Years ago it had begun to eat into the place, and every year it grew more incurable.

Occasional efforts had been made to patch things up.

A boy had been now and then expelled.
A master had now and then "resigned." An old rule had now and then been enforced.

A new rule was now and then instituted.

But you can't patch up a dry-rot, and Bolsover crumbled more and more the oftener it was touched.
Years ago it had dropped out of the race with the other public-schools.
Its name had disappeared from the pass list of the University and Civil Service candidates.