The World’s Tragedy

PREFACE. XI accusations against me, though, as you shall hear, almost equally silly. I learnt at last, through the intervention of my uncle, in a lucid interval, what I was supposed to have done. I was said to have tried “ to corrupt Chamberlain ” — not our great patriotic statesman, shifty Joe — but a boy. (I was 12 years old, and quite ignorant of all sexual matters till long after). Also I had “ held a mock prayer mee- ting ”. This I remembered. I had strolled up to a group of boys in the playground, who were indeed holding one. As they saw me one said : “ Brother Crowley will now lead us in prayer ”. Brother Crowley was too wary, and walked away. But instead of doing what a wise boy would have done : gone straight to the head, and accused them of forty-six distinct unmentionable crimes, I let things slide. So, fearing that I might go, they hurried off themselves, and told him how that wicked Crowley had tried to lead them away from Jesus. Worse, I had called Page I a Pharisee. That was true ; I had said it. Dreadful of me ! And Page I, who “ walked very close to Jesus ”, of course went and told. Yes, they all walked very close to Jesus — as close as Judas did. 4. A boy named Barton was sentenced to 120 strokes of the cane on his bare shoulders, for some petty theft of which he was presumably innocent. Superb was the process of trial. It began by an extra long prayer-time, and Joshua’s account of the sin of Achan,