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“This is his sister。 Yes。”
“And t’other on’th daughter。 That’h what I mean。 Hope I thee
you well； mith。 And I hope the Thquire’th well？”
“My father will be here soon；” said Louisa； anxious to bring him
to the point。 “Is my brother safe？”
“Thafe and thound！” he replied。 “I want you jutht to take a
peep at the Ring； mith； through there。 Thethilia； you know the
dodgeth； find a thpy…hole for yourthelf。”
They each looked through a chinck in the boards。
“That’h Jack the Giant Killer—piethe of comic infant bithnith；”
said Sleary。 “There’th a property…houthe； you thee； for Jack to
hide in； there’th my Clown with a thauthpanlid and a thpit； for
Jack’th thervant； there’th little Jack himthelf in a thplendid thoot
of armour； there’th two comic black thervants twithe ath big ath
the houthe； to thtand by it and to bring it in and clear it； and the
Giant （a very ecthpenthive bathket one）； he an’t on yet。 Now； do
you know thee ’em all？”
“Yes；” they both said。
“Look at ’em again；” said Sleary； “look at ’em well。 You thee
’em all？ Very good。 Now； mith；” he put a form for them to sit on； “I
have my opinionth； and the Thquire your father hath hith。 I don’t
want to know what your brother’th been up to； ith better for me
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not to know。 All I thay ith； the Thquire hath thtood by Thethilia；
and I’ll thtand by the Thquire。 Your brother ith one o’ them black
thervanth。”
Louisa uttered an exclamation； partly of distress； partly of
satisfaction。
“Ith a fact；” said Sleary； “and even knowin’ it； you couldn’t put
your finger on him。 Let the Thquire come。 I thall keep your
brother here after the performanth。 I thant undreth him； nor yet
wath hith paint off。 Let the Thquire come here after the
performanth； or come here yourthelf after the performanth； and
you thall find your brother； and have the whole plathe to talk to
him in。 Never mind the lookth of him； ath long ath he’th well hid。”
Louisa； with many thanks and with a lightened load； detained
Mr Sleary no longer then。 She left her love for her brother； with
her eyes full of tears； and she and Sissy went away until later in
the afternoon。
Mr Gradgrind arrived within an hour afterwards。 He too had
encountered no one whom he knew； and was now sanguine with
Sleary’s assistance； of getting his disgraced son to Liverpool in the
night。 As neither of the three could be his companion without
almost identifying him under any disguise； he prepared a letter to
a correspondent whom he could trust； beseeching him to ship the
bearer off at any cost； to North or South America； or any distant
part of the world to which he could be the most speedily and
privately dispatched。
This done； they walked about； waiting for the Circus to be quite
vacated； not only by the audience； but by the company and by the
horses。 After watching it a long time； they saw Mr Sleary bring out
a chair and sit down by the side…door smoking； as if that were the
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signal that they might approach。
“Your thervant； Thquire；” was his cautious salutation as they
passed in。 “If you want me you’ll find me here。 You mustn’t mind
your thon having a comic livery on。”
They all three went in； and Mr Gradgrind sat down forlorn； on
the Clown’s performing chair in the middle of the ring。 On one of
the back benches； remote in the subdued light and the strangeness
of the place； sat the villainous whelp； sulky to the last； whom he
had the misery to call his son。
In a preposterous coat； like a beadle’s； with cuffs and flaps
exaggerated to an unspeakable extent； in an immense waistcoat；
knee…breeches； buckled shoes； and a mad cocked hat； with nothing
fitting him； and everything of coarse material； moth…eaten； and full
of holes； with seams in his black face； where fear and heat had
started through the greasy composition daubed all over it；
anything so grimly； detestably； ridiculously shameful as the whelp
in his comic livery； Mr Gradgrind never could by any other means
have believed in； weighable and measurable fact though it was。
And one of his model children had come to this！
At first the whelp would not draw any nearer； but persisted in
remaining up there by himself。 Yielding at length； if any
concession so sullenly made can be called yielding； to the
entreaties of Sissy—for Louisa he disowned altogether—he came
down； bench by bench； until he stood in the sawdust； on the verge
of the circle； as far as possible； within its limits； from where his
father sat。
“How was this done？” asked the father。
“How was what done？” moodily answered the son。
“This robbery；” said the father； raising his voice upon the word。
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“I forced the safe myself over night； and shut it up ajar before I
went away。 I had had the key that was found； made long before。 I
dropped it that morning； that it might be supposed to have been
used。 I didn’t take the money all at once。 I pretended to put my
balance away every night； but I didn’t。 Now you know all about it。”
“If a thunderbolt had fallen on me；” said the father； “it would
have shocked me less than this！”
“I don’t see why；” grumbled the son。 “So many people are
employed in situations of trust； so many people； out of so many；
will be dishonest。 I have heard you talk； a hundred times； of its
being a law。 How can I help laws？ You have comforted others with
such things； father。 Comfort yourself！”
The father buried his face in his hands； and the son stood in his
disgraceful grotesqueness； biting straw： his hands； with the black
party worn away inside； looking like the hands of a monkey。 The
evening was fast closing in； and from time to time； he turned the
whites of his eyes restlessly and impatiently towards his father。
They were the only parts of his face that showed any life or
expression； the pigment upon it was so thick。
“You must be got to Liverpool； and sent abroad。”
“I suppose I must。 I can’t be more miserable anywhere；”
whimpered the whelp； “than I have been here； ever since I can
remember。 That’s one thing。”
Mr Gradgrind went to the door； and returned with Sleary； to
whom he submitted the question； How to get this deplorable
object away？
“Why； I’ve been thinking of it； Thquire。 There’th not muth time
to loathe； tho you muth thay yeth or no。 Ith over twenty mileth to
the rail。 Thereth a coath in half an hour； that goeth to the rail；
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‘purpothe to cath the mail train。 That train will take him right to
Liverpool。”
“But look at him；” groaned Mr Gradgrind。 “Will any coach—”
“I don’t mean that he thould go in the comic livery；” said
Sleary。 “Thay the word； and I’ll make a Jothkin of him； out of the
wardrobe； in five minutes。”
“I don’t understand；” said Mr Gradgrind。
“A Jothkin—a Carter。 Make up your mind quick； Thquire；
There’ll be beer to feth。 I’ve never met with nothing but beer ath’ll
ever clean a comic blackamoor。”
Mr Gradgrind rapidly assented； Mr Sleary rapidly turned out
from a box； a smock frock； a felt hat； and other essentials； the
whelp rapidly c