“I new scholar.”
“Go back to your seat.”
“Please, sah,” cooed a good little boy. “I shall help you. I shall tell you where was we reading holy book. Last Monday we have finish Matthew-holy-gospel-according-to twenty four chapter. I tell you my name, sah. I Rupert Frazer, sah.”
“Open your Bibles at the twenty fifth chapter of Saint Matthew.”
Bibles flew about in the air. There was a riotous noise of opening books and a few whines, “Please sah, he steal my book ... please sah, Pong Poon Chong pinch me.... Sah, I have lose my Bible since a long time....” The tallest of the smart Portuguese boys in the front row rose.
“Excuse me, sah, what does it mean, Virgin?”
Edward’s skull was sweating. “A virgin—” he began.
“Eh—tya—tya....”
“Surely the whole class has sense enough not to ask silly questions.”
“Please, sah, you shall tell him ask Ng Sik Wong. He married man.”