_So that, now it is complete, you will find therein neither births, deaths, nor marriages, and though the =Babe= himself may have waxed a little out of proportion to our original scheme--he ought, for instance, never to have played Rugby for his University, as savouring too much of the hero--I have retained for him to the end that futility of mind, and girt him about with that flippant atmosphere, in which the truly heroic chokes and stifles. About the other characters I have no such confessions to make; they have successfully steered clear of all distinctions, bodily or mental; I have even omitted to state =Ealing’s= place in the tripos, and for this reason. He ought to have done better than the =Babe=, but the =Babe= got a second, and this leaves only one class where Ealing’s name would reasonably appear, and I altogether refuse to let him take a first._ _Good-bye for the present: but you will be home for leave, will you not, in a month?_ _Believe me, my dear Toby, Ever your sincere friend, E. F. BENSON._ _P. S.--I apologise for what I have said about your superficialness. It is, however, perfectly true._ CONTENTS. PAGE I.--TO INTRODUCE 1 II.--IN FELLOWS’ BUILDINGS 14 III.--THE BABE 30 IV.--_vs._ BLACKHEATH 47 V.--THE WORK-CLUB 63 VI.--THE BABE’S PICNIC 76 VII.--THE BABE’S “SAPPING” 93 VIII.--CROQUET 111 IX.--TEA AT THE PITT 122 X.--ROYAL VISITORS 134 XI.--THE REHEARSAL 146 XII.--A COLLEGE SUNDAY 162 XIII.--KING’S CHAPEL 176 XIV.--A VARIETY ENTERTAINMENT 183 XV.--CLYTEMNESTRISMOS 198 XVI.--AFTER LUNCH 212 XVII.--A LITTLE GAME 223 XVIII.--THE CONFESSION 236 XIX.--IN THE FIFTIES 246 XX.--THE BABE’S MINOR DIVERSIONS 261 XXI.--A DAY IN THE LENT TERM 270 XXII.--BEFORE THE TRIPOS 283