Susan!' he said.

"'What!' said Squire Broom, 'and never learn to read? You must go to
school to learn to read, and other things a man should know.'

"'Susan shall teach me to read,' said little Marten.

"Squire Broom promised him that he should come back in the summer, and
see Susan, and little Marten tried to stop crying.

"When little Marten got to Ashford school he was turned into a large
stone hall, where about fifty boys were playing; he had never seen so
many boys before, and he was frightened, and he crept into a corner.
They all got round him, and asked him a great many questions, which
frightened him more; and he began to cry and call for Susan. This set
the boys a-laughing, and they began to pull him about and tease him.

"Little Marten was a pretty child; he was very fair, and had beautiful
blue eyes and red lips, and his dark brown hair curled all over his
head; but he had always been very tender in his health; and the
kickings and thumpings and beatings he got amongst the boys, instead of
making him hardy, made him the more sickly and drooping.

"The boys used to rise very early, and, after they had been an hour in
school, they played in the churchyard (for the schoolroom stands in the
churchyard) till the bell rang to call them to breakfast. In the
schoolroom there was only one fireplace, and the lesser boys could
never get near it, so that little Marten used to be so numbed with cold
in the mornings (for winter was coming) that he could scarcely hold
his book; and his feet and hands became so swelled with chilblains
that, when the other boys went out to play, he could only creep after
them. He was so stupefied with cold that he could not learn; he even
forgot his letters, though he had known them all when his mother was
alive; and, in consequence, he got several floggings. When his mother
was living he was a cheerful little fellow, full of play, and quick in
learning; but now he became dull and cast down, and he refused to eat;
and he would cry and fret if anyone did but touch him. His poor little
feet and hands were sore and bleeding with cold; so that he was afraid
anyone should come near to touch him.

"As the winter advanced it became colder and colder, and little Marten
got a very bad cough, and grew very thin. Several people remarked to
the schoolmaster, 'Little Marten is not well; he gets very thin.' 'Oh,
he will be better,' the master would answer, 'when he is more used to
us. Many childre