Suppressed giggles: this was rather a score.
“Nor do I allow laughing,” he added.
Decidedly this hour was not going very comfortably, and no alleviation was possible, for it was somehow quite hopeless to think of ragging Maddox; it was also very nearly hopeless to translate this unknown passage. And then a thing far more dreadful happened than any that had gone before.
The door of the class-room opened, and the Head entered in rustling silk gown. He nodded to Maddox, who got up.
“All going well,” he said, “in Mr. Tovey’s absence?”
The form did not think so: but, unfortunately, the Head had not asked them.
“What are you doing with them, Maddox?” he said.
“Virgil lesson, sir,” he said. “We’ve had the prepared lesson, and I’ve set them a short unseen.”
“Very good practice,” said the Head. “And the marks for the seen translation were satisfactory?”
“Yes sir, very,” said Maddox.