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027 - Fruit-piece · North and South

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty seven 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 ought to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org.
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  Speaker 1: Recording by Liz Thompson. North and South by Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell,
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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty seven, fruit Piece, for never anything can be
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  Speaker 1: amiss when simpleness and duty tender it a midsummer night's dream,
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  Speaker 1: mister Thornton went straight and clear into all the interests
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  Speaker 1: of the following day. There was a slight demand for
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  Speaker 1: finished goods, and as it affected his branch of the trade,
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  Speaker 1: he took advantage of it and drove hard bargains. He
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  Speaker 1: was sharp to the hour at the meeting of his
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  Speaker 1: brother magistrates, giving them the best assistance of his strong
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  Speaker 1: sense and his power of seeing consequences at a glance,
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  Speaker 1: and so coming to a rapid decision. Older men, men
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  Speaker 1: of long standing in the town, men of far greater
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  Speaker 1: wealth realized and turned into land, while his was all
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  Speaker 1: floating capital engaged in his trade, looked to him for
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  Speaker 1: prompt ready wisdom. He was one deputed to see and
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  Speaker 1: arrange with the police, to lead in all the requisite
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  Speaker 1: steps and He cared for their unconscious deference no more
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  Speaker 1: than for the soft west wind that scarcely made the
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  Speaker 1: smoke from the great tall chimneys swerve in its straight
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  Speaker 1: upward course. He was not aware of the silent respect
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  Speaker 1: pay to him. If it had been otherwise, he would
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  Speaker 1: have felt it as an obstacle in his progress to
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  Speaker 1: the object he had in view. As it was, he
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  Speaker 1: looked to the speedy accomplishment of that alone. It was
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  Speaker 1: his mother's greedy ears that sucked in from the women
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  Speaker 1: kind of these magistrates and wealthy men. How highly mister
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  Speaker 1: this or mister that thought of mister Thornton, that if
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  Speaker 1: he had not been there, things would have gone very differently,
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  Speaker 1: very badly. Indeed, he swept off his business right and
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  Speaker 1: left that day. It seemed as though his deep mortification
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  Speaker 1: of yesterday and the stunned, purposeless course of the hours afterwards,
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  Speaker 1: had cleared away all the mists from his intellect. He
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  Speaker 1: felt his power and reveled in it. He could almost
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  Speaker 1: diviy his heart. If he had known it, he could
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  Speaker 1: have sang the song of the miller who lived by
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  Speaker 1: the river, Dee, I care for nobody, nobody cares for me.
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  Speaker 1: The evidence against Butcher and other ringleaders of the riot
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  Speaker 1: was taken before him. That against the three others for
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  Speaker 1: conspiracy failed, but he sternly charged the police to be
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  Speaker 1: on the watch for the swift right arm of the
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  Speaker 1: law should be in readiness to strike as soon as
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  Speaker 1: they could prove a fault. And then he left the
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  Speaker 1: hot reeking groom in the Borough Court and went out
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  Speaker 1: into the fresher but still sultry street. It seemed as
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  Speaker 1: though he gave way all at once. He was so
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  Speaker 1: languid that he could not control his thoughts. They would
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  Speaker 1: wander to her, They would bring back the scene, not
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  Speaker 1: of his repulse and rejection the day before, but the looks,
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  Speaker 1: the actions of the day before that. He went along
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  Speaker 1: the crowded streets, mechanically winding in and out among the people,
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  Speaker 1: but never seeing them, almost sick with longing for that
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  Speaker 1: one half hour, that one brief space of time when
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  Speaker 1: she clung to him, and her heart beat against his
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  Speaker 1: to come once again. Why, mister Thornton, you're cutting me
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  Speaker 1: very coolly, I must say. And how is missus Thornton
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  Speaker 1: brave weather? This? We doctors don't like it. I can
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  Speaker 1: tell you. I beg your pardon, doctor Donaldson, I really
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  Speaker 1: didn't see you. My mother's quite well, thank you. It
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  Speaker 1: is a fine day and good for the harvest. I
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  Speaker 1: hope if the wheat is well got in, we shall
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  Speaker 1: have a brisk trade next year. Whatever you doctors have aye, aye,
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  Speaker 1: each man himself. Your bad weather and your bad times
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  Speaker 1: are my good ones. When trade is bad, there's more
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  Speaker 1: undermining of health and preparation for death going on among
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  Speaker 1: you Milton men than you're aware of. Not with me, doctor,
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  Speaker 1: I'm made of iron. The news of the worst bad
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  Speaker 1: debt I ever had never made my pulse vary. This strike,
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  Speaker 1: which affects me more than any one else in Milton,
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  Speaker 1: more than hamper, never comes near my appetite. You must
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  Speaker 1: go elsewhere for a patient. Doctor, By the way, you've
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  Speaker 1: recommended me a good patient. Poor lady, not to go
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  Speaker 1: on talking in this heartless way. I seriously believe that
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  Speaker 1: missus Hale, that lady in Crampton, you know, hasn't many
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  Speaker 1: weeks to live. I never had any hope of cure,
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  Speaker 1: as I think I told you. But I've been seeing
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  Speaker 1: her to day, but I think very badly of her.
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  Speaker 1: Mister Thornton was silent the vaunted steadiness of pulse failed
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  Speaker 1: him for an instant. Can I do anything, doctor, he
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  Speaker 1: asked in an altered voice. You know you would see
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  Speaker 1: that money's not very plentiful. Are there any comforts or
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  Speaker 1: dainties she ought to have? No, replied the doctor, shaking
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  Speaker 1: his head. She crazed for fruit. She has a constant
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  Speaker 1: fever on her But jargonelle pears will do as well
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  Speaker 1: as anything, and there are quantities of them in the market.
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  Speaker 1: You will tell me if there's anything I can do,
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  Speaker 1: I'm sure, replied mister Thornton. I rely upon you. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: never fear, I'll not spare your purse. I know it's
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  Speaker 1: deep enough. I wish you'd give me carte blanche for
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  Speaker 1: all my patients and all their wants. But mister Thornton
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  Speaker 1: had no general benevolence, no universal philanthropy. Few even would
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  Speaker 1: have given him credit for strong affections. But he went
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  Speaker 1: straight to the first fruit shop in Milton and chose
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  Speaker 1: out the bunch of purple grapes with the most delicate
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  Speaker 1: bloom upon them, the richest colored peaches, the freshest fine leaves.
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  Speaker 1: They were packet into a basket, and the shopmen awaited
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  Speaker 1: for the answer to his inquiry, where shall we send
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  Speaker 1: them to? Sir? There was no reply to Marlborough Mills.
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  Speaker 1: I suppose, sir, no, mister Thornton, and said, give the
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  Speaker 1: basket to me, I'll take it. It took up both his
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  Speaker 1: hands to carry it, and he had to pass through
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  Speaker 1: the busiest part of the town for feminine shopping. Many
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  Speaker 1: a young lady of his acquaintance turned to look after
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  Speaker 1: him and thought it strange to see him occupied, just
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  Speaker 1: like a porter or an errand boy. He was thinking,
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  Speaker 1: I will not be daunted from doing as I choose
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  Speaker 1: by the thought of her. I like to take this
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  Speaker 1: fruit to the poor mother, and it is simply right
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  Speaker 1: that I should. She shall never scorn me out of
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  Speaker 1: doing what I please. A pretty joke. Indeed, if for
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  Speaker 1: fear of a haughty girl I failed in doing the
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  Speaker 1: kindness to a man I liked, I do it for
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  Speaker 1: mister Hale, I do it in defiance of her. He
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  Speaker 1: went at an unusual pace and was soon at Crampton.
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  Speaker 1: He went upstairs two steps at a time and entered
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  Speaker 1: the drawing room before Dixon could announce him. His face flashed,
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  Speaker 1: his eyes shining with kindly earnestness. Missus Hale lay on
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  Speaker 1: the sofa, heated with fever. Mister Hale was reading aloud.
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  Speaker 1: Margaret was working on a low stool by her mother's side.
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  Speaker 1: Her heart fluttered if his did not, at this interview,
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  Speaker 1: but he took no notice of her, hardly of mister
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  Speaker 1: Hale himself. He went up straight with his basket to
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  Speaker 1: missus Hale and said, in that subdued and gentle tone
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  Speaker 1: which is so touching when used by a robust man
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  Speaker 1: in full health speaking to a feeble invalid, I met
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  Speaker 1: mister Donaldson, ma'am, and as he said fruit would be
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  Speaker 1: good for you, I have taken the liberty, the great liberty,
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  Speaker 1: of bringing you some that seemed to me fine. Missus
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  Speaker 1: Hale was excessively surprised, excessively pleased. Quite in a tremble
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  Speaker 1: of eagerness. Mister Hale, with fewer words, expressed a deeper gratitude.
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  Speaker 1: Fetch a plate, Margaret, a basket anything. Margaret stood up
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  Speaker 1: by the table, half afraid of moving or making any
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  Speaker 1: noise to arouse mister Thornton into a consciousness of her
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  Speaker 1: being in the room. She thought it would be awkward
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  Speaker 1: for both to be brought into a conscious collision, and
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  Speaker 1: fancied that from her being on a low seat at first,
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  Speaker 1: and now standing behind her father, he had overlooked her
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  Speaker 1: in his haste, as if he did not feel the
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  Speaker 1: consciousness of her presence all over, though his eyes had
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  Speaker 1: never rested on her. I must go, said he. I
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  Speaker 1: cannot stay if you will forgive this liberty. My rough
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  Speaker 1: ways too abrupt, I fear, but I will be more
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  Speaker 1: gentle next time. You will allow me the pleasure of
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  Speaker 1: bringing you some fruit again if I should see any
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  Speaker 1: that is tempting. Good afternoon, mister Hale. Good bye, ma'am.
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  Speaker 1: He was gone, not one word, not one look to Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: She believed that he had not seen her. She went
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  Speaker 1: for a plate in silence and lifted the fruit out
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  Speaker 1: tenderly with the points of her delicate taper fingers. It
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  Speaker 1: was good of him to bring it, and after yesterday too. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: it is so delicious, said missus Hale in a feeble voice.
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  Speaker 1: How kind of him to think of me, Margaret love
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  Speaker 1: only taste these grapes? Was it not good of him? Yes,
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  Speaker 1: said Margaret quietly. Margaret said missus Hale, rather querulously, you
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  Speaker 1: won't like anything mister Thornton, does I never saw anybody
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  Speaker 1: so prejudiced. Mister Hale had been peeling a peach for
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  Speaker 1: his wife and cutting off a small piece for himself.
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  Speaker 1: He said, if I had any prejudices, the gift of
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  Speaker 1: such delicious fruit as this would melt them all away.
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  Speaker 1: I have not tasted such fruit, no, not even in
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  Speaker 1: Hampshire since I was a boy, and to boys I
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  Speaker 1: fancy all fruit is good. I remember eating sloes and
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  Speaker 1: crabs with the relish. Do you remember the matted up
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  Speaker 1: currant bushes, Margaret at the corner of the west wall
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  Speaker 1: in the garden at home? Did she not? Did she
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  Speaker 1: not remember every weather stain on the old stone wall,
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  Speaker 1: the gray and yellow lichens that marked it like a map,
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  Speaker 1: the little crane's bill that grew in the crevices. She
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  Speaker 1: had been shaken by the events of the last two days.
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  Speaker 1: Her whole life just now was strain upon her fortitude,
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  Speaker 1: and somehow these careless words of her father's, touching on
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  Speaker 1: the remembrance of the sunny times of old, made her
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  Speaker 1: start up and dropping her saying on the ground. She
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  Speaker 1: went hastily out of the room into her own little chamber.
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  Speaker 1: She had hardly given way to the first choking sob
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  Speaker 1: when she became aware of Dixon standing at her drawers
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  Speaker 1: and evidently searching for something. Bless me, miss how you
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  Speaker 1: startled me? Missus is not worse, is she? Is there
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  Speaker 1: anything the matter? No? Nothing, only I'm silly Dixon, and
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  Speaker 1: want a glass of water? What are you looking for?
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  Speaker 1: I keep my muslins in that drawer. Dixon did not speak,
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  Speaker 1: but went on rummaging. The scent of lavender came out
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  Speaker 1: and perfumed the room. At last, Dixon found what she wanted.
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  Speaker 1: What it was, Margaret could not see. Dixon faced round
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  Speaker 1: and spoke to her. Now, I don't like telling you
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  Speaker 1: what I wanted, because you've fretting enough to go through
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  Speaker 1: and I know you'll fret about this. I meant to
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  Speaker 1: have kept it from you till night maybe, or such
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  Speaker 1: times as that. What is the matter? Pray? Tell me?
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  Speaker 1: Dixon at once? That young woman you go to see Higgins,
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  Speaker 1: I mean, well, well, she died this morning and her
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  Speaker 1: sister is here. Come to beg a strange thing. It
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  Speaker 1: seems a young woman who died had a fancy for
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  Speaker 1: being buried in something of yours, and so the sister's
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  Speaker 1: come to ask for it, and I was looking for
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  Speaker 1: a night cap that wasn't too good to give away. Oh,
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  Speaker 1: let me find one, said Margaret in the midst of
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  Speaker 1: her tears. Poor Bessy. I never thought I should not
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  Speaker 1: see her again. Why that's another thing. This girl downstairs
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  Speaker 1: wanted me to ask you if you would like to
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  Speaker 1: see her. But she's dead, said Margaret, turning a little pale.
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  Speaker 1: I never saw a dead person. No, I would rather not.
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  Speaker 1: I should never have asked you if you hadn't come in.
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  Speaker 1: I told her you wouldn't. I will go down and
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  Speaker 1: speak to her, said Margaret, afraid lest Dixon's harshness of
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  Speaker 1: manner might wound the poor girl, so taking the cap
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  Speaker 1: in her hands, she went to the kitchen. Mary's face
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  Speaker 1: was all swollen with crying, and she burst out afresh
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  Speaker 1: when she saw Margaret. Oh, ma'am, she loved yo. She
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  Speaker 1: loved you. She did indeed, And for a long time
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  Speaker 1: Margaret could not get her to say anything more than this.
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  Speaker 1: At last, her sympathy and Dixon's scolding forced out a
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  Speaker 1: few facts. Nicholas Higgins had gone out in the morning,
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  Speaker 1: leaving Bessy as well as on the day before but
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  Speaker 1: in an hour she was taken worse. Some neighbor ran
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  Speaker 1: to the room where Mary was working. They did not
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  Speaker 1: know where to find her father. Mary had only come
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  Speaker 1: in a few minutes before she died. It were a
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  Speaker 1: day or two ago. She actually buried in somewhatter yawn.
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  Speaker 1: She were never tired of talking to you. She used
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  Speaker 1: to say, you were the prettiest thing she'd ever clapped
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  Speaker 1: eyes on. She loved you dearly. Her last words were
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  Speaker 1: give her my affectionate respects, and keep father for a drink.
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  Speaker 1: You'll come and see her, ma'am. She would have thought
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  Speaker 1: it a great compliment. I know. Margaret shrank a little
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  Speaker 1: from answering, yes, perhaps I may, Yes I will. I'll
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  Speaker 1: come before tea. But where's your father? Mary? Mary shook
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  Speaker 1: her head and stood up to be going, miss, He
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  Speaker 1: said Dixon in a low voice. Where's the use you
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  Speaker 1: are going to see? The poor thing laid out. I'd
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  Speaker 1: never say a word against it if it could do
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  Speaker 1: the girl any good, and I wouldn't mind a bit
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  Speaker 1: going myself if that would satisfy her. They've just a
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  Speaker 1: notion of these common folks, of at being a respect
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  Speaker 1: to the departed. Here said she turning sharply round. I'll
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  Speaker 1: come and see your sister. Miss Hale is busy and
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  Speaker 1: can't come, or else she would. The girl looked wistfully
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  Speaker 1: at Margaret. Dixon's coming might be a compliment, but it
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  Speaker 1: was not the same thing to the poor sister, who
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  Speaker 1: had had her little pangs of jealousy during Bessy's lifetime
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  Speaker 1: at the intimacy between her and the young lady. No
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  Speaker 1: Dixon said Margaret with decision, I will go Mary. You
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  Speaker 1: shall see me this afternoon, And for fear of her
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  Speaker 1: own cowardice, she went away in order to take from
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  Speaker 1: herself any chance of changing her determination. End of Chapter
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  Speaker 1: twenty seven h