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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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Support the Monkey! Tell All your Friends and Teachers |
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1040 ‘And where may the risk be, Mr Squeers?’ said Ralph. ‘I said, letting alone the risk,’ replied Squeers, evasively. ‘And I said, where was the risk?’ ‘I wasn’t complaining, you know, Mr Nickleby,’ pleaded Squeers. ‘Upon my word I never see such a--’ ‘I ask you where is the risk?’ repeated Ralph, emphatically. ‘Where the risk?’ returned Squeers, rubbing his knees still harder. ‘Why, it an’t necessary to mention. Certain subjects is best awoided. Oh, you know what risk I mean.’ ‘How often have I told you,’ said Ralph, ‘and how often am I to tell you, that you run no risk? What have you sworn, or what are you asked to swear, but that at such and such a time a boy was left with you in the name of Smike; that he was at your school for a given number of years, was lost under such and such circumstances, is now found, and has been identified by you in such and such keeping? This is all true; is it not?’ ‘Yes,’ replied Squeers, ‘that’s all true.’ ‘Well, then,’ said Ralph, ‘what risk do you run? Who swears to a lie but Snawley; a man whom I have paid much less than I have you?’ ‘He certainly did it cheap, did Snawley,’ observed Squeers. ‘He did it cheap!’ retorted Ralph, testily; ‘yes, and he did it well, and carries it off with a hypocritical face and a sanctified air, but you! Risk! What do you mean by risk? The certificates are all genuine, Snawley had another son, he has been married twice, his first wife is dead, none but her ghost could tell that she didn’t write that letter, none but Snawley himself can tell that this is not his son, and that his son is food for worms! The only perjury is Snawley’s, and I fancy he is pretty well used to it. Where’s your |
