Angel of enlightenment

My final exam’ went quite poorly; I certainly didn’t do well. My four questions were on the Russo-Japanese war, the October revolution and Marxism, the effects of the civil war on the CPSU and an assessment of Trotsky as an “angel of enlightenment.” I blundered in my Marxism essay, writing 3½ sides but not mentioning the October revolution until the third page. I also forgot about “Bloody Sunday” when I was writing about 1905. . . .

I sat in the common room for the last time; Claire was there, but there was a grey atmosphere all around, punctuated only by mundane conversations and bored laughter. I felt glad to be free but no great sense of release: a slight sadness pervaded most of the afternoon.

I found out that my picture for the Art exam' has been destroyed because I didn’t collect it on time.