The hall settles into a low, uneasy murmur. Roald stands near the back with the ledger-talk still fresh in his mind, while Halloway paces the dais and The Master watches from above.
A New Boy
He looks at Roald with wide, nervous eyes, waiting for a clue to the room's rules.
Roald Dahl
The front rows are packed tighter than the back.
Halloway
You are standing where you can see the house, which is a sensible start.
Halloway's voice carries just enough to be heard without turning the room into a stage. A few boys glance up, then down again.
A New Boy
Is that where one is meant to stand, then?
Halloway
If you do not know, keep still and watch the others. That is usually enough.
The New Boy straightens at once, trying to copy the posture around him. Roald has a quiet moment to breathe before the hall begins again.