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Bounderby has said, to the service of your country. You have made
up your mind, said Louisa, still standing before him where she
had first stopped- in all the singular contrariety of her self-
possession, and her being obviously very ill at ease-  to show the
nation the way out of all its difficulties.  Mrs Bounderby, he
returned, laughing,  upon my honour, no. I will make no such
pretence to you. I have seen a little, here and there, up and down; I
have found it all to be very worthless, as everybody has, and as
some confess they have, and some do not; and I am going in for
your respected father s opinions- really because I have no choice of
opinions, and may as well back them as anything else.  Have you
none of your own? asked Louisa.
 I have not so much as the slightest predilection left. I assure you I
attach not the least importance to any opinions. The result of the
varieties of boredom I have undergone, is a conviction (unless
conviction is too industrious a word for the lazy sentiment I
entertain on the subject), that any set of ideas will do just as much
good as any other set, and just as much harm as any other set.
 There s an English family with a charming Italian motto. What
will be, will be. It s the only truth going!
This vicious assumption of honesty in dishonesty- a vice so
dangerous, so deadly, and so common- seemed, he observed, a
little to impress her in his favour. He followed up the advantage,
by saying in his pleasantest manner: a manner to which she might
attach as much or as little meaning as she pleased:  The side that
can prove anything in a line of units, tens, hundreds, and
thousands, Mrs Bounderby, seems to me to afford the most fun and
to give a man the best chance.
I am quite as much attached to it as if I believed it. I am quite ready
to go in for it, to the same extent as if I believed it. And what more
could I possibly do, if I did believe it!  You re a singular
politician, said Louisa.
 Pardon me; I have not even that merit. We are the largest party in
the state, I assure you, Mrs Bounderby, if we all fell out of our
adopted ranks and were reviewed together. Mr Bounderby, who
had been in danger of bursting in silence, interposed here with a
project for postponing the family dinner till half-past six, and
taking Mr James Harthouse in the meantime on a round of visits to
the voting and interesting notabilities of Coketown and its vicinity.
The round of visits was made; and Mr James Harthouse, with a
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discreet use of his blue coaching, came off triumphantly, though
with a considerable accession of boredom.
In the evening, he found the dinner-table laid for four, but they sat
down only three. It was an appropriate occasion for Mr Bounderby
to discuss the flavour of the hap orth of stewed eels he had
purchased in the streets at eight years old; and also of the inferior
water, specially used for laying the dust, with which he had
washed down that repast. He likewise entertained his guest, over
the soup and fish, with the calculation that he (Bounderby) had
eaten in his youth at least three horses under the guise of polonies
and saveloys. These recitals, Jem, in a languid manner, received
with  charming! every now and then; and they probably would
have decided him to  go in for Jerusalem again tomorrow
morning, had he been less curious respecting Louisa.
 Is there nothing, he thought, glancing at her as she sat at the head
of the table, where her youthful figure, small and slight, but very
graceful, looked as pretty as it looked misplaced;  is there nothing
that will move that face? Yes! By Jupiter, there was something, and
here it was, in an unexpected shape! Tom appeared. She changed
as the door opened, and broke into a beaming smile.
A beautiful smile. Mr James Harthouse might not have thought so
much of it, but that he had wondered so long at her impassive face.
She put out her hand- a pretty little soft hand; and her fingers
closed upon her brother s, as if she would have carried them to her
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