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selection； he just glanced at it； and then frowned angrily。
〃I always draw this kind of thing；〃 he muttered。
I looked at mine。 Horrors！ It was the Theory of Combinations！
〃What have you got？〃 whispered Ikonin at this point。
I showed him。
〃Oh； I know that；〃 he said。
〃Will you make an exchange； then？〃
〃No。 Besides； it would be all the same for me if I did；〃 he
contrived to whisper just as the professor called us up to the
blackboard。 〃I don't feel up to anything to…day。〃
〃Then everything is lost！〃 I thought to myself。 Instead of the
brilliant result which I had anticipated I should be for ever
covered with shamemore so even than Ikonin！ Suddenly； under the
very eyes of the professor； Ikonin turned to me； snatched my
ticket out of my hands； and handed me his own。 I looked at his
ticket。 It was Newton's Binomial！
The professor was a youngish man； with a pleasant； clever
expression of facean effect chiefly due to the prominence of
the lower part of his forehead。
〃What？ Are you exchanging tickets； gentlemen？〃 he said。
〃No。 He only gave me his to look at； professor；〃 answered Ikonin
and； sure enough； the word 〃professor〃 was the last word that he
uttered there。 Once again； he stepped backwards towards me from
the table； once again he looked at each of the professors in turn
and then at myself； once again he smiled faintly； and once again
he shrugged his shoulders as much as to say； 〃It is no use； my
good sirs。〃 Then he returned to the desks。 Subsequently； I learnt
that this was the third year he had vainly attempted to
matriculate。
I answered my question well； for I had just read it up； and the
professor； kindly informing me that I had done even better than
was required； placed me fifth。
XII
MY EXAMINATION IN LATIN
All went well until my examination in Latin。 So far； a gymnasium
student stood first on the list； Semenoff second； and myself
third。 On the strength of it I had begun to swagger a little； and
to think that； for all my youth； I was not to be despised。
From the first day of the examinations； I had heard every one
speak with awe of the Professor of Latin； who appeared to be some
sort of a wild beast who battened on the financial ruin of young
men （of those； that is to say； who paid their own fees） and spoke
only in the Greek and Latin tongues。 However； St。 Jerome； who had
coached me in Latin； spoke encouragingly； and I myself thought
that； since I could translate Cicero and certain parts of Horace
without the aid of a lexicon； I should do no worse than the rest。
Yet things proved otherwise。 All the morning the air had been
full of rumours concerning the tribulations of candidates who had
gone up before me： rumours of how one young fellow had been
accorded a nought； another one a single mark only； a third one
greeted with abuse and threatened with expulsion； and so forth。
Only Semenoff and the first gymnasium student had； as usual； gone
up quietly； and returned to their seats with five marks credited
to their names。 Already I felt a prescience of disaster when
Ikonin and myself found ourselves summoned to the little table at
which the terrible professor sat in solitary grandeur。
The terrible professor turned out to be a little thin； bilious…
looking man with hair long and greasy and a face expressive of
extraordinary sullenness。 Handing Ikonin a copy of Cicero's
Orations； he bid him translate。 To my great astonishment Ikonin
not only read off some of the Latin； but even managed to construe
a few lines to the professor's prompting。 At the same time；
conscious of my superiority over such a feeble companion； I could
not help smiling a little； and even looking rather contemptuous；
when it came to a question of analysis； and Ikonin； as on
previous occasions； plunged into a silence which promised never
to end。 I had hoped to please the professor by that knowing；
slightly sarcastic smile of mine； but； as a matter of fact； I
contrived to do quite the contrary。
〃Evidently you know better than he； since you are laughing；〃 he
said to me in bad Russian。 〃Well； we shall see。 Tell me the
answer； then。〃
Later I learnt that the professor was Ikonin's guardian； and that
Ikonin actually lived with him。 I lost no time in answering the
question in syntax which had been put to Ikonin； but the
professor only pulled a long face and turned away from me。
〃Well； your turn will come presently； and then we shall see how
much you know；〃 he remarked； without looking at me； but
proceeding to explain to Ikonin the point on which he had
questioned him。
〃That will do；〃 he added； and I saw him put down four marks to
Ikonin in his register。 〃Come！〃 I thought to myself。 〃He cannot
be so strict after all。〃
When Ikonin had taken his departure the professor spent fully
five minutesfive minutes which seemed to me five hoursin
setting his books and tickets in order； in blowing his nose； in
adjusting and sprawling about on his chair； in gazing down the
hall； and in looking here； there； and everywherein doing
everything； in fact； except once letting his eye rest upon me。
Yet even that amount of dissimulation did not seem to satisfy
him； for he next opened a book； and pretended to read it； for all
the world as though I were not there at all。 I moved a little
nearer him； and gave a cough。
〃Ah； yes！ You too； of course！ Well； translate me something；〃 he
remarked； handing me a book of some kind。 〃But no； you had better
take this；〃 and； turning over the leaves of a Horace； he
indicated to me a passage which I should never have imagined
possible of translation。
〃I have not prepared this；〃 I said。
〃Oh！ Then you only wish to answer things which you have got by
heart； do you？ Indeed？ No； no； translate me that。〃
I started to grope for the meaning of the passage； but each
questioning look which I threw at the professor was met by a
shake of the head； a profound sigh； and an exclamation of 〃No；
no！〃 Finally he banged the book to with such a snap that he
caught his finger between the covers。 Angrily releasing it； he
handed me a ticket containing questions in grammar； and； flinging
himself back in his chair； maintained a menacing silence。 I
should have tried to answer the questions had not the expression
of his face so clogged my tongue that nothing seemed to come from
it right。
〃No； no！ That's not it at all！〃 he suddenly exclaimed in his
horrible accent as he altered his posture to one of leaning
forward upon the table and playing with the gold signet…ring
which was nearly slipping from the little finger of his left
hand。 〃That is not the way to prepare for serious study； my good
sir。 Fellows like yourself think that； once they have a gown and
a blue collar to their backs； they have reached the summit of all
things and become students。 No； no； my dear sir。 A subject needs
to be studied FUNDAMENTALLY；〃 and so on； and so on。