Rustication Read Online Free PDF

of a scrape at College. I failed an examination .
    I thought your tutors had talked of your taking your degree early .
    You misunderstood me. I meant not going back. The College hasn’t made a decision yet .
    She was silent for a moment and then said: You should go to Thomas before he hears from the College .
    Mother, that would be the worst thing I could do. You know he despises Varsity men anyway .
    She sat twisting her hands in her lap. Then she said sadly: You were supposed to be helping your sister toward a better situation in life. This is one more thing for her to worry about . She hesitated and then said: She formed an attachment a few months ago and it all ended badly .
    What are you saying, Mother? Some man has compromised her?
    Let me tell you in my own way, Richard. And don’t leap to any conclusions. They reached an understanding—she and the young man—but then it turned out that there were circumstances which made the match impossible .
    I began to say something but she held up her hand: Don’t ask me any questions about it. I’ve said as much as I intend to .
    I was going to ask if the “circumstances” were the consequence of what had happened to Father.
    6 o’clock.
    I won’t have time to write all that I want to because I can hear the distant clattering of pots and pans and smell something ominously food-like.
    Although the morning had seemed to promise fair, the sky grew dark at midday and there came distant rumblings like cannon fire across the marshes. The wind hit the house like a blow from a giant. Doors slammed in distant rooms and the old casements of the windows rattled as if the house were full of frightened strangers.
    While Mother and I sat drinking our tea after luncheon, the rain beat against the windows and poured in floods down the panes.
    That poor girl will be soaked to the skin on her way back! Mother exclaimed. Be a good boy and take her an umbrella .
    I had no choice but to obey. As I was about to open the front-door and brave the blasts, Mother said: Tell her your news about Cambridge as you walk back, Richard .
    I nodded and went out.
    As I battled against the gusts, a white winding-sheet of rain seemed to be wrapping itself around me. In the distance the hills wept under their umbrella of dark mist. I had just got to the other side of Stratton Herriard, when I saw a woman standing under the shelter of an open-sided barn. She was despondently holding an umbrella that had blown itself inside out and broken its struts. It was the veiled lady I had seen at church The mysterious Mrs Paytress.
    I showed her the umbrella I was carrying and said I would be more than happy to escort her into the village.
    Don’t you need that for yourself? she asked with a teasing smile for the umbrella was clearly intended for a lady. When I explained my mission and said that we would meet my sister on the way, she accepted my offer. We began to talk and how many topics we covered! Music: How much we both missed it. Books: How much pleasure they gave us.
    We were almost at the church when Euphemia came in sight. I could see how surprised she was that her uncouth brother had managed to engage the attention of such a distinguished neighbour.
    We met and I began to make the introductions but Mrs Paytress insisted I hold the umbrella over my sister and when we both united in refusing to do that, she said: It’s absurd to stand here while you get wet. Come inside .
    We followed her up the carriage-drive to a handsome house of mellowed red brick with a steeply pitched roof in the severe style of the Restoration. When she rang the bell, the door was instantly opened by a young servant-girl in a neat cap.
    The maid took our coats and we followed Mrs Paytress into the morning-room at the front of the house. I heard her tell the girl to have a fire lit in the drawing-room. There were sophas and elegant chairs and pictures and shelves filled to overflowing with books.
    We seated ourselves in front of the