"_My father is cobbler," said Hill, quite irrelevantly, and perceived the want of dignity even as it But the gleam of jealousy offend her She conceived herself the fundamental source of it He suffered bitterly from sense of Wedderburn's unfairness, and realisation own handicap Here Wedderburn had picked up prominent man for father, and instead losing marks score advantage, counted to him for righteousness ! And while Hill had to introduce himself and talk to Miss Haysman clumsily over mangled guinea-pigs laboratory, this Wedderburn, in some backstairs way, had access to her social altitudes, and could converse in polished argot that Hill understood perhaps, but felt incapable of speaking Not, , that to Then it seemed to Hill that for Wedderburn there day after day with cuffs unfrayed, neatly tailored, precisely barbered, quietly perfect, was in itself an ill-bred, sneering sort of proceeding Moreover, stealthy thing for Wedderburn to behave insignificantly for space, to mock modesty, to lead Hill to fancy that he himself was beyond dispute the man year, and then suddenly to dart in front of him, and incontinently to swell up fashion things, Wedderburn displayed an increasing disposition to join in any conversational grouping that included Miss Haysman, and would venture, and indeed seek occasion, opinions derogatory to socialism and atheism He goaded Hill to incivilities by neat, shallow, and exceedingly effective personalities socialist leaders, until Hill hated Bernard Shaw's graceful egotisms, William Morris's limited editions and luxurious wall-papers, and Walter Crane's charmingly absurd ideal working men, about as he hated Wedderburn The dissertations laboratory, that his glory previous term, became danger, degenerated into inglorious tussels with Wedderburn, and Hill kept only out of an obscure perception that his honour was involved debating society Hill knew quite clearly that, to thunderous accompaniment of banged desks, he pulverised Wedderburn Only Wedderburn never attended the debating society pulverised, because--nauseous affectation ! --he "dined late "

not imagine things presented themselves in quite such crude form to Hill's perception Hill was born generaliser Wedderburn to him was not an individual obstacle as type, the salient angle of class The economic theories that, after infinite ferment, had shaped themselves in Hill's mind, became abruptly concrete contact The world became full of easy-mannered, graceful, gracefully-dressed, conversationally dexterous, finally shallow Wedderburns, Bishops Wedderburn, Wedderburn M P 's, Professors Wedderburn, Wedderburn landlords, all with finger-bowl shibboleths and epigrammatic cities of refuge from sturdy debater And everyone ill-clothed or ill-dressed, cobbler cab-runner, was man and brother, fellow-sufferer, to Hill's imagination he became, as it were, champion fallen and oppressed, albeit to outward seeming only self-assertive, ill-mannered young man, and an unsuccessful champion Again and again skirmish over the afternoon tea girl students had inaugurated left Hill with flushed cheeks and tattered temper, debating society noticed new quality of sarcastic bitterness speeches

understand now how necessary, if only interests of humanity, that Hill should demolish Wedderburn forthcoming examination and outshine him eyes of Miss Haysman; and perceive, too, how Miss Haysman fell into some common feminine misconceptions The Hill-Wedderburn quarrel, for unostentatious way Wedderburn reciprocated Hill's ill-veiled rivalry, became tribute to her indefinable charm; she Queen of Beauty in tournament of scalpels and stumpy pencils To her confidential friend's secret annoyance, it even troubled her conscience, for she was good girl, and painfully aware, from Ruskin and contemporary fiction, how entirely men's activities are determined by women's attitudes And if Hill never by any chance mentioned the topic of love to her, she only credited him finer modesty omission So the time came on second examination, and Hill's increasing pallor confirmed the general rumour that working hard aerated bread shop near South Kensington Station see him, breaking his bun and sipping his milk, eyes intent upon paper of closely written notes bedroom there were propositions about buds and stems round his looking-glass, diagram to catch his eye, if soap should chance to spare it, above his washing basin He missed several meetings debating society, but the chance encounters with Miss Haysman spacious ways adjacent art museum, or little museum top College, or College corridors, more frequent and very restful , they used to meet in little gallery full of wrought-iron chests and gates, near the art library, and there Hill used , under the gentle stimulus of her flattering attention, of Browning personal ambitions characteristic she found remarkable in him was his freedom from avarice He contemplated quite calmly the prospect of living all his life on an income below hundred pounds year But determined famous, , recognisably own proper person, the world better place to live in Bradlaugh and John Burns leaders and models, poor, even impecunious, great men But Miss Haysman thought that such lives were deficient aesthetic side, , though she know it, she meant good wall-paper and upholstery, pretty books, tasteful clothes, concerts, and meals nicely cooked and respectfully served

At last came the day second examination, professor of botany, fussy, conscientious man, rearranged all the tables in long narrow laboratory copying, and put his demonstrator on chair on table (where , , like Hindoo god), all the cheating, and stuck notice outside the door, "Door closed," for no earthly reason that any human being could discover And all the morning from ten till one the quill of Wedderburn shrieked defiance at Hill's, quills others chased their leaders in tireless pack, and so also afternoon Wedderburn was little quieter than usual, and Hill's face was hot all day, overcoat bulged with textbooks and notebooks against the last moment's revision , morning and afternoon, practical examination, when sections had cut and slides identified morning Hill was depressed because he had cut thick section, and afternoon came the mysterious slip

just the kind of thing botanical professor was always doing Like the income tax, it offered premium cheat preparation under the microscope, little glass slip, held in its place stage instrument by light steel clips, inscription set forth slip was not moved Each student was in turn , sketch it, write book of answers what he considered it , and return place Now, to move such slip is thing one can do by chance movement finger, and in fraction of second The professor's reason for decreeing slip moved depended fact object identified was characteristic of certain tree stem position placed difficult thing to recognise, but once the slip was moved so bring other parts preparation into view, its nature was obvious enough

Hill came , flushed from contest with staining re-agents, sat down little stool microscope, turned the mirror the best light, and then, out of sheer habit, shifted the slips At once he remembered the prohibition, and, with an almost continuous motion hands, moved it back, and sat paralysed with astonishment at his action

Then, slowly, he turned his head The professor was room; the demonstrator sat aloft impromptu rostrum, reading the Q Jour Mi Sci ; the rest examinees were busy, and with their backs to him Should he own accident now ? quite clearly what the thing was lenticel, characteristic preparation elder-tree His eyes roved over his intent fellow-students, and Wedderburn suddenly glanced over his shoulder at him with queer expression eyes The mental excitement that had kept Hill at an abnormal pitch of vigour these two days gave way to curious nervous tension His book of answers was beside him write down what the thing was, but with one eye microscope he began making hasty sketch of it His mind was full grotesque puzzle in ethics that had suddenly been sprung upon him Should he identify it ? or should he leave this question unanswered ? case Wedderburn would probably come out first second result How could he tell now whether have identified the thing without shifting it ? possible that Wedderburn had failed to recognise it, Suppose Wedderburn too had shifted the slide ? He looked up clock There were fifteen minutes up his mind He gathered up his book of answers coloured pencils he used in illustrating his replies and walked back seat

He read through his manuscript, and then sat thinking and gnawing his knuckle It would look queer now if he owned up beat Wedderburn He forgot the examples starry gentlemen, John Burns and Bradlaugh Besides, he reflected, the glimpse rest slip he had had was, after all, quite accidental, forced upon him by chance, kind of providential revelation rather than an unfair advantage not nearly so dishonest to avail himself as of Broome, who believed efficacy of prayer, to pray daily for first-class "Five minutes more," said the demonstrator, folding up his paper and becoming observant Hill watched the clock hands until two minutes remained; then he opened the book of answers, and, with hot ears and an affectation of ease, gave his drawing lenticel its name