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The clocks of Massachusetts struck eleven。 Oscar rose doubtfully from
his chair in Billy's study。 Again he looked into Billy's bedroom and at
the empty bed。 Then he went for a moment and watched the still forcibly
sleeping John。 He turned his eyes this way and that； and after standing
for a while moved quietly back to his chair and sat down with the
leather wallet of notes on his lap； his knees together； and his
unblocked shoes touching。 In due time the clocks of Massachusetts
struck noon。
In a meadow where a brown amber stream ran； lay Bertie and Billy on the
grass。 Their summer coats were off； their belts loosened。 They watched
with eyes half closed the long water…weeds moving gently as the current
waved and twined them。 The black gelding； brought along a farm road and
through a gate； waited at its ease in the field beside a stone wall。 Now
and then it stretched and cropped a young leaf from a vine that grew
over the wall； and now and then the want wind brought down the fruit
blossoms all over the meadow。 They fell from the tree where Bertie and
Billy lay； and the boys brushed them from their faces。 Not very far
away was Blue Hill； softly shining； and crows high up in the air came
from it occasionally across here。
By one o'clock a change had come in Billy's room。 Oscar during that
hour had opened his satchel of philosophy upon his lap and read his
notes attentively。 Being almost word perfect in many parts of them； he
now spent his unexpected leisure in acquiring accurately the language of
still further paragraphs。〃 The sharp line of demarcation which
Descartes drew between consciousness and the material world；〃 whispered
Oscar with satisfaction； and knew that if Descartes were on the
examination paper he could start with this and go on for nearly twenty
lines before he would have to use any words of his own。 As he
memorized； the chambermaid； who had come to do the bedrooms three times
already and had gone away again； now returned and no longer restrained
her indignation。 〃Get up Mr。 Blake！ 〃 she vociferated to the sleeping
John； 〃you ought to be ashamed！〃 And she shook the bedstead。 Thus John
had come to rise and discover Oscar。 The patient tutor explained
himself as John listened in his pyjamas。
〃Why； I'm sorry；〃 said he； 〃but I don't believe they'll get back very
soon。〃
〃They have gone away？〃 asked Oscar； sharply。
〃Ahyes；〃 returned the reticent John。 〃An unexpected matter of
importance。〃
〃But； my dear sir； those gentlemen know nothing！ Philosophy 4 is
tomorrow； and they know nothing。〃
〃They'll have to stand it； then；〃 said John； with a grin。
〃And my time。 I am waiting here。 I am engaged to teach them。 I have
been waiting here since ten。 They engaged me all day and this evening。
〃I don't believe there's the slightest use in your waiting now； you
know。 They'll probably let you know when they come back。〃
〃Probably！ But they have engaged my time。 The girl knows I was here
ready at ten。 I call you to witness that you found me waiting； ready at
any time。〃
John in his pyjamas stared at Oscar。 〃Why； of course they'll pay you
the whole thing；〃 said he； coldly； 〃stay here if you prefer。〃 And he
went into the bathroom and closed the door。
The tutor stood awhile； holding his notes and turning his little eyes
this way and that。 His young days had been dedicated to getting the
better of his neighbor； because otherwise his neighbor would get the
better of him。 Oscar had never suspected the existence of boys like
John and Bertie and Billy。 He stood holding his notes； and then；
buckling them up once more； he left the room with evidently reluctant
steps。 It was at this time that the clocks struck one。
In their field among the soft new grass sat Bertie and Billy some ten
yards apart； each with his back against an apple tree。 Each had his
notes and took his turn at questioning the other。 Thus the names of the
Greek philosophers with their dates and doctrines were shouted gayly in
the meadow。 The foreheads of the boys were damp to…day； as they had
been last night； and their shirts were opened to the air； but it was the
sun that made them hot now； and no lamp or gas； and already they looked
twice as alive as they had looked at breakfast。 There they sat； while
their memories gripped the summarized list of facts essential； facts to
be known accurately； the simple； solid； raw facts； which； should they
happen to come on the examination paper； no skill could evade nor any
imagination supply。 But this study was no longer dry and dreadful to
them： they had turned it to a sporting event。 〃What about Heracleitos？〃
Billy as catechist would put at Bertie。 〃Eternal flux；〃 Bertie would
correctly snap back at Billy。 Or； if he got it mixed up； and replied；
〃Everything is water；〃 which was the doctrine of another Greek； then
Billy would credit himself with twenty…five cents on a piece of paper。
Each ran a memorandum of this kind； and you can readily see how spirited
a character metaphysics would assume under such conditions。
〃I'm going in；〃 said Bertie； suddenly； as Billy was crediting himself
with a fifty…cent gain。 〃What's your score？〃
〃Two seventy…five； counting your break on Parmenides。 It'II be cold。〃
〃No； it won't。 Well； I'm only a quarter behind you。〃 And Bertie puffed
off his shoes。 Soon he splashed into the stream where the bend made a
hole of some depth。
〃Cold？〃 inquired Billy on the bank。 Bertie closed his eyes dreamily。
〃Delicious；〃 said he； and sank luxuriously beneath the surface with slow
strokes。
Billy had his clothes off in a moment； and； taking the plunge； screamed
loudly 〃You liar！〃 he yelled； as he came up。 And he made for Bertie。
Delight rendered Bertie weak and helpless； he was caught and ducked； and
after some vigorous wrestling both came out of the icy water。
〃Now we've got no towels； you fool；〃 said Billy。
〃Use your notes；〃 said Bertie； and he rolled in the grass。 Then they
chased each other round the apple trees； and the black gelding watched
them by the wall； its ears well forward。
While they were dressing they discovered it was half…past one； and
became instantly famished。 〃We should have brought lunch along；〃 they
told each other。 But they forgot that no such thing as lunch could have
induced them to delay their escape from Cambridge for a moment this
morning。 〃What do you suppose Oscar is doing now？〃 Billy inquired of
Bertie； as they led the black gelding back to the road； and Bertie
laughed like an infant。 〃Gentlemen；〃 said he； in Oscar's manner； 〃we
now approach the multiplicity of the ego。〃 The black gelding must have
thought it had humorists to deal with this day。
Oscar； as a matter of fact； was eating his cheap lunch away over in
Cambridge。 There was cold mutton； and boiled potatoes with hard brown
spots in them； and large picked cucumbers； and the salt was damp and
would not shake out through the holes in the top of the bottle。 But
Oscar ate two helps of everything with a good appetite； and between
whiles looked at his notes； which lay open beside him on the table。 At
the stroke of two he was again knocking at his pupils' door。 But no
answer came。 John had gone away somewhere for indefinite hours and the
door was locked。 So Oscar wrote： 〃Called； two p。m。；〃 on a scrap of
envelope； signed his name； and put it through the letter…slit。 It
crossed his mind to hunt other pupils for his vacant time； but he
decided against this at once； and returned to his own room。 Three
o'clock found him back at the door； knocking scrupulously； The idea of
performing his side of the contract； of tendering his goods and standing
ready at all times to deliver them； was in his commercially mature mind。
This time he had brought a neat piece of paper with him； and wrote upon
it； 〃Called； three P。M。；〃 and signed it as before； and dep