CHAPTER IX SISSY’S PROGRESS

everythingthathadbeensaidanddonethere.WhenIhadnomorelefttotell,heputhisarmsroundmyneck,andkissedmeagreatmanytimes.Thenheaskedmetofetchsomeofthestuffheused,forthelittlehurthehadhad,andtogetitatthebestplace,whichwasattheotherendoftownfromthereandthen,afterkissingmeagain,heletmego.WhenIhadgonedown-stairs,IturnedbackthatImightbealittlebitmorecompanytohimyet,andlookedinatthedoor,andsaid,“Fatherdear,shallItakeMerrylegs?”Fathershookhisheadandsaid,“No,Sissy,notakenothingthat’sknowntobemine,mydarling”andIlefthimsittingbythefire.Thenthethoughtmusthavecomeuponhim,poor,poorfather!ofgoingawaytotrysomethingformysakeforwhenIcameback,hewasgone.’ ‘Isay!LooksharpforoldBounderby,Loo!’Tomremonstrated. ‘There’snomoretotell,MissLouisa.Ikeepthenineoilsreadyforhim,andIknowhewillcomeback.EveryletterthatIseeinMr.Gradgrind’shandtakesmybreathawayandblindsmyeyes,forIthinkitcomesfromfather,orfromMr.Slearyaboutfather.Mr.Slearypromisedtowriteassoonaseverfathershouldbeheardof,andItrusttohimtokeephisword.’ ‘DolooksharpforoldBounderby,Loo!’saidTom,withanimpatientwhistle.‘He’llbeoffifyoudon’tlooksharp!’ Afterthis,wheneverSissydroppedacurtseytoMr.Gradgrindinthepresenceofhisfamily,andsaidinafalteringway,‘Ibegyourpardon,sir,forbeingtroublesome—but—haveyouhadanyletteryetaboutme?’Louisawouldsuspendtheoccupationofthemoment,whateveritwas,andlookforthereplyasearnestlyasSissydid.AndwhenMr.Gradgrindregularlyanswered,‘No,Jupe,nothingofthesort,’thetremblingofSissy’slipwouldberepeatedinLouisa’sface,andhereyeswouldfollowSissywithcompassiontothedoor.Mr.Gradgrindusuallyimprovedtheseoccasionsbyremarking,whenshewasgone,thatifJupehadbeenproperlytrainedfromanearlyageshewouldhaveremonstratedtoherselfonsoundprinciplesthebaselessnessofthesefantastichopes.Yetitdidseem(thoughnottohim,forhesawnothingofit)asiffantastichopecouldtakeasstrongaholdasFact. Thisobservationmustbelimitedexclusivelytohisdaughter.AstoTom,hewasbecomingthatnotunprecedentedtriumphofcalculationwhichisusuallyatworkonnumberone.AstoMrs.Gradgrind,ifshesaidanythingonthesubject,shewouldcomealittlewayoutofherwrappers,likeafemininedormouse,andsay: ‘Goodgraciousblessme,howmypoorheadisvexedandworriedbythatgirlJupe’ssoperseveringlyasking,overandoveragain,abouthertiresomeletters!UponmywordandhonourIseemtobefated,anddestined,andordained,toliveinthemidstofthingsthatIamnevertohearthelastof.ItreallyisamostextraordinarycircumstancethatitappearsasifIneverwastohearthelastofanything!’ Ataboutthispoint,Mr.Gradgrind’seyewouldfalluponherandundertheinfluenceofthatwintrypieceoffact,shewouldbecometorpidagain.