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learnt；　and　so　to　go　through　the　examinations　to　no　purpose

whatsoever。



X



THE　EXAMINATION　IN　HISTORY



ON　the　16th　of　April　I　entered；　for　the　first　time；　and　under　the

wing　of　St。　Jerome；　the　great　hall　of　the　University。　I　had

driven　there　with　St。　Jerome　in　our　smart　phaeton　and　wearing　the

first　frockcoat　of　my　life；　while　the　whole　of　my　other　clothes

even　down　to　my　socks　and　linenwere　new　and　of　a　grander　sort。

When　a　Swiss　waiter　relieved　me　of　my　greatcoat；　and　I　stood

before　him　in　all　the　beauty　of　my　attire；　I　felt　almost　sorry　to

dazzle　him　so。　Yet　I　had　no　sooner　entered　the　bright；　carpeted；

crowded　hall；　and　caught　sight　of　hundreds　of　other　young　men　in

gymnasium　＇The　Russian　gymnasium　=　the　English　grammar　or

secondary　school。＇　uniforms　or　frockcoats　（of　whom　but　a　few

threw　me　an　indifferent　glance）；　as　well　as；　at　the　far　end；　of

some　solemn…looking　professors　who　were　seated　on　chairs　or

walking　carelessly　about　among　some　tables；　than　I　at　once　became

disabused　of　the　notion　that　I　should　attract　the　general

attention；　while　the　expression　of　my　face；　which　at　home；　and

even　in　the　vestibule　of　the　University　buildings；　had　denoted

only　a　kind　of　vague　regret　that　I　should　have　to　present　so

important　and　distinguished　an　appearance；　became　exchanged　for

an　expression　of　the　most　acute　nervousness　and　dejection。

However；　I　soon　picked　up　again　when　I　perceived　sitting　at　one

of　the　desks　a　very　badly；　untidily　dressed　gentleman　who；

though　not　really　old；　was　almost　entirely　grey。　He　was　occupying

a　seat　quite　at　the　back　of　the　hall　and　a　little　apart　from　the

rest；　so　I　hastened　to　sit　down　beside　him；　and　then　fell　to

looking　at　the　candidates　for　examination；　and　to　forming

conclusions　about　them。　Many　different　figures　and　faces　were

there　to　be　seen　there；　yet；　in　my　opinion；　they　all　seemed　to

divide　themselves　into　three　classes。　First　of　all；　there　were

youths　like　myself；　attending　for　examination　in　the　company　of

their　parents　or　tutors。　Among　such　I　could　see　the　youngest　Iwin

（accompanied　by　Frost）　and　Ilinka　Grap　（accompanied　by　his　old

father）。　All　youths　of　this　class　wore　the　early　beginnings　of

beards；　sported　prominent　linen；　sat　quietly　in　their　places；　and

never　opened　the　books　and　notebooks　which　they　had　brought　with

them；　but　gazed　at　the　professors　and　examination　tables　with

ill…concealed　nervousness。　The　second　class　of　candidates　were

young　men　in　gymnasium　uniforms。　Several　of　them　had　attained　to

the　dignity　of　shaving；　and　most　of　them　knew　one　another。　They

talked　loudly；　called　the　professors　by　their　names　and　surnames；

occupied　themselves　in　getting　their　subjects　ready；　exchanged

notebooks；　climbed　over　desks；　fetched　themselves　pies　and

sandwiches　from　the　vestibule；　and　ate　them　then　and　there　merely

lowering　their　heads　to　the　level　of　a　desk　for　propriety's　sake。

Lastly；　the　third　class　of　candidates　（which　seemed　a　small　one）

consisted　of　oldish　mensome　of　them　in　frock　coats；　but　the

majority　in　jackets；　and　with　no　linen　to　be　seen。　These

preserved　a　serious　demeanour；　sat　by　themselves；　and　had　a　very

dingy　look。　The　man　who　had　afforded　me　consolation　by　being

worse　dressed　than　myself　belonged　to　this　class。　Leaning　forward

upon　his　elbows；　and　running　his　fingers　through　his　grey；

dishevelled　hair　as　he　read　some　book　or　another；　he　had　thrown

me　only　a　momentary　glanceand　that　not　a　very　friendly　one

from　a　pair　of　glittering　eyes。　Then；　as　I　sat　down；　he　had

frowned　grimly；　and　stuck　a　shiny　elbow　out　to　prevent　me　from

coming　any　nearer。　On　the　other　hand；　the　gymnasium　men　were

over…sociable；　and　I　felt　rather　afraid　of　their　proximity。　One

of　them　did　not　hesitate　to　thrust　a　book　into　my　hands；　saying；

〃Give　that　to　that　fellow　over　there；　will　you？〃　while　another

of　them　exclaimed　as　he　pushed　past　me；　〃By　your　leave；　young

fellow！〃　and　a　third　made　use　of　my　shoulder　as　a　prop　when　he

wanted　to　scramble　over　a　desk。　All　this　seemed　to　me　a　little

rough　and　unpleasant；　for　I　looked　upon　myself　as　immensely

superior　to　such　fellows；　and　considered　that　they　ought　not　to

treat　me　with　such　familiarity。　At　length；　the　names　began　to　be

called　out。　The　gymnasium　men　walked　out　boldly；　answered　their

questions　（apparently）　well；　and　came　back　looking　cheerful。　My

own　class　of　candidates　were　much　more　diffident；　as　well　as

appeared　to　answer　worse。　Of　the　oldish　men；　some　answered　well；

and　some　very　poorly。　When　the　name　〃Semenoff　〃　was　called　out　my

neighbour　with　the　grey　hair　and　glittering　eyes　jostled　me

roughly；　stepped　over　my　legs；　and　went　up　to　one　of　the

examiners'　tables。　It　was　plain　from　the　aspect　of　the　professors

that　he　answered　well　and　with　assurance；　yet；　on　returning　to

his　place；　he　did　not　wait　to　see　where　he　was　placed　on　the

list；　but　quietly　collected　his　notebooks　and　departed。　Several

times　I　shuddered　at　the　sound　of　the　voice　calling　out　the

names；　but　my　turn　did　not　come　in　exact　alphabetical　order；

though　already　names　had　begun　to　be　called　beginning　with　〃I。〃



〃Ikonin　and　Tenieff！〃　suddenly　shouted　some　one　from　the

professors'　end　of　the　hall。



〃Go　on；　Ikonin！　You　are　being　called；〃　said　a　tall；　red…faced

gymnasium　student　near　me。　　〃But　who　is　this　BARtenieff　or

MORtenieff　or　somebody？　I　don't　know　him。〃



〃It　must　be　you；〃　whispered　St。　Jerome　loudly　in　my　ear。



〃MY　name　is　IRtenieff；〃　I　said　to　the　red…faced　student。　〃Do　you

think　that　was　the　name　they　were　calling　out？〃



〃Yes。　Why　on　earth　don't　you　go　up？　〃　he　replied。　〃Lord；　what　a

dandy！〃　he　added　under　his　breath；　yet　not　so　quietly　but　that　I

failed　to　hear　the　words　as　they　came　wafted　to　me　from　below　the

desk。　In　front　of　me　walked　Ikonina　tall　young　man　of　about

twenty…five；　who　was　one　of　those　whom　I　had　classed　as　oldish

men。　He　wore　a　tight　brown　frockcoat　and　a　blue　satin　tie；　and

had　wisps　of　flaxen　hair　carefully　brushed　over　his　collar　in　the

peasant　style。　His　appearance　had　already　caught　my　attention

when　we　were　sitting　among　the　desks；　and　had　given　me　an

impression　that　he　was　not　bad…looking。　Also　I　had　noticed　that

he　was　very　talkative。　Yet　what　struck　me　most　about　his

physiognomy　was　a　tuft；　of　queer　red　hairs　which　he　had　under　his

chin；　as　well　as；　still　more；　a　strange　habit　of　continually

unbuttoning　his　waistcoat　and　scratching　his　chest　under　his

shirt。



Behind　the　table　to　which　we　were　summoned　sat　three　Professors；

none　of　whom　acknowledged　our　salutations。　A　youngish　professor

was　shuffling　a　bundle　of　tickets　like　a　pack　of　cards；　another

one；　with　a　star　on　his　frockcoat；　was　gazing　hard　at　a　gymnasium

student；　who　was　repeating　something　at　great　speed　about　Charles

the　Great；　and　adding　to　each　of　his　sentences　the　word　nakonetz

＇=　the　English　colloquialism　〃you　know。〃＇　while　a　third　onean

old　man　in　spectaclesproceeded　to　bend　his　head　down　as　we

approached；　and；　peering　at　us　through　his　glasses；　pointed

silently　to　the　tickets。　I　felt　his　glance　go　over　both　myself

and　Ikonin；　and　also　felt　sure　that　something　about　us　had

displeased　him　（perhaps　it　was　Ikonin's　red　hairs）；　for；　after

taking　another　look　at　the　pair　of　us；　he　motioned　impatiently　to

us　to　be　quick　in　taking　our　tickets。　I　felt　vexed　and　offended

firstly；　because　none　of　the　professors　had　responded　to　our

bows；　and；　secondly；　because　they　evidently　coupled　me　with

Ikonin　under　the　one　denomination　of　〃candidates；〃　and　so　were

condemning　me　in　advance　on　account　of　Ikonin's　red　hairs。　I　took

my　ticket　boldly　and　made　ready　to　answer；　but　the　professor's

eye　passed　over　my　head　and　alighted　upon　Ikonin。　Accordingly；　I

occupied　myself　in　reading　my　ticket。　The　questions　printed　on　it

were　all　familiar　to　me；　so；　as　I　silently　awaited　my　turn；　I

gazed　at　what　was　passing　near　me；　Ikonin　seemed　in　no　way

diffidentrather　the　reverse；　for；　in　reaching　for　his　ticket；

he　threw　his　body　half…way　across　the　table。　Then　he　gave　his

long　hair　a　shake；　and　rapidly　conned　over　what　was　written　on

his　ticket。　I　think　he　had　just　opened　his　mouth　to　answer　when

the　professor　with　the　star　dismissed　the　gymnasium　student　with

a　word　of　commendation；　and　then　turned　and　looked　at　Ikonin。　At

once　the　latter　seemed　taken　back；　and　stopped　short。　For　about

two　minutes　there　was　a　dead　silence。



〃Well？〃　said　the　professor　in　the　spectacles。



Once　more　Ikonin　opened　his　mouth；　and　once　more　remained　silent。



〃　Come！　You　are　not　the　only　one　to　be　examined。　Do　you　mean　to

answer　or　do　you　not？〃　said　the　youngish　professor；　but　Ikonin

did　not　even　look　at　him。　He　was　gazing　fixedly　at　his　ticket　and

uttered　not　a　single　word。　The　professor　in　the　spectacles

scanned　him　through　his　glasses；　then　over　them；　then　without

them　（for；　indeed；　he　had　time　to　take　them　off；　to　wipe　their

lenses　carefully；　and　to　replace　them）。　Stil