But now, letting Tom be, let us inquire whether the sulky boy is more to be blamed than pitied.

That he is an odious, disagreeable fellow, there is no doubt.

But perhaps it's not _all_ his own fault.

Some boys are of duller natures than others.

The high-spirited, healthy, sanguine fellow will flare up at a moment's notice, and let fly without stopping to think twice of the injury done him, while the dull boy is altogether slower in his movements: words don't come to his lips so quickly, or thoughts don't rush into his mind as promptly as in others; he is like the snail who, when offended, shrinks back into its shell, leaving nothing but a hard, unyielding exterior to mark his displeasure.