“Not so good as I deserve,” answered Philip, with a smile, giving it to her.
“I’ll read it afterwards when I’ve got my spectacles,” she said.
But after breakfast Mary Ann came in to say the butcher was there, and she generally forgot.
Mr. Perkins went on.
“I’m disappointed with you. And I can’t understand. I know you can do things if you want to, but you don’t seem to want to any more. I was going to make you a monitor next term, but I think I’d better wait a bit.”
Philip flushed. He did not like the thought of being passed over. He tightened his lips.
“And there’s something else. You must begin thinking of your scholarship now. You won’t get anything unless you start working very seriously.”
Philip was irritated by the lecture. He was angry with the headmaster, and angry with himself.
“I don’t think I’m going up to Oxford,” he said.
“Why not? I thought your idea was to be ordained.”