house to house in their little suits like beggars for The Collection.And
will they take any of that money and send it to the little black babies
in Africa? Will they think of those little pagans doomed forever for
lack of baptism and knowledge of the True Faith? Little black babies
denied knowledge of the Mystical Body of Christ? Limbo is packed
with little black babies flying around and crying for their mothers
because theyll never be admitted to the ineffable presence of Our Lord
and the glorious company of saints, martyrs, virgins. Oh, no. Its off to
the cinemas, our First Communion boys run to wallow in the filth
spewed across the world by the devils henchmen in Hollywood. Isnt
that right, McCourt?
Tis, sir.
Question Quigley raises his hand again.There are looks around the
room and we wonder if its suicide hes after.
Whats henchmen, sir?
The masters face goes white, then red. His mouth tightens and
opens and spit flies everywhere. He walks to Question and drags him
from his seat. He snorts and stutters and his spit flies around the room.
He flogs Question across the shoulders, the bottom, the legs. He grabs
him by the collar and drags him to the front of the room.
Look at this specimen, he roars.
Question is shaking and crying. Im sorry, sir.
The master mocks him. Im sorry, sir.What are you sorry for?
Im sorry I asked the question. Ill never ask a question again, sir.
The day you do, Quigley, will be the day you wish God would take
you to His bosom.What will you wish, Quigley?
That God will take me to His bosom, sir.
Go back to your seat, you omadhaun, you poltroon, you thing from
the far dark corner of a bog.
He sits down with the stick before him on the desk. He tells Ques-
tion to stop the whimpering and be a man. If he hears a single boy in
this class asking foolish questions or talking about The Collection again
hell flog that boy till the blood spurts.
What will I do, boys?
Flog the boy, sir.
Till?
Till the blood spurts, sir.
Now, Clohessy, what is the Sixth Commandment?
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