"_Regardez le facteur qui s’approche!_" he cried, pointing with his finger in the direction where I calculated that the Reverend Hugo and his attendant fiends were probably still waiting for us; "_dans la rue, là-bas! Il m’apporte peut-être une lettre! Mais de qui? Ah, de--_" Here he clutched his heart convulsively, evidently bent upon a touch of humorous sentiment: but a glance at the adamantine countenances of his audience caused him to change his mind, and he continued, rather lamely:-- "_Je descendrai au rez-de-chaussée. Je m’approche à la porte_--pardon, m’sieur!" The last remark was addressed to Mr. Duckworth, the professor having stumbled over his legs on his way to the door. The Theologian responded politely with an imitation of a man drawing a cork, and the demonstration proceeded. "_Je saisis le bouton,_" continued our instructor, convulsively clutching the door-handle. "_Je tour-r-r-rne le bouton! J’ouvre la porte! Je m’éloigne dans le corridor_--Oh, pardon, m’sieur! Je vous--" He had torn open the door with a flourish and hurled himself into the passage in faithful pursuance of his system, only to collide heavily and audibly with some unyielding body outside. "Proctor’s compliments, sir," said a deep voice, "but if you are in charge ’ere, will you kindly come and speak to ’im a minute?" The Frenchman’s answering flood of incomprehensible explanation was cut short by the secretary, who rose from his seat and hurried out. A few questions and answers passed between him and the bull-dog, and then we heard their footsteps dying away in the direction of the front door, where the Reverend Hugo was doubtless waiting. Next moment the company in the room were surprised, and I firmly believe disappointed, when the three last-joined recruits, after a hurried glance round the walls as if for a humbler means of exit, rose and unostentatiously quitted the apartment by the door. ―――― Once in the passage, we turned hastily and blindly to the left, leaving behind us the front door, which was blocked by an animated group composed of the secretary, the professor,--what he was doing there I do not know: perhaps he thought that three more pupils were applying for admission,--and the larger of the Reverend Hugo’s two bull-dogs, while that avenging angel’s voice could be heard uplifted in a stately harangue outside.