"Ay, especially when one has to find time for so many other things as well."
"Yes. I feel that intensely. I hate to be insulated. I must touch at more points than one. But I do try to work conscientiously, or rather I don't try. It is my nature. Study is a pure delight to me."
"I expect you will be taking honours in all four subjects."
"I find it a great help in any case to do the honours work: it is so much more practical and useful; but it does take a lot of time. I find it impossible to work more than ten hours a day——"
Mona laid down the fish-slice in horror.
"Ten hours a day!" she exclaimed.
"Yes; I tried twelve, but I could not keep it up."
"I should hope not. I call eight hours spurting. I only read for six, as a rule, and for the last fortnight before an examination, only two."
"Why?"
"I can't read at the end. That is the ruin of me. Up to the last fortnight, I seem to know more than most of my fellow-students; but then I collapse, while they—they withdraw into private life. What mystic rites and incantations go on there I can't even divine; but they emerge all armed cap-à-pie, conquering and to conquer, while I crawl out from my lethargy to fail."