Read "The Aspirations of Jean Servien" by Anatole France online for free on Textopian. Full text with search, annotations, highlights, and AI-powered reading aids.
Jean was called up for examination, but with his insufficient preparation he got hopelessly fogged in the intricacies of a difficult, tricky piece of dictation and sums that were too long to be worked in the time allowed the candidates. He came home in despair. His father tried in his good-nature to reassure him. But a fortnight after came an unstamped letter summoning him to the Ministry, and after a three hours' wait he was shown into Monsieur Bargemont's private room. He recognized his own dictation in the big man's hand.
"I am sorry," the functionary began, "to inform you that you have entirely failed to pass the tests set you. You do not know the language of your own country, sir; you write "Maisons-Lafitte" without an 's' to "Maisons". You cannot spell! and what is more, you do not cross your 't's.' You "must" know at your age that a 't' ought to be crossed. It's past understanding, sir!"