Волхв

Chapter 7

           IwasforcedtogofrequentlyforwalkstoescapetheclaustrophobicambienceoftheLordByronSchool.Tobeginwith,therewassomethingpleasantlyabsurdaboutteachinginaboardingschool(runonsupposedlyEton-Harrowlines)onlyalooknorthfromwhereClytemnestrakilledAgamemnon.Certainlythemasters,victimsofacountrywithonlytwouniversities,wereacademicallyofafarhigherstandardthanMitfordhadsuggested,andinthemselvestheboyswerenobetterandnoworsethanboystheworldover.ButtheywereruthlesslypragmaticaboutEnglish.Theycarednothingforliterature,andeverythingforscience.IfItriedtodotheireponym’spoetrywiththem,theyyawned;ifIdidtheEnglishnamesforthepartsofacar,Ihadtroublegettingthemoutoftheclassatlesson’send;andoftentheywouldbringmeAmericanscientifictextbooksfulloftermsthatwerejustasmuchGreektomeastheexpectantfaceswaitingforasimpleparaphrase.

           Bothboysandmastersloathedtheisland,andregardeditasasortofself-imposedpenalsettlementwhereonecametowork,work,work.IhadimaginedsomethingfarsleepierthananEnglishschool,andinsteaditwasfartougher.Thecrowningironyofallwasthatthisobsessiveindustry,thismolelikeblindnesstotheirnaturalenvironment,waswhatwasconsideredtobesotypicallyEnglishabouttheschool.PerhapstoGreeks,madeblasébylivingamongthemostbeautifullandscapesintheworld,therewasnothingdiscordantinbeingcoopedupinsuchasystem;butitdrovememadwithirritation.

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