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put his hand on Philip’s shoulder.
‘You know, driving things into the heads of thick-wit-
ted boys is dull work, but when now and then you have the
chance of teaching a boy who comes half-way towards you,
who understands almost before you’ve got the words out of
your mouth, why, then teaching is the most exhilarating
thing in the world.’ Philip was melted by kindness; it had
never occurred to him that it mattered really to Mr. Perkins
whether he went or stayed. He was touched and immense-
ly flattered. It would be pleasant to end up his school-days
with glory and then go to Oxford: in a flash there appeared
before him the life which he had heard described from boys
who came back to play in the O.K.S. match or in letters from
the University read out in one of the studies. But he was
ashamed; he would look such a fool in his own eyes if he
gave in now; his uncle would chuckle at the success of the
headmaster’s ruse. It was rather a come-down from the dra-
matic surrender of all these prizes which were in his reach,
because he disdained to take them, to the plain, ordinary
winning of them. It only required a little more persuasion,
just enough to save his self-respect, and Philip would have
done anything that Mr. Perkins wished; but his face showed
nothing of his conflicting emotions. It was placid and sul-
len.
‘I think I’d rather go, sir,’ he said.
Mr. Perkins, like many men who manage things by their
personal influence, grew a little impatient when his power
was not immediately manifest. He had a great deal of work
to do, and could not waste more time on a boy who seemed

1 Of Human Bondage