human
Doesn't everybody say you ought to?
gpt
Perhaps they do,
human
Doesn't your chum say so?
gpt
He only goes by what other fellows say.
human
You mean Cresswell?
gpt
I daresay Cresswell may have said something,
human
You _know_ he has said something, said Pledge, sternly.
gpt
The ghost didn't tell you to tell falsehoods, did it?
human
No. Cresswell did say something.
gpt
And you think it was very friendly of him, don't you?
human
No, I don't,
gpt
Is Cresswell very fond of you?
human
No. I hardly ever saw him.
gpt
Why do you suppose he sent you that message, then?
human
I don't know. Perhaps he's got a spite against you.
gpt
Would you like to know why; or don't you care?
human
I would like to know, please.
gpt
I daresay you've heard of a fellow called Forbes?
human
Forbes was a fag of mine last year--a nice boy, but dreadfully weak- minded. Any one could twist him round his thumb. As long as I kept my eye on him he was steady enough; but if ever I let him slide he got into trouble. I was laid up a month last autumn with scarlet fever, and, of course, Forbes was on the loose, and spent most of his time with Cresswell and his set. As soon as I got back I noticed a change in him. He had got into bad ways, and talked like a fellow who was proud of what he had learned. He used to swear and tell lies, and other things a great deal worse. I did all I could to pull him up, and before Christmas I fancied he was rather steadier. But last term he broke out again as bad as ever. I could keep no hold of him. He was constantly cutting me for his other friend; and all the time I, as his senior, got the credit of his ruin. He was expelled in February for some disgraceful row he got into, and, because I stuck to him to the end, his other friend gets up a report that I was to blame for it all. I don't profess to be better than I ought to be, youngster; I know I should be better than I am; but I'm not a blackguard.