solution is as grand
a subject. It would mean years of preparation, and again years in the
writing. The siege and capture of Rome by Alaric--what do you think?"

"A work not to be raised from the heat of youth, or the vapours of
wine. But who knows?"

There was high talk in Walcot Square that evening. All unknown to its
other inhabitants, the poor lodging-house was converted into a temple
of the Muses, and harmonies as from Apollo's lyre throbbed in the
hearts of the two friends. The future was their inexhaustible subject,
the seed-plot of strange hopes and desires. They talked the night into
morning, hardly daunted when perforce they remembered the day's work.

CHAPTER X

THE WAY OUT

The ruling spirit of the Academy was Mrs. Tootle. Her husband's
constitutional headache, and yet more constitutional laziness, left to
her almost exclusively the congenial task of guiding the household, and
even of disciplining the school. In lesson-time she would even flit
about the classrooms, and not scruple to administer sharp rebukes to a
teacher whose pupils were disorderly, the effect of this naturally
being to make confusion worse confounded. The boys of course hated her
with the hatred of which schoolboys alone are capable, and many a
practical joke was played at her expense, not, however, with impunity.
Still more pronounced, if possible, was the animus entertained against
Mrs. Tootle's offspring, and it was upon the head of Master Felix that
the full energy of detestation concentrated itself. He was, in truth,
as offensive a young imp as the soil of a middle-class boarding-school
could well produce. If Mrs. Tootle ruled the Academy, he in turn ruled
Mrs. Tootle, and on all occasions showed himself a most exemplary
autocrat. His position, however, as in the case of certain other
autocratic rulers, had its disadvantages; he could never venture to
wander out of earshot of his father or mother, who formed his
body-guard, and the utmost prudence did not suffice to protect him from
an occasional punch on the head, or a nip in a tender part, meant
probably as earnest of more substantial kindnesses to be conferred upon
him at the very earliest opportunity.

To poor Egger fell the unpleasant duty of instructing these young
Tootles in the elements of the French language. For that purpose he
went up every morning to the class-room on the first floor, and for a
while relieved Miss Enderby of her charge. With anguish of spiri