Clara Hopgood

'As for my poor self,' said Clara, 'I do not profess to know, without

the rule, what is right and what is not. We are always trying to

transcend the rule by some special pleading, and often in virtue of

some fancied superiority. Generally speaking, the attempt is fatal.'

'Madge,' said Mrs Hopgood, 'your dogmatic decision may have been

interesting, but it prevented the expression of Mr Palmer's opinion.'

Madge bent forward and politely inclined her head to the embarrassed

Frank.

'I do not know what to say. I have never thought much about such

matters. Is not what they call casuistry a science among Roman

Catholics? If I were in a difficulty and could not tell right from

wrong, I should turn Catholic, and come to you as my priest, Mrs

Hopgood.' 'Then you would do, not what you thought right yourself, but what I

thought right. The worth of the right to you is that it is your

right, and that you arrive at it in your own way. Besides, you might

not have time to consult anybody. Were you never compelled to settle

promptly a case of this kind?'

'I remember once at school, when the mathematical master was out of

the class-room, a boy named Carpenter ran up to the blackboard and

wrote "Carrots" on it. That was the master's nickname, for he was

red-haired. Scarcely was the word finished, when Carpenter heard him

coming along the passage. There was just time partially to rub out

some of the big letters, but CAR remained, and Carpenter was standing

at the board when "Carrots" came in. He was an excitable man, and he

knew very well what the boys called him.

'"What have you been writing on the board, sir?"

'"Carpenter, sir."

'The master examined the board. The upper half of the second R was

plainly perceptible, but it might possibly have been a P. He turned

round, looked steadily at Carpenter for a moment, and then looked at

us. Carpenter was no favourite, but not a soul spoke.

'"Go to your place, sir."

'Carpenter went to his place, the letters were erased and the lesson

was resumed. I was greatly perplexed; I had acquiesced in a cowardly

falsehood. Carrots was a great friend of mine, and I could not bear

to feel that he was humbugged, so when we were outside I went up to

Carpenter and told him he was an infernal sneak, and we had a

desperate fight, and I licked him, and blacked both his eyes. I did

not know what else to do.' The company laughed.