I mean, Sean spoke slowly as though he were trying to explain it to

himself, I mean really screwed her, just like we've talked about. just

like. . . . He made a helpless gesture with his hands, unable to

find the words. Then he lay back on the bed.

Did she let you? Garrick's voice was almost a whisper.

She asked me to, Sean said. It was slippery, sort of warm and slippery.

And then later, long after the lamp was out and they were both in bed,

Sean heard Garrick's soft movements in the darkness. He listened for a

while until he was certain. Garry! He accused him loudly. I wasn't, I

wasn't. You know what Pa told us. Your teeth will fall out and you'll

go mad. I wasn't, I wasn't. Garrick's voice was choked with his cold

and his tears. I heard you, said Sean. I was just scratching my leg.

Honestly, honestly, I was.

Mr -Clark had not been able to break Sean. He had provoked instead a

bitter contest in which he knew himself to be slowly losing ground, and

now he was afraid of Sean. He no longer made Sean stand, for Sean was

as tall as he was. The contest had been on for two years; they had

explored each other's weaknesses and knew how to exploit them.

Mr Clark could not bear the sound of anyone sniffing; perhaps

subconsciously he took it as mockery of his own deformed nose. Sean had

a repertoire that varied from a barely audible connoisseur

testing-the-bouquet-of-brandy sniff to a loud hawking in the back of his

throat. Sorry, sir, I can't help it. I've got a bit of a cold. But

then, to even the score, Mr Clark had realized that Sean was vulnerable

through Garrick. Hurt Garrick even a little and you were inflicting

almost unbearable agony on Sean.

It had been a bad week for Mr Clark. his liver, weakened by persistent

bouts of malaria, had been troubling him. He had suffered with a

bilious headache for three days now; there had been unpleasantness with

the Town Council about the terms on which his contract was to be

renewed; Sean had been in good sniffing form the day before and Mr Clark

had had about as much as he was prepared to take.

He came into the schoolroom and took his place on the dais; he let his

eyes move slowly over his pupils until they came to Sean.

, just let him start, thought Mr Clark. Just let him start today and

I'll kill him. The seating had been rearranged in the last two years.

Sean and Garrick had been separated and Garrick was now at the front of

the room where Mr Clark could reach him easily. Sean was near the back.

English Readers, said Mr Clark. Standard Ones turn to page five.

Standard Twos turn to Garrick sniffed wetly, hayfever Mr Clark shut his

book with a snap.

Damn you! he said softly, and then, his voice rising, Damn you! Now he

was shaking with rage, the edges of his nostrils were white and flared

open.

He came down from the dais to Garrick's desk. Damn you! Damn you, you

bloody little cripple, he screamed and hit Garrick across the face with

his open hand. Garrick cupped both hands over his cheek and stared at

him.

You dirty little swine, Mr. Clark mouthed at him. Now you're starting

it too. He caught a handful of Garrick's hair and pulled his head down

so that -his forehead hit the top of the desk. I'll teach you. By God,

I'll teach you! I'll show you. Bump.

I'll teach you Bump.

It took Sean that long to reach them. He grabbed Mr Clark's arm and

pulled him backwards. Leave him alone!

He didn't do anything!

Mr Clark saw Sean's face in front of him, he was passed all reason, the

face that had tormented him for two long years. He bunched his fist and

lashed out at it.

Sean staggered back from the blow, the sting of it made his eyes water.

For a second he lay sprawled across one of the desks, watching Clark and

then he growled.

The sound sobered Clark, he backed away but only two paces before Sean

was on him. Hitting with both hands, grunting with each punch, Sean

drove him against the blackboard. Clark tried to break away but Sean

caught the collar of his shirt and dragged him back, the collar tore

half loose in his hand and Sean hit him again. Clark slid down the wall

until he was sitting against it and Sean stood panting over him.

Get out, said Clark. His teeth were stained pink by the blood in his

mouth and a little of it spilled out onto his lips. His collar stood up

at a jaunty angle under one ear.

There was no sound in the room except Sean's breathing Get out, said

Clark again and the anger drained out of Sean leaving him trembling with

reaction. He walked to the door.

YOU too, Clark pointed at Garrick. Get out and don't come back! Come

on, Garry, said Sean.

Garrick stood up from his desk and limped across to Sean and together

they went out into the school yard.

What are we going to do now? There was a big red lump on Garrick's

forehead.