"If excuses are to
be made for everything, I don't wonder that there is no teaching
one's boys truth or common honesty and humanity."
"But, Robert," said Caroline, roused to defence; "do you really mean
that in your time nobody bullied or cribbed?"
"There was some shame about it if they did," said the Colonel. "Now,
I suppose, I am to be told that it is an ordinary custom to be
connived at."
"Certainly not by me," said Mr. Ogilvie. "I had hoped that the
standard of honour had been raised, but it is very hard to mete the
exact level of the schoolboy code from the outside."
"And your John and mine have never given in to it," added Caroline.
"What do you propose to do, Mr. Ogilvie?" said the Colonel. "I shall
do my part with my boy as a father. What will you do with him and
the other bully, who I find was Cripps."
"I shall see Cripps's father first. I think it might be well if we
both saw him before deciding on the form of discipline. We have to
think not only of justice but of the effect on their characters."
"That's the modern system," said the Colonel indignantly. "Fine work
it would make in the army. I know when punishment is deserved. I
don't set up to be Providence, to know exactly what work it is to do.
I leave that to my Maker and do my duty.
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