Art or nature though, the original stock of Louisa’s character or the graft of circumstances upon it,—her curious reserve did baffle, while it stimulated, one as sagacious as Mrs. Sparsit. There were times when Mr. James Harthouse was not sure of her. There were times when he could not read the face he had studied so long; and when this lonely girl was a greater mystery to him, than any woman of the world with a ring of satellites to help her. So the time went on; until it happened that Mr. Bounderby was called away from home by business which required his presence elsewhere, for three or four days. It was on a Friday that he intimated this to Mrs. Sparsit at the Bank, adding: ‘But you’ll go down to-morrow, ma’am, all the same. You’ll go down just as if I was there. It will make no difference to you.’ ‘Pray, sir,’ returned Mrs. Sparsit, reproachfully, ‘let me beg you not to say that. Your absence will make a vast difference to me, sir, as I think you very well know.’ ‘Well, ma’am, then you must get on in my absence as well as you can,’ said Mr. Bounderby, not displeased. ‘Mr. Bounderby,’ retorted Mrs. Sparsit, ‘your will is to me a law, sir; otherwise, it might be my inclination to dispute your kind commands, not feeling sure that it will be quite so agreeable to Miss Gradgrind to receive me, as it ever is to your own munificent hospitality. But you shall say no more, sir. I will go, upon your invitation.’ ‘Why, when I invite you to my house, ma’am,’ said Bounderby, opening his eyes, ‘I should hope you want no other invitation.’ ‘No, indeed, sir,’ returned Mrs. Sparsit, ‘I should hope not. Say no more, sir. I would, sir, I could see you gay again.’ ‘What do you mean, ma’am?’ blustered Bounderby. ‘Sir,’ rejoined Mrs. Sparsit, ‘there was wont to be an elasticity in you which I sadly miss. Be buoyant, sir!’ Mr. Bounderby, under the influence of this difficult adjuration, backed up by her compassionate eye, could only scratch his head in a feeble and ridiculous manner, and afterwards assert himself at a distance, by being heard to bully the small fry of business all the morning. ‘Bitzer,’ said Mrs. Sparsit that afternoon, when her patron was gone on his journey, and the Bank was closing, ‘present my compliments to young Mr. Thomas, and ask him if he would step up and partake of a lamb chop and walnut ketchup, with a glass of India ale?’ Young Mr. Thomas being usually ready for anything in that way, returned a gracious answer, and followed on its heels. ‘Mr. Thomas,’ said Mrs. Sparsit, ‘these plain viands being on table, I thought you might be tempted.’ ‘Thank’ee, Mrs. Sparsit,’ said the whelp. And gloomily fell to. ‘How is Mr. Harthouse, Mr. Tom?’ asked Mrs. Sparsit. ‘Oh, he’s all right,’ said Tom. ‘Where may he be at present?’ Mrs. Sparsit asked in a light conversational manner, after mentally devoting the whelp to the Furies for being so uncommunicative.