or else we lie."

Out came the watch again. The pantomime of waiting in silence and of
replacing the watch was re-enacted. Then Radley, half smiling, as if
he knew the worst was over, took up his question once more.

"Well, how's the cheating going on?"

Since I was not allowed to prevaricate, all that remained for me to
do was to return no reply. But there was stubbornness in my silence;
I should have liked to say pettishly: "But you won't let me explain,
you won't let me explain."

And then--quickly--Radley grasped me by the elbow and looked
straight down at me. For a second I resisted and tried to pull the
elbow away. His grip, however, was too strong, and I yielded.

I know now that his feeling for all the boys, as he gazed down upon
them from his splendid height, was love--a strong, active love. We
were young, human things, of soft features gradually becoming firmer
as of shallow characters gradually deepening. And he longed to be in
it all--at work in the deepening. We were his hobby. I have met
many such lovers of youth. Indeed, I think this is a book about
them.

And, as I am certain of his feelings for us all, so am I certain of
his feelings for myself. Those who were most pliant to his touch
loomed, of course, largest in his thoughts: and my mother's letter,
giving him the proof of my affection, which, since it was less
obtrusive than Doe's, had been probably less clear to him, brought
me in the foreground of his view. Be it right or wrong, this man
with the hard chin and kind eyes had his favourites; and I date from
this moment my usurping of Doe's position as Radley's foremost
favourite. The way in which he took hold of my elbow, my willing
submission of the army to his grasp told me that something was given
by him and taken by me. And my eyes, as was to be expected of them,
became suddenly moist and luminous.

"Time's going," he said, "and this Roman History lesson is upon us.
Have you learnt it?"

"No, sir."

"Well, the issue is simple: either you continue cheating, or you
give up no marks. Shall you cheat any more?"

"N-no, sir."

"Good, then you give up no marks."

"All right, sir."

"Well, hurry away. And if, when the big moment comes, you succeed in
doing what's right, come and see me again."

Sec.5

The big moment came. Fillet opened his mark-book and read the names
in the order of last term's examination-list, which brought Doe's
name first. Doe was mending a nib when his nam