CHAPTER IV MR. BOUNDERBY

NotbeingMrs.Grundy,whowasMr.Bounderby? Why,Mr.BounderbywasasnearbeingMr.Gradgrind’sbosomfriend,asamanperfectlydevoidofsentimentcanapproachthatspiritualrelationshiptowardsanothermanperfectlydevoidofsentiment.SonearwasMr.Bounderby—or,ifthereadershouldpreferit,sofaroff. Hewasarichman:banker,merchant,manufacturer,andwhatnot.Abig,loudman,withastare,andametalliclaugh.Amanmadeoutofacoarsematerial,whichseemedtohavebeenstretchedtomakesomuchofhim.Amanwithagreatpuffedheadandforehead,swelledveinsinhistemples,andsuchastrainedskintohisfacethatitseemedtoholdhiseyesopen,andlifthiseyebrowsup.Amanwithapervadingappearanceonhimofbeinginflatedlikeaballoon,andreadytostart.Amanwhocouldneversufficientlyvaunthimselfaself-mademan.Amanwhowasalwaysproclaiming,throughthatbrassyspeaking-trumpetofavoiceofhis,hisoldignoranceandhisoldpoverty.AmanwhowastheBullyofhumility. Ayearortwoyoungerthanhiseminentlypracticalfriend,Mr.Bounderbylookedolderhissevenoreightandfortymighthavehadthesevenoreightaddedtoitagain,withoutsurprisinganybody.Hehadnotmuchhair.Onemighthavefanciedhehadtalkeditoffandthatwhatwasleft,allstandingupindisorder,wasinthatconditionfrombeingconstantlyblownaboutbyhiswindyboastfulness. Intheformaldrawing-roomofStoneLodge,standingonthehearthrug,warminghimselfbeforethefire,Mr.BounderbydeliveredsomeobservationstoMrs.Gradgrindonthecircumstanceofitsbeinghisbirthday.Hestoodbeforethefire,partlybecauseitwasacoolspringafternoon,thoughthesunshonepartlybecausetheshadeofStoneLodgewasalwayshauntedbytheghostofdampmortarpartlybecausehethustookupacommandingposition,fromwhichtosubdueMrs.Gradgrind. ‘Ihadn’tashoetomyfoot.Astoastocking,Ididn’tknowsuchathingbyname.Ipassedthedayinaditch,andthenightinapigsty.That’sthewayIspentmytenthbirthday.Notthataditchwasnewtome,forIwasborninaditch.’ Mrs.Gradgrind,alittle,thin,white,pink-eyedbundleofshawls,ofsurpassingfeebleness,mentalandbodilywhowasalwaystakingphysicwithoutanyeffect,andwho,wheneversheshowedasymptomofcomingtolife,wasinvariablystunnedbysomeweightypieceoffacttumblingonherMrs.Gradgrindhopeditwasadryditch? ‘No!Aswetasasop.Afootofwaterinit,’saidMr.Bounderby. ‘Enoughtogiveababycold,’Mrs.Gradgrindconsidered. ‘Cold?Iwasbornwithinflammationofthelungs,andofeverythingelse,Ibelieve,thatwascapableofinflammation,’returnedMr.Bounderby.‘Foryears,ma’am,Iwasoneofthemostmiserablelittlewretcheseverseen.Iwassosickly,thatIwasalwaysmoaningandgroaning.Iwas