"Never mind that. See the answer one of them gives me," and he pointed it out to me. It ran thus:
"Silence is the only French noun, ending in ence, that is masculine, because it is the only thing women can not keep."
Tears of sympathy for the boy trickled down my cheeks; I thought it was lovely.
"Well," I said, when I had recovered, "it serves you right."
"I will plough that boy!" he ejaculated.
"No, you won't do that," I said. "How did he do the rest of the paper?"
"Very well, indeed; the impudent scamp is a clever fellow."
"And a wit," I added; "you must not plough him."
I never knew the fate of that boy, although I believe I saved him.
But what I do know is that never, never since, has the question found place in the Matriculation papers of the University of London.