For I take it
we're all in earnest about beating the School, whatever else we care
about. I know I'd sooner win two School-house matches running than get
the Balliol scholarship any day." (Frantic cheers.)
"Now, I'm as proud of the house as any one. I believe it's the best
house in the school, out and out." (Cheers.) "But it's a long way from
what I want to see it. First, there's a deal of bullying going on. I
know it well. I don't pry about and interfere; that only makes it
more underhand, and encourages the small boys to come to us with their
fingers in their eyes telling tales, and so we should be worse off than
ever. It's very little kindness for the sixth to meddle generally--you
youngsters mind that. You'll be all the better football players for
learning to stand it, and to take your own parts, and fight it through.
But depend on it, there's nothing breaks up a house like bullying.
Bullies are cowards, and one coward makes many; so good-bye to the
School-house match if bullying gets ahead here." (Loud applause from
the small boys, who look meaningly at Flashman and other boys at the
tables.) "Then there's fuddling about in the public-house, and drinking
bad spirits, and punch, and such rot-gut stuff. That won't make good
drop-kicks or chargers of you, take my word for it. You get plenty of
good beer here, and that's enough for you; and drinking isn't fine or
manly, whatever some of you may think of it.
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