He put a hand on my shoulder, as though he was really proud of me.

“I hope you’re pleased!”

“Yes, sir, very pleased…”

“I knew we could count on you and that all our educational efforts weren’t in vain.”

He gave me the thumbs-up.

It was too much to bear. I ran to the toilets, because I felt completely overcome and didn’t want to show myself up in front of everyone. I had my dignity to think of. Shutting myself in one of the cubicles (there were always plenty free since I’d been hiding the toilet paper) I burst into tears. I felt much better after that.

I decided to think things over a bit, right there on the toilet. I’d often dreamed of receiving such a torrent of compliments, but it was a bit like getting a Christmas present that was far too expensive. Now it had actually happened I was in shock. But it wasn’t only a question of my emotions. I also had to address the problem the situation had created: now I was saddled with a responsibility. Before, I didn’t need to measure up to anything at all, and that was quite relaxing, whereas now the whole world was expecting results from me. There was a risk of upsetting everyone, and frankly it’s really stressful when you’re weighed down with other people’s disappointment, because it doesn’t leave much room for hope. I wanted to admit defeat, go find Lucky Luke and tell him the whole story: that it was a scam, that I’d cheated disgracefully and that he could expect nothing from me. My career as a good pupil was getting off to a really bad start, with nothing but worry and regret. I flushed the toilet, wondering why everything I had anything to do with always ended in confusion.