was　not　a　specimen　of　the　first　rank；　or　he　would　have　said　at　once　what
  he　said　now：　〃I　wish　to　study　my　notes　a　little　myself；　gentlemen。〃
  〃Go　along；　Oscar；　with　your　inflammable　notes；　go　along！〃　said　Bertie；
  in　supreme　good…humor。　　〃And　we'll　meet　to…morrow　at　tenif　there
  hasn't　been　a　fireBetter　keep　your　notes　in　the　bath；　Oscar。〃
  In　as　much　haste　as　could　be　made　with　a　good　appearance；　Oscar　buckled
  his　volume　in　its　leather　cover；　gathered　his　hat　and　pencil；　and；
  bidding　his　pupils　a　very　good　night；　sped　smoothly　out　of　the　room。
  III
  Oscar　Maironi　was　very　poor。　　His　thin　gray　suit　in　summer　resembled　his
  thick　gray　suit　in　winter。　　It　does　not　seem　that　he　had　more　than　two；
  but　he　had　a　black　coat　and　waistcoat；　and　a　narrow…brimmed；　shiny　hat
  to　go　with　these；　and　one　pair　of　patent…leather　shoes　that　laced；　and
  whose　long　soles　curved　upward　at　the　toe　like　the　rockers　of　a
  summer…hotel　chair。　　These　holiday　garments　served　him　in　all　seasons；
  and　when　you　saw　him　dressed　in　them；　and　seated　in　a　car　bound　for　Park
  Square；　you　knew　he　was　going　into　Boston；　where　he　would　read
  manuscript　essays　on　Botticelli　or　Pico　della　Mirandola；　or　manuscript
  translations　of　Armenian　folksongs；　read　these　to　ecstatic；　dim…eyed
  ladies　in　Newbury　Street；　who　would　pour　him　cups　of　tea　when　it　was
  over；　and　speak　of　his　earnestness　after　he　was　gone。　　It　did　not　do　the
  ladies　any　harm；　but　I　am　not　sure　that　it　was　the　best　thing　for　Oscar。
  It　helped　him　feel　every　day；　as　he　stepped　along　to　recitations　with
  his　elbow　clamping　his　books　against　his　ribs　and　his　heavy　black　curls
  bulging　down　from　his　gray　slouch　hat　to　his　collar；　how　meritorious　he
  was　compared　with　Bertie　and　Billywith　all　Berties　and　Billies。　　He
  may　have　been。　　Who　shall　say？　　But　I　will　say　at　once　that　chewing　the
  cud　of　one's　own　virtue　gives　a　sour　stomach。
  Bertie's　and　Billy's　parents　owned　town　and　country　houses　in　New　York。
  The　parents　of　Oscar　had　come　over　in　the　steerage。　　Money　filled　the
  pockets　of　Bertie　and　Billy；　therefore　were　their　heads　empty　of　money
  and　full　of　less　cramping　thoughts。　　Oscar　had　fallen　upon　the　reverse
  of　this　fate。　　Calculation　was　his　second　nature。　　He　had　given　his
  education　to　himself；　he　had　for　its　sake　toiled；　traded；　outwitted；　and
  saved。　　He　had　sent　himself　to　college；　where　most　of　the　hours　not
  given　to　education　and　more　education；　went　to　toiling　and　more　toiling；
  that　he　might　pay　his　meagre　way　through　the　college　world。　　He　had　a
  cheaper　room　and　ate　cheaper　meals　than　was　necessary。　　He　tutored；　and
  he　wrote　college　specials　for　several　newspapers。　　His　chief　relaxation
  was　the　praise　of　the　ladies　in　Newbury　Street。　　These　told　him　of　the
  future　which　awaited　him；　and　when　they　gazed　upon　his　features　were　put
  in　mind　of　the　dying　Keats。　　Not　that　Oscar　was　going　to　die　in　the
  least。　　Life　burned　strong　in　him。　　There　were　sly　times　when　he　took
  what　he　had　saved　by　his　cheap　meals　and　room　and　went　to　Boston　with
  it；　and　for　a　few　hours　thoroughly　ceased　being　ascetic。　　Yet　Oscar　felt
  meritorious　when　he　considered　Bertie　and　Billy；　for；　like　the
  socialists；　merit　with　him　meant　not　being　able　to　live　as　well　as　your
  neighbor。　　You　will　think　that　I　have　given　to　Oscar　what　is　familiarly
  termed　a　black　eye。　　But　I　was　once　inclined　to　applaud　his　struggle　for
  knowledge；　until　I　studied　him　close　and　perceived　that　his　love　was　not
  for　the　education　he　was　getting。　　Bertie　and　Billy　loved　play　for
  play's　own　sake；　and　in　play　forgot　themselves；　like　the　wholesome　young
  creatures　that　they　were。　　Oscar　had　one　love　only：　through　all　his　days
  whatever　he　might　forget；　he　would　remember　himself；　through　all　his
  days　he　would　make　knowledge　show　that　self　off。　　Thank　heaven；　all　the
  poor　students　in　Harvard　College　were　not　Oscars！　　I　loved　some　of　them
  as　much　as　I　loved　Bertie　and　Billy。　　So　there　is　no　black　eye　about　it。
  Pity　Oscar；　if　you　like；　but　don't　be　so　mushy　as　to　admire　him　as　he
  stepped　along　in　the　night；　holding　his　notes；　full　of　his　knowledge；
  thinking　of　Bertie　and　Billy；　conscious　of　virtue；　and　smiling　his
  smile。　　They　were　not　conscious　of　any　virtue；　were　Bertie　and　Billy；
  nor　were　they　smiling。　　They　were　solemnly　eating　up　together　a　box　of
  handsome　strawberries　and　sucking　the　juice　from　their　reddened　thumbs。
  〃Rather　mean　not　to　make　him　wait　and　have　some　of　these　after　his　hard
  work　on　us；〃　said　Bertie。　　〃I'd　forgotten　about　them〃
  〃He　ran　out　before　you　could　remember；　anyway；〃　said　Billy。
  〃Wasn't　he　absurd　about　his　old　notes？　　〃Bertie　went　on；　a　new
  strawberry　in　his　mouth。　　〃We　don't　need　them；　though。　　With　to…morrow
  we'll　get　this　course　down　cold。〃
  〃Yes；　to…morrow；〃　sighed　Billy。　　〃It's　awful　to　think　of　another　day　of
  this　kind。〃
  〃Horrible；〃　assented　Bertie。
  〃He　knows　a　lot。　　He's　extraordinary；〃　said　Billy。
  〃Yes；　he　is。　　He　can　talk　the　actual　words　of　the　notes。　　Probably　he
  could　teach　the　course　himself。　　I　don't　suppose　he　buys　any
  strawberries；　even　when　they　get　ripe　and　cheap　here。　　What's　the　matter
  with　you？〃
  Billy　had　broken　suddenly　into　merriment。　　〃I　don't　believe　Oscar　owns　a
  bath；〃　he　explained。
  〃By　Jove！　so　his　notes　will　burn　in　spite　of　everything！〃　　And　both　of
  the　tennis　boys　shrieked　foolishly。
  Then　Billy　began　taking　his　clothes　off；　strewing　them　in　the
  window…seat；　or　anywhere　that　they　happened　to　drop；　and　Bertie；　after
  hitting　another　cork　or　two　out　of　the　window　with　the　tennis　racket；
  departed　to　his　own　room　on　another　floor　and　left　Billy　to　immediate
  and　deep　slumber。　　This　was　broken　for　a　few　moments　when　Billy's
  room…mate　returned　happy　from　an　excursion　which　had　begun　in　the
  morning。
  The　room…mate　sat　on　Billy's　feet　until　that　gentleman　showed
  consciousness。
  〃I've　done　it；　said　the　room…mate；　then。
  〃The　hell　you　have！〃
  〃You　couldn't　do　it。〃
  〃The　hell　I　couldn't！〃
  〃Great　dinner。〃
  〃The　hell　it　was！〃
  〃Soft…shell　crabs；　broiled　live　lobster；　salmon；　grass…plover；
  dough…birds；　rum　omelette。　　Bet　you　five　dollars　you　can't　find　it。〃
  〃Take　you。　　Got　to　bed。〃　　And　Billy　fell　again　into　deep；　immediate
  slumber。
  The　room…mate　went　out　into　the　sitting　room；　and　noting　the　signs　there
  of　the　hard　work　which　had　gone　on　during　his　absence；　was　glad　that　he
  did　not　take　Philosophy　4。　　He　was　soon　asleep　also。
  IV
  Billy　got　up　early。　　As　he　plunged　into　his　cold　bath　he　envied　his
  room…mate；　who　could　remain　at　rest　indefinitely；　while　his　own　hard　lot
  was　hurrying　him　to　prayers　and　breakfast　and　Oscar's　inexorable　notes。
  He　sighed　once　more　as　he　looked　at　the　beauty　of　the　new　morning　and
  felt　its　air　upon　his　cheeks。　　He　and　Bertie　belonged　to　the　same
  club…table；　and　they　met　there　mournfully　over　the　oatmeal。　　This　very
  hour　to…morrow　would　see　them　eating　their　last　before　the　examination
  in　Philosophy　4。　　And　nothing　pleasant　was　going　to　happen
  between；nothing　that　they　could　dwell　upon　with　the　slightest
  satisfaction。　　Nor　had　their　sleep　entirely　refreshed　them。　　Their　eyes
  were　not　quite　right；　and　their　hair；　though　it　was　brushed；　showed
  fatigue　of　the　nerves　in　a　certain　inclination　to　limpness　and　disorder。
  〃Epicharmos　of　Kos
  Was　covered　with　moss；〃
  remarked　Billy。
  〃Thales　and　Zeno
  Were　duffers　at　keno；〃
  added　Bertie。
  In　the　hours　of　trial　they　would　often　express　their　education　thus。
  〃Philosophers　I　have　met；〃　murmured　Billy；　with　scorn　And　they　ate
  silently　for　some　time。
  〃There's　one　thing　that's　valuable；〃　said　Bertie　next。　　〃When　they
  spring　those　tricks　on　you　about　the　flying　arrow　not　moving；　and　all
  the　rest；　and　prove　it　all　right　by　logic；　you　learn　what　pure　logic
  amounts　to　when　it　cuts　loose　from　common　sense。　　And　Oscar　thinks　it's
  immense。　We　shocked　him。〃
  〃He's　found　the　Bird…in…Hand！〃　cried　Billy；　quite　suddenly。
  〃Oscar？〃　said　Bertie；　with　an　equal　shout。
  〃No；　John。　　John　has。　　Came　home　last　night　and　waked　me　up　and　told
  me。〃
  〃Good　for　John；〃　remarked　Bertie；　pensively。
  Now；　to　the　undergraduate　mind　of　that　day　the　Bird…in…Hand　tavern　was
  what　the　golden　fleece　used　to　be　to　the　Greeks；　a　sort　of　shining；
  remote；　miraculous　thing；　difficult　though　not　impossible　to　find；　for
  which　expeditions　were　fitted　out。　　It　was　reported　to　be　somewhere　in
  the　direction　of　Quincy；　and　in　one　respect　it　resembled　a　ghost：　you
  never　saw　a　man　who　had　seen　it　himself；　it　was　always　his　cousin；　or
  his　elder　brother　in　'79。　　But　for　the　successful　explorer　a　dinner　and
  wines　were　waiting　at　the　Bird…in…Hand　more　delicious　than　anything
  outside　of　Paradise。　　You　will　realize；　therefore；　what　a　thing　it　was
  to　have　a　room…mate　who　had　attained。　　If　Billy　had　not　been　so
  dog…tired　last　ni