by H G Wells

Outside the laboratory windows was watery-grey fog, and within close warmth yellow light green-shaded gas lamps that stood two to each table down its narrow length On each table stood couple of glass jars containing the mangled vestiges crayfish, mussels, frogs, and guinea-pigs the students working, and down the side room, facing the windows, were shelves bearing bleached dissections in spirits, surmounted by row of beautifully executed anatomical drawings in white-wood frames and overhanging row of cubical lockers All the doors laboratory were panelled with blackboard, and were the half-erased diagrams previous day's work The laboratory was empty, save demonstrator, who sat near the preparation-room door, and silent, save for low, continuous murmur clicking rocker microtome at which working But scattered room were traces of numerous students: hand-bags, polished boxes of instruments, in one place large drawing covered by newspaper, and in another prettily bound copy of News from Nowhere_, book oddly at variance with its surroundings These things put down hastily students had arrived and hurried at once to secure their seats adjacent lecture theatre Deadened closed door, the measured accents professor sounded as featureless muttering

Presently, faint closed windows came the sound Oratory clock striking the hour of eleven The clicking microtome ceased, demonstrator looked at his watch, rose, thrust his hands into his pockets, and walked slowly down the laboratory towards the lecture theatre door He stood listening for moment, and then his eye fell little volume by William Morris He picked it up, glanced title, smiled, opened it, looked name fly-leaf, ran the leaves through hand, and put it down Almost immediately the even murmur lecturer ceased, sudden burst of pencils rattling desks lecture theatre, stirring, scraping of feet, and number of voices speaking together Then firm footfall approached the door, which began to open, and stood ajar, as some indistinctly heard question arrested the new-comer

The demonstrator turned, walked slowly back past the microtome, and left the laboratory preparation-room door As so, first one, and then several students carrying notebooks entered the laboratory lecture theatre, and distributed themselves little tables, or stood in group doorway They were an exceptionally heterogeneous assembly, for while Oxford and Cambridge still recoil blushing prospect of mixed classes, the College of Science anticipated America matter --mixed socially, too, prestige College is high, and its scholarships, free of any age limit, dredge deeper even than do those Scotch universities The class numbered one-and-twenty, but some remained theatre questioning the professor, copying the black-board diagrams were washed off, or examining the special specimens he had produced to illustrate the day's teaching nine who had come laboratory three were girls, one of whom, little fair woman, wearing spectacles and dressed in greyish-green, was peering window fog, while the other two, both wholesome-looking, plain-faced schoolgirls, unrolled and put brown holland aprons they wore while dissecting men, two went down the laboratory places, one pallid, dark-bearded man, who had once been tailor; the other pleasant-featured, ruddy young man of twenty, dressed in well-fitting brown suit; young Wedderburn, the son of Wedderburn, the eye specialist The others formed little knot near the theatre door , dwarfed, spectacled figure, with hunchback, sat on bent wood stool; two others, one short, dark youngster, other flaxen-haired, reddish-complexioned young man, stood leaning side by side against the slate sink, while the fourth stood facing them, and maintained the larger share conversation

This last person was named Hill sturdily built young fellow, same age as Wedderburn; he had white face, dark grey eyes, hair of an indeterminate colour, and prominent, irregular features He talked rather louder than was needful, and thrust his hands deeply into his pockets His collar was frayed and blue starch of careless laundress, his clothes were evidently ready-made, and patch side boot near the toe And as he talked or listened others, he glanced now and again towards the lecture theatre door They were discussing the depressing peroration lecture they had just heard, the last lecture introductory course in zoology "From ovum to ovum goal higher vertebrata," the lecturer had said melancholy tones, and so had neatly rounded off the sketch of comparative anatomy he developing The spectacled hunchback had repeated it, with noisy appreciation, had tossed it towards the fair-haired student with an evident provocation, and had started vague, rambling discussions on generalities, so unaccountably dear student mind all the world over

" our goal, perhaps--I admit it, as far as science goes," said the fair-haired student, rising challenge "But things above science "

"Science," said Hill confidently, "is systematic knowledge Ideas that don't come system--must anyhow--be loose ideas " not whether that was clever saying or fatuity until his hearers took it seriously

"The thing understand," said the hunchback, at large, "is whether Hill is materialist or not "

" above matter," said Hill promptly, feeling he had better thing ; aware, too, of someone doorway behind him, and raising his voice trifle for her benefit, " is, the delusion something above matter "

"So your gospel at last," said the fair student "It's all delusion, ? All our aspirations to lead something more than dogs' lives, all our work for anything beyond ourselves But see how inconsistent Your socialism, for instance Why trouble interests race ? Why concern yourself beggar gutter ? Why bothering yourself to lend that book "-- he indicated William Morris by movement head--"to everyone lab ? "

"Girl," said the hunchback indistinctly, and glanced guiltily over his shoulder

The girl in brown, brown eyes, had come laboratory, and stood other side table behind him, with her rolled-up apron in one hand, looking over her shoulder, listening discussion She notice the hunchback, because she was glancing from Hill interlocutor Hill's consciousness of her presence betrayed itself to her only studious ignorance fact; but she understood that, and it pleased her " no reason," said he, "why man should live like brute because of nothing beyond matter, and expect to exist hundred years hence "

"Why shouldn't he ? " said the fair-haired student

"Why should he ? " said Hill

"What inducement has he ? "

"That's the way with all you religious people It's all business of inducements Cannot man seek after righteousness for righteousness' sake ? "

pause The fair man answered, with kind of vocal padding, "But-- --inducement--when inducement," to gain time And then the hunchback came rescue and inserted question terrible person debating society questions, invariably took one form--a demand for definition, "What's your definition of righteousness ? " said the hunchback stage

Hill experienced sudden loss of complacency question, but even as asked, relief came person of Brooks, the laboratory attendant, who entered preparation-room door, carrying number of freshly killed guinea-pigs by their hind legs " last batch of material this session," said the youngster who previously spoken Brooks advanced up the laboratory, smacking down couple of guinea-pigs at each table The rest class, scenting the prey from afar, came crowding in lecture theatre door, discussion perished abruptly students who already in their places hurried to secure the choice of specimen noise of keys rattling on split rings as lockers were opened and dissecting instruments taken out Hill was already standing by his table, box of scalpels was sticking out pocket The girl in brown came step towards him, and, leaning over his table, said softly, "Did that I returned your book, Mr Hill ? "

During the whole scene she book vividly present consciousness; but clumsy pretence of looking book and seeing it first time "Oh, yes," , taking it up " Did you like it ? "

" to some questions -- "

"Certainly," said Hill " " He stopped awkwardly "You liked it ? "

"It's wonderful book Only some things I don't understand "