"You said that you had done an essay for Edwardes which you weren't
going to read. I hadn't done mine, so Dennison said you wouldn't mind
me using yours. He got it, and I went to Edwardes at six o'clock to
read it, but as soon as I started he began to jump about as if
something was stinging him, and after I had read about half a page he
kicked me out of the room."
"The man is mad after all," I said.
"No, he isn't, I wish he was," Learoyd continued. "This is what
happened: Collier stayed in his rooms this afternoon to do his essay,
but went to sleep, and never woke up until it was too late to do it,
and then he remembered that you had one which wanted using so he read
it to Edwardes at five o'clock. I wish to goodness he hadn't put it
back in your rooms."
This was too much for me, and although Learoyd looked as miserable as
ever, I had to laugh.
"You wouldn't be so amused if you were in for the row I am," he said,
"they will probably take away my exhibition."
"I am in for exactly the same row," I answered. "I tried to read that
essay to Edwardes after dinner, and he looked as if he was going to
have a fit. I was out of the room in no time."
Then Learoyd and I just sat for two or three minutes and laughed until
he felt ever so much better.
"What are we to do next?" he asked. "After all, it was your essay."
"It was no wonder Edwardes jumped about," I said, "I thought he was
mad."
"So did I, until I saw Collier. But what are we to do?"
"You say you are in a fairly tight hole," I replied.
"Yes," he said, "I have been in for row after row all this term."
"Then I won't claim this wretched essay, and it can't matter to
Collier, because he hasn't got anything which the dons can take away."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"Why, Collier has got to tell Edwardes he borrowed the thing, and I
shall sit tight, so they will naturally think it is yours."
"I can't stand that," he replied.
"Why not?" I asked. "They won't do anything desperate to me, and of
course Collier won't mind at all."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account