V. Sharp Words Are Spoken, and a Crisis Ensues

           WhenYeobrightwasnotwithEustaciahewassittingslavishlyoverhisbooks;whenhewasnotreadinghewasmeetingher.Thesemeetingswerecarriedonwiththegreatestsecrecy.

           OneafternoonhismothercamehomefromamorningvisittoThomasin.Hecouldseefromadisturbanceinthelinesofherfacethatsomethinghadhappened.

           “Ihavebeentoldanincomprehensiblething,”shesaidmournfully.“ThecaptainhasletoutattheWomanthatyouandEustaciaVyeareengagedtobemarried.”

           “Weare,”saidYeobright.“Butitmaynotbeyetforaverylongtime.”

           “IshouldhardlythinkitWOULDbeyetforaverylongtime!YouwilltakehertoParis,Isuppose?”Shespokewithwearyhopelessness.

           “IamnotgoingbacktoParis.”

           “Whatwillyoudowithawife,then?”

           “KeepaschoolinBudmouth,asIhavetoldyou.”

           “That’sincredible!Theplaceisoverrunwithschoolmasters.Youhavenospecialqualifications.Whatpossiblechanceisthereforsuchasyou?”

           “Thereisnochanceofgettingrich.Butwithmysystemofeducation,whichisasnewasitistrue,Ishalldoagreatdealofgoodtomyfellow-creatures.”

           “Dreams,dreams!Iftherehadbeenanysystemlefttobeinventedtheywouldhavefounditoutattheuniversitieslongbeforethistime.”

           “Never,Mother.Theycannotfinditout,becausetheirteachersdon’tcomeincontactwiththeclasswhichdemandssuchasystem—thatis,thosewhohavehadnopreliminarytraining.Myplanisoneforinstillinghighknowledgeintoemptymindswithoutfirstcrammingthemwithwhathastobeuncrammedagainbeforetruestudybegins.