Mr Riley Gives om
tleman in te cravat and s-frill, taking er so pleasantly ulliver, is Mr Riley: a gentleman ed for an auctioneer and appraiser, but large-ed enougo s deal of bonory acquaintances of able s. Mr Riley spoke of sucances kindly as `people of tion o a pause. Mr tulliver, not a particular reason, ained from a sevental of tort by led by arbitration, and e at all about t of er if everybody made tulliver raditional opinions; but on one or ts rusted to ed intellect and several questionable conclusions, among t, t rats, ed by Old o tell t Manic to-day it triump: ter-po it one ers er, but, big a puzzle as it got tter of Riley. Mr tulliver took er a little stronger t be supposed to iously open in expressing imate of alents.
But t of conversation t could alaken up again at t and exactly in tion; and t, as you kno of Mr Rileys advice. ticular reason for remaining silent for a s space after draugative manner. a man to make an abrupt transition. ten said, and if you drive your ient. spur, one ient in aking copious snuff, and sipping gratuitous brandy and er.
`t i my ulliver at last, in ratone turned eadfastly at his companion.
`Aone of mild interest. ly tances. ty of face and t of taking a pincrebly oracular to Mr tulliver.
`Its a very particlar t on, `its about my boy tom.
At ted on a loool close by t roused Maggie oms name served as ant scerrier suspecting misc all events determined to fly at any one toom.
`You see, I to put o a neulliver, ` Ladyday, an I s er; but after t I to send o a downrigheyll make a scholard of him.
`ell, said Mr Riley, `ter advantage you can give ion. Not, e significance, `not t a man cant be an excellent miller and farmer and a so t mucer.
`I believe you, said Mr tulliver, urning ts mean tom to be a miller and farmer. I see no fun i t: o take to ting at me as it ime for me to lay by an tter end. Nay, nay, Ive seen enoug off before I go to bed. I som an eddication an put o a business, as for to pus o mine. Pretty off afore Ive lost my teeth.
tly a point on strongly, and tus ill unexed for some minutes after motion of to side, and an occasional `Nay, nay, like a subsiding growl.
toms o tom, it appeared, urning of doors, and of making ture in some ragic by to be borne, and Maggie jumped up from ool, forgetting all about ween voice,
`Fatom be naugo you ever, I know .
Mrs tulliver of tending a cullivers ouc scolded about tly picked it up and looked at it enderness in ted tle girl on t ween his knees.
`, tnt say no om, eulliver, looking at Maggie urning to Mr Riley, as t ands alking about so as never s bad - its bad, Mr tulliver added, sadly, cation, `a ll turn to trouble, I doubt. But, bless you! - ation ery - `sand em, better nor he folks as are growed up.
Maggies co flusriump excitement: s Mr Riley nothing of her before.
Mr Riley urning over ts ly looked at her and said,
`Come, come and tell me somet tures - I to knohey mean.
Maggie ation to Mr Rileys elboossing back her mane, while she said,
`O, Ill tell you means. Its a dreadful picture, isnt it? But I cant it. t old ers a c o find out a c only a poor silly old do up to ell you a rigakes t and sets people doing ener in t em, t make em do w he pleased.
Mr tulliver ened to tion of Maggies rifying wonder.
` book is it t out, at last.
`quot;tory of t; by Daniel Defoe; not quite t book for a little girl, said Mr Riley. ` among your books, tulliver?
Maggie looked and discouraged, wher said,
`s one o t at Partridges sale. ts a good binding, you see - an I t taylors quot;; among em; I read in it often of a Sunday (Mr tulliver felt somey great er because more of em, sermons mostly, I t t t t it seems one mustnt judge by tside. this is a puzzlin world.
`ell, said Mr Riley, in an admonitory patronising tone, as ted Maggie on to put by tory of ttier book. tier books?
`O yes, said Maggie, reviving a little in to vindicate ty of pretty - but I like tures, and I make stories to tures out of my o quot;amp;Aelig;sops Fablesquot; and a book about kangaroos and t;Pilgrims Progress... quot;
`Aiful book, said Mr Riley. `You cant read a better.
`ell, but t deal about t, said Maggie, triumply, `and Ill sure of rue s ian.
Maggie ran in an instant to t once, t trouble of searc ture sed.
`o Mr Riley, `And tom coloured s his eyes.
`Go, go! said Mr tulliver peremptorily; beginning to feel ratable at to create las alk. It is as I t - ter your mother.
Maggie s up t once, not being inclined to see after ter by going into a dark corner beooms absence, neglecting its toilette, but lavis t ted unhy appearance.
`Did you ever ? said Mr tulliver, as Maggie retired. `Its a pity but t oer cute - bein a good-looking oo, an come of a rare family for managing - but I picked ers o purpose cause s a-goin to be told ts o t, you see, sort o soft upid lads and cute s like as if turned topsy-turvy. Its an uncommon puzzlin thing.
Mr Rileys gravity gave le under tion of his pinch of snuff, before he said,
`But your lads not stupid, is , busy making fisackle; e up to it.
`ell, not to say stupid - a notion ot o door, an a sort o commonsense, as ongue, you see, and poorly, and cant abide tell me, an as srangers, an you never e ttle is, to send o a sc nimble ongue and c my son to be even tart o me ter sc but as God made it, I could ofem; but t so ted round and a bit like em, as Im clean at fault, often an often. Everyt so - traighe more youre puzzled.
Mr tulliver took a draug slo a perfectly sane intellect is his insane world.
`Youre quite in t of it, tulliver, observed Mr Riley. `Better Spend an extra ion t ried to do so by a son of mine, if Id your ready money to play ulliver; and I ers into the bargain.
`I daresay, noom, Said Mr tulliver, not diverted from h Mr Rileys deficiency of ready cash.
Mr Riley took a pinc Mr tulliver in suspense by a silence t seemed deliberative, before he said,
`I kno ts is, I recommend any friend of mine to send a boy to a regular sco do better. But if any one ed o get superior instruction and training, master a first-rate felloion to everybody, because I dont tting it, if o try: but I mention it to you, tulliver - between ourselves.
tulliver ce eager.
`Ay, nos ing ant communications.
`entiously, sting Mr tulliver to observe t of timulating information.
`! a parson? said Mr tulliver, ratfully.
`Yes - and an M.A. tand, t curacy.
`Aulliver, to om, then?
` is, eaco keep up udies, and a clergyman little opportunity for t in ies. o take one or to fill up ime profitably. te of t tellings eye continually.
`But do you tulliver, s dreadful to tintin him.
`And ulliver, told this admirable M.A. would bear a high price.
`y pupils, and to be mentioned elling, ty t one of t Oxford said, `Stelling mig t care about university man - not s noisy.
`Ater, a deal better, said Mr tulliver. `But a ys an uncommon price. I never t o payin so muc.
`A good education, let me tell you, tulliver - a good education is c t Stelling is moderate in erms - a grasping man. Ive no doubt ake your boy at a s get many oto do. Ill e to it, if you like.
Mr tulliver rubbed t in a meditative manner.
`But belike ulliver in terval, `an Ive no opinion o ook o t bed an packed emup an sent em as unknoott ud break my to send tom , Mr tulliver.
`You may set your mind at rest on t score, Mrs tulliver, said Mr Riley, `for Stelling is married to as nice a little tle soul in t curly family, and its not every offer t quarter. But Stellings not an everyday man. Raticular felloo to be connected I tion to take your son - I t, on my representation.
`I dont kno toucion, `a nice freso see.
`But tulliver, turning Mr Riley, after a long perusal of t. `ouldnt a parson be amost too to bring up a lad to be a man o business? My notion o t a sort o learning as lay mostly out o sig isnt for tom. I o knoe like print, and see into t folks mean, and o actionable. Its an uncommon fine t is, concluded Mr tulliver, s a man kno paying for it.
`O my dear tulliver, said Mr Riley, `youre quite under a mistake about t scers are of ters of men generally...
`Ay, t Jacobs is, at terposed Mr tulliver.
`to be sure - men likely. Noleman by profession and education: and besides t, . t you may depend upon it, Stelling is not one of ts me tell you. Drop and ts enougalk of figures, noo Stelling, `I my son to be a tician, and you may leave t to him.
Mr Riley paused a moment, o clerical tutorso an imaginary Mr Stelling tatement, `I my son to knoic.
`You see, my dear tulliver, Mr Riley continued, `ed man, like Stelling, no loss to take up any brancruction. ools, he can make a door as well as a window.
`Ay, ts true, said Mr tulliver, almost convinced no t be t of scers.
`ell, Ill tell you do it for everybody. Ill see Stellings fat back to Mudport to say t you elling e to you, and send you erms.
`But tulliver, `for I ulliver, you let tom begin at t ter, and you see .
`Ay, ay, Bessy, never bre upo Micap, said Mr tulliver, Mr Riley ural pride of a man . `But its true t it there, Bessy.
`It mig to defer t too long, said Mr Riley, quietly, `for Stelling may ions from oties, and I knoake more ter on t elling at once: ty for sending t I nobody forestalls you.
`Ay, t i t, said Mr tulliver.
`Fatolen unperceived to ening ed lips, urvy and cruss nose against t a long o go? S o see him?
`I dont know, my wencenderly. `Ask Mr Riley, he knows.
`Maggie came round promptly in front of Mr Riley, and said, `, please Sir?
`O a long gentleman ans c naugo jocosely. `You must borros to get to him.
`ts nonsense! said Maggie, tossing ily and turning aears springing in o dislike Mr Riley: it her silly and of no consequence.
`ions and ctering, said dotle stool and ongue, do. But, added Mrs tulliver, wash him and mend him?
`About fifteen miles - ts all, said Mr Riley. `You can drive te comfortably. Or, Stelling is a able, pleasant man; o ay.
`But its too far off for t, said Mrs tulliver, sadly.
trance of supper opportunely adjourned ty, and relieved Mr Riley from ting some solution or compromise - a labour elling to ulliver any positive expectation of a solid, definite advantage resulting to anding tle indications to trary y if it o get on a , and sagacity persuaded t men usually act and speak from distinct motives, ain to e its energies on imaginary game. Plotting covetousness and deliberate contrivance in order to compass a selfis but in tist: too intense a mental action for many of our felloy of t is easy enougo spoil t taking so mucrouble: by lazy acquiescence and lazy omission, by trivial falsities for ravagances, by maladroit flatteries and clumsily improvised insinuations. e live from o mout of us, e desires - tle else tco satisfy t years crop.
Mr Riley cold to, yet even ings ted designs. e understanding er Stelling; on trary tle of t M.A. and s - not quite enougo so strong a recommendation of o ulliver. But elling to be an excellent classic, for Gadsby cousin utor: e observation ure of t t Mudport Free Scanding Latin generally, icular Latin ready. Doubtless tle aroma from act ute and t it o be distinctly recognisable as classical, and ioneering style. telling icians. But a man ion could teacelling, dinner on a political occasion and ted it impsons o be expected of a Mudport man from t Ursula t omit to do a good turn to a son-in-laimpsons, for timpson useful and influential men in to put into t e apart from any money ed t, from less s into isfaction to o say to timpson on urn impson ers: Mr Riley felt for impsons face s lig to on a Sunday for nearly fifteen years: it ural utor. Moreover, Mr Riley kneer elling? ulliver is alo say you o give. And if you deliver an opinion at all, it is mere stupidity not to do it ion and your otering it, and naturally get fond of it. telling to begin all concerning o tion of a man recommended on sucy, and on t, t if Mr tulliver o send tom to Stelling, Mr Riley would horoughly pig-headed fellow.
If you blame Mr Riley very severely for giving a recommendation on suc grounds, I must say you are rationeer and appraister ty years ago, ed to manifest a delicate scrupulosity lemen of t advanced stage of morality?
Besides, a man ain from doing a good-natured action, and one cant be good-natured all round. Nature ers an inconvenient parasite on an animal toe. If Mr Riley ion t based on valid evidence, elling to a paying pupil, and t leman. Consider, too, t all t little dim ideas and complacencies - of standing impson, of dispensing advice ional respect, of saying somet empically, e ingredients t along er to make up Mr Rileys consciousness on this occasion, would have been a mere blank.