Поворот гвинта

           Ishouldnevergettothebottom—wereItoletmyselfgoevennow—oftheprodigiousprivatecommentary,allunderstillmoreprivatecorrection,withwhich,inthesedays,Ioverscoredtheirfullhours.Theyhadshownmefromthefirstafacilityforeverything,ageneralfacultywhich,takingafreshstart,achievedremarkableflights.Theygottheirlittletasksasiftheylovedthem,andindulged,fromthemereexuberanceofthegift,inthemostunimposedlittlemiraclesofmemory.TheynotonlypoppedoutatmeastigersandasRomans,butasShakespeareans,astronomers,andnavigators.Thiswassosingularlythecasethatithadpresumablymuchtodowiththefactastowhich,atthepresentday,Iamatalossforadifferentexplanation:IalludetomyunnaturalcomposureonthesubjectofanotherschoolforMiles.WhatIrememberisthatIwascontentnot,forthetime,toopenthequestion,andthatcontentmentmusthavesprungfromthesenseofhisperpetuallystrikingshowofcleverness.Hewastoocleverforabadgoverness,foraparson’sdaughter,tospoil;andthestrangestifnotthebrightestthreadinthepensiveembroideryIjustspokeofwastheimpressionImighthavegot,ifIhaddaredtoworkitout,thathewasundersomeinfluenceoperatinginhissmallintellectuallifeasatremendousincitement.

           Ifitwaseasytoreflect,however,thatsuchaboycouldpostponeschool,itwasatleastasmarkedthatforsuchaboytohavebeen“kickedout”byaschoolmasterwasamystificationwithoutend.