The Head temporised suavely: "Well--um, yes--perhaps my curiosity did not go so--um--so far as that. When you return to your room, Mr. Speed, you will find there an--um--a note from me, requesting you to see me to-morrow morning. I take it you have not seen that note?" "Not yet, sir." "Ah, I see. I supposed when you entered that you were catching an early train in the morning and were--um--purposing to see me to-night instead.... No matter. You will understand why I wished to see you, no doubt." "Possibly the same reason that I wished to see you." "Ah, yes--possibly. Possibly. You have been--um--quite--um--speedy--in--um--pressing forward your suit with my daughter. Um, yes--_very_ speedy, I think.... Speedy--Ha--Ha--um, yes--the play upon words was quite accidental, I assure you." Speed, with a wan smile, declared: "I daresay I am to blame for not having mentioned it to you before now. I decided--I scarcely know why--to wait until term was over.... I--I love your daughter, and I believe she loves me. That's all there is to say, I think." "Indeed, Mr. Speed?--It must be a very--um--simple matter then." Speed laughed, recovering his assurance now that he had made his principal statement. "I am aware that there are complexities, sir." The Head played an imaginary tune on his desk with his outstretched fingers. "You must--u--listen to me for a little while, Mr. Speed. We like you very much--I will begin, perhaps unwisely, by telling you that. You have been all that we could have desired during this last term--given--um--every satisfaction, indeed. Naturally, I think too of my daughter's feelings. She is, as you say, extremely--um--fond of you, and on you depends to a quite considerable extent her--um--happiness. We could not therefore, my wife and I, refuse to give the matter our very careful consideration. Now I must--um--cross-examine you a little. You wish to marry my daughter, is that not so?" "Yes." "When?" The Head flung out the question with disconcerting suddenness. Speed, momentarily unbalanced, paused, recovered himself, and said wisely: "When I can afford to, sir. As soon as I can afford to. You know my salary and prospects, sir, and are the best judge of how soon I shall be able to give your daughter the comforts to which she has been accustomed." "A clever reply, Mr. Speed. Um, yes--extremely clever. I gather that you are quite convinced that you will be happy with my daughter?" "I am quite convinced, sir." "Then money is the only difficulty. What a troublesome thing money is, Mr. Speed!--May I ask you whether you have yet consulted your own parents on the matter?" "I have not done so yet. I wanted your reply first." "I see. And what--um--do you anticipate will be _their_ reply?"