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Every eye turned upon the guilty Tarlton, who, now as pale as ashes and trembling in every limb, sank down upon his knees, and in a whining voice begged for mercy. "Upon my word and honour, sir, I'll tell you all; I'd never have thought of stealing the apples if Loveit had not first told me of them; and it was Tom who first put the poisoning the dog into my head.
"I forgive it with all my heart," said he; "but I cannot forget it so soon!" "Why, then, you are not such a good humoured fellow as we thought you were. Surely you cannot bear malice, Loveit." Loveit smiled, and allowed that he certainly could not bear malice. "Well, then, come; you know at the bottom we all love you, and would do anything in the world for you."
"Now, Tarlton!" resounded on all sides. For another minute the victory was doubtful; but at length the setting sun, shining full in Loveit's face, so dazzled his eyes that he could no longer see the shuttlecock, and it fell at his feet. After the first shout for Tarlton's triumph was over, everybody exclaimed, "Poor Loveit! he's the best natured fellow in the world!
"Nothing more?" "Nothing more, sir." "But I have something more to say to you, sir, then; and a great deal more, I promise you, before I have done with you;" and then, seizing him in a fury, he was just going to give him a severe flogging, when the schoolroom door opened, and Mr. Trueman appeared, followed by an old man whom Loveit immediately knew.
"WELL!" replied Tarlton, in an audacious tone, as if he meant to set his inquiring eye at defiance. "What do you mean to do to-night?" "To go to sleep, as you do, I suppose," replied Tarlton, turning away abruptly, and whistling as he walked off. "Oh, he has certainly changed his mind!" said Loveit to himself, "else he could not whistle."
One fine autumn evening, all the boys were permitted to go out to play in a pleasant green meadow near the school. Loveit and another boy, called Tarlton, began to play a game of battledore and shuttlecock, and a large party stood by to look on, for they were the best players at battledore and shuttlecock in the school, and this was a trial of skill between them.
The locking of the black hole door was a terrible sound some knew not what it portended, and others knew TOO WELL. All assembled in the morning with faces of anxiety. Tarlton and Loveit's were the most agitated: Tarlton for himself, Loveit for his friend, for himself, for everybody.
Poor Loveit, flattered in his foible, began to believe that they did love him at the bottom, as they said, and even with his eyes open consented again to be duped. "How strange it is," thought he, "that I should set such value upon the love of those I despise! When I'm once out of this scrape, I'll have no more to do with them, I'm determined."
"Indeed, though," cried Loveit, piqued, "THERE you're mistaken, for I could refuse if I chose it." Hardy smiled; and Loveit, half afraid of his contempt, and half afraid of Tarlton's ridicule, stood doubtful, and again had recourse to his battledore, which he balanced most curiously upon his forefinger.
Loveit, who is as deaf as a post, should be mistaken, than that he should offer to lay such a wager respecting a lady of whom he had spoken so disparagingly."
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