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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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1038 and to which, perhaps, was ascribable no small part of the influence which, over many men of no very strong prejudices on the score of morality, he could exert, almost at will. ‘Well, Mr Squeers,’ he said, welcoming that worthy with his accustomed smile, of which a sharp look and a thoughtful frown were part and parcel: ‘how do you do?’ ‘Why, sir,’ said Mr Squeers, ‘I’m pretty well. So’s the family, and so’s the boys, except for a sort of rash as is a running through the school, and rather puts ’em off their feed. But it’s a ill wind as blows no good to nobody; that’s what I always say when them lads has a wisitation. A wisitation, sir, is the lot of mortality. Mortality itself, sir, is a wisitation. The world is chock full of wisitations; and if a boy repines at a wisitation and makes you uncomfortable with his noise, he must have his head punched. That’s going according to the Scripter, that is.’ ‘Mr Squeers,’ said Ralph, drily. ‘Sir.’ ‘We’ll avoid these precious morsels of morality if you please, and talk of business.’ ‘With all my heart, sir,’ rejoined Squeers, ‘and first let me say--’ ‘First let me say, if you please.--Noggs!’ Newman presented himself when the summons had been twice or thrice repeated, and asked if his master called. ‘I did. Go to your dinner. And go at once. Do you hear?’ ‘It an’t time,’ said Newman, doggedly. ‘My time is yours, and I say it is,’ returned Ralph. ‘You alter it every day,’ said Newman. ‘It isn’t fair.’ ‘You don’t keep many cooks, and can easily apologise to them for the trouble,’ retorted Ralph. ‘Begone, sir!’ |
