking pretty
accurate stock of Christina。 Christina was charmed； as indeed she
generally was with any new acquaintance； for she found in them （and
so must we all） something of the nature of a cross； as for Mrs
Skinner； I imagine she had seen too many Christinas to find much
regeneration in the sample now before her； I believe her private
opinion echoed the dictum of a well…known head…master who declared
that all parents were fools； but more especially mothers； she was；
however； all smiles and sweetness； and Christina devoured these
graciously as tributes paid more particularly to herself； and such
as no other mother would have been at all likely to have won。
In the meantime Theobald and Ernest were with Dr Skinner in his
librarythe room where new boys were examined and old ones had up
for rebuke or chastisement。 If the walls of that room could speak；
what an amount of blundering and capricious cruelty would they not
bear witness to！
Like all houses； Dr Skinner's had its peculiar smell。 In this case
the prevailing odour was one of Russia leather； but along with it
there was a subordinate savour as of a chemist's shop。 This came
from a small laboratory in one corner of the roomthe possession of
which； together with the free chattery and smattery use of such
words as 〃carbonate；〃 〃hyposulphite；〃 〃phosphate；〃 and 〃affinity；〃
were enough to convince even the most sceptical that Dr Skinner had
a profound knowledge of chemistry。
I may say in passing that Dr Skinner had dabbled in a great many
other things as well as chemistry。 He was a man of many small
knowledges； and each of them dangerous。 I remember Alethea Pontifex
once said in her wicked way to me； that Dr Skinner put her in mind
of the Bourbon princes on their return from exile after the battle
of Waterloo； only that he was their exact converse； for whereas they
had learned nothing and forgotten nothing； Dr Skinner had learned
everything and forgotten everything。 And this puts me in mind of
another of her wicked sayings about Dr Skinner。 She to