Tom had been nothing but a spectator at that meeting; but after the next he emerged radiant. The discussion of the first one had taken only a few minutes. It happened that Mr. Furbush was not able to be present; and it was announced incidentally, that he had been transferred to Sophomore English. Of his proposed changes nothing had been said, although another change was made. It appeared that Mr. Dawson had been teaching _The Winter's Tale_ for the past six years and that he wished the Department's permission to drop it for _Cymbeline_. Mr. Dawson explained that he was getting a little stale on _The Winter's Tale_, and the change was hurriedly made. What an object lesson was this for the keen-eyed young instructor! On the one hand was the Scylla of Mr. Brainerd and on the other was the Charybdis of Mr. Furbush. Lucky was he who could sail safely past the two; and he was a wise young instructor who determined to follow in the Dawsonian wake. The final examination paper was then discussed; and Tom, who had come fully prepared and was extremely wide-awake, had contributed the "spot" passage in Wordsworth in its entirety--the couplet, "A countenance in which did meet Sweet records, promises as sweet," was included--and he had, furthermore, lent a most constructive hand in the framing of the Carlyle-transcendental question--a performance which he retailed to Mrs. Norris at the earliest moment, and which made the Assistant Professorship and Nancy seem definitely within his grasp. XII Mrs. Norris was pleased with Tom's account of his success in the writing of the examination paper. Certain unsatisfactory rumours had come to her ears recently about his work. Henry Whitman, for example, had stated that Tom was loafing and that unless he picked up and showed improvement he might not receive a reappointment when his present term had expired. It is curious how everyone knows everyone else's business at Woodbridge. Each man has his grade stamped clearly upon him, for all, with the possible exception of the man himself, to see. A young man can raise this grade; and Mrs. Norris--who loved Tom almost as though he were her own--was hopeful for him. "All he needs, Julian," she said to the Dean when she told him of Tom's triumph, "is a guiding hand. I can't do it, because I'm too old, but I know someone who can." She was "straightening out" the library at the time, and as she said this she gave a chair a shove with her knee, which sent it flying into the books on the wall. "Mercy on us," cried the Dean, annoyed by this display of vigour, "who is it?" "Nancy." "Oh, pshaw, you're always trying to marry her off. You're the worst match-maker I know." Mrs. Norris laughed quietly. "You wait and see," was all she said; but she had settled in her mind upon a picnic. Mary, when approached upon the subject, had not been at all enthusiastic. "Why, it's much too early for a picnic," she had objected.