Chapter III. Mr Riley Gives His Advice Concerning a School for Tom

Thegentlemanintheamplewhitecravatandshirt-frill,takinghisbrandy-and-watersopleasantlywithhisgoodfriendTulliver,isMrRiley,agentlemanwithawaxencomplexionandfathands,ratherhighlyeducatedforanauctioneerandappraiser,butlarge-heartedenoughtoshowagreatdealofbonhomietowardsimplecountryacquaintancesofhospitablehabits.MrRileyspokeofsuchacquaintanceskindlyas“peopleoftheoldschool.” Theconversationhadcometoapause.MrTulliver,notwithoutaparticularreason,hadabstainedfromaseventhrecitalofthecoolretortbywhichRileyhadshownhimselftoomanyforDix,andhowWakemhadhadhiscombcutforonceinhislife,nowthebusinessofthedamhadbeensettledbyarbitration,andhowthereneverwouldhavebeenanydisputeatallabouttheheightofwaterifeverybodywaswhattheyshouldbe,andOldHarryhadn’tmadethelawyers.MrTulliverwas,onthewhole,amanofsafetraditionalopinionsbutononeortwopointshehadtrustedtohisunassistedintellect,andhadarrivedatseveralquestionableconclusionsamongsttherest,thatrats,weevils,andlawyerswerecreatedbyOldHarry.UnhappilyhehadnoonetotellhimthatthiswasrampantManich?ism,elsehemighthaveseenhiserror.Butto-dayitwasclearthatthegoodprinciplewastriumphant:thisaffairofthewater-powerhadbeenatangledbusinesssomehow,forallitseemed—lookatitoneway—asplainaswater’swaterbut,bigapuzzleasitwas,ithadn’tgotthebetterofRiley.MrTullivertookhisbrandy-and-wateralittlestrongerthanusual,and,foramanwhomightbesupposedtohaveafewhundredslyingidleathisbanker’s,wasratherincautiouslyopeninexpressinghishighestimateofhisfriend’sbusinesstalents. Butthedamwasasubjectofconversationthatwouldkeepitcouldalwaysbetakenupagainatthesamepoint,andexactlyinthesameconditionandtherewasanothersubject,asyouknow,onwhichMrTulliverwasinpressingwantofMrRiley’sadvice.Thiswashisparticularreasonforremainingsilentforashortspaceafterhislastdraught,andrubbinghiskneesinameditativemanner.Hewasnotamantomakeanabrupttransition.Thiswasapuzzlingworld,asheoftensaid,andifyoudriveyourwagoninahurry,youmaylightonanawkwardcorner.MrRiley,meanwhile,wasnotimpatient.Whyshouldhebe?EvenHotspur,onewouldthink,musthavebeenpatientinhisslippersonawarmhearth,takingcopioussnuff,andsippinggratuitousbrandy-and-water. “There’sathingI’vegoti’myhead,”saidMrTulliveratlast,inratheralowertonethanusual,asheturnedhisheadandlookedsteadfastlyathiscompanion. “Ah!”saidMrRiley,inatoneofmildinterest.Hewasamanwithheavywaxeneyelidsandhigh-archedeyebrows,lookingexactlythesameunderallcircumstances.Thisimmovabilityofface,andthehabitoftakingapinchofsnuffbeforehegaveananswer,madehimtreblyoraculartoMrTulliver. “It’saveryparticularthing,”hewenton“it’saboutmyboyTom.” Atthesoundofthisname,Maggie,whowasseatedonalowstoolclosebythefire,withalargebookopenonherlap,shookherheavyhairbackandlookedupeagerly.TherewerefewsoundsthatrousedMaggiewhenshewasdreamingoverherbook,butTom’snameservedaswellastheshrillestwhistleinaninstantshewasonthewatch,withgleamingeyes,likeaSkyeterriersuspectingmischief,oratalleventsdeterminedtoflyatanyonewhothreatenedittowardTom. “Yousee,IwanttoputhimtoanewschoolatMidsummer,”saidMrTulliver“he’scomin’awayfromthe’cademyatLady-day,an’IshalllethimrunlooseforaquarterbutafterthatIwanttosendhimtoadownrightgoodschool,wherethey’llmakeascholardofhim.” “Well,”saidMrRiley,“there’snogreateradvantageyoucangivehimthanagoodeducation.Not,”headded,withpolitesignificance,—“notthatamancan’tbeanexcellentmillerandfarmer,andashrewd,sensiblefellowintothebargain,withoutmuchhelpfromtheschoolmaster.” “Ibelieveyou,”saidMrTulliver,winking,andturninghisheadononeside“butthat’swhereitis.Idon’tmeanTomtobeamillerandfarmer.Iseenofuni’that.Why,ifImadehimamilleran’farmer,he’dbeexpectin’totaketothemillan’theland,an’a-hintingatmeasitwastimeformetolaybyan’thinko’mylatterend.Nay,nay,I’veseenenougho’thatwi’sons.I’llneverpullmycoatoffbeforeIgotobed.IshallgiveTomaneddicationan’puthimtoabusiness,ashemaymakeanestforhimself,an’notwanttopushmeouto’mine.PrettywellifhegetsitwhenI’mdeadan’gone.Isha’n’tbeputoffwi’spoon-meataforeI’velostmyteeth.” ThiswasevidentlyapointonwhichMrTulliverfeltstronglyandtheimpetuswhichhadgivenunusualrapidityandemphasistohisspeechshoweditselfstillunexhaustedforsomeminutesafterwardinadefiantmotionoftheheadfromsidetoside,andanoccasional“Nay,nay,”likeasubsidinggrowl. TheseangrysymptomswerekeenlyobservedbyMaggie,andcuthertothequick.Tom,itappeared,wassupposedcapableofturninghisfatheroutofdoors,andofmakingthefutureinsomewaytragicbyhiswickedness.ThiswasnottobeborneandMaggiejumpedupfromherstool,forgettingallaboutherheavybook,whichfellwithabangwithinthefender,andgoingupbetweenherfather’sknees,said,inahalf-crying,half-indignantvoice,— “Father,Tomwouldn’tbenaughtytoyoueverIknowhewouldn’t.” MrsTulliverwasoutoftheroomsuperintendingachoicesupper-dish,andMrTulliver’sheartwastouchedsoMaggiewasnotscoldedaboutthebook.MrRileyquietlypickeditupandlookedatit,whilethefatherlaughed,withacertaintende