The exam was so hard we assumed the question setter must have been in a bad mood.

He looked round the poor room, at the distempered walls, and the bad engravings in meretricious frames, the crinkly paper and wax flowers on the chiffonier; and he thought of a room like Father Bryan's, with panelling, with cut glass, with tulips in silver pots, such a room as he had hoped to have for his own.

I almost starved myself, till I once more got beforehand in the world.

It was a fine victory over their opponents.