THE SCHOOLMASTER AND THE BOYS
From "The Old Curiosity Shop"
1. The schoolmaster had scarcely arranged the room in due order, and taken his seat behind his desk, when a white-headed boy with a sunburnt face appeared at the door, and stopping there to make a rustic bow, came in and took his seat upon one of the forms. The white-headed boy then put an open book, astonishingly dog-eared, upon his knees, and thrusting his hands into his pockets, began counting the marbles with which they were filled. Soon afterwards another white-headed little boy came straggling in, and after him a red-headed lad, and after him two more with white heads, and then one with a flaxen poll, and so on until there were about a dozen boys in all, with heads of every colour but gray, and ranging in their ages from four years old to fourteen years or more; for the legs of the youngest were a long way from the floor when he sat upon the form, and the eldest was a heavy, good-tempered, foolish fellow, about half a head taller than the schoolmaster.
2. At the top of the first form—the post of honour in the school—was the vacant place of the little sick scholar, and at the head of the row of pegs on which the hats and caps were hung, one peg was left empty. No boy attempted to violate the sanctity of seat or peg, but many a one looked from the empty spaces to the schoolmaster, and whispered to his idle neighbour behind his hand.
3. Then began the hum of conning over lessons and getting them by heart, the whispered jest and stealthy game, and all the noise and drawl of school; and in the midst of the din sat the poor schoolmaster, the very image of meekness and simplicity, vainly attempting to fix his mind upon the duties of the day, and to forget his little sick friend. But the tedium of his office reminded him more strongly of the willing scholar, and his thoughts were rambling from his pupils—it was plain. None knew this better than the idlest boys, who, growing bolder with impunity, waxed louder and more daring—eating apples under the master's eye, pinching each other in sport or malice, and cutting their autographs in the very legs of his desk. The puzzled dunce, who stood beside it to say his lesson out of book, looked no longer at the ceiling for forgotten words, but drew closer to the master's elbow and boldly cast his eyes upon the page. If the master did chance to rouse himself and seem alive to what was going on, the noise subsided for a moment, and no eyes met his but wore a studious and deeply humble look; but, the instant he relapsed again, it broke out afresh, and ten times louder than before.
4. Oh, how some of those idle fellows longed to be outside, and how they looked at the open door and window, as if they half meditated rushing violently out, plunging into the woods, and being wild boys and savages from that time forth. What rebellious thoughts of the cool river, and some shady bathing-place beneath willow-trees with branches dipping in the water, kept tempting and urging that sturdy boy, who sat fanning his flushed face with a spelling-book wishing himself a whale, or a fly, or anything but a boy at school on that hot, broiling day!
5. Heat! Ask that other boy, whose seat being nearest the door gave him opportunities of gliding out into the garden and driving his companions to madness by dipping his face into the bucket of the well and then rolling on the grass—ask him if there were ever such a day as that, when even the bees were diving deep down into the cups of flowers and stopping there, as if they had made up their minds to retire from business and be manufacturers of honey no more. The day was made for laziness, and lying on one's back in green places, and staring at the sky till its brightness forced one to shut one's eyes and go to sleep; and was this a time to be poring over musty books in a dark room, slighted by the very sun itself? Monstrous!
6. The lessons over, writing-time began; and there being but one desk and that the master's, each boy sat at it in turn and laboured at his crooked copy, while the master walked about. This was a quieter time; for he would come and look over the writer's shoulder, and tell him mildly to observe how such a letter was turned in such a copy on the wall, and bid him take it for his model. Then he would stop and tell them what the sick child had said last night, and how he had longed to be among them once again; and such was the schoolmaster's gentle and affectionate manner that the boys seemed quite remorseful that they had worried him so much, and were absolutely quiet; eating no apples, cutting no names, inflicting no pinches, for full two minutes afterwards.
7. "I think, boys," said the schoolmaster, when the clock struck twelve, "that I shall give an extra half-holiday this afternoon."
8. At this intelligence the boys, led on and headed by the tall boy, raised a great shout, in the midst of which the master was seen to speak, but could not be heard. As he held up his hand, however, in token of his wish that they should be silent, they were considerate enough to leave off, as soon as the longest-winded among them were quite out of breath.
9. "You must promise me first," said the schoolmaster, "that you 'll not be noisy, or, at least, if you are, that you'll go away and be so—away out of the village, I mean. I'm sure you wouldn't disturb your old playmate and companion."
10. There was a general murmur in the negative.
11. "Then, pray, don't forget—there's my dear scholars," said the schoolmaster—"what I have asked you, and do it as a favour to me. Be as happy as you can, and likewise be mindful that you are blessed with health. Good-bye, all!"
12. "Thank you, sir," and "Good-bye, sir," were said a great many times in a variety of voices, and the boys went out very slowly and softly.
13. But there was the sun shining and there were the birds singing, as the sun only shines and the birds only sing on holidays and half-holidays; there were the trees waving to all free boys to climb and nestle among their leafy branches; the hay, entreating them to come and scatter it in the pure air; the green corn, gently beckoning toward wood and stream; the smooth ground rendered smoother still by blending lights and shadows, inviting to runs and leaps, and long walks no one knows whither. It was more than boy could bear, and with a joyous whoop the whole company took to their heels and spread themselves about, shouting and laughing as they went.
14. "It's natural, thank heaven!" said the poor schoolmaster, looking after them. "I'm very glad they didn't mind me!"
—Charles Dickens
Par. 1. DUE. (Appendix [A, 2].)
Indicate the pauses required to allow time for the Imaging process. Discriminate between the short and the long pauses. (Introduction, pp. [8] and [11].)
ORDER, DESK, DOOR. Account for the Inflection on each of these words. (Introduction, pp. [15] and [16].)
What clause in the first sentence should be made most prominent? Indicate the relative value of each part of this sentence by the Shading. (Introduction, p. [33].)
Par. 2. What two phrases suggest the central idea of this paragraph?
How does the voice indicate that the parenthetical clause is subordinate in thought? (Introduction, pp. [24] and [33].)
Par. 3. SIMPLICITY, IMPUNITY, STUDIOUS. (Appendix [A, 8] and [A, 2].)
DID CHANCE. What is the emphatic word? Why?
Read the last two sentences with a view to Perspective. (Introduction, p. [33].)
NO EYES MET HIS ... How does the Inflection on HIS indicate the exact meaning? (Introduction, p. [16].)
Par. 4. Give examples of Grouping in the last sentence and show how Grouping affects the Pause. (Introduction, p. [11].)
Par. 5. WHOSE SEAT—GRASS. What is the Shading? Indicate the pauses in this group of words giving your reason in each case.
What Inflection is placed on the question in the last sentence? Account for it. (Introduction, p. [19].)
Par. 6. WRITER'S SHOULDER, BOYS SEEMED, ABSOLUTELY. (Appendix [A, 6], [A, 2].)
Give examples of Grouping in the second sentence.
BID HIM TAKE IT FOR HIS MODEL. Which is the emphatic word? Why?
Par. 7. How is I THINK, BOYS connected with the rest of the speech? Apply this principle to other examples of direct speech interrupted by narrative. (Introduction, p. [24].)
Par. 9. IF YOU ARE ... BE SO. Select the two emphatic Words and give your reason for emphasizing them, (Introduction, p. [30].)