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038 - Promises Fulfilled · North and South

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Speaker 1: Chapter thirty eight of North and South. This is a
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Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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Speaker 1: For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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Speaker 1: Recording by Leanne Howlett. North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell,
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Speaker 1: chapter thirty eight. Promises fulfilled, Then proudly, proudly up she rose,
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Speaker 1: though the tear was in her eye. Whate'er ye say,
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Speaker 1: think what ye may? Ye's not gotten a word from me?
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Speaker 1: Scotch Ballad. It was not merely that Margaret was known
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Speaker 1: to mister Thornton to have spoken falsely, though she imagined
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Speaker 1: that for this reason only was she so turned in
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Speaker 1: his opinion, but that this falsehood of hers bore a
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Speaker 1: distinct reference in his mind to some other lover. He
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Speaker 1: could not forget at the fond an earnest look that
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Speaker 1: had passed between her and some other man, the attitude
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Speaker 1: of familiar confidence, if not of positive endearment. The thought
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Speaker 1: of this perpetually stung him. It was a picture before
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Speaker 1: his eyes wherever he went, and whatever he was doing.
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Speaker 1: In addition to this, and he ground his teeth as
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Speaker 1: he remembered it was the hour dusky twilight, the place
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Speaker 1: so far away from home and comparatively unfrequented. His nobler
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Speaker 1: self had said at first that all this last might
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Speaker 1: be accidental, innocent, justifiable, but once allow her right to
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Speaker 1: love and be beloved, And had he any reason to
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Speaker 1: deny her right, had not her words been severely explicit
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Speaker 1: when she cast his love away from her, she might
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Speaker 1: easily have been beguiled into a longer walk on to
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Speaker 1: a later hour than she had anticipated. But that falsehood,
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Speaker 1: which showed a fatal consciousness of something wrong and to
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Speaker 1: be concealed, which was unlike her, He did her that justice,
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Speaker 1: though all the time it would have been a relief
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Speaker 1: to believe her utterly unworthy of his esteem. It was
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Speaker 1: this that made the misery. That he passionately loved her,
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Speaker 1: and thought her, even with all her faults, more lovely
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Speaker 1: and more excellent than any other woman. Yet he deemed
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Speaker 1: her so attached to some other man, so led away
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Speaker 1: by her affection for him, as to violate her truthful nature.
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Speaker 1: The very falsehood that stained her was a proof how
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Speaker 1: blindly she loved another, this dark, slight, elegant, handsome man,
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Speaker 1: while he himself was rough and stern, and strongly made.
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Speaker 1: He lashed himself into an agony of fierce jealousy. He
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Speaker 1: thought of that look, that attitude, How he would have
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Speaker 1: laid his life at her feet for such tender glances,
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Speaker 1: such fond attention. He mocked in himself for having valued
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Speaker 1: the mechanical way in which she had protected him from
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Speaker 1: the fury of the mob. Now he had seen how
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Speaker 1: soft and bewitching she looked when with a man she
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Speaker 1: really loved. He remembered point by point the sharpness of
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Speaker 1: her words. There was not a man in all that
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Speaker 1: crowd for whom she would not have done as much,
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Speaker 1: far more readily, than for him. He shared with the
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Speaker 1: mob and her desire of averting bloodshed from them. But
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Speaker 1: this man, this hidden lover, shared with nobody. He had looks, words,
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Speaker 1: hand cleavings, lies, concealment all to himself. Mister Thornton was
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Speaker 1: conscious that he had never been so irritable as he
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Speaker 1: was now in all his life long. He felt inclined
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Speaker 1: to give a short, abrupt answer, more like a bark
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Speaker 1: than a speech, to every one that asked him a question,
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Speaker 1: And this consciousness hurt his pride. He had always piqued
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Speaker 1: himself on his self control and control himself, he would
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Speaker 1: so the manner was subdued to a quiet deliberation. But
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Speaker 1: the matter was even harder and sterner than common. He
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Speaker 1: was more than usually silent at home, employing his evenings
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Speaker 1: and a continual pace backwards and forwards, which would have
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Speaker 1: annoyed his mother exceedingly if it had been practiced by
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Speaker 1: any one else, and did not tend to promote any
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Speaker 1: for bearance on her part, even to this beloved son.
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Speaker 1: Can you stop? Can you sit down for a moment.
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Speaker 1: I have something to say to you, if you would
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Speaker 1: give up that everlasting walk, walk walk. He sat down
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Speaker 1: instantly on a chair against the wall. I want to
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Speaker 1: speak to you about Betsy. She says she must leave us,
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Speaker 1: that her lover's death has so affected her spirits she
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Speaker 1: can't give her heart to her work. Very well, I
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Speaker 1: suppose other cooks are to be met with. That's so
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Speaker 1: like a man. It's not merely the cooking. It is
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Speaker 1: that she knows all the ways of the house. Besides,
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Speaker 1: she tells me something about your friend, miss Hale. Miss
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Speaker 1: Hale is no friend of mine. Mister Hale is my friend.
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Speaker 1: I am glad to hear you say so, for if
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Speaker 1: she had been your friend, what Betsy says would have
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Speaker 1: annoyed you. Let me hear it, said he, with the
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Speaker 1: extreme quietness of manner he had been assuming for the
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Speaker 1: last few days. Betsy, he says that the night on
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Speaker 1: which her lover I forget his name, for she always
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Speaker 1: calls him he Leonards. The night on which Leonards was
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Speaker 1: last seen at the station, when he was last seen
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Speaker 1: on duty. In fact, Miss Hale was there walking about
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Speaker 1: with a young man who Betsy believes killed Leonards by
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Speaker 1: some blow or push. Leonards was not killed by any
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Speaker 1: blow or push. How do you know? Because I distinctly
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Speaker 1: put the question to the surgeon of the infirmary. He
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Speaker 1: told me there was an internal disease of long standing
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Speaker 1: caused by Leonard's habit of drinking to excess. That the
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Speaker 1: fact of his becoming rapidly worse while in a state
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Speaker 1: of intoxication settled the question as to whether the last
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Speaker 1: fatal attack was caused by excess of drinking or the fall.
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Speaker 1: The fall? What fall caused by the blow or push
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Speaker 1: of which Betsy speaks. Then there was a blow or push,
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Speaker 1: I believe so, and who did it? As there was
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Speaker 1: no inquest in consequence of the doctor's opinion. I cannot
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Speaker 1: tell you, but miss Hale was there no answer, and
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Speaker 1: with a young man still no answer. At last, he said,
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Speaker 1: I tell you mother that there was no inquest, no inquiry,
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Speaker 1: no judicial inquiry. I mean Betsey says that Woolmer, some
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Speaker 1: man she knows who is in a grocer's shop out
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Speaker 1: at Crampton, can swear that Miss Hale was at the
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Speaker 1: station at that hour, walking backwards and forwards with a
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Speaker 1: young man. I don't see what we have to do
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Speaker 1: with that. Miss Hale's at liberty to please herself. I
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Speaker 1: am glad to hear you say so, said missus Thornton eagerly.
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Speaker 1: It certainly signifies very little to us, not at all
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Speaker 1: to you, after what is past. But I I made
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Speaker 1: a promise to missus Hale that I would not allow
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Speaker 1: her daughter to go wrong without advising and remonstrating with her.
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Speaker 1: I shall certainly let her know my opinion of such conduct.
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Speaker 1: I do not see any harm in what she did
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Speaker 1: that evening, said mister Thornton, getting up and coming near
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Speaker 1: to his mother. He stood by the chimney piece with
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Speaker 1: his face turned away from the room. You would not
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Speaker 1: have approved of Fanny's being seen out after dark and
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Speaker 1: rather a lonely place walking about with a young man.
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Speaker 1: I say nothing of the taste which could choose the
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Speaker 1: time when her mother lay unburied for such a promenade.
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Speaker 1: Should you have liked your sister to have been noticed
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Speaker 1: by a grocer's assistant for doing so? In the first place,
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Speaker 1: as it is not many years since I myself as
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Speaker 1: a draper's assistant, the mere circumstance of a grocer's assistant
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Speaker 1: noticing any act does not alter the character of the
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Speaker 1: act to me. And in the next place, I see
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Speaker 1: a great deal of difference between Miss Hale and Fanny.
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Speaker 1: I can imagine that the one may have weighty reasons
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Speaker 1: which may and ought to make her overlook any seeming
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Speaker 1: impropriety in her conduct. I never knew Fanny have weighty
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Speaker 1: reasons for anything. Other people must guard her. I believe
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Speaker 1: miss Hale is a guardian to herself. A pretty character
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Speaker 1: of your sister. Indeed, really, John, one would have thought
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Speaker 1: Miss Hale had done enough to make you clear sighted.
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Speaker 1: She drew you on to an offer by a bold
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Speaker 1: display of pretended regard for you to play you off
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Speaker 1: against this very young man. I've no doubt her whole
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Speaker 1: conduct is clear to me. Now you believe he is
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Speaker 1: her lover? I suppose you agree to that. He turned
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Speaker 1: round to his mother. His face was very gray and grim. Yes, mother,
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Speaker 1: I do believe he is her lover. When he had spoken,
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Speaker 1: he turned round again. He writhed himself about like one
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Speaker 1: in bodily pain. He leant his face against his hand.
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Speaker 1: Then before she could speak, he turned sharp again. Mother.
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Speaker 1: He is her lover, whoever he is. But she may
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Speaker 1: need help in womanly counsel. There may be difficulties or
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Speaker 1: temptations which I don't know. I fear there are. I
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Speaker 1: don't want to know what they are. But as you
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Speaker 1: have ever been a good ay and a tender mother
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Speaker 1: to me, go to her and gain her confidence and
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Speaker 1: tell her what is best to be done. I know
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Speaker 1: that something is wrong, some dread must be a terrible
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Speaker 1: torture to her. For God's sake, John said his mother,
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Speaker 1: now really shocked. What do you mean, what do you mean?
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Speaker 1: What do you know? He did not reply to her. John,
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Speaker 1: I don't know what. I shan't think. Unless you speak,
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Speaker 1: you have no right to say what you have done
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Speaker 1: against her, not against her mother, I could not speak
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Speaker 1: against her. Well, you have no right to say what
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Speaker 1: you have done unless you say more. These half expressions
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Speaker 1: are what ruin a woman's character. Her character, mother, you
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Speaker 1: do not dare He faced about and looked into her
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Speaker 1: face with his flaming eyes. Then drawing himself up into
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Speaker 1: determined composure and dignity, he said, I will not say
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Speaker 1: any more than this, which is neither more nor less
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Speaker 1: than the simple truth. And I am sure you believe me.
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Speaker 1: I have good reason to believe that miss Hale is
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Speaker 1: in some strait and difficulty connected with an attachment, which,
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Speaker 1: of itself, from my knowledge of Miss Hale's character, is
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Speaker 1: perfectly innocent and right. What my reason is I refuse
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Speaker 1: to tell, but never let me hear any one say
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Speaker 1: a word against her implying any more serious imputation than
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Speaker 1: that she now needs the counsel of some kind and
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Speaker 1: gentle woman. You promised missus Hale to be that woman, No,
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Speaker 1: said missus Thornton. I am happy to say I did
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Speaker 1: not promise kindness and gentleness, for I felt at the
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Speaker 1: time that it might be out of my power to
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Speaker 1: render these to one of miss Hale's character and disposition.
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Speaker 1: I promised counsel and advice such as I would give
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Speaker 1: to my own daughter. I shall speak to her as
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Speaker 1: I would do to Fanny if she had gone gallivanting
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Speaker 1: with a young man in the dusk. I shall speak
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Speaker 1: with relation to the circumstances I know, without being influenced
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Speaker 1: either one way or another by the strong reasons which
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Speaker 1: you will not confide to me. Then I shall have
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Speaker 1: fulfilled my promise and done my duty. She will never
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Speaker 1: bear it, said he passionately. She will have to bear
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Speaker 1: it if I speak to her and her dead mother's name, well,
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Speaker 1: said he, breaking away. Don't tell me any more about it.
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Speaker 1: I cannot endure to think of it. It will be
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Speaker 1: better that you should speak to her anyway than that
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Speaker 1: she should not be spoken to at all. Oh, that
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Speaker 1: look of love, continued he between his teeth as he
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Speaker 1: bolted himself into his own private room. And that cursed lie,
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Speaker 1: which showed some terrible shame in the background, to be
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Speaker 1: kept from the light in which I thought she lived perpetually. Oh, Margaret,
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Speaker 1: Margaret mother, how you have tortured me? Oh Margaret, could
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Speaker 1: you not have loved me? I am but uncouth and hard,
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Speaker 1: But I would never have led you into any falsehood
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Speaker 1: for me. The more missus Thornton thought over what her
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Speaker 1: son had said in pleading for a merciful judgment for
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Speaker 1: Margaret's indiscretion, the more bitterly she felt inclined towards her.
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Speaker 1: She took a savage pleasure in the idea of speaking
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Speaker 1: her mind to her in the guise of fulfillment of
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Speaker 1: a duty. She enjoyed the thought of showing herself untouched
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Speaker 1: by the glamor which she was well aware Margaret had
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Speaker 1: the power of throwing over many people. She snorted scornfully
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Speaker 1: over the picture of the beauty of her victim. Her
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Speaker 1: jet black hair, her clear, smooth skin, her lucid eyes
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Speaker 1: would not help to save her. One word of the
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Speaker 1: just and stern reproach which missus Thornton spent half the
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Speaker 1: night in preparing to her mind, is miss Hale within.
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Speaker 1: She knew she was, for she had seen her at
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Speaker 1: the window, and she had her feet inside the little
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Speaker 1: hall before Martha had half answered her question. Margaret was
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Speaker 1: sitting alone, writing to Edith and giving her many particulars
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Speaker 1: of her mother's last days. It was a softening employment,
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Speaker 1: and she had to brush away the unbidden tears as
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Speaker 1: missus Thornton was announced. She was so gentle and ladylike
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Speaker 1: in her mode of reception that her visitor was somewhat daunted,
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Speaker 1: and it became impossible to utter the speech. So easy
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Speaker 1: of arrangement with no one to address it to. Margaret's low,
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Speaker 1: rich voice was softer than usual, her manner more gracious
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Speaker 1: because in her heart she was feeling very grateful to
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Speaker 1: missus Thornton for the courteous attention of her call. She
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Speaker 1: exerted herself to find subjects of interest for conversation, praised Martha,
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Speaker 1: the servant whom missus Thornton had found for them, had
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Speaker 1: asked Edith for a little Greek air about which she
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Speaker 1: had spoken to miss Thornton. Missus Thornton was fairly discomfited.
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Speaker 1: Her sharp damascus blade seemed out of place and useless
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Speaker 1: among rose leaves. She was silent because she was trying
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Speaker 1: to task herself up to her duty. At last, she
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Speaker 1: stung herself into its performance by a suspicion which, in
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Speaker 1: spite of all probability, she allowed to cross her mind,
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Speaker 1: that all this sweetness was put on with a view
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Speaker 1: of propitiating mister Thornton. That somehow the other attachment had
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Speaker 1: fallen through, and that it suited miss Hale's purpose to
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Speaker 1: recall her rejected lover, poor Margaret. There was perhaps so
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Speaker 1: much truth in the suspicion as this, that missus Thornton
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Speaker 1: was the mother of one whose regard she valued and
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Speaker 1: feared to have lost, and this thought unconsciously added to
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Speaker 1: her natural desire of pleasing one who was showing her
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Speaker 1: kindness by her visit. Missus Thornton stood up to go,
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Speaker 1: but yet she seemed to have something more to say.
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Speaker 1: She cleared her throat and began, Miss Hale, I have
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Speaker 1: a duty to perform. I promised your poor mother that
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Speaker 1: as far as my poor judgment went, I would not
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Speaker 1: allow you to act in any way wrongly or She
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Speaker 1: softened her speech down a little here, inadvertently without remonstrating,
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Speaker 1: at least without offering advice, whether you took it or not.
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Speaker 1: Margaret stood before her, blushing like any culprit, with her
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Speaker 1: eyes dilating as she gazed at missus Thornton. She thought
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Speaker 1: she had come to speak to her about the falsehood
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Speaker 1: She had told that mister Thornton had employed her to
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Speaker 1: explain the danger she had exposed herself to of being
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Speaker 1: confuted in full court. And although her heart sank to
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Speaker 1: think he had not rather chosen to come himself and
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Speaker 1: upbraid her, and receive her penitence, and restore her again
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Speaker 1: to his good opinion. Yet she was too much humbled
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Speaker 1: not to bear any blame on this subject. Patiently and meekly,
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Speaker 1: miss miss Thornton went on. At first, when I heard
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Speaker 1: from one of my servants that you had been seen
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Speaker 1: walking about with a gentleman, so far from home as
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Speaker 1: the Outwood Station, at such a time of the evening,
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Speaker 1: I could hardly believe it. But my son, I am
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Speaker 1: sorry to say, confirmed her story. It was indiscreet, to
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Speaker 1: say the least. Many a young woman has lost her
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Speaker 1: character before. Now Margaret's eyes flashed fire. This was a
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Speaker 1: new idea, This was too insulting. If missus Thornton had
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Speaker 1: spoken to her about the lie she had told well
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Speaker 1: and good, she would have owned it and humiliated herself.
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Speaker 1: But to interfere with her conduct, to speak of her character,
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Speaker 1: she missus Thornton, a mere stranger. It was too impertinent.
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Speaker 1: She would not answer her, not one word. Missus Thornton
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Speaker 1: saw the battle spirit in Margaret's eyes, and it called
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Speaker 1: up her combativeness. Also for your mother's sake, I have
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Speaker 1: thought it right to warn you against such improprieties. They
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Speaker 1: must degrade you in the long run, in the estimation
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Speaker 1: of the world, even if in fact they do not
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Speaker 1: lead you to positive harm. For my mother's sake, said
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Speaker 1: Margaret in a tearful voice. I will bear much, but
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Speaker 1: I cannot bear everything. She never meant me to be
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Speaker 1: exposed to. Insult. I am sure insult, Miss Hale, Yes, madam,
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Speaker 1: said Margaret, more steadily. It is insult. What do you
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Speaker 1: know of me that should lead you to suspect? Oh,
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Speaker 1: said she, breaking down and covering her face with her hands.
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Speaker 1: I know now, mister Thornton has told you no, Miss Hale,
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Speaker 1: said missus Thornton, her truthfulness causing her to arrest the confession.
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Speaker 1: Margaret was on the point of making, though her curiosity
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Speaker 1: was wishing to hear it. Stop. Mister Thornton has told
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Speaker 1: me nothing. You do not know my son. You are
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Speaker 1: not worthy to know him. He said this. Listen, young lady,
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Speaker 1: that you may understand if you can, what sort of
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Speaker 1: a man you rejected? This Milton manufacturer, his great tender
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Speaker 1: heart scorned as it was scorned said to me only
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Speaker 1: last night. Go to her. I have good reason to
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Speaker 1: know that she is in some strait, rising up out
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Speaker 1: of some attachment, and she needs womanly counsel. I believe
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Speaker 1: those were his very words. Farther than that, beyond admitting
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Speaker 1: the fact of your being at the Outwood station with
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Speaker 1: a gentleman on the evening of the twenty sixth, he
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Speaker 1: has said nothing, not one word against you. If he
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Speaker 1: has knowledge of anything which should make you sob so
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Speaker 1: he keeps it to himself. Margaret's face was still hidden
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Speaker 1: in her hands, the fingers of which were wet with tears.
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Speaker 1: Missus Thornton was a little mollified. Come, miss Hale, there
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Speaker 1: may be circumstances. I'll allow that, if explained, may take
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Speaker 1: off from the seeming impropriety. Still no answer. Margaret was
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Speaker 1: considering what to say. She wished to stand well with
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Speaker 1: Missus Thornton, and yet she could not might not give
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Speaker 1: any explanation. Missus Thornton grew impatient. I shall be sorry
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Speaker 1: to break off an acquaintance, but for Fanny's sake, as
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Speaker 1: I told my son, if Fanny had done so, we
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Speaker 1: should consider it a great disgrace, and Fanny might be
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Speaker 1: led away. I can give you no no explanation, said
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Speaker 1: Margaret in a low voice. I have done wrong, but
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Speaker 1: not in the way you think or know about. I
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Speaker 1: think mister Thornton judges me more mercifully than you. She
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Speaker 1: had hard work to keep herself from choking with her tears.
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Speaker 1: But I believe, madam, you mean to do rightly. Thank you,
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Speaker 1: said missus Thornton, drawing herself up. I was not aware
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Speaker 1: that my meaning was doubted. It is the last time
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Speaker 1: I shall interfere. I was unwilling to consent to do
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Speaker 1: it when your mother asked me. I had not approved
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Speaker 1: of my son's attachment to you, while I only suspected it.
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Speaker 1: You did not appear to me worthy of him. But
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Speaker 1: when you compromised yourself as you did at the time
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Speaker 1: of the riot, and exposed yourself to the comments of
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Speaker 1: servants and workpeople, I felt it was no longer right
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Speaker 1: to set myself against my son's wish of proposing to you,
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Speaker 1: a wish by the way which he had always denied
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Speaker 1: entertaining until the day of the riot. Margaret winced and
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Speaker 1: drew in her breath with a long hissing sound of which, however,
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Speaker 1: Missus Thornton took no notice. He came you. It apparently
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Speaker 1: changed your mind. I told my son yesterday that I
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Speaker 1: thought it possible. Short as was the interval, you might
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Speaker 1: have heard or learnt something of this other lover. What
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Speaker 1: must you think of me, madam asked Margaret, throwing her
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Speaker 1: head back with a proud disdain, till her throat curved
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Speaker 1: outwards like a swan's. You can say nothing more, missus Thornton.
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Speaker 1: I decline every attempt to justify myself for anything. You
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Speaker 1: must allow me to leave the room, and she swept
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Speaker 1: out of it with a noiseless grace of an offended princess.
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Speaker 1: Missus Thornton had quiet enough of natural humor to make
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Speaker 1: her feel the ludicrousness of the position in which she
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Speaker 1: was left. There was nothing for it but to show
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Speaker 1: herself out. She was not particularly annoyed at Margaret's way
19:40
Speaker 1: of behaving. She did not care enough for her for that.
19:43
Speaker 1: She had taken missus Thornton's remonstrance to the full as
19:45
Speaker 1: keenly to heart as that lady expected, and Margaret's passion
19:49
Speaker 1: at once mollified her visitor far more than any silence
19:52
Speaker 1: or reserve could have done. It showed the effect of
19:55
Speaker 1: her words. My young lady, thought missus Thornton to herself,
20:00
Speaker 1: you've a pretty good temper of your own. If John
20:02
Speaker 1: and you had come together, he would have had to
20:04
Speaker 1: keep a tight hand over you to make you know
20:06
Speaker 1: your place. But I don't think you will go a
20:08
Speaker 1: walking again with your beau at such an hour of
20:10
Speaker 1: the day in a hurry. You've too much pride and
20:13
Speaker 1: spirit in you for that. I like to see a
20:16
Speaker 1: girl fly out at the notion of being talked about.
20:18
Speaker 1: It shows they're neither giddy nor bold by nature. As
20:22
Speaker 1: for that girl, she might be bold, but she'd never
20:24
Speaker 1: be giddy. I'll do her that justice now. As to Fanny,
20:28
Speaker 1: she'd be giddy and not bold. She's no courage in
20:31
Speaker 1: her poor thing. Mister Thornton was not spending the morning
20:38
Speaker 1: so satisfactorily as his mother. She, at any rate, was
20:41
Speaker 1: fulfilling her determined purpose. He was trying to understand, where
20:45
Speaker 1: he stood, what damage the strike had done him. A
20:49
Speaker 1: good deal of his capital was locked up in new
20:51
Speaker 1: and expensive machinery, and he had also bought cotton, largely
20:54
Speaker 1: with a view to some great orders which he had
20:56
Speaker 1: in hand. The strike had thrown him terribly behind hands
21:00
Speaker 1: to the completion of these orders. Even with his own
21:02
Speaker 1: accustomed and skilled work people, he would have had some
21:05
Speaker 1: difficulty in fulfilling his engagements, as it was. The incompetence
21:09
Speaker 1: of the Irish hands, who had to be trained to
21:11
Speaker 1: their work at a time requiring unusual activity, was a
21:15
Speaker 1: daily annoyance. It was not a favorable hour for Higgins
21:21
Speaker 1: to make his request, but he had promised Margaret to
21:24
Speaker 1: do it at any cost, So though every moment added
21:27
Speaker 1: to his repugnance, his pride, and his sullenness of temper,
21:30
Speaker 1: he stood leaning against the dead wall, hour after hour,
21:33
Speaker 1: first on one leg, then on the other. At last
21:36
Speaker 1: the latch was sharply lifted, and out came mister Thornton.
21:41
Speaker 1: I want for to speak to you, sir. Can't stay now,
21:45
Speaker 1: my man, I'm too late as it is. Well, sir,
21:48
Speaker 1: I reckon. I can wait till you'll come back. Mister
21:51
Speaker 1: Thornton was half way down the street, Higgins sighed, but
21:55
Speaker 1: it was no use to catch him in the street.
21:58
Speaker 1: Was his only chance of seeing the master. If he
22:00
Speaker 1: had rung the lodge bell or even gone up to
22:02
Speaker 1: the house to ask for him, he would have been
22:04
Speaker 1: referred to the overlooker. So he stood still again, vouchsafing
22:08
Speaker 1: no answer but a short nod of recognition to the
22:11
Speaker 1: few men who knew and spoke to him. As the
22:13
Speaker 1: crowd drove out of the mill yard at dinner time,
22:15
Speaker 1: and scowling with all his might at the Irish knobsticks
22:18
Speaker 1: who had just been imported at last, mister Thornton returned,
22:22
Speaker 1: what you there still, I sir, I'm unspeak to you.
22:28
Speaker 1: Come in here, then stay. We'll go across the yard.
22:31
Speaker 1: The men are not come back, and we shall have
22:33
Speaker 1: it to ourselves. These good people I see are at dinner,
22:35
Speaker 1: said he, closing the door of the porter's lodge. He
22:39
Speaker 1: stopped to speak to the overlooker. The latter said, in
22:41
Speaker 1: a low tone, I suppose you know, sir, that that
22:45
Speaker 1: man is Higgins, one of the leaders of the union,
22:47
Speaker 1: he that made that speech in Hurstfield. No I didn't,
22:51
Speaker 1: said mister Thornton, looking round sharply at his follower. Higgins
22:54
Speaker 1: was known to him by name as a turbulent spirit.
22:58
Speaker 1: Come along, said he, and his tone was rougher than before.
23:02
Speaker 1: It is men such as this, thought he who interrupt
23:04
Speaker 1: commerce and injure the very town they live in. Mere demagogues,
23:08
Speaker 1: lovers of power at whatever cost to others. Well, sir,
23:13
Speaker 1: what do you want with me? Said mister Thornton, facing
23:15
Speaker 1: round at him, as soon as they were in the
23:17
Speaker 1: counting house of the mill. My name is Higgins. I
23:21
Speaker 1: know that broke in, mister Thornton. What do you want,
23:24
Speaker 1: mister Higgins, that's the question. I want work, work. You're
23:29
Speaker 1: a pretty chap to come asking me for work. You
23:31
Speaker 1: don't want impudence, That's very clear. I've getten enemies and
23:35
Speaker 1: backbiters like my betters, but I ne'er heard o any
23:38
Speaker 1: of them calling me or modest, said Higgins. His blood
23:41
Speaker 1: was a little roused by mister Thornton's manner, more than
23:44
Speaker 1: by his words. Mister Thornton saw a letter addressed to
23:48
Speaker 1: himself on the table. He took it up and read
23:50
Speaker 1: it through. At the end, he looked up and said,
23:52
Speaker 1: what are you waiting for? An answer to the question
23:56
Speaker 1: I asked? I gave it you before. Don't waste any
23:59
Speaker 1: more more of your time. Yo made a remark, sir,
24:03
Speaker 1: on my impudence, But I were taught that it was
24:04
Speaker 1: manner to say either yes or no when I were
24:07
Speaker 1: asked a civil question, I should be thankful to you
24:09
Speaker 1: if you'd give me work. Hamper will speak to my
24:12
Speaker 1: being a good hand. I've a notion you'd better not
24:15
Speaker 1: send me to Hamper to ask for a character my man.
24:18
Speaker 1: I might hear more than you'd like. I'd take the risk.
24:22
Speaker 1: Worst they could say of me is that I did
24:23
Speaker 1: what I thought best, even to my own wrong. You'd
24:27
Speaker 1: better go and try them then, and see whether they'll
24:29
Speaker 1: give you work. I've turned off upwards of a hundred
24:31
Speaker 1: of my best hands for no other fault than following you.
24:34
Speaker 1: And such as you and ye think I'll take you on,
24:37
Speaker 1: I might as well put a firebrand into the midst
24:39
Speaker 1: of the cotton waste. Higgins turned away. Then the recollection
24:44
Speaker 1: of Boucher came over him, and he faced round with
24:46
Speaker 1: the greatest concession he could persuade himself to make. I
24:50
Speaker 1: promise you, master, I'd not speak a word as could
24:53
Speaker 1: do harm if so be yo did right by us,
24:55
Speaker 1: and I'd promise more. I'd promise that when I seed
24:58
Speaker 1: you going wrong and acting on fair, I'd speak to
25:01
Speaker 1: you in private first, and that would be a fair warning.
25:04
Speaker 1: If you and I did not agree in our opinion
25:06
Speaker 1: or your conduct. You might turn me off at an
25:08
Speaker 1: hour's notice upon my word. You don't think small beer
25:12
Speaker 1: of yourself. Hamper has had a loss of you. How
25:15
Speaker 1: came he to let you and your wisdom go? Well?
25:19
Speaker 1: We parted with mutual dissatisfaction. I wouldn't give the pledge
25:22
Speaker 1: they were asking, and they wouldn't have me at no rate.
25:25
Speaker 1: So I'm free to make another engagement. And as I
25:27
Speaker 1: said before, though I shouldn't say it, I'm a good
25:29
Speaker 1: hand master and a steady man, especially when I can
25:32
Speaker 1: keep from drink, And that I shall do now. If
25:34
Speaker 1: I ne'er did afore that you may have more money
25:38
Speaker 1: laid up for another strike. I suppose no, I'd be
25:42
Speaker 1: thankful if I was free to do that. It's for
25:45
Speaker 1: to keep the widow and childer of a man who
25:46
Speaker 1: was drove mad by them knobsticks, a yorn, put out
25:49
Speaker 1: of his place by a paddy that did not know
25:51
Speaker 1: whef from warp. Well, you'd better turn to something else
25:54
Speaker 1: if you've any such good intention in your head. I
25:57
Speaker 1: shouldn't advise you to stay in Milton. You're too well
25:59
Speaker 1: known here. If it were Summer said Higgins, I'd take
26:03
Speaker 1: to Patty's work and go as a navvy or a
26:05
Speaker 1: hay making or summit, and ne'er see Milton again. But
26:08
Speaker 1: it's winter and the children will clem A pretty navvy.
26:12
Speaker 1: You'd make why you couldn't do half a day's work
26:14
Speaker 1: at digging against an irishman, I'd only charge half a
26:18
Speaker 1: day for the twelve hours. If I could only do
26:20
Speaker 1: half a day's work in the time, You're not knowing
26:22
Speaker 1: of any place where they could give me a trial
26:24
Speaker 1: away from the mills. If I'm such a firebrand, I'd
26:27
Speaker 1: take any wage they thought I was worth for the
26:29
Speaker 1: sake of those childer. Don't you see what you would be.
26:34
Speaker 1: You'd be a knobstick. You'd be taking less wages than
26:36
Speaker 1: the other laborers, all for the sake of another man's children.
26:40
Speaker 1: Think how you'd abuse any poor fellow who was willing
26:42
Speaker 1: to take what he could get to keep his own children.
26:45
Speaker 1: You and your union would soon be down upon him. No, no,
26:49
Speaker 1: if it's only for the recollection of the way in
26:51
Speaker 1: which you've used the poor knob six before. Now, I
26:53
Speaker 1: say no to your question. I'll not give you work.
26:56
Speaker 1: I won't say I don't believe your pretext for coming
26:59
Speaker 1: and asking for work. I know nothing about it. It
27:01
Speaker 1: may be true or it may not. It's a very
27:03
Speaker 1: unlikely story. At any rate, let me pass. I'll not
27:06
Speaker 1: give you work. There's your answer, I hear, sir, I
27:11
Speaker 1: wouldn't know had troubled you, but that I were bid
27:13
Speaker 1: to come by one as seemed to think you'd get
27:14
Speaker 1: in some soft place in your heart. Who were mistook
27:18
Speaker 1: and I were misled. But I'm not the first man
27:20
Speaker 1: as is misled by a woman. Tell her to mind
27:24
Speaker 1: her own business the next time, instead of taking up
27:26
Speaker 1: your time and mind too. I believe women are at
27:29
Speaker 1: the bottom of every plague in this world. Be off
27:31
Speaker 1: with you. I'm obliged to you for your kindness, master,
27:35
Speaker 1: and most of all, for your civil way of saying
27:36
Speaker 1: good bye. Mister Thornton did not deign a reply, but
27:41
Speaker 1: looking out of the window a minute after, he was
27:43
Speaker 1: struck with the lean, bent figure going out of the yard.
27:46
Speaker 1: The heavy walk was in strange contrast with the resolute,
27:49
Speaker 1: clear determination of the man to speak to him. He
27:52
Speaker 1: crossed to the porter's lodge. How long has that man
27:55
Speaker 1: Higgins been waiting to speak to me? He was outside
27:59
Speaker 1: the gate before eight o'clock, sir. I think he's been
28:01
Speaker 1: there ever since, and it is now just one, sir,
28:08
Speaker 1: five hours, thought mister Thornton. It's a long time for
28:11
Speaker 1: a man to wait, doing nothing but first hoping and
28:13
Speaker 1: then fearing. End of Chapter thirty eight. Recording by Leanne Howlett,