'Now,' said Squeers, giving the desk a great rap with his cane, which
made half the little boys nearly jump out of their boots, 'is that
physicking over?'
'Just over,' said Mrs Squeers, choking the last boy in her hurry, and
tapping the crown of his head with the wooden spoon to restore him.
'Here, you Smike; take away now. Look sharp!'
Smike shuffled out with the basin, and Mrs Squeers having called up a
little boy with a curly head, and wiped her hands upon it, hurried out
after him into a species of wash-house, where there was a small fire and
a large kettle, together with a number of little wooden bowls which were
arranged upon a board.
Into these bowls, Mrs Squeers, assisted by the hungry servant, poured
a brown composition, which looked like diluted pincushions without
the covers, and was called porridge. A minute wedge of brown bread was
inserted in each bowl, and when they had eaten their porridge by means
of the bread, the boys ate the bread itself, and had finished their
breakfast; whereupon Mr Squeers said, in a solemn voice, 'For what we
have received, may the Lord make us truly thankful!'--and went away to
his own.
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