第15章

Theballisreturned，andtheymeetitanddriveitbackamongstthemassesoftheSchoolalreadyinmotion。Thenthetwosidesclose，andyoucanseenothingforminutesbutaswayingcrowdofboys，atonepointviolentlyagitated。Thatiswheretheballis，andtherearethekeenplayerstobemet，andthegloryandthehardknockstobegot。Youhearthedullthud，thudoftheball，andtheshoutsof“Offyourside，““Downwithhim，“

“Puthimover，““Bravo。“Thisiswhatwecall“ascrummage，“

gentlemen，andthefirstscrummageinaSchool-housematchwasnojokeintheconsulshipofPlancus。

Butsee！ithasbroken；theballisdrivenoutontheSchool-

houseside，andarushoftheSchoolcarriesitpasttheSchool-

houseplayers-up。“Lookoutinquarters，“Brooke’sandtwentyothervoicesringout。Noneedtocall，though:theSchool-

housecaptainofquartershascaughtitonthebound，dodgestheforemostSchoolboys，whoareheadingtherush，andsendsitbackwithagooddrop-kickwellintotheenemy’scountry。Andthenfollowsrushuponrush，andscrummageuponscrummage，theballnowdriventhroughintotheSchool-housequarters，andnowintotheSchoolgoal；fortheSchool-househavenotlosttheadvantagewhichthekick-offandaslightwindgavethemattheoutset，andareslightly“penning“theiradversaries。Yousayyoudon’tseemuchinitall——nothingbutastrugglingmassofboys，andaleatherballwhichseemstoexcitethemalltogreatfury，asaredragdoesabull。Mydearsir，abattlewouldlookmuchthesametoyou，exceptthattheboyswouldbemen，andtheballsiron；butabattlewouldbeworthyourlookingatforallthat，andsoisafootballmatch。Youcan’tbeexpectedtoappreciatethedelicatestrokesofplay，theturnsbywhichagameislostandwon——ittakesanoldplayertodothat；butthebroadphilosophyoffootballyoucanunderstandifyouwill。

Comealongwithmealittlenearer，andletusconsiderittogether。

Theballhasjustfallenagainwherethetwosidesarethickest，andtheycloserapidlyarounditinascrummage。Itmustbedriventhroughnowbyforceorskill，tillitfliesoutononesideortheother。Lookhowdifferentlytheboysfaceit！Herecometwoofthebulldogs，burstingthroughtheoutsiders；intheygo，straighttotheheartofthescrummage，bentondrivingthatballoutontheoppositeside。Thatiswhattheymeantodo。Mysons，mysons！youaretoohot；youhavegonepasttheball，andmuststrugglenowrightthroughthescrummage，andgetroundandbackagaintoyourownside，beforeyoucanbeofanyfurtheruse。HerecomesyoungBrooke；hegoesinasstraightasyou，butkeepshishead，andbacksandbends，holdinghimselfstillbehindtheball，anddrivingitfuriouslywhenhegetsthechance。Takealeafoutofhisbook，youyoungchargers。HerecomesSpeedicut，andFlashmantheSchool-housebully，withshoutsandgreataction。Won’tyoutwocomeuptoyoungBrooke，afterlocking-up，bytheSchool-housefire，with“Oldfellow，wasn’tthatjustasplendidscrummagebythethreetrees？“Butheknowsyou，andsodowe。Youdon’treallywanttodrivethatballthroughthatscrummage，chancingallhurtforthegloryoftheSchool-house，buttomakeusthinkthat’swhatyouwant——avastlydifferentthing；andfellowsofyourkidneywillnevergothroughmorethantheskirtsofascrummage，whereit’sallpushandnokicking。Werespectboyswhokeepoutofit，anddon’tshamgoingin；butyou——wehadrathernotsaywhatwethinkofyou。

Thentheboyswhoarebendingandwatchingontheoutside，markthem:theyaremostusefulplayers，thedodgers，whoseizeontheballthemomentitrollsoutfromamongstthechargers，andawaywithitacrosstotheoppositegoal。Theyseldomgointothescrummage，butmusthavemorecoolnessthanthechargers。

Asendlessasareboys’characters，soaretheirwaysoffacingornotfacingascrummageatfootball。

Three-quartersofanhouraregone；firstwindsarefailing，andweightandnumbersbeginningtotell。YardbyyardtheSchool-

househavebeendrivenback，contestingeveryinchofground。

Thebull-dogsarethecolourofmotherearthfromshouldertoankle，exceptyoungBrooke，whohasamarvellousknackofkeepinghislegs。TheSchool-housearebeingpennedintheirturn，andnowtheballisbehindtheirgoal，undertheDoctor’swall。TheDoctorandsomeofhisfamilyaretherelookingon，andseemasanxiousasanyboyforthesuccessoftheSchool-

house。Wegetaminute’sbreathing-timebeforeoldBrookekicksout，andhegivesthewordtoplaystronglyfortouch，bythethreetrees。Awaygoestheball，andthebull-dogsafterit，andinanotherminutethereisshoutof“Intouch！““Ourball！“

Now’syourtime，oldBrooke，whileyourmenarestillfresh。Hestandswiththeballinhishand，whilethetwosidesformindeeplinesoppositeoneanother；hemuststrikeitstraightoutbetweenthem。Thelinesarethickestclosetohim，butyoungBrookeandtwoorthreeofhismenareshiftingupfarther，wheretheoppositelineisweak。OldBrookestrikesitoutstraightandstrong，anditfallsoppositehisbrother。Hurrah！

thatrushhastakenitrightthroughtheSchoolline，andawaypastthethreetrees，farintotheirquarters，andyoungBrookeandthebull-dogsarecloseuponit。TheSchoolleadersrushback，shouting，“Lookoutingoal！“andstraineverynervetocatchhim，buttheyareafterthefleetestfootinRugby。TheretheygostraightfortheSchoolgoal-posts，quartersscatteringbeforethem。Oneafteranotherthebull-dogsgodown，butyoungBrookeholdson。“Heisdown。“No！alongstagger，butthedangerispast。ThatwastheshockofCrew，themostdangerousofdodgers。AndnowheisclosetotheSchoolgoal，theballnotthreeyardsbeforehim。ThereisahurriedrushoftheSchoolfagstothespot，butnoonethrowshimselfontheball，theonlychance，andyoungBrookehastoucheditrightundertheSchoolgoal-posts。

TheSchoolleaderscomeupfurious，andadministertocotothewretchedfagsnearestathand。Theymaywellbeangry，foritisallLombardStreettoachinaorangethattheSchool-housekickagoalwiththeballtouchedinsuchagoodplace。OldBrooke，ofcourse，willkickitout，butwhoshallcatchandplaceit？CallCrabJones。Herehecomes，saunteringalongwithastrawinhismouth，thequeerest，coolestfishinRugby。

Ifheweretumbledintothemoonthisminute，hewouldjustpickhimselfupwithouttakinghishandsoutofhispocketsorturningahair。Butitisamomentwhentheboldestcharger’sheartbeatsquick。OldBrookestandswiththeballunderhisarmmotioningtheSchoolback；hewillnotkickouttilltheyareallingoal，behindtheposts。Theyarealledgingforwards，inchbyinch，togetnearerfortherushatCrabJones，whostandsthereinfrontofoldBrooketocatchtheball。Iftheycanreachanddestroyhimbeforehecatches，thedangerisover；andwithoneandthesamerushtheywillcarryitrightawaytotheSchool-housegoal。Fondhope！itiskickedoutandcaughtbeautifully。Crabstrikeshisheelintotheground，tomarkthespotwheretheballwascaught，beyondwhichtheschoollinemaynotadvance；buttheretheystand，fivedeep，readytorushthemomenttheballtouchestheground。

Takeplentyofroom。Don’tgivetherushachanceofreachingyou。Placeittrueandsteady。TrustCrabJones。Hehasmadeasmallholewithhisheelfortheballtolieon，bywhichheisrestingononeknee，withhiseyeonoldBrooke。“Now！“

Crabplacestheballattheword，oldBrookekicks，anditrisesslowlyandtrulyastheSchoolrushforward。

Thenamoment’spause，whilebothsideslookupatthespinningball。Thereitflies，straightbetweenthetwoposts，somefivefeetabovethecross-bar，anunquestionedgoal；andashoutofreal，genuinejoyringsoutfromtheSchool-houseplayers-up，andafaintechoofitcomesovertheclosefromthegoal-

keepersundertheDoctor’swall。Agoalinthefirsthour——

suchathinghasn’tbeendoneintheSchool-housematchthesefiveyears。

“Over！“isthecry。Thetwosideschangegoals，andtheSchool-

housegoal-keeperscomethreadingtheirwayacrossthroughthemassesoftheSchool，themostopenlytriumphantofthem——

amongstwhomisTom，aSchool-houseboyoftwohours’standing——

gettingtheirearsboxedinthetransit。Tomindeedisexcitedbeyondmeasure，anditisallthesixth-formboy，kindestandsafestofgoal-keepers，hasbeenabletodo，tokeephimfromrushingoutwhenevertheballhasbeenneartheirgoal。Soheholdshimbyhisside，andinstructshiminthescienceoftouching。

AtthismomentGriffith，theitinerantvenderoforangesfromHillMorton，enterstheclosewithhisheavybaskets。Thereisarushofsmallboysuponthelittlepale-facedman，thetwosidesminglingtogether，subduedbythegreatgoddessThirst，liketheEnglishandFrenchbythestreamsinthePyrenees。Theleadersarepastorangesandapples，butsomeofthemvisittheircoats，andapplyinnocent-lookingginger-beerbottlestotheirmouths。Itisnoginger-beerthough，Ifear，andwilldoyounogood。Oneshortmadrush，andthenastitchintheside，andnomorehonestplay。That’swhatcomesofthosebottles。

ButnowGriffith’sbasketsareempty，theballisplacedagainmidway，andtheSchoolaregoingtokickoff。Theirleadershavesenttheirlumberintogoal，andratedtherestsoundly，andonehundredandtwentypickedplayers-uparethere，bentonretrievingthegame。TheyaretokeeptheballinfrontoftheSchool-housegoal，andthentodriveitinbysheerstrengthandweight。Theymeanheavyplayandnomistake，andsooldBrookesees，andplacesCrabJonesinquartersjustbeforethegoal，withfourorfivepickedplayerswhoaretokeeptheballawaytothesides，whereatryatgoal，ifobtained，willbelessdangerousthaninfront。Hehimself，andWarnerandHedge，whohavesavedthemselvestillnow，willleadthecharges。

“Areyouready？““Yes。“Andawaycomestheball，kickedhighintheair，togivetheSchooltimetorushonandcatchitasitfalls。Andheretheyareamongstus。MeetthemlikeEnglishmen，youSchoolhouseboys，andchargethemhome。Nowisthetimetoshowwhatmettleisinyou；andthereshallbeawarmseatbythehallfire，andhonour，andlotsofbottledbeerto-nightforhimwhodoeshisdutyinthenexthalf-hour。Andtheyarewellmet。Againandagainthecloudoftheirplayers-

upgathersbeforeourgoal，andcomesthreateningon，andWarnerorHedge，withyoungBrookeandtherelicsofthebull-dogs，breakthroughandcarrytheballback；andoldBrookerangesthefieldlikeJob’swar-horse。Thethickestscrummagepartsasunderbeforehisrush，likethewavesbeforeaclipper’sbows；