CHAPTER VI SLEARY’S HORSEMANSHIP

omwhatIunderstand)appears,onyourbehalf,tohaveknownandfeltthatmuch.’ Thelastwordshadavisibleeffectuponher.Shestoppedinherwildcrying,alittledetachedherselffromEmmaGordon,andturnedherfacefulluponherpatron.Thewholecompanyperceivedtheforceofthechange,anddrewalongbreathtogether,thatplainlysaid,‘shewillgo!’ ‘Besureyouknowyourownmind,Jupe,’Mr.Gradgrindcautionedher‘Isaynomore.Besureyouknowyourownmind!’ ‘Whenfathercomesback,’criedthegirl,burstingintotearsagainafteraminute’ssilence,‘howwillheeverfindmeifIgoaway!’ ‘Youmaybequiteatease,’saidMr.Gradgrind,calmlyheworkedoutthewholematterlikeasum:‘youmaybequiteatease,Jupe,onthatscore.Insuchacase,yourfather,Iapprehend,mustfindoutMr.—’ ‘Thleary.Thathmyname,Thquire.Notathamedofit.KnownalloverEngland,andalwaythpaytheithway.’ ‘MustfindoutMr.Sleary,whowouldthenlethimknowwhereyouwent.Ishouldhavenopowerofkeepingyouagainsthiswish,andhewouldhavenodifficulty,atanytime,infindingMr.ThomasGradgrindofCoketown.Iamwellknown.’ ‘Wellknown,’assentedMr.Sleary,rollinghislooseeye.‘You’reoneofthethort,Thquire,thatkeepthaprethiouththightofmoneyoutofthehouthe.Butnevermindthatatprethent.’ Therewasanothersilenceandthensheexclaimed,sobbingwithherhandsbeforeherface,‘Oh,givememyclothes,givememyclothes,andletmegoawaybeforeIbreakmyheart!’ Thewomensadlybestirredthemselvestogettheclothestogether—itwassoondone,fortheywerenotmany—andtopacktheminabasketwhichhadoftentravelledwiththem.Sissysatallthetimeupontheground,stillsobbing,andcoveringhereyes.Mr.GradgrindandhisfriendBounderbystoodnearthedoor,readytotakeheraway.Mr.Slearystoodinthemiddleoftheroom,withthemalemembersofthecompanyabouthim,exactlyashewouldhavestoodinthecentreoftheringduringhisdaughterJosephine’sperformance.Hewantednothingbuthiswhip. Thebasketpackedinsilence,theybroughtherbonnettoher,andsmoothedherdisorderedhair,andputiton.Thentheypressedabouther,andbentoverherinverynaturalattitudes,kissingandembracingher:andbroughtthechildrentotakeleaveofherandwereatender-hearted,simple,foolishsetofwomenaltogether. ‘Now,Jupe,’saidMr.Gradgrind.‘Ifyouarequitedetermined,come!’ Butshehadtotakeherfarewellofthemalepartofthecompanyyet,andeveryoneofthemhadtounfoldhisarms(fortheyallassumedtheprofessionalattitudewhentheyfoundthemselvesnearSleary),andgiveherapartingkiss—MasterKidderminsterexcepted,inwhoseyoungnaturetherewasanoriginalflavourofthemisanthrope,whowasalsoknowntohaveharbouredmatrimonialviews,andwhomoodilywithdrew.Mr.Slearywasreserveduntilthelast.Openinghisarmswidehetookherbybothherhands,andwouldhavesprungherupanddown,aftertheriding-mastermannerofcongratulatingyoungladiesontheirdismountingfromarapidactbuttherewasnoreboundinSissy,andsheonlystoodbeforehimcrying. ‘Good-bye,mydear!’saidSleary.‘You’llmakeyourfortun,Ihope,andnoneofourpoorfolkthwillevertroubleyou,I’llpoundit.Iwithyourfatherhadn’ttakenhithdogwithhimithaill-conwenienthtohavethedogoutofthebillth.Butonthecondthoughth,hewouldn’thaveperformedwithouthithmathter,thoithathbroadathithlong!’ Withthatheregardedherattentivelywithhisfixedeye,surveyedhiscompanywithhislooseone,kissedher,shookhishead,andhandedhertoMr.Gradgrindastoahorse. ‘Theretheith,Thquire,’hesaid,sweepingherwithaprofessionalglanceasifshewerebeingadjustedinherseat,‘andthe’lldoyoujuthtithe.Good-bye,Thethilia!’ ‘Good-bye,Cecilia!’‘Good-bye,Sissy!’‘Godblessyou,dear!’Inavarietyofvoicesfromalltheroom. Buttheriding-mastereyehadobservedthebottleofthenineoilsinherbosom,andhenowinterposedwith‘Leavethebottle,mydearithlargetocarryitwillbeofnouthetoyounow.Giveittome!’ ‘No,no!’shesaid,inanotherburstoftears.‘Oh,no!Prayletmekeepitforfathertillhecomesback!Hewillwantitwhenhecomesback.Hehadneverthoughtofgoingaway,whenhesentmeforit.Imustkeepitforhim,ifyouplease!’ ‘Thobeit,mydear.(Youtheehowitith,Thquire!)Farewell,Thethilia!Mylathtwordthtoyouiththith,Thticktothetermthofyourengagement,beobedienttotheThquire,andforgetuth.Butif,whenyou’regrownupandmarriedandwelloff,youcomeuponanyhorthe-ridingever,don’tbeharduponit,don’tbecrothwithit,giveitaBethpeakifyoucan,andthinkyoumightdowurth.Peoplemuthtbeamuthed,Thquire,thomehow,’continuedSleary,renderedmorepursythanever,bysomuchtalking‘theycan’tbealwaythaworking,noryettheycan’tbealwaythalearning.Makethebethtofuthnotthewurtht.I’vegotmylivingoutofthehorthe-ridingallmylife,IknowbutIconthiderthatIlaydownthephilothophyofthethubjectwhenIthaytoyou,Thquire,makethebethtofuth:notthewurtht!’ TheSlearyphilosophywaspropoundedastheywentdownstairsandthefixedeyeofPhilosophy—anditsrollingeye,too—soonlostthethreefiguresandthebasketinthedarknessofthestreet.