Well，youbegintounderstandmybreakdownnow，Ihavebeencopiousenoughwiththeseapologia。Myworkgotmoreandmorespiritless，mybehaviourdegenerated，mypunctualitydeclined；I
wasmoreandmoreoutclassedinthesteadygrindbymyfellow-students。SuchsuppliesofmoralenergyasIstillhadatcommandshapednowinthedirectionofservingMarionratherthanscience。
Ifellawaydreadfully，moreandmoreIshirkedandskulked；thehumpedmenfromthenorth，thepalemenwiththin，clenchedminds，theintent，hard-breathingstudentsIfoundagainstme，fellatlastfromkeenrivalrytomoralcontempt。Evenagirlgotabovemeupononeofthelists。ThenindeedImadeitapointofhonourtoshowbymypublicdisregardofeveryrulethatIreallydidnotevenpretendtotry。
SoonedayIfoundmyselfsittinginamoodofconsiderableastonishmentinKensingtonGardens，reactingonarecentheatedinterviewwiththeschoolRegistrarinwhichIhaddisplayedmorespiritthansense。IwasastonishedchieflyatmystupendousfallingawayfromallthemilitantidealsofunflinchingstudyI
hadbroughtupfromWimblehurst。Ihaddisplayedmyself，astheRegistrarputit，“anunmitigatedrotter。”Myfailuretogetmarksinthewrittenexaminationhadonlybeenequalledbytheinsufficiencyofmypracticalwork。