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

’takinderlittlesoulintheworldIknowherfamilywell.Shehasverymuchyourcomplexion,—lightcurlyhair.ShecomesofagoodMudportfamily,andit’snoteveryofferthatwouldhavebeenacceptableinthatquarter.ButStelling’snotaneverydaymanratheraparticularfellowastothepeoplehechoosestobeconnectedwith.ButIthinkhewouldhavenoobjectiontotakeyoursonIthinkhewouldnot,onmyrepresentation.” “Idon’tknowwhathecouldhaveagainstthelad,”saidMrsTulliver,withaslighttouchofmotherlyindignation“anicefresh-skinnedladasanybodyneedwishtosee.” “Butthere’sonethingI’mthinkingon,”saidMrTulliver,turninghisheadononesideandlookingatMrRiley,afteralongperusalofthecarpet.“Wouldn’taparsonbealmosttoohigh-learnttobringupaladtobeamano’business?Mynotiono’theparsonswasasthey’dgotasorto’learningaslaymostlyouto’sight.Andthatisn’twhatIwantforTom.Iwanthimtoknowfigures,andwritelikeprint,andseeintothingsquick,andknowwhatfolksmean,andhowtowrapthingsupinwordsasaren’tactionable.It’sanuncommonfinething,thatis,”concludedMrTulliver,shakinghishead,“whenyoucanletamanknowwhatyouthinkofhimwithoutpayingforit.” “Oh,mydearTulliver,”saidMrRiley,“you’requiteunderamistakeabouttheclergyallthebestschoolmastersareoftheclergy.Theschoolmasterswhoarenotclergymenareaverylowsetofmengenerally.” “Ay,thatJacobsis,atthe’cademy,”interposedMrTulliver. “Tobesure,—menwhohavefailedinothertrades,mostlikely.Now,aclergymanisagentlemanbyprofessionandeducationandbesidesthat,hehastheknowledgethatwillgroundaboy,andpreparehimforenteringonanycareerwithcredit.Theremaybesomeclergymenwhoaremerebookmenbutyoumaydependuponit,Stellingisnotoneofthem,—amanthat’swideawake,letmetellyou.Drophimahint,andthat’senough.Youtalkoffigures,nowyouhaveonlytosaytoStelling,‘Iwantmysontobeathorougharithmetician,’andyoumayleavetheresttohim.” MrRileypausedamoment,whileMrTulliver,somewhatreassuredastoclericaltutorship,wasinwardlyrehearsingtoanimaginaryMrStellingthestatement,“Iwantmysontoknow’rethmetic.” “Yousee,mydearTulliver,”MrRileycontinued,“whenyougetathoroughlyeducatedman,likeStelling,he’satnolosstotakeupanybranchofinstruction.Whenaworkmanknowstheuseofhistools,hecanmakeadooraswellasawindow.” “Ay,that’strue,”saidMrTulliver,almostconvincednowthattheclergymustbethebestofschoolmasters. “Well,I’lltellyouwhatI’lldoforyou,”saidMrRiley,“andIwouldn’tdoitforeverybody.I’llseeStelling’sfather-in-law,ordrophimalinewhenIgetbacktoMudport,tosaythatyouwishtoplaceyourboywithhisson-in-law,andIdaresayStellingwillwritetoyou,andsendyouhisterms.” “Butthere’snohurry,isthere?”saidMrsTulliver“forIhope,MrTulliver,youwon’tletTombeginathisnewschoolbeforeMidsummer.Hebeganatthe’cademyattheLady-dayquarter,andyouseewhatgood’scomeofit.” “Ay,ay,Bessy,neverbrewwi’badmaltupo’Michaelmasday,elseyou’llhaveapoortap,”saidMrTulliver,winkingandsmilingatMrRiley,withthenaturalprideofamanwhohasabuxomwifeconspicuouslyhisinferiorinintellect.“Butit’struethere’snohurryyou’vehititthere,Bessy.” “Itmightbeaswellnottodeferthearrangementtoolong,”saidMrRiley,quietly,“forStellingmayhavepropositionsfromotherparties,andIknowhewouldnottakemorethantwoorthreeboarders,ifsomany.IfIwereyou,IthinkIwouldenteronthesubjectwithStellingatonce:there’snonecessityforsendingtheboybeforeMidsummer,butIwouldbeonthesafeside,andmakesurethatnobodyforestallsyou.” “Ay,there’ssummatinthat,”saidMrTulliver. “Father,”brokeinMaggie,whohadstolenunperceivedtoherfather’selbowagain,listeningwithpartedlips,whilesheheldherdolltopsy-turvy,andcrusheditsnoseagainstthewoodofthechair,—“father,isitalongwayoffwhereTomistogo?Sha’n’tweevergotoseehim?” “Idon’tknow,mywench,”saidthefather,tenderly.“AskMrRileyheknows.” MaggiecameroundpromptlyinfrontofMrRiley,andsaid,“Howfarisit,please,sir?” “Oh,along,longwayoff,”thatgentlemananswered,beingofopinionthatchildren,whentheyarenotnaughty,shouldalwaysbespokentojocosely.“Youmustborrowtheseven-leaguedbootstogettohim.” “That’snonsense!”saidMaggie,tossingherheadhaughtily,andturningaway,withthetearsspringinginhereyes.ShebegantodislikeMrRileyitwasevidenthethoughthersillyandofnoconsequence. “Hush,Maggie!forshameofyou,askingquestionsandchattering,”saidhermother.“Comeandsitdownonyourlittlestool,andholdyourtongue,do.But,”addedMrsTulliver,whohadherownalarmawakened,“isitsofaroffasIcouldn’twashhimandmendhim?” “Aboutfifteenmilesthat’sall,”saidMrRiley.“Youcandrivethereandbackinadayquitecomfortably.Or—Stellingisahospitable,pleasantman—he’dbegladtohaveyoustay.” “Butit’stoofaroffforthelinen,Idoubt,”saidMrsTulliver,sadly. Theentranceofsupperopportunelyadjournedthisdifficulty,andrelievedMrRileyfromthelabourofsuggestingsomesolutionorcompromise,—alabourwhichhewouldotherwisedoubtlesshaveundertakenfor,asyouperceive,hewasamanofveryobligingmanners.AndhehadreallygivenhimselfthetroubleofrecommendingMrStellingtohisfriendTulliverwithoutanypositiveexpectationofasolid,definiteadvantageresulti