"I trembled with funk."
"I think most of you do. It's fortunate that all you men when you
first come up are afraid of your fathers. It gives us a certain amount
of hold over you. If the thing were done properly, both at the
'Varsities and the hospitals, there would be a system of marks and
reports just as at schools. You are only boys when you first come up,
and you should be treated as boys; instead, you are left free and
irresponsible. It ruins dozens of men every year."
"Perhaps that's why I'm here now," George responded. "You know I got
ploughed?"
The Dean told George how sorry he had been to hear it. He questioned:
"Bad luck, I suppose? I thought it was a sitter for you this time."
"Yes, rotten luck."
"It's unfortunate, you know. You would have got a house appointment.
I'm afraid you will miss that mow. There will be a crowd of very hot
men up with you in October, junior to you, who will get the vacancies.
What will you do?"
George shrugged and laughed.
The Dean frowned; interpreted the shrug. "Well, you should care," he
said. "You ought to be looking around you. Won't your uncle help you
to buy a partnership?"
"We are on worse terms than ever after this failure. Not he."
"And you're not trying to be on good terms, I suppose?"
"Not I."
"You are a remarkably silly young man.
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