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lenses carefully； and to replace them）。 Still not a word from
Ikonin。 All at once； however； a smile spread itself over his
face； and he gave his long hair another shake。 Next he reached
across the table； laid down his ticket； looked at each of the
professors in turn and then at myself； and finally； wheeling
round on his heels； made a gesture with his hand and returned to
the desks。 The professors stared blankly at one another。
〃Bless the fellow！〃 said the youngish professor。 〃What an
original！〃
It was now my turn to move towards the table； but the professors
went on talking in undertones among themselves； as though they
were unaware of my presence。 At the moment； I felt firmly
persuaded that the three of them were engrossed solely with the
question of whether I should merely PASS the examination or
whether I should pass it WELL； and that it was only swagger which
made them pretend that they did not care either way； and behave
as though they had not seen me。
When at length the professor in the spectacles turned to me with
an air of indifference； and invited me to answer； I felt hurt； as
I looked at him； to think that he should have so undeceived me：
wherefore I answered brokenly at first。 In time； however； things
came easier to my tongue； and； inasmuch as all the questions bore
upon Russian history （which I knew thoroughly）； I ended with
eclat； and even went so far； in my desire to convince the
professors that I was not Ikonin and that they must not in anyway
confound me with him； as to offer to draw a second ticket。 The
professor in the spectacles； however； merely nodded his head；
said 〃That will do；〃 and marked something in his register。 On
returning to the desks； I at once learnt from the gymnasium men
（who somehow seemed to know everything） that I had been placed
fifth。
XI
MY EXAMINATION IN MATHEMATICS
AT the subsequent examinations； I made several new acquaintances
in addition to the Graps （whom I considered unworthy of my
notice） and Iwin （who for some reason or other avoided me）。 With
some of these new friends I grew quite intimate； and even Ikonin
plucked up sufficient courage to inform me； when we next met；
that he would have to undergo re…examination in historythe
reason for his failure this time being that the professor of that
faculty had never forgiven him for last year's examination； and
had； indeed； 〃almost killed〃 him for it。 Semenoff （who was
destined for the same faculty as myselfthe faculty of
mathematics） avoided every one up to the very close of
the examinations。 Always leaning forward upon his elbows and
running his fingers through his grey hair； he sat silent and
alone。 Nevertheless； when called up for examination in
mathematics （he had no companion to accompany him）； he came out
second。 The first place was taken by a student from the first
gymnasiuma tall； dark； lanky； pale…faced fellow who wore a
black folded cravat and had his cheeks and forehead dotted all
over with pimples。 His hands were shapely and slender； but their
nails were so bitten to the quick that the finger…ends looked as
though they had been tied round with strips of thread。 All this
seemed to me splendid； and wholly becoming to a student of the
first gymnasium。 He spoke to every one； and we all made friends
with him。 To me in particular his walk； his every movement； his
lips； his dark eyes； all seemed to have in them something
extraordinary and magnetic。
On the day of the mathematical examination I arrived earlier than
usual at the hall。 I knew the syllabus well； yet there were two
questions in the algebra which my tutor had managed to pass over；
and which were therefore quite unknown to me。 If I remember
rightly； they were the Theory of Combinations and Newton's
Binomial。 I seated myself on one of the back benches and pored
over the two questions； but； inasmuch as I was not accustomed to
working in a noisy room； and had even less time for preparation
than I had anticipated； I soon found it difficult to take in all
that I was reading。
〃Here he is。 This way； Nechludoff；〃 said Woloda's familiar voice
behind me。
I turned and saw my brother and Dimitritheir gowns unbuttoned；
and their hands waving a greeting to methreading their way
through the desks。 A moment's glance would have sufficed to show
any one that they were second…course studentspersons to whom
the University was as a second home。 The mere look of their open
gowns expressed at once disdain for the 〃mere candidate〃 and a
knowledge that the 〃mere candidate's〃 soul was filled with envy
and admiration of them。 I was charmed to think that every one
near me could now see that I knew two real second…course
students： wherefore I hastened to meet them half…way。
Woloda； of course； could not help vaunting his superiority a
little。
〃Hullo； you smug！〃 he said。 〃Haven't you been examined yet？〃
〃No。〃
〃Well； what are you reading？ Aren't you sufficiently primed？〃
〃Yes； except in two questions。 I don't understand them at all。〃
〃Eh； what？〃and Woloda straightway began to expound to me
Newton's Binomial； but so rapidly and unintelligibly that；
suddenly reading in my eyes certain misgivings as to the
soundness of his knowledge； he glanced also at Dimitri's face。
Clearly； he saw the same misgivings there； for he blushed hotly；
though still continuing his involved explanations。
〃No； hold on； Woloda； and let me try and do it；〃 put in Dimitri
at length； with a glance at the professors' corner as he seated
himself beside me。
I could see that my friend was in the best of humours。 This was
always the case with him when he was satisfied with himself； and
was one of the things in him which I liked best。 Inasmuch as he
knew mathematics well and could speak clearly； he hammered the
question so thoroughly into my head that I can remember it to
this day。 Hardly had he finished when St。 Jerome said to me in a
loud whisper； 〃A vous； Nicolas；〃 and I followed Ikonin out from
among the desks without having had an opportunity of going
through the OTHER question of which I was ignorant。 At the table
which we now approached were seated two professors； while before
the blackboard stood a gymnasium student； who was working some
formula aloud； and knocking bits off the end of the chalk with
his too vigorous strokes。 He even continued writing after one of
the Professors had said to him 〃Enough！〃 and bidden us draw our
tickets。 〃Suppose I get the Theory of Combinations？〃 I thought to
myself as my tremulous fingers took a ticket from among a bundle
wrapped in torn paper。 Ikonin； for his part； reached across the
table with the same assurance； and the same sidelong movement of
his whole body； as he had done at the previous examination。
Taking the topmost ticket without troubling to make further
selection； he just glanced at it； and then frowned angrily。
〃I always draw this kind of thing；〃 he muttered。
I looked at mine。 Horrors！ It was the Theory of Combinations！
〃What have you got？〃 whispered Ikonin at this point。
I showed him。
〃Oh； I know that；〃 he said。
〃Will you make an exchange； then？〃
〃No。 Besides； it would be all the same for me if I did；〃 he
contrived to whisper just as the professor called us up to the
blackboard。 〃I don't feel up to anything to…day。〃
〃Then everything is lost！〃 I thought to myself。 Instead of the
brilliant result which I had anticipated I should be for ever
covered with shamemore so even than Ikonin！ Suddenly； under the
very eyes of the professor； Ikonin turned to me； snatched my
ticket out of my hands； and handed me his own。 I looked at his
ticket。 It was Newton's Binomial！
The professor was a youngish man； with a pleasant； clever
expression of facean effect chiefly due to the prominence of
the lower part of his forehead。
〃What？ Are you exchanging tickets； gentlemen？〃 he said。
〃No。 He only gave me his to look at； professor；〃 answered Ikonin
and； sure enough； the word 〃professor〃 was the last word that he
uttered there。 Once again； he stepped backwards towards me from
the table； once again he looked at each of the professors in turn
and then at myself； once again he smiled faintly； and once again
he shrugged his shoulders as much as to say； 〃It is no use； my
good sirs。〃 Then he returned to the desks。 Subsequently； I learnt
that this was the third year he had vainly attempted to
matriculate。
I answered my question well； for I had just read it up； and the
professor； kindly informing me that I had done even better than
was required； placed me fifth。
XII
MY EXAMINATION IN LATIN
All went well until my examination in Latin。 So far； a gymnasium
student stood first on the list； Semenoff second； and myself
third。 On the strength of it I had begun to swagger a little； and
to think that； for all my youth； I was not to be despised。
From the fir