Chapter X

The felicitous idea occurred to me a morning or two later when I woke, that the best step I could take towards making myself uncommon was to get out of Biddy everything she knew.

In pursuance of this luminous conception I mentioned to Biddy when I went to Mr.Wopsle's great-aunt's at night, that I had a particular reason for wishing to get on in life, and that I should feel very much obliged to her if she would impart all her learning to me.

Biddy, who was the most obliging of girls, immediately said she would, and indeed began to carry out her promise within five minutes.
The Educational scheme or Course established by Mr.Wopsle's great-aunt may be resolved into the following synopsis.

The pupils ate apples and put straws down one another's backs, until Mr.Wopsle's great-aunt collected her energies, and made an indiscriminate totter at them with a birch-rod.

After receiving the charge with every mark of derision, the pupils formed in line and buzzingly passed a ragged book from hand to hand.