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you what education is—To be tumbled out of doors； neck and
crop； and put upon the shortest allowance of everything except
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Hard Times 305
blows。 That’s what I call education。”
“I think your good sense will perceive；” Mr Gradgrind
remonstrated in all humility； “that whatever the merits of such a
system may be； it would be difficult of general application to girls。
“I don’t see it at all； sir；” returned the obstinate Bounderby。
“Well；” sighed Mr Gradgrind； “we will not enter into the question。
I assure you I have no desire to be controversial。 I seek to repair
what is amiss； if I possibly can； and I hope you will assist me in a
good spirit； Bounderby； for I have been very much distressed。”
“I don’t understand you； yet；” said Bounderby； with determined
obstinacy； “and therefore I won’t make any promises。”
“In the course of a few hours； my dear Bounderby；” Mr
Gradgrind proceeded； in the same depressed and propitiatory
manner； “I appear to myself to have become better informed as to
Louisa’s character； than in previous years。 The enlightenment has
been forced upon me； and the discovery is not mine。 I think there
are—Bounderby； you will be surprised to hear me say this—I
think there are qualities in Louisa； which—which have been
harshly neglected； and—and a little perverted。 And—and I would
suggest to you； that—that if you would kindly meet me in a timely
endeavour to leave her to her better nature for a while—and to
encourage it to develop itself by tenderness and consideration—
it—it would be the better for the happiness of all of us。 Louisa；”
said Mr Gradgrind； shading his face with his hand； “has always
been my favourite child。”
The blustrous Bounderby crimsoned and swelled to such an
extent on hearing these words； that he seemed to be； and probably
was； on the brink of a fit。 With his very ears a bright purple shot
with crimson； he pent up his indignation； however； and said：
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“You’d like to keep her here for a time？”
“I—I had intended to recommend； my dear Bounderby； that
you should allow Louisa to remain here on a visit； and be attended
by Sissy （I mean of course Cecilia Jupe）； who understands her；
and in whom she trusts。”
“I gather from all this； Tom Gradgrind；” said Bounderby；
standing up with his hands in his pockets； “that you are of opinion
that there’s what people call some incompatibility between Loo
Bounderby and myself。”
“I fear there is at present a general incompatibility between
Louisa； and—and—almost all the relations in which I have placed
her；” was her father’s sorrowful reply。
“Now； look you here； Tom Gradgrind；” said Bounderby the
flushed； confronting him with his legs wide apart； his hands
deeper in his pockets； and his hair like a hayfield wherein his
windy anger was boisterous。 “You have said your say； I am going
to say mine。 I am a Coketown man。 I am Josiah Bounderby of
Coketown。 I know the bricks of this town； and I know the works of
this town； and I know the chimneys of this town； and I know the
smoke of this town； and I know the Hands of this town。 I know ’em
all pretty well。 They’re real。 When a man tells me anything about
imaginative qualities； I always tell that man； whoever he is； that I
know what he means。 He means turtle…soup and venison； with a
gold spoon； and that he wants to be set up with a coach and six。
That’s what your daughter wants。 Since you are of opinion that
she ought to have what she wants； I recommend you to provide it
for her。 Because； Tom Gradgrind； she will never have it from me。”
“Bounderby；” said Mr Gradgrind； “I hoped； after my entreaty；
you would have taken a different tone。”
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“Just wait a bit；” retorted Bounderby； “you have said your say；
I believe。 I heard you out； hear me out； if you please。 Don’t make
yourself a spectacle of unfairness as well as inconsistency；
because； although I am sorry to see Tom Gradgrind reduced to his
present position； I should be doubly sorry to see him brought so
low as that。 Now； there’s an incompatibility of some sort or
another； I am given to understand by you； between your daughter
and me。 I’ll give you to understand； in reply to that； that there
unquestionably is an incompatibility of the first magnitude—to be
summed up in this—that your daughter don’t properly know her
husband’s merits； and is not impressed with such a sense as would
become her； by George！ of the honour of his alliance。 That’s plain
speaking； I hope。”
“Bounderby；” urged Mr Gradgrind； “this is unreasonable。”
“Is it？” said Bounderby。 “I am glad to hear you say so。 Because
when Tom Gradgrind with his new lights； tells me that what I say
is unreasonable； I am convinced at once it must be devilish
sensible。 With your permission I am going on。 You know my
origin； and you know that for a good many years of my life I didn’t
want a shoeing…horn； in consequence of not having a shoe。 Yet you
may believe or not； as you think proper； that there are ladies—
born ladies—belonging to families—Families！—who next to
worship the ground I walk on。”
He discharged this； like a Rocket； at his father…in…law’s head。
“Whereas your daughter；” proceeded Bounderby； “is far from
being a born lady。 That you know； yourself。 Not that I care a pinch
of candle…snuff about such things； for you are very well aware I
don’t； but that such is the fact； and you； Tom Gradgrind； can’t
change it。 Why do I say this？”
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“Not； I fear；” observed Mr Gradgrind； in a low voice； “to spare
me。”
“Hear me out；” said Bounderby； “and refrain from cutting in till
your turn comes round。 I say this； because highly connected
females have been astonished to see the way in which your
daughter has conducted herself； and to witness her insensibility。
They have wondered how I have suffered it。 And I wonder myself
now； and I won’t suffer it。”
“Bounderby；” returned Mr Gradgrind； rising； “the less we say
tonight the better； I think。”
“On the contrary； Tom Gradgrind； the more we say tonight； the
better； I think。 That is；” the consideration checked him； “till I have
said all I mean to say； and then I don’t care how soon we stop。 I
come to a question that may shorten the business。 What do you
mean by the proposal you made just now？”
“What do I mean； Bounderby？”
“By your visiting proposition；” said Bounderby； with an
inflexible jerk of the hayfield。
“I mean that I hope you may be induced to arrange； in a
friendly manner； for allowing Louisa a period of repose and
reflection here； which may tend to a gradual alteration for the
better in many respects。”
“To a softening down of your ideas of the incompatibility？” said
Bounderby。
“If you put it in those terms。”
“What made you think of this？” said Bounderby。
“I have already said； I fear Louisa has not been understood。 Is it
asking too much； Bounderby； that you； so far her elder； should aid
in trying to set her right？ You have accepted a great charge of her；
Charles Dickens