Or the victim was made to place his hands against the
door, with the fingers outstretched, while the young tormentors played at
the Chinese knife-trick. They threw knives, that is to say, at the door
between the apertures of the fingers, and, as a rule, they hit the
fingers and not the door. These diversions I know to be correctly
reported, but the following pretty story is, perhaps, a myth. At one of
the most famous public schools, a praepostor, or monitor, or sixth-form
boy having authority, heard a pistol-shot in the room above his own. He
went up and found a big boy and a little boy. They denied having any
pistol. The monitor returned to his studies, again was sure he heard a
shot, went up, and found the little boy dead. The big boy had been
playing the William Tell trick with him, and had hit his head instead of
the apple. That is the legend. Whether it be true or false, all boys
will agree that the little victim could not have escaped by complaining
to the monitor. No. Death before dishonour. But the side not so seamy
of this picture of school life is the extraordinary power of honour among
boys. Of course the laws of the secret society might well terrify a
puerile informer. But the sentiment of honour is even more strong than
fear, and will probably outlast the very disagreeable circumstances in
which it was developed.
People say bullying is not what it used to be.
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