Chapter II. Mr Tulliver, of Dorlcote Mill, Declares His Resolution about Tom

imes.Andthen,whentheboxisgoin’back’ardandforrard,Icouldsendtheladacake,orapork-pie,oranappleforhecandowithanextrybit,blesshim!whethertheystinthimatthemealsorno.Mychildrencaneatasmuchvictualsasmost,thankGod!” “Well,well,wewon’tsendhimouto’reacho’thecarrier’scart,ifotherthingsfitin,”saidMrTulliver.“Butyoumustn’tputaspokei’thewheelaboutthewashin,’ifwecan’tgetaschoolnearenough.That’sthefaultIhavetofindwi’you,Bessyifyouseeasticki’theroad,you’reallaysthinkin’youcan’tstepoverit.You’dwantmenottohireagoodwagoner,’causehe’dgotamoleonhisface.” “Dearheart!”saidMrsTulliver,inmildsurprise,“whendidIivermakeobjectionstoamanbecausehe’dgotamoleonhisface?I’msureI’mretherfondo’themolesformybrother,asisdeadan’gone,hadamoleonhisbrow.ButIcan’trememberyouriverofferingtohireawagonerwithamole,MrTulliver.TherewasJohnGibbshadn’tamoleonhisfacenomorenoryouhave,an’Iwasallforhavingyouhirehiman’soyoudidhirehim,an’ifhehadn’tdiedo’th’inflammation,aswepaidDrTurnbullforattendinghim,he’dverylikeha’beendrivin’thewagonnow.Hemighthaveamolesomewhereouto’sight,buthowwasItoknowthat,MrTulliver?” “No,no,BessyIdidn’tmeanjustlythemoleImeantittostandforsummatelsebutnivermind—it’spuzzlingwork,talkingis.WhatI’mthinkingon,ishowtofindtherightsorto’schooltosendTomto,forImightbeta’eninagain,asI’vebeenwi’th’academy.I’llhavenothingtodowi’a’cademyagain:whativerschoolIsendTomto,itsha’n’tbea’cademyitshallbeaplacewheretheladsspendtheirtimei’summatelsebesidesblackingthefamily’sshoes,andgettingupthepotatoes.It’sanuncommonpuzzlingthingtoknowwhatschooltopick.” MrTulliverpausedaminuteortwo,anddivedwithbothhandsintohisbreechespocketsasifhehopedtofindsomesuggestionthere.Apparentlyhewasnotdisappointed,forhepresentlysaid,“IknowwhatI’lldo:I’lltalkitoverwi’Rileyhe’scomingto-morrow,t’arbitrateaboutthedam.” “Well,MrTulliver,I’veputthesheetsoutforthebestbed,andKezia’sgot’emhangingatthefire.Theyaren’tthebestsheets,butthey’regoodenoughforanybodytosleepin,behewhohewillforasforthembestHollandsheets,Ishouldrepentbuying’em,onlythey’lldotolayusoutin.An’ifyouwastodieto-morrow,MrTulliver,they’remangledbeautiful,an’allready,an’smello