"I am indeed."

"I am Spanchetta Clattuc of Clattuc House. My son, Aries, so I believe, is under your supervision?"

Fleck considered.

"Nominally so, and for a fact I see him from time to time." ;

Spanchetta frowned. She wanted a brisk businesslike understanding, i without evasions or glib little ambiguities. This Instructor Fleck had made a bad beginning.

"Please, sir, if you will! You are Aries' instructor in mathematics?"

"Yes, madame." "Hm. He seems to be having problems and he insists that he is not to blame. He feels that the material is presented incorrectly."

Instructor Fleck smiled a cool sad smile.

"I will teach him any way he likes, so long as he does the work. He cannot absorb the subject by osmosis; he must do the drills and work out the problems, all of which is admittedly tedious."

Spanchetta glanced around at the circle of students who had paused to watch and listen, but was in no wise deterred. She lowered her voice an ominous half octave.

"Aries seems to feel that he has been singled out for harassment and criticism."

Fleck nodded.

"In this case, Aries has reported the facts correctly. He is the only member of the class who takes a surly attitude toward his work. Inevitably, he is the only one criticized."

Spanchetta sniffed.

"I am thoroughly disconcerted. Clearly, something is amiss."

"It is a sad case!" said Fleck.

"Would you care to sit down and rest until you feel better?"

"I am not ill, but outraged! It is your duty to teach the subject fairly and fully to each member of the class, making every allowance for individual temperament!"

"Your remarks are well-taken! I would feel gloom and guilt, but for a single consideration: each of Aries' other instructors finds the same problem: a kind of obstinate laziness which defeats the best of intentions." Fleck looked around the circle of onlookers.

"Have you people nothing better to do? This matter is no concern of yours." Then, to Spanchetta: "Step into the classroom, if you will. It is unoccupied at this time and I have something to show you."

Spanchetta followed Fleck to his desk, where he handed her several sheets of paper.

"Here is a sample of Aries' work.

Instead of finishing the problems, he draws grotesque faces and what appear to be dead fish."

Spanchetta took a deep breath.

"Bring Aries here! We shall hear what he has to say."

Fleck spoke into the telephone and presently Aries sidled into the room. Spanchetta shook the papers in his face.

"Why do you draw corpuscles and dead fish instead of solving your problems?"

Aries cried out indignantly.

"Those are an studies: drawings of nude human figures!"

"Whatever you call them, why are they here instead of the proper work?"

"I was thinking about something else."

Fleck looked at Spanchetta.

"Is there any other way I can help you, Madame Spanchetta? If not.."

Spanchetta jerked her hand at Aries.

"Go back to your class!"

Aries gratefully departed.

Spanchetta turned to Fleck.

"I need not emphasize that Aries must receive a passing grade. Otherwise he will lose his Agency status."

Fleck shrugged.

"He has much work to make up. The sooner he starts and the harder he works, the better his chances of passing."

"I will put this to him. Strangely, I dreamt of this entire episode last night. The dream began in just this fashion; I remember every word!"

"Amazing!" said Fleck.

"Madame, I wish you good day."

Spanchetta paid no heed.

"In the dream poor Aries was given a failing grade, which seemed to set in motion a whole string of misfortunes which even involved the instructor. It was a most realistic and rather terrible dream."

"I hope it is not precognition," said Fleck.

"Probably not. Still who knows? Odd things happen." | Fleck considered a moment.

"Your dream is the oddest of them all. | As of this moment Aries is dropped from the class.

Superintendent! Sonorius Offaw will henceforth deal with his case. Good day, madame. j There is nothing more to be said."

| On Ac following day, Superintendent Sonorius called Aries and| Spanchetta to his office. Spanchetta emerged shaking with rage; Aries, I morose and glum, marched along behind her. Spanchetta had learned| that she must hire a special tutor in mathematics, at her own expense, I and that at the end of each quarter-term Superintendent Sonorius | himself would supervise the examinations. | Aries at last saw that, like it or not, the halcyon times of indolence I and languor had come to an end. Grumbling and cursing, he set | himself to his toil, under the bleak tutelage of an instructor appointed | by Superintendent Sonorius. ;