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Book The First - Sowing | Charles Dickens | |
Chapter IV - Mr. Bounderby |
Page 3 of 5 |
Being heated when he arrived at this climax, Josiah Bounderby of Coketown stopped. He stopped just as his eminently practical friend, still accompanied by the two young culprits, entered the room. His eminently practical friend, on seeing him, stopped also, and gave Louisa a reproachful look that plainly said, 'Behold your Bounderby!' 'Well!' blustered Mr. Bounderby, 'what's the matter? What is young Thomas in the dumps about?' He spoke of young Thomas, but he looked at Louisa. 'We were peeping at the circus,' muttered Louisa, haughtily, without lifting up her eyes, 'and father caught us.' 'And, Mrs. Gradgrind,' said her husband in a lofty manner, 'I should as soon have expected to find my children reading poetry.' 'Dear me,' whimpered Mrs. Gradgrind. 'How can you, Louisa and Thomas! I wonder at you. I declare you're enough to make one regret ever having had a family at all. I have a great mind to say I wish I hadn't. Then what would you have done, I should like to know?' Mr. Gradgrind did not seem favourably impressed by these cogent remarks. He frowned impatiently. 'As if, with my head in its present throbbing state, you couldn't go and look at the shells and minerals and things provided for you, instead of circuses!' said Mrs. Gradgrind. 'You know, as well as I do, no young people have circus masters, or keep circuses in cabinets, or attend lectures about circuses. What can you possibly want to know of circuses then? I am sure you have enough to do, if that's what you want. With my head in its present state, I couldn't remember the mere names of half the facts you have got to attend to.' 'That's the reason!' pouted Louisa. |
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Hard Times Charles Dickens |
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