按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
educated； and you will be a living proof to all who come into
communication with you； of the advantages of the training you will
receive。 You will be reclaimed and formed。 You have been in the
habit now of reading to your father； and those people I found you
among； I dare say？” said Mr Gradgrind； beckoning her nearer to
him before he said so； and dropping his voice。
“Only to father and Merrylegs； sir。 At least I mean to father；
when Merrylegs was always there。”
“Never mind Merrylegs； Jupe；” said Mr Gradgrind； with a
passing frown。 “I don’t ask about him。 I understand you to have
been in the habit of reading to your father？”
“O yes； sir； thousands of times。 They were the happiest—O； of
all the happy times we had together； sir！”
It was only now when her sorrow broke out； that Louisa looked
at her。
“And what；” asked Mr Gradgrind； in a still lower voice； “did you
read to your father； Jupe？”
“About the Fairies； sir； and the Dwarf； and the Hunchback； and
the Genies；” she sobbed out； “and about—”
“Hush！” said Mr Gradgrind； “that is enough。 Never breathe a
word of such destructive nonsense any more。 Bounderby； this a
case of rigid training； and I shall observe it with interest。”
“Well；” returned Mr Bounderby； “I have given you my opinion
already； and I shouldn’t do as you do。 But； very well； very well。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 66…
Hard Times 66
Since you are bent upon it； very well！”
So； Mr Gradgrind and his daughter took Cecilia Jupe off with
them to Stone Lodge； and on the way Louisa never spoke one
word； good or bad。 And Mr Bounderby went about his daily
pursuits。 And Mrs Sparsit got behind her eyebrows and meditated
in the gloom of that retreat； all the evening。
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 67…
Hard Times 67
Chapter 8
Never Wonder
et us strike the key…note again； before pursuing the tune。
When she was half a dozen years younger； Louisa had
L
been overheard to begin a conversation with her brother
on one day； by saying； “Tom； I wonder”—upon which Mr
Gradgrind； who was the person overhearing； stepped forth into
the light； and said； “Louisa； never wonder！”
Herein lay the spring of the mechanical art and mystery of
educating the reason without stooping to the cultivation of the
sentiments and affections。 Never wonder。 By means of addition；
subtraction； multiplication； and division； settle everything
somehow； and never wonder。 Bring to me； says M’Choakumchild；
yonder baby just able to walk； and I will engage that it shall never
wonder。
Now； besides very many babies just able to walk； there
happened to be in Coketown a considerable population of babies
who had been walking against time towards the infinite world；
twenty； thirty； forty； fifty years and more。 These portentous infants
being alarming creatures to stalk about in any human society； the
eighteen denominations incessantly scratched one another’s faces
and pulled one another’s hair by way of agreeing on the steps to be
taken for their improvement—which they never did； a surprising
circumstance； when the happy adaptation of the means to the end
is considered。 Still； although they differed in every other
particular； conceivable and inconceivable （especially
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 68…
Hard Times 68
inconceivable）； they were pretty well united on the point that
these unlucky infants were never to wonder。 Body number one；
said they must take everything on trust。 Body number two； said
they must take everything on political economy。 Body number
three； wrote leaden little books for them； showing how the good
grown…up baby invariably got to the Savings…bank； and the bad
grown…up baby invariably got transported。 Body number four；
under dreary pretences of being droll （when it was very
melancholy indeed）； made the shallowest pretences of concealing
pitfalls of knowledge； into which it was the duty of these babies to
be smuggled and inveigled。 But； all the bodies agreed that they
were never to wonder。
There was a library in Coketown； to which general access was
easy。 Mr Gradgrind greatly tormented his mind about what the
people read in this library： a point whereon little rivers of tabular
statements periodically flowed into the howling ocean of tabular
statements； which no diver ever got to any depth in and came up
sane。 It was a disheartening circumstance； but a melancholy fact；
that even these readers persisted in wondering。 They wondered
about human nature； human passions； human hopes and fears； the
struggles； triumphs and defeats； the cares and joys and sorrows；
the lives and deaths； of common men and women！ They
sometimes； after fifteen hours’ work； sat down to read mere fables
about men and women； more or less like themselves； and about
children； more or less like their own。 They took Defoe to their
bosoms； instead of Euclid； and seemed to be on the whole more
comforted by Goldsmith than by Cocker。 Mr Gradgrind was for
ever working； in print and out of print； at this eccentric sum； and
he never could make out how it yielded this unaccountable
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 69…
Hard Times 69
product。
“I am sick of my life； Loo。 I hate it altogether； and I hate
everybody except you；” said the unnatural young Thomas
Gradgrind in the hair…cutting chamber at twilight。
“You don’t hate Sissy； Tom？”
“I hate to be obliged to call her Jupe。 And she hates me；” said
Tom moodily。
“No she does not； Tom； I am sure。”
“She must；” said Tom。 “She must just hate and detest the
whole set…out of us。 They’ll bother her head off； I think； before
they have done with her。 Already she’s getting as pale as wax； and
as heavy as—I am。”
Young Thomas expressed these sentiments sitting astride of a
chair before the fire； with his arms on the back； and his sulky face
on his arms。 His sister sat in the darker corner by the fireside； now
looking at him； now looking at the bright sparks as they dropped
upon the hearth。
“As to me；” said Tom； tumbling his hair all manner of ways
with his sulky hands； “I am a Donkey； that’s what I am。 I am as
obstinate as one； I am more stupid than one； I get as much
pleasure as one； and I should like to kick like one。”
“Not me； I hope； Tom？”
“No； Loo； I wouldn’t hurt you。 I made an exception of you at
first。 I don’t know what this—jolly old—Jaundiced Jail；” Tom had
paused to find a sufficiently complimentary and expressive name
for the parental roof； and seemed to relieve his mind for a moment
by the strong alliteration of this one “would be without you。”
“Indeed； Tom？ Do you really and truly say so？”
“Why； of course I do。 What’s the use of talking about it！”
Charles Dickens ElecBook Classics
… Page 70…
Hard Times 70
returned Tom； chafing his face on his coat…sleeve； as if to mortify
his flesh； and have it in unison with his spirit。
“Because； Tom；” said his sister； after silently w