CHAPTER VI SLEARY’S HORSEMANSHIP

ers,raisinghisvoice,‘stowthat!—Sir,’toMr.Gradgrind,‘Iwasaddressingmyselftoyou.Youmayoryoumaynotbeaware(forperhapsyouhavenotbeenmuchintheaudience),thatJupehasmissedhistipveryoften,lately.’ ‘Has—whathashemissed?’askedMr.Gradgrind,glancingatthepotentBounderbyforassistance. ‘Missedhistip.’ ‘OfferedattheGartersfourtimeslastnight,andneverdone’emonce,’saidMasterKidderminster.‘Missedhistipatthebanners,too,andwaslooseinhisponging.’ ‘Didn’tdowhatheoughttodo.Wasshortinhisleapsandbadinhistumbling,’Mr.Childersinterpreted. ‘Oh!’saidMr.Gradgrind,‘thatistip,isit?’ ‘Inageneralwaythat’smissinghistip,’Mr.E.W.B.Childersanswered. ‘Nineoils,Merrylegs,missingtips,garters,banners,andPonging,eh!’ejaculatedBounderby,withhislaughoflaughs.‘Queersortofcompany,too,foramanwhohasraisedhimself!’ ‘Loweryourself,then,’retortedCupid.‘OhLord!ifyou’veraisedyourselfsohighasallthatcomesto,letyourselfdownabit.’ ‘Thisisaveryobtrusivelad!’saidMr.Gradgrind,turning,andknittinghisbrowsonhim. ‘We’dhavehadayounggentlemantomeetyou,ifwehadknownyouwerecoming,’retortedMasterKidderminster,nothingabashed.‘It’sapityyoudon’thaveabespeak,beingsoparticular.You’reontheTight-Jeff,ain’tyou?’ ‘Whatdoesthisunmannerlyboymean,’askedMr.Gradgrind,eyeinghiminasortofdesperation,‘byTight-Jeff?’ ‘There!Getout,getout!’saidMr.Childers,thrustinghisyoungfriendfromtheroom,ratherintheprairiemanner.‘Tight-JefforSlack-Jeff,itdon’tmuchsignify:it’sonlytight-ropeandslack-rope.YouweregoingtogivemeamessageforJupe?’ ‘Yes,Iwas.’ ‘Then,’continuedMr.Childers,quickly,‘myopinionis,hewillneverreceiveit.Doyouknowmuchofhim?’ ‘Ineversawthemaninmylife.’ ‘Idoubtifyoueverwillseehimnow.It’sprettyplaintome,he’soff.’ ‘Doyoumeanthathehasdesertedhisdaughter?’ ‘Ay!Imean,’saidMr.Childers,withanod,‘thathehascut.Hewasgoosedlastnight,hewasgoosedthenightbeforelast,hewasgoosedto-day.Hehaslatelygotinthewayofbeingalwaysgoosed,andhecan’tstandit.’ ‘Whyhashebeen—soverymuch—Goosed?’askedMr.Gradgrind,forcingthewordoutofhimself,withgreatsolemnityandreluctance. ‘Hisjointsareturningstiff,andheisgettingusedup,’saidChilders.‘HehashispointsasaCacklerstill,buthecan’tgetalivingoutofthem.’ ‘ACackler!’Bounderbyrepeated.‘Herewegoagain!’ ‘Aspeaker,ifthegentlemanlikesitbetter,’saidMr.E.W.B.Childers,superciliouslythrowingtheinterpretationoverhisshoulder,andaccompanyingitwithashakeofhislonghair—whichallshookatonce.‘Now,it’saremarkablefact,sir,thatitcutthatmandeeper,toknowthathisdaughterknewofhisbeinggoosed,thantogothroughwithit.’ ‘Good!’interruptedMr.Bounderby.‘Thisisgood,Gradgrind!Amansofondofhisdaughter,thatherunsawayfromher!Thisisdevilishgood!Ha!ha!Now,I’lltellyouwhat,youngman.Ihaven’talwaysoccupiedmypresentstationoflife.Iknowwhatthesethingsare.Youmaybeastonishedtohearit,butmymother—ranawayfromme.’ E.W.B.Childersrepliedpointedly,thathewasnotatallastonishedtohearit. ‘Verywell,’saidBounderby.‘Iwasborninaditch,andmymotherranawayfromme.DoIexcuseherforit?No.HaveIeverexcusedherforit?NotI.WhatdoIcallherforit?Icallherprobablytheveryworstwomanthateverlivedintheworld,exceptmydrunkengrandmother.There’snofamilyprideaboutme,there’snoimaginativesentimentalhumbugaboutme.IcallaspadeaspadeandIcallthemotherofJosiahBounderbyofCoketown,withoutanyfearoranyfavour,whatIshouldcallherifshehadbeenthemotherofDickJonesofWapping.So,withthisman.Heisarunawayrogueandavagabond,that’swhatheis,inEnglish.’ ‘It’sallthesametomewhatheisorwhatheisnot,whetherinEnglishorwhetherinFrench,’retortedMr.E.W.B.Childers,facingabout.‘Iamtellingyourfriendwhat’sthefactifyoudon’tliketohearit,youcanavailyourselfoftheopenair.Yougiveitmouthenough,youdobutgiveitmouthinyourownbuildingatleast,’remonstratedE.W.B.withsternirony.‘Don’tgiveitmouthinthisbuilding,tillyou’recalledupon.YouhavegotsomebuildingofyourownIdaresay,now?’ ‘Perhapsso,’repliedMr.Bounderby,rattlinghismoneyandlaughing. ‘Thengiveitmouthinyourownbuilding,willyou,ifyouplease?’saidChilders.‘Becausethisisn’tastrongbuilding,andtoomuchofyoumightbringitdown!’ EyeingMr.Bounderbyfromheadtofootagain,heturnedfromhim,asfromamanfinallydisposedof,toMr.Gradgrind. ‘Jupesenthisdaughteroutonanerrandnotanhourago,andthenwasseentoslipouthimself,withhishatoverhiseyes,andabundletiedupinahandkerchiefunderhisarm.Shewillneverbelieveitofhim,buthehascutawayandlefther.’ ‘Pray,’saidMr.Gradgrind,‘whywillsheneverbelieveitofhim?’ ‘Becausethosetwowereone.Becausetheywereneverasunder.Because,uptothistime,heseemedtodoteuponher,’saidChilders,takingasteportwotolookintotheemptytrunk.BothMr.ChildersandMasterKidderminster