Page:The Cook's Wedding and Other Stories.djvu/90

 "I am plucked I got a two."

"I knew it would be so! I had a presentiment of it," said his mother. "Merciful God! How is it you have not passed? What is the reason of it? What subject have you failed in?"

"In Greek Mother, I They asked me the future of phero, and I  instead of saying oisomai said opsomai. Then  then there isn't an accent, if the last syllable is long, and I  I got flustered I forgot that the alpha was long in it I went and put in the accent. Then Artaxerxov told me to give the list of the enclitic particles I did, and I accidentally mixed in a pronoun  and made a mistake  and so he gave me a two I am a miserable  person I was working all night I've been getting up at four o'clock all this week "

"No, it's not you but I who am miserable, you wretched boy! It's I that am miserable! You've worn me to a threadpaper, you Herod, you torment, you bane of my life! I pay for you, you good-for-nothing rubbish; I've bent my back toiling for you, I'm worried to death, and, I may say, I am unhappy, and what do you care? How do you work?"

"I I do work. All night You've seen it yourself."

"I prayed to God to take me, but He won't take me, a sinful woman You torment! Other people have children like everyone else, and I've one only and no sense, no comfort out of him. Beat you? I'd beat you, but where am I to find