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me considerably and strikingly improved in that respect。 Ay； and
indeed here is Mr Bounderby！” cried Mrs Sparsit； nodding her
head a great many times； as if she had been talking and thinking
of no one else。 “How do you find yourself this morning； sir？ Pray
let us see you cheerful； sir。”
Now； these persistent assuagements of his misery； and
lightenings of his load； had by this time begun to have the effect of
making Mr Bounderby softer than usual towards Mrs Sparsit； and
harder than usual to most other people from his wife downward。
So； when Mrs Sparsit said with forced lightness of heart； “You
want your breakfast； sir； but I daresay Miss Gradgrind will soon be
here to preside at the table；” Mr Bounderby replied； “If I waited to
be taken care of by my wife； ma’am； I believe you know pretty well
I should wait till Doomsday； so I’ll trouble you to take charge of the
teapot。” Mrs Sparsit complied； and assumed her old position at
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table。
This again made the excellent woman vastly sentimental。 She
was so humble withal； that when Louisa appeared； she rose；
protesting she never could think of sitting in that place under
existing circumstances； often as she had the honour—of making
Mr Bounderby’s breakfast； before Mrs Gradgrind—she begged
pardon； she meant to say； Miss Bounderby—she hoped to be
excused； but she really could not get it right yet； though she
trusted to become familiar with it by and by—had assumed her
present position。 It was only （she observed） because Miss
Gradgrind happened to be a little late； and Mr Bounderby’s time is
so very precious； and she knew it of old to be so essential that he
should breakfast to the moment； that she had taken the liberty of
complying with his request； long as his will had been a law to her。
“There！ Stop where you are； ma’am；” said Mr Bounderby； “stop
where you are！ Mrs Bounderby will be very glad to be relieved of
the trouble； I believe。”
“Don’t say that； sir；” returned Mrs Sparsit； almost with severity；
“because that is very unkind to Mrs Bounderby。 And to be unkind
is not to be you； sir。”
“You may set your mind at rest； ma’am。—You can take it can
take it very quietly； can’t you； Loo？” said Mr Bounderby； in a
blustering way to his wife。
“Of course。 It is of no moment。 Why should it be of any
importance to me？”
“Why should it be of any importance to any one； Mrs Sparsit；
ma’am？” said Mr Bounderby； swelling with a sense of slight。 “You
attach too much importance to these things； ma’am。 By George；
you’ll be corrupted in some of your notions here。 You are old
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fashioned； ma’am。 You are behind Tom Gradgrind’s children’s
time。”
“What is the matter with you？” asked Louisa； coldly surprised。
“What has given you offence？”
“Offence！” repeated Bounderby。 “Do you suppose if there was
any offence given me； I shouldn’t name it； and request to have it
corrected？ I am a straightforward man； I believe。 I don’t go
beating about for side winds。”
“I suppose no one ever had occasion to think you too diffident；
or too delicate；” Louisa answered him composedly： “I have never
made that objection to you； either as a child or as a woman。 I don’t
understand what you would have。”
“Have？” returned Mr Bounderby。 “Nothing。 Otherwise； don’t
you； Loo Bounderby； know thoroughly well that I； Josiah
Bounderby of Coketown； would have it？”
She looked at him； as he struck the table and made the teacups
ring； with a proud colour in her face that was a new change； Mr
Harthouse thought。 “You are incomprehensible this morning；”
said Louisa。 “Pray take no further trouble to explain yourself。 I am
not curious to know your meaning。 What does it matter！”
Nothing more was said on this theme； and Mr Harthouse was
soon idly gay on indifferent subjects。 But from this day； the Sparsit
action upon Mr Bounderby threw Louisa and James Harthouse
more together； and strengthened the dangerous alienation from
her husband and confidence against him with another； into which
she had fallen by degrees so fine that she could not retrace them if
she tried。 But； whether she ever tried or no； lay hidden in her own
closed heart。
Mrs Sparsit was so much affected on this particular occasion；
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that； assisting Mr Bounderby to his hat after breakfast； and being
then alone with him in the hall； she imprinted a chaste kiss upon
his hand； murmured “My benefactor！” and retired； overwhelmed
with grief。 Yet it is an indubitable fact； within the cognisance of
this history； that five minutes after he had left the house in the
self…same hat； the same descendant of the Scadgerses and
connection by matrimony of the Powlers； shook her right…hand
mitten at his portrait； made a contemptuous grimace at that work
of art； and said “Serve you right； you Noodle； and I am glad of it！”
Mr Bounderby had not been long gone； when Bitzer appeared。
Bitzer had come down by train； shrieking and rattling over the
long line of arches that bestrode the wild country of past and
present coal…pits； with an express from Stone Lodge。 It was a hasty
note to inform Louisa； that Mrs Gradgrind lay very ill。 She had
never been well within her daughter’s knowledge； but； she had
declined within the last few days； had continued sinking all
through the night； and was now as nearly dead； as her limited
capacity of being in any state that implied the ghost of an intention
to get out of it； allowed。
Accompanied by the lightest of porters； fit colourless servitor at
Death’s door when Mrs Gradgrind knocked； Louisa rumbled to
Coketown； over the coal…pits past and present； and was whirled
into its smoky jaws。 She dismissed the messenger to his own
devices； and rode away to her old home。
She had seldom been there since her marriage。 Her father was
usually sifting and sifting at his parliamentary cinder…heap in
London （without being observed to turn up many precious articles
among the rubbish）； and was still hard at it in the national dust…
yard。 Her mother had taken it rather as a disturbance than
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otherwise； to be visited； as she reclined upon her sofa； young
people； Louisa felt herself all unfit for； Sissy she had never
softened to again； since the night when the stroller’s child had
raised her eyes to look at Mr Bounderby’s intended wife。 She had
no inducements to go back； and had rarely gone。
Neither； as she approached her old home now； did any of the
best influences of old home descend upon her。 The dreams of
childhood—its airy fables； its graceful； beautiful； humane；
impossible adornments of the world beyond： so good to be
believed in once； so good to be remembered when outgrown； for
then the least among them rises to the stature of a great Charity in
the heart； suffering little children to come into the midst of it； and
to keep with their pure hands a garden in the stony ways of this
world； wherein it were better for all the c