Una vegada, aquest recita tres mil versicles sense aturar-se; pero la tensió exercida damunt ses facultats mentals era massa gran, i des d'aquell dia esdevingué poc menys que un idiota: lamentable infortuni per a l'escola, perque en les grans avinenteses, davant d'espectadors, el superintendent sempre feia sortir aquell noi perque (com deia Tom) «s'engegués».
He once recited three thousand verses without stopping; but the strain upon his mental faculties was too great, and he was little better than an idiot from that day forth--a grievous misfortune for the school, for on great occasions, before company, the superintendent (as Tom expressed it) had always made this boy come out and "spread himself."