CHAPTER II MURDERING THE INNOCENTS

esinthering,sir.’ ‘Youmustn’ttellusaboutthering,here.Verywell,then.Describeyourfatherasahorsebreaker.Hedoctorssickhorses,Idaresay?’ ‘Ohyes,sir.’ ‘Verywell,then.Heisaveterinarysurgeon,afarrier,andhorsebreaker.Givemeyourdefinitionofahorse.’ (SissyJupethrownintothegreatestalarmbythisdemand.) ‘Girlnumbertwentyunabletodefineahorse!’saidMr.Gradgrind,forthegeneralbehoofofallthelittlepitchers.‘Girlnumbertwentypossessedofnofacts,inreferencetooneofthecommonestofanimals!Someboy’sdefinitionofahorse.Bitzer,yours.’ Thesquarefinger,movinghereandthere,lightedsuddenlyonBitzer,perhapsbecausehechancedtositinthesamerayofsunlightwhich,dartinginatoneofthebarewindowsoftheintenselywhite-washedroom,irradiatedSissy.For,theboysandgirlssatonthefaceoftheinclinedplaneintwocompactbodies,dividedupthecentrebyanarrowintervalandSissy,beingatthecornerofarowonthesunnyside,cameinforthebeginningofasunbeam,ofwhichBitzer,beingatthecornerofarowontheotherside,afewrowsinadvance,caughttheend.But,whereasthegirlwassodark-eyedanddark-haired,thatsheseemedtoreceiveadeeperandmorelustrouscolourfromthesun,whenitshoneuponher,theboywassolight-eyedandlight-hairedthattheself-sameraysappearedtodrawoutofhimwhatlittlecolourheeverpossessed.Hiscoldeyeswouldhardlyhavebeeneyes,butfortheshortendsoflasheswhich,bybringingthemintoimmediatecontrastwithsomethingpalerthanthemselves,expressedtheirform.Hisshort-croppedhairmighthavebeenamerecontinuationofthesandyfrecklesonhisforeheadandface.Hisskinwassounwholesomelydeficientinthenaturaltinge,thathelookedasthough,ifhewerecut,hewouldbleedwhite. ‘Bitzer,’saidThomasGradgrind.‘Yourdefinitionofahorse.’ ‘Quadruped.Graminivorous.Fortyteeth,namelytwenty-fourgrinders,foureye-teeth,andtwelveincisive.Shedscoatinthespringinmarshycountries,shedshoofs,too.Hoofshard,butrequiringtobeshodwithiron.Ageknownbymarksinmouth.’Thus(andmuchmore)Bitzer. ‘Nowgirlnumbertwenty,’saidMr.Gradgrind.‘Youknowwhatahorseis.’ Shecurtseyedagain,andwouldhaveblusheddeeper,ifshecouldhaveblusheddee