Great Scenes from Great Novels - Tom Brown goes to Rugby- Thomas Hughes (Abridged and Simplified)

Great Scenes from Great Novels -Tom Brown goes to Rugby 

Thomas Hughes 

(Abridged and Simplified)

"And here's Rugby, sir, at last, and you'll be in plenty of time for dinner at the school - house, as I told you', said the old guard, pulling, his horn out of its case and tootle - tooting away. The coachman shook up his horses and guided them along the side of the school close, and down the High street at a smart trot.

Tom's heart beat fast when he saw his new school for the first time. There was a line of gray buildings, beginning with the chapel and ending with the main school building. A big flag was flying over a high, round tower in the Headmaster's house. Many boys were looking down from the school building as if the whole town belonged to them.

A boy of about the same age and size as Tom ram after the coach and climbed up the back seat.

"Hello, Jem!" he said to the guard. He looked Tom up and down for a minute, and said,

"I say, you fellow, is your name Brown?"

"Yes", said Tom. He was glad to find someone at Rugby who seemed to know him.

"My name is East. You know my old aunt, Miss East? She wrote to me a letter. She has asked me to help you" so said East.

When the coach stopped, East called to a strong boy. He told him to carry Tom's things to the school-house "We must be there in ten minutes," he said. "Come along Brown. How much money have you got? You will have to buy a hat. We wear hats here. Only boys of the town wear caps".

Tom said that he had a hat in his box, and he took it out. But East said, "It will not do. It shines too much".

He took Tom to a hatter's shop and arranged for a hat to be sent to the school - house within half - an - hour.

"You see", he said to Tom, as they walked towards the school gates, "much depends on a fellow's first appearance at school. If there’s nothing strange about him, and he speaks and answers questions, the boys will like them. You see, I am trying to be good to you because my father knows your father, and I want to please my aunt. She gave me some money last holidays, and she will give more if I please her".

East was an open hearted, good - natured fellow, as his speech showed. Tom liked his friendly manner. He took Tom through the great gates of the school, where some boys stood. They asked him the usual questions: 'You, fellow, what is your name? How old are you? In what form are you?" East took Tom to the matron, a motherly woman. She looked after the clothes and boxes of all the boys. East thought that both he and Tom would be put in the same form, and said that they could do their lessons together.

Then East said: "And now come and see my room. It is in the middle of the school - house. We shall have a walk round the school".

Tom went behind him through the school - house Hall, a room thirty feet long, with two long tables. About a dozen boys stood before a fire in a large fire - place. They saw East and asked him to stop. East did not stop, but ran through the hall with Tom behind him. Then East opened the door of a small room. "This is my room", he said.

It was a room about six feet long and four feet wide. At one end was a little table, covered with a red and blue table-cloth. On one side there were shelves filled with books. Then Tom saw some strange thing made of iron, which he had not seen before.

"What is this?" he said, picking up one.

"Oh, it's a climbing iron. With one on each leg it's easy to climb a tree".

"Shall I have a room like this?" asked Tom.

"Yes, of course, you will have a room with another boy, from Monday. Till then, you can stay with me".

"Do you like your room? "Tom asked, "Yes, but it is rather cold at night" East said. Tom said "I saw a big fire in the passage outside. Don't you get some warmth from it?"

"Yes, but the monitor sits there and shuts off the heat with a screen round the fire".

It was a quarter past one, and Tom heard the sound of the dinner bell. East led Tom into the hall and found their places at table. Tom sat at the end of the second table. For the first time, Tom saw all the boys of the Rugby school at once. Some were from games of football and others were back from long walks. Some were pale and cold after reading in their studies. Some came with pickles and sauce-bottles. A few came from the cake-shop from where they bought cakes to eat with their tea. The school pupil leader called the names of all the boys one by one, and they all started eating. When dinner was over, East took Tom to see the play - ground. He showed him the place for fights behind the chapel, where the masters did not usually come. He took him for a run across the play-ground.

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