CHAPTER I THE ONE THING NEEDFUL
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‘Now,whatIwantis,Facts.TeachtheseboysandgirlsnothingbutFacts.Factsalonearewantedinlife.Plantnothingelse,androotouteverythingelse.YoucanonlyformthemindsofreasoninganimalsuponFacts:nothingelsewilleverbeofanyservicetothem.ThisistheprincipleonwhichIbringupmyownchildren,andthisistheprincipleonwhichIbringupthesechildren.SticktoFacts,sir!’
Thescenewasaplain,bare,monotonousvaultofaschool-room,andthespeaker’ssquareforefingeremphasizedhisobservationsbyunderscoringeverysentencewithalineontheschoolmaster’ssleeve.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’ssquarewallofaforehead,whichhadhiseyebrowsforitsbase,whilehiseyesfoundcommodiouscellarageintwodarkcaves,overshadowedbythewall.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’smouth,whichwaswide,thin,andhardset.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’svoice,whichwasinflexible,dry,anddictatorial.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’shair,whichbristledontheskirtsofhisbaldhead,aplantationoffirstokeepthewindfromitsshiningsurface,allcoveredwithknobs,likethecrustofaplumpie,asiftheheadhadscarcelywarehouse-roomforthehardfactsstoredinside.Thespeaker’sobstinatecarriage,squarecoat,squarelegs,squareshoulders,—nay,hisveryneckcloth,trainedtotakehimbythethroatwithanunaccommodatinggrasp,likeastubbornfact,asitwas,—allhelpedtheemphasis.
‘Inthislife,wewantnothingbutFacts,sirnothingbutFacts!’
Thespeaker,andtheschoolmaster,andthethirdgrownpersonpresent,allbackedalittle,andsweptwiththeireyestheinclinedplaneoflittlevesselsthenandtherearrangedinorder,readytohaveimperialgallonsoffactspouredintothemuntiltheywerefulltothebrim.
Thescenewasaplain,bare,monotonousvaultofaschool-room,andthespeaker’ssquareforefingeremphasizedhisobservationsbyunderscoringeverysentencewithalineontheschoolmaster’ssleeve.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’ssquarewallofaforehead,whichhadhiseyebrowsforitsbase,whilehiseyesfoundcommodiouscellarageintwodarkcaves,overshadowedbythewall.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’smouth,whichwaswide,thin,andhardset.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’svoice,whichwasinflexible,dry,anddictatorial.Theemphasiswashelpedbythespeaker’shair,whichbristledontheskirtsofhisbaldhead,aplantationoffirstokeepthewindfromitsshiningsurface,allcoveredwithknobs,likethecrustofaplumpie,asiftheheadhadscarcelywarehouse-roomforthehardfactsstoredinside.Thespeaker’sobstinatecarriage,squarecoat,squarelegs,squareshoulders,—nay,hisveryneckcloth,trainedtotakehimbythethroatwithanunaccommodatinggrasp,likeastubbornfact,asitwas,—allhelpedtheemphasis.
‘Inthislife,wewantnothingbutFacts,sirnothingbutFacts!’
Thespeaker,andtheschoolmaster,andthethirdgrownpersonpresent,allbackedalittle,andsweptwiththeireyestheinclinedplaneoflittlevesselsthenandtherearrangedinorder,readytohaveimperialgallonsoffactspouredintothemuntiltheywerefulltothebrim.