Hill son of Landport cobbler, and hooked by chance blue paper the authorities had thrown out Landport Technical College He kept himself in London allowance of guinea week, and found that, with proper care, this also covered his clothing allowance, an occasional waterproof collar, ; and ink and needles and cotton, and such-like necessaries for man about town his first year first session, but the brown old man in Landport had already got himself detested in many public-houses by boasting son, "the Professor " Hill was vigorous youngster, with serene contempt clergy of all denominations, and fine ambition to reconstruct the world He regarded his scholarship as brilliant opportunity He had begun to read at seven, and had read steadily whatever came way, good or bad, since then His worldly experience limited island of Portsea, and acquired chiefly wholesale boot factory he had worked by day, after passing the seventh standard Board school He had considerable gift of speech, College Debating Society, which met amidst the crushing machines and mine models metallurgical theatre downstairs, already recognised--recognised by violent battering of desks whenever he rose And just fine emotional age when life opens end of narrow pass like broad valley at one's feet, full promise of wonderful discoveries and tremendous achievements own limitations, save that that neither Latin nor French, were all unknown to him

At first his interest divided pretty equally between his biological work College and social and theological theorising, an employment which in deadly earnest Of night, big museum library was not open, sit bed room in Chelsea coat and muffler on, and write out the lecture notes and revise his dissection memoranda, until Thorpe called him out by whistle--the landlady objected to open the door to attic visitors--and then the two would go prowling shadowy, shiny, gas-lit streets, talking, fashion sample just given, God idea, and Righteousness, and Carlyle, Reorganisation of Society And midst of it all, Hill, arguing for Thorpe, but casual passer-by, would lose the thread argument glancing at some pretty painted face that looked meaningly at him as he passed Science and Righteousness ! But lately there signs that third interest was creeping into his life, and he had found his attention wandering fate mesoblastic somites or the probable meaning blastopore, thought girl brown eyes who sat table before him

She was paying student; she descended inconceivable social altitudes to him thought education she had, accomplishments possess, the soul of Hill became abject within him She had spoken to him first over difficulty alisphenoid of rabbit's skull, and he had found that, in biology , he had no reason for self-abasement And , manner of young people starting from any starting-point, they got to generalities, and while Hill attacked her question of socialism--some instinct told him to spare her direct assault upon her religion--she was gathering resolution to undertake what she told herself was his aesthetic education She was year or two older than he, though the thought never occurred to him The loan of News from Nowhere beginning of series of cross loans Upon some absurd first principle , Hill had never "wasted time" Upon poetry, and it seemed an appalling deficiency to her One day lunch hour, when she chanced upon him alone little museum where the skeletons were arranged, shamefully eating the bun that constituted his midday meal, she retreated, and returned to lend him, with slightly furtive air, volume of Browning He stood sideways towards her and took the book rather clumsily, because holding the bun other hand And retrospect his voice lacked the cheerful clearness he wished

That occurred examination in comparative anatomy, day College turned out its students, and was carefully locked up officials, Christmas holidays The excitement of cramming first trial of strength had for little while dominated Hill, exclusion other interests forecasts result everyone indulged surprised that no one regarded him as possible competitor Harvey Commemoration Medal, this two subsequent examinations disposed that Wedderburn, who had lived inconspicuously uttermost margin of Hill's perceptions, began appearance of an obstacle By mutual agreement, the nocturnal prowlings with Thorpe ceased three weeks examination, landlady pointed out that she really supply lamp oil price He walked to and fro College with little slips of mnemonics hand, lists of crayfish appendages, rabbits' skull-bones, and vertebrate nerves, for example, and became positive nuisance to foot passengers opposite direction

But, by natural reaction, Poetry girl brown eyes ruled the Christmas holiday The pending results examination became such secondary consideration that Hill marvelled at his father's excitement Even had it, no comparative anatomy to read in Landport, and too poor books, but the stock of poets library was extensive, and Hill's attack was magnificently sustained He saturated himself fluent numbers of Longfellow and Tennyson, and fortified himself with Shakespeare; found kindred soul in Pope, and master in Shelley, and heard and fled the siren voices of Eliza Cook and Mrs Hemans But he read no more Browning, because he hoped loan of other volumes from Miss Haysman when he returned to London

He walked lodgings College volume of Browning shiny black bag, mind teeming finest general propositions about poetry Indeed, he framed first this little speech and then that to grace the return The morning was an exceptionally pleasant one for London; clear, hard frost and undeniable blue sky, thin haze softened every outline, and warm shafts of sunlight struck house blocks and turned the sunny side street to amber and gold hall College he pulled off his glove and signed his name with fingers so stiff with cold characteristic dash under the signature he cultivated became quivering line He imagined Miss Haysman about him everywhere He turned staircase, and there, below, crowd struggling foot notice-board This, possibly, biology list He forgot Browning and Miss Haysman moment, and joined the scrimmage And at last, cheek flattened against the sleeve man step above him, he read the list--

CLASS I H J Somers Wedderburn William Hill

and thereafter followed second class outside our present sympathies characteristic that trouble to look for Thorpe physics list, but backed struggle at once, and in curious emotional state between pride over common second-class humanity and acute disappointment at Wedderburn's success, went way upstairs top, as hanging up his coat passage, the zoological demonstrator, young man from Oxford, who secretly regarded him as blatant "mugger" very worst type, offered his heartiest congratulations

laboratory door Hill stopped for second his breath, and then entered He looked straight up the laboratory and saw all five girl students grouped in their places, and Wedderburn, the once retiring Wedderburn, leaning rather gracefully against the window, playing blind tassel and talking, apparently, five Now, Hill could talk bravely enough and even overbearingly to one girl, and he made speech to roomful of girls, but this business of standing at ease and appreciating, fencing, and returning quick remarks round group was, , altogether beyond him Coming up the staircase his feelings for Wedderburn generous, certain admiration perhaps, willingness to shake his hand conspicuously and heartily as one who had fought but the first round But before Christmas Wedderburn had never gone up end room In flash Hill's mist of vague excitement condensed abruptly to vivid dislike of Wedderburn Possibly his expression changed As up place, Wedderburn nodded carelessly to him, others glanced round Miss Haysman looked at him and away again, the faintest touch of her eyes " 't agree , Mr Wedderburn," she said

" congratulate you first-class, Mr Hill," said the spectacled girl in green, turning round and beaming at him

"It's nothing," said Hill, staring at Wedderburn and Miss Haysman talking together, and eager to hear what they talked about

"We poor folks second class don't think so," said the girl in spectacles

it Wedderburn was saying ? Something about William Morris ! Hill answer the girl in spectacles, smile died out face hear, and failed how "cut in " Confound Wedderburn ! He sat down, opened his bag, hesitated whether to return the volume of Browning forthwith, sight of all, and instead drew out his new notebooks short course in elementary botany that was now beginning, and which would terminate in February As so, fat, heavy man, with white face and pale grey eyes--Bindon, the professor of botany, who came up from Kew for January and February--came in lecture theatre door, and passed, rubbing his hands together and smiling, in silent affability down the laboratory

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