CHAPTER VI SLEARY’S HORSEMANSHIP

Thenameofthepublic-housewasthePegasus’sArms.ThePegasus’slegsmighthavebeenmoretothepurposebut,underneaththewingedhorseuponthesign-board,thePegasus’sArmswasinscribedinRomanletters.Beneaththatinscriptionagain,inaflowingscroll,thepainterhadtouchedoffthelines: Goodmaltmakesgoodbeer, Walkin,andthey’lldrawithere Goodwinemakesgoodbrandy, Giveusacall,andyou’llfindithandy. Framedandglazeduponthewallbehindthedingylittlebar,wasanotherPegasus—atheatricalone—withrealgauzeletinforhiswings,goldenstarsstuckonalloverhim,andhisetherealharnessmadeofredsilk. Asithadgrowntooduskywithout,toseethesign,andasithadnotgrownlightenoughwithintoseethepicture,Mr.GradgrindandMr.Bounderbyreceivednooffencefromtheseidealities.Theyfollowedthegirlupsomesteepcorner-stairswithoutmeetinganyone,andstoppedinthedarkwhileshewentonforacandle.TheyexpectedeverymomenttohearMerrylegsgivetongue,butthehighlytrainedperformingdoghadnotbarkedwhenthegirlandthecandleappearedtogether. ‘Fatherisnotinourroom,sir,’shesaid,withafaceofgreatsurprise.‘Ifyouwouldn’tmindwalkingin,I’llfindhimdirectly.’TheywalkedinandSissy,havingsettwochairsforthem,spedawaywithaquicklightstep.Itwasamean,shabbilyfurnishedroom,withabedinit.Thewhitenight-cap,embellishedwithtwopeacock’sfeathersandapigtailboltupright,inwhichSignorJupehadthatveryafternoonenlivenedthevariedperformanceswithhischasteShakspereanquipsandretorts,hunguponanailbutnootherportionofhiswardrobe,orothertokenofhimselforhispursuits,wastobeseenanywhere.AstoMerrylegs,thatrespectableancestorofthehighlytrainedanimalwhowentaboardtheark,mighthavebeenaccidentallyshutoutofit,foranysignofadogthatwasmanifesttoeyeorearinthePegasus’sArms. Theyheardthedoorsofroomsabove,openingandshuttingasSissywentfromonetoanotherinquestofherfatherandpresentlytheyheardvoicesexpressingsurprise.Shecameboundingdownagaininagreathurry,openedabatteredandmangyoldhairtrunk,founditempty,andlookedroundwithherhandsclaspedandherfacefullofterror. ‘FathermusthavegonedowntotheBooth,sir.Idon’tknowwhyheshouldgothere,buthemustbethereI’llbringhiminaminute!’Shewasgonedirectly,withoutherbonnetwithherlong,dark,childishhairstreamingbehindher. ‘Whatdoesshemean!’saidMr.Gradgrind.‘Backinaminute?It’smorethanamileoff.’ BeforeMr.Bounderbycouldreply,ayoungmanappearedatthedoor,andintroducinghimselfwiththewords,‘Byyourleaves,gentlemen!’walkedinwithhishandsinhispockets.Hisface,close-shaven,thin,andsallow,wasshadedbyagreatquantityofdarkhair,brushedintoarollallroundhishead,andpartedupthecentre.Hislegswereveryrobust,butshorterthanlegsofgoodproportionsshouldhavebeen.Hischestandbackwereasmuchtoobroad,ashislegsweretooshort.HewasdressedinaNewmarketcoatandtight-fittingtrousersworeashawlroundhisnecksmeltoflamp-oil,straw,orange-peel,horses’provender,andsawdustandlookedamostremarkablesortofCentaur,compoundedofthestableandtheplay-house.Wheretheonebegan,andtheotherended,nobodycouldhavetoldwithanyprecision.ThisgentlemanwasmentionedinthebillsofthedayasMr.E.W.B.Childers,sojustlycelebratedforhisdaringvaultingactastheWildHuntsmanoftheNorthAmericanPrairiesinwhichpopularperformance,adiminutiveboywithanoldface,whonowaccompaniedhim,assistedashisinfantson:beingcarriedupsidedownoverhisfather’sshoulder,byonefoot,andheldbythecrownofhishead,heelsupwards,inthepalmofhisfather’shand,accordingtotheviolentpaternalmannerinwhichwildhuntsmenmaybeobservedtofondletheiroffspring.Madeupwithcurls,wreaths,wings,whitebismuth,andcarmine,thishopefulyoungpersonsoaredintosopleasingaCupidastoconstitutethechiefdelightofthematernalpartofthespectatorsbutinprivate,wherehischaracteristicswereaprecociouscutawaycoatandanextremelygruffvoice,hebecameoftheTurf,turfy. ‘Byyourleaves,gentlemen,’saidMr.E.W.B.Childers,glancingroundtheroom.‘Itwasyou,Ibelieve,thatwerewishingtoseeJupe!’ ‘Itwas,’saidMr.Gradgrind.‘Hisdaughterhasgonetofetchhim,butIcan’twaittherefore,ifyouplease,Iwillleaveamessageforhimwithyou.’ ‘Yousee,myfriend,’Mr.Bounderbyputin,‘wearethekindofpeoplewhoknowthevalueoftime,andyouarethekindofpeoplewhodon’tknowthevalueoftime.’ ‘Ihavenot,’retortedMr.Childers,aftersurveyinghimfromheadtofoot,‘thehonourofknowingyou,—butifyoumeanthatyoucanmakemoremoneyofyourtimethanIcanofmine,Ishouldjudgefromyourappearance,thatyouareaboutright.’ ‘Andwhenyouhavemadeit,youcankeepittoo,Ishouldthink,’saidCupid. ‘Kidderminster,stowthat!’saidMr.Childers.(MasterKidderminsterwasCupid’smortalname.) ‘Whatdoeshecomeherecheekingusfor,then?’criedMasterKidderminster,showingaveryirascibletemperament.‘Ifyouwanttocheekus,payyourochreatthedoorsandtakeitout.’ ‘Kidderminster,’saidMr.Child