ers or
making the slightest movement with them); with the result that his
comrades often did the same to him in jest, and called it the "deal
board" way of shaking hands. He and I nearly always sat next to one
another, and discussed matters generally. In particular he pleased me
with the freedom with which he would criticise the professors as he
pointed out to me with great clearness and acumen the merits or demerits
of their respective ways of teaching and made occasional fun of them.
Such remarks I found exceedingly striking and diverting when uttered
in his quiet, mincing voice. Nevertheless he never let a lecture
pass without taking careful notes of it in his fine handwriting,
and eventually we decided to join forces, and to do our preparation
together. Things had progressed to the point of his always looking
pleased when I took my usual seat beside him when, unfortunately, I one
day found it necessary to inform him that, before her death, my mother
had besought my father never to allow us to enter for a government
scholarship, as well as that I myself considered Crown students, no
matter how clever, to be-"well, they are not GENTLEMEN," I concluded,
though beginning to flounder a little and grow red. At the moment
Operoff said nothing, but at subsequent lectures he ceased to greet me
or to offer me his board-like hand, and never attempted to talk to me,
but, as soon as ever I sat down, he would lean his head upon his arm,
and purport to be absorbed in his notebooks. I was surprised at this
sudden coolness, but looked upon it as infra dig, "pour un jeune
homme de bonne maison" to curry favour with a mere Crown student of
an Operoff, and so left him severely alone--though I confess that his
aloofness hurt my feelings. On one occasion I arrived before him,
and, since the lecture was to be delivered by a popular professor whom
students came to hear who did not usually attend such functions, I found
almost every seat occupied. Accordingly I secured Operoff's place for
myself by spreading my notebooks on the desk before it; after which I
left the room again for a moment. When I returned I perceived that my
paraphernalia had been relegated to the bench behind, and the place
taken by Operoff himself. I remarked to him that I had already secured
it by placing my notebooks there.

"I know nothing about that," he replied sharply, yet without looking up
at me.

"I tell you I placed my notebooks there," I repeated, purposely