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Becoming a
Master
Student
16e
Dave Ellis
Contributing Editor:
Doug Toft
Australia ● Brazil ● Mexico ● Singapore ● United Kingdom ● United States
Becoming A Master Student, Sixteenth © 2018, 2015, 2013 Cengage Learning
Edition
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. No part of this work covered by the copyright herein may
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Printed in the United States of America

Print Number: 01 Print Year: 2016
23 Brief
Contents
1 Introduction
The Master Student
23 Chapter 1
Discovering Yourself
59 Chapter 2
Time
111 Chapter 3
Memory
137 Chapter 4
Reading
169 Chapter 5
Notes
201 Chapter 6
Tests
231 Chapter 7
52
Thinking
271 Chapter 8
Communicating
321 Chapter 9
Money
355 Chapter 10
Next Steps
iii
Contents
xi Preface
Introduction: chapter 1
The Master Student Discovering Yourself
2 Power Process: Discover what you want 24 Power Process: Ideas are tools
3 Rewrite this book 25 First Step: Truth is a key to mastery
3 Practicing Critical Thinking 1: 27 Practicing Critical Thinking 4: Taking
Textbook reconnaissance the First Step
4 Master student qualities 28 The Discovery Wheel
7 Practicing Critical Thinking 2: The 32 Skills Snapshot: Discovery wheel
master student in you 33 Learning styles: Discovering how
8 The master student process: Discovery you learn
9 The master student process: Intention 34 Journal Entry 3: Prepare for the
Learning Style Inventory (LSI)
10 Be on the lookout
35 Directions for completing the learning
11 The master student process: Action style inventory
12 Keep the process alive 36 Learning Style Inventory
12 The secret of student success 37 Scoring Your Inventory
13 Get the most from this book 38 Learning Style Graph
14 Here’s the sales pitch 39 Interpreting Your Learning Style Graph
15 Motivation: I’m just not in the mood 40 Developing All Four Modes of Learning
17 Ways to change a habit 41 Balancing Your Preferences
19 Journal Entry 1: Declare what you want 42 Using your learning style profile
20 Do you have a minute? to succeed
21 Practicing Critical Thinking 3: Plan to 47 Journal Entry 4: Choosing your purpose

change a habit 48 Claim your multiple intelligences
22 Journal Entry 2: Commitment 49 Practicing Critical Thinking 5: Develop
your multiple intelligences
iv
52 Learning through your senses: The 85 Practicing Critical Thinking 10: Master
VARK system monthly calendar
55 Journal Entry 5: Get back to the big 88 Break it down, get it done—using a
picture about learning styles long-term planner
55 Master Student Profiles 91 Create a work flow that works
56 Master Student Profile: Joshua Williams 92 There’s an app for that—using
technology for time management
57 Quiz Chapter 1
93 Stop procrastination now
58 Skills Snapshot Chapter 1
95 The 7-step antiprocrastination plan
chapter 2 96
99
25 ways to get the most out of now
Setting limits on screen time
Time 101 Making time for health
104 Practicing Critical Thinking 11: Taking
60 Power Process: Be here now a First Step about health
61 You’ve got the time 106 Beyond time management: Stay focused
on what matters
62 Make choices about multitasking
107 Journal Entry 7: Create a not-to-do list
63 Practicing Critical Thinking 6: The
Time Monitor/Time Plan 108 Master Student Profile: Ramit Sethi
68 Journal Entry 6: Discover the impact of 109 Quiz Chapter 2

technology on your time and attention 110 Skills Snapshot Chapter 2
69 Define your values
70 Setting and achieving goals chapter 3
71 Practicing Critical Thinking 7: Create a
lifeline Memory
73 Practicing Critical Thinking 8: Get real
with your goals 112 Power Process: Love your problems
74 The ABC daily to-do list 113 Your memory and your brain—6 key
principles
76 Practicing Critical Thinking 9: Create
your to-do list 115 Journal Entry 8: Reflect on the care and
feeding of your brain
78 Planning sets you free
116 The memory jungle
80 Making the transition to higher education
118 25 memory techniques
82 Avoid high-tech time wasters
125 Practicing Critical Thinking 12: Use
83 Making time for school as an adult learner Q-cards to reinforce memory
126 Set a trap for your memory 146 Extending Muscle Reading to web
pages and ebooks
126 Practicing Critical Thinking 13:
Remembering your car keys—or 146 Journal Entry 10: Experiment with
anything else Muscle Reading
127 Mnemonic devices 147 Muscle Reading at work
129 Making connections in memory-friendly 148 Journal Entry 11: Reflect on your online
ways reading habits
130 Retool your memory 149 When reading is tough
131 Practicing Critical Thinking 14: Get 151 Getting past roadblocks to reading
creative
153 Get SPUNKI with your reading
131 Journal Entry 9: Revisit your memory
154 Practicing Critical Thinking 16: Plan
skills
to complete your reading assignments
132 Remembering names
155 Beyond speed reading: Becoming a
133 Practicing Critical Thinking 15: Move flexible reader
from problems to solutions
156 Word power—expanding your vocabulary
134 Master Student Profile: Maria Popova
158 Checklist: Review these common word parts
135 Quiz Chapter 3
159 Mastering the English language
161 Developing information literacy
chapter 4 166
167
Master Student Profile: Matias Manzano
Quiz Chapter 4
Reading 168 Skills Snapshot Chapter 4
138 Power Process: Notice your pictures and

let them go
chapter 5
139 Muscle Reading Notes
140 How Muscle Reading works
170 Power Process: I create it all
141 Phase 1: Before you read
171 The note-taking process flows
142 Phase 2: While you read
172 Observe: The note-taking process flows
143 Five smart ways to highlight a text
173 What to do when you miss a class
144 Phase 3: After you read
175 Journal Entry 12: Create more value
145 Muscle Reading: A leaner approach
from lectures
vi
176 Record: The note-taking process flows 209 Cooperative learning: Studying in groups
181 Review: The note-taking process flows 211 What to do during the test
182 Practicing Critical Thinking 17: Reflect 212 Words to watch for in essay questions
on your review habits
215 The high costs of cheating
184 Turn PowerPoints into powerful notes
215 Perils of high-tech cheating
185 When your instructor talks quickly
216 Let go of test anxiety
186 Practicing Critical Thinking 18: Taking
217 Have some FUN!
notes under pressure
218 Getting ready for math tests
187 Taking notes while reading
222 Practicing Critical Thinking 19: Use
188 Note this information about your sources
learning styles for math success
190 Visualize ideas with concept maps
222 Studying across the curriculum
192 Taking effective notes for online
224 The test isn’t over until . . .
coursework
225 F is for Feedback
195 Taking notes during meetings
226 Celebrate mistakes
196 Note taking 2.0
227 Notable failures
198 Master Student Profile: Teresa Amabile
199 Quiz Chapter 5
20 things I like to do
228 Master Student Profile: Lalita Booth
chapter 6 229
230
Quiz Chapter 6
Skills Snapshot Chapter 6
Tests
chapter 7
202 Power Process: Detach
Thinking
203 Think beyond the grade
204 What to do before the test
232 Power Process: Embrace the new
205 How to cram (even though you “shouldn’t”)
233 Critical thinking: A survival skill
206 Journal Entry 13: Explore your feelings
235 Six kinds of thinking
about tests
238 A process for critical thinking
207 Ways to predict test questions
208 Journal Entry 14: Notice your excuses
Critical thinking scenarios
and let them go
vii
243 Finding “aha!”: Creativity fuels critical
thinking
chapter 8
243 Tangram Communicating
244 Journal Entry 15: Use divergent
thinking to brainstorm goals 272 Power Process: Employ your word
245 Ways to create ideas 273 Communication: Keeping the channels
246 Journal Entry 16: Use convergent open
thinking to plan habits 273 Practicing Critical Thinking 24:
247 Create on your feet Practice sending or receiving
249 Practicing Critical Thinking 22: 274 Choosing to listen

Explore emotional reactions 277 Five ways to say “I”
250 Attitudes, affirmations, and 278 Choosing to speak
visualizations
280 Practicing Critical Thinking 25: Write
251 Practicing Critical Thinking 23: an “I” message
Reprogram your attitude
281 Journal Entry 17: Discover
251 Simple attitude replacements communication styles
252 Don’t fool yourself: 15 common 282 Developing emotional intelligence
mistakes in logic
283 Communicating in teams: Getting
254 Cognitive biases: More ways we fool things done as a group
ourselves
285 Using technology to collaborate
256 Think critically about information on
the Internet 287 Managing conflict
257 Gaining skill at decision making 289 Journal Entry 18: Recreate a relationship
258 Four ways to solve problems 290 Five ways to say no . . . respectfully
260 Asking questions: Learning through 291 Practicing Critical Thinking 26: VIPs
inquiry (very important persons)
261 15 questions to try on for size 292 Five steps to effective complaints
263 Thinking about your major 292 Criticism is constructive
265 Service-learning: Turn thinking into 293 Communicating with instructors

contribution 294 Communicating respect for your instructors
268 Master Student Profile: Irshad Manji 295 Diversity is real—and valuable
269 Quiz Chapter 7 297 Communicating across cultures
270 Skills Snapshot Chapter 7 299 Students with disabilities: Ask for what
you want
viii
300 You deserve compliments 335 Practicing Critical Thinking 29: Show
me the money
Becoming a culture learner 336 Managing money during tough times
302 Communicating as a first-generation 338 Take charge of your credit
student
340 Common credit terms
303 Staying safe on social networks
342 Journal Entry 21: Create a new
306 Three phases of effective writing experience of money
307 Writing for online readers 342 If you get into trouble . . .
308 Befriend your word processor 343 Education pays off—and you can pay
for it
311 Academic integrity: Avoid plagiarism
313 Mastering public speaking
Education by the hour
317 Making the grade in group presentations
345 Money for the future
318 Master Student Profile: Chimamanda
Adichie
to pay for your degree
319 Quiz Chapter 8
349 Use tools to tame your money
351 Your money and your values
chapter 9 352
353
Master Student Profile: Leo Babauta
Quiz Chapter 9
Money 354 Skills Snapshot Chapter 9
322 Power Process: Risk being a fool chapter 10

323 The end of money worries
Next Steps
324 Practicing Critical Thinking 28: The
Money Monitor/Money Plan
356 Power Process: Persist
325 Journal Entry 19: Reflect on your
experience of money 357 Jump-start your education with
transferable skills
329 Make more money
330 Journal Entry 20: Reflect on your
Recognize your skills
Money Monitor/Money Plan
360 65 transferrable skills
332 No budgeting required
333 Spend less money
to develop a new skill
334 Free fun
364 Taking the road to graduation
ix
365 Practicing Critical Thinking 34: Make 388 The Discovery Wheel: Coming full circle
a trial choice of a major
392 Skills Snapshot: Revisiting your
367 Transferring to a new school Discovery Wheels
369 Start creating your career 393 Journal Entry 23: Celebrate your gains,
clarify your intentions
370 Journal Entry 22: Plan a career by
naming names 394 Practicing Critical Thinking 38: Are
you getting there?
371 Another option: Don’t plan your career
396 Master Student Profile: Ben Barry
372 Start creating your résumé
397 Quiz Chapter 10
373 Discover the hidden job market
376 Develop interviewing skills
to explore your career
378 Join a diverse workplace 399 The Master Guide to Becoming a
Master Student
380 Put your health to work
402 Endnotes
381 Persist on the path of mastery
405 Additional Reading
to persist with an academic plan 407 Index
386 Tools for lifelong learning
387 Practicing Critical Thinking 37: This
book shouts, “Use me!”
Preface
Children are great students. They quickly master complex them, combine them, modify them, and invent new methods
skills like language, and they have fun doing it. For young of your own.
children, learning is a high-energy process that involves That’s the biggest reason for the density of ideas in this
experimentation, discovery, and sometimes broken dishes. book. Underlying every paragraph and every page is an
Then comes school. Drill and drudgery can replace invitation to actively experiment with the content. Find out
discovery and dish breaking. Learning may become a drag. what truly works for you.
Use this book to reverse that process. Rediscover People who excel in any field are experimenters. They’re
what you knew as a child—that joy and learning go hand willing to consider many options—even the ones that
in hand. Becoming a master student is about gaining sound crazy at first. When faced with a new idea, their first
knowledge and skills by unleashing the natural learner reaction is not to say: That will never work. Instead, they ask:
within you. How might that work? Then they take action to find out.
This book is full of suggestions for doing that. Every It took hundreds of people to produce Becoming a Master
chapter is packed with tips, techniques, methods, tools, and Student. Besides the author, there were editors, designers,
processes for you to play with. proofreaders, and advisors. Beyond them were hundreds of
Sometimes people feel overwhelmed by this fact. “There educators and students who contributed everything from a
are more ideas in here than I could ever use this term—or single comment to the inspiration for entire chapters.
even during the rest of my education,” they say. The true author of this book, however, is you. Your
Exactly. That’s the whole point. And there are several responses to any suggestion can lead you to think new
reasons for this. thoughts, say new things, and do what you never believed
One is that Becoming a Master Student is designed for you could do. If you’re willing to experiment with new ways
long-term use. You’ll find enough ideas to play with for years of learning, the possibilities are endless. This process is more
beyond graduation—for the rest of your life, in fact. fundamental and more powerful than any individual tool or
There are also many suggestions here because some of technique you’ll ever read about.
them may work well for you and others might not. Consider Consider the possibility that you can create the life of
note-taking methods, for example. Some students rave about your dreams. There are people who scoff at this idea, and
mind mapping—a visual way of recording ideas. Other stu- they have a perspective that is widely shared. Please set it
dents find mind mapping too messy and swear by traditional aside. The process of experimenting with your life is sheer
outlines instead. This book offers detailed instructions for joy, and it never ends.
both methods—and many more. Feel free to play with all of Begin now.
Acknowledgments
Jose Adames, Central Texas College Krista LeBrun, East Central Community College
Deb Butler, Victoria College Stacey Macchi, Western Illinois University
Dale Haralson, Hinds Community College Jenny Middleton, Seminole State College of Florida
Judy Isonhood, Hinds Community College LeAnne Olson, Mountwest Community and Technical College
Wendy Jansen, Killian Community College Jennifer Perkins, Central Piedmont Community College
Kami Kurtenbach, South Dakota State University Jason Walker, Salem International University
xi
What’s New
to this Edition
The foundations and themes for student success

in Becoming a Master Student have been used by
millions of students. Since the first edition, students
and instructors have helped shape this book by
providing strategies, insights, and suggestions. As
a result of its continuous evaluation and refinement,
students are inspired and motivated by this book
to adopt, develop, and commit to using the skills needed for success
in college and throughout life. These ideas are now a part of the 16th edition. Every word in
every article has been evaluated for its helpfulness to students. Statistics have been updated;
recent research has been included; and articles have been shortened or lengthened as
necessary to maximize clarity of concepts and strategies. Here are some of the major
changes you will see in this edition.
Key Updates ●● The Master Student Map at the beginning of each chapter
●● Becoming a Master Student has a new chapter structure now includes “Do you have a minute?”—actions that students
based on extensive feedback from instructors about how can take in 60 seconds or less to move toward mastery.
they actually use the text. Core content from the Diversity
and Health chapters in the Fifteenth Edition are now Chapter-by-Chapter Updates
integrated throughout the text. The remaining chapters— Introduction: The Master Student
those that instructors and students use most often—are ●● New focus on mastery Mastery and qualities of a master
expanded. student are the centerpiece of this revised chapter. Articles
●● Master Student Profiles now emphasize specific strategies and interactives about motivation and habit change
that people use to overcome obstacles and achieve their support the master student process—the continuous cycle
goals. of discovery, intention, and action.
●● Exercises throughout the text focus on critical thinking ●● Revised article “Ways to change a habit” offers more
and have new titles to reflect this change. Many of the strategies for behavior change.
new Practicing Critical Thinking exercises are worksheets ●● New exercise “Practicing Critical Thinking: Plan to change
with step-by-step instructions. These guide students to a habit” guides students to specify a cue, new behavior, and
move to higher levels of thinking in Bloom’s taxonomy of reward for a habit that they want to adopt.
educational objectives. ●● New sidebar “Do you have a minute?” gives more examples
●● Chapter quizzes also focus on higher levels of thinking of “baby steps” that students can take to make meaningful
and direct students to more of the core concepts in progress toward their goals.
the text. ●● Revised journal entry “Commitment” is expanded.
xii
Chapter 1: Discovering Yourself ●● New exercise “Practicing Critical Thinking: Plan to
●● Revised Learning Styles Inventory (LSI) Students can complete your reading assignments” is a worksheet based
now complete this assessment without having to remove on “Getting past roadblocks to reading,” with detailed
pages from the book. guidance for estimating and scheduling reading time.
●● Revised article “Learning through your senses: The VARK
system” describes the Read–Write style in more detail and Chapter 5: Notes
offers related strategies. ●● Revised article “Visualize ideas with concept maps” is
●● New master student profile Joshua Williams dem- expanded with an additional example.
onstrated the courage to take a First Step and tell the
truth about being homeless as student. He persisted to Chapter 7: Thinking
graduation, founded a scholarship that helps students pay ●● New articles “Six kinds of thinking” presents Bloom’s
for textbooks, worked as a case manager for delinquent taxonomy of educational objectives—the theoretical basis
teenagers, and entered graduate school. of this chapter—with examples of each level of thinking.
“Attitudes, affirmations and visualizations” suggests cre-
Chapter 2: Time ative ways for students to change attitudes and behaviors.
●● New articles “Making the transition to higher education” ●● New exercise “Practicing Critical Thinking: Reprogram your
and “Making time for school as an adult learner” focus on attitude” guides students to create their own affirmations.
time management as a key to balancing education with ●● New sidebars “Simple attitude replacements” offers
work and family commitments. “Making time for health” examples of effective affirmations. “Cognitive biases: More
suggests ways for students to exercise, rest, eat well, and ways we fool ourselves” expands on “Don’t fool yourself:
manage stress in the midst of their busy lives. 15 common mistakes in logic” with additional examples of
●● New exercises Students can use “Practicing Critical errors in reasoning.
Thinking: Take a first step about health” to assess their
health-related habits and plan changes in these behaviors. Chapter 8: Communicating
“Practicing Critical Thinking: Create your to-do list” is a ●● New articles “Communicating with instructors” sug-
worksheet that guides students to apply strategies from gests ways for students to develop positive, long-term
“The ABC daily to-do list.” relationships with teachers. “Communicating respect in
●● New master student profile Ramit Sethi wrote the book the classroom” emphasizes the benefits civility for both
I Will Teach You To Be Rich and created an online community students and instructors. “Communicating respect at work”
“focused on personal finance and entrepreneurship for offers strategies for develop a work ethic that employers
college students, recent college grads, and everyone else.” value. “Communicating across cultures” explains the
concept of cultural competence and includes strategies for
Chapter 3: Memory thriving with diversity. “Communicating as a first-generation
●● Revised article “Mnemonic devices” offers additional student” guides students who are new to higher education
suggestions for using these popular memory techniques. to build alliances with instructors and maintain positive
●● New sidebar “Making connections in memory-friendly relationships with family members. In addition, “Diversity
ways” reveals the mnemonic devices that are baked into is real and valuable” encourages students to use higher
Becoming a Master Student and suggests ways for students education as a laboratory for learning to bridge culture gaps.
to use similar strategies. ●● Revised article “Choosing to listen” is expanded with
●● New master student profile Maria Popova grew Brain additional techniques.
Pickings from a weekly email newsletter to one of the ●● New exercise “Practicing Critical Thinking: Becoming a
world’s most visited websites, demonstrating how a side culture learner” guides students to question their assump-
project can bloom into a career. tions about members of other cultures, interpret their
observations in alternative ways, and choose new behaviors
Chapter 4: Reading to thrive with diversity.
●● New articles “Muscle reading at work” suggests ways to
use the three phases of Muscle Reading to extract meaning Chapter 9: Money
from documents of all types, including reports, emails, ●● New article “Money for the future” suggests ways for
training materials, and websites. “Checklist: Review these students to make decisions about saving, investing, insur-
common word parts” defines word prefixes, roots, and ance, home ownership, car shopping, and signing contracts.
suffixes that are useful for students to know. “Beyond speed ●● New exercises “Practicing Critical Thinking: Plan to pay for
reading: Becoming a flexible reader” guides students to your degree” guides students to predict their income and
think critically about claims for speed reading techniques expenses for each school term and prevent financial issues
and offers research-based strategies as alternatives. that might disrupt their education.
xiii
●● New journal entry “Reflect on your experience of money” Thinking: Plan to explore your career” prompts students to
asks students to state their current financial concerns and test their career choices through internships, employment,
preview the chapter for potential solutions. and other experiences. “Practicing Critical Thinking: Plan
to persist with an academic plan” allows students to track
Chapter 10: Next Steps their academic progress each term and ensure that they’re
●● New articles “Join a diverse workplace” suggests how on track to graduate. And “Practicing Critical Thinking: Are
students can become master employees who enter the you getting there?” suggests that students revisit their
global marketplace with ease. “Put your health to work” long-term goals to assess how their daily activities align
underlines the connection between wellness and success in with those goals.
the workplace. ●● New master student profile Ben Barry worked for
●● New exercises Look for four new worksheets in this Facebook as one of the company’s first communication
chapter. “Practicing Critical Thinking: Plan to develop a new designers and now heads his own design studio in San
skill” guides students to apply strategies from “Jump-start Francisco. He demonstrates strategies for staying focused
your education with transferable skills.” “Practicing Critical in the midst of everyday distractions.
Embracing
Technology
MindTap® College Success for Becoming a Master Student
combines tools like readings, videos, flashcards, quizzes, and
digital activities to help guide students through their course
and transform into master students.
The College Success Factors Index (CSFI) is a personal suc-

cess indicator that helps students identify their strengths and
areas for growth in 10 key factors identified by researchers
to affect college success. The CSFI now kicks off MindTap®
College Success for Becoming a Master Student!
For Instructors
Visit the Instructor Companion Site for additional resources
and course support to support your teaching with Becoming
a Master Student. This site includes an Instructor’s Manual,
test banks, sample syllabi, and more. To access the Instructor
Companion Site, visit login.cengage.com.
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xiv
&
Discovery
Intention
Statement
guidelines
Discovery Statements Intention Statements

uu Record the specifics about your thoughts, feelings, uu Make intentions positive.
and behavior.
uu Focus on what you want rather than what you don’t want.
uu Notice your thoughts, observe your actions, and
record them accurately. uu Make intentions observable.
uu Use discomfort as a signal. uu Be specific about your intentions.
uu Feeling uncomfortable, bored, or tired might be a uu Make intentions small and achievable.
signal that you’re about to do valuable work.
uu Break large goals into small, specific tasks that can be
uu Suspend judgment. accomplished quickly.
uu When you are discovering yourself, be gentle. uu Set timelines.

uu Tell the truth. uu Set a precise due date for tasks you intend to do.
uu The closer you get to the truth, the more powerful uu Move from intention to action.
your Discovery Statements.
If you want new results in your life, then take action.
xv
Introduction
The Master
© wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
Student
why what is included . . .
You can ease your 2 Power Process: Discover what you want
transition to higher
education and set up a
3 Rewrite this book
lifelong pattern of success
by starting with some key
strategies.
4 Master student qualities
8 The master student process—Discovery
9 The master student process—Intention

how
11 The master student process—Action
Take a few minutes to
skim this chapter. Find
12 Keep the process alive
three suggestions that
look especially useful.
Make a note to yourself,
13 Get the most from this book
or mark the pages where
the strategies that you 15 Motivation—I’m just not in the mood
intend to use are located
in the chapter. 17 Ways to change a habit
what if... do you have a minute?

I could use the ideas Take a minute to make a list of anything about your life that’s nagging at you as
in this book to more incomplete or unresolved. Possibilities for this list include:
consistently get what I
want in my life? ●● Longstanding problems that are still not solved
●● Projects that you’d like to finish and haven’t yet started
●● Tasks that you’ve been putting off
●● Habits that you’d like to stop—or start
Save this list and refer to it as you read and work through this chapter. Everything
you wrote down is a clue about something that’s important to you. This chapter is
filled with strategies for getting clear about what you want and taking immediate
steps to get it.
B e c o m in g a M a s t e r S tud ent 1
Discover what you want
Imagine a man who tries to buy a plane This is amazing, considering the stakes
ticket for his next vacation, with no involved. Students routinely invest years
destination in mind. He pulls out his iPad of their lives and thousands of dollars,
and logs in to his favorite website for trip with only a hazy idea of their destination
planning. He gets a screen that prompts in life.
him for details about his destination. And
he leaves all the fields blank. Now suppose that you asked someone
what she wanted from her education,
“I’m not fussy,” says the would-be and you got this answer: “I plan to get
vacationer. “I just want to get away. a degree in journalism, with double
I’ll just accept whatever the computer minors in earth science and Portuguese,
coughs up.” so I can work as a reporter covering the
environment in Brazil.” The details of a
Compare this person to another traveler person’s vision offer clues to his or her
who books a flight to Ixtapa, Mexico, skills and sense of purpose.
departing on Saturday, March 23, and
returning Sunday, April 7—window seat, Another clue is the presence of “stretch
first class, and vegetarian meals. goals”—those that are big and achievable.
A 40-year-old might spend years talking
Now, ask yourself which traveler is more about his desire to be a professional
likely to end up with a vacation that athlete someday. Chances are, that’s
he’ll enjoy. no longer achievable. However, setting
a goal to lose 10 pounds by playing
The same principle applies in any area
basketball at the gym three days a week
of life. Knowing where we want to go
is another matter. That’s a stretch—a
increases the probability that we will
challenge. It’s also doable.
arrive at our destination. Discovering
what we want makes it more likely that Discovering what you want helps you
we’ll attain it. succeed in higher education. Many
students quit school simply because they
Okay, so the example about the traveler
are unsure about what they want from
with no destination is far-fetched. Before
it. With well-defined goals in mind, you
you dismiss it, though, do an informal
can look for connections between what
experiment: Ask three other students
you want and what you study. The more
what they want to get out of their
connections, the more likely you’ll stay in
education. Be prepared for hemming,
school—and get what you want in every
hawing, and vague generalities.
area of life.
sippakorn/Shutterstock.com
2 Int r oduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t
Rewrite
this book
Some books should be preserved

in pristine condition. This book isn’t
one of them.
Gil C/Shutterstock.com
Something happens when you get involved have questions, or put exclamation points or
with a book by writing in it. Becoming a Master stars next to important ideas. You could also
Student is about learning, and learning results circle words to look up in a dictionary.
when you are active. When you make notes in Remember, if any idea in this book doesn’t
the margin, you can hear yourself talking with work for you, you can rewrite it. Change
the author. When you doodle and underline, the exercises to fit your needs. Create a new
you see the author’s ideas taking shape. You can technique by combining several others. Create
even argue with the author and come up with a technique out of thin air!
your own theories and explanations. In all of Find something you agree or disagree with
these ways, you can become a coauthor of this and write a short note in the margin about it.
book. Rewrite it to make it yours. Or draw a diagram. Better yet, do both. Let
While you’re at it, you can create symbols creativity be your guide. Have fun.
or codes that will help you when reviewing the Begin rewriting now.
text later on. You might insert a “Q” where you
practicing
CRITICAL THINKING
1
Textbook reconnaissance
Start becoming a master student this moment by doing a Look especially for ideas you can use. When you find
15-minute “textbook reconnaissance.” First, read the table of one, note the location and a short description of the idea.
contents. Do it in three minutes or less. Next, look at every You also can use sticky notes to flag pages that look useful.
page in the text. Move quickly. Scan headlines. Look at (If you’re reading Becoming a Master Student as an ebook, you
pictures. Notice forms, charts, and diagrams. can flag pages electronically.)
Master student
qualities
This book is about something
that cannot be taught. It’s about
becoming a master student.
Mastery means attaining a level of skill that Oliver Cleve/Photographer’s Choice/Getty Images
goes beyond technique. For a master, work

is effortless. Struggle evaporates. The master
carpenter is so familiar with her tools that they
are part of her. To a master chef, utensils are relaxed and alert, disciplined and spontaneous,
old friends. Because these masters don’t have focused and fun-loving.
to think about the details of the process, they You might say that those statements don’t
bring more of themselves to their work. make sense. Actually, mastery does not make
Mastery can lead to flashy results: an sense. It cannot be captured with words. It
incredible painting, for example, or a gem of a defies analysis. Mastery cannot be taught. It
short story. In basketball, mastery might result can only be learned and experienced.
in an unbelievable shot at the buzzer. For a By design, you are a learning machine. As
musician, it might be the performance of a an infant, you learned to walk. As a toddler,
lifetime, the moment when everything comes you learned to talk. By the time you reached
together. You could describe the experience as age 5, you’d mastered many skills needed to
“flow” or “being in the zone.” thrive in the world. And you learned all these
Often, the result of mastery is a sense of things without formal instruction, without
profound satisfaction, wellbeing, and timeless- lectures, without books, without conscious
ness. Distractions fade. Time stops. Work effort, and without fear. You can rediscover
becomes play. After hours of patient practice, that natural learner within you. Each chapter
after setting clear goals and getting precise of this book is about a step you can take on
feedback, the master has learned to be fully this path.
in control. Master students share certain qualities.
At the same time, he lets go of control. These are attitudes and core values. Although
Results happen without effort, struggle, or they imply various strategies for learning, they
worry. Work seems self-propelled. The master ultimately go beyond what you do. Master
is in control by being out of control. He lets student qualities are ways of being exceptional.
go and allows the creative process to take over. Following is a list of master student quali-
That’s why after a spectacular performance by ties. Remember that the list is not complete.
an athlete or performer, observers often say, It merely points in a direction. As you read,
“He played full out—and made it look like he look to yourself. Put a check mark next to each
wasn’t even trying.” quality that you’ve already demonstrated. Put
Likewise, the master student is one who another mark—say, an exclamation point—
makes learning look easy. She works hard next to each quality you want to actively work
without seeming to make any effort. She’s on possessing. This is not a test. It is simply a
4 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t
chance to celebrate what you’ve accomplished practices until she knows them cold—then
so far—and start thinking about what’s puts in a few extra minutes. She also is
possible for your future. able to apply what she learns to new and
different situations.
uu Inquisitive. The master student is curious
about everything. By posing questions, she uu Joyful. More often than not, the master
can generate interest in the most mundane, student is seen with a smile on his face—
humdrum situations. When she is bored sometimes a smile at nothing in particular
during a biology lecture, she thinks to other than amazement at the world and
herself, “I always get bored when I listen his experience of it.
to this instructor. Why is that? Maybe
it’s because he reminds me of my boring uu Able to suspend judgment. The
Uncle Ralph, who always tells those master student has opinions and positions,
endless fishing stories. He even looks and she is able to let go of them when
like Uncle Ralph. Amazing! Boredom appropriate. She realizes she is more
is certainly interesting.” Then she asks than her thoughts. She can quiet her
herself, “What can I do to get value out of internal dialogue and listen to an opposing
this lecture, even though it seems boring?” viewpoint. She doesn’t let judgment get in
And she finds an answer. the way of learning. Rather than approach-
ing discussions with a “prove it to me
uu Able to focus attention. Watch a and then I’ll believe it” attitude, she asks
2-year-old at play. Pay attention to his herself, “What if this is true?” and explores
eyes. The wide-eyed look reveals an energy possibilities.
and a capacity for amazement that keep
his attention absolutely focused in the here uu Energetic. Notice the master student
and now. The master student’s focused with a spring in his step, the one who
attention has a childlike quality. The is enthusiastic and involved in class.
world, to a child, is always new. Because When he reads, he often sits on the very
the master student can focus attention, to edge of his chair, and he plays with the
him the world is always new too. same intensity. He is determined and
persistent.
uu Willing to change. The unknown does
not frighten the master student. In fact, uu Well. Health is important to the master
she welcomes it—even the unknown in student, though not necessarily in the
herself. We all have pictures of who we sense of being free of illness. Rather, she
think we are, and these pictures can be values her body and treats it with respect.
useful. But they also can prevent learning She tends to her emotional and spiritual
and growth. The master student embraces health as well as her physical health.
new ideas and new strategies for success.
uu Self-aware. The master student is willing
uu Able to organize and sort. The to evaluate himself and his behavior. He
master student can take a large body regularly tells the truth about his strengths
of information and sift through it to and those aspects that could be improved.
discover relationships. He can play with
information, organizing data by size, color, uu Responsible. There is a difference
function, timeliness, and hundreds of between responsibility and blame, and the
other categories. He has the guts to set big master student knows it well. She is will-
goals—and the precision to plan carefully ing to take responsibility for everything in
so that those goals can be achieved. her life—even for events that most people
would blame on others. For example, if a
uu Competent. Mastery of skills is impor- master student takes a required class that
tant to the master student. When she most students consider boring, she chooses
learns mathematical formulas, she studies to take responsibility for her interest level.
them until they become second nature. She She looks for ways to link the class to one
of her goals and experiments with new And he’s just as willing to give help as to
study techniques that will enhance her receive it.
performance in any course.
uu Self-directed. Rewards or punishments
uu Willing to take risks. The master provided by others do not motivate the
student often takes on projects, with no master student. Her desire to learn comes
guarantee of success. He participates from within, and her goals come from
in class dialogues at the risk of looking herself. She competes like a star athlete—
foolish. He tackles difficult subjects in not to defeat other people, but to push
term papers. He welcomes the risk of a herself to the next level of excellence.
challenging course.
uu Spontaneous. The master student is
uu Willing to participate. Don’t look for truly in the here and now. He is able to
the master student on the sidelines. She’s respond to the moment in fresh, surpris-
a collaborator—a team player who can be ing, and unplanned ways.
counted on. She is engaged at school, at
work, and with friends and family. She uu Relaxed about grades. Grades make
is willing to make a commitment and to the master student neither depressed nor
follow through on it. euphoric. She recognizes that sometimes
grades are important. At the same time,
uu A generalist. The master student is grades are not the only reason she studies.
interested in everything around him. In She does not measure her worth as a
the classroom, he is fully present. Outside human being by the grades she receives.
the classroom, he actively seeks out ways
to deepen his learning—through study uu “Tech” savvy. A master student defines
groups, campus events, student organiza- technology as any tool that’s used to
tions, and team-based projects. Through achieve a human purpose. From this
such experiences, he develops a broad base point of view, computers become tools
of knowledge in many fields that can apply for deeper learning, higher productivity,
to his specialties. and greater success. When faced with a
task to accomplish, the master student
uu Willing to accept paradox. The word chooses effectively from the latest options
paradox comes from two Greek words, in hardware and software. He doesn’t get
para (“beyond”) and doxen (“opinion”). overwhelmed with unfamiliar technology.
A paradox is something that is beyond Instead, he embraces learning about the
opinion or, more accurately, something that new technology and finding ways to use
might seem contradictory or absurd yet it to help him succeed at the given task.
might actually have meaning. For example, He also knows when to go “offline” and
the master student can be committed fully engage with his personal community
to managing money and reaching her of friends, family members, classmates,
financial goals. At the same time, she can instructors, and coworkers.
be totally detached from money, knowing
that her real worth is independent of how uu Intuitive. The master student has an
much money she has. inner sense that cannot be explained by
logic alone. She trusts her “gut instincts”
uu Courageous. The master student admits as well as her mind.
his fear and fully experiences it. For
example, he will approach a tough exam uu Creative. Where others see dull details
as an opportunity to explore feelings of and trivia, the master student sees oppor-
anxiety and tension related to the pres- tunities to create. He can gather pieces of
sure to perform. He does not deny fear; knowledge from a wide range of subjects
he embraces it. If he doesn’t understand and put them together in new ways. The
something or if he makes a mistake, he master student is creative in every aspect
admits it. When he faces a challenge and of his life.
bumps into his limits, he asks for help.
uu Willing to be uncomfortable. The
master student does not place comfort practicing
first. When discomfort is necessary to
reach a goal, she is willing to experience it. CRITICAL
THINKING
2
She can endure personal hardships and can
look at unpleasant things with detachment.
uu Optimistic. The master student sees

setbacks as temporary and isolated,
knowing that he can choose his response
to any circumstance. The master student in you
uu Willing to laugh. The master student The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate to yourself that you
might laugh at any moment, and her sense truly are a master student. Start by remembering a time in your life
of humor includes the ability to laugh at when you learned something well or demonstrated mastery. This
herself. Although going to school is a big experience does not have to relate to school. It might be a time
investment, with high stakes, you don’t when you aced a test, played a flawless soccer game, created a work
have to enroll in the deferred-fun program. of art that won recognition, or burst forth with a blazing guitar solo.
A master student celebrates learning, and It might be a time when you spoke from your heart in a way that
one of the best ways of doing that is to moved someone else. Or it might be a time when you listened deeply
laugh now and then. to another person who was in pain, comforted him, and connected
with him at a level beyond words.
uu Hungry. Human beings begin life with a
natural appetite for knowledge. In some
people, it soon gets dulled. The master Step 1
student has tapped that hunger, and it gives
Describe the details of such an experience in your life. Include the
him a desire to learn for the sake of learning.
place, time, and people involved. Describe what happened and how
you felt about it.
uu Willing to work. Once inspired, the
master student is willing to follow through
with sweat. She knows that genius and
creativity are the result of persistence
and work. When in high gear, the master
student works with the intensity of a child
Step 2
at play.
Now, review the article “Master student qualities,” and take a look at
uu Caring. A master student cares about the master student qualities that you checked off. These are the quali-
knowledge and has a passion for ideas. ties that apply to you. Give a brief example of how you demonstrated
He also cares about people and ap- at least one of those qualities.
preciates learning from others. He
collaborates on projects and thrives on
teams. He flourishes in a community that
values win–win outcomes, cooperation,
and love.
Step 3
Now think of other qualities of a master student—characteristics that

were not mentioned in the article. List those qualities along with a
one-sentence description of each.
The master student process:
Discovery
One way to become a better student is to grit your teeth and try harder.
There is a better way—the master student process. The purpose of
using this process is to develop the qualities of a master student.
You can use the master

student process to learn about
any subject, change your
habits, and acquire new skills.
That is a large claim. If you’re

skeptical, that means you’re
already developing one quality
of a master student—being
inquisitive. Balance it with
another quality—the ability
to suspend judgment while
considering a new idea.
First, get an overview of the

Brian A Jackson/Shutterstock.com
master student process.
There are three phases:
writing that guide you through wells up from the deepest
●● Discovery—observing the master student process. part of your mind. Don’t let
your thoughts, feelings, Some of these Journal such moments disappear.
behaviors, and current Entries are called Discovery Capture them in Discovery
circumstances Statements. Their purpose is Statements.
●● Intention—choosing the to help you gain awareness To get the most value from
new outcomes you’d like of “where you are”—your Discovery Statements, keep
to create current thoughts, feelings, the following guidelines
●● Action—following through and behaviors. Use Discovery in mind.
on your intentions with Statements to describe your
new behaviors strengths and the aspects Record the specifics.
of your life that you’d like Thoughts include inner voices.
As you experiment with to change. The result is a We talk to ourselves constantly
the master student process, running record of how you are in our head. When internal
remember that there’s nothing learning and growing. chatter gets in the way, write
you need to take on faith. Sometimes Discovery down what you tell yourself. If
Experience it firsthand. Test Statements capture an “aha!” this seems difficult at first, just
the process in daily life. Then moment—a sudden flash start writing. The act of writing
watch the results unfold. of insight. Perhaps a new can trigger a flood of thoughts.
Throughout this book, solution to an old problem Thoughts also include
you’ll see Journal Entries. suddenly occurs to you. mental pictures. These are
These are suggestions for Maybe a life-changing insight especially powerful. Picturing
yourself flunking a test is like Use discomfort as a signal. you continually judge your
a rehearsal to do just that. When you approach a hard behaviors as “bad” or “stupid,”
One way to take away the task, such as a difficult math your mind will quit making
power of negative images is to problem, notice your physical discoveries rather than put
describe them in detail. sensations. These might up with abuse. For your own
Also notice how you feel include a churning stomach, benefit, be kind to yourself.
when you function well. Use shallow breathing, and yawn-
Discovery Statements to ing. Feeling uncomfortable, Tell the truth. Suspending
pinpoint exactly where and bored, or tired can be a signal judgment helps you tell the
when you learn most effectively. that you’re about to do valuable truth about yourself. “The
In addition, observe your work. Stick with it. Write about truth will set you free” is a
emotions and actions, and it. Tell yourself you can handle saying that endures for a
record the facts. If you spent the discomfort just a little bit reason. The closer you get to
90 minutes chatting online longer. You will be rewarded the truth, the more powerful
with a favorite cousin instead with a new insight. your Discovery Statements.
of reading your anatomy text, And if you notice that you are
write about it. Include the Suspend judgment. As you avoiding the truth, don’t blame
details—when you did it, where learn about yourself, be gentle. yourself. Just tell the truth
you did it, and how it felt. Suspend self-judgment. If about it.
The master student process:
Intention
Some Journal Entries in this book are called
Intention Statements. These are about your
commitment to take action. Use Intention
Statements to describe how you will change leedsn/Shutterstock.com
your thinking and behavior.
In terms of the master student process, To remind you of this connection, many
Intention Statements and Discovery Journal Entries in this book are labeled as
Statements are linked. Discovery/Intention Statements.
Whereas Discovery Statements promote The act of writing will focus your energy
insights, Intention Statements are blueprints on specific tasks and help you aim at particular
for action based on those insights. goals. Here are ways to create Intention
Statements that make a positive difference in set a precise due date for each one. For example,
your life. you might write, I will select a topic for my paper
by 9:00 a.m. Wednesday.
Make intentions observable. Rather than Timelines are especially useful when your
writing “I will work harder on my history intention is to experiment with a technique sug-
assignments,” write, “I intend to review my class gested in this book. The sooner you act on a new
notes, and I intend to make summary sheets idea, the better. Plan to practice a new behavior
of my reading.” Then when you review your within 24 hours after you first learn about it.
progress, you can actually tell whether you did Remember that you create timelines for
what you intended to do. your own benefit—not to feel guilty. And you
can always adjust the timeline to allow for
Make intentions small and achievable. Give unplanned events.
yourself the chance to succeed. Set goals that
you can meet. Break large goals into small, Create reminders. Even the most carefully
specific tasks that can be accomplished quickly. crafted intentions can fizzle when they’re
If you want to get an A in biology, ask your- forgotten. If you intend to do something at a
self, What can I do today? You might choose to specific time or on a specific day, then make a
talk to three classmates about forming a study note in your calendar. Other intentions can go
group. Make that your intention. on your to-do list. (For more about using these
tools, see the Time chapter in this text.)
Anticipate self-sabotage. Be aware of what
you might do, consciously or unconsciously, to Reward yourself. When you carry out your
undermine your best intentions. If you intend intention on time, celebrate that fact. Remember
to study differential equations at 9:00 p.m., that some rewards follow directly from your ac-
notice when you sit down to watch a two-hour complishment. For example, one possible reward
movie that starts at 8:00 p.m. for earning your degree is a career that you enjoy.
Other rewards are more immediate and
Be careful with intentions that depend on related to smaller tasks. When you turn in a
other people. If you intend for your study paper on time, you could reward yourself with a
group to complete an assignment by Monday, movie or a long bike ride in the park.
then your success depends on the students In either case, rewards work best when you
in the group. However, you can support your are willing to withhold them. If you plan to
group’s success by writing an Intention take a nap on Sunday afternoon whether or not
Statement about completing your part of the you complete a reading assignment, then the
assignment. nap is not an effective reward.
Another way to reward yourself is to sit
Set timelines. Timelines can focus your atten- quietly after finishing a task and savor the
tion. For example, if you are assigned a paper to feeling. One reason that success breeds success
write, break the assignment into small tasks and is that it feels good.
Be on the lookout
Be on the lookout for the Journal Entries throughout this text to begin writing
Discovery and Intention Statements, and put the Master Student Process to work.
The master
student process:
Sergey Nivens/Shutterstock.com
Action
Here’s the deal: Life responds to what you do. The action phase of the
master student process is where you jump “off the page” and into your
life. This is where the magic happens.
A well-written Discovery in behavior can produce truth about it, review your
Statement can move you to results. If you feel like procras- intentions, and take your
tears. A carefully crafted In- tinating, then tackle just one next action.
tention Statement can fill you small, specific task related to
with inspiration. And if they your intention. Find some- Look for prompts to action
fail to change your behavior, thing you can complete in five throughout this book. In
both kinds of Journal Entries minutes or less, and do it now. addition to Journal Entries,
are useless. For example, access just one you’ll see exercises scattered
website related to the topic throughout Becoming a Master
There’s an old saying: If of your next assigned paper. Student. These are suggestions
you do what you’ve always Spend just three minutes pre- for taking specific actions
done, you’ll get what you’ve viewing a reading assignment. based on the ideas in the text.
always gotten. That seems Taking tiny steps like these To get the most out of this
so obvious. To get new results, can move you into action with book, do the exercises.
be willing to experiment with grace and ease.
new behaviors. Remember that it’s not
If you’re unsure about what about self-improvement.
Successful people consis- to do, then tweak your in- If you walk into a bookstore
tently produce the results tentions. Make sure that your or browse an online book-
that they want. And results Intention Statements include seller, you might notice titles
follow from specific, consis- specific behaviors. Describe listed under a category called
tent behaviors. There are some what you’ll actually do—the “self-improvement.” Becom-
useful guidelines to keep in kind of physical actions that ing a Master Student is not a
your back pocket as you move would show up on a video “self-improvement” book. It’s
into action. recording. Get your legs, arms, based on the idea that you al-
As you move into action, and mouth moving. ready are a master student. All
welcome discomfort, your old that’s needed is a process to
friend. Changing your behav- When you get stuck, tell unlock what’s already present
ior might lead to feelings of the truth about it. As you within you.
discomfort. Instead of going become a student of human Actually, this is a self-
back to your old behaviors, behavior, you’ll see people experimenting book. It’s about
befriend the yucky feelings. expecting new results from defining what matters to you
Taking action has a way of old behaviors—and then and choosing what to do as a
dissolving discomfort. wondering why they feel result. There’s nothing myste-
stuck. Don’t be surprised if rious or “New Age” about it.
Discover the joy of “baby you discover this tendency Just discover what works for
steps.” Even simple changes in yourself. Just tell the you. Then do it.
Keep the process
alive
The first edition of this book began with a
memorable sentence: This book is worthless.
Many students thought that this was a trick to
get their attention. It wasn’t.
Others thought it was “reverse psychology.”
It wasn’t that either. Julianka/Shutterstock.com
What was true of that first edition is true

of this one as well: This book is worthless if
reading it is all you do. correction. And moving into action keeps you
When you consistently move through the on course, headed in your desired direction.
master student process—from discovery to By the way, straying off course is normal.
intention and all the way to action—prepare for Don’t panic when you forget a Discovery
a different outcome. Practicing the process is Statement or fail to complete an intended task.
what keeps it alive. Simply make the necessary corrections.
Think about the process as flying a plane. Work smarter, not harder. Sometimes—and
Airplanes are seldom exactly on course. Human especially in college—learning does take effort.
and automatic pilots are always checking an As you become a master student, you can learn
airplane’s positions and making corrections. The many ways to get the most out of that effort.
resulting path looks like a zigzag. The plane is Though the following statement might strike
almost always flying in the wrong direction. you as improbable, you may well discover that
Yet through constant observation and course it’s true: It can take the same amount of energy
correction, it flies to the planned destination. to get what you don’t want in school as it takes to
That’s how the master student process get what you do want. Sometimes getting what
works. Discovery Statements call for constant you don’t want takes even more effort. An air-
observation. Intention Statements call for course plane burns the same amount of fuel flying away
The secret of student success
Okay, we’re done kidding around. It’s time to reveal the Use those strategies. Modify them. Invent new ones.
secret of student success. With the master student process, you become the au-
thority on what works for you.
(Provide your own drum roll here.)
What makes any strategy work is discovery, inten-
The secret is . . . tion, and action. Without them, the pages of Becom-
ing a Master Student are just 2.1 pounds of expensive
. . . there are no secrets.
mulch.
The strategies that successful students use are well
Add your participation and these pages become
known. You have hundreds of them at your fingertips
priceless.
right now, in this book.
from its destination as it does flying toward it. writing Discovery and Intention Statements,
It pays to stay on course. you’ll learn to think more critically and
creatively. And as you move into action, you’ll
Take a path to self-actualization. Abraham learn to overcome procrastination and man-
Maslow is an important figure in the history of age your behaviors in the midst of constantly
psychology. One of his most memorable discov- changing moods. Each time that you increase
eries is that we are meant to do more than just your skill in the master student process, you
satisfy our basic needs for physical safety and move higher up the hierarchy of needs.
survival. We also need to
See the process as a lifelong adventure.
●● love and be loved; Remember that this book is big for a reason.
●● experience accomplishment and self-esteem; There are far more ideas in this book than you
●● fully develop our unique talents; and can possibly put into action during a single term.
●● go beyond self-centeredness and find This is not a mistake. In fact, it is quite
fulfillment in contributing to other people. intentional. There are many ideas in this book
because no one expects all of them to work for
When we are meeting this full range of you. If one technique fizzles out, you have dozens
needs, we are self-actualizing.1 more to choose from.
Maslow’s ideas are a major inspiration for Consider the first word in the title of this
this book. One goal of the master student book—becoming. This word implies that mas-
process is to put you on a path to self- tery is not an end state or final goal. Rather,
actualization. As you gain experience with mastery is a continuous process.
Get the most from
this book
GET USED TO A NEW SKIP AROUND key points. A technique that
LOOK AND TONE Feel free to use this book in works in one area of your life
This book looks different from several different ways. Read might work in others as well.
traditional textbooks. Becom- it straight through. Or pick it
ing a Master Student presents up, turn to any page, and find USE WHAT WORKS
major ideas in magazine-style an idea you can use right now. If there are sections of this
articles. There are lots of lists, You might find that this book book that don’t apply to you
blurbs, one-liners, pictures, presents similar ideas in several at all, skip them—unless, of
charts, graphs, illustrations, places. This repetition is inten- course, they are assigned. In
and even a joke or two. tional. Repetition reinforces that case, see whether you can
Here’s gain value from those sections
anyway. When you commit to
accessed by asking four basic
questions: Why? What? How?
get value from this book, even and What if? You can use this
the an idea that seems irrelevant
or ineffective at first can turn
four-part structure to effec-
tively learn anything.
sales out to be a powerful tool in the

future. If it works, use it. If it what if why
doesn’t, lose it.
pitch RIP ’EM OUT
The pages of Becoming a what
Master Student are loose or how
perforated because some of the
The purpose of this book is to help you make information here is too impor-
EXPERIENCE THE
a successful transition to higher education by tant to leave in the book. You
POWER OF THE
setting up a pattern of success that will last the can rip out pages, then reinsert
POWER PROCESSES
rest of your life. You probably won’t take action them later by sticking them
A Power Process is a sugges-
and use the ideas in this book until you are con- into a binder or the spine of
tion to shift your perspective
vinced that you have something to gain. the book with a piece of tape.
or try a new behavior. Look
for this feature near the begin-
Before you stiffen up and resist this sales pitch, PRACTICE CRITICAL ning of each chapter. Users
remember that you have already bought the THINKING of Becoming a Master Student
book. Now you can get value for your money Practicing Critical Thinking
by committing yourself to becoming a master often refer to these articles as
activities appear throughout
student. Here’s what’s in it for you. their favorite part of the book.
this book. Other elements of
Approach them with a sense
this text, including Journal
Get full value for your money. Your college of play and possibility. Start
Entries and Skills Snapshots,
education is one of the most expensive things with an open mind, experi-
also promote critical thinking.
you will ever buy. When you add up all the ment with the ideas, and see
direct and indirect expenses, you might be what works.
practicing
paying $100 an hour or more to sit in class. CRITICAL THINKING
4
Taking the First Step
At the same time, you control the value you get

The purpose of this exercise is to give you a chance to dis- down some truths that could get you into trouble. Do this
cover and acknowledge your own strengths, as well as areas exercise on separate sheets of paper; then hide or destroy
for improvement. For many students, this exercise is the them. Protect your privacy. To make this exercise work,
most difficult one in the book. To make the exercise worth- follow these suggestions.
while, do it with courage. Some people suggest that looking
Be here now
out of your education. And that value can be
at areas for improvement means focusing on personal ●● Be specific. It is not effective to write, “I can improve
weaknesses. They view it as a negative approach that runs my communication skills.” Of course you can. Instead,
counter to positive thinking. Well, perhaps. Positive thinking write down precisely what you can do to improve your
is a great technique. So is telling the truth, especially when communication skills—for example, “I can spend more
we see the whole picture—the negative aspects as well as the time really listening while the other person is talking, Being right here, right now is such a simple appear to be studying, but your brain is
considerable. The joy of learning aside, higher

positive ones. instead of thinking about what I’m going to say next.” idea. It seems obvious. Where else can somewhere else.
If you admit that you can’t add or subtract, and that’s ●● Be self-aware. Look beyond the classroom. What goes you be but where you are? When
indeed the truth, then you have taken a strong, positive First on outside school often has the greatest impact on your All of us have experienced this voice, as well
else can you be there but when
as the absence of it. When our inner voices
Step toward learning basic math. On the other hand, if you ability to be an effective student. Consider your strengths you are there?
are silent, we can experience something
say that you are a terrible math student, but that’s not the and weaknesses that you may think have nothing to do
The answer is that you can be that’s called “flow”: Time no longer seems
levels of education relate to higher lifetime

truth, then you are programming yourself to accept unneces- with school.
somewhere else at any time—in to exist. We forget worries, aches, pains,
sary failure. ●● Be courageous. This exercise calls for an important
your head. It’s common for our reasons, excuses, and justifications. We fully
The point is to tell the truth. This exercise is similar to master student quality—courage. It is a waste of time if
thoughts to distract us from where experience the here and now. Life is magic.
the Discovery Statements that appear in every chapter. The this exercise is done halfheartedly. Be willing to take risks. we’ve chosen to be. Sometimes
difference is that, in this case, for reasons of confidentiality, You might open a door that reveals a part of yourself that Do not expect to be rid of the voice entirely.
technology becomes the source of
income and more consistent employment.2

you won’t write down your discoveries in the book. you didn’t want to admit was there. The power of this That is neither possible nor desirable. Inner
distraction: The arrival of every new
You are likely to disclose some things about yourself that technique is that once you know what is there, you can do voices serve a purpose. They enable us to
text message, Facebook update, or
you wouldn’t want others to read. You might even write something about it. analyze, predict, classify, and understand
email comes with an attention-grabbing
events out there in the “real” world. The
alert. When we let this happen without
trick is to consciously choose when to be
conscious choice, we lose the benefits
© iko/Shutterstock.com
with your inner voice and when to let it go.
It pays to be a master student.

of focusing our attention on what’s
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Instead of trying to force a stray thought
important to us in the present moment.
out of your head, simply notice it. Accept it.
Time yourself, and for When you have completed Here’s the tough part. Time Review what you have To “be here now” means to do what you’re
Tell yourself, “There’s that thought again.”
10 minutes write as fast as the first part of the exercise, yourself, and for 10 minutes written, and circle the things doing when you’re doing it. It means to
Then gently return your attention to the
you can, completing each of review what you have write as fast as you can, that you can fully celebrate. be where you are when you’re there.
task at hand. That thought, or another, will
the following sentences at written, crossing off things completing the following This list is a good thing to Students consistently report that
come back. Your mind will drift. Simply
least 10 times with anything that don’t make any sense. sentences with anything that keep for those times when focusing attention on the here and now
notice again where your thoughts take you,
that comes to mind. If you The sentences that remain comes to mind. As in Part 1, you question your own value is one of the most powerful tools in
and gently bring yourself back to the here
this book.
Get suggestions from thousands of students.

get stuck, don’t stop. Just suggest possible goals for complete each sentence at and worth. and now.
write something—even if it becoming a master student. least 10 times. Just keep We all have a voice in our head that
Also remember that planning supports
seems crazy. writing, even if it sounds silly. hardly ever shuts up. If you don’t believe
this Power Process. Goals are tools that we
it, conduct this experiment: Close your
create to guide our action in the present.
I never succeed when I . . . I always succeed when I . . . eyes for 10 seconds, and pay attention to
Time-management techniques—calendars,
what is going on in your head. Please do
The ideas and techniques in this book are here

lists, and all the rest—have only one purpose.
I’m not very good at . . . I am very good at . . . this right now.
They reveal what’s most important for you
Notice something? Perhaps a voice in your to focus on right now. Ironically, one way to
Something I’d like to change Something I like about head was saying, “Forget it. I’m in a hurry.” create flow experiences is to plan for them.
about myself is . . . myself is . . . Another might have said, “I wonder when
The idea behind this Power Process is
not just because learning theorists, educators,

10 seconds is up?” Another could have
simple. When you listen to a lecture, listen
been saying, “What little voice? I don’t
to a lecture. When you read this book,
hear any little voice.”
read this book. And when you choose to
Be c o mi n g a Ma st e r S t u de n t 27 That’s the voice. daydream, daydream. Do what you’re doing
when you’re doing it. Be where you are
This voice can take you anywhere at any
and psychologists say they work. They’re here

when you’re there.
time—especially when you are studying.
When the voice takes you away, you might Be here now . . . and now . . . and now.
because tens of thousands of students from all LEARN ABOUT 60 C h a pt e r 2 | T i me
kinds of backgrounds use them. LEARNING STYLES READ THE SIDEBARS

tablet, or smartphone. Then spend two minutes Feynman often took out a blank sheet of paper
Check out the Learning Style

writing a free-form Discovery Statement about and wrote a key topic from a book at the top
Look for sidebars—short bursts

what you just read. of the page. Then he wrote out what he would
Don’t worry about the format of this Journal say about this topic if he were teaching it to
Entry. Don’t worry about making it complete someone who knew nothing about it.
or detailed or clear enough for someone else to When he got stuck, Feynman went back
Inventory and related articles in

read. Just capture what you want to remember to the book to find what he missed. Then he
Get a tested product. The previous editions of of words placed between longer
from the chapter or article you just read. It went back to writing. He kept revising until
doesn’t matter whether you write a sentence, a he eliminated the gaps in his understanding of
paragraph, a page, or even more. Just summa- the topic.
rize what is important, memorable, and useful To get the most from this technique, use
the Discovering Yourself chap-

to you. your own words as much as possible. Simplify
this book have proved successful for millions articles—throughout the book.
File these Journal Entries in a place the language and create analogies that relate
where you can easily find them in the future. new ideas to something your imaginary student
Spending even a few minutes rereading these would already understand.
Discovery Statements can make books you read
ter. This material can help you

years ago come back to life in the present. Copy the passages you want to remember.
of students. In particular, students with successful These short pieces might offer
During the Middle Ages, books were hard to
Write short Intention Statements. For many find and expensive. When people did manage
business, self-help, and other “how-to” books to put their hands on a book, they copied out
you can go directly to application. Ask yourself: their favorite passages from the author into a
discover your preferred learning

“What is my intention after reading this? How personal journal called a commonplace book.
histories have praised the techniques in this book. insights that transform your
will I use this? What will I say or do differently Quotations were collected from many books
based on what I just read?” Don’t worry about and organized by date or topic. In addition,
following up on all the author’s suggestions. some people added a table of contents, an
Simply write Intention Statements to plan a index, or both to their commonplace books.
styles and allow you to explore

few new behaviors that will make a huge posi- The commonplace book is still a powerful
experience of higher education.

tive difference in your life. tool. Experiment with creating one of your
own. If you use a digital app for this purpose,
Use the Feynman technique. This strategy you’ll have a searchable database of the “great-
is named after Richard Feynman, a physicist est hits” from all your favorite authors. At your
new styles. Then, throughout

who won the Nobel Prize in 1965 and author fingertips will be nuggets of wisdom from a
of many popular science books. While reading, lifetime of reading.
the rest of this book, you’ll find Get SPUNKI with your reading
suggestions for applying your

SPUNKI is an acronym that stands for six words: After finishing a book chapter or article, take a few
minutes to complete any or all of the following
●● Surprising sentences in writing:
●● Puzzling
●● Useful ●● What I found surprising in this reading is . . .
What I found puzzling in this reading is . . .
knowledge of learning styles.

●● New ●●
●● Knew ●● What I found useful in this reading is . . .

●● Interesting ●● What I found new in this reading is . . .
●● What I already knew in this reading is . . .
These are the key words in six questions you can ask ●● What I found interesting in this reading is . . .
about anything you want to read and remember.
The modes of learning can be

Use these questions to create discussions, organize your
notes, and—above all—to have more fun with reading.
Be c o mi n g a Ma st e r S t u de n t 153
Motivation:
I’m just not in the mood
In large part, this chapter is about your motivation

to succeed in school.
wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com
There are at least two ways to classmates that you’ll do this, thoughts and body sensations
think about motivation. One and ask them to hold you robs them of power. They
is that the terms self-discipline, accountable. Self-discipline, might still be there, but in
willpower, and motivation willpower, motivation—none time they can stop being a
describe something missing in of these mysterious character- barrier for you.
ourselves. We use these words istics has to get in your way.
to explain another person’s suc- Just make a promise and keep Change your mind—and
cess or our own shortcomings: your word. your body. You can also get
“If I were more motivated, I’d past discomfort by planting
get more involved in school.” Befriend your discom- new thoughts in your mind or
“Of course she got an A. She fort. Sometimes keeping changing your physical stance.
has self-discipline.” “Losing your word means doing a task For example, instead of slump-
weight takes a lot of willpower. you’d rather put off. The mere ing in a chair, sit up straight
I must not have enough.” It thought of doing laundry, or stand up. You can also get
seems that certain people are reading a chapter in a statistics physically active by taking a
born with lots of motivation, book, or proofreading a term short walk. Notice what hap-
whereas others miss out on it. paper can lead to discomfort. pens to your discomfort.
A second approach to In the face of such discomfort, Work with your thoughts
thinking about motivation is to you can procrastinate. Or you also. Replace “I can’t stand this”
stop assuming that motivation can use this barrier as a means with “I’ll feel great when this is
is mysterious, determined at to getting the job done. done” or “Doing this will help
birth, or hard to come by. Per- Begin by investigating the me get something I want.”
haps there’s nothing missing in discomfort. Notice the thoughts
you. What we call motivation running through your head, and Sweeten the task. Some-
could be something that you speak them out loud: “I’d rather times it’s just one aspect of
already possess—the ability to walk on a bed of coals than do a task that holds you back.
do a task even when you don’t this.” “This is the last thing You can stop procrastinat-
feel like it. This is a habit that I want to do right now.” ing merely by changing that
you can develop with practice. Also observe what’s aspect. If distaste for your
The following suggestions happening with your body. For physical environment keeps
offer ways to do that. example, are you breathing you from studying, you can
faster or slower than usual? change that environment.
Promise it. Motivation can Are your shoulders tight? Do Reading about social psychol-
come simply from being clear you feel any tension in your ogy might seem like a yawner
about your goals and acting stomach? when you’re alone in a dark
on them. Say that you want to Once you’re in contact corner of the house. Moving
start a study group. You can with your mind and body, stay to a cheery, well-lit library can
commit yourself to inviting with the discomfort a few sweeten the task.
people and setting a time and minutes longer. Don’t judge it When you’re done with
place to meet. Promise your as good or bad. Accepting the an important task, reward
Careful planning can help you to go to the movies. However,
discover many such steps to you might be unprepared for
make a big job doable. class and have twice as much to
read the following week.
Ask for support. Other Maybe there is another way
people can become your allies in to get the payoff (going to the
overcoming procrastination. For movies) without paying the cost
wavebreakmedia/Shutterstock.com example, form a support group (skipping the reading assign-
yourself for a job well done. and declare what you intend to ment). With some thoughtful
The simplest rewards—such accomplish before each meet- weekly planning, you might
as a walk, a hot bath, or a ing. Then ask members to hold choose to give up a few hours
favorite snack—can be the you accountable. If you want to of television and end up with
most effective. begin exercising regularly, ask enough time to read the assign-
another person to walk with ment and go to the movies.
Talk about how bad it is. you three times weekly. People Comparing the costs and
One way to get past negative in support groups ranging benefits of any behavior can fuel
attitudes is to take them to an from Alcoholics Anonymous our motivation. We can choose
extreme. When faced with an to Weight Watchers know the new behaviors because they
unpleasant task, launch into a power of this strategy. align with what we want most.
no-holds-barred gripe session.
Pull out all the stops: “There’s Adopt a model. One strat- Do it later. At times, it’s
no way I can start my income egy for succeeding at any task effective to save a task for
taxes now. This is terrible is to hang around the masters. later. For example, writing a
beyond words—an absolute Find someone you consider résumé can wait until you’ve
disaster. This is a catastrophe successful, and spend time taken the time to analyze your
of global proportions!” Grip- with her. Observe this person job skills and map out your
ing taken this far can restore and use her as a model for your career goals. Putting it off
perspective. It shows how self- own behavior. You can “try on” does not show a lack of moti-
talk can turn inconveniences this person’s actions and at- vation—it shows planning.
into crises. titudes. Look for tools that feel When you do choose to do
right for you. This person can a task later, turn this decision
Turn up the pressure. become a mentor for you. into a promise. Estimate how
Sometimes motivation is a long the task will take, and
luxury. Pretend that the due Compare the payoffs to schedule a specific date and
date for your project has been the costs. All behaviors have time for it on your calendar.
moved up one month, one payoffs and costs. Even un-
week, or one day. Raising the wanted behaviors such as cram- Heed the message. Some-
stress level slightly can spur ming for exams or neglecting times lack of motivation carries
you into action. Then the issue exercise have payoffs. Cram- a message that’s worth heeding.
of motivation seems beside the ming might give you more time An example is the student who
point, and meeting the due that’s free of commitments. majors in accounting but seizes
date moves to the forefront. Neglecting exercise can give every chance to be with chil-
you more time to sleep. dren. His chronic reluctance
Turn down the pressure. One way to let go of such to read accounting textbooks
The mere thought of starting unwanted behaviors is first might not be a problem. In-
a huge task can induce anxiety. to celebrate them—even stead, it might reveal his desire
To get past this feeling, turn embrace them. We can openly to major in elementary educa-
down the pressure by taking acknowledge the payoffs. tion. His original career choice
“baby steps.” Divide a large Celebration can be especial- might have come from the
project into small tasks. In ly powerful when you follow belief that “real men don’t teach
30 minutes or less, you could it up with the next step— kindergarten.” In such cases,
preview a book, create a rough determining the costs. For an apparent lack of motivation
outline for a paper, or solve example, skipping a reading signals a deeper wisdom trying
two or three math problems. assignment can give you time to get through.
Ways to change a
habit
Jason Stitt/Shutterstock.com
Consider a new way to think about the word habit. Imagine for a moment
that many of our most troublesome problems and even our most basic
traits are just habits.
The expanding waistline want, consider a new attitude: START SMALL

that your friend blames on That behavior is just a habit. Many people sabotage their
her spouse’s cooking—maybe And it can be changed. success by planning habit
that’s just a habit called Thinking about yourself changes that are too big or
overeating. as a creature of habit gives too hard. Avoid this mistake
The fit of rage that a you power. Then you are not by starting with a small, easy
student blames on a teacher— faced with the monumental change. Take what you think
maybe that’s just the student’s task of changing your very you “should” do and reduce it.
habit of closing the door to nature. Rather, you can take Then reduce it again. Whittle
new ideas. on the doable job of changing down the task until it’s easy
Procrastination, stress, your habits. Even a change to start.
and money shortages might in behavior that seems small Draw on the “power of
just be names that we give to can have positive effects that one.” Change one habit at
collections of habits—scores ripple throughout your life. a time—a behavior that
of simple, small, repeated Following are ways to move you will do once each day.
behaviors that combine to successfully through the stages Instead of planning to floss
create a huge result. The same of habit change. all your teeth, for example,
goes for health, wealth, love, plan to floss just one. Instead
and many of the other things TELL THE TRUTH of planning to walk one
that we want from life. Telling the truth about our mile, plan to walk one block.
One way of thinking about current habits—from chew- Set yourself up for success by
success or failure is to focus ing our fingernails to cheating making the new habit easy
on habits. Behaviors such as on tests—frees us. Without to start. Instead of planning
failing to complete reading taking this step, our efforts to a big change in your diet,
assignments or skipping class change can be as ineffective as plan to eat just one extra
might be habits leading to rearranging the deck chairs on piece of fruit each day.
outcomes that “could not” be the Titanic. Telling the truth Do not be deceived by the
avoided, including dropping allows us to see what’s actually simplicity of this approach. It
out of school. In the same way, sinking the ship. works for a simple reason: The
behaviors such as completing When we admit what’s hardest part of developing a
assignments and attend- really going on in our lives, new habit is simply getting
ing class might lead to the our defenses are down. We’re started. Once you succeed
outcome of getting an A. open to change and accept- with a tiny habit change, it’s
When you discover a ing help from others. The easier to extend the behavior.
behavior that undermines support we need to change a Over time, flossing one tooth
your goals or creates a habit has an opportunity to can gradually and naturally
circumstance that you don’t make an impact. extend to flossing all your
teeth. Spending 1 minute it feels and notice how the Instead, consider a more
on the mat can extend to 10 new movement registers in practical approach: It takes
or 15. Walking a block can your body. what it takes. You might find
extend to a mile. that some habits take longer
Learn more about the TRIGGER THE HABIT to develop than others. That’s
power of changing behaviors To increase your success at be- fine. Trust the process. Do
in small steps. For example, havior change, link a new hab- what works. Give yourself
check out the 3 Tiny Habits it to an existing habit—one enough time to make the
course (tinyhabits.com) that’s stable and predictable. If change—whatever it takes.
created by B. J. Fogg, professor you want to develop the habit When your new behavior de-
of psychology at Stanford of flossing, for example, then velops into a stable habit, you’ll
University. One of his main do it right after brushing your know that you’ve succeeded.
suggestions for habit change teeth. If you want to do yoga
is to make sure that your new early in the day, then step on BE WILLING TO
behavior is truly tiny—one that mat right after using the REVISE YOUR PLANS
that you can easily do in less bathroom in the morning. If your planned habit change
than 30 seconds. B. J. Fogg suggests that doesn’t work, then simply note
you plan new habits using this what happened. Notice any
REHEARSE THE NEW format: After I . . . , I will . . . feelings of guilt or blame and
HABIT For instance: let them go. Write a Discovery
Before committing to the new Statement about what you
behavior on a daily basis, make ●● After I sit down at my learned from the experience.
sure that it’s something you desk, I will drink a sip Then select a new habit and
can and will do. You can pave of water. begin again.
the way for a new behavior ●● After I clean up from Making mistakes as you
by clearing a mental path for breakfast, I will do one practice doesn’t mean that you’ve
it. Before you apply the new pushup. failed. Even when you don’t get
behavior, rehearse it in your ●● After I answer the phone, the results you want from a new
mind. Mentally picture what I will stand up. behavior, you learn something
actions you will take and in valuable in the process. Once
what order. PRACTICE THE NEW you understand ways to change
Say that you plan to HABIT one habit, you understand ways
improve your handwriting Learning is a stable change to change any habit.
when taking notes. Imagine in behavior that comes as a
yourself in class with a blank result of practice. This is key to GET FEEDBACK AND
notebook poised before you. changing habits. Act on your SUPPORT
See yourself taking up a intention over and over again. If Getting feedback and support
finely crafted pen. Notice how you fail or forget, then let go of is a crucial step in adopting
comfortable it feels in your any self-judgment. Just review a new behavior. It is also a
hand. See yourself writing your intention and go back to point at which many plans for
clearly and legibly. You can practicing the new habit. change break down. It’s easy
even picture how you will Also accept any feelings of to practice your new behavior
make individual letters: the e’s, discomfort that come with a with enthusiasm for a few
i’s, and r’s. Then, when class new behavior. Keep practicing days. After the initial rush of
is over, see yourself reviewing the new habit, even if it feels excitement, though, things can
your notes and taking pleasure unnatural at first. get a little tougher. You begin
in how easy they are to read. to find excuses for slipping
Whenever possible, GIVE IT TIME back into old habits: “One
rehearse the new habit physi- Perhaps you’ve heard people say more cigarette won’t hurt.”
cally as well. If you plan to that it takes a certain number of “I can get back to my paper
do one push up every time days to change a habit. This can tomorrow.” “It’s been a tough
you start the microwave, for lead to needless worries about day. I deserve to skip class.”
instance, then try out this new whether your habit change is One way to get feedback is
behavior right away. See how taking too much time. to bring other people into the
picture. Ask others to remind
you that you are changing
your habit if they see you
backsliding. Starting new
it to yourself or even out loud.
Draw on the power of positive
emotions to reinforce new
behaviors.
journal
entry 1
habits might call for the more Choose a celebration discovery statement
focused, long-lasting support that supports your goals and
that close friends or family values. Eating a high-calorie
members can give. Support snack is not an effective way Declare what you want
from others can be as simple to celebrate the fact that you
as a quick phone call: “Hi. exercised, especially if your goal Review the articles that you’ve read so far in this
Have you started that outline is to lose weight. chapter. Then use this Journal Entry to start expe-
for your research paper yet?” riencing the master student process—the ongoing
Or it can be as formal as a CHANGE YOUR cycle of discovery, intention, and action.
support group that meets once ENVIRONMENT
a week to review everyone’s Consider the student who Brainstorm many possible ways to complete this
goals and action plans. always snacks when he stud- sentence: I discovered that what I want most from
ies. Each time he sits down my education is . . . When you’re done, choose the
MONITOR YOUR to read, he positions a bag of ending that feels best to you and write it down.
BEHAVIOR potato chips within easy reach.
Jerry Seinfeld told one aspir- For him, opening a book is a I discovered that what I want most from my educa-
ing comedian that “the way cue to start chewing. Snack- tion is . . .
to be a better comic was to ing is especially easy, given the
create better jokes, and the place he chooses to study—the
way to create better jokes was kitchen.
to write every day.”3 Seinfeld This student decides to
also revealed his own system change this habit by studying bottles in an out-of-the way
for creating a writing habit: at a desk in his bedroom closet. And if you want to
He bought a big wall calendar instead of at the kitchen table. develop a daily habit of doing
that displayed the whole year And every time he feels the yoga, then lay out a mat in
on one page. On each day urge to bite into a potato your bedroom and leave it
that he wrote jokes, Seinfeld chip, he drinks from a glass of there.
marked a big red X on the water that he’s placed nearby. The beauty of this strategy
appropriate day on the wall You can use this strategy is that habit change doesn’t
calendar. He knew that he’d to change many habits in depend on motivation or will-
established a new habit when short order. Just set up your power. That’s a big step toward
he looked at the calendar and environment so that the success at habit change.
saw an unbroken chain of X’s. undesired behaviors become
You can use the same strategy harder—and desired behaviors
to take a series of small steps become easier.
that add up to a big change. If you want to stop
Search for habit change snacking on junk foods, for Zdorov Kirill Vladimirovich/Shutterstock.com
apps. Examples are Habit example, then throw them in
List (habitlist.com) and Way the garbage. If you want
of Life (wayoflifeapp.com). to drink less alcohol
Some apps allow you to create at home, then
a Seinfeld-style calendar for store the
tracking your daily behavior.
CELEBRATE SUCCESS
Every time that you practice
your new habit, celebrate. This
can be as simple as using a
word or phrase—Yes! or Vic-
tory! or Way to go! or I rock! Say
do you have a
minute
Sometimes the hardest part of meeting a goal or changing a habit is simply getting started. To get past this obstacle, take
a “baby step” right away. In 60 seconds or less, you can often do something right away that takes you in your desired
?
direction.
Review the following chart for examples. Then plan a few baby steps of your own.
If you want to . . . Then take a minute to . . .

Exercise every day right after Lay out your exercise clothes and shoes the night before.
getting up in the morning.
Spend less time on email. Unsubscribe from email lists that no longer interest you.
Capture important ideas as Grab a few 3 3 5 cards and pen to stick in a pocket or purse. Or download a note-
soon as they occur to you. taking app for your smartphone.
Clean out that pile of unopened Throw away the junk mail and stuff that you’ll never respond to.
mail on top of your desk.
Empty your email inbox. Look for one email that you can respond to in 60 seconds, and handle it now. Set up
a separate folder for emails that require follow-up action. Set up a separate folder for
“read later” emails that don’t require follow-up action.
Organize your desk. Find a small metal tray, basket, or other container to temporarily store new pieces
of mail, class handouts, notes to yourself, and other papers.
Organize your list of contacts. Take one business card and enter the name, address, and phone number into the
Contacts app on your computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Write more useful notes. Take your notes from one of today’s classes and fix a sentence that’s unclear.
Communicate more effectively Write down three questions you’d like to ask one of your instructors during an office
with instructors. meeting.
Start reviewing for tests earlier. Use a 3 3 5 card or smartphone app to create one flash card for one of your courses.
Enter upcoming test dates in your calendar.
Get started on an assigned Make a list of three possible topics. Write one sentence that you might be able to
paper to write. include in the paper.
Brainstorm three questions about your topic.
Express gratitude to the key Send one person a short text with a specific thank-you.
people in your life.
Get financial aid. Search your school’s website for the location, phone number, and email address of
the financial aid office.
Reduce the amount of time that Stand up right now for one minute.
you spend sitting every day. Stand up whenever you answer a phone call.
Manage stress more effectively. Take 60 seconds to scan your body for any points of tension and relax those muscles.
Develop a career plan. Go online to make an appointment with your school’s career center to find out more
about the resources that are available to you.
Protect your privacy when you Create a new password that’s stronger than one of your current passwords.
go online. Bookmark a search engine with built-in privacy features, such as Epic Search
(epicsearch.in) and DuckDuckGo (duckduckgo.com).
practicing
CRITICAL THINKING
3
Plan to change a habit
In his book The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg explains that any habit has three elements:3
●● Routine. This is a behavior that we repeat, usually without thinking. Examples are taking a second helping at dinner, biting
fingernails, or automatically hitting the snooze button when the alarm goes off in the morning.
●● Cue. Also known as a trigger, this is an event that occurs right before we perform the routine. It might be an internal event,
such as a change in mood. Or it could be an external event, such as seeing an advertisement that triggers food cravings.
●● Reward. This is the payoff for the routine—usually a feeling of pleasure or a reduction in stress.
Taken together, these elements form a habit loop: You perceive a cue and then perform a routine in order to get a reward.
Use this Practicing Critical Thinking exercise to test Duhigg’s ideas for yourself.
Step 1: Identify your current routine. Step 4: Choose a new routine.
Describe the habit that you want to change. Refer to a Now choose a different routine that you can perform in
specific behavior that anyone could observe—preferably a response to the cue. The challenge is to choose a behavior
physical, visible action that you perform every day. that offers a reward with as few disadvantages as possible.
Instead of eating a whole cookie, for example, you could
I discovered that the habit I want to change is . . . break off just one small section and eat it slowly, with full
attention. This would allow you to experience a familiar
Step 2: Identify the cue. pleasure with a fraction of the calories. Describe your new
routine.
Next, think about what takes place immediately before you
perform the routine. For instance, drinking a cup of coffee The new routine that I intend to do is . . .
(cue) might trigger the urge to eat a cookie (routine).
tep 5: Create a visual summary of your experi-
S
I discovered that the cue for the behavior I described is . . . ence with habit change.
Step 3: Identify the reward. After practicing your new routine for at least seven days,
fill in the following chart to summarize what you did. Use
Now for the “goodie.” Reflect on the reward you get from the “Notes” column to describe what you learned, includ-
your routine. Do you gain a distraction from discomfort? A ing anything that surprised you, consequences of the new
pleasant sensation in your body? A chance to socialize with routine, and things that will be useful to remember when
friends or coworkers? Describe the details. you plan habit changes in the future.
I discovered that my reward for my current routine is . . .
Current Routine Cue Reward New Routine Notes
Be c o m i n g a Ma s t e r S t u den t 21
discovery statement journal
entry 2
Commitment
This book is worthless unless you actively participate in its activities and exercises.
One powerful way to begin taking action is to make a commitment. Conversely, if you don’t make
a commitment, then sustained action is unlikely. The result is a worthless book.
Therefore, in the interest of saving your valuable time and energy, this exercise gives you a chance
to declare your level of involvement upfront.
From the options that follow, choose the sentence that best reflects your commitment to using
this book.
1. Well, I’m reading this book right now, aren’t I?

2. I will skim the book and read the interesting parts.
3. I will read the book, think about it, and do the exercises that look interesting.
4. I will read the book, do some exercises, and complete some of the Journal Entries.
5. I will read the book, do some exercises and Journal Entries, and use some of the techniques.
6. I will read the book, do most of the exercises and Journal Entries, and use some of
the techniques.
7. I will study this book, do most of the exercises and Journal Entries, and use some of
the techniques.
8. I will study this book, do most of the exercises and Journal Entries, and experiment with many of
the techniques in order to discover what works best for me.
9. I promise myself that I will create value from this course by studying this book, doing all the
exercises and Journal Entries, and experimenting with most of the techniques.
10. I will use this book as if the quality of my education depended on it—doing all the exercises and
Journal Entries, experimenting with most of the techniques, inventing techniques of my own, and
planning to reread this book in the future.
Enter today’s date and the number of the sentence that reflects your commitment level:
Date: ______________________ Commitment level: ______________________
If you selected commitment level 1 or 2, you probably won’t create a lot of value in this class.
Consider passing this book on to a friend.
If your commitment level is 9 or 10, you are on your way to terrific success in school.
If your level is somewhere in between, then experiment with three suggestions from this chapter.
Also set a date to return to this exercise and consider raising your level of commitment based on
the results of your experiment.
I intend to . . .
Date: ______________________ Commitment level: ______________________
chapter 1
Discovering
Monkey Business/Fotolia
Yourself
why what is included . . .
Success starts with telling
the truth about what
24 Power Process: Ideas are tools
is working—and what
isn’t—in your life
25 First Step: Truth is a key to mastery
right now.
28 The Discovery Wheel
33 Learning styles: Discovering how you learn
how 36 Learning Style Inventory

Skim this chapter for
42 Using your learning style profile to succeed
three techniques that
you’d like to use in school
or in your personal life
48 Claim your multiple intelligences
during the upcoming
week. Make a note to 52 Learning through your senses: the VARK system
yourself or mark the pages
where the strategies that 56 Master Student Profile: Joshua Williams
you intend to use are
located in the chapter.
what if...
I could start to create new
outcomes in my life by
accepting the way I am
right now?
do you have a minute?
Take a minute to write down a “baby step”—a task that takes 60 seconds or less—
that can help you move toward completing a current project or assignment. For
example, brainstorm a list of topics for a paper that you plan to write.
If you can spare another minute, then do that task immediately.
Ideas are tools
There are many ideas in this book. When people who believe in this hammer and
you first encounter them, don’t believe people who don’t.”
any of them. Instead, think of the ideas
as tools. That ridiculous picture makes a point.
This book is not a manifesto. It’s a
For example, you use a hammer for a toolbox, and tools are meant to be used.
purpose—to drive a nail. You don’t try
to figure out whether the hammer is If you read about a tool in this book that
“right.” You just use it. If it works, you doesn’t sound “right” or one that sounds
use it again. If it doesn’t work, you get a a little goofy, remember that the ideas
different hammer. here are for using, not necessarily for
believing. Suspend your judgment. Test
People have plenty of room in their lives the idea for yourself. If it works, use it. If
for different kinds of hammers, but they it doesn’t, don’t use it.
tend to limit their openness to different
kinds of ideas. A new idea, at some level, Any tool—a hammer, a computer
is a threat to their very being—unlike program, a study technique—is designed
a new hammer, which is simply a new to do a specific job. A master mechanic
hammer. carries a variety of tools because no
single tool works for all jobs. If you throw
Most of us have a built-in desire to a tool away because it doesn’t work in one
be right. Our ideas, we often think, situation, you won’t be able to pull it out
represent ourselves. later when it’s just what you need. So if
an idea doesn’t work for you and you are
Some ideas are worth dying for. But satisfied that you gave it a fair chance,
please note: This book does not contain don’t throw it away. File it away instead.
any of those ideas. The ideas on these The idea might come in handy soon.
pages are strictly “hammers.”
And remember, this book is not about
Imagine someone defending a hammer. figuring out the “right” way. Even the
Picture this person holding up a hammer “ideas are tools” approach is not “right.”
and declaring, “I hold this hammer to be
Anteromite/Shutterstock.com
self-evident. Give me this hammer or It’s just a tool.

give me death. Those other hammers
are flawed. There are only two
kinds of people in this world:
24 Chapt er 1 | Di sc ove ri n g You rse l f
First Step:
Truth is a key to mastery
The First Step is one of the most valuable tools
in this book. It magnifies the power of all the
other techniques. It is a key to becoming a
master student.
Akva/Shutterstock.com
The First Step technique is about your current symptoms. FIRST STEPS ARE
simple: Tell the truth about That way you can get an ac- JUDGMENT-FREE
who you are and what you curate diagnosis and effective Let’s be honest: It’s not easy to
want. End of discussion. treatment plan. This principle tell the truth about ourselves.
Now proceed to the next is universal. It works for just It’s not fun to admit our
chapter. Well . . . it’s not quite about any problem in any area weaknesses. Many of us
that simple. of life. approach a frank evaluation of
First Steps are used by ourselves about as enthusiasti-
To succeed in school, tell the millions of people who want cally as we’d greet a phone
truth about what kind of stu- to turn their lives around. No call from the bank about an
dent you are and what kind of technique in this book has overdrawn account. We might
student you want to become. been field-tested more often end up admitting that we’re
Success starts with telling the or more successfully—or afraid of algebra, that we don’t
truth about what is working— under tougher circumstances. complete term papers on time,
and what is not working—in For example, members of or that coming up with the
your life right now. Alcoholics Anonymous start money to pay for tuition is a
by telling the truth about their constant challenge.
An article about telling drinking. Their First Step is to There is another way to
the truth might sound like admit that they are powerless think about self-evaluations. If
pie-in-the-sky moralizing. over alcohol. That’s when we could see them as oppor-
However, there is nothing pie- their lives start to change. tunities to solve problems and
in-the-sky or moralizing about When people join Weight take charge of our lives, we
a First Step. It is a practical, Watchers, their First Step is might welcome them. Believe
down-to-earth principle to use telling the truth about how it or not, we can begin work-
whenever you want to change much they currently weigh. ing with our list of weaknesses
your behavior. When people go for credit by celebrating them.
When we acknowledge our counseling, their First Step is Consider the most ac-
strengths, we gain an accurate telling the truth about how complished, “together” people
picture of what we can accom- much money they earn, how you know. If they were totally
plish. When we admit that we much they spend, and how candid with you, they would
have a problem, we are free to much they owe. talk about their mistakes and
find a solution. Ignoring the People dealing with a regrets as well as their rewards
truth, on the other hand, can variety of other challenges— and recognition. The most
lead to problems that stick including troubled relation- successful people tend to be
around for decades. ships with food, drugs, sex, the most willing to look at
and work—also start by telling their flaws.
FIRST STEPS ARE the truth. They use First Steps It may seem natural to
UNIVERSAL to change their behavior, and judge our own shortcomings
When you see a doctor, the they do it for a reason: First and feel bad about them.
First Step is to tell the truth Steps work. Some people believe that
such feelings are necessary to using the phrase “I can’t” and revises too much and hands
correct their errors. Others its endless variations. in the paper late, though,
think that a healthy dose of The key is to state First her grade might suffer. Any
shame can prevent the moral Steps in a way that allows for success strategy carried too far
decay of our society. new possibilities in the future. can backfire.
Think again. In fact, con- Use language in a way that
sider the opposite idea: We reinforces your freedom to FIRST STEPS ARE
can gain skill without feeling change. SPECIFIC
rotten about the past. We can For example, “I can’t Whether written or verbal, the
change the way things are succeed in math” is better ways that we express our First
without having to criticize stated like this: “During math Steps are more powerful when
the way things have been. We courses, I tend to get confused they are specific. For example, if
can learn to see shame or early in the term and find it you want to improve your note-
blame as excess baggage and hard to ask questions. I could taking skills, you might write,
just set them aside. be more assertive in asking for “I am an awful note taker,” but
If the whole idea of telling help right away.” it would be more effective to
the truth about yourself puts “I can’t say no to my under- write, “I can’t read 80 percent
a knot in your stomach, that’s age friends who like to drink of the notes I took in Introduc-
good. Notice the knot. It is until they get drunk” is better tion to Psychology last week,
your friend. It is a reminder stated as “I have friends who and I have no idea what was
that First Steps call for courage drink illegally and drink too important in that class.”
and compassion. These are much. I want to be alcohol-free Be just as specific about
qualities of a master student. and still be friends with them.” what you plan to achieve. You
Telling the truth about might declare, “I want to take
FIRST STEPS POINT what we don’t want gives us legible notes that help me
US TOWARD GOALS more clarity about what we do predict what questions will be
Master students get the most want. By taking a First Step, on the final exam.”
value from a First Step by we can free up all the en- The exercises and Journal
turning their perceived short- ergy that it takes to deny our Entries in this chapter are all
comings into goals. “I don’t ex- problems and avoid change. about getting specific. They
ercise enough” turns into “I will We can redirect that energy can help you tap resources
walk briskly for 30 minutes at and use it to take actions that you never knew you had. For
least three times per week.” align with our values. example, do the Discovery
“I don’t take clear notes” be- Wheel to get a big-picture
comes “I will review my notes FIRST STEPS INCLUDE view of your personal ef-
within 24 hours after class and STRENGTHS fectiveness. And use the
rewrite them for clarity.” For some of us, it’s even harder Learning Style Inventory,
“I am in conflict with to recognize our strengths along with the articles about
my parents” transforms into than to recognize our weak- multiple intelligences and the
“When my parents call, I will nesses. Maybe we don’t want VARK system, to tell the truth
take time to understand their to brag. Maybe we’re attached about how you perceive and
point of view before disagree- to a poor self-image. process information.
ing with them.” The reasons don’t matter. As you use these elements of
“I get so nervous during The point is that using the Becoming a Master Student, you
the night before a big test First Step technique in Becom- might feel surprised at what
that I find it hard to sleep” ing a Master Student means you discover. You might even
turns into “I will find ways to telling the truth about our disagree with the results of an
reduce stress during the 24 positive qualities too. exercise. That’s fine. Just tell the
hours before a test so that I Remember that weaknesses truth about it. Use your dis-
sleep better.” are often strengths taken to agreement as a tool for further
Another quality of master an extreme. The student who discussion and self-discovery.
students is that they refuse to carefully revises her writing This book is full of First
let their First Steps turn into can make significant improve- Steps. It’s just that simple.
excuses. These students avoid ments in a term paper. If she The truth has power.
practicing
CRITICAL THINKING
4
Taking the First Step
The purpose of this exercise is to give you a chance to dis- down some truths that could get you into trouble. Do this
cover and acknowledge your own strengths, as well as areas exercise on separate sheets of paper; then hide or destroy
for improvement. For many students, this exercise is the them. Protect your privacy. To make this exercise work,
most difficult one in the book. To make the exercise worth- follow these suggestions.
while, do it with courage. Some people suggest that looking
at areas for improvement means focusing on personal ●● Be specific. It is not effective to write, “I can improve
weaknesses. They view it as a negative approach that runs my communication skills.” Of course you can. Instead,
counter to positive thinking. Well, perhaps. Positive thinking write down precisely what you can do to improve your
is a great technique. So is telling the truth, especially when communication skills—for example, “I can spend more
we see the whole picture—the negative aspects as well as the time really listening while the other person is talking,
positive ones. instead of thinking about what I’m going to say next.”
If you admit that you can’t add or subtract, and that’s ●● Be self-aware. Look beyond the classroom. What goes
indeed the truth, then you have taken a strong, positive First on outside school often has the greatest impact on your
Step toward learning basic math. On the other hand, if you ability to be an effective student. Consider your strengths
say that you are a terrible math student, but that’s not the and weaknesses that you may think have nothing to do
truth, then you are programming yourself to accept unneces- with school.
sary failure. ●● Be courageous. This exercise calls for an important
The point is to tell the truth. This exercise is similar to master student quality—courage. It is a waste of time if
the Discovery Statements that appear in every chapter. The this exercise is done halfheartedly. Be willing to take risks.
difference is that, in this case, for reasons of confidentiality, You might open a door that reveals a part of yourself that
you won’t write down your discoveries in the book. you didn’t want to admit was there. The power of this
You are likely to disclose some things about yourself that technique is that once you know what is there, you can do
you wouldn’t want others to read. You might even write something about it.
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Time yourself, and for When you have completed Here’s the tough part. Time Review what you have
10 minutes write as fast as the first part of the exercise, yourself, and for 10 minutes written, and circle the things
you can, completing each of review what you have write as fast as you can, that you can fully celebrate.
the following sentences at written, crossing off things completing the following This list is a good thing to
least 10 times with anything that don’t make any sense. sentences with anything that keep for those times when
that comes to mind. If you The sentences that remain comes to mind. As in Part 1, you question your own value
get stuck, don’t stop. Just suggest possible goals for complete each sentence at and worth.
write something—even if it becoming a master student. least 10 times. Just keep
seems crazy. writing, even if it sounds silly.
I never succeed when I . . . I always succeed when I . . .
I’m not very good at . . . I am very good at . . .
Something I’d like to change Something I like about

about myself is . . . myself is . . .
The Discovery Wheel
The Discovery Wheel gives you an in-depth opportunity to practice the master student process—
the ongoing cycle of discovery, intention, and action. Like many other students, you might find the
Discovery Wheel to be the most valuable exercise in this book.
This is not a test. There are no trick questions, and the

answers will have meaning only for you. 5 points This statement is always or
almost always true of me.
Here are two suggestions to make this exercise more
effective. First, think of it as the beginning of an opportunity 4 points This statement is often true
to change. Second, lighten up. A little laughter can make of me.
self-evaluations a lot more effective.
3 points This statement is true of me
Here’s how the Discovery Wheel works. By the end of this about half the time.
exercise, you will have filled in a circle similar to the example. 2 points This statement is seldom true
The Discovery Wheel circle is a picture of how you see your- of me.
self as a student. The closer the shading comes to the outer
edge of the circle, the higher the evaluation of a specific skill. 1 point This statement is never or
In Figure 1.1, the student has rated her reading skills low and almost never true of me.
her note-taking skills high.
The terms high and low are not meant to reflect judgment. the following statements and award yourself points for each
The Discovery Wheel is not a permanent picture of who one, using the point system described here. Then add up your
you are. It is a picture of how you view your strengths and point total for each section, and shade the Discovery Wheel
weaknesses as a student today. To begin this exercise, read in Figure 1.2 to the appropriate level.
10 1
POSE AT T I
TUD
PUR E
35
2
25
9
TI
Y
NE
M
E
MO
15
5
U N I C AT I N G
MEMORY
8
3
COMM
RE
G
AD
N
KI
IN
IN
4
7
TH
Figure 1.1 Sample Discovery

S TES
NO
Wheel. Notice how this student
TEST
6 5 has rated her reading skills low
and her note-taking skills high.
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no related content on Scribd:
I like, and I had made him come to the station because I was afraid
of meeting Rahas alone. And I told him to take tickets for him and
me, and we went back by the next train to the station where Rahas
got out. The porter said two gentlemen had got out and gone across
the fields; and I knew who the other one was, and I screamed, and
told William my husband had come back. But he said it was a fancy.
We walked across the wet fields in the dark, and I was trembling so
that I could scarcely stumble along, and William carried a lantern,
and said I had better go back, for we were on a wild-goose chase.
And when we came down to the wood, my foot slipped, and I fell on
to the grass, and as he stooped to pick me up, William saw marks on
the ground, as if something had been pulled along over it. He went a
little way slowly until I heard him give a cry, and I ran to him, and—
and we found you.”
She could not say more, her voice was suffocated, her lips were
shaking. But the whitewashed walls of the room in which he was
lying, the hayrick he could see through the window, told George that
it was to a farmhouse he had been brought; and there they spent two
days, until he was well enough to get up and go with Nouna back to
her friends in Plymouth. Then began for them both in the pretty
southern town a new and sweeter honeymoon, marred only for each
by a secret fear for the other. In the first days of their re-union
happiness gave their wasted frames a new vitality which made each
feel on the high road to health, but which made to each only the
more evident the pale face and heavy breathing of the other.
They were sitting together in the sunlight one May afternoon, the
window wide open, the breeze coming in straight from the sea,
drinking in the joy of each other’s presence as they were never tired
of doing, when George passed his hand slowly down his wife’s
cheeks, and shivered.
“Are you cold?” she asked anxiously, nestling up to him and
putting her little arms round him as if to protect him from the spring
air.
“No,” he said in a troubled voice, “I’m all right. But I’m afraid this
place doesn’t suit you, Nouna; you’re getting so thin and white. You
are paler than when I came back.”
Nouna’s face changed; after a moment’s pause she sprang up
with her old vivacity, and running to a looking-glass, gazed at her
own reflection for some minutes, and then crept back to her
husband’s side with a bright light in her eyes. As he looked at her
inquiringly, she drew up the sleeve of his coat as far as she could,
very gently, and then baring her own arm also, laid it beside his, and
glanced up into his face with an odd, tender, yearning expression
which, after a moment’s wonderment, opened his own dull eyes. For
a few seconds neither spoke again. Then he snatched her into his
arms and their eyes held each other’s for some minutes in an
ecstasy of relief and gratitude. George had loved his wife better than
his career, better than his own happiness. Nouna, since the fall of
her first idol—her mother—had turned all her devotion to the
husband who had cherished her so tenderly. Both, therefore,
dreaded life without the other a thousand times worse than death,
and when it dawned upon them that they were not to be parted
again, there was no further sorrow possible for them in this world.
“George,” said Nouna at last, in a broken whisper, “if you had
never met me you would have been much happier, for you would
have married that good Ella and have got on in the world and
become a great man.”
“Yes,” said he at once.
“Well, aren’t you sorry?”
“No.”
“Why?”
It was not easy to explain. The sailor, sinking with his ship at
twenty-five, does not in his last moments wish that he had been a
grocer, though if he had he might have gone on contentedly selling
tea and candles for half a century. George, struck down by
misfortune in the prime of his youth, had tasted some of life’s
supremest joys, and the rolling years could give him no delight such
as he had felt in running the whole gamut of an absorbing passion.
He hesitated before he answered her.
“If I had not married you,” he said at last, “you would never have
been poor, you would have had as many lovely dresses and
diamonds as you wanted, and nobody would ever have teased you
to tell the truth, or to do anything you didn’t want to do. And yet you
are not sorry you married me. What’s the reason?”
She curled herself about him. “I don’t know,” she said shyly.
“You’ve made me feel things I didn’t—feel—before.”
“Well, Nouna, and you’ve done the same to me. Are you
satisfied?”
“Yes,” she said.
“Then so am I.”
And in this state of placid but languid contentment these two
shipwrecked creatures drifted on day by day, tired out by the buffets
of fortune, and making no effort to escape from the black archer who
seemed to have marked them down. The young come to this stage
more easily than the middle-aged; when their strong passions and
eager desires burn low, quenched suddenly by ill-health or desperate
misfortune, all the busy wheels of the world seem to stand still with
them, and they cry, when they feel that the pulse of life beats weakly:
“This is the end!” While older sufferers, who have shaken Time by
the hand, and know his ways, and have learnt to bear his penalties
patiently, see only the daily work interrupted against their will, waiting
to be taken up again when the storm is over.
There came to Plymouth, when Lauriston and his wife had been a
week there together, a friend who saw something of this, and set her
wits to work, after her custom, to put right what she saw was wrong.
Ella Millard had brought her whole family to the town on the plea that
a fortnight of the Devonshire air would improve her sisters’
complexions, and arm them for the triumphs of the coming season.
Having gained over her mother, from whom she inherited her own
strong will, the rest yielded like lambs, and within a week of her
resolution to come they were all installed in a house at the upper end
of Lockyer Street, near the Hoe. By Sir Henry and his two eldest
daughters, who all enjoyed a serene animal health, and to whose
lymphatic temperament trials of the nervous system were
meaningless words, the wan faces and languid movements of the
Lauristons were looked upon as altogether fatal signs. But the more
discriminating Ella would not give up hope so easily. It seemed to her
contrary to common sense, and to the lofty qualities she attributed to
him that the man who had been her ideal should allow himself to be
snuffed out of life so easily. Afraid to depend entirely upon her own
judgment in such an important matter, she refrained from setting her
scathing little tongue to jibe at him for the inertness of his mind until
she had found some person of authority to pronounce upon the
health of his body. But George had never before in his life been in
need of a doctor, and scouted the idea of seeing one now; while
Nouna, on whose behalf Ella then pleaded, shrank sensitively from
the ordeal of meeting a stranger, and only consented at last to see
the physician whom George had called in to dress her arm on the
memorable evening of his first visit to Mary Street. The very next day
Dr. Bannerman arrived, and had an interview with both his patients.
The entrance of the tall, slightly stooping figure, the sight of his dark,
penetrating face, lean, lined, and impressive as that of a magician,
raised a flush of excitement to Nouna’s face, and brought back to her
husband’s mind a vivid recollection of the prophecy uttered by the
doctor on that May evening. If the sharp eyed man of science knew
all the circumstances that had chequered Lauriston’s life since he
disregarded that warning, he would indeed think that his sinister
prophecy had been amply fulfilled.
The interview was a short one. The doctor affected to have no
recollection of either of his patients until George followed him out of
the room, and stood face to face with him on the landing.
“You remember me, doctor, I suppose,” he said in a rather
shamefaced way.
“Perfectly.”
“The first time you met me you were kind enough to read me a
sermon. You might read me one to more purpose now.”
“More purpose! No. You can read your own sermon now, and I
come to my proper function, that of curing the results of the acts my
warning could not save you from.”
“If you knew the whole story, doctor, you would hardly blame me.”
“I don’t blame you. How can I blame conduct which brings me a
patient? If all men were wise, we poor medicine men might go sweep
crossings.”
“But, doctor, if I had been a wiser man I should have been a worse
one.”
“Not necessarily. And it shows no more virtue than wisdom to
throw up the sponge when you are beaten by Fortune at the first
round.”
George reddened. “First and last round too, isn’t it, doctor? Come,
tell me honestly how long you give me to live.”
Dr. Bannerman looked at him steadily.
“If you remain mooning about here, hovering along like a moth in
the sunshine, brooding over things which are past and beyond
remedy, I give you a year. If you buckle to, make yourself new
interests in life, start on a new career, and get new air into your lungs
and new thoughts into your brain, I give you any time from ten years
to five-and-twenty.”
George instinctively drew himself up into a more martial attitude.
“And my wife?” he asked with fresh interest and eagerness.
“I give her as long as she has a strong heart and a brave arm to
take care of her.”
The young man turned his eyes away with a new light burning in
them. At last he said with a tremor in his voice:
“You would not deceive us about this, of course, just to keep us
lingering on a little longer?”
“Not a bit of it. You are both suffering from severe shock to the
nervous system, and because each of you thought you were going to
lose the other, neither has had the energy or the desire to pull round.
You besides have a weak lung, and I tell you frankly you would not
make her majesty such a smart young officer again. But a man of
your intelligence must have other resources.”
George saw by the foregoing speech that very little of his history
during the past year was unknown to the doctor. On the whole, this
knowledge made him feel easier.
“I think I could write,” said he reflectively. “I have already given
myself some sort of training for it, and if only all my ideas did not
seem to be locked up somewhere out of my reach, I think I could
express them at least intelligibly.”
“Good,” said Dr. Bannerman. “Then all we have to do is to find the
key. I think I know a friend of yours whom we can consult about that.
You shall hear the result of our conference very shortly. In the
meanwhile, keep up your spirits and keep out of draughts, and
English literature may yet thank your wife for taking you out of the
army.”
George shook his hand warmly, and the doctor left the house. Half
way down Lockyer Street he met Ella Millard, who was burning with
impatience to know the result of the interview. As he came up she
hastily dismissed a fair-haired young fellow of three or four and
twenty, who trotted meekly off at once towards the Hoe. She was too
deeply interested in what the doctor had to tell to utter more than the
word “Well!” in a tremulous voice. She thought, however, by the
expression of his face that his news could not be very bad.
“Well!” he repeated after her.
“Is it well?” said she impatiently.
The doctor smiled. “I think so.”
Her face softened. “I thought it could not be the worst; it would
have been too dreadful—and too foolish,” she added sharply.
“That is just what I told him. Oh! I was very hard with him; I thought
he wanted it. He has had an awful time of it lately, and the poor boy
hardly knows even yet whether he is on his head or his heels. But it
is quite time now that he made an effort to pull himself together. I
gave him a good talking to, I can tell you.”
Her look seemed to implore mercy, but she said nothing. He
continued: “They ought to go away. He thinks he could write, and I
should encourage him to try.”
“And—his wife?” she asked, with a scarcely perceptible diminution
of interest.
“There is nothing organically wrong with her at all. She will be
herself again before him, and then help his recovery.”
“Help him! Do you think so?” asked Ella doubtfully.
“Yes.”
“I thought you told me, that when you first saw her she produced
on you a very different impression.”
“So she did. But then—she was a very different woman.”
Ella’s mouth twitched rather scornfully. She thought that the weird
prettiness of Nouna’s little wasted face had bewitched even this
middle-aged doctor.
“She is scarcely even yet an ideal companion for a man of
intellect,” she said with a slight touch of her worst, most priggish
manner.
“H’m, I don’t know,” said the doctor. “Your man of intellect is
generally a man of something else besides; and the housekeeper-
wife and the blue-stocking wife both frequently leave as much to be
desired as—well, say, the flower-wife, if once the flower learns to
turn to the sun, as, I think, little Mrs. Lauriston has done.”
“She is fond of him,” agreed Ella rather grudgingly.
“And what more does he ask of her?”
“Nothing more now; but will it be always so?”
“Who can tell? But love on both sides is a good matrimonial
foundation. Have they any money?”
“Enough to live upon as quietly as they are doing now.”
“Ah! but they want something more than that. He ought to move
about, to travel, and she ought to be tempted back to interest in life
with some of the pretty things she is so fond of. Haven’t they any
relations who could manage that?”
Ella’s face brightened with a little smile as she nodded assent. “I
think the relations can be found,” she said.
Apparently the doctor thought he had put the suggestion into good
hands, for he looked at her very good-humouredly as he held out his
hand and bade her good-bye.
“The gentleman who was dismissed for me will be wishing me all
the nauseous draughts I ever prescribed,” said he drily.
Ella grew superbly disdainful.
“Oh no,” she cried with haughty emphasis. “He is only a silly young
fellow who was a fellow-officer of Mr. Lauriston’s, and who is so fond
of him that he has come down here on purpose to see him, although
he puts off doing so from day to day for fear of waking in him
recollections which might distress him.”
The doctor was more than satisfied with this elaborate
explanation.
“I dare say he manages to fill up his time agreeably enough—in
this pleasant neighbourhood,” said he gravely.
And he raised his hat and left her before she had time to utter
another protest.
Now, quite unintentionally, Dr. Bannerman had done a very ill turn
to a most harmless and kindly fellow-mortal. Clarence Massey, the
humble companion whom he displaced at Ella’s side, having been
attracted to Ella by the devotion with which she had worked for his
friend George Lauriston, had raised up an altar to her in his most
affectionate and warm heart, on which, figuratively speaking, he
burned incense all day long. Whenever and wherever she would let
him, he followed like a dog, bearing her snappish fits with beautiful
meekness, accepting any remarks she liked to throw to him, as
precious pearls to be treasured in his memory; gentle, loyal, and
devoted always. Ella, who had begun by laughing at him, had been
thawed by his distracted anxiety and misery over George Lauriston’s
misfortunes, until from tolerating she had begun to like him. And
now, just as she was getting so amiable to him that he had begun to
entertain hopes which he had the sense and modesty to think
extravagant, this light suggestion on the part of a stranger chilled her
into anger at the thought that any one should think her capable of a
serious thought for so unintellectual a person as Clarence Massey.
She had promised, on Doctor Bannerman’s approach, to rejoin
Clarence on the Hoe; but it was with the step of an offended
empress that the plain little girl met this well-provided young fellow,
on whom a dozen mammas of marriageable daughters now fixed
longing eyes.
“Well, what does he say?” asked Clarence, afraid from the
expression of her face that the report was bad.
She told him briefly and coldly the substance of the doctor’s
opinion, but without any hint of his last suggestion except the vague
information that the pair had better go abroad. Then she walked
briskly on in the direction of the Fort, and to Clarence’s meek request
for permission to accompany her, she gave the most brusque, most
chilling answer that he could “do as he pleased.” Of course he
pleased to go, and when they got on to the narrow footpath which is
only wide enough for one, he followed with tears in his eyes at the
change in her, wondering what in the world had happened to make
her so unkind to him. Meanwhile, however, an idea had come into
her busy little head which helped the effect of the spring air in
restoring her to good humour; so that when she stopped to look
reflectively out to sea and caught sight of his disconsolate face, she
smiled at him with mingled mercy and majesty and asked him why
he looked so miserable.
“I’m not miserable now,” said he, brightening up at once. “It was
only that I was afraid you didn’t want me.”
Ella grew prim again.
“It is very kind of you to come,” said she.
“Ella, don’t say that. How can you say that, when you know very
well how happy it makes me to be with you!”
“Happy! How absurd! I wish, Clarence, you wouldn’t say such
ridiculous things.”
“But, Ella, why is it ridiculous? It’s true, you know it’s true. You
know very well I would follow you to the end of the world if you’d let
me, that I’d do anything you wanted me to, that I’m never so happy
as when I’m with you. Well, why is it ridiculous to say what is true
and what you know?”
“But I don’t want to know it,” said Ella sharply. “If I had thought you
would ever talk to me in such a silly way I would never have let you
come out with me. When I’m thinking about serious things, too!”
“Can’t you see that this is serious to me?”
“It’s only all the more ridiculous. You must either promise never to
talk such nonsense to me again, or you must give up the walks.”
“Very well, then, I must give up the walks,” said Clarence
resignedly, “for I can’t make the promise.”
And he walked away over the rough grass, and began to look out
to sea on his own account. Ella, in spite of the “serious things” which
had occupied her thoughts, was forced to turn her attention to this
importunate and foolish person close at hand, and she did so with a
much graver countenance than was her wont in matters relating to
him. The fact was that this unexpected threat of withdrawing his
despised attentions woke her suddenly to the fact that she should
miss them. Ella discovered all at once that she was not so insensible
as she had imagined to the ordinary feminine pleasure in the
possession of a devoted slave. Even a Clarence who occasionally
talked nonsense would be better than no Clarence at all. Some
expression of these conclusions found its way to her face, for the
crestfallen swain was emboldened by her glance to draw near her
again. She said no kind word however, and he was afraid that further
pleading at the moment might be injudicious, so they stood very
quietly side by side until Ella broke out vehemently:
“I wish I had twenty thousand pounds!”
The wish and the fiery manner in which it was uttered took
Clarence so completely by surprise that instead of assuring her that
she had only to say the word, and he would lay that sum at her feet,
as perhaps she had expected of the impulsive little Irishman, he only
said simply:
“What for?”
“To throw into the sea,” was her surprising answer.
He laughed, supposing that this was a faint sort of joke.
“I mean it,” she added gravely. “I can get five thousand pounds of
my fortune from papa, but I want twenty thousand more.”
“But what a strange use for it; you are not in earnest about that!”
“Oh, yes, but I am.”
“Well, if anybody were to offer you twenty thousand pounds, what
would you say to—him?”
“I should say, Thank you.”
“Prettily?”
Ella paused. He was bending his head to look into her eyes, and
putting into that word a great deal of impertinent meaning. Then she
flashed up into his face a grand glance full of magnificent
haughtiness.
“Of course, because I am not handsome, you think I ought to jump
at you!”
“Oh, no, I don’t. But whether you jump at me or away from me, you
shall have the twenty thousand pounds.”
“What, without knowing what I am going to do with it?”
“You said you wanted it to throw into the sea.”
“Oh, yes, yes, so I do. But supposing I were to throw it to another
man—a merman, for example?”
Clarence winced. “Whatever you do is right, Ella,” he said, at last.
“You can throw it to whoever or whatever you like.”
“When can I have it?”
“I shall have to go up to town. I can raise it by next week.”
Ella put her hand on his arm impulsively.
“You’re a good fellow,” she said, in a very sweet voice.
And Clarence, who had never had such a mark of her favour
before, felt all on fire, and wished he dared to hold her fingers where
they had so unexpectedly placed themselves. But the overwhelming
reverence he felt for this small girl taught him discretion, and you
might have thought, by the stiffness with which he held himself under
her touch, that a wasp had settled upon him, and that he was afraid
to move for fear of provoking it to sting. But they walked back
together to the Hoe in a very amicable manner, Clarence feeling that
luck had helped him to make a splendid move, and Ella wondering
whether by the acceptance of twenty thousand pounds from a man
she could be considered in any way to have compromised herself.
CHAPTER XXXII.
Three weeks passed very quietly for George Lauriston and his
wife without any markedly apparent result of the doctor’s visit, except
that George, trying to shake off the lethargy into which he had sunk
since his imprisonment, had put himself into harness for a new battle
with fortune by writing articles on the condition of the army for a local
paper. He also took a journey to London to fulfil his long-promised
revenge upon Rahas, and would probably have got himself into fresh
trouble by using other than legal means of chastisement upon the
Arabian, if that ingenious gentleman had not just got into a little
difficulty with the excise officers over a large consignment of choice
tobacco which was more than suspected of having paid no duty, and
some silver goods not up to standard, the hall-mark on which had
been forged, which forced him to leave the land of his adoption for
shores where genius is more respected.
Both George and Nouna for a long time refrained from mentioning
her mother’s name, and it was with some emotion that they both
recognised her handwriting one day outside a letter directed to the
husband, the postmark of which was Bath. George took it away to
read, and Nouna made no remark, but when he came back to her,
holding it open in his hand, he found that she was trembling with
intense excitement. She took it from him with a passionately anxious
glance, but gathered comfort from his gravely smiling face.
Nouna then read these words:
“My dear Mr. Lauriston,

“I am writing to make a request which I pray you will
generously grant. I know there are differences between us
which would make another meeting undesirable and perhaps
painful to both, I would not suggest that we should see each
other again: but I implore you to let me see my daughter just
once more. Six months ago I could have claimed this as a
right, or I would have contrived it by a trick. But I have learnt
to respect you, and I only ask. I am a different woman, I have
grown old, I am changed, you would not mind her coming now
—I swear it. Lord F. has been very generous, and I want
nothing but just one more look at my daughter. Let her come
and see the Condesa di Valdestillas, that is the name I bear
here, and shall bear to the end of my life. A foreign title covers
whatever of eccentricity is left in
“Yours very sincerely,

“Lakshmi di Valdestillas.”
Nouna was crying quietly as she finished. She clung to her

husband’s arm.
“Must I go?” she whispered.
“Oh, yes,” said George promptly. “She has always loved you,
Nouna; I will write to tell her you are coming.”
“Oh, George, George,” panted the little creature in the same low
voice, “I feel so wicked for not wanting to go! But all my heart has
turned to you now, and I can’t get the old feeling back.”
He clasped his hands round her shoulders.
“But you will, Nounday, you will have just the feeling that is right
when you see her all by herself, lonely, waiting for you whom she
has always loved better than anything in the world.”
All the sting had now gone out of his feelings towards the creature
who, with all her odd mixture of coarseness and refinement,
corruption and generosity, had lived to see the very virtues she had
fostered in her child turn against her in the loneliness of her
premature age. For George had learnt from Lord Florencecourt, who
ran down to Plymouth two or three times to see him and Nouna, to
whom he was beginning to be reconciled, that Chloris White had
indeed retired from her old life, broken up and suddenly middle-
aged, and had fixed her retreat in the pretty old city of Bath, where
she lived safe from recognition in a colony of what the Colonel
irreverently called “old tabbies,” feeling neither contrition for the past
nor discontent with the present, and passing her time, with a serenity
born of dulled faculties and worn-out energies, in petty charities and
petty scandal.
Two days after the receipt of the letter George arrived with Nouna
in Bath, left her at the door of her mother’s residence, a small, well-
kept house in a quiet street, and walked up and down outside until
she should rejoin him. When she reappeared at the door she was
very serious, and she beckoned him to come up the steps to her.
“Mamma wishes—to say—good-bye to you,” she said in a
tremulous voice.
Standing aside she let George see a bent figure, dressed in black,
with greyish hair, and a wan dark face, who raised her great black
burning eyes, but not with the old boldness, to his face. He took his
hat off, and held out his hand. The lean little dark fingers she put into
his were shaking.
“Good-bye, Mr. Lauriston. I shall not see you again. It has made
me happy to see you. Remember when you think of me that I had no
chance—from the beginning. But I kept my child pure, and so God
sent you to her. I dare not bless you, but I thank you; if I were better I
would pray for you. Good-night. Good-bye.”
The long evening shadows were creeping over the quiet streets,
as George and his wife, walking slowly away, caught the final
glimpse of a pale, drawn face, and great eyes like flaming fires,
straining in the gloom for a last look at them. Nouna was very quiet,
but she was much happier than she had been in coming.
“George,” she said in a low voice, “I can think about her and love
her now just as I used to do. When may I see her again? She would
not tell me.”
And George could not tell her either, though he gave her a ready
assurance that she should come whenever she was summoned; for
he had a shrewd suspicion that, in spite of Lord Florencecourt’s
belief that she was happy and contented, the restless spirit of the
reputed Countess was untamed still, and chafed in secret under the
new bonds of broken health, changed habits, and disappointed
ambition. Two days later this suspicion was confirmed, when he
received the tidings, conveyed to him only, of the sudden end of the
Condesa di Valdestillas, who had been found dead in her bed from
an overdose of a sleeping-draught. But as she left a sealed letter for
George with instructions to keep the news of her death from her
daughter until Nouna was stronger, full of passionate thanks to him,
and equally passionate regrets that she might not leave what she
possessed to her child, he was not deceived, though he was the only
person who ever knew the secret.
Poor Sundran, who was with her mistress to the last, implored
George, who went at once to Bath on learning the tidings, to let her
come back to her darling Missee Nouna. And as he was sure
enough now of his influence over his wife no longer to dread that of
the black woman, he promised that, at no distant time, she should
return to her service.
On hearing that the “Condesa di Valdestillas” was dead, Lord
Florencecourt, finally relieved from his fears, openly acknowledged
Nouna as his daughter “by a former wife,” as indeed poor Chloris,
thinking over the position of affairs on the eve of her first and last
attempt at reparation, had foreseen that he would do, and settled a
handsome allowance upon her. He came down to Plymouth in the
last week of May to make this determination known to his son-in-law.
He was accompanied by his niece Ella, who was in a state of strong
but subdued excitement, but who gave no reason which her uncle
could consider adequate for her entreaty that she might thus leave
London for a few days in the height of the gaieties of the season.
On their arrival in Plymouth, Ella chose to remain alone at the
hotel while the Colonel went to call upon the Lauristons. He thought
this decision very extraordinary; but on his return a light came to him;
for in the sitting-room, standing close by his niece’s side, and
bending over her to speak with a passionate earnestness which
seemed to infect the usually self-contained girl, was Clarence
Massey. They both started guiltily on Lord Florencecourt’s entrance,
and Clarence shook with nervousness as he greeted him. Ella
rushed at her uncle, and asked about the health of the invalids with
great vivacity and interest.
“What were you talking about when I came in?” asked the Colonel
bluntly, when he had informed her that George and Nouna were
neither better nor worse than they had been three weeks ago.
“We were talking about them—about the Lauristons,” answered
Ella.
And Clarence echoed her words. The Colonel looked from the one
to the other incredulously. His niece seized both his hands
impulsively, with a light-hearted laugh.
“We must tell you—it’s a great secret, but it’s coming out now, and
you shall be the first to hear it,” said she.
Then she made him sit down, and told him, rather breathlessly, a
long story, to which Clarence played Chorus, and to which the
Colonel listened with amazement, admiration, and something like
consternation too.
“And who’s to pay for it all?” he asked at last in bewilderment.
“Oh, we’ve arranged all that,” said Ella airily.
Again Clarence echoed, “We’ve arranged all that.”
And this astonishing unanimity naturally led Lord Florencecourt to
a conclusion the expression of which would have filled Ella with the
loftiest indignation. In the meantime, having been informed of the
plot, he was pressed into the service of the conspirators, and that
evening, when it had grown dark, they all three went to the house
where the Lauristons were staying, and the Colonel entered, leaving
the two young people to walk up and down outside in a state of
breathless expectancy.
“Break it gently!” was Ella’s last injunction as he left them.
Lord Florencecourt found his way up stairs to his son-in-law’s
sitting-room in a state of great nervousness. He found George and
Nouna, pale, thin, and languid as ever, the former sitting at the table,
writing, while his tiny wife, curled up on the sofa with a large ball of
wool, some long wooden pins, and a small, misshapen piece of work
which was the result of many evenings’ labour, flattered herself that
she was knitting. They were both surprised by this second visit from
the Colonel, and by the fact that now he had come he seemed to
have nothing to say.
“What are you doing?” he asked Nouna at last.
“I’m making George a comforter,” she answered proudly. “I can’t
be idle while my husband’s at work.”
“Well, it keeps you quiet at any rate,” he observed injudiciously, a
glance at the comforter having convinced him that if ever it should be
finished and worn it would belie its name. The Colonel fidgeted for a
few moments, and the young people began to assume an attitude of
expectancy, perceiving that something was to come of this unusual
restlessness. “I suppose you wouldn’t like to leave Plymouth—to go
anywhere—to—India, for instance,” he blurted out at last.
Nouna sprang up with a cry, a great light in her eyes. George’s
face flushed; he crossed the room and came to support his wife, who
was tottering.
“Why does he say it? why does he say it? It can’t be true, oh, it
can’t be true!” sobbed she, burying her face in his breast.
“What does it mean, Colonel? Are you serious?” asked George in
a hoarse voice.
He hated England just now, sore and beaten down as he still felt,
but he had felt that to run away from it was cowardly, even if he had
been able to afford it. This suggestion of change for himself and joy
for Nouna therefore came upon his heart like a ray of bright light in
the dead grey level of their languid lives.
“Make all your preparations to-night,” said the Colonel, “for you will
have to start to-morrow.”
And, as if afraid of committing himself by any explanation, he left
the room, and darted out of the house like a lad before they had time
to stop him. In the street Ella and Clarence met him, full of
excitement.
“Well?” said they at the same time, both quivering with excitement.
“It’s all right. I told them—just enough and no more. I said it rather
suddenly perhaps, but I was afraid they’d ask questions. They’re to
be ready to start to-morrow, I said. You couldn’t have managed
better yourself, Ella. They were delighted, absolutely delighted.”
The Colonel was right. To these two beings, whose hearts and
minds were still scarcely as convalescent as their bodies after the
trials of the preceding few months, the suggestion of this great
change came as the grant of a new bright life to them. Nouna, in
particular, was half crazy with delight, and seemed to recover in a
moment all her lost vivacity, as she babbled of palms and sunshine,
palaces with stately domes and graceful minarets, of elephants with
rich trappings, birds with bright plumage, and dark depths of jungle
where the tiger was known to lurk, and where every step was
hedged with fascinating peril. That night she scarcely slept, and next
morning, when Lord Florencecourt again made his appearance,
accompanied this time by Ella, he was quite bewildered by the
change in his daughter’s looks. Ella herself, although very quiet, was
almost as much excited, as she asked whether they were ready.
George, with dull masculine pertinacity, worried everybody by asking
for details of the journey for which they had so hastily prepared; but
at last perceiving, by the evasive answers he got, that some surprise
was intended, he was in the end content to hold his tongue, and to
wait patiently till the proper time should bring enlightenment.
Arrangements had been made, they were told, for the transport of
their luggage, and they had nothing to do but to start in the company
of Ella and the Colonel. They set out on foot, which was one
astonishing thing, and they were taken in the direction of the Hoe,
which was another. It was a beautiful, bright May morning. From the
seat by the camera obscura they all stood for a moment, looking
down at the water, when suddenly Nouna burst forth into a cry of
admiration at the sight of a beautiful yacht which was anchored half-
way between the shore and Drake’s Island.
“When did it come?” she cried with much interest. “It wasn’t here
yesterday. What a beautiful little thing!”
“Little thing!” cried Lord Florencecourt, with untimely impetuosity.
“Why it’s 150 tons; big enough to go round the world in!”
Then an awkward silence fell upon everybody, for, vulgarly
speaking, the cat was out of the bag. And the conversation was kept
up with difficulty until, descending the cliff, they all came to the little
landing-pier, where a small boat was waiting with Clarence Massey
standing up in it, waving his hat frantically and beaming with
unspeakable enthusiasm. Neither George nor Nouna asked any
questions now; and they all got into the little boat in a state of
surprising silence, and were rowed straight out towards the beautiful
yacht without anybody’s remarking upon the strangeness of the
circumstance. But as they drew near her, Nouna caught sight of the
name, painted in bright gold letters on the stern—“Scheherazade.”
She touched her husband’s arm, and made him read it too. Before
he could speak, they were close under the yacht, and Lord
Florencecourt was leading the way on board. Nouna climbed up next
like a cat, and the rest followed quickly.
Then Ella took the young wife by the hand, and, leaving the three
men on the deck, led her on a tour of inspection. The yacht was a
tiny floating palace, fitted up by the dainty taste of one woman to suit
the luxurious fancy of another. The rooms were hung with rich
tapestry, and with delicate China silks embroidered in gold and pale
colours. The woodwork was painted with birds and flowers on a
background of faint grey landscape. The bed-room was fitted up with
satin-wood, and hung with rose-coloured silk; while in order that
George might have a corner better suited to masculine taste in this
dainty little craft, a very small room, dark with old oak and
serviceable leather, had been appointed for him as a study. Every
corner of the yacht held something beautiful and curious: skins of
white bears, mounted in maroon velvet; carvings in ivory, securely
fixed on dark brackets that showed off their lacelike outlines;
treasures in bronze, in delicate porcelain, in exquisitely tinted glass
from Salviati’s, met the eyes at every turn. The whole furnishing and
fitting of the little vessel, down to the choice of silver-gilt teaspoons
from Delhi and a lamp which was said to have been dug up at
Pompeii, had clearly been a labour of love.
Nouna was overwhelmed; she walked along with her hand in
Ella’s, scarcely uttering a sound, until at last she heard the words
whispered in her ear: “This is a present for you—all for you, with my
love. You are to make good use of it, and be very happy in it. No”—
she stopped Nouna, who was breaking into tears, and incoherent,
passionate thanks—“you may thank me when you and your husband
both come sailing back strong and rosy and well.”
Nouna smiled at her with glistening eyes as she put her little
hands round the girl’s shoulders.
“I can’t thank you, I can scarcely try. You were born to be a good
fairy to everybody. Kiss me, kiss me hard, and give me some of your
own sweetness that I may be a better wife.”
When they came on deck again they were both very quiet; and
George, who had in the meantime learnt that this fairy yacht was a
present to his wife, and also that, in common with the fairy presents
of tradition, for a whole year at least it would entail no expense upon
its owner, could do nothing but shake Ella’s hand warmly and
murmur some incoherent words.
All the visitors on board now felt that their task was done. The
luggage was on board, the steam was up, the hands were ready to
hoist the anchors; and both George and Nouna showed signs of
having suffered as much excitement as their still weak frames could
bear. Lord Florencecourt, Ella and Clarence took their leave quickly,
descended from the yacht into the little boat, and rowed away in the
sunshine, while the young husband and wife waved them good-bye.
“Where are we going to, George?” asked Nouna, when the little
boat had reached the pier, and the passengers were landed.
“Just where you like. You are its mistress, you know.”
She drew a long breath of pleasure.
“Tell the captain to go, as quickly as possible, to some place—
nearer than India—where there are palms and blue skies, and bright
birds.”
George obeyed, and, coming back, told her that they were going
first to Malta. She was satisfied, considering that Valetta was a pretty
name, and remembering she had heard the air was good for people
with weak lungs.
“Yes, yes, let us go to Malta, George, and there you will get well,”
said she.
And she drew him towards a pretty little pavilion which had been
erected on the deck. The hanging curtains were crimson and gold,
and could be looped back to command a view of the sea in any
direction.
“Why didn’t Ella take me in there?” she said.
“Perhaps it contains some great treasure which she kept as a
bonne bouche at the last,” suggested he, smiling.
Already she had an inkling of the truth, and when she tore back
the nearest curtain and found, kneeling on the ground on a leopard’s
skin among white silken cushions which were to support her young
mistress’s head, the old servant Sundran trembling with joy, she
gave way, and fell sobbing into the Indian woman’s arms.
“Oh, George, George,” she whispered passionately, springing up
again to her husband’s side, “Ella must have an angel from heaven
hovering about her to whisper to her just what will make people
happiest! Aren’t you afraid of waking up and finding it isn’t real?”
“No, Nounday,” said he, tenderly, but with a thoughtful face; “I’d
rather think that we have been in a dreary, feverish sleep, and that
we are sent away to wake us up to life again!”
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XIV
Osoittaudun huonoksi suojelusvartijaksi
Minun oli mahdotonta irroittaa silmiäni hänestä, ennenkuin hän

katosi hytinovesta. En voinut punnita, kuinka paljon
voimainponnistusta oli vaadittu laahautumiseen sängystä, mitä
rauhattomuutta ja tuskaa hänen oli täytynyt kärsiä uskaltaakseen
tämän. Jourdainit, alettuaan ihmetellä, kun minä en tullut takaisin ja
kun eivät voineet hillitä kieltään — niin, ehkäpä olivat epäilleet
pahoja aikeita heitä itseäänkin kohtaan — olivat luultavasti menneet
sairaalaan ja kertoneet hänelle käynnistäni — sitä vastaan minulla ei
ollut mahdollisuutta suojata itseäni. Lopun hän oli helposti arvannut.
Hänen oli ainoastaan tarvinnut tarkastaa matkustajaluetteloa
saadakseen selville, että Royce ja minä olimme laivalla. Ja nyt
seurasi hän meitä toivoen — mitä? Mitä voi mies toimittaa
sellaisessa tilassa kuin hän? Mitä syytä meillä oli pelätä häntä? Ja
sittenkin hänessä oli jotakin — jotakin itse hänen ympärillään
olevassa ilmakehässä — joka melkein säikäytti minut. Toinnuttuani
jälleen todellisuuteen huomasin että Royce ja rouva Kemball olivat
vetäytyneet kappaleen matkaa kauemmas ja että neiti Kemball
katseli minua hymyillen puoleksi suljetuin silmin.
»Vai niin, te olette jo taas hereillä, herra Lester» sanoi hän. »Onko
teillä useinkin tuollaisia kohtauksia?»
»Suokaa anteeksi», änkytin, »asian laita on niin, että minä — että

minä —»
»Tehän näytitte ihan kauhistuttavalta», jatkoi hän armottomasti.

»Pelkästä kauhusta. Minä puolestani en voinut nähdä mitään
peloittavaa hänessä.»
»Ette, te ette tunne häntä!» väitin, mutta pidättäydyin puhumasta

liian paljon.
Nyt hän hymyili avoimesti; ihana hymy, joka sai silmäkulmat

hiukan ryppyyn ja salli minun vilahdukselta nähdä rivin pieniä
valkoisia hampaita.
»Ehkä käymme istumaan», sanoi hän. »Ette näytä vieläkään

oikein tointuneelta. Äitini ja herra Royce ovat hylänneet meidät.»
Etsimme paikan peräkannelta, josta voimme nähdä kaupungin

vähitellen katoavan matkan päähän, suuren laivamme liukuessa
kauemmas lahteen ja sen koneiden aloittaessa poljennollisen
musiikkinsa, joka ei lakkaisi ennenkuin matkan lopussa. Saatan
suoraan tunnustaa, että tunsin itseni rauhattomaksi. Enhän ollut
hetkeäkään ajatellut, että Martignylla olisi uskallusta seurata meitä
samassa laivassa kuin me — ja sittenkään, kun kaikki kävi ympäri,
se ei ollut niin merkillistä, hänellä kun ei ollut aavistustakaan siitä,
että epäilin häntä, että tiesin hänen ja Bethunen olevan saman
henkilön. Tämä oli suuri etuni. Joka tapauksessa meidän ei tarvinnut
lainkaan pelätä häntä; hän seurasi meitä luultavasti vain
varoittaakseen rikostovereitaan siinä tapauksessa, että he olivat
vaarassa joutua ilmi meille. Ainakaan tällä hetkellä he eivät olleet
missään vaarassa ja kenties eivät tulisi koskaan olemaankaan.
Mutta että hän seurasi meitä, että hän ei välittänyt siitä suuresta
vaarasta, jossa hän itse oli, se pani minut paremmin arvostelemaan
sen välinpitämättömyyden astetta, jolla hän toteutti päätöksensä
pettää meitä. Mielikuvituksessani hän seisoi mustan pilven
ympäröimänä, jonka syvyydestä hän katseli meitä, julmana,
kalpeana, uhkaavana.
— Kertoisinko Roycelle tämän uuden havainnon? — kysyin

itseltäni, mutta samassa muistin tohtorin sanat. Hänen tuli saada
lepoa ja rauhaa lähimmän viikon aikana; hänen tuli olla vapaana
kaikesta harmista ja huolesta.
»Toivon, etten häiritse, herra Lester?» lausui vieno, hurmaava ääni

vierestäni ja heräsin tietoisuuteen siitä, että olin taaskin tehnyt itseni
syypääksi seuralaiseni unohtamiseen.
»Neiti Kemball», aloitin epätoivoisena, »minun on tunnustettava

teille, että olen kovin epämiellyttävässä asemassa. Ja se seikka,
etten voi pyytää neuvoa, tekee asian vielä pahemmaksi.»
»Ettekö voi pyytää sitä edes herra Roycelta?» kysyi hän

kohotetuin silmäluomin.
»Häneltä kaikkein vähimmän! Tiedätte, että hän on juuri

paranemaan päin vaikeasta hermostumiskohtauksesta — hänen on
oltava levollinen — siinä on syy, miksi hän tekee tämän matkan.»
»Ymmärrän», sanoi hän ja nyökäytti päätään.

Katsoin häneen taas — noita avoimia, ujostelemattomia silmiä,
vakavaa suuta ja leukaa — ja tein sukkelan päätöksen.
»Neiti Kemball», sanoin, »aion pyytää teitä avukseni, jos saan».
»Luonnollisesti saatte.»
»No, hyvä. Se henkilö, joka tuli laivaan viimeksi, on sekä herra

Roycen että minun pahin vihollinen. Olemme ryhtyneet ottamaan
selvää eräästä konnanjuonesta, jossa hän on mukana. Minulla on
syytä uskoa hänen pystyvän mihin hyvänsä — hän on oikea
paholainen neuvokkuudessa. En tiedä, mitä pahoja juonia hän meitä
kohtaan keksineekään, mutta että hän jotakin keksii, siitä olen
vakuutettu. Herra Royce ei tunne häntä edes ulkonäöltä eikä häntä
saa tehdä levottomaksi; mutta jollei häntä varoiteta, voi hän syöksyä
suoraan vaaraan. Jos vartioimme hyvin, niin minun ei tarvitse
varoittaa häntä. Tahdotteko auttaa minua.»
Hänen silmänsä loistivat, kun hän katsoi minuun.
»Luonnollisesti!» huudahti hän. »Vai niin, meillä on siis salaisuus,

meillä kahdella!»
»Niin, meillä kahdella!» toistin ja tunsin äkkiä veren virtaavan

nopeammin suonissani.
Hän katsoi minuun hetken vähän kahden vaiheella.
»Minun on muistettava herra Grahamin varoitus», sanoi hän.

»Ettehän vain ole keksinyt tätä merkillistä juttua vain huvittaaksenne
minua, herra Lester?
»Kunniasanalla, en», vastasin tavalla, joka vivahti närkästykselle.
»Toivoakseni se on sillä hyvä!»
»Suokaa anteeksi, herra Lester», sanoi hän vähän katuvasti;

»minun ei olisi pitänyt epäillä teitä! Se tuntui vain niin romanttiselta,
niin uskomattomalta…»
»Se tuntuu uskomattomalta», myönsin, »mutta onnettomuudeksi

se on joka tapauksessa totta. Meidän on pidettävä silmämme auki
monsieur Martignyn eli Bethunen suhteen.»
»Mikä hänen oikea nimensä on?»
»Nämä ovat ainoat, jotka tunnen, mutta epäilen, onko kumpikaan

niistä oikea.»
Royce ja rouva Kemball tulivat luoksemme, ja me istuimme

katsellen Long Islandin matalia, kaukaisia rantoja, kunnes kello
kutsui aterialle. Olimme sopineet stuertin kanssa ja sillä tavoin
saaneet pienen pöydän eräässä sivulla olevassa komerossa —
rouva Kemball ja hänen tyttärensä luopuivat mielellään ja iloisina
kunniasta istua kapteenin pöydässä esiintyäkseen sen sijaan
emäntänä meille — ja ruokailu oli hyvin hilpeätä. Roycekin oli niin
hyvällä tuulella, että se vahvisti minua päätöksessäni olla tekemättä
häntä levottomaksi kertomalla Martignyn olosta laivassa.
Jokaisena hetkenä, joka kului, tuntui pelkoni vähenevän

vähenemistään. Olihan hyvin mahdollista, ajattelin itsekseni, että
kuvittelin aaveita keskellä kirkasta päivää. Ranskalainen ei
näyttäytynyt salongissa, ja jälkeenpäin tiedusteltuani sain laivan
lääkäriltä kuulla, että hän oli huolestuttavan sairaana eikä kyennyt
lähtemään hytistänsä.
Niin kului iltapäivä ja ilta. Laivalla oli muitakin, jotka tahtoivat
myöskin saada nauttia vähän rakastettavan rouva Kemballin ja
hänen tyttärensä seurasta. Roycekin tunsi muutamia heistä ja esitti
minut heille, mutta miten olikaan, heidän keskustelunsa tuntui
minusta mauttomalta ja epämiellyttävältä. Sitäpaitsi matkatoverini
näytti minusta väsyneeltä, ja lopuksi hiivimme niiden joukosta pois
kannelle, jossa istuimme korituoleissamme yli tunnin ajan ja
katselimme tanssivia laineita ja kuuntelimme veden kohinaa laivan
kohotessa ja laskeutuessa. Päällikköni ajatteli luultavasti erästä
kaunista ruskeasilmäistä, jonka oikut olivat hänelle selittämättömiä.
Mitä minuun tulee — no niin, minä olin äkkiä alkanut ihailla sinisiä
silmiä.
Voin perin mielelläni myöntää heti olleeni merikipeä. Oireet

tuntuivat seuraavana aamuna kymmenen minuuttia hytistäni
lähtemisen jälkeen — vaikka ei se ollut ankara meritauti vain
heikkous ja pyörrytys, joka sai minut ikävöimään hyttiin jälleen. Mutta
Royce ei tahtonut kuulla puhuttavankaan menemisestä alas. Hän sai
minut ylös kannelle ja alas tuoliini, joka oli sijotettuna niin, että raitis
tuuli puhalsi suoraan vasten kasvojani. Pitkä rivi tuoleja oli asetettu
sinne, ja päättäen useimpain niiden omistajain ulkomuodosta
ymmärsin, että he olivat paljon kipeämmät kuin minä. Tämän
menettelyn ansiosta olin tunnin perästä melkein terve taas ja voinpa
vielä sangen hyvällä ruokahalulla nauttia sen aterian, jonka Royce
lähetti minulle ylös. Hetkisen kuluttua tuli tohtori katsomaan, miten
voimme, pakisten meidän jokaisen kanssa muutaman hetken.
Sairaimmat olivat alhaalla kannen alla, eikä kukaan meistä tarvinnut
muuta kuin vähän rohkaisua.
»Ettekö halua istuutua hetkeksi, tohtori?» kysyin, kun hän tuli
luokseni, ja tarjosin hänelle Roycen tuolin.
»Mitä, ettehän te näytä sairaalta», intti hän nauraen, mutta istuutui

kuitenkin tyhjälle tuolille.
»En minä haluakaan puhua itsestäni», sanoin. »Mitenkä se teidän

toinen sairaanne voi — hän, joka tuli viimeiseksi laivaan?»
Hänen katseensa sai heti totisen ilmeen.
»Hänen nimensä on Martigny», sanoi hän, »ja hän on pahassa

pulassa. Hänelle on täytynyt olla hyvin tärkeätä tulla takaisin
Ranskaan juuri tällä laivalla. Minua ei olisi yhtään ihmetyttänyt, jos
hän olisi kaatunut kuoliaana rantaportaalle.»
»Sydäntautiako hän sairastaa?»
»Niin, ja pitkäaikaista. Hän ei voi luonnollisesti koskaan tulla

terveeksi, mutta voisi elää joka tapauksessa kauan, jos vain olisi
varovainen.
»Onko hän vielä vuoteen omana?»
»No, jos hän tottelee neuvoani, niin hän ei nouse ylös koko
matkan aikana. Hänen on annettava sydämelleen niin vähän työtä
kuin mahdollista, muuten se loppuu kokonaan vielä laivamatkalla.
Hänellä ei ole paljon toisin menettelemisen varaa.»
Sitten hän alkoi puhua muista asioista, ja muutaman hetken

kuluttua hän lähti kiertämään edelleen. Mutta minun ei tarvinnut olla
kauan yksinäni, sillä pian näin neiti Kemballin tulevan vastaani
reippaana ja ruusuisena kuin Diana.
»Vai niin, meritauti on ollut ankara teitäkin kohtaan, herra Lester!»
sanoi hän iloisesti.
»Ei sanottavasti», vastasin. »Mutta lieväkin on vähemmän

miellyttävä.
Ettekö sääli maamiesparkaa ja tarinoitse vähän hänen kanssaan?»
»Ei, sehän on aivan päinvastainen suhde!» intti hän, mutta istuutui

kuitenkin suureksi tyydytyksekseni. »Tehän olitte se, jonka piti
hauskuttaa minua! Onko Mefistofeleksemme jo tullut ulos?» kysyi
hän matalammalla äänellä. »Minäkin tunnen hänen
velhovaikutustansa ja ikävöin häntä taas.»
»Mefistofeles taistelee vielä sydämensä kanssa, jonka on vaikea

pitää verta tarpeenmukaisessa kiertokulussa, kuten näyttää. Tohtori
sanoi juuri äsken, että hän luultavasti saa viettää koko matkan
vuoteessa.»
»Meille ei sitten jää mitään tekemistä! Tiedättekö, herra Lester,

haluaisin todellakin tulla naispuoliseksi Lecoq'ksi!»
»Ehkäpä vielä saatte siihen tilaisuuden», sanoin synkästi.

»Epäilen suuresti sitä, että Mefistofeles pysyisi toimettomana. Hän ei
näy olevan sitä laatua.»
Hän taputti käsiänsä ja nyökäytti päätään eräälle ohikulkevalle

tutulle.
»Oletteko menossa Pariisiin, neiti Kemball?» kysyin.
»Pariisiin, kyllä. Te kai tulette myös sinne? Teidän täytyy, kun

kerran matkustatte Ranskaan.»
»Tiemme vie ensin Etretatiin», sanoin, mutta keskeytin, kun hän
nauraen nojausi taaksepäin tuolissaan. »Mitä merkillistä siinä on?»
kysyin vähän kummastuneena.
»Merkillistä? Ei mitään. Etretat on ihana paikka — se muistutti

minua vain eräästä hauskasta tapauksesta — mitenkä eräät siellä
kylpemässä olevat näyttelijät kerran harjoittivat ilkeyttä äitiäni
kohtaan. Se on kaikista kaunein pieni kalastuspaikka ihanimpine
kallioineen, mitä koskaan olen nähnyt. Mutta kesäkausihan tuskin on
vielä alkanut Etretatissa — taiteilijat eivät vielä ole ennättäneet tulla.
Teistä varmaan tuntunee siellä hyvin hiljaiselta ja yksitoikkoiselta.»
»Me emme jää sinne oleilemaan», sanoin. »Mutta kuvailkaa

minulle sitä!
Haluaisin tietää vähän siitä.»
»Etretat», sanoi neiti Kemball, »on oikeastaan taiteilijain

pesäpaikka. Alphonse Karr löysi sen pitkät ajat sitten ja teki sen
tunnetuksi. Etretatin asukkaat olivat hyvin kiitollisia hänelle ja
nimittivät kylän pääkadun hänen mukaansa — ja sen jälkeen on
joukko taiteilijoita ja teatteriväkeä rakentanut huviloita sinne. Siellä
on pieni hiekkaranta, jossa väki kylpee koko päivän. Ja kun on
väsynyt kylpemään, niin ovat jäljellä vielä kalliot ja hietasärkät ja
iltaisin kasino. Te kai puhutte ranskaa, herra Lester?»
»Luin sitä tietysti hiukan koulussa», selitin. »Muistan vielä j'ai tu

as, il a.»
»Kyllä muistatte enemmänkin, kunhan pääsette Etretatiin», sanoi

hän nauraen. »Silloin teidän on pakko muistaa, muuten kuolette
nälkään.»
»Osaan myöskin sen lauseparren, jonka Mark Twain on tehnyt
kuolemattomaksi.»
»Tiedän — 'Avez-vous-du-vin?'»
»Ja vielä luulen myöskin hämärästi muistavani miten ranskaksi

lausutaan voileipä, juusto ja liha. Niin että emme me suinkaan
nälkään kuole. Sitä paitsi tuleehan herra Royce sangen hyvin
toimeen kielessä. Hän on ollut Ranskassa.»
»Niin, kyllä! Tuossa hän nyt tulee vaatimaan tuoliansa.»
»Sitä minä en anna hänelle, jos vain haluatte käyttää sitä vielä»,
panin vastaan.
»Minun täytyy mennä tieheni joka tapauksessa», ja hän nousi

nauraen ylös. »Olenko huvittanut kylliksi?»
»Enemmän kuin kylliksi; en halua ketään muita huvittamaan

itseäni.»
»Mutta te ette tarvitsekaan ketään tämän jälkeen, minä en

todellakaan usko, että olette enää sairas!»
Nyökäten Roycelle hän poistui odottamatta vastaustani, joka jäikin

sanomatta, ja minä jäin istumaan ja unelmoimaan mitä ruusuisimpia,
uskomattomia unelmia.
Lauantai, sunnuntai ja maanantai kuluivat, ilman että mitään

muuta huomattavaa olisi tapahtunut kuin on tavallista kaikilla
matkoilla. Tyyneys ja meri-ilma vaikuttivat oikein suotuisasti
matkatoveriini, ja hän alkoi vähitellen saada takaisin entisen
terveydentilansa. Minä sen vuoksi tunsin itseni yhä enemmän ja
enemmän vapaaksi omistautumaan neiti Kemballille — kun hän niin
salli — ja huomasin hänellä olevan joka kerralla yhä suuremman
vetovoiman minuun. Martigny makasi edelleenkin vuoteessaan ja oli,
tohtorin ilmoituksen mukaan, paranemaan päin, vaikka se kävikin
hitaasti.
Tiistai-iltana olivat rouva Kemball ja hänen tyttärensä yhtyneet

seuraamme kävelykannella, ja lopuksi, väsyneinä Straussin
valsseihin ja Sousan marsseihin, ohjasimme me askeleemme laivan
keulaan, jossa orkesterin pauhina ylettyi meihin vain katkonaisin
sävelin. Löysimme istuinpaikan peräsinkojun varjossa ja istuimme
kauan aikaa puhellen kaikenlaisista asioista ja katsellen kuun
heijastusta veteen. Vihdoin nousimme lähteäksemme takaisin, ja
Royce ja rouva Kemball kulkivat tapansa mukaan edellä, jota
tekoaan, kun nyt jälkeenpäin sitä ajattelen, Royce saa kiittää.
»Kahden päivän perästä olemme Hovressa», sanoin, »minulle

tulee hyvin ikävä, neiti Kemball».
»Ikävä? Minulla ei ollut aavistustakaan siitä, että olitte niin

mieltynyt mereen!»
»Ei se merestä johdu», väitin; ja kun nyt oli kuutamo, kaunis ilta ja
houkutteleva tilaisuus — »aika, paikka ja rakastettu, kaikki yhdessä»
— niin en tiedä mihin hullutuksiin olisin tehnytkään itseni syypääksi,
jos ei tuo nuori tyttö olisi äkkiä hypännyt esiin huudahtaen kovasti.
»Herra Royce!» huusi hän. »Äiti!»
He pysähtyivät ja kääntyivät ympäri juuri kun raskas nostopuomi

ryskien syöksyi alas kannelle heidän eteensä.
XV
Kaksin on parempi kuin yksin
Salamannopeasti ymmärsin, mitä oli tapahtunut ja juoksin portaita

ylös ylemmälle kannelle, päättäen tehdä kerta kaikkiaan tilin
viholliseni kanssa. Etsin häntä kaikkialta, katselin veneiden sisään ja
alle ja savupiippujen ja ilmanvaihtotorvien taakse, mutta en voinut
keksiä jälkeäkään kenestäkään. Kun tulin takaisin kävelykannelle, oli
sinne kokoontunut pieni joukko ihmisiä, jotka olivat kuulleet putoavan
nostopuomin jysähdyksen; kymmenen, kaksitoista laivamiestä oli nyt
hinaamassa sitä jälleen paikoilleen.
»En ymmärrä, miten nuo kiinnikkeet ovat voineet aueta», sanoi

vahdissa oleva upseeri. »Kiinnitimme tuon puomin ennen
lähtöämme, ja tiedän, että se tuli tehdyksi kunnollisesti.»
Minä tarkastelin köysiä. Niitä ei ollut leikattu poikki, kuten olisi

odottanut näkevänsä, vaan avattu. Martigny oli epäilemättä tehnyt
sen meidän istuessamme ja pakistessamme — hän oli taitava
rikoksissa tehdäkseen itsensä syypääksi mihinkään niin kömpelöön
temppuun kuin nuorien katkomiseen.
»No, onneksi ei ole mitään vahinkoa tapahtunut, vaikka olipa niin
ja näin että pääsimme alta», huomautti Royce teennäisen iloisesti.
»Jos ei neiti Kemball olisi huutanut, olisi puomi pudonnut suoraan
päällemme.»
Rouva Kemball, jonka kädet vapisivat vähän, käänsi katseensa

siihen suuntaan, josta Roycen ääni kuului hänelle, ja upseeri rypisti
otsaansa ja näytti synkältä ja miettivältä. Samassa tuli kapteeni, ja
he kaksi vetäytyivät sivulle pitämään neuvottelua niin hiljaisella
äänellä, että ainoastaan muutama ranskankielinen sana silloin tällöin
kuultiin. Minä käännyin neiti Kemballiin, joka kalpeana ja silmät
suurina kauhusta seisoi laivan reunakaidetta vasten nojautuneena.
»Mutta se ei ollut mikään tapaturma, herra Lester», kuiskasi hän.

»Näin haamun kumartuneena raakapuun ylitse — vain niin kuin
varjo-olennon — mutta tiedän, etten ole voinut erehtyä.»
Nyökkäsin.
»En epäile ensinkään sitä. Mutta älkää sanoko sitä äidillenne! Se

saisi hänet vain tarpeettomasti huolestuneeksi. Keskustelemme siitä
enemmän huomisaamuna.»
Hän sanoi hyvää yötä ja vei äitinsä mukanaan hyttiin. Minä menin
heti etsimään laivan lääkäriä ja tapasin hänet salonkiportaiden
alapäässä.
»Mitenkä Martigny voi, tohtori», kysäisin.
»Huonommin, pelkään», vastasi hän kiireesti. »Hän on juuri

lähettänyt sanan minulle.»
»Mikä hytti hänellä on?»

»Numero 375, ulkohytti ylemmällä kannella.»
Sen sanottuaan hän juoksi portaita ylös.
Menin vielä tupakkahuoneeseen ja tutkistelin siellä riippuvaa

värillistä laivan karttaa. Hetken kuluttua minulle oli selvänä, kuinka
helposti Martigny oli välttänyt joutumasta kiinni — hänellä oli ollut
ainoastaan viisi, kuusi metriä käytävänä avatakseen ovensa ja
paneutuakseen taas sänkyyn. Mutta selvästi tämä pienikin
voimainponnistus oli ollut liian suuri hänelle, ja tulin taas siihen
synnilliseen ajatukseen, että ehkäpä vihollisemme vapauttaisi meidät
itsestään.
Kun seuraavana aamuna otin paikkani neiti Kemballin vieressä,

sulki hän kirjansa ja kääntyi minuun päättävä ilme kasvoillaan.
»Herra Lester», alkoi hän, »jos luulette, että se voi vahingoittaa,

niin minä luonnollisesti en tahdo, että te sanotte sanaakaan; mutta
muuten olen mielestäni oikeutettu saamaan selityksen».
»Se on myöskin minun mielipiteeni», myönsin. »Olette osoittanut

olevanne parempi tähystäjä kuin minä. Olin kokonaan unohtanut
Martignyn — minä ajattelin jotakin aivan toista — minulla ei ollut
ajatustakaan vaarasta.»
»Sitä ei ollut minullakaan», sanoi hän kiireesti. »Mutta tulin

sattumalta katsahtaneeksi ylös ja sain silloin nähdä mustan haamun
kumartuneena eteenpäin heidän ylitsensä, ja ennenkuin minulla oli
aikaa ajatella, kirkaisin heille — aivan tahtomattani.»
»Se oli juuri heidän pelastuksensa. Jos olisitte pidättäytynyt

ajatellaksenne ensin, niin se olisi ollut liian myöhäistä.»
»Niin, mutta jälkeenpäin saatoin tosiaankin ajatella! Minun tarvitsi
vain sulkea silmäni yöllä, niin näin hänet siellä taas, väijyen meitä,
odottaen sopivaa tilaisuutta. Ja niin en luonnollisesti voinut olla
murehtimatta kaiken sen johdosta.»
»Teidän ei tarvitse surra enää», sanoin ja katsoin ympärilleni

vakuuttautuakseni, ettei ketään ollut läheisyydessä.
Alkaen Hiram Holladayn kuolemasta kerroin sitten kohta kohdalta

koko jutun. Hän kuunteli kädet ristissä ja jännittynein ilmein, mutta ei
sanonut mitään ennenkuin olin lopettanut. Silloin nojautui hän
taaksepäin tuolissaan ja huokasi syvään.
»Se on kauheata!» kuiskasi hän. »Kauheata ja käsittämätöntä.

Mutta te ette ole sanonut minulle vielä mitenkä selitätte asian, herra
Lester.»
»Minulla ei ole mitään selitystä», vastasin avuttomasti »Olen

mietiskellyt sinne ja tänne, mutta mikään punnitsemiseni ei ole
näyttänyt pitävän paikkaansa. En tiedä mitä uskoa; jollei vain neiti
Holladay olisi joutunut hypnotismin taikka jonkinlaisen
mielipuolisuuden uhriksi, joka myöskin on uskottavaa.»
Hän istui hetken ja katsoi miettivänä eteensä.
»On olemassa tapa, luulen, jolla mahdollisesti voitaisiin selittää se,

osittain ainakin. Ehkä se ei ollut lainkaan neiti Holladay, joka ajoi
Washington Squarelle uuden kamarineidin kanssa. Ehkä se oli joku
muu nainen ja että nuo lukitut ikkunat itse asiassa olivat neiti
Holladayn vankina pitämistä varten. Ajatelkaa häntä siellä, Martignyn
ollessa vanginvartijana!»
»Mutta hän ei ollut siellä!» väitin vastaan. »Näimmehän me hänet
antaessamme hänelle rahat. Sekä herra Royce että minä näimme —
ja herra Graham myös.»
»Niin — melkein pimeässä huoneessa kääre otsalla ja ääni niin

sortuneena, ettei voinut puhua. Eipä ihme, että herra Royce tuskin
tunsi häntä!»
Vaikenin hetken miettiäkseni.
»Muistakaa, että se selittäisi useamman kuin yhden asian, kun ei

kerran löydy muuta uskottavaa selitystä», jatkoi neiti Kemball.
»Esimerkiksi ne teljetyt ikkunat ja vangin käytös.
»Niin, se on totta», myönsin, vaikka tämä arvelu ei ensi

silmänräpäyksessä saanut hyväksymistäni. »Mutta uskotteko
todellakin, että neiti Holladay on viety pois väkivallalla?»
»Tietysti! Jos hän lainkaan olisi kadottanut ymmärryksensä, niin

olisi se tapahtunut heti, eikä kaksi viikkoa murhan jälkeen.»
»Mutta jos hän oli surrut sitä», intin.
»Sitä hän ei tehnyt, ainakin hän oli lakannut siitä. Olettehan kuullut
sekä herra Roycelta että hovimestarilta, että hän oli paranemaan
päin, iloisempi ja muuten enemmän kaltaisensa. Minkä vuoksi hän
olisi uudelleen antautunut surun valtaan?»
»En tiedä», sanoin neuvotonna. »Kuta enemmän mietin asiaa, sitä

käsittämättömämmältä se tuntuu. Sitäpaitsi tämä juttu on eilisiltana
saattanut minut sellaiseen tuohtuneeseen mielentilaan, etten voi
punnita selvästi. Minä en voi olla ajattelematta, kuinka huolimaton
olin, etten täyttänyt velvollisuuttani.»
»Sitä en pahoittelisi, jos olisin teidän sijassanne! Mutta eräs toinen
asia», lisäsi hän vähän ankarasti, »tehän olette nyt huomannut, että
teidän syyksenne yksin lankeaa, että Martigny on täällä laivassa?»
»Mutta minun oli pakko mennä Jourdainiin», puolustelin itseäni;

»enkä voinut auttaa sitä, että he menivät hänen luokseen — pyytää
heitä olemaan menemättä olisi saanut heidät epäilemään minua
heti».
»Niin, niin tietysti; mutta eihän teidän ainakaan tarvinnut lähettää

heitä. He eivät ehkä olisi menneet lainkaan muuten — eivätkä
varmasti niin pian — jollette olisi lähettänyt heitä.»
»Lähettänyt heitä!» toistin ja tuijotin hämmästyneenä häneen,

epätietoisena siitä, olinko kuullut oikein.
»Niin, lähettänyt», sanoi hän vielä kerran painolla. »Minkä vuoksi

he menivät sairaalaan niin varhain seuraavana aamuna?»
»Luullakseni heidän epäluulonsa oli kasvanut minua kohtaan.»
»Lorua! Mitä syytä heillä olisi ollut epäillä teitä? Se oli päinvastoin
juuri sen vuoksi, että he eivät epäilleet teitä, sen vuoksi että he
tahtoivat tehdä teidän mieliksenne ja tuuletuttaa huoneenne; sanalla
sanoen, sen vuoksi että te pyysitte heitä menemään — he menivät
noutamaan noiden ikkunalukkojen avaimia. Ne olivat tietysti
Martignylla.»
Hetken ajan istuin vailla vastausta. Saatoin vain tuijottaa häneen.

Mutta vihdoin palautui puhekykyni jälleen.
»Oh, millainen pölkkypää olen ollutkin!» jatkoin minä katkerasti.

»Etten hoksannut sitä ennen! Olin sellaisessa järkkyneessä
mielentilassa havaintoni vuoksi sinä päivänä, että en voinut ajatella
mitään muuta. Luonnollisesti tuli koko juttu ilmi, kun he pyysivät
avaimia.»
»No, minä en olisi niin ankara itseäni kohtaan», sanoi neiti

Kemball nauraen ja katsoi ilkamoivasti minuun istuessani siinä
katuvannäköisenä. »Omasta puolestani minusta on sangen hyvä,
että hän on mukana laivassa.»
»Hyvä? Sitä ette kai voine tarkoittaa?»
»Kyllä, sitä juuri tarkoitan. Otaksukaa, että Jourdainit eivät olisi

menneet hänen luokseen; silloin hän olisi joka tapauksessa lähtenyt
sairaalasta parin kolmen päivän perästä — sillä hän ei ole sellainen,
joka makaa toimetonna tietäessään teidän ajavan pakolaisia takaa.
Hän olisi niin muodoin tullut takaisin huoneeseensa samassa
talossa, jossa teidän asuntonne on; emäntänne olisi ilmoittanut
hänelle teidän matkustaneen Eurooppaan, ja hänen olisi vain
tarvinnut lukea läpi tämän höyrylaivan matkustajaluettelo
saadakseen nähdä nimenne. Niin että, kuten näette, ei ole paljon
syytä suruun.»
»Mutta kaikissa tapauksissa», muistutin, »hän olisi jäänyt

Amerikkaan. Hän ei olisi ennättänyt tavata meitä. Meillä olisi ollut
hyvä ennätys hänestä.»
»Niin, hän ei olisi ennättänyt tavata teitä, se on totta, mutta sen

sijaan olisi sähkösanoma mennyt teidän ohitsenne yli meren ja
varoittanut hänen liittolaisiaan. Jos he saavat aikaa piilottaa
vankinsa, niin ette tule koskaan saamaan tietoa hänestä — teidän
ainoa toivonne on siinä, että yllätätte heidät valmistautumattomina.
Ja vielä yksi syy — kun hän on kerran laivassa, niin meillä on vielä
hyvä tilaisuus urkkia enemmän — vaikka mennä tarinoimaan hänen
kanssaan? — Silloinhan saatte sen 'älykkyystaistelun', jota
ikävöitte.»
»Olen kyllä ajatellut sitä», sanoin, »mutta pelkään, etten voi

näytellä osaani».
»Osaanne?»
»Niin, näytellä luulemattomuutta, näyttää avoimelta ja suoralta

häntä kohtaan, olla kertovinani hänelle kaikki suunnitelmani.
Pelkään, että hän näkee lävitseni heti ensi silmänräpäyksessä ja saa
minut kiinni jostakin hairahduksesta. Se on liian suuri vaiva.»
»Mutta etu olisi teidän puolellanne», muistutti hän. »Voisitte puhua

hänelle niin monta asiaa kuin hän jo tietää ja kun hänellä ei ole
mitään syytä epäillä teidän tietävän, että hän tietää. Se on hyvin
mutkallista — mutta ymmärrättehän te joka tapauksessa?»
»Tietysti.»
»Ja niin olisi aivan luonnollista, että menitte hänen luokseen niin
pian kuin saitte tietää hänen olevan sairaana. Vältellä häntä olisi
samaa kuin tunnustaa epäilevänne häntä.»
»Mutta hänen nimensä ei ole matkustajaluettelossa. Jollen olisi

sattumalla huomannut häntä, kun hän tuli laivaan, niin en luultavasti
olisi koskaan saanut tietää hänen olevan täällä.»
»Ehkäpä hän näki teidät samalla kertaa.»
»Ehkä, siinä tapauksessa ovat asiat vielä pahemmin», sanoin.

»Jos hän tietää, että minä tiedän hänen olevan laivassa, niin hän
arvaa myöskin minun epäilevän häntä; ja jos ei hän sitä tiedä, niin,
silloin ei hänellä ole mitään syytä luulla, että saisin tiedon hänestä,
jos hän vain ei näyttäydy salongissa, mikä ei näytä hyvin
uskottavalta.»
Hän istui hiljaa pari minuuttia katsellen vettä.
»Ehkä olette oikeassa», sanoi hän vihdoin; »ei maksa vaivaa

antautua uusiin vaaroihin. Asia houkutteli minua, minusta itsestäni
olisi hupaista pakinoida puoli tuntia ja mittailla voimia hänen
kanssaan.»
»Mutta te olettekin nerokkaampi kuin minä», selitin. »Sen olette

selvästi osoittanut viimeisten minuuttien kuluessa.»
»Eikö mitä, sitä en ole tehnyt; olen vain näyttänyt teille, että olette
sivuuttanut pikku seikat. Ja uskon teidän olevan oikeassa mitä tulee
vaaraan, joka johtuisi käynnistänne Martignyn luona. Ensimmäinen
velvollisuutemme on neiti Holladayta kohtaan; meidän on
pelastettava hänet, ennenkuin Martigny ennättää varoittaa
rikostovereitaan, niin että he vievät hänet jonnekin, josta emme voi
häntä löytää.»
Se teeskentelemätön tapa, jolla hän sanoi »me», täytti minun

sieluni selittämättömällä onnella.
»Mutta miksi he kiusautuvat pitämällä lainkaan vankina? Eiväthän

he häikäilleet tappaessaan hänen isänsä.»
»Eivätkä he ehkä häikäile tappaessaan hänetkin, kun vain

otollinen tilaisuus ilmestyy», vastasi hän tyynesti. »Se on helpompaa
Ranskassa kuin New Yorkissa — ehkäpä ovat he jo suorittaneet

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Edition - eBook PDF

Australia ● Brazil ● Mexico ● Singapore ● United Kingdom ● United States

Compositor: MPS Limited

Cover Image: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock.com ISBN: 978-1-337-27916-1

Cengage Learning is a leading provider of customized learning solutions with

Cengage Learning products are represented in Canada by Nelson Education, Ltd.

To learn more about Cengage Learning Solutions, visit www.cengage.com

Printed in the United States of America

21 Practicing Critical Thinking 3: Plan to 47 Journal Entry 4: Choosing your purpose

68 Journal Entry 6: Discover the impact of 109 Quiz Chapter 2

138 Power Process: Notice your pictures and

249 Practicing Critical Thinking 22: 274 Choosing to listen

263 Thinking about your major 292 Criticism is constructive

265 Service-learning: Turn thinking into 293 Communicating with instructors

322 Power Process: Risk being a fool chapter 10

The foundations and themes for student success

The College Success Factors Index (CSFI) is a personal suc-

Discovery Statements Intention Statements

uu When you are discovering yourself, be gentle. uu Set timelines.

8 The master student process—Discovery

9 The master student process—Intention

what if... do you have a minute?

Some books should be preserved

goes beyond technique. For a master, work

4 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t

6 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t

uu Optimistic. The master student sees

Now think of other qualities of a master student—characteristics that

You can use the master

That is a large claim. If you’re

First, get an overview of the

8 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t

The master student process:

your thinking and behavior.

10 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t

What was true of that first edition is true

The secret of student success

12 Int roduct io n | Th e M a st e r S t u de n t

Get the most from

sales out to be a powerful tool in the

At the same time, you control the value you get

considerable. The joy of learning aside, higher

levels of education relate to higher lifetime

income and more consistent employment.2

with your inner voice and when to let it go.

It pays to be a master student.

Get suggestions from thousands of students.

The ideas and techniques in this book are here

not just because learning theorists, educators,

and psychologists say they work. They’re here

because tens of thousands of students from all LEARN ABOUT 60 C h a pt e r 2 | T i me

kinds of backgrounds use them. LEARNING STYLES READ THE SIDEBARS

Check out the Learning Style

Look for sidebars—short bursts

Inventory and related articles in

the Discovering Yourself chap-

ter. This material can help you

discover your preferred learning

styles and allow you to explore

experience of higher education.

new styles. Then, throughout

suggestions for applying your

Date: Commitment level:

Date: Commitment level: