CHAPTER V THE KEYNOTE

nninginthismanneranymore,boy,andyouwillhearofmethroughthemasteroftheschool.YouunderstandwhatImean.Goalong.’ Theboystoppedinhisrapidblinking,knuckledhisforeheadagain,glancedatSissy,turnedabout,andretreated. ‘Now,girl,’saidMr.Gradgrind,‘takethisgentlemanandmetoyourfather’swearegoingthere.Whathaveyougotinthatbottleyouarecarrying?’ ‘Gin,’saidMr.Bounderby. ‘Dear,no,sir!It’sthenineoils.’ ‘Thewhat?’criedMr.Bounderby. ‘Thenineoils,sir,torubfatherwith.’ ‘Then,’saidMr.Bounderby,withaloudshortlaugh,‘whatthedevildoyourubyourfatherwithnineoilsfor?’ ‘It’swhatourpeopleawaysuse,sir,whentheygetanyhurtsinthering,’repliedthegirl,lookingoverhershoulder,toassureherselfthatherpursuerwasgone.‘Theybruisethemselvesverybadsometimes.’ ‘Serve’emright,’saidMr.Bounderby,‘forbeingidle.’Sheglancedupathisface,withmingledastonishmentanddread. ‘ByGeorge!’saidMr.Bounderby,‘whenIwasfourorfiveyearsyoungerthanyou,Ihadworsebruisesuponmethantenoils,twentyoils,fortyoils,wouldhaverubbedoff.Ididn’tget’embyposture-making,butbybeingbangedabout.Therewasnorope-dancingformeIdancedonthebaregroundandwaslarrupedwiththerope.’ Mr.Gradgrind,thoughhardenough,wasbynomeanssoroughamanasMr.Bounderby.Hischaracterwasnotunkind,allthingsconsidereditmighthavebeenaverykindoneindeed,ifhehadonlymadesomeroundmistakeinthearithmeticthatbalancedit,yearsago.Hesaid,inwhathemeantforareassuringtone,astheyturneddownanarrowroad,‘AndthisisPod’sEndisit,Jupe?’ ‘Thisisit,sir,and—ifyouwouldn’tmind,sir—thisisthehouse.’ Shestopped,attwilight,atthedoorofameanlittlepublic-house,withdimredlightsinit.Ashaggardandasshabby,asif,forwantofcustom,ithaditselftakentodrinking,andhadgonethewayalldrunkardsgo,andwasveryneartheendofit. ‘It’sonlycrossingthebar,sir,andupthestairs,ifyouwouldn’tmind,andwaitingthereforamomenttillIgetacandle.Ifyoushouldhearadog,sir,it’sonlyMerrylegs,andheonlybarks.’ ‘Merrylegsandnineoils,eh!’saidMr.Bounderby,enteringlastwithhismetalliclaugh.‘Prettywellthis,foraself-mademan!’