Hard Times (eBook)

ACT ONE

Coketown

The noise of the factory. The factory bell rings – the noise abates and the Hands emerge from the factories. On the street a circus booth is being set up. A child’s coffin is carried by. A union man sells leaflets. A drunk woman asks for money. Sissy runs through Coketown. She is looking for her father.

Song

O fair, O fair Jerusalem,

When shall I come to thee?

When shall my sorrows have an end,

Thy joy that I may see?

O pray teach your children, man

The while that you are here;

It will be better for your souls,

to treat each fellow fair.

To-day you may be alive, dear man

Worth many a thousand pound;

To-morrow may be dead, dear man,

And your body be laid under ground.

With one turf at your head, O man,

And another at your feet;

Thy good deeds and thy bad, O man,

Will all together meet.

Sissy asks those she meets, from the richest (Bounderby) to the poorest (Stephen Blackpool) to the lowest (Blackpool’s wife) if they have seen her father.

My father and his dog – a little dog called Merrylegs. Yes, Merrylegs – he is needed you see – at the circus – both of them are needed. No? A short man – with a limp – and a red neckerchief. I have no money.

She is ignored by two children, Louisa and Tom who are trying to peek, by lying down, into Mr Sleary’s horseback circus. Tom is the leader in this escapade.

Excuse me – I’m looking for my father – from the horseback circus – Mr Sleary’s horseback circus – and a dog called Merrylegs–

The Work Bell sounds again and the Hands obey its call. Against their flow Mr Gradgrind strolls easily until he sees his children lying in the dirt.

Thomas? Louisa? What do you do here?

Wanted to see what it was like.

What it was like?

Yes, Father.

My Father – and a little dog – called Merrylegs?

Mr Gradgrind marches his children toward his home, Stone Lodge.

1. Stone Lodge

The circus? Did you say – ‘The circus’?

In the name of wonder what were you doing there?

Dear me, how could you, Louisa – and Thomas too?

I took him, Father.

I’m sorry to hear it. I am very sorry indeed. It makes Thomas no better and it makes you worse. To find you – both – in that degraded position.

Degraded?

Lying – face down in the dirt.

Hmph!

Well?

I – I was tired, Father.

Tired, of what?

I don’t know – of everything, I think.

Say not another word. You are childish. I will hear no more.

As if with my head in its throbbing state you couldn’t look at something your father has provided for you. Shells – minerals – anything ‘ological’. With my head in its present state I couldn’t remember the mere names of half the facts you have to attend to – without being confused into oblivion by the – ‘Circus’. What does Mister Bounderby say?

What had I Josiah Bounderby to do with circus at their age? I hadn’t a shoe to my foot, Mrs Gradgrind. As to a stocking I didn’t know such a thing by name. I passed the day in a ditch and the night in a pigsty, that’s the way I spent my tenth birthday. Not that a ditch was new to me, for I was born in a ditch.

I do hope Mr Bounderby, it was a dry ditch?

No, as wet as soap. A foot of water in it.

Enough to give a baby cold?

Cold? I was born with inflammation of the lungs. I was so sick, ragged and dirty you wouldn’t have touched me with a pair of tongs. How I fought through it, I don’t know. I was determined, I suppose, as I am now, determined and nobody to thank for being here but myself.

Did your mother not have some influence?

My mother? Bolted, Mam. Left me to my grandmother.

That was something then.

The wickedest and worst woman that ever lived. If I got a little pair of shoes – by chance – she would take em off me and sell them for drink. I have known that grandmother of mine lie in bed all day and drink fourteen glasses of gin before breakfast.

Oh! And there’s you two ungrateful children – with all the facts in the world to save you – running off to the circus. I do declare you’re enough to make one regret ever having had children at all. I have a great mind to say I wish I hadn’t – then what would you have done – I’d like to know? (Silence. Mr Gradgrind frowns.) Now go and do something – ‘ological’ right away.

Louisa and Tom retreat.

Mr Bounderby, you are always so interested in my young people, particularly Louisa that I make no apology for saying to you, I am very much vexed by this Circus episode.

Very vexed.

I have systematically devoted myself –

Systematically –

To the education of the reason of my family – (Mrs Gradgrind is about to speak but is silenced by a glance from her husband.) And yet Bounderby it would appear as if something has crept into Thomas and Louisa’s minds in which reason had no part.

There’s certainly no reason in looking with interest at a parcel of vagabonds. When I was a vagabond myself, nobody looked with any interest at me and quite rightly so.

Then comes the question, in what has this vulgar curiosity its rise? Whether any instructor or servant can have suggested anything. Whether in spite of all my precautions, any idle storybook – or

Poetry.

Can have got into the house?

Now stop a bit. Did you not tell me Mrs Gradgrind that a child – from the circus came to this very house? (Mrs G opens her mouth to speak.) And made an application to be admitted to the school. (Mrs G opens her mouth to speak.) And did not Louisa speak to this girl?

Oh my poor health – ‘Jupe’.

Jupe?

She left her name – said her father wanted her to come to the school – and Louisa and Thomas both said that Mr Gradgrind wanted girls to come to the school – and how could I contradict them when such is the fact.

There it is then – ‘Jupe’ – I tell you what, Gradgrind – turn that girl to the right about, and there’s an end to it.

I am much of your opinion.

Do it at once, has always been my motto, when I thought to run away from my grandmother, I did it at once.

I will speak to her father – will you walk with me, Bounderby?

I will Thomas – as long as we do it ‘at once’.

Louisa – Thomas! – Fetch Mr Bounderby’s hat and coat. (He goes to fetch his own.)

No gloves, Mr Bounderby?

I never wear gloves Mrs Gradgrind – I didn’t climb up the ladder in them – shouldn’t be so high up if I had!

Feeling herself somehow reprimanded, she leaves – as Louisa and Tom enter with hat and coat.

Well, look at you, Loo Gradgrind – look at you. (Tom stares at him but Louisa looks down.) You two may think you’re in trouble – but it’s all right, Louisa. It’s all right, young Thomas. I’ll answer for it being all over with your father. Well Loo – that’s worth a kiss – isn’t it?

You may take one, Mr Bounderby.

She offers her cheek with her face turned away and Mr Bounderby kisses her. Over Louisa’s shoulder Mr Bounderby sees Tom smiling.

Always my pet, aren’t you, Louisa?

At once, Bounderby!

He goes – she rubs her cheek.

What are you about Loo? You’ll rub a hole in your face.

You may cut the piece out with a penknife if you like Tom. I wouldn’t cry.

2. Hard Times

This is where I found them, Bounderby – degraded. (Kidderminster is now returning with Sissy in tow – who runs into the circus.) You – um – could you lead us to Mister Jupe?

I would sir but he can’t be found.

His daughter then.

Aye – that were her – Cecelia!

Enter Sissy.

Have you found him – is he found?

No, but these two mighty men have found you.

Kidderminster goes aside to tell Mr Sleary of...