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029 - Ch 29 - A Day of Sunshine · North and South (version 2)

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty nine of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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  Speaker 1: This liprivox recording is in the public domain. Read by Marianne,
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  Speaker 1: chapter twenty nine. A ray of sunshine, some wishes crossed
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  Speaker 1: my mind and dimly cheered it, And one or two
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  Speaker 1: poor melancholy pleasures, each in the pale, unwarming light of hope,
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  Speaker 1: slivering its flimsy wing, flew silent by moss in the moonbeam. Coleridge.
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  Speaker 1: The next morning brought Margaret a letter from Edith. It
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  Speaker 1: was affectionate, and inconsequent like the writer. But the affection
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  Speaker 1: was charming to Margaret's own affectionate nature, and she had
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  Speaker 1: grown up with the inconsequence, so she did not perceive it.
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  Speaker 1: It was as follows, Oh, Margaret, it is worth the
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  Speaker 1: journey from England to see my boy. He is a
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  Speaker 1: superb little fellow, especially in his caps, and more especially
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  Speaker 1: in the one you sent him, You good, dainty fingered,
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  Speaker 1: persevering little lady. Having made all the mothers here envious,
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  Speaker 1: I want to show him to somebody new and hear
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  Speaker 1: a fresh set of admiring expressions. Perhaps that's all the reason.
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  Speaker 1: Perhaps it is not, nay, Possibly there is just a
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  Speaker 1: little cousinly love mixed with it. But I do want
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  Speaker 1: you so much to come here, Margaret. I'm sure it
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  Speaker 1: would be the best thing for Aunt Hale's health. And
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  Speaker 1: everybody here is young and well, and our skies are
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  Speaker 1: always blue, and the sun always shines, and the band
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  Speaker 1: plays deliciously from morning till night. And to come back
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  Speaker 1: to the burden of my ditty, my baby always smiles.
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  Speaker 1: I'm constantly wanting you to draw him for me, Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: It does not signify what he is doing. That very
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  Speaker 1: thing is prettiest, gracefulest best. I think I love him
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  Speaker 1: a great deal better than my husband, who is getting
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  Speaker 1: stout and grumpy what he calls busy. No, he is not.
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  Speaker 1: He has just come in with news of such a
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  Speaker 1: charming picnic given by the officers of the hazard at
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  Speaker 1: anchor in the bay below. Because he has brought in
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  Speaker 1: such a pleasant piece of news, I retract all I
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  Speaker 1: said just now. Did not somebody burn his hand for
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  Speaker 1: having said or done something he was sorry for? Well,
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  Speaker 1: I can't burn mine because it would hurt me and
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  Speaker 1: the scar would be ugly. But I'll retract all that
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  Speaker 1: I said as fast as I can. Cosmo is quite
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  Speaker 1: as great a darling as baby, and not a bit
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  Speaker 1: stout and as ungrumpy as ever husband was. Only sometimes
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  Speaker 1: he is very very busy. I may say that without
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  Speaker 1: love wifely duty, where was I? I had something very
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  Speaker 1: particular to say. I know once, Oh it is this,
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  Speaker 1: dearest margaret. You must come and see me. It would
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  Speaker 1: do Aunt Hale good. As I said before, Get the
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  Speaker 1: doctor to order it for her. Tell him that it's
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  Speaker 1: the smoke of Milton that does her harm. I have
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  Speaker 1: no doubt about that. Really, three months you must not come,
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  Speaker 1: for less of this delicious climate, All sunshine and grapes
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  Speaker 1: as common as blackberries would quite cure her. I don't
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  Speaker 1: ask my uncle. Here. The letter became more constrained and
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  Speaker 1: better written. Mister Hale was in the corner like a
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  Speaker 1: naughty child for having given up his living, because I
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  Speaker 1: dare say he disapproves of war and soldiers and bands
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  Speaker 1: of music. At least I know that many dissenters are
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  Speaker 1: members of the Peace Society. And I am afraid he
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  Speaker 1: would not like to come. But if he would pray,
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  Speaker 1: say that, Cosmo and I will do our best to
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  Speaker 1: make him happy, and I'll hide up Cosmo's red coat
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  Speaker 1: and sword, and make the band play all sorts of
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  Speaker 1: grave solemn things, or if they do play pomp and vanities,
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  Speaker 1: it shall be in double slow time. Dear Margaret, if
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  Speaker 1: he will like to accompany you and aunt Hale, we
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  Speaker 1: will try and make it pleasant. Though I'm rather afraid
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  Speaker 1: of any one who has done something for conscience sake.
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  Speaker 1: You never did. I hope tell aunt Hale not to
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  Speaker 1: bring many warm clothes, though I'm afraid it will be
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  Speaker 1: late in the year before you can come. But you
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  Speaker 1: have no idea of the heat here. I tried to
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  Speaker 1: wear my great beauty Indian shawl at a picnic. I
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  Speaker 1: kept myself up with proverbs as long as I could,
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  Speaker 1: pride must abide, and such wholesome pieces of pith. But
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  Speaker 1: it was of no use. I was like mamma's little dog,
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  Speaker 1: tiny with an elephant's trappings on, smothered, hidden, killed with
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  Speaker 1: my finery. So I made it a capital carpet for
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  Speaker 1: us all to sit down upon. Here's this boy of mine, Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: If you don't pack up your things as soon as
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  Speaker 1: you get this letter and come straight off to see him,
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  Speaker 1: I shall think you're descended from King Herod. Margaret did
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  Speaker 1: long for a day of Edith's life, her freedom from care,
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  Speaker 1: her cheerful home, her sunny skies. If a wish could
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  Speaker 1: have transported her, she would have gone off just for
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  Speaker 1: one day. She yearned for the strength which such a
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  Speaker 1: change would give, even for a few hours, to be
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  Speaker 1: in the midst of that bright life, and to feel
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  Speaker 1: young again. Not yet twenty, and she had had to
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  Speaker 1: bear up against such hard pressure that she felt quite old.
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  Speaker 1: That was her first feeling after reading Edith's letter. Then
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  Speaker 1: she read it again, and forgetting herself, was amused at
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  Speaker 1: its likeness to Edith's self, and was laughing merrily over it.
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  Speaker 1: When missus Hale came into the drawing room, leaning on
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  Speaker 1: Dixon's arm, Margaret flew to adjust the pillows. Her mother
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  Speaker 1: seemed more than usually feeble. What were you laughing at?
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  Speaker 1: Margaret asked she, as soon as she had recovered from
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  Speaker 1: the exertion of settling herself on the sofa. A letter
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  Speaker 1: I have had this morning from Edith? Shall I read
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  Speaker 1: it to you, Mamma? She read it aloud, and for
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  Speaker 1: time it seemed interest her mother, who kept wondering what
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  Speaker 1: name Edith had given to her boy, and suggesting all
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  Speaker 1: probable names, and all possible reasons why each and all
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  Speaker 1: of these names should be given Into the very midst
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  Speaker 1: of these wonders, mister Thornton came, bringing another offering of
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  Speaker 1: fruit for missus Hale. He could not say, rather, he
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  Speaker 1: would not deny himself the chance of the pleasure of
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  Speaker 1: seeing Margaret. He had no end in this but the
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  Speaker 1: present gratification. It was the sturdy wilfulness of a man
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  Speaker 1: usually most reasonable and self controlled. He entered the room,
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  Speaker 1: taking in at a glance the fact of Margaret's presence.
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  Speaker 1: But after the first cold, distant bow, he never seemed
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  Speaker 1: to let his eyes fall on her again. He only
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  Speaker 1: stayed to present his peaches, to speak some gentle, kindly words,
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  Speaker 1: and then his cold, offended eyes met Margaret's with a
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  Speaker 1: grave farewell. As he left the room, She sat down,
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  Speaker 1: silent and pale. Do you know, Margaret, I really begin
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  Speaker 1: quite to like mister Thornton. No answer at first, Then
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  Speaker 1: Margaret forced out an icy do you yes, I think
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  Speaker 1: he is really getting quite polished in his manners. Margaret's
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  Speaker 1: voice was more in order now, she replied, he is
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  Speaker 1: very kind and attentive. There's no doubt of that. I wonder.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Thornton never calls. She must know I am ill
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  Speaker 1: because of the water bed. I dare say she hears
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  Speaker 1: how you are from her son. Still I should like
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  Speaker 1: to see her. You have so few friends here, Margaret.
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  Speaker 1: Margaret felt what was in her mother's thoughts, a tender
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  Speaker 1: craving to bespeak the kindness of some woman towards the
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  Speaker 1: daughter that might be so soon left motherless. But she
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  Speaker 1: could not speak. Do you think, said missus Hale, after
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  Speaker 1: a pause, that you could go and ask Missus Thornton
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  Speaker 1: to come and see me only once? I don't want
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  Speaker 1: to be troublesome. I will do anything if you wish it, mamma.
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  Speaker 1: But if but when Frederick comes, Ah to be sure,
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  Speaker 1: we must keep our doors shut. We must let no
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  Speaker 1: one in. I hardly know whether I dare wish him
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  Speaker 1: to come or not. Sometimes I think I would rather not.
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes I have such frightful dreams about him. Oh, mamma,
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  Speaker 1: we'll take good care. I will put my arm in
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  Speaker 1: the bolt sooner than he should come to the slightest harm.
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  Speaker 1: Trust the care of him to me, mamma. I will
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  Speaker 1: watch over him like a lioness over her young. When
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  Speaker 1: can we hear from him. Not for a week yet, certainly,
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  Speaker 1: perhaps more. We must send Martha away in good time.
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  Speaker 1: It would never do to have her here when he
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  Speaker 1: comes and then send her off in a hurry. Dixon
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  Speaker 1: is sure to remind us of that. I was thinking
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  Speaker 1: that if we want any help in the house while
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  Speaker 1: he is here, we could perhaps get Mary Higgins. She
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  Speaker 1: is very slack of work, and is a good girl,
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  Speaker 1: and would take pains to do her best. I am sure,
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  Speaker 1: and would sleep at home and need never come upstairs
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  Speaker 1: so as to know who was in the house as
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  Speaker 1: you please, as Dixon pleases. But Margaret, don't get to
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  Speaker 1: use these horrid Milton words slack of work. It is
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  Speaker 1: a provincialism. What would your Aunt Shaw say if she
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  Speaker 1: hears you use it on her return home. Mamma, don't
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  Speaker 1: try and make a bugbear of Aunt Shaw, said Margaret, laughing.
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  Speaker 1: Edith picked up all sorts of military slang from Captain Lennox,
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  Speaker 1: and Aunt Shaw never took any notice of it. But
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  Speaker 1: yours is factory slang. And if I live in a
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  Speaker 1: factory town, I must speak factory language when I want it. Why, Mamma,
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  Speaker 1: I could astonish you with a great many words you
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  Speaker 1: have never heard in your life. I don't believe you
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  Speaker 1: know what a knobstick is, not I child. I only
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  Speaker 1: know it has some very vulgar sound, and I don't
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  Speaker 1: want to hear you using it. Very well, dearest Mamma,
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  Speaker 1: I won't only I shall have to use a whole
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  Speaker 1: explanatory sentence instead. I don't like this, Milton, said missus Hale.
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  Speaker 1: Edith is right enough in saying it's the smoke that
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  Speaker 1: has made me so ill. Margaret stood up as her
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  Speaker 1: mother said this. Her father had just entered the room,
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  Speaker 1: and she was most anxious that the faint impression she
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  Speaker 1: had seen on his mind that the Milton air had
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  Speaker 1: injured her mother's health should not be deepened. She did
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  Speaker 1: not receive any confirmation. She could not tell whether he
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  Speaker 1: had heard what missus Hale had said or not, but
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  Speaker 1: she began to speak hurriedly of other things, unaware that
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  Speaker 1: mister Thornton was following him. Mamma is accusing me of
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  Speaker 1: having picked up a great deal of vulgarity since we
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  Speaker 1: came to Milton. The vulgarity Margaret spoke of referred purely
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  Speaker 1: to the use of local words and the expression arose
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  Speaker 1: out of the conversation they had just been holding. But
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  Speaker 1: mister Thornton's brow darkened, and Margaret suddenly felt how her
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  Speaker 1: speech might be misunderstood by him, So, in the natural
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  Speaker 1: sweet desire to avoid giving unnecessary pain, she forced herself
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  Speaker 1: to go forwards with a little greeting and continue what
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  Speaker 1: she was saying, addressing herself to him expressly. Now, mister Thornton,
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  Speaker 1: though knobstick has not a very pretty sound? Is it
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  Speaker 1: not expressive? Could I do without it? In speaking of
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  Speaker 1: the thing it represents? If using local words as vulgar,
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  Speaker 1: I was very vulgar in the forest? Was I not, mamma?
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  Speaker 1: It was unusual with Margaret to obtrude her own subject
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  Speaker 1: of conversation on others, but in this case she was
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  Speaker 1: so anxious to prevent mister Thornton from feeling annoyance at
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  Speaker 1: the words he had accidentally overheard that it was not
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  Speaker 1: until she had done speaking that she colored all over
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  Speaker 1: with consciousness, more especially as mister Thornton seemed hardly to
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  Speaker 1: understand the exact gest or bearing of what she was saying,
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  Speaker 1: but passed her by with a cold reserve of ceremonious
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  Speaker 1: movement to speak to missus Hale. The sight of him
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  Speaker 1: reminded her of the wish to see his mother and
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  Speaker 1: commend Margaret to her care. Margaret, sitting in burning silence,
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  Speaker 1: vexed and ashamed of her difficulty in keeping her right
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  Speaker 1: place and her calm unconsciousness of heart. When mister Thornton
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  Speaker 1: was by, heard her mother's slow entreaty that Missus Thornton
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  Speaker 1: would come and see her, see her soon to morrow,
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  Speaker 1: if it were possible. Mister Thornton promised that she should
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  Speaker 1: conversed a little more, and then took his leave, and
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  Speaker 1: Margaret's movements and voice seemed at once released from some
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  Speaker 1: invisible chains. He never looked at her, and yet the
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  Speaker 1: careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some way
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  Speaker 1: he knew exactly where if they fell, by chance, they
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  Speaker 1: would rest on her if when she spoke, he gave
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  Speaker 1: no sign of attention, and yet his next speech to
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  Speaker 1: any one else was modified by what she had said.
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes there was an express answer to what she had remarked,
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  Speaker 1: but given to another person, as though unsuggested by her.
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  Speaker 1: It was not the bad manners of ignorance. It was
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  Speaker 1: the wilful bad manners arising from deep offense. It was
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  Speaker 1: wilful at the time, repented of afterwards, But no deep pain,
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  Speaker 1: no careful cunning, could have stood him in such good stead.
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  Speaker 1: Margaret thought about him more than she had ever done before,
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  Speaker 1: not with any tinge of what is called love, but
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  Speaker 1: with regret that she had wounded him so deeply, and
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  Speaker 1: with a gentle patient striving to return to their former
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  Speaker 1: position of antagonistic friendship. For a friend's position was what
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  Speaker 1: she found that he had held in her regard, as
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  Speaker 1: well as in that of the rest of the family.
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  Speaker 1: There was a pretty humility in her behavior to him,
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  Speaker 1: as if mutely apologizing for the over strong words which
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  Speaker 1: were the reaction from the deeds of the day of
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  Speaker 1: the riot. But he resented those words bitterly. They rung
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  Speaker 1: in his ears, and he was proud of the sense
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  Speaker 1: of justice which made him go on in every kindness
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  Speaker 1: he could offer to her parents. He exulted in the
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  Speaker 1: power he showed in compelling himself to face her whenever
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  Speaker 1: he could think of any action which might give her
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  Speaker 1: father or mother pleasure. He thought that he disliked seeing
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  Speaker 1: one who had mortified him so keenly, But he was mistaken.
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  Speaker 1: It was a stinging pleasure to be in the room
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  Speaker 1: with her and feel her presence. But he was no
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  Speaker 1: great analyzer of his own motives, and was mistaken, as
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  Speaker 1: I have said, end of Chapter twenty nine