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043 - The Storm Bursts · Wives and Daughters

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Speaker 1: Chapter forty two of Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter forty two,
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Speaker 1: The storm bursts, the autumn drifted away through all its seasons,
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Speaker 1: the golden corn harvest, the walks through the stubble fields
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Speaker 1: and rambles into hazel copses in search of nuts, the
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Speaker 1: stripping of the apple orchards of their ruddy fruit, amid
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Speaker 1: the joyous cries and shouts of watching children, and the
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Speaker 1: gorgeous tuliplike coloring of the later time had now come on.
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Speaker 1: With the shortening days, there was comparative silence in the land,
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Speaker 1: excepting for the distant shots and the whir of the
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Speaker 1: partridges as they rose up from the field. Ever since
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Speaker 1: Miss Browning's unlucky conversation, things had been ajar in the
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Speaker 1: Gibson's house. Cynthia seemed to keep every one out at
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Speaker 1: mental arm's length, and particularly avoided any private talks with Molly.
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson, still cherishing a grudge against Miss Browning for
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Speaker 1: her implied accusation of not looking enough. After Molly chose
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Speaker 1: to exercise a most wearying supervision over the poor girl,
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Speaker 1: it was where have you been child, Who did you see?
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Speaker 1: Who was that letter from?
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Speaker 2: Why were you so long out when you had only
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Speaker 2: to go to so and so?
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Speaker 1: Just as if Molly had really been detected in carrying
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Speaker 1: on some underhand intercourse. She answered every question asked of
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Speaker 1: her with the simple truthfulness of perfect innocence. But the inquiries,
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Speaker 1: although she read their motive and knew that they arose
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Speaker 1: from no especial suspicion of her conduct, but only that
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Speaker 1: missus Gibson might be able to say that she looked
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Speaker 1: well after her stepdaughter chafed her inexpressibly. Very often she
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Speaker 1: did not go out at all, sooner than have to
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Speaker 1: give a plan of her intended proceedings, when perhaps she
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Speaker 1: had no plan at all, only thought of wandering out
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Speaker 1: at her own sweet will, and of taking pleasure in
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Speaker 1: the bright, solemn fading of the year. It was a
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Speaker 1: very heavy time for Molly Cess, and life had fled
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Speaker 1: and left so many of them, all delights mere. Shehalls
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Speaker 1: of seeming. She thought it was that her youth had
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Speaker 1: fled at nineteen, Cynthia was no longer the same somehow,
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Speaker 1: and perhaps Cynthia's change would injure her in the distant
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Speaker 1: Roger's opinion, her stepmother seemed almost kind in comparison with
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Speaker 1: Cynthia's withdrawal of her heart. Missus Gibson worried her to
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Speaker 1: be sure, with all these forms of watching over her,
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Speaker 1: but in all her other ways, she at any rate
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Speaker 1: was the same. Yet Cynthia herself seemed anxious and careworn,
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Speaker 1: though she would not speak of her anxieties to Molly.
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Speaker 1: And then the poor girl, in her goodness, would blame
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Speaker 1: herself for feeling Cynthia's change of manner. For as Molly
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Speaker 1: said to herself.
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Speaker 3: If it is hard work for me to help, always
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Speaker 3: fretting after Roger and wondering where he is and how
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Speaker 3: he is, what must it be for her?
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Speaker 1: One day mister Gibson came in, bright and swift.
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Speaker 3: Molly said, he, where's Cynthia gone out to de Semerrance.
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Speaker 4: Well, it's a pity, but never mind. Put on your
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Speaker 4: bonnet and cloak as fast as you can. I've had
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Speaker 4: to borrow Old Simpson's dog cart. There would have been
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Speaker 4: room both for you and Cynthia, But as it is,
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Speaker 4: you must walk back alone. I'll drive you as far
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Speaker 4: on the Barford Road as I can, and then you
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Speaker 4: must jump down. I can't take you on to Broadhurst's.
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Speaker 4: I may be kept there for hours.
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Speaker 1: Missus Gibson was out of the room, out of the house.
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Speaker 1: It might be for all. Molly cared, and now she
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Speaker 1: had her father's leave and command. Her bonnet and cloak
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Speaker 1: were on in two minutes, and she was sitting by
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Speaker 1: her father's side, the back seat shut up, and the
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Speaker 1: light weight going swiftly and merrily bumping over the stone
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Speaker 1: paved lanes. Oh this is charming, said Molly, after a
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Speaker 1: toss up on her seat from a tremendous bump.
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Speaker 4: For youth, but not for crabbed age, said mister Gibson.
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Speaker 4: My bones are getting rheumatic and would rather go smoothly
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Speaker 4: over macadamized streets.
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Speaker 3: That's treason to this lovely view and this fine, pure air. Papa, only,
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Speaker 3: I don't believe you.
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Speaker 4: Thank you, as you are so complimentary. I think I
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Speaker 4: shall put you down At the foot of this hill.
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Speaker 4: We've passed the second milestone from Hollingford.
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Speaker 3: Oh, let me just go up to the top. I
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Speaker 3: know we can see the blue range of the Malverns
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Speaker 3: from it, and Dorimer Hall among the woods. The horse
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Speaker 3: will want a minute's rest, and then I will get
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Speaker 3: down without a word.
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Speaker 1: So she went up to the top of the hill,
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Speaker 1: and there there sat still a minute or two, enjoying
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Speaker 1: the view without much speaking. The woods were golden. The
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Speaker 1: old house of purple red brick, with its twisted chimneys,
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Speaker 1: rose up from among them, facing onto green lawns and
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Speaker 1: a placid lake beyond again with the Malvern Hills.
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Speaker 4: Now jump down, Lassie, and make the best of your
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Speaker 4: way home before it gets dark. You'll find the cut
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Speaker 4: over Croston Heath shorter than the road we've come by.
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Speaker 1: To get to Croston Heath, Molly had to go down
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Speaker 1: a narrow lane overshadowed by trees, with picturesque old cottages
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Speaker 1: dotted here and there on the steep sandy banks. And
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Speaker 1: then there came a small wood, and then there was
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Speaker 1: a brook to be crossed on a plank bridge, and
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Speaker 1: up the steeper fields. On the opposite side were cut
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Speaker 1: steps in the turfy path. These ended. She was on
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Speaker 1: Crosston Heath, a wide stretching common skirted by laborer's dwellings,
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Speaker 1: past which a near road to Hollingford lay. The loneliest
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Speaker 1: part of the road was the first the lane, the wood,
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Speaker 1: the little bridge, and the clambering through the upland fields.
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Speaker 1: But Molly cared little for loneliness. She went along the
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Speaker 1: lane under the over arching elm branches, from which here
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Speaker 1: and there a yellow leaf came floating down upon her
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Speaker 1: very dress, past the last cottage, where a little child
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Speaker 1: had tumbled down the sloping bank and was publishing the
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Speaker 1: accident with frightened cries. Molly stooped to pick it up,
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Speaker 1: and taking it in her arms in a manner which
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Speaker 1: caused intense surprise to take the place of alarm in
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Speaker 1: its little breast, she carried it up the rough flag
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Speaker 1: steps towards the cottage which she supposed to be its home.
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Speaker 1: The mother came running in from the garden behind the house,
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Speaker 1: still holding the late Damsons she had been gathering in
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Speaker 1: her apron, but on seeing her, the little creature held
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Speaker 1: out its arms to go to her, and she dropped
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Speaker 1: her Damsons all about as she took it, and began
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Speaker 1: to soothe it as it cried afresh, interspersing her lulling
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Speaker 1: with thanks to Molly. She called her by her name,
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Speaker 1: and on Molly asking the woman how she came to
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Speaker 1: know it, she replied.
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Speaker 2: That before her marriage she had been a servant of
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Speaker 2: missus Goodenough, and so was bound to know doctor Gibson's
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Speaker 2: daughter by sight.
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Speaker 1: After the exchange of two or three more words, Molly
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Speaker 1: ran down into the lane and pursued her way, stopping
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Speaker 1: here and there to gather a nosegay of such leaves
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Speaker 1: as struck her for their brilliant coloring. She entered the wood.
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Speaker 1: As she turned a corner in the lonely path, she
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Speaker 1: heard a passionate voice of distress, and in an instant
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Speaker 1: she recognized Cynthia's tones. She stood still and looked around.
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Speaker 1: There were some thick holly bushes shining out dark green
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Speaker 1: in the midst of the amber and scarlet foliage. If
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Speaker 1: anyone was there, it must be behind these thick bushes.
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Speaker 1: So Molly left the path and went straight, plunging through
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Speaker 1: the brown tangled growth of ferns and underwood, and turned
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Speaker 1: the holly bushes. There stood mister Preston and Cynthia, he
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Speaker 1: holding her hands tight, each looking as if just silenced
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Speaker 1: in some vehement talk by the rustle of Molly's footsteps.
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Speaker 1: For an instant no one spoke. Then Cynthia said.
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Speaker 2: Oh, Molly, Molly, come and judge between us.
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Speaker 1: Mister Preston let go Cynthia's hands slowly, with a look
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Speaker 1: that was more of a sneer than a smile. Yet
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Speaker 1: he too had been strongly agitated. Whatever was the subject
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Speaker 1: in dispute. Molly came forward and took Cynthia's arm, her
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Speaker 1: eyes steadily fixed on mister Preston's face. It was fine
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Speaker 1: to see the fearlessness of her perfect innocence. He could
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Speaker 1: not bear her look and said to Cynthia.
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Speaker 5: The subject of our conversation does not well admit of
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Speaker 5: a third person's presence, as Miss Gibson seems to wish
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Speaker 5: for your company. Now, I beg you to fix some
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Speaker 5: other time and place where we can finish our discussion.
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Speaker 3: I will go if.
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Speaker 2: Cynthia wishes me, said Molly, no, no, stay, I want
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Speaker 2: you to stay. I want you to hear it all
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Speaker 2: I wish I had told you sooner.
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Speaker 5: You mean that you regret that she has not been
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Speaker 5: made aware of her engagement, that you promised long ago
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Speaker 5: to be my wife. Pray remember that it was you
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Speaker 5: who made me promise secrecy, not I you.
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Speaker 3: I don't believe him, Cynthia, don't. Don't cry if you
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Speaker 3: can help it.
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Speaker 5: I don't believe him, Cynthia.
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Speaker 1: Said, he suddenly changing his tone to fervid tenderness.
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Speaker 5: Pray, pray, do not go on so you can't think
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Speaker 5: how it distresses me.
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Speaker 1: He stepped forward to try and take her hand and
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Speaker 1: soothe her, but she shrank away from him and sobbed
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Speaker 1: the more irrepressibly. She felt Molly's presence so much to
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Speaker 1: be a protection that now she dared to let herself go,
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Speaker 1: and to weaken herself by giving way to her emotion.
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Speaker 3: Go away, said Molly, don't you see you make her worse.
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Speaker 1: But he did not stir. He was looking at Cynthia
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Speaker 1: so intently that he did not seem even to hear
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Speaker 1: her go, said Molly vehemently.
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Speaker 3: If it really distresses you to see her cry, don't
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Speaker 3: you see it's you who are the cause of it.
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Speaker 5: I will go if Cynthia tells me.
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Speaker 1: Said he at length.
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Speaker 2: Oh Molly, I don't know what to do.
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Speaker 1: Said Cynthia, taking down her hands from her tear stained
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Speaker 1: face and appealing to Molly and sobbing worse than ever.
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Speaker 1: In fact, she became hysterical, and though she tried to
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Speaker 1: speak coherently, no intelligible words would come.
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Speaker 3: Run to that cottage in the trees and fetch her
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Speaker 3: a cup of water.
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Speaker 1: Said Molly. He hesitated a little. Why don't you go,
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Speaker 1: said Molly impatiently.
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Speaker 5: I have not done speaking to her. You will not
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Speaker 5: leave before I come back.
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Speaker 3: No, don't you see she can't move in the state He.
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Speaker 1: Went quickly, if reluctantly. Cynthia was some time before she
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Speaker 1: could check her sobs enough to speak at length. She said, Molly,
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Speaker 1: I do hate him, But what did he mean by
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Speaker 1: saying you were engaged to him?
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Speaker 3: Don't cry, deh, but tell me. If I can help you,
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Speaker 3: I will, But I can't imagine what it all really is.
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Speaker 2: It's too long a story to now, and I'm not
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Speaker 2: strong enough. Look, he's coming back as soon as I can.
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Speaker 2: Let us get home with.
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Speaker 1: All my heart, said Molly. He brought the water, and
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Speaker 1: Cynthia drank and was restored to calmness. Now, said Molly, we.
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Speaker 3: Had better go home as fast as you can manage it.
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Speaker 3: It's getting dark quickly.
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Speaker 1: If she hoped to carry Cynthia off so easily, she
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Speaker 1: was mistaken. Mister Preston was resolute on this point.
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Speaker 5: He said, I think since miss Gibson has made herself
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Speaker 5: acquainted with this much, we had better let her know
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Speaker 5: the whole truth that you are engaged to marry me
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Speaker 5: as soon as you are twenty. Otherwise your being here
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Speaker 5: with me and by appointment too, may appear strange, even
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Speaker 5: equivocal to her.
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Speaker 3: As I know that Cynthia is engaged to another man,
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Speaker 3: you can hardly expect me to believe what you say,
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Speaker 3: mister Preston.
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Speaker 1: Oh Molly, said Cynthia, trembling all over but trying to
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Speaker 1: be calm.
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Speaker 2: I'm not engaged, neither to the person you mean, nor
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Speaker 2: to mister Preston.
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Speaker 1: Mister Preston forced a smile.
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Speaker 5: I think I have some letters that would convince miss
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Speaker 5: Gibson of the truth of what I have said, and
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Speaker 5: will convince mister Osborne Hamley if necessary. I conclude it
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Speaker 5: is to him she is alluding.
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Speaker 3: I am quite puzzled by both, said Molly. The only
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Speaker 3: thing I do know is that we ought not to
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Speaker 3: be standing here at this time of evening, and that
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Speaker 3: Cynthia and I shall go home directly. If you want
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Speaker 3: to talk to miss Kirkpatrick, mister Preston, why don't you
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Speaker 3: come to my father's house and asked to see her
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Speaker 3: openly and like a gentleman.
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Speaker 5: I am perfectly willing, said he. I shall only be
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Speaker 5: too glad to explain to mister Gibson on what terms
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Speaker 5: I stand in relation to her. I had not done
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Speaker 5: it sooner. It is because I have yielded to her wishes.
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Speaker 2: Pray, pray, don't Molly, you don't know all. You don't
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Speaker 2: know anything about it. You mean well and kindly, I know,
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Speaker 2: but you are only making mischief. I am quite well
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Speaker 2: enough to walk. Do let us go. I will tell
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Speaker 2: you all about it when we are at home.
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Speaker 1: She took Molly's arm and tried to hasten her away,
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Speaker 1: but mister Preston followed, talking as he walked by the side.
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Speaker 5: I do not know what you will say at home,
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Speaker 5: but can you deny that you are my promised wife?
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Speaker 5: Can you deny that it has only been at your
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Speaker 5: earnest request that I have kept an engagement secret so long?
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Speaker 1: He was unwise. Cynthia stopped and turned at bay.
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Speaker 2: Since you will have it out, since I must speak here,
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Speaker 2: I own that what you say is literally true, that
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Speaker 2: when I was a neglected girl of sixteen, you whom
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Speaker 2: I believe to be a friend, lent me money at
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Speaker 2: my need, and made me give you a promise of.
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Speaker 1: Marriage, made you, said he, laying an emphasis on the
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Speaker 1: first word. Cynthia turned scarlet.
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Speaker 2: Maide is not the right word. I confess I liked you.
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Speaker 2: Then you are almost my only friend. And if it
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Speaker 2: had been a question of immediate marriage, I dare say
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Speaker 2: I should never have objected. But I know you better now,
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Speaker 2: and you have persecuted me so of late that I
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Speaker 2: tell you once for all, as I have told you before,
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Speaker 2: till I am sick of the very words, that nothing
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Speaker 2: shall ever make me marry you. Nothing, I see. There's
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Speaker 2: no chance of escaping exposure, and I dare say losing
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Speaker 2: my character, and I know, losing all the few friends
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Speaker 2: I have.
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Speaker 1: Never mey, said Molly, touched by the wailing tone of
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Speaker 1: despair that Cynthia was falling into. It is hard, said
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Speaker 1: mister Preston.
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Speaker 5: You may believe all the bad things you like about me, Cynthia,
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Speaker 5: but I don't think you can doubt my real, passionate,
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Speaker 5: disinterested love for you.
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Speaker 1: I do doubt it, said Cynthia, breaking out with fresh energy.
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Speaker 2: Ah, when I think of this self denying affection I
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Speaker 2: have seen. I have known affection that thought of others
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Speaker 2: before itself.
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Speaker 1: Mister Preston broke in at the pause she made. She
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Speaker 1: was afraid of revealing too much to him.
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Speaker 5: You do not call it love, which has been willing
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Speaker 5: to wait for years to be silent, while silence was desired,
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Speaker 5: to suffer jealousy and to bear neglect, Relying on the
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Speaker 5: solemn promise of a girl of sixteen for solemn say
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Speaker 5: flimsy when that girl grows older. Cynthia, I have loved you,
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Speaker 5: and I do love you, and I won't give you up.
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Speaker 5: If you will but keep your word and marry me.
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Speaker 5: I swear I'll make you love me in return.
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Speaker 2: Oh I wish, I wish I'd never borrowed that unlucky money.
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Speaker 2: It was the beginning of it all. Oh, Molly, I
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Speaker 2: have saved and scrimmed to repay it, and he won't
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Speaker 2: take it now. I thought if I could but repay it,
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Speaker 2: it would set me free.
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Speaker 5: You seem to imply you sold yourself for twenty pounds.
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Speaker 1: He said. They were nearly on the common, now close
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Speaker 1: to the protection of the cottages, in very hearing of
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Speaker 1: their inmates. If neither of the other two thought of this,
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Speaker 1: Molly did, and resolved in her mind to call in
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Speaker 1: at one of them and ask for the laborer's protection home.
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Speaker 1: At any rate, his presence must put a stop to
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Speaker 1: this miserable altercation.
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Speaker 2: I do not sell myself. I liked you then, but
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Speaker 2: oh how I hate you now.
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Speaker 1: Cried Cynthia. Unable to contain her words, he bowed and
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Speaker 1: turned back, vanishing rapidly down the field staircase. At any rate,
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Speaker 1: that was a relief. Yet the two girls hastened on
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Speaker 1: as if he were still pursuing them. Once, when Molly
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Speaker 1: said something to Cynthia, the latter replied.
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Speaker 2: Molly, if you pity me, if you loved me, don't
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Speaker 2: say anything more. Just now. We shall have to look
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Speaker 2: as if nothing had happened. When we get home, come
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Speaker 2: to my room when we go upstairs to bed, and
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Speaker 2: I'll tell you all. I know you'll blame me terribly,
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Speaker 2: but I will tell you all.
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Speaker 1: So Molly did not say another word till they reached home,
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Speaker 1: and then comparatively at ease, inasmuch as no one perceived
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Speaker 1: how late was their return to the house. Each of
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Speaker 1: the girls went up to their separate rooms to rest
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Speaker 1: and calm themselves before dressing for the necessary family gathering
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Speaker 1: at dinner. Molly felt as if she were so miserably
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Speaker 1: shaken that she could not have gone down at all
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Speaker 1: if her own interests only had been at stake. She
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Speaker 1: sat by her dressing table, holding her head in her hands,
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Speaker 1: her candles unlighted, and the room in soft darkness, trying
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Speaker 1: to still her beating heart and to recall all she
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Speaker 1: had heard and what would be its bearing on the
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Speaker 1: lives of those whom she loved.
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Speaker 3: Roger, Oh, Roger far away in mystery's darkness of distance,
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Speaker 3: loving as he did. Ah. That was love. That was
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Speaker 3: a love to which Cynthia had referred as worthy of
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Speaker 3: the name, and the object of his love claimed by
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Speaker 3: another false to one she must be. How could it be?
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Speaker 3: What would he think and feel if he ever came
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Speaker 3: to know it?
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Speaker 1: It was of no use trying to imagine his pain.
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Speaker 1: That could do no good. What lay before Molly was
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Speaker 1: to try and extricate Cynthia, if she could help her
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Speaker 1: by thought or advice or action, not to weaken herself
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Speaker 1: by letting her fancy run into pictures of possible probable suffering.
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Speaker 1: When she went into the drawing room before dinner. She
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Speaker 1: found Cynthia and her mother by themselves. There were candles
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Speaker 1: in the room, but they were not lighted, for the
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Speaker 1: wood fire blazed merrily, if fitfully, and they were awaiting
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Speaker 1: mister Gibson's return, which might be expected at any minute.
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Speaker 1: Cynthia sat in the shade, so it was only by
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Speaker 1: her sensitive ear that Molly could judge of her state
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Speaker 1: of composure. Missus Gibson was telling some of her day's
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Speaker 1: adventures whom she had found at home, in the call
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Speaker 1: she had been making, who had been out, and the
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Speaker 1: small pieces of news that she had heard, to Molly's
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Speaker 1: quick sympathy. Cynthia's voice sounded languid and weary, but she
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Speaker 1: made all the proper replies and expressed the proper interest
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Speaker 1: at the right places, and Molly came to the rescue,
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Speaker 1: chiming in with an effort. It is true, but Missus
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Speaker 1: Gibson was not one to notice slight shades or differences
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Speaker 1: in manner. When mister Gibson returned, the relative positions of
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Speaker 1: the parties were altered. It was Cynthia now who raised
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Speaker 1: herself into liveliness, partly from a consciousness that he would
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Speaker 1: have noticed any depression, and partly because Cynthia was one
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Speaker 1: of those natural coquettes who, from their cradle to their grave,
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Speaker 1: instinctively bring out all their prettiest airs and graces in
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Speaker 1: order to stand well with any man, young or old,
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Speaker 1: who may happen to be present. She listened to his
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Speaker 1: remarks and stories with all the sweet intentness of happier days,
17:50
Speaker 1: till Molly, silent and wondering, could hardly believe that the
17:54
Speaker 1: Cynthia before her was the same girl as she who
17:57
Speaker 1: was sobbing and crying as if her heart would break
17:59
Speaker 1: but two hours before. It is true she looked pale
18:03
Speaker 1: and heavy eyed, but that was the only sign she
18:05
Speaker 1: gave of her past trouble, which yet must be a
18:08
Speaker 1: present care thought Molly. After dinner, mister Gibson went out
18:12
Speaker 1: to his town patients. Missus Gibson subsided into her arm chair,
18:16
Speaker 1: holding a sheet at the times before her, behind which
18:20
Speaker 1: she took a quiet and ladylike doze. Cynthia had a
18:23
Speaker 1: book in one hand. With the other she shaded her
18:26
Speaker 1: eyes from the light. Molly alone could neither read, nor sleep,
18:30
Speaker 1: nor work. She sat in the seat in the bow window.
18:34
Speaker 1: The blind was not drawn down, for there was no
18:36
Speaker 1: danger of their being overlooked. She gazed into the soft
18:39
Speaker 1: outer darkness and found herself striving to discern the outlines
18:43
Speaker 1: of objects. The cottage at the end of the garden,
18:46
Speaker 1: the great beech tree with the seat round it, the
18:48
Speaker 1: wire arches up which the summer roses had clambered. Each
18:52
Speaker 1: came out faint and dim against the dusky velvet of
18:55
Speaker 1: the atmosphere. Presently tea came, and there was the usual
18:59
Speaker 1: nightly bustle. The table was cleared. Missus Gibson roused herself
19:03
Speaker 1: and made the same remark about dear Papa that she
19:05
Speaker 1: had done at the same hour for weeks past. Cynthia,
19:09
Speaker 1: too did not look different from usual, And yet.
19:11
Speaker 3: What a hidden mystery did her calmness.
19:13
Speaker 1: Hide, thought Molly. At length came bedtime and the little
19:17
Speaker 1: customary speeches. Both Molly and Cynthia went to their own
19:21
Speaker 1: rooms without exchanging a word. When Molly was in hers,
19:24
Speaker 1: she had forgotten whether she was to go to Cynthia
19:26
Speaker 1: or Cynthia to come to her. She took off her
19:29
Speaker 1: gown and put on her dressing gown, and stood and waited,
19:33
Speaker 1: and even sat down for a minute or two but
19:35
Speaker 1: Cynthia did not come, so Molly went and knocked at
19:38
Speaker 1: the opposite door, which, to her surprise she found shut.
19:42
Speaker 1: When she entered the room, Cynthia sat by her dressing table,
19:46
Speaker 1: just as she had come up from the drawing room.
19:48
Speaker 1: She had been leaning her head on her arms, and
19:51
Speaker 1: seemed almost to have forgotten the tryst she had made
19:53
Speaker 1: with Molly, for she looked up as if startled, and
19:56
Speaker 1: her face did seem full of worry and distress. In
19:59
Speaker 1: her solitude, she made no more exertion, but gave way
20:02
Speaker 1: to thoughts of care. End of Chapter forty two.