‘I trust, sir,’ rejoined Mrs Sparsit, with decent resignation, ‘it is not necessary that you should do anything of that kind. I hope I have learnt how to accommodate myself to the changes of life. If I have acquired an interest in hearing of your instructive experiences, and can scarcely hear enough of them, I claim no merit for that, since I believe it is a general sentiment.’

‘Well, ma’am,’ said her patron, ‘perhaps some people may be pleased to say that they do like to hear, in his own unpolished way, what Josiah Bounderby, of Coketown, has gone through. But you must confess that you were born in the lap of luxury, yourself. Come ma’am, you know you were born in the lap of luxury.’

‘I do not, sir,’ returned Mrs Sparsit with a shake of her head, ‘deny it.’

Mr Bounderby was obliged to get up from the table, and stand with his back to the fire, looking at her; she was such an enhancement of his position.

‘And you were in crack society. Devilish high society,’ he said, warming his legs.

‘It is true, sir,’ returned Mrs Sparsit, with an affectation of humility the very opposite of his, and therefore in no danger of jostling it.

‘You were in the tip-top fashion, and all the rest of it,’ said Mr Bounderby.

‘Yes, sir,’ returned Mrs Sparsit, with a kind of social widowhood upon her. ‘It is unquestionably true.’

Mr Bounderby, bending himself at the knees, literally embraced his legs in his great satisfaction and laughed aloud. Mr and Miss Gradgrind being then announced, he received the former with a shake of the hand, and the latter with a kiss.

‘Can Jupe be sent here, Bounderby?’ asked Mr Gradgrind.

Certainly. So Jupe was sent there. On coming in, she curtseyed to Mr Bounderby, and to his friend Tom Gradgrind, and also to Louisa; but in her confusion unluckily omitted Mrs Sparsit. Observing this, the blustrous Bounderby had the following remarks to make:

‘Now, I tell you what, my girl. The name of that lady by the teapot, is Mrs Sparsit. That lady acts as mistress of this house, and she is a highly connected lady. Consequently, if ever you come again into any room in this house, you will make a short stay in it if you don’t behave towards that lady in your most respectful manner. Now, I don’t care a button what you do to me, because I don’t affect to be anybody. So far from having high connections I have no connections at all, and I come of the scum of the earth. But towards that lady, I do care what you do; and you shall do what is deferential and respectful, or you shall not come here.’

‘I hope, Bounderby,’ said Mr Gradgrind, in a conciliatory voice, ‘that this was merely an oversight.’

‘My friend Tom Gradgrind suggests, Mrs Sparsit,’ said Bounderby, ‘that this was merely an oversight. Very likely. However, as you are aware, ma’am, I don’t allow of even oversights towards you.’

‘You are very good indeed, sir,’ returned Mrs Sparsit, shaking her head with her State humility. ‘It is not worth speaking of.’

Sissy, who all this time had been faintly excusing herself with tears in her eyes, was now waved over by the master of the house to Mr Gradgrind. She stood looking intently at him, and Louisa stood coldly by, with her eyes upon the ground, while he proceeded thus:

‘Jupe, I have made up my mind to take you into my house; and, when you are not in attendance at the school, to employ you about Mrs Gradgrind, who is rather an invalid. I have explained to Miss Louisa —