If they can get more
out of us, or catch us shirking, that's one to them. All's fair in war
but lying. If I run my luck against theirs, and go into school without
looking at my lessons, and don't get called up, why am I a snob or a
sneak? I don't tell the master I've learnt it. He's got to find out
whether I have or not. What's he paid for? If he calls me up and I get
floored, he makes me write it out in Greek and English. Very good. He's
caught me, and I don't grumble. I grant you, if I go and snivel to him,
and tell him I've really tried to learn it, but found it so hard without
a translation, or say I've had a toothache, or any humbug of that kind,
I'm a snob. That's my school morality; it's served me, and you too, Tom,
for the matter of that, these five years. And it's all clear and fair,
no mistake about it. We understand it, and they understand it, and I
don't know what we're to come to with any other."
Tom looked at him pleased and a little puzzled. He had never heard
East speak his mind seriously before, and couldn't help feeling how
completely he had hit his own theory and practice up to that time.
"Thank you, old fellow," said he. "You're a good old brick to be
serious, and not put out with me. I said more than I meant, I dare say,
only you see I know I'm right. Whatever you and Gower and the rest do, I
shall hold on. I must.
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