Of course, had I chosen, I might have fought the case to the bitter end against Sebastian; he could not dismiss me--that lay with the committee.
But I hardly cared to fight.

In the first place, though I had found him out as a man, I still respected him as a great teacher; and in the second place (which is always more important), I wanted to find and follow Hilda.
To be sure, Hilda, in that enigmatic letter of hers, had implored me not to seek her out; but I think you will admit there is one request which no man can grant to the girl he loves--and that is the request to keep away from her.

If Hilda did not want ME, I wanted Hilda; and, being a man, I meant to find her.
My chances of discovering her whereabouts, however, I had to confess to myself (when it came to the point) were extremely slender.

She had vanished from my horizon, melted into space.

My sole hint of a clue consisted in the fact that the letter she sent me had been posted at Basingstoke.