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he could not prevent the twinkle in his eyes. Mr. Perkins
noticed it and broke into a little laugh.
‘You’ve rather scored, haven’t you?’ he said.
Then Philip smiled outright. He could not conceal his
exultation.
‘Is it true that you’re very anxious to leave?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Are you unhappy here?’
Philip blushed. He hated instinctively any attempt to get
into the depths of his feelings.
‘Oh, I don’t know, sir.’
Mr. Perkins, slowly dragging his fingers through his
beard, looked at him thoughtfully. He seemed to speak al-
most to himself.
‘Of course schools are made for the average. The holes are
all round, and whatever shape the pegs are they must wedge
in somehow. One hasn’t time to bother about anything but
the average.’ Then suddenly he addressed himself to Philip:
‘Look here, I’ve got a suggestion to make to you. It’s getting
on towards the end of the term now. Another term won’t
kill you, and if you want to go to Germany you’d better go
after Easter than after Christmas. It’ll be much pleasanter
in the spring than in midwinter. If at the end of the next
term you still want to go I’ll make no objection. What d’you
say to that?’
‘Thank you very much, sir.’
Philip was so glad to have gained the last three months
that he did not mind the extra term. The school seemed less
of a prison when he knew that before Easter he would be free

1 Of Human Bondage