AUTHOR'S PREFACE
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sajovial,ruddy,broad-facedmanthatwegotacquainteddirectlyandthatwetalkedonallkindsofsubjects,excepttheschool,whichheshowedagreatanxietytoavoid.“Wasthereanylargeschoolnear?”Iaskedhim,inreferencetotheletter.“Ohyes,”hesaid“therewasaprattybig‘un.”“Wasitagoodone?”Iasked.“Ey!”hesaid,“itwasasgoodasanootherthatwasa’amattherofopinion”andfelltolookingatthefire,staringroundtheroom,andwhistlingalittle.Onmyrevertingtosomeothertopicthatwehadbeendiscussing,herecoveredimmediatelybut,thoughItriedhimagainandagain,Ineverapproachedthequestionoftheschool,evenifhewereinthemiddleofalaugh,withoutobservingthathiscountenancefell,andthathebecameuncomfortable.Atlast,whenwehadpassedacoupleofhoursorso,veryagreeably,hesuddenlytookuphishat,andleaningoverthetableandlookingmefullintheface,said,inalowvoice:“Weel,Misther,we’vebeenvarapleasanttoogather,andar’llspak’mymoindtiv’ee.Dinnotlettheweedursendherlattleboytoyano’ourschool-measthers,whilethere’saharsetohooldina’Lunnun,oragootthertolieasleepin.Arwouldn’tmak’illwordsamangmyneeburs,andarspeaktiv’eequietloike.ButI’mdom’difarcangangtobedandnottellee,forweedur’ssak’,tokeepthelattleboyfroma’sikescoondrelswhilethere’saharsetohooldina’Lunnun,oragootthertolieasleepin!”Repeatingthesewordswithgreatheartiness,andwithasolemnityonhisjollyfacethatmadeitlooktwiceaslargeasbefore,heshookhandsandwentaway.Ineversawhimafterwards,butIsometimesimaginethatIdescryafaintreflectionofhiminJohnBrowdie.
Inreferencetothesegentry,Imayherequoteafewwordsfromtheoriginalprefacetothisbook.
“IthasaffordedtheAuthorgreatamusementandsatisfaction,duringtheprogressofthiswork,tolearn,fromcountryfriendsandfromavarietyofludicrousstatementsconcerninghimselfinprovincialnewspapers,thatmorethanoneYorkshireschoolmasterlaysclaimtobeingtheoriginalofMr.Squeers.Oneworthy,hehasreasontobelieve,hasactuallyconsultedauthoritieslearnedinth