Burgess smoothed his beard and looked at O'Rane with tired, expressionless eyes.
"But the marks for the Shelton Prize are not taken into account in awarding removes," he said.
"No, sir, but you yourself said he was the first fellow to win the prize out of the Remove. It'll be jolly hard to super him after that."
They had crossed Great Court and were standing at the door of the Head's house.
"And thine own day of reckoning, David O'Rane? Whereof shall that be?"
O'Rane made no answer for some moments; then in a tone from which he strove in vain to banish the note of disappointment:
"I've lost the prize, sir, anyway."
"Thou wilt yet be young when the season returns to us again. But thou hast made of me a mockery and a scorn in the market-place. An thou trip a second time, this place will know thee no more. Good-night, laddie."
"Good-night, sir, and thank you, sir." He lingered for a moment. "Sir...."
"Go thy ways in peace, David O'Rane."