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from a box； a smock frock； a felt hat； and other essentials； the
whelp rapidly changed clothes behind a screen of baize； Mr Sleary
rapidly brought beer； and washed him white again。
“Now；” said Sleary； “come along to the coath； and jump up
behind； I’ll go with you there； and they’ll thuppothe you one of my
people。 Thay farewell to your family； and tharp’th the word。” With
which he delicately retired。
“Here is your letter；” said Mr Gradgrind。 “All necessary means
will be provided for you。 Atone； by repentance and better conduct；
for the shocking action you have committed； and the dreadful
consequences to which it has led。 Give me your hand； my poor
boy； and may God forgive you as I do！”
The culprit was moved to a few abject tears by these words and
their pathetic tone。 But； when Louisa opened her arms； he
repulsed her afresh。
“Not you。 I don’t want to have anything to say to you！”
“O Tom； Tom； do we end so； after all my love！”
“After all your love！” he returned； obdurately。 “Pretty love！
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Leaving old Bounderby to himself； and packing my best friend Mr
Harthouse off； and going home just when I was in the greatest
danger。 Pretty love that！ Coming out with every word about our
having gone to that place； when you saw the net was gathering
round me。 Pretty love that！ You have regularly given me up。 You
never cared for me。”
“Tharp’th the word！” said Sleary at the door。
They all confusedly went out： Louisa crying to him that she
forgave him； and loved him still； and that he would one day be
sorry to have left her so； and glad to think of these her last words；
far away： when some one ran against them。 Mr Gradgrind and
Sissy； who were both before him while his sister yet clung to his
shoulder； stopped and recoiled。
For； there was Bitzer； out of breath； his thin lips parted； his thin
nostrils distended； his white eyelashes quivering； his colourless
face more colourless than ever； as if he ran himself into a white
heat； when other people ran themselves into a glow。 There he
stood； panting and heaving； as if he had never stopped since the
night； now long ago； when he had run them down before。
“I’m sorry to interfere with your plans；” said Bitzer； shaking his
head； “but I can’t allow myself to be done by horse…riders。 I must
have young Mr Tom； he mustn’t be got away by horse…riders； here
he is in a smock frock； and I must have him！”
By the collar； too； it seemed。 For； so he took possession of him。
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Chapter 8
Philosophical
hey went back into the booth； Sleary shutting the door to
keep intruders out。 Bitzer； still holding the paralysed
T
culprit by the collar； stood in the Ring； blinking at his old
patron through the darkness of the twilight。
“Bitzer；” said Mr Gradgrind； broken down； and miserably
submissive to him； “have you a heart？”
“The circulation sir；” returned Bitzer； smiling at the oddity of
the question； “couldn’t be carried on without one。 No man； sir；
acquainted with the facts established by Harvey relating to the
circulation of the blood； can doubt that I have a heart。”
“Is it accessible；” cried Mr Gradgrind； “to any compassionate
influence？”
“It is accessible to Reason； sir；” returned the excellent young
man。 “And to nothing else。”
They stood looking at each other； Mr Gradgrind’s face as white
as the pursuer’s。
“What motive—even what motive in reason—can you have for
preventing the escape of this wretched youth；” said Mr Gradgrind；
“and crushing his miserable father？ See his sister here。 Pity us！”
“Sir；” returned Bitzer； in a very business…like and logical
manner； “since you ask me what motive I have in reason； for
taking young Mr Tom back to Coketown； it is only reasonable to
let you know。 I have suspected young Mr Tom of this bank
robbery from the first。 I had had my eye upon him before that
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time； for I knew his ways。 I have kept my observations to myself；
but I have made them； and I have got ample proofs against him
now； besides his running away； and besides his own confessions；
which I was just in time to overhear。 I had the pleasure of
watching your house yesterday morning； and following you here。 I
am going to take young Mr Tom back to Coketown； in order to
deliver him over to Mr Bounderby。 Sir； I have no doubt whatever
that Mr Bounderby will then promote me to young Mr Tom’s
situation。 And I wish to have his situation； sir； for it will be a rise to
me； and will do me good。”
“If this is solely a question of self…interest with you—” Mr
Gradgrind began。
“I beg your pardon for interrupting you； sir；” returned Bitzer；
“but I am sure you know that the whole social system is a question
of self…interest。 What you must always appeal to； is a person’s self…
interest。 It’s your only hold。 We are so constituted。 I was brought
up in that catechism when I was very young； sir； as you are
aware。”
“What sum of money；” said Mr Gradgrind； “will you set against
your expected promotion？”
“Thank you； sir；” returned Bitzer； “for hinting at the proposal；
but I will not set any sum against it。 Knowing that your clear head
would propose that alternative； I have gone over the calculations
in my mind； and I find that to compound a felony； even on very
high terms indeed； would not be as safe and good for me as my
improved prospects in the Bank。”
“Bitzer；” said Mr Gradgrind； stretching out his hands as though
he would have said； See how miserable I am！
“Bitzer； I have but one chance left to soften you。 You were
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many years at my school。 If； in remembrance of the pains
bestowed upon you there； you can persuade yourself in any degree
to disregard your present interest and release my son； I entreat
and pray you to give him the benefit of that remembrance。”
“I really wonder； sir；” rejoined the old pupil in an
argumentative manner； “to find you taking a position so
untenable。 My schooling was paid for； it was a bargain； and when I
came away； the bargain ended。”
It was a fundamental principle of the Gradgrind philosophy；
that everything was to be paid for。 Nobody was ever on any
account to give anybody anything； or render anybody help without
purchase。 Gratitude was to be abolished； and the virtues springing
from it were not to be。 Every inch of the existence of mankind；
from birth to death； was to be a bargain across a counter。 And if
we didn’t get to Heaven that way； it was not a politico…economical
place； and we had no business there。
“I don’t deny；” added Bitzer； “that my schooling was cheap。 But
that comes right； sir。 I was made in the cheapest market； and have
to dispose of myself in the dearest。”
He was a little troubled here； by Louisa and Sissy crying。
“Pray don’t do that；” said he； “it’s of no use doing that： it only
worries。 You seem to think that I have some animosity against
young Mr Tom； whereas I have none at all。 I am only going； on th