A Story

"Please... attention..." Everyone turned his eyes toward the teacher, and their faces made it seem they were listening to him. His voice rose high and ringing, to overcome the sound of the raging winds and the tapping of the snowflakes against the glass.

"Imagine, boys: that scantily equipped army, surging out of the heart of the desert, was able to smash the gates of Khosrow and Heraclius and deal them a crushing blow to......."

Ha, ha, ha — laughter rang out, and uproar took over. The teacher stood for a moment open-mouthed, snowflakes scattered over his hair and his face.

"Who... who is the bold one who did this?"

"Sir, it was Samir — no, no, that was Sahir — believe me, sir, it was Jihad..."

•

"What is all this commotion?" Everyone froze in his place; they had been expecting anything but this. The principal had not come that morning — perhaps he was ill!? What a splendid chance, then, to give the honorable history teacher's face a washing. And how could it occur to them that the principal would come and surprise them at that very moment?

The principal shut the door and stepped quietly a few paces inside.

"I know you were not expecting my coming, but I have come. And I saw what happened. I did not hope that boys of your age and your ability would do such a thing; I expected students at the secondary stage to respect themselves. I cautioned you from

the beginning of the school year, and I warned you again and again to change this reckless course you are following. And now I shall give you a lesson which I want each of you to engrave upon his breast and remember forever. The lesson may be harsh — very harsh indeed — but I believe it will make men of you.

Life is not a game. Yes, it is earnest and play both; but we do

not play before we know our duties and fulfill them.

Who is the one who threw the snowball? Before I know him, I wish to tell him that I wish him from this moment on a life of earnestness and toil; perhaps society and its harshness will teach him why he lives and what his duties are. Let that brave fellow kindly step forward

and leave the school at once..."

•

Hearts pounded, faces went pale, glances wavered. A dreadful silence closed over the room. For the first time in the history of the school, a student had dared to do such a thing; and there was no doubt the principal would not

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