»Now, you'll excuse me,« said Bounderby, »but I don't want to be too dear.
That, to start with. When I begin to be dear to a man, I generally find that his
intention is to come over me. I am not speaking to you politely; but, as you are
aware, I am not polite. If you like politeness, you know where to get it. You
have your gentleman-friends, you know, and they'll serve you with as much of the
article as you want. I don't keep it myself.«
    »Bounderby,« urged Mr. Gradgrind, »we are all liable to mistakes -«
    »I thought you couldn't make 'em,« interrupted Bounderby.
    »Perhaps I thought so. But, I say we are all liable to mistakes; and I
should feel sensible of your delicacy, and grateful for it, if you would spare
me these references to Harthouse. I shall not associate him in our conversation
with your intimacy and encouragement; pray do not persist in connecting him with
mine.«
    »I never mentioned his name!« said Bounderby.
    »Well, well!« returned Mr. Gradgrind, with a patient, even a submissive,
air. And he sat for a little while pondering. »Bounderby, I see reason to doubt
whether we have ever quite understood Louisa.«
    »Who do you mean by We?«
    »Let me say I, then,« he returned, in answer to the coarsely blurted
question; »I doubt whether I have understood Louisa. I doubt whether I have been
quite right in the manner of her education.«
    »There you hit it,« returned Bounderby. »There I agree with you. You have
found it out at last, have you? Education! I'll tell you what education is - To
be tumbled out of doors, neck and crop, and put upon the shortest allowance of
everything except blows. That's what I call education.«
    »I think your good sense will perceive,« Mr. Gradgrind remonstrated in all
humility, »that whatever the merits of such a system may be, it would be
difficult of general application to girls.«
    »I don't see it at all, sir,« returned the obstinate Bounderby.
    »Well,« sighed Mr. Gradgrind, »we will not enter into the question. I assure
you I have no desire to be controversial. I seek to repair what is amiss, if I
possibly