aware of a most dishonourable act committed by one of my
pupils. I have received by post what I can only term a very degrading
letter, which I am sorry to say I fully believe to have been written by
some one present. Who that is I do not know, and I tell you all that I
would rather not know until the culprit allows his better feelings to
obtain the mastery, and comes to me privately and says, `Dr Bewley, I
was guilty of that act of folly; but now I bitterly repent, and am here
humbly to ask your forgiveness and at the same time that of my
fellow-pupil whom I have maligned.' Now, young gentlemen, it gives me
pain to address you all for one boy's sin, and I have only this to say,
that you whose consciences are clear can let it pass away like a cloud;
to him who has this black speck upon his conscience I only say I am
waiting; come to me when the examination is done.--Mr Morris, it is ten
minutes past ten. At one o'clock your examination is over, and the
studies are at an end for the day.--Now, my dear boys, I wish you all
success, and I trust that you will show Mr Morris that his mathematical
efforts on your behalf have not been in vain."

There was an end to the painful silence half a minute later, as the
Doctor closed the door after him, not loudly, but it seemed to echo
among the great beams of the building, while it was long before his
slow, heavy step died away upon the gravel path outside.

"Now, young gentlemen," said Morris sharply, "our Principal's address is
not to interfere with my examination. You have your papers. Pro--"

There was a pause.

"--Ceed!" shouted Mr Morris.

There was the scratching of pens upon papers, but upon very few; most of
the boys taking their pens and putting them down again, to rest their
elbows on the desks and their chins upon their thumbs, as they fixed
their eyes upon the column-like pile of questions printed quite close to
the left side of the sheets of foolscap, while the three masters at the
two ends and in the middle of the theatre seated themselves, book in
hand, ready to hold up high before their faces so that they could
conveniently peer over the top and make certain that there were not any
more culprits than one within reach of their piercing eyes.

Mr Morris, to pass his three hours gently and pleasantly, opened a very
old copy, by Blankborough, upon logarithms; Monsieur Brohanne had armed
himself with a heavy tome of _La Grande Encyclopedie_, with a bookmark
t