,and
(
virtually
)
all
but
disappears.’
‘What
do
you
recommend
,
father
,
’
asked
Louisa
,
her
reserved
composure
not
in
the
least
affected
by
these
gratifying
results
,
‘that
I
should
substitute
for
the
term
I
used
just
now
?
For
the
misplaced
expression
?
’
‘Louisa
,
’
returned
her
father
,
‘it
appears
to
me
that
nothing
can
be
plainer
.
Confining
yourself
rigidly
to
Fact
,
the
question
of
Fact
you
state
to
yourself
is
:
Does
Mr.
Bounderby
ask
me
to
marry
him
?
Yes
,
he
does
.
The
sole
remaining
question
then
is
:
Shall
I
marry
him
?
I
think
nothing
can
be
plainer
than
that
?
’
‘Shall
I
marry
him
?
’
repeated
Louisa
,
with
great
deliberation
.
‘Precisely
.
And
it
is
satisfactory
to
me
,
as
your
father
,
my
dear
Louisa
,
to
know
that
you
do
not
come
to
the
consideration
of
that
question
with
the
previous
habits
of
mind
,
and
habits
of
life
,
that
belong
to
many
young
women.’
‘No
,
father
,
’
she
returned
,
‘I
do
not.’
‘I
now
leave
you
to
judge
for
yourself
,
’
said
Mr.
Gradgrind
.
‘I
have
stated
the
case
,
as
such
cases
are
usually
stated
among
practical
minds
;
I
have
stated
it
,
as
the
case
of
your
mother
and
myself
was
stated
in
its
time
.
The
rest
,
my
dear
Louisa
,
is
for
you
to
decide.’
From
the
beginning
,
she
had
sat
looking
at
him
fixedly
.
As
he
now
leaned
back
in
his
chair
,
and
bent
his
deep-set
eyes
upon
her
in
his
turn
,
perhaps
he
might
have
seen
one
wavering
moment
in
her
,
when
she
was
impelled
to
throw
herself
upon
his
breast
,
and
give
him
the
pent-up
confidences
of
her
heart
.
But
,
to
see
it
,
he
must
have
overleaped
at
a
bound
the
artificial
barriers
he
had
for
many
years
been
erecting
,
between
himself
and
all
those
subtle
essences
of
humanity
which
will
elude
the
utmost
cunning
of
algebra
until
the
last
trumpet
ever
to
be
sounded
shall
blow
even
algebra
to
wreck
.
The
barriers
were
too
many
and
too
high
for
such
a
leap
.
With
his
unbending
,
utilitarian
,
matter-of-fact
face
,
he
hardened
her
again
;
and
the
moment
shot
away
into
the
plumbless
depths
of
the
past
,
to
mingle
with
all
the
lost
opportunities
that
are
drowned
there
.
Removing
her
eyes
from
him
,
she
sat
so
long
looking
silently
towards
the
town
,
that
he
said
,
at
length
:
‘Are
you
consulting
the
chimneys
of
the
Coketown
works
,
Louisa
?
’
‘There
seems
to
be
nothing
there
but
languid
and
monotonous
smoke
.
Yet
when
the
night
comes
,
Fire
bursts
out
,
father
!
’
she
answered
,
turning
quickly
.
‘Of
course
I
know
that
,
Louisa
.
I
do
not
see
the
application
of
the
remark.’
To
do
him
justice
he
did
not
,
at
all
.
She
passed
it
away
with
a
slight
motion
of
her
hand
,
and
concentrating
her
attention
upon
him
again
,
said
,
‘Father
,
I
have
often
thought
that
life
is
very
short.’
—
This
was
so
distinctly
one
of
his
subjects
that
he
interposed
.
‘It
is
short
,
no
doubt
,
my
dear
.
Still
,
the
average
duration
of
human
life
is
proved
to
have
increased
of
late
years
.
The
calculations
of
various
life
assurance
and
annuity
offices
,
among
other
figures
which
cannot
go
wrong
,
have
established
the
fact.’
‘I
speak
of
my
own
life
,
father.’
‘O
indeed
?
Still
,
’
said
Mr.
Gradgrind
,
‘I
need
not
point
out
to
you
,
Louisa
,
that
it
is
governed
by
the
laws
which
govern
lives
in
the
aggregate.’
‘While
it
lasts
,
I
would
wish
to
do
the
little
I
can
,
and
the
little
I
am
fit
for
.
What
does
it
matter
?
’
Mr.
Gradgrind
seemed
rather
at
a
loss
to
understand
the
last
four
words
;
replying
,
‘How
,
matter
?
What
matter
,
my
dear
?
’
‘Mr
.
Bounderby
,
’
she
went
on
in
a
steady
,
straight
way
,
without
regarding
this
,
‘asks
me
to
marry
him
.
The
question
I
have
to
ask
myself
is
,
shall
I
marry
him
?
That
is
so
,
father
,
is
it
not
?
You
have
told
me
so
,
father
.
Have
you
not
?
’
‘Certainly
,
my
dear.’
‘Let
it
be
so
.
Since
Mr.
Bounderby
likes
to
take
me
thus
,
I
am
satisfied
to
accept
his
proposal
.
Tell
him
,
father
,
as
soon
as
you
please
,
that
this
was
my
answer
.
Repeat
it
,
word
for
word
,
if
you
can
,
because
I
should
wish
him
to
know
what
I
said.’
‘It
is
quite
right
,
my
dear
,
’
retorted
her
father
approvingly
,
‘to
be
exact
.
I
will
observe
your
very
proper
request
.
Have
you
any
wish
in
reference
to
the
period
of
your
marriage
,
my
child
?
’
‘None
,
father
.
What
does
it
matter
!
’
Mr.
Gradgrind
had
drawn
his
chair
a
little
nearer
to
her
,
and
taken
her
hand
.
But
,
her
repetition
of
these
words
seemed
to
strike
with
some
little
discord
on
his
ear
.
He
paused
to
look
at
her
,
and
,
still
holding
her
hand
,
said
:
‘Louisa
,
I
have
not
considered
it
essential
to
ask
you
one
question
,
because
the
possibility
implied
in
it
appeared
to
me
to
be
too
remote
.
But
perhaps
I
ought
to
do
so
.
You
have
never
entertained
in
secret
any
other
proposal
?
’
‘Father
,
’
she
returned
,
almost
scornfully
,
‘what
other
proposal
can
have
been
made
to
me
?
Whom
have
I
seen
?
Where
have
I
been
?
What
are
my
heart’s
experiences
?
’
‘My
dear
Louisa
,
’
returned
Mr.
Gradgrind
,
reassured
and
satisfied
.
‘You
correct
me
justly
.
I
merely
wished
to
discharge
my
duty.’
‘What
do
I
know
,
father
,
’
said
Louisa
in
her
quiet
manner
,
‘of
tastes
and
fancies
;
of
aspirations
and
affections
;
of
all
that
part
of
my
nature
in
which
such
light
things
might
have
been
nourished
?
What
escape
have
I
had
from
problems
that
could
be
demonstrated
,
and
realities
that
could
be
grasped
?
’
As
she
said
it
,
she
unconsciously
closed
her
hand
,
as
if
upon
a
solid
object
,
and
slowly
opened
it
as
though
she
were
releasing
dust
or
ash
.
‘My
dear
,
’
assented
her
eminently
practical
parent
,
‘quite
true
,
quite
true.’
‘Why
,
father
,
’
she
pursued
,
‘what
a
strange
question
to
ask
me
!
The
baby-preference
that
even
I
have
heard
of
as
common
among
children
,
has
never
had
its
innocent
resting-place
in
my
breast
.
You
have
been
so
careful
of
me
,
that
I
never
had
a
child’s
heart
.
You
have
trained
me
so
well
,
that
I
never
dreamed
a
child’s
dream
.
You
have
dealt
so
wisely
with
me
,
father
,
from
my
cradle
to
this
hour
,
that
I
never
had
a
child’s
belief
or
a
child’s
fear.’
Mr.
Gradgrind
was
quite
moved
by
his
success
,
and
by
this
testimony
to
it
.
‘My
dear
Louisa
,
’
said
he
,
‘you
abundantly
repay
my
care
.
Kiss
me
,
my
dear
girl.’
So
,
his
daughter
kissed
him
.
Detaining
her
in
his
embrace
,
he
said
,
‘I
may
assure
you
now
,
my
favourite
child
,
that
I
am
made
happy
by
the
sound
decision
at
which
you
have
arrived
.
Mr.
Bounderby
is
a
very
remarkable
man
;
and
what
little
disparity
can
be
said
to
exist
between
you
—
if
any
—
is
more
than
counterbalanced
by
the
tone
your
mind
has
acquired
.
It
has
always
been
my
object
so
to
educate
you
,
as
that
you
might
,
while
still
in
your
early
youth
,
be
(
if
I
may
so
express
myself
)
almost
any
age
.
Kiss
me
once
more
,
Louisa
.
Now
,
let
us
go
and
find
your
mother.’
Accordingly
,
they
went
down
to
the
drawing-room
,
where
the
esteemed
lady
with
no
nonsense
about
her
,
was
recumbent
as
usual
,
while
Sissy
worked
beside
her
.
She
gave
some
feeble
signs
of
returning
animation
when
they
entered
,
and
presently
the
faint
transparency
was
presented
in
a
sitting
attitude
.
‘Mrs
.
Gradgrind
,
’
said
her
husband
,
who
had
waited
for
the
achievement
of
this
feat
with
some
impatience
,
‘allow
me
to
present
to
you
Mrs.
Bounderby.’
‘Oh
!
’
said
Mrs.
Gradgrind
,
‘so
you
have
settled
it
!
Well
,
I’m
sure
I
hope
your
health
may
be
good
,
Louisa
;
for
if
your
head
begins
to
split
as
soon
as
you
are
married
,
which
was
the
case
with
mine
,
I
cannot
consider
that
you
are
to
be
envied
,
though
I
have
no
doubt
you
think
you
are
,
as
all
girls
do
.
However
,
I
give
you
joy
,
my
dear
—
and
I
hope
you
may
now
turn
all
your
ological
studies
to
good
account
,
I
am
sure
I
do
!
I
must
give
you
a
kiss
of
congratulation
,
Louisa
;
but
don’t
touch
my
right
shoulder
,
for
there’s
something
running
down
it
all
day
long
.
And
now
you
see
,
’
whimpered
Mrs.
Gradgrind
,
adjusting
her
shawls
after
the
affectionate
ceremony
,
‘I
shall
be
worrying
myself
,
morning
,
noon
,
and
night
,
to
know
what
I
am
to
call
him
!
’
‘Mrs
.
Gradgrind
,
’
said
her
husband
,
solemnly
,
‘what
do
you
mean
?
’
‘Whatever
I
am
to
call
him
,
Mr.
Gradgrind
,
when
he
is
married
to
Louisa
!
I
must
call
him
something
.
It’s
impossible
,
’
said
Mrs.
Gradgrind
,
with
a
mingled
sense
of
politeness
and
injury
,
‘to
be
constantly
addressing
him
and
never
giving
him
a
name
.
I
cannot
call
him
Josiah
,
for
the
name
is
insupportable
to
me
.
You
yourself
wouldn’t
hear
of
Joe
,
you
very
well
know
.
Am
I
to
call
my
own
son-in-law
,
Mister
!
Not
,
I
believe
,
unless
the
time
has
arrived
when
,
as
an
invalid
,
I
am
to
be
trampled
upon
by
my
relations
.
Then
,
what
am
I
to
call
him
!
’
Nobody
present
having
any
suggestion
to
offer
in
the
remarkable
emergency
,
Mrs.
Gradgrind
departed
this
life
for
the
time
being
,
after
delivering
the
following
codicil
to
her
remarks
already
executed
:
‘As
to
the
wedding
,
all
I
ask
,
Louisa
,
is
,
—
and
I
ask
it
with
a
fluttering
in
my
chest
,
which
actually
extends
to
the
soles
of
my
feet
,
—
that
it
may
take
place
soon
.
Otherwise
,
I
know
it
is
one
of
those
subjects
I
shall
never
hear
the
last
of.’
When
Mr.
Gradgrind
had
presented
Mrs.
Bounderby
,
Sissy
had
suddenly
turned
her
head
,
and
looked
,
in
wonder
,
in
pity
,
in
sorrow
,
in
doubt
,
in
a
multitude
of
emotions
,
towards
Louisa
.
Louisa
had
known
it
,
and
seen
it
,
without
looking
at
her
.
From
that
moment
she
was
impassive
,
proud
and
cold
—
held
Sissy
at
a
distance
—
changed
to
her
altogether
.
CHAPTER
XVI
HUSBAND
AND
WIFE
Mr.
Bounderby’s
first
disquietude
on
hearing
of
his
happiness
,
was
occasioned
by
the
necessity
of
imparting
it
to
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
He
could
not
make
up
his
mind
how
to
do
that
,
or
what
the
consequences
of
the
step
might
be
.
Whether
she
would
instantly
depart
,
bag
and
baggage
,
to
Lady
Scadgers
,
or
would
positively
refuse
to
budge
from
the
premises
;
whether
she
would
be
plaintive
or
abusive
,
tearful
or
tearing
;
whether
she
would
break
her
heart
,
or
break
the
looking-glass
;
Mr.
Bounderby
could
not
all
foresee
.
However
,
as
it
must
be
done
,
he
had
no
choice
but
to
do
it
;
so
,
after
attempting
several
letters
,
and
failing
in
them
all
,
he
resolved
to
do
it
by
word
of
mouth
.
On
his
way
home
,
on
the
evening
he
set
aside
for
this
momentous
purpose
,
he
took
the
precaution
of
stepping
into
a
chemist’s
shop
and
buying
a
bottle
of
the
very
strongest
smelling-salts
.
‘By
George
!
’
said
Mr.
Bounderby
,
‘if
she
takes
it
in
the
fainting
way
,
I’ll
have
the
skin
off
her
nose
,
at
all
events
!
’
But
,
in
spite
of
being
thus
forearmed
,
he
entered
his
own
house
with
anything
but
a
courageous
air
;
and
appeared
before
the
object
of
his
misgivings
,
like
a
dog
who
was
conscious
of
coming
direct
from
the
pantry
.
‘Good
evening
,
Mr.
Bounderby
!
’
‘Good
evening
,
ma’am
,
good
evening.’
He
drew
up
his
chair
,
and
Mrs.
Sparsit
drew
back
hers
,
as
who
should
say
,
‘Your
fireside
,
sir
.
I
freely
admit
it
.
It
is
for
you
to
occupy
it
all
,
if
you
think
proper.’
‘Don’t
go
to
the
North
Pole
,
ma’am
!
’
said
Mr.
Bounderby
.
‘Thank
you
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
and
returned
,
though
short
of
her
former
position
.
Mr.
Bounderby
sat
looking
at
her
,
as
,
with
the
points
of
a
stiff
,
sharp
pair
of
scissors
,
she
picked
out
holes
for
some
inscrutable
ornamental
purpose
,
in
a
piece
of
cambric
.
An
operation
which
,
taken
in
connexion
with
the
bushy
eyebrows
and
the
Roman
nose
,
suggested
with
some
liveliness
the
idea
of
a
hawk
engaged
upon
the
eyes
of
a
tough
little
bird
.
She
was
so
steadfastly
occupied
,
that
many
minutes
elapsed
before
she
looked
up
from
her
work
;
when
she
did
so
Mr.
Bounderby
bespoke
her
attention
with
a
hitch
of
his
head
.
‘Mrs
.
Sparsit
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Mr.
Bounderby
,
putting
his
hands
in
his
pockets
,
and
assuring
himself
with
his
right
hand
that
the
cork
of
the
little
bottle
was
ready
for
use
,
‘I
have
no
occasion
to
say
to
you
,
that
you
are
not
only
a
lady
born
and
bred
,
but
a
devilish
sensible
woman.’
‘Sir
,
’
returned
the
lady
,
‘this
is
indeed
not
the
first
time
that
you
have
honoured
me
with
similar
expressions
of
your
good
opinion.’
‘Mrs
.
Sparsit
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Mr.
Bounderby
,
‘I
am
going
to
astonish
you.’
‘Yes
,
sir
?
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
interrogatively
,
and
in
the
most
tranquil
manner
possible
.
She
generally
wore
mittens
,
and
she
now
laid
down
her
work
,
and
smoothed
those
mittens
.
‘I
am
going
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bounderby
,
‘to
marry
Tom
Gradgrind’s
daughter.’
‘Yes
,
sir
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘I
hope
you
may
be
happy
,
Mr.
Bounderby
.
Oh
,
indeed
I
hope
you
may
be
happy
,
sir
!
’
And
she
said
it
with
such
great
condescension
as
well
as
with
such
great
compassion
for
him
,
that
Bounderby
,
—
far
more
disconcerted
than
if
she
had
thrown
her
workbox
at
the
mirror
,
or
swooned
on
the
hearthrug
,
—
corked
up
the
smelling-salts
tight
in
his
pocket
,
and
thought
,
‘Now
confound
this
woman
,
who
could
have
even
guessed
that
she
would
take
it
in
this
way
!
’
‘I
wish
with
all
my
heart
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
in
a
highly
superior
manner
;
somehow
she
seemed
,
in
a
moment
,
to
have
established
a
right
to
pity
him
ever
afterwards
;
‘that
you
may
be
in
all
respects
very
happy.’
‘Well
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
Bounderby
,
with
some
resentment
in
his
tone
:
which
was
clearly
lowered
,
though
in
spite
of
himself
,
‘I
am
obliged
to
you
.
I
hope
I
shall
be.’
‘
Do
you
,
sir
!
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
with
great
affability
.
‘But
naturally
you
do
;
of
course
you
do.’
A
very
awkward
pause
on
Mr.
Bounderby’s
part
,
succeeded
.
Mrs.
Sparsit
sedately
resumed
her
work
and
occasionally
gave
a
small
cough
,
which
sounded
like
the
cough
of
conscious
strength
and
forbearance
.
‘Well
,
ma’am
,
’
resumed
Bounderby
,
‘under
these
circumstances
,
I
imagine
it
would
not
be
agreeable
to
a
character
like
yours
to
remain
here
,
though
you
would
be
very
welcome
here.’
‘Oh
,
dear
no
,
sir
,
I
could
on
no
account
think
of
that
!
’
Mrs.
Sparsit
shook
her
head
,
still
in
her
highly
superior
manner
,
and
a
little
changed
the
small
cough
—
coughing
now
,
as
if
the
spirit
of
prophecy
rose
within
her
,
but
had
better
be
coughed
down
.
‘However
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bounderby
,
‘there
are
apartments
at
the
Bank
,
where
a
born
and
bred
lady
,
as
keeper
of
the
place
,
would
be
rather
a
catch
than
otherwise
;
and
if
the
same
terms
—
’
‘I
beg
your
pardon
,
sir
.
You
were
so
good
as
to
promise
that
you
would
always
substitute
the
phrase
,
annual
compliment.’
‘Well
,
ma’am
,
annual
compliment
.
If
the
same
annual
compliment
would
be
acceptable
there
,
why
,
I
see
nothing
to
part
us
,
unless
you
do.’
‘Sir
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘The
proposal
is
like
yourself
,
and
if
the
position
I
shall
assume
at
the
Bank
is
one
that
I
could
occupy
without
descending
lower
in
the
social
scale
—
’
‘Why
,
of
course
it
is
,
’
said
Bounderby
.
‘If
it
was
not
,
ma’am
,
you
don’t
suppose
that
I
should
offer
it
to
a
lady
who
has
moved
in
the
society
you
have
moved
in
.
Not
that
I
care
for
such
society
,
you
know
!
But
you
do.’
‘Mr
.
Bounderby
,
you
are
very
considerate.’
‘You’ll
have
your
own
private
apartments
,
and
you’ll
have
your
coals
and
your
candles
,
and
all
the
rest
of
it
,
and
you’ll
have
your
maid
to
attend
upon
you
,
and
you’ll
have
your
light
porter
to
protect
you
,
and
you’ll
be
what
I
take
the
liberty
of
considering
precious
comfortable
,
’
said
Bounderby
.
‘Sir
,
’
rejoined
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘say
no
more
.
In
yielding
up
my
trust
here
,
I
shall
not
be
freed
from
the
necessity
of
eating
the
bread
of
dependence
:
’
she
might
have
said
the
sweetbread
,
for
that
delicate
article
in
a
savoury
brown
sauce
was
her
favourite
supper
:
‘and
I
would
rather
receive
it
from
your
hand
,
than
from
any
other
.
Therefore
,
sir
,
I
accept
your
offer
gratefully
,
and
with
many
sincere
acknowledgments
for
past
favours
.
And
I
hope
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
concluding
in
an
impressively
compassionate
manner
,
‘I
fondly
hope
that
Miss
Gradgrind
may
be
all
you
desire
,
and
deserve
!
’
Nothing
moved
Mrs.
Sparsit
from
that
position
any
more
.
It
was
in
vain
for
Bounderby
to
bluster
or
to
assert
himself
in
any
of
his
explosive
ways
;
Mrs.
Sparsit
was
resolved
to
have
compassion
on
him
,
as
a
Victim
.
She
was
polite
,
obliging
,
cheerful
,
hopeful
;
but
,
the
more
polite
,
the
more
obliging
,
the
more
cheerful
,
the
more
hopeful
,
the
more
exemplary
altogether
,
she
;
the
forlorner
Sacrifice
and
Victim
,
he
.
She
had
that
tenderness
for
his
melancholy
fate
,
that
his
great
red
countenance
used
to
break
out
into
cold
perspirations
when
she
looked
at
him
.
Meanwhile
the
marriage
was
appointed
to
be
solemnized
in
eight
weeks’
time
,
and
Mr.
Bounderby
went
every
evening
to
Stone
Lodge
as
an
accepted
wooer
.
Love
was
made
on
these
occasions
in
the
form
of
bracelets
;
and
,
on
all
occasions
during
the
period
of
betrothal
,
took
a
manufacturing
aspect
.
Dresses
were
made
,
jewellery
was
made
,
cakes
and
gloves
were
made
,
settlements
were
made
,
and
an
extensive
assortment
of
Facts
did
appropriate
honour
to
the
contract
.
The
business
was
all
Fact
,
from
first
to
last
.
The
Hours
did
not
go
through
any
of
those
rosy
performances
,
which
foolish
poets
have
ascribed
to
them
at
such
times
;
neither
did
the
clocks
go
any
faster
,
or
any
slower
,
than
at
other
seasons
.
The
deadly
statistical
recorder
in
the
Gradgrind
observatory
knocked
every
second
on
the
head
as
it
was
born
,
and
buried
it
with
his
accustomed
regularity
.
So
the
day
came
,
as
all
other
days
come
to
people
who
will
only
stick
to
reason
;
and
when
it
came
,
there
were
married
in
the
church
of
the
florid
wooden
legs
—
that
popular
order
of
architecture
—
Josiah
Bounderby
Esquire
of
Coketown
,
to
Louisa
eldest
daughter
of
Thomas
Gradgrind
Esquire
of
Stone
Lodge
,
M.P.
for
that
borough
.
And
when
they
were
united
in
holy
matrimony
,
they
went
home
to
breakfast
at
Stone
Lodge
aforesaid
.
There
was
an
improving
party
assembled
on
the
auspicious
occasion
,
who
knew
what
everything
they
had
to
eat
and
drink
was
made
of
,
and
how
it
was
imported
or
exported
,
and
in
what
quantities
,
and
in
what
bottoms
,
whether
native
or
foreign
,
and
all
about
it
.
The
bridesmaids
,
down
to
little
Jane
Gradgrind
,
were
,
in
an
intellectual
point
of
view
,
fit
helpmates
for
the
calculating
boy
;
and
there
was
no
nonsense
about
any
of
the
company
.
After
breakfast
,
the
bridegroom
addressed
them
in
the
following
terms
:
‘Ladies
and
gentlemen
,
I
am
Josiah
Bounderby
of
Coketown
.
Since
you
have
done
my
wife
and
myself
the
honour
of
drinking
our
healths
and
happiness
,
I
suppose
I
must
acknowledge
the
same
;
though
,
as
you
all
know
me
,
and
know
what
I
am
,
and
what
my
extraction
was
,
you
won’t
expect
a
speech
from
a
man
who
,
when
he
sees
a
Post
,
says
“
that’s
a
Post
,
”
and
when
he
sees
a
Pump
,
says
“
that’s
a
Pump
,
”
and
is
not
to
be
got
to
call
a
Post
a
Pump
,
or
a
Pump
a
Post
,
or
either
of
them
a
Toothpick
.
If
you
want
a
speech
this
morning
,
my
friend
and
father-in-law
,
Tom
Gradgrind
,
is
a
Member
of
Parliament
,
and
you
know
where
to
get
it
.
I
am
not
your
man
.
However
,
if
I
feel
a
little
independent
when
I
look
around
this
table
to-day
,
and
reflect
how
little
I
thought
of
marrying
Tom
Gradgrind’s
daughter
when
I
was
a
ragged
street-boy
,
who
never
washed
his
face
unless
it
was
at
a
pump
,
and
that
not
oftener
than
once
a
fortnight
,
I
hope
I
may
be
excused
.
So
,
I
hope
you
like
my
feeling
independent
;
if
you
don’t
,
I
can’t
help
it
.
I
do
feel
independent
.
Now
I
have
mentioned
,
and
you
have
mentioned
,
that
I
am
this
day
married
to
Tom
Gradgrind’s
daughter
.
I
am
very
glad
to
be
so
.
It
has
long
been
my
wish
to
be
so
.
I
have
watched
her
bringing-up
,
and
I
believe
she
is
worthy
of
me
.
At
the
same
time
—
not
to
deceive
you
—
I
believe
I
am
worthy
of
her
.
So
,
I
thank
you
,
on
both
our
parts
,
for
the
good-will
you
have
shown
towards
us
;
and
the
best
wish
I
can
give
the
unmarried
part
of
the
present
company
,
is
this
:
I
hope
every
bachelor
may
find
as
good
a
wife
as
I
have
found
.
And
I
hope
every
spinster
may
find
as
good
a
husband
as
my
wife
has
found.’
Shortly
after
which
oration
,
as
they
were
going
on
a
nuptial
trip
to
Lyons
,
in
order
that
Mr.
Bounderby
might
take
the
opportunity
of
seeing
how
the
Hands
got
on
in
those
parts
,
and
whether
they
,
too
,
required
to
be
fed
with
gold
spoons
;
the
happy
pair
departed
for
the
railroad
.
The
bride
,
in
passing
down-stairs
,
dressed
for
her
journey
,
found
Tom
waiting
for
her
—
flushed
,
either
with
his
feelings
,
or
the
vinous
part
of
the
breakfast
.
‘What
a
game
girl
you
are
,
to
be
such
a
first-rate
sister
,
Loo
!
’
whispered
Tom
.
She
clung
to
him
as
she
should
have
clung
to
some
far
better
nature
that
day
,
and
was
a
little
shaken
in
her
reserved
composure
for
the
first
time
.
‘Old
Bounderby’s
quite
ready
,
’
said
Tom
.
‘Time’s
up
.
Good-bye
!
I
shall
be
on
the
look-out
for
you
,
when
you
come
back
.
I
say
,
my
dear
Loo
!
An’t
it
uncommonly
jolly
now
!
’
END
OF
THE
FIRST
BOOK
BOOK
THE
SECOND
REAPING
CHAPTER
I
EFFECTS
IN
THE
BANK
A
sunny
midsummer
day
.
There
was
such
a
thing
sometimes
,
even
in
Coketown
.
Seen
from
a
distance
in
such
weather
,
Coketown
lay
shrouded
in
a
haze
of
its
own
,
which
appeared
impervious
to
the
sun’s
rays
.
You
only
knew
the
town
was
there
,
because
you
knew
there
could
have
been
no
such
sulky
blotch
upon
the
prospect
without
a
town
.
A
blur
of
soot
and
smoke
,
now
confusedly
tending
this
way
,
now
that
way
,
now
aspiring
to
the
vault
of
Heaven
,
now
murkily
creeping
along
the
earth
,
as
the
wind
rose
and
fell
,
or
changed
its
quarter
:
a
dense
formless
jumble
,
with
sheets
of
cross
light
in
it
,
that
showed
nothing
but
masses
of
darkness
:
—
Coketown
in
the
distance
was
suggestive
of
itself
,
though
not
a
brick
of
it
could
be
seen
.
The
wonder
was
,
it
was
there
at
all
.
It
had
been
ruined
so
often
,
that
it
was
amazing
how
it
had
borne
so
many
shocks
.
Surely
there
never
was
such
fragile
china-ware
as
that
of
which
the
millers
of
Coketown
were
made
.
Handle
them
never
so
lightly
,
and
they
fell
to
pieces
with
such
ease
that
you
might
suspect
them
of
having
been
flawed
before
.
They
were
ruined
,
when
they
were
required
to
send
labouring
children
to
school
;
they
were
ruined
when
inspectors
were
appointed
to
look
into
their
works
;
they
were
ruined
,
when
such
inspectors
considered
it
doubtful
whether
they
were
quite
justified
in
chopping
people
up
with
their
machinery
;
they
were
utterly
undone
,
when
it
was
hinted
that
perhaps
they
need
not
always
make
quite
so
much
smoke
.
Besides
Mr.
Bounderby’s
gold
spoon
which
was
generally
received
in
Coketown
,
another
prevalent
fiction
was
very
popular
there
.
It
took
the
form
of
a
threat
.
Whenever
a
Coketowner
felt
he
was
ill-used
—
that
is
to
say
,
whenever
he
was
not
left
entirely
alone
,
and
it
was
proposed
to
hold
him
accountable
for
the
consequences
of
any
of
his
acts
—
he
was
sure
to
come
out
with
the
awful
menace
,
that
he
would
‘sooner
pitch
his
property
into
the
Atlantic.’
This
had
terrified
the
Home
Secretary
within
an
inch
of
his
life
,
on
several
occasions
.
However
,
the
Coketowners
were
so
patriotic
after
all
,
that
they
never
had
pitched
their
property
into
the
Atlantic
yet
,
but
,
on
the
contrary
,
had
been
kind
enough
to
take
mighty
good
care
of
it
.
So
there
it
was
,
in
the
haze
yonder
;
and
it
increased
and
multiplied
.
The
streets
were
hot
and
dusty
on
the
summer
day
,
and
the
sun
was
so
bright
that
it
even
shone
through
the
heavy
vapour
drooping
over
Coketown
,
and
could
not
be
looked
at
steadily
.
Stokers
emerged
from
low
underground
doorways
into
factory
yards
,
and
sat
on
steps
,
and
posts
,
and
palings
,
wiping
their
swarthy
visages
,
and
contemplating
coals
.
The
whole
town
seemed
to
be
frying
in
oil
.
There
was
a
stifling
smell
of
hot
oil
everywhere
.
The
steam-engines
shone
with
it
,
the
dresses
of
the
Hands
were
soiled
with
it
,
the
mills
throughout
their
many
stories
oozed
and
trickled
it
.
The
atmosphere
of
those
Fairy
palaces
was
like
the
breath
of
the
simoom
:
and
their
inhabitants
,
wasting
with
heat
,
toiled
languidly
in
the
desert
.
But
no
temperature
made
the
melancholy
mad
elephants
more
mad
or
more
sane
.
Their
wearisome
heads
went
up
and
down
at
the
same
rate
,
in
hot
weather
and
cold
,
wet
weather
and
dry
,
fair
weather
and
foul
.
The
measured
motion
of
their
shadows
on
the
walls
,
was
the
substitute
Coketown
had
to
show
for
the
shadows
of
rustling
woods
;
while
,
for
the
summer
hum
of
insects
,
it
could
offer
,
all
the
year
round
,
from
the
dawn
of
Monday
to
the
night
of
Saturday
,
the
whirr
of
shafts
and
wheels
.
Drowsily
they
whirred
all
through
this
sunny
day
,
making
the
passenger
more
sleepy
and
more
hot
as
he
passed
the
humming
walls
of
the
mills
.
Sun-blinds
,
and
sprinklings
of
water
,
a
little
cooled
the
main
streets
and
the
shops
;
but
the
mills
,
and
the
courts
and
alleys
,
baked
at
a
fierce
heat
.
Down
upon
the
river
that
was
black
and
thick
with
dye
,
some
Coketown
boys
who
were
at
large
—
a
rare
sight
there
—
rowed
a
crazy
boat
,
which
made
a
spumous
track
upon
the
water
as
it
jogged
along
,
while
every
dip
of
an
oar
stirred
up
vile
smells
.
But
the
sun
itself
,
however
beneficent
,
generally
,
was
less
kind
to
Coketown
than
hard
frost
,
and
rarely
looked
intently
into
any
of
its
closer
regions
without
engendering
more
death
than
life
.
So
does
the
eye
of
Heaven
itself
become
an
evil
eye
,
when
incapable
or
sordid
hands
are
interposed
between
it
and
the
things
it
looks
upon
to
bless
.
Mrs.
Sparsit
sat
in
her
afternoon
apartment
at
the
Bank
,
on
the
shadier
side
of
the
frying
street
.
Office-hours
were
over
:
and
at
that
period
of
the
day
,
in
warm
weather
,
she
usually
embellished
with
her
genteel
presence
,
a
managerial
board-room
over
the
public
office
.
Her
own
private
sitting-room
was
a
story
higher
,
at
the
window
of
which
post
of
observation
she
was
ready
,
every
morning
,
to
greet
Mr.
Bounderby
,
as
he
came
across
the
road
,
with
the
sympathizing
recognition
appropriate
to
a
Victim
.
He
had
been
married
now
a
year
;
and
Mrs.
Sparsit
had
never
released
him
from
her
determined
pity
a
moment
.
The
Bank
offered
no
violence
to
the
wholesome
monotony
of
the
town
.
It
was
another
red
brick
house
,
with
black
outside
shutters
,
green
inside
blinds
,
a
black
street-door
up
two
white
steps
,
a
brazen
door-plate
,
and
a
brazen
door-handle
full
stop
.
It
was
a
size
larger
than
Mr.
Bounderby’s
house
,
as
other
houses
were
from
a
size
to
half-a-dozen
sizes
smaller
;
in
all
other
particulars
,
it
was
strictly
according
to
pattern
.
Mrs.
Sparsit
was
conscious
that
by
coming
in
the
evening-tide
among
the
desks
and
writing
implements
,
she
shed
a
feminine
,
not
to
say
also
aristocratic
,
grace
upon
the
office
.
Seated
,
with
her
needlework
or
netting
apparatus
,
at
the
window
,
she
had
a
self-laudatory
sense
of
correcting
,
by
her
ladylike
deportment
,
the
rude
business
aspect
of
the
place
.
With
this
impression
of
her
interesting
character
upon
her
,
Mrs.
Sparsit
considered
herself
,
in
some
sort
,
the
Bank
Fairy
.
The
townspeople
who
,
in
their
passing
and
repassing
,
saw
her
there
,
regarded
her
as
the
Bank
Dragon
keeping
watch
over
the
treasures
of
the
mine
.
What
those
treasures
were
,
Mrs.
Sparsit
knew
as
little
as
they
did
.
Gold
and
silver
coin
,
precious
paper
,
secrets
that
if
divulged
would
bring
vague
destruction
upon
vague
persons
(
generally
,
however
,
people
whom
she
disliked
)
,
were
the
chief
items
in
her
ideal
catalogue
thereof
.
For
the
rest
,
she
knew
that
after
office-hours
,
she
reigned
supreme
over
all
the
office
furniture
,
and
over
a
locked-up
iron
room
with
three
locks
,
against
the
door
of
which
strong
chamber
the
light
porter
laid
his
head
every
night
,
on
a
truckle
bed
,
that
disappeared
at
cockcrow
.
Further
,
she
was
lady
paramount
over
certain
vaults
in
the
basement
,
sharply
spiked
off
from
communication
with
the
predatory
world
;
and
over
the
relics
of
the
current
day’s
work
,
consisting
of
blots
of
ink
,
worn-out
pens
,
fragments
of
wafers
,
and
scraps
of
paper
torn
so
small
,
that
nothing
interesting
could
ever
be
deciphered
on
them
when
Mrs.
Sparsit
tried
.
Lastly
,
she
was
guardian
over
a
little
armoury
of
cutlasses
and
carbines
,
arrayed
in
vengeful
order
above
one
of
the
official
chimney-pieces
;
and
over
that
respectable
tradition
never
to
be
separated
from
a
place
of
business
claiming
to
be
wealthy
—
a
row
of
fire-buckets
—
vessels
calculated
to
be
of
no
physical
utility
on
any
occasion
,
but
observed
to
exercise
a
fine
moral
influence
,
almost
equal
to
bullion
,
on
most
beholders
.
A
deaf
serving-woman
and
the
light
porter
completed
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
empire
.
The
deaf
serving-woman
was
rumoured
to
be
wealthy
;
and
a
saying
had
for
years
gone
about
among
the
lower
orders
of
Coketown
,
that
she
would
be
murdered
some
night
when
the
Bank
was
shut
,
for
the
sake
of
her
money
.
It
was
generally
considered
,
indeed
,
that
she
had
been
due
some
time
,
and
ought
to
have
fallen
long
ago
;
but
she
had
kept
her
life
,
and
her
situation
,
with
an
ill-conditioned
tenacity
that
occasioned
much
offence
and
disappointment
.
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
tea
was
just
set
for
her
on
a
pert
little
table
,
with
its
tripod
of
legs
in
an
attitude
,
which
she
insinuated
after
office-hours
,
into
the
company
of
the
stern
,
leathern-topped
,
long
board-table
that
bestrode
the
middle
of
the
room
.
The
light
porter
placed
the
tea-tray
on
it
,
knuckling
his
forehead
as
a
form
of
homage
.
‘Thank
you
,
Bitzer
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘Thank
you
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
the
light
porter
.
He
was
a
very
light
porter
indeed
;
as
light
as
in
the
days
when
he
blinkingly
defined
a
horse
,
for
girl
number
twenty
.
‘All
is
shut
up
,
Bitzer
?
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘All
is
shut
up
,
ma’am.’
‘And
what
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
pouring
out
her
tea
,
‘is
the
news
of
the
day
?
Anything
?
’
‘Well
,
ma’am
,
I
can’t
say
that
I
have
heard
anything
particular
.
Our
people
are
a
bad
lot
,
ma’am
;
but
that
is
no
news
,
unfortunately.’
‘What
are
the
restless
wretches
doing
now
?
’
asked
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘Merely
going
on
in
the
old
way
,
ma’am
.
Uniting
,
and
leaguing
,
and
engaging
to
stand
by
one
another.’
‘It
is
much
to
be
regretted
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
making
her
nose
more
Roman
and
her
eyebrows
more
Coriolanian
in
the
strength
of
her
severity
,
‘that
the
united
masters
allow
of
any
such
class-combinations.’
‘Yes
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
.
‘Being
united
themselves
,
they
ought
one
and
all
to
set
their
faces
against
employing
any
man
who
is
united
with
any
other
man
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘They
have
done
that
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
Bitzer
;
‘but
it
rather
fell
through
,
ma’am.’
‘I
do
not
pretend
to
understand
these
things
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
with
dignity
,
‘my
lot
having
been
signally
cast
in
a
widely
different
sphere
;
and
Mr.
Sparsit
,
as
a
Powler
,
being
also
quite
out
of
the
pale
of
any
such
dissensions
.
I
only
know
that
these
people
must
be
conquered
,
and
that
it’s
high
time
it
was
done
,
once
for
all.’
‘Yes
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
Bitzer
,
with
a
demonstration
of
great
respect
for
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
oracular
authority
.
‘You
couldn’t
put
it
clearer
,
I
am
sure
,
ma’am.’
As
this
was
his
usual
hour
for
having
a
little
confidential
chat
with
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
and
as
he
had
already
caught
her
eye
and
seen
that
she
was
going
to
ask
him
something
,
he
made
a
pretence
of
arranging
the
rulers
,
inkstands
,
and
so
forth
,
while
that
lady
went
on
with
her
tea
,
glancing
through
the
open
window
,
down
into
the
street
.
‘Has
it
been
a
busy
day
,
Bitzer
?
’
asked
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘Not
a
very
busy
day
,
my
lady
.
About
an
average
day.’
He
now
and
then
slided
into
my
lady
,
instead
of
ma’am
,
as
an
involuntary
acknowledgment
of
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
personal
dignity
and
claims
to
reverence
.
‘The
clerks
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
carefully
brushing
an
imperceptible
crumb
of
bread
and
butter
from
her
left-hand
mitten
,
‘are
trustworthy
,
punctual
,
and
industrious
,
of
course
?
’
‘Yes
,
ma’am
,
pretty
fair
,
ma’am
.
With
the
usual
exception.’
He
held
the
respectable
office
of
general
spy
and
informer
in
the
establishment
,
for
which
volunteer
service
he
received
a
present
at
Christmas
,
over
and
above
his
weekly
wage
.
He
had
grown
into
an
extremely
clear-headed
,
cautious
,
prudent
young
man
,
who
was
safe
to
rise
in
the
world
.
His
mind
was
so
exactly
regulated
,
that
he
had
no
affections
or
passions
.
All
his
proceedings
were
the
result
of
the
nicest
and
coldest
calculation
;
and
it
was
not
without
cause
that
Mrs.
Sparsit
habitually
observed
of
him
,
that
he
was
a
young
man
of
the
steadiest
principle
she
had
ever
known
.
Having
satisfied
himself
,
on
his
father’s
death
,
that
his
mother
had
a
right
of
settlement
in
Coketown
,
this
excellent
young
economist
had
asserted
that
right
for
her
with
such
a
steadfast
adherence
to
the
principle
of
the
case
,
that
she
had
been
shut
up
in
the
workhouse
ever
since
.
It
must
be
admitted
that
he
allowed
her
half
a
pound
of
tea
a
year
,
which
was
weak
in
him
:
first
,
because
all
gifts
have
an
inevitable
tendency
to
pauperise
the
recipient
,
and
secondly
,
because
his
only
reasonable
transaction
in
that
commodity
would
have
been
to
buy
it
for
as
little
as
he
could
possibly
give
,
and
sell
it
for
as
much
as
he
could
possibly
get
;
it
having
been
clearly
ascertained
by
philosophers
that
in
this
is
comprised
the
whole
duty
of
man
—
not
a
part
of
man’s
duty
,
but
the
whole
.
‘Pretty
fair
,
ma’am
.
With
the
usual
exception
,
ma’am
,
’
repeated
Bitzer
.
‘Ah
—
h
!
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
shaking
her
head
over
her
tea-cup
,
and
taking
a
long
gulp
.
‘Mr
.
Thomas
,
ma’am
,
I
doubt
Mr.
Thomas
very
much
,
ma’am
,
I
don’t
like
his
ways
at
all.’
‘Bitzer
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
in
a
very
impressive
manner
,
‘do
you
recollect
my
having
said
anything
to
you
respecting
names
?
’
‘I
beg
your
pardon
,
ma’am
.
It’s
quite
true
that
you
did
object
to
names
being
used
,
and
they’re
always
best
avoided.’
‘Please
to
remember
that
I
have
a
charge
here
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
with
her
air
of
state
.
‘I
hold
a
trust
here
,
Bitzer
,
under
Mr.
Bounderby
.
However
improbable
both
Mr.
Bounderby
and
myself
might
have
deemed
it
years
ago
,
that
he
would
ever
become
my
patron
,
making
me
an
annual
compliment
,
I
cannot
but
regard
him
in
that
light
.
From
Mr.
Bounderby
I
have
received
every
acknowledgment
of
my
social
station
,
and
every
recognition
of
my
family
descent
,
that
I
could
possibly
expect
.
More
,
far
more
.
Therefore
,
to
my
patron
I
will
be
scrupulously
true
.
And
I
do
not
consider
,
I
will
not
consider
,
I
cannot
consider
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
with
a
most
extensive
stock
on
hand
of
honour
and
morality
,
‘that
I
should
be
scrupulously
true
,
if
I
allowed
names
to
be
mentioned
under
this
roof
,
that
are
unfortunately
—
most
unfortunately
—
no
doubt
of
that
—
connected
with
his.’
Bitzer
knuckled
his
forehead
again
,
and
again
begged
pardon
.
‘No
,
Bitzer
,
’
continued
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘say
an
individual
,
and
I
will
hear
you
;
say
Mr.
Thomas
,
and
you
must
excuse
me.’
‘With
the
usual
exception
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
trying
back
,
‘of
an
individual.’
‘Ah
—
h
!
’
Mrs.
Sparsit
repeated
the
ejaculation
,
the
shake
of
the
head
over
her
tea-cup
,
and
the
long
gulp
,
as
taking
up
the
conversation
again
at
the
point
where
it
had
been
interrupted
.
‘An
individual
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
‘has
never
been
what
he
ought
to
have
been
,
since
he
first
came
into
the
place
.
He
is
a
dissipated
,
extravagant
idler
.
He
is
not
worth
his
salt
,
ma’am
.
He
wouldn’t
get
it
either
,
if
he
hadn’t
a
friend
and
relation
at
court
,
ma’am
!
’
‘Ah
—
h
!
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
with
another
melancholy
shake
of
her
head
.
‘I
only
hope
,
ma’am
,
’
pursued
Bitzer
,
‘that
his
friend
and
relation
may
not
supply
him
with
the
means
of
carrying
on
.
Otherwise
,
ma’am
,
we
know
out
of
whose
pocket
that
money
comes.’
‘Ah
—
h
!
’
sighed
Mrs.
Sparsit
again
,
with
another
melancholy
shake
of
her
head
.
‘He
is
to
be
pitied
,
ma’am
.
The
last
party
I
have
alluded
to
,
is
to
be
pitied
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
.
‘Yes
,
Bitzer
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘I
have
always
pitied
the
delusion
,
always.’
‘As
to
an
individual
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
dropping
his
voice
and
drawing
nearer
,
‘he
is
as
improvident
as
any
of
the
people
in
this
town
.
And
you
know
what
their
improvidence
is
,
ma’am
.
No
one
could
wish
to
know
it
better
than
a
lady
of
your
eminence
does.’
‘They
would
do
well
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘to
take
example
by
you
,
Bitzer.’
‘Thank
you
,
ma’am
.
But
,
since
you
do
refer
to
me
,
now
look
at
me
,
ma’am
.
I
have
put
by
a
little
,
ma’am
,
already
.
That
gratuity
which
I
receive
at
Christmas
,
ma’am
:
I
never
touch
it
.
I
don’t
even
go
the
length
of
my
wages
,
though
they’re
not
high
,
ma’am
.
Why
can’t
they
do
as
I
have
done
,
ma’am
?
What
one
person
can
do
,
another
can
do.’
This
,
again
,
was
among
the
fictions
of
Coketown
.
Any
capitalist
there
,
who
had
made
sixty
thousand
pounds
out
of
sixpence
,
always
professed
to
wonder
why
the
sixty
thousand
nearest
Hands
didn’t
each
make
sixty
thousand
pounds
out
of
sixpence
,
and
more
or
less
reproached
them
every
one
for
not
accomplishing
the
little
feat
.
What
I
did
you
can
do
.
Why
don’t
you
go
and
do
it
?
‘As
to
their
wanting
recreations
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
‘it’s
stuff
and
nonsense
.
I
don’t
want
recreations
.
I
never
did
,
and
I
never
shall
;
I
don’t
like
’em
.
As
to
their
combining
together
;
there
are
many
of
them
,
I
have
no
doubt
,
that
by
watching
and
informing
upon
one
another
could
earn
a
trifle
now
and
then
,
whether
in
money
or
good
will
,
and
improve
their
livelihood
.
Then
,
why
don’t
they
improve
it
,
ma’am
!
It’s
the
first
consideration
of
a
rational
creature
,
and
it’s
what
they
pretend
to
want.’
‘Pretend
indeed
!
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘I
am
sure
we
are
constantly
hearing
,
ma’am
,
till
it
becomes
quite
nauseous
,
concerning
their
wives
and
families
,
’
said
Bitzer
.
‘Why
look
at
me
,
ma’am
!
I
don’t
want
a
wife
and
family
.
Why
should
they
?
’
‘Because
they
are
improvident
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘Yes
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
Bitzer
,
‘that’s
where
it
is
.
If
they
were
more
provident
and
less
perverse
,
ma’am
,
what
would
they
do
?
They
would
say
,
“
While
my
hat
covers
my
family
,
”
or
“
while
my
bonnet
covers
my
family
,
”
—
as
the
case
might
be
,
ma’am
—
“
I
have
only
one
to
feed
,
and
that’s
the
person
I
most
like
to
feed
.
”
’
‘To
be
sure
,
’
assented
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
eating
muffin
.
‘Thank
you
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
knuckling
his
forehead
again
,
in
return
for
the
favour
of
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
improving
conversation
.
‘Would
you
wish
a
little
more
hot
water
,
ma’am
,
or
is
there
anything
else
that
I
could
fetch
you
?
’
‘Nothing
just
now
,
Bitzer.’
‘Thank
you
,
ma’am
.
I
shouldn’t
wish
to
disturb
you
at
your
meals
,
ma’am
,
particularly
tea
,
knowing
your
partiality
for
it
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
craning
a
little
to
look
over
into
the
street
from
where
he
stood
;
‘but
there’s
a
gentleman
been
looking
up
here
for
a
minute
or
so
,
ma’am
,
and
he
has
come
across
as
if
he
was
going
to
knock
.
That
is
his
knock
,
ma’am
,
no
doubt.’
He
stepped
to
the
window
;
and
looking
out
,
and
drawing
in
his
head
again
,
confirmed
himself
with
,
‘Yes
,
ma’am
.
Would
you
wish
the
gentleman
to
be
shown
in
,
ma’am
?
’
‘I
don’t
know
who
it
can
be
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
wiping
her
mouth
and
arranging
her
mittens
.
‘A
stranger
,
ma’am
,
evidently.’
‘What
a
stranger
can
want
at
the
Bank
at
this
time
of
the
evening
,
unless
he
comes
upon
some
business
for
which
he
is
too
late
,
I
don’t
know
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘but
I
hold
a
charge
in
this
establishment
from
Mr.
Bounderby
,
and
I
will
never
shrink
from
it
.
If
to
see
him
is
any
part
of
the
duty
I
have
accepted
,
I
will
see
him
.
Use
your
own
discretion
,
Bitzer.’
Here
the
visitor
,
all
unconscious
of
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
magnanimous
words
,
repeated
his
knock
so
loudly
that
the
light
porter
hastened
down
to
open
the
door
;
while
Mrs.
Sparsit
took
the
precaution
of
concealing
her
little
table
,
with
all
its
appliances
upon
it
,
in
a
cupboard
,
and
then
decamped
up-stairs
,
that
she
might
appear
,
if
needful
,
with
the
greater
dignity
.
‘If
you
please
,
ma’am
,
the
gentleman
would
wish
to
see
you
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
with
his
light
eye
at
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
keyhole
.
So
,
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
who
had
improved
the
interval
by
touching
up
her
cap
,
took
her
classical
features
down-stairs
again
,
and
entered
the
board-room
in
the
manner
of
a
Roman
matron
going
outside
the
city
walls
to
treat
with
an
invading
general
.
The
visitor
having
strolled
to
the
window
,
and
being
then
engaged
in
looking
carelessly
out
,
was
as
unmoved
by
this
impressive
entry
as
man
could
possibly
be
.
He
stood
whistling
to
himself
with
all
imaginable
coolness
,
with
his
hat
still
on
,
and
a
certain
air
of
exhaustion
upon
him
,
in
part
arising
from
excessive
summer
,
and
in
part
from
excessive
gentility
.
For
it
was
to
be
seen
with
half
an
eye
that
he
was
a
thorough
gentleman
,
made
to
the
model
of
the
time
;
weary
of
everything
,
and
putting
no
more
faith
in
anything
than
Lucifer
.
‘I
believe
,
sir
,
’
quoth
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘you
wished
to
see
me.’
‘I
beg
your
pardon
,
’
he
said
,
turning
and
removing
his
hat
;
‘pray
excuse
me.’
‘Humph
!
’
thought
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
as
she
made
a
stately
bend
.
‘Five
and
thirty
,
good-looking
,
good
figure
,
good
teeth
,
good
voice
,
good
breeding
,
well-dressed
,
dark
hair
,
bold
eyes.’
All
which
Mrs.
Sparsit
observed
in
her
womanly
way
—
like
the
Sultan
who
put
his
head
in
the
pail
of
water
—
merely
in
dipping
down
and
coming
up
again
.
‘Please
to
be
seated
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘Thank
you
.
Allow
me.’
He
placed
a
chair
for
her
,
but
remained
himself
carelessly
lounging
against
the
table
.
‘I
left
my
servant
at
the
railway
looking
after
the
luggage
—
very
heavy
train
and
vast
quantity
of
it
in
the
van
—
and
strolled
on
,
looking
about
me
.
Exceedingly
odd
place
.
Will
you
allow
me
to
ask
you
if
it’s
always
as
black
as
this
?
’
‘In
general
much
blacker
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
in
her
uncompromising
way
.
‘Is
it
possible
!
Excuse
me
:
you
are
not
a
native
,
I
think
?
’
‘No
,
sir
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘It
was
once
my
good
or
ill
fortune
,
as
it
may
be
—
before
I
became
a
widow
—
to
move
in
a
very
different
sphere
.
My
husband
was
a
Powler.’
‘Beg
your
pardon
,
really
!
’
said
the
stranger
.
‘Was
—
?
’
Mrs.
Sparsit
repeated
,
‘A
Powler.’
‘Powler
Family
,
’
said
the
stranger
,
after
reflecting
a
few
moments
.
Mrs.
Sparsit
signified
assent
.
The
stranger
seemed
a
little
more
fatigued
than
before
.
‘You
must
be
very
much
bored
here
?
’
was
the
inference
he
drew
from
the
communication
.
‘I
am
the
servant
of
circumstances
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘and
I
have
long
adapted
myself
to
the
governing
power
of
my
life.’
‘Very
philosophical
,
’
returned
the
stranger
,
‘and
very
exemplary
and
laudable
,
and
—
’
It
seemed
to
be
scarcely
worth
his
while
to
finish
the
sentence
,
so
he
played
with
his
watch-chain
wearily
.
‘May
I
be
permitted
to
ask
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘to
what
I
am
indebted
for
the
favour
of
—
’
‘Assuredly
,
’
said
the
stranger
.
‘Much
obliged
to
you
for
reminding
me
.
I
am
the
bearer
of
a
letter
of
introduction
to
Mr.
Bounderby
,
the
banker
.
Walking
through
this
extraordinarily
black
town
,
while
they
were
getting
dinner
ready
at
the
hotel
,
I
asked
a
fellow
whom
I
met
;
one
of
the
working
people
;
who
appeared
to
have
been
taking
a
shower-bath
of
something
fluffy
,
which
I
assume
to
be
the
raw
material
—
’
Mrs.
Sparsit
inclined
her
head
.
‘
—
Raw
material
—
where
Mr.
Bounderby
,
the
banker
,
might
reside
.
Upon
which
,
misled
no
doubt
by
the
word
Banker
,
he
directed
me
to
the
Bank
.
Fact
being
,
I
presume
,
that
Mr.
Bounderby
the
Banker
does
not
reside
in
the
edifice
in
which
I
have
the
honour
of
offering
this
explanation
?
’
‘No
,
sir
,
’
returned
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘he
does
not.’
‘Thank
you
.
I
had
no
intention
of
delivering
my
letter
at
the
present
moment
,
nor
have
I
.
But
strolling
on
to
the
Bank
to
kill
time
,
and
having
the
good
fortune
to
observe
at
the
window
,
’
towards
which
he
languidly
waved
his
hand
,
then
slightly
bowed
,
‘a
lady
of
a
very
superior
and
agreeable
appearance
,
I
considered
that
I
could
not
do
better
than
take
the
liberty
of
asking
that
lady
where
Mr.
Bounderby
the
Banker
does
live
.
Which
I
accordingly
venture
,
with
all
suitable
apologies
,
to
do.’
The
inattention
and
indolence
of
his
manner
were
sufficiently
relieved
,
to
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
thinking
,
by
a
certain
gallantry
at
ease
,
which
offered
her
homage
too
.
Here
he
was
,
for
instance
,
at
this
moment
,
all
but
sitting
on
the
table
,
and
yet
lazily
bending
over
her
,
as
if
he
acknowledged
an
attraction
in
her
that
made
her
charming
—
in
her
way
.
‘Banks
,
I
know
,
are
always
suspicious
,
and
officially
must
be
,
’
said
the
stranger
,
whose
lightness
and
smoothness
of
speech
were
pleasant
likewise
;
suggesting
matter
far
more
sensible
and
humorous
than
it
ever
contained
—
which
was
perhaps
a
shrewd
device
of
the
founder
of
this
numerous
sect
,
whosoever
may
have
been
that
great
man
:
‘therefore
I
may
observe
that
my
letter
—
here
it
is
—
is
from
the
member
for
this
place
—
Gradgrind
—
whom
I
have
had
the
pleasure
of
knowing
in
London.’
Mrs.
Sparsit
recognized
the
hand
,
intimated
that
such
confirmation
was
quite
unnecessary
,
and
gave
Mr.
Bounderby’s
address
,
with
all
needful
clues
and
directions
in
aid
.
‘Thousand
thanks
,
’
said
the
stranger
.
‘Of
course
you
know
the
Banker
well
?
’
‘Yes
,
sir
,
’
rejoined
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘In
my
dependent
relation
towards
him
,
I
have
known
him
ten
years.’
‘Quite
an
eternity
!
I
think
he
married
Gradgrind’s
daughter
?
’
‘Yes
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
suddenly
compressing
her
mouth
,
‘he
had
that
—
honour.’
‘The
lady
is
quite
a
philosopher
,
I
am
told
?
’
‘Indeed
,
sir
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘
Is
she
?
’
‘Excuse
my
impertinent
curiosity
,
’
pursued
the
stranger
,
fluttering
over
Mrs.
Sparsit’s
eyebrows
,
with
a
propitiatory
air
,
‘but
you
know
the
family
,
and
know
the
world
.
I
am
about
to
know
the
family
,
and
may
have
much
to
do
with
them
.
Is
the
lady
so
very
alarming
?
Her
father
gives
her
such
a
portentously
hard-headed
reputation
,
that
I
have
a
burning
desire
to
know
.
Is
she
absolutely
unapproachable
?
Repellently
and
stunningly
clever
?
I
see
,
by
your
meaning
smile
,
you
think
not
.
You
have
poured
balm
into
my
anxious
soul
.
As
to
age
,
now
.
Forty
?
Five
and
thirty
?
’
Mrs.
Sparsit
laughed
outright
.
‘A
chit
,
’
said
she
.
‘Not
twenty
when
she
was
married.’
‘I
give
you
my
honour
,
Mrs.
Powler
,
’
returned
the
stranger
,
detaching
himself
from
the
table
,
‘that
I
never
was
so
astonished
in
my
life
!
’
It
really
did
seem
to
impress
him
,
to
the
utmost
extent
of
his
capacity
of
being
impressed
.
He
looked
at
his
informant
for
full
a
quarter
of
a
minute
,
and
appeared
to
have
the
surprise
in
his
mind
all
the
time
.
‘I
assure
you
,
Mrs.
Powler
,
’
he
then
said
,
much
exhausted
,
‘that
the
father’s
manner
prepared
me
for
a
grim
and
stony
maturity
.
I
am
obliged
to
you
,
of
all
things
,
for
correcting
so
absurd
a
mistake
.
Pray
excuse
my
intrusion
.
Many
thanks
.
Good
day
!
’
He
bowed
himself
out
;
and
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
hiding
in
the
window
curtain
,
saw
him
languishing
down
the
street
on
the
shady
side
of
the
way
,
observed
of
all
the
town
.
‘What
do
you
think
of
the
gentleman
,
Bitzer
?
’
she
asked
the
light
porter
,
when
he
came
to
take
away
.
‘Spends
a
deal
of
money
on
his
dress
,
ma’am.’
‘It
must
be
admitted
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
‘that
it’s
very
tasteful.’
‘Yes
,
ma’am
,
’
returned
Bitzer
,
‘if
that’s
worth
the
money.’
‘Besides
which
,
ma’am
,
’
resumed
Bitzer
,
while
he
was
polishing
the
table
,
‘he
looks
to
me
as
if
he
gamed.’
‘It’s
immoral
to
game
,
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
.
‘It’s
ridiculous
,
ma’am
,
’
said
Bitzer
,
‘because
the
chances
are
against
the
players.’
Whether
it
was
that
the
heat
prevented
Mrs.
Sparsit
from
working
,
or
whether
it
was
that
her
hand
was
out
,
she
did
no
work
that
night
.
She
sat
at
the
window
,
when
the
sun
began
to
sink
behind
the
smoke
;
she
sat
there
,
when
the
smoke
was
burning
red
,
when
the
colour
faded
from
it
,
when
darkness
seemed
to
rise
slowly
out
of
the
ground
,
and
creep
upward
,
upward
,
up
to
the
house-tops
,
up
the
church
steeple
,
up
to
the
summits
of
the
factory
chimneys
,
up
to
the
sky
.
Without
a
candle
in
the
room
,
Mrs.
Sparsit
sat
at
the
window
,
with
her
hands
before
her
,
not
thinking
much
of
the
sounds
of
evening
;
the
whooping
of
boys
,
the
barking
of
dogs
,
the
rumbling
of
wheels
,
the
steps
and
voices
of
passengers
,
the
shrill
street
cries
,
the
clogs
upon
the
pavement
when
it
was
their
hour
for
going
by
,
the
shutting-up
of
shop-shutters
.
Not
until
the
light
porter
announced
that
her
nocturnal
sweetbread
was
ready
,
did
Mrs.
Sparsit
arouse
herself
from
her
reverie
,
and
convey
her
dense
black
eyebrows
—
by
that
time
creased
with
meditation
,
as
if
they
needed
ironing
out-up-stairs
.
‘O
,
you
Fool
!
’
said
Mrs.
Sparsit
,
when
she
was
alone
at
her
supper
.
Whom
she
meant
,
she
did
not
say
;
but
