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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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124 ‘The fact is, it ain’t a Hall,’ observed Squeers drily. ‘Oh, indeed!’ said Nicholas, whom this piece of intelligence much astonished. ‘No,’ replied Squeers. ‘We call it a Hall up in London, because it sounds better, but they don’t know it by that name in these parts. A man may call his house an island if he likes; there’s no act of Parliament against that, I believe?’ ‘I believe not, sir,’ rejoined Nicholas. Squeers eyed his companion slyly, at the conclusion of this little dialogue, and finding that he had grown thoughtful and appeared in nowise disposed to volunteer any observations, contented himself with lashing the pony until they reached their journey’s end. ‘Jump out,’ said Squeers. ‘Hallo there! Come and put this horse up. Be quick, will you!’ While the schoolmaster was uttering these and other impatient cries, Nicholas had time to observe that the school was a long, cold-looking house, one storey high, with a few straggling out- buildings behind, and a barn and stable adjoining. After the lapse of a minute or two, the noise of somebody unlocking the yard-gate was heard, and presently a tall lean boy, with a lantern in his hand, issued forth. ‘Is that you, Smike?’ cried Squeers. ‘Yes, sir,’ replied the boy. ‘Then why the devil didn’t you come before?’ ‘Please, sir, I fell asleep over the fire,’ answered Smike, with humility. ‘Fire! what fire? Where’s there a fire?’ demanded the schoolmaster, sharply. |
