“Yes, and wish them au revoir,” I added, stretching my arms, with the book clasped in my hands, over my head.  Having hitherto idled away my time, I now opened the book at the place where the lesson was to begin, and started to learn it.  It was long and difficult, and, moreover, I was in the mood when one’s thoughts refuse to be arrested by anything at all.  Consequently I made no progress.  After our last lesson in history (which always seemed to me a peculiarly arduous and wearisome subject) the history master had complained to St. Jerome of me because only two good marks stood to my credit in the register—­a very small total.  St. Jerome had then told me that if I failed to gain less than three marks at the next lesson I should be severely punished.  The next lesson was now imminent, and I confess that I felt a little nervous.

So absorbed, however, did I become in my reading that the sound of goloshes being taken off in the ante-room came upon me almost as a shock.  I had just time to look up when there appeared in the doorway the servile and (to me) very disgusting face and form of the master, clad in a blue frockcoat with brass buttons.

Slowly he set down his hat and books and adjusted the folds of his coat (as though such a thing were necessary!), and seated himself in his place.

“Well, gentlemen,” he said, rubbing his hands, “let us first of all repeat the general contents of the last lesson:  after which I will proceed to narrate the succeeding events of the middle ages.”

This meant “Say over the last lesson.”  While Woloda was answering the master with the entire ease and confidence which come of knowing a subject well, I went aimlessly out on to the landing, and, since I was not allowed to go downstairs, what more natural than that I should involuntarily turn towards the alcove on the landing?  Yet before I had time to establish myself in my usual coign of vantage behind the door I found myself pounced upon by Mimi—­always the cause of my misfortunes!

“You here?” she said, looking severely, first at myself, and then at the maidservants’ door, and then at myself again.

I felt thoroughly guilty, firstly, because I was not in the schoolroom, and secondly, because I was in a forbidden place.  So I remained silent, and, dropping my head, assumed a touching expression of contrition.

“Indeed, this is too bad!” Mimi went on, “What are you doing here?”

Still I said nothing.

“Well, it shall not rest where it is,” she added, tapping the banister with her yellow fingers.  “I shall inform the Countess.”

It was five minutes to three when I re-entered the schoolroom.  The master, as though oblivious of my presence or absence, was explaining the new lesson to Woloda.  When he had finished doing this, and had put his books together (while Woloda went into the other room to fetch his ticket), the comforting idea occurred to me that perhaps the whole thing was over now, and that the master had forgotten me.