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was not a specimen of the first rank； or he would have said at once what
he said now： 〃I wish to study my notes a little myself； gentlemen。〃
〃Go along； Oscar； with your inflammable notes； go along！〃 said Bertie；
in supreme good…humor。 〃And we'll meet to…morrow at tenif there
hasn't been a fireBetter keep your notes in the bath； Oscar。〃
In as much haste as could be made with a good appearance； Oscar buckled
his volume in its leather cover； gathered his hat and pencil； and；
bidding his pupils a very good night； sped smoothly out of the room。
III
Oscar Maironi was very poor。 His thin gray suit in summer resembled his
thick gray suit in winter。 It does not seem that he had more than two；
but he had a black coat and waistcoat； and a narrow…brimmed； shiny hat
to go with these； and one pair of patent…leather shoes that laced； and
whose long soles curved upward at the toe like the rockers of a
summer…hotel chair。 These holiday garments served him in all seasons；
and when you saw him dressed in them； and seated in a car bound for Park
Square； you knew he was going into Boston； where he would read
manuscript essays on Botticelli or Pico della Mirandola； or manuscript
translations of Armenian folksongs； read these to ecstatic； dim…eyed
ladies in Newbury Street； who would pour him cups of tea when it was
over； and speak of his earnestness after he was gone。 It did not do the
ladies any harm； but I am not sure that it was the best thing for Oscar。
It helped him feel every day； as he stepped along to recitations with
his elbow clamping his books against his ribs and his heavy black curls
bulging down from his gray slouch hat to his collar； how meritorious he
was compared with Bertie and Billywith all Berties and Billies。 He
may have been。 Who shall say？ But I will say at once that chewing the
cud of one's own virtue gives a sour stomach。
Bertie's and Billy's parents owned town and country houses in New York。
The parents of Oscar had come over in the steerage。 Money filled the
pockets of Bertie and Billy； therefore were their heads empty of money
and full of less cramping thoughts。 Oscar had fallen upon the reverse
of this fate。 Calculation was his second nature。 He had given his
education to himself； he had for its sake toiled； traded； outwitted； and
saved。 He had sent himself to college； where most of the hours not
given to education and more education； went to toiling and more toiling；
that he might pay his meagre way through the college world。 He had a
cheaper room and ate cheaper meals than was necessary。 He tutored； and
he wrote college specials for several newspapers。 His chief relaxation
was the praise of the ladies in Newbury Street。 These told him of the
future which awaited him； and when they gazed upon his features were put
in mind of the dying Keats。 Not that Oscar was going to die in the
least。 Life burned strong in him。 There were sly times when he took
what he had saved by his cheap meals and room and went to Boston with
it； and for a few hours thoroughly ceased being ascetic。 Yet Oscar felt
meritorious when he considered Bertie and Billy； for； like the
socialists； merit with him meant not being able to live as well as your
neighbor。 You will think that I have given to Oscar what is familiarly
termed a black eye。 But I was once inclined to applaud his struggle for
knowledge； until I studied him close and perceived that his love was not
for the education he was getting。 Bertie and Billy loved play for
play's own sake； and in play forgot themselves； like the wholesome young
creatures that they were。 Oscar had one love only： through all his days
whatever he might forget； he would remember himself； through all his
days he would make knowledge show that self off。 Thank heaven； all the
poor students in Harvard College were not Oscars！ I loved some of them
as much as I loved Bertie and Billy。 So there is no black eye about it。
Pity Oscar； if you like； but don't be so mushy as to admire him as he
stepped along in the night； holding his notes； full of his knowledge；
thinking of Bertie and Billy； conscious of virtue； and smiling his
smile。 They were not conscious of any virtue； were Bertie and Billy；
nor were they smiling。 They were solemnly eating up together a box of
handsome strawberries and sucking the juice from their reddened thumbs。
〃Rather mean not to make him wait and have some of these after his hard
work on us；〃 said Bertie。 〃I'd forgotten about them〃
〃He ran out before you could remember； anyway；〃 said Billy。
〃Wasn't he absurd about his old notes？ 〃Bertie went on； a new
strawberry in his mouth。 〃We don't need them； though。 With to…morrow
we'll get this course down cold。〃
〃Yes； to…morrow；〃 sighed Billy。 〃It's awful to think of another day of
this kind。〃
〃Horrible；〃 assented Bertie。
〃He knows a lot。 He's extraordinary；〃 said Billy。
〃Yes； he is。 He can talk the actual words of the notes。 Probably he
could teach the course himself。 I don't suppose he buys any
strawberries； even when they get ripe and cheap here。 What's the matter
with you？〃
Billy had broken suddenly into merriment。 〃I don't believe Oscar owns a
bath；〃 he explained。
〃By Jove！ so his notes will burn in spite of everything！〃 And both of
the tennis boys shrieked foolishly。
Then Billy began taking his clothes off； strewing them in the
window…seat； or anywhere that they happened to drop； and Bertie； after
hitting another cork or two out of the window with the tennis racket；
departed to his own room on another floor and left Billy to immediate
and deep slumber。 This was broken for a few moments when Billy's
room…mate returned happy from an excursion which had begun in the
morning。
The room…mate sat on Billy's feet until that gentleman showed
consciousness。
〃I've done it； said the room…mate； then。
〃The hell you have！〃
〃You couldn't do it。〃
〃The hell I couldn't！〃
〃Great dinner。〃
〃The hell it was！〃
〃Soft…shell crabs； broiled live lobster； salmon； grass…plover；
dough…birds； rum omelette。 Bet you five dollars you can't find it。〃
〃Take you。 Got to bed。〃 And Billy fell again into deep； immediate
slumber。
The room…mate went out into the sitting room； and noting the signs there
of the hard work which had gone on during his absence； was glad that he
did not take Philosophy 4。 He was soon asleep also。
IV
Billy got up early。 As he plunged into his cold bath he envied his
room…mate； who could remain at rest indefinitely； while his own hard lot
was hurrying him to prayers and breakfast and Oscar's inexorable notes。
He sighed once more as he looked at the beauty of the new morning and
felt its air upon his cheeks。 He and Bertie belonged to the same
club…table； and they met there mournfully over the oatmeal。 This very
hour to…morrow would see them eating their last before the examination
in Philosophy 4。 And nothing pleasant was going to happen
between；nothing that they could dwell upon with the slightest
satisfaction。 Nor had their sleep entirely refreshed them。 Their eyes
were not quite right； and their hair； though it was brushed； showed
fatigue of the nerves in a certain inclination to limpness and disorder。
〃Epicharmos of Kos
Was covered with moss；〃
remarked Billy。
〃Thales and Zeno
Were duffers at keno；〃
added Bertie。
In the hours of trial they would often express their education thus。
〃Philosophers I have met；〃 murmured Billy； with scorn And they ate
silently for some time。
〃There's one thing that's valuable；〃 said Bertie next。 〃When they
spring those tricks on you about the flying arrow not moving； and all
the rest； and prove it all right by logic； you learn what pure logic
amounts to when it cuts loose from common sense。 And Oscar thinks it's
immense。 We shocked him。〃
〃He's found the Bird…in…Hand！〃 cried Billy； quite suddenly。
〃Oscar？〃 said Bertie； with an equal shout。
〃No； John。 John has。 Came home last night and waked me up and told
me。〃
〃Good for John；〃 remarked Bertie； pensively。
Now； to the undergraduate mind of that day the Bird…in…Hand tavern was
what the golden fleece used to be to the Greeks； a sort of shining；
remote； miraculous thing； difficult though not impossible to find； for
which expeditions were fitted out。 It was reported to be somewhere in
the direction of Quincy； and in one respect it resembled a ghost： you
never saw a man who had seen it himself； it was always his cousin； or
his elder brother in '79。 But for the successful explorer a dinner and
wines were waiting at the Bird…in…Hand more delicious than anything
outside of Paradise。 You will realize； therefore； what a thing it was
to have a room…mate who had attained。 If Billy had not been so
dog…tired last ni