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tain he had passed; but next day, when he went up to the
examination buildings to see the result posted on the door,
he was astounded not to find his number among those who
had satisfied the examiners. In amazement he read the list
three times. Dunsford was with him.
‘I say, I’m awfully sorry you’re ploughed,’ he said.
He had just inquired Philip’s number. Philip turned and
saw by his radiant face that Dunsford had passed.
‘Oh, it doesn’t matter a bit,’ said Philip. ‘I’m jolly glad
you’re all right. I shall go up again in July.’
He was very anxious to pretend he did not mind, and on
their way back along The Embankment insisted on talking
of indifferent things. Dunsford good-naturedly wanted to
discuss the causes of Philip’s failure, but Philip was obsti-
nately casual. He was horribly mortified; and the fact that
Dunsford, whom he looked upon as a very pleasant but
quite stupid fellow, had passed made his own rebuff harder
to bear. He had always been proud of his intelligence, and
now he asked himself desperately whether he was not mis-
taken in the opinion he held of himself. In the three months
of the winter session the students who had joined in Octo-
ber had already shaken down into groups, and it was clear
which were brilliant, which were clever or industrious, and
which were ‘rotters.’ Philip was conscious that his failure
was a surprise to no one but himself. It was tea-time, and he
knew that a lot of men would be having tea in the basement
of the Medical School: those who had passed the examina-
tion would be exultant, those who disliked him would look
at him with satisfaction, and the poor devils who had failed

Of Human Bondage