Whelp-Hunting

           BeforetheringformedroundtheOldHellShaftwasbroken,onefigurehaddisappearedfromwithinit.Mr.BounderbyandhisshadowhadnotstoodnearLouisa,whoheldherfather’sarm,butinaretiredplacebythemselves.WhenMr.Gradgrindwassummonedtothecouch,Sissy,attentivetoallthathappened,slippedbehindthatwickedshadow—asightinthehorrorofhisface,iftherehadbeeneyesthereforanysightbutone—andwhisperedinhisear.Withoutturninghishead,heconferredwithherafewmoments,andvanished.Thusthewhelphadgoneoutofthecirclebeforethepeoplemoved.

           Whenthefatherreachedhome,hesentamessagetoMr.Bounderby’s,desiringhissontocometohimdirectly.Thereplywas,thatMr.Bounderbyhavingmissedhiminthecrowd,andseeingnothingofhimsince,hadsupposedhimtobeatStoneLodge.

           ‘Ibelieve,father,’saidLouisa,‘hewillnotcomebacktotownto-night.’Mr.Gradgrindturnedaway,andsaidnomore.

           Inthemorning,hewentdowntotheBankhimselfassoonasitwasopened,andseeinghisson’splaceempty(hehadnotthecouragetolookinatfirst)wentbackalongthestreettomeetMr.Bounderbyonhiswaythere.Towhomhesaidthat,forreasonshewouldsoonexplain,butentreatednotthentobeaskedfor,hehadfounditnecessarytoemployhissonatadistanceforalittlewhile.Also,thathewaschargedwiththedutyofvindicatingStephenBlackpool’smemory,anddeclaringthethief.Mr.