‘But how could you live, my boy?’

Godwin sat down again, and let his head fall forward.

How to keep oneself alive during a few years of intellectual growth? —­a question often asked by men of mature age, but seldom by a lad of sixteen.  No matter.  He resolved that he would study for this Cambridge Local Examination, and have a try for the scholarship.  His attainments were already up to the standard required for average success in such competitions.  On obtaining a set of ‘papers’, he found that they looked easy enough.  Could he not come out first in the Kingsmill district?

He worked vigorously at special subjects; aid was needless, but he wished for more leisure.  Not a word to any member of his household.  When his mother discovered that he was reading in the bedroom till long past midnight, she made serious objection on the score of health and on that of gas bills.  Godwin quietly asserted that work he must, and that if necessary he would buy candles out of his pocket-money.  He had unexpectedly become more grave, more restrained; he even ceased to grumble about going to church, having found that service time could be utilised for committing to memory lists of dates and the like, jotted down on a slip of paper.  When the time for the examination drew near, he at length told his mother to what end he had been labouring, and asked her to grant him the assistance necessary for his journey and the sojourn at Kingsmill; the small sum he had been able to save, after purchase of books, would not suffice.  Mrs. Peak knew not whether to approve her son’s ambition or to try to repress it.  She would welcome an improval in his prospects, but, granting success, how was he to live whilst profiting by a scholarship?  And again, what did he propose to make of himself when he had spent three years in study?

‘In any case,’ was Godwin’s reply, ’I should be sure of a good place as a teacher.  But I think I might try for something in the Civil Service; there are all sorts of positions to be got.’

It was idle to discuss the future whilst the first step was still speculative.  Mrs. Peak consented to favour the attempt, and what was more, to keep it a secret until the issue should be known.  It was needful to obtain leave of absence from Mr. Moxey, and Godwin, when making the request, stated for what purpose he was going to Kingsmill, though without explaining the hope which had encouraged his studies.  The project seemed laudable, and his employer made no difficulties.

Godwin just missed the scholarship; of candidates in the prescribed district, he came out second.