And so on the subject of the mile, public opinion was for
once divided.
The field was nearly full by this time. The only clear space outside
the ropes was where the Headmaster stood to greet and talk about the
weather to such parents and guardians and other celebrities as might
pass. This habit of his did not greatly affect the unattached members
of the School, those whose parents lived in distant parts of the world
and were not present on Sports Day, but to St Jones Brown (for
instance) of the Lower Third, towing Mr Brown, senior, round the ring,
it was a nervous ordeal to have to stand by while his father and the
Head exchanged polite commonplaces. He could not help feeling that
there was _just a chance_ (horrible thought) that the Head,
searching for something to say, might seize upon that little matter of
broken bounds or shaky examination papers as a subject for discussion.
He was generally obliged, when the interview was over, to conduct his
parent to the shop by way of pulling his system together again, the
latter, of course, paying.
At intervals round the ropes Old Austinian number one was meeting Old
Austinian number two (whom he emphatically detested, and had hoped to
avoid), and was conversing with him in a nervous manner, the clearness
of his replies being greatly handicapped by a feeling, which grew with
the minutes, that he would never be able to get rid of him and go in
search of Old Austinian number three, his bosom friend.
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