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Louisa, to know that you do not come to the consideration of that
question with the previous habits of mind, and habits of life, that
belong to many young women.
No, father, she returned, I do not. I now leave you to judge for
yourself, said Mr Gradgrind. I have stated the case, as such cases
are usually stated among practical minds; I have stated it, as the
case of your mother and myself was stated in its time. The rest, my
dear Louisa, is for you to decide. From the beginning, she had sat
looking at him fixedly. As he now leaned back in his chair, and
bent his deep-set eyes upon her in his turn, perhaps he might have
seen one wavering moment in her, when she was impelled to
throw herself upon his breast, and give him the pent-up
confidences of her heart. But, to see it, he must have overleaped at
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a bound the artificial barriers he had for many years been erecting,
between himself and all those subtle essences of humanity which
will elude the utmost cunning of algebra until the last trumpet ever
to be sounded shall blow even algebra to wreck. The barriers were
too many and too high for such a leap. With his unbending,
utilitarian, matter-of-fact face, he hardened her again; and the
moment shot away into the plumbless depths of the past, to mingle
with all the lost opportunities that are drowned there.
Removing her eyes from him, she sat so long looking silently
towards the town, that he said, at length: Are you consulting the
chimneys of the Coketown works, Louisa? There seems to be
nothing there, but languid and monotonous smoke. Yet when the
night comes, Fire bursts out, father! she answered, turning
quickly.
Of course I know that, Louisa. I do not see the application of the
remark. To do him justice he did not, at all.
She passed it away with a slight motion of her hand, and
concentrating her attention upon him again, said, Father, I have
often thought that life is very short. This was so distinctly one of
his subjects that he interposed: It is short, no doubt, my dear.
Still, the average duration of human life is proved to have
increased of late years. The calculations of various life assurance
and annuity offices, among other figures which cannot go wrong,
have established the fact. I speak of my own life, father. O
indeed? Still, said Mr Gradgrind, I need not point out to you,
Louisa, that it is governed by the laws which govern lives in the
aggregate. While it lasts, I would wish to do the little I can, and
the little I am fit for.
What does it matter! Mr Gradgrind seemed rather at a loss to
understand the last four words; replying, How, matter? What,
matter, my dear? Mr Bounderby, she went on in a steady,
straight way, without regarding this, asks me to marry him. The
question I have to ask myself is, shall I marry him? That is so,
father, is it not? You have told me so, father. Have you not?
Certainly, my dear.
Let it be so. Since Mr Bounderby likes to take me thus, I am
satisfied to accept his proposal. Tell him, father, as soon as you
please, that this was my answer. Repeat it, word for word, if you
can, because I should wish him to know what I said. It is quite
right, my dear, retorted her father, approvingly, to be exact. I will
observe your very proper request. Have you any wish, in reference
to the period of your marriage, my child? None, father. What
does it matter! Mr Gradgrind had drawn his chair a little nearer to
her, and taken her hand.
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But, her repetition of these words seemed to strike with some little
discord on his ear. He paused to look at her, and, still holding her
hand, said: Louisa, I have not considered it essential to ask you
one question, because the possibility implied in it appeared to me
to be too remote. But, perhaps I ought to do so. You have never
entertained in secret any other proposal? Father, she returned,
almost scornfully, what other proposal can have been made to me?
Whom have I seen? Where have I been? What are my heart s
experiences? My dear Louisa, returned Mr Gradgrind, reassured
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