almost winced at my manner of
grasping it. My father always said that he knew a man by his
hand-shake, but I ought to have been wise enough to spare the Warden.

"I was in doubt whether or no we were to have the privilege of seeing
you this morning. Perhaps the fatigues of a long journey by rail
caused you to remain in your bedroom for a longer time than is usual,
or indeed beneficial."

I was on the point of saying that I had been up at eight o'clock, when
it occurred to me that an apology would be shorter than an explanation,
so I mumbled that I was very sorry for being late. My chief desire was
to get away from an atmosphere which I found overpowering.

I had to listen to some more remarks from the Warden, all of which were
spun out in his extraordinary way, and at last I was introduced to my
tutor, Mr. Gilbert Edwardes, who took me on one side and set to work
telling me what lectures I was to attend. I think he meant to be
friendly but he had a dreadfully stiff manner, and I am sure that he
found it very difficult to unbend. He reminded me most strongly of a
shirt with too much starch in it, or whatever it is that makes shirts
as stiff as boards.

Later on in the day I went to see him in his rooms in college and he
gave me a little advice and exhorted me to work. It was all a
cut-and-dried sort of affair which did not appeal to any feelings I
had, but since he was my tutor I thought I had better tell him
something about myself.

He was even smaller than the Warden and quite the most prim-looking man
I have ever beheld. His face was colourless and smooth, and as I sat
opposite him in his gloomy room he looked so tidy and sure of himself
that I found a great difficulty in speaking to him. Having said the
usual things he was very obviously expecting me to go, but I did not
want him to begin by thinking that I was a saint, though why I imagined
that he was in any danger of thinking so I cannot explain. He had,
however, said so much about work and the great care I must take in
avoiding men who distracted me from my duty, that I thought I had
better tell him that I was a very human being.

I never remember having twiddled my thumbs before but I caught myself
doing it in his room. He was so placid and demure that I could not
imagine that he had ever done a foolish thing in his life. It was
impossible for me to think that he had ever been young, and I wanted
him to know that I was both young and foolish.