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021 - Ch 21 - The Dark Night · North and South (version 2)

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Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one of North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell.
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Speaker 1: This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by
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Speaker 1: Marianne on Earth is known to none. The smile that
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Speaker 1: his not sister to a tear elliot. Margaret and her
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Speaker 1: father walked home. The night was fine, the streets clean,
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Speaker 1: and with her pretty white silk like Leezie Lindsey's gown
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Speaker 1: of green satin in the ballad, kilted up to her knee.
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Speaker 1: She was off with her father, ready to dance along
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Speaker 1: with the excitement of the cool, fresh night air. I
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Speaker 1: rather think Thornton is not quite easy in his mind
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Speaker 1: about this strike. He seemed very anxious to night. I
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Speaker 1: should wonder if he were not. But he spoke with
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Speaker 1: his usual coolness to the others when they suggested different
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Speaker 1: things just before we came away, So he did after
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Speaker 1: dinner as well. Would take a good deal to stir
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Speaker 1: him from his cool manner of speaking. But his face
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Speaker 1: strikes me as anxious. I should be if I were he.
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Speaker 1: He must know of the growing anger and hardly smothered
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Speaker 1: hatred of his workpeople who all look upon him as
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Speaker 1: what the Bible calls a hard man, not so much
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Speaker 1: unjust as unfeeling clear in judgment, standing upon his rights,
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Speaker 1: as no human being ought to stand considering what we
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Speaker 1: and all our petty rights are in the sight of
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Speaker 1: the almighty. I am glad you think he looks anxious.
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Speaker 1: When I remember Boucher's half mad words and ways, I
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Speaker 1: cannot bear to think how coolly mister Thornton spoke in
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Speaker 1: the first place. I am not so convinced as you
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Speaker 1: are about that man Boucher's utter distress. For the moment
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Speaker 1: he was badly off, I don't doubt. But there's always
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Speaker 1: a mysterious supply of money from these unions, and from
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Speaker 1: what you said, it was evident that the man was
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Speaker 1: of a passionate, demonstrative nature and gave strong expression to
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Speaker 1: all he felt. Oh, Papa, well, I only want you
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Speaker 1: to do justice to mister Thornton, who is I suspect
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Speaker 1: of an exactly opposite nature, a man who is far
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Speaker 1: too proud to show his feelings, just the character I
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Speaker 1: should have thought beforehand you would have admired Margaret, so
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Speaker 1: I do so I should, but I don't feel quite
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Speaker 1: so sure as you do of the existence of those feelings.
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Speaker 1: He is a man of great strength of character, of
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Speaker 1: unusual intellect, considering the few advantages he has had not
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Speaker 1: so few. He has led a practical life from a
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Speaker 1: very early age, has been called upon to exercise judgment
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Speaker 1: and self control. All that develops one part of the intellect.
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Speaker 1: To be sure, he needs some knowledge of the past,
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Speaker 1: which gives the truest basis for conjecture as to the future.
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Speaker 1: But he knows this need. He perceives it, and that
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Speaker 1: is something you are quite prejudiced against. Mister Thornton, Margaret,
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Speaker 1: he is the first specimen of a manufacturer, of a
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Speaker 1: person engaged in trade, that I ever had the opportunity
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Speaker 1: of studying. Papa. He is my first olive. Let me
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Speaker 1: make a face while I swallow it. I know he
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Speaker 1: is good of his kind, and by and by I
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Speaker 1: shall like the kind I rather think I am already
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Speaker 1: beginning to do so. I was very much interested by
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Speaker 1: what the gentlemen were talking about, although I did not
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Speaker 1: understand half of it. I was quite sorry when Miss
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Speaker 1: Thornton came to take me to the other end of
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Speaker 1: the room, saying she was sure I would be uncomfortable
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Speaker 1: at being the only lady among so many gentlemen. I
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Speaker 1: had never thought about it I was so busy listening,
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Speaker 1: and the ladies were so dull, Papa, oh so Yet
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Speaker 1: I think it was clever too. It reminded me of
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Speaker 1: our old game of having each so many nouns to
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Speaker 1: introduce into a sentence. What do you mean, child, asked
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Speaker 1: mister Hale. Why they took nouns that were signs of
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Speaker 1: things which gave evidence of wealth, housekeepers, under gardeners, extent
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Speaker 1: of glass, valuable lace, diamonds, and all such things. And
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Speaker 1: each one formed her speech so as to bring them
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Speaker 1: all in in the prettiest accidental manner possible. You will
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Speaker 1: be as proud of your one servant when you get her,
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Speaker 1: if all is true about her, that missus Thornton says.
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Speaker 1: To be sure, I shall. I felt like a great
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Speaker 1: hypocrite to night, sitting there in my white silk gown
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Speaker 1: with my idle hands before me. When I remembered all
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Speaker 1: the good, thorough housework they had done to day, they
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Speaker 1: took me for a fine lady. I'm sure even I
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Speaker 1: was mistaken enough to think you looked like a lady,
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Speaker 1: my dear, said mister Hale, quietly, smiling, but smiles were
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Speaker 1: changed to white and trembling looks when they saw Dixon's
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Speaker 1: face as she opened the door. Oh master, oh miss Margaret,
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Speaker 1: thank god you are come. Doctor Donaldson is here. The
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Speaker 1: servant next door went for him for the charwoman is
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Speaker 1: gone home. She is better now, but oh, sir, I
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Speaker 1: thought she would have died. An hour ago, mister Hale
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Speaker 1: caught Margaret's arm to steady himself from falling. He looked
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Speaker 1: at her face and saw an expression upon it of
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Speaker 1: surprise and extremist sorrow, but not the agony of terror
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Speaker 1: that contracted his own unprepared heart. She knew more than
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Speaker 1: he did, and yet she listened with that hopeless expression
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Speaker 1: of awed apprehension. Oh I should not have left her
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Speaker 1: wicked daughter, that I am moaned forth Margaret, as she
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Speaker 1: supported did her trembling father's hasty steps upstairs. Doctor Donaldson
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Speaker 1: met them on the landing. She is better now, he whispered.
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Speaker 1: The opiate has taken effect. The spasms were very bad,
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Speaker 1: No wonder they frightened your maid. But she'll rally this time.
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Speaker 1: This time, let me go to her. Half an hour ago,
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Speaker 1: mister Hale was a middle aged man. Now, his sight
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Speaker 1: was dim, his senses wavering, his walk tottering as if
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Speaker 1: he were seventy years of age. Doctor Donaldson took his
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Speaker 1: arm and led him into the bedroom. Margaret followed close.
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Speaker 1: There lay her mother, with an unmistakable look on her face.
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Speaker 1: She might be better now she was sleeping, but death
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Speaker 1: had signed her for his own, and it was clear
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Speaker 1: that ere long he would return to take possession. Mister
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Speaker 1: Hale looked at her for some time without a word.
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Speaker 1: Then he began to shake all over, and, turning away
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Speaker 1: from doctor Donaldson's anxious care, he groped to find the door.
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Speaker 1: He could not see it, although several candles brought in
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Speaker 1: the sudden affright were burning and flaring. There. He staggered
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Speaker 1: into the drawing room and felt about for a chair.
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Speaker 1: Doctor Donaldson wheeled one to him and placed him in it.
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Speaker 1: He felt his pulse speak to him, Miss Hale, We
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Speaker 1: must rouse him, Papa, said Margaret, with a crying voice
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Speaker 1: that was wild with pain. Papa, speak to me. The
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Speaker 1: speculation came again into his eyes, and he made a
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Speaker 1: great effort. Margaret, did you know of this? Oh? It
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Speaker 1: was cruel of you. No, sir, it was not cruel,
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Speaker 1: replied doctor Donaldson. With quick decision. Miss Hale acted under
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Speaker 1: my directions. There may have been a mistake, but it
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Speaker 1: was not cruel. Your wife will be a different creature tomorrow.
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Speaker 1: I trust she has had spasms as I anticipated, though
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Speaker 1: I did not tell Miss Hale of my apprehensions. She
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Speaker 1: has taken the opiate I brought with me. She will
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Speaker 1: have a good long sleep, and to morrow that look
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Speaker 1: which has alarmed you so much will have passed away.
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Speaker 1: But not the disease. Doctor Donaldson glanced at Margaret, her
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Speaker 1: head bent, her face raised, with no appeal for a
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Speaker 1: temporary reprieve showed that quick observer of human nature that
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Speaker 1: she thought it better that the whole truth should be told,
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Speaker 1: not the disease. We cannot touch the disease with all
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Speaker 1: our poor vaunted skill. We can only delay its progress,
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Speaker 1: alleviate the pain it causes. Be a man, sir, a
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Speaker 1: crist have faith in the immortality of the soul, which
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Speaker 1: no pain, no mortal disease, can assail or touch. But
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Speaker 1: all the reply he got was in the choked words,
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Speaker 1: you have never been married, doctor Donaldson, you do not
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Speaker 1: know what it is. And in the deep, manly sobs
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Speaker 1: which went through the stillness of the night, like heavy
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Speaker 1: pulses of agony. Margaret knelt by him, caressing him with
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Speaker 1: tearful caresses. No one, not even doctor Donaldson, knew how
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Speaker 1: the time went by. Mister Hale was the first to
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Speaker 1: dare to speak of the necessities of the present moment.
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Speaker 1: What must we do? He asked, tell us both, Margaret
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Speaker 1: is my staff my right hand. Doctor gave his clear,
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Speaker 1: sensible directions. No fear for tonight, nay even peace for tomorrow,
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Speaker 1: and for many days yet, but no enduring hope of recovery.
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Speaker 1: He advised mister Hale to go to bed and leave
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Speaker 1: only one to watch the slumber, which he hoped would
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Speaker 1: be undisturbed. He promised to come again early in the morning,
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Speaker 1: and with a warm and kindly shake of the hand
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Speaker 1: he left them. They spoke but few words. They were
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Speaker 1: too much exhausted by their terror to do more than
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Speaker 1: decide upon the immediate course of action. Mister Hale was
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Speaker 1: resolved to sit up through the night, and all that
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Speaker 1: Margaret could do was to prevail upon him to rest
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Speaker 1: on the drawing room sofa. Dixon stoutly and bluntly refused
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Speaker 1: to go to bed, and as for Margaret, it was
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Speaker 1: simply impossible that she should leave her mother let all
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Speaker 1: the doctors in the world speak of husbanding resources, and
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Speaker 1: one watcher only being required. So Dixon sat and stared,
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Speaker 1: and winked, and drooped, and picked herself up again with
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Speaker 1: a jerk, and finally gave up the battle and fairly snored.
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Speaker 1: Margaret had taken off her gown and tossed it aside
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Speaker 1: with a sort of impatient disgust, and put on her
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Speaker 1: dressing gown. She felt as if she could never sleep again,
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Speaker 1: as if her whole senses were acutely vital and all
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Speaker 1: endued with double keenness for the purpose of watching every
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Speaker 1: sight and sound, nay, even every thought touched some nerve
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Speaker 1: to the very quick. For more than two hours she
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Speaker 1: heard her father's restless movements in the next room. He
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Speaker 1: came perpetually to the door of her mother's chamber, pausing
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Speaker 1: there to listen till she, not hearing his close unseen presence,
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Speaker 1: went and opened it to tell him how all went on.
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Speaker 1: In reply to the questions his baked lips could hardly form.
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Speaker 1: At last, he too fell asleep, and all the house
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Speaker 1: was still. Margaret sat behind the curtain, thinking, far away
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Speaker 1: in time, far away in space, seemed all the interests
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Speaker 1: of past days, no more than thirty six hours ago.
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Speaker 1: She cared for Bessy Higgins and her father, and her
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Speaker 1: heart was wrung for Boucher. Now that was all like
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Speaker 1: a dreaming memory of some former life. Everything that had
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Speaker 1: passed out of doors seemed dissevered from her mother and
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Speaker 1: therefore unreal. Even Harley Street appeared more distinct. There, she remembered,
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Speaker 1: as if it were yesterday, how she had pleased herself
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Speaker 1: with tracing out her mother's features in her aunt Shaw's face,
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Speaker 1: and how letters had come, making her dwell on the
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Speaker 1: thoughts of home with all the longing of love. Helstone
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Speaker 1: itself was in the dim past. The dull, gray days
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Speaker 1: of the preceding winter and spring, so uneventless and monotonous,
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Speaker 1: seemed more associated with what she cared for now, above
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Speaker 1: all price. She would fain have caught at the skirts
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Speaker 1: of that departing time, and prayed it to return and
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Speaker 1: give her back what she had too little valued while
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Speaker 1: it was yet in her possession. What a vain show
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Speaker 1: life seemed, How unsubstantial and flickering and flitting it was,
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Speaker 1: as if from some aerial belfry high up above the
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Speaker 1: stir and jar of the earth. There was a bell
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Speaker 1: continually tolling. All our shadows, all our passing, all is past.
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Speaker 1: And when the morning dawned, cool and gray, like many
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Speaker 1: a happier morning before, when Margaret looked one by one
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Speaker 1: at the sleepers, it seemed as if the terrible night
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Speaker 1: were unreal as a dream. It too was a shadow,
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Speaker 1: It too was past. Missus Hale herself was not aware
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Speaker 1: when she awoke how ill she had been the night before.
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Speaker 1: She was rather surprised at doctor Donaldson's early visit, and
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Speaker 1: perplexed by the anxious faces of husband and child. She
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Speaker 1: consented to remain in bed that day, saying she certainly
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Speaker 1: was tired, But the next she insisted on getting up,
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Speaker 1: and doctor Donaldson gave his consent to her returning into
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Speaker 1: the drawing room. She was restless and uncomfortable in every position,
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Speaker 1: and before night she had become feverish. Mister Hale was
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Speaker 1: utterly listless and incapable of deciding on anything. What can
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Speaker 1: we do to spare mamma such another night, asked Margaret
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Speaker 1: on the third day. It is to a certain degree
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Speaker 1: the reaction after the powerful opiates I have been obliged
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Speaker 1: to use it is more painful for you to see
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Speaker 1: than for her to bear, I believe. But I think
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Speaker 1: if we could get a water bad it might be
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Speaker 1: a good thing. Not but what she will be better
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Speaker 1: to morrow, pretty much like herself as she was before
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Speaker 1: this attack. Still, I should like her to have a
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Speaker 1: water bed. Missus Thornton has one. I know. I'll try
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Speaker 1: and call there this afternoon, stay, said he, his eye
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Speaker 1: catching on Margaret's face blanched with watching in a sick room.
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Speaker 1: I'm not sure whether I can go. I've a long
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Speaker 1: round to take. It would do you no harm to
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Speaker 1: have a brisk walk to Marlborough Street and ask missus
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Speaker 1: Thornton if she can spare it, certainly, said Margaret. I
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Speaker 1: could go while Mamma is asleep this afternoon. I'm sure
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Speaker 1: missus Thornton would lend it to us. Doctor Donaldson's experience
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Speaker 1: told them rightly. Missus Hale seemed to shake off the
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Speaker 1: consequences of her attack and looked brighter and better this
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Speaker 1: afternoon than Margaret had ever hoped of seeing her again.
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Speaker 1: Her daughter left her after dinner, sitting in her easy
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Speaker 1: chair with her hand lying on her husband's, who looked
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Speaker 1: more worn and suffering than she by far. Still he
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Speaker 1: could smile now, rather slowly, rather faintly, it is true,
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Speaker 1: But a day or two before Margaret never thought to
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Speaker 1: see him smile again. It was about two miles from
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Speaker 1: their house in Crampton Crescent to Marlborough Street. It was
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Speaker 1: too hot to walk very quickly. An August sun beat
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Speaker 1: straight down into the street at three o'clock in the afternoon.
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Speaker 1: Margaret went along without noticing anything very different from usual.
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Speaker 1: In the first mile and a half of her journey,
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Speaker 1: she was absorbed in her own thoughts and had learnt
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Speaker 1: by this time to thread her way through the irregular
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Speaker 1: stream of human beings that flowed through Milton Streets. But
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Speaker 1: by and by she was struck with an unusual heaving
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Speaker 1: among the mass of people in the crowded road on
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Speaker 1: which she was entering. They did not appear to be
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Speaker 1: moving on so much as talking and listening and buzzy
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Speaker 1: with excitement, without much stirring from the spot where they
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Speaker 1: might happen to be still. As they made way for her,
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Speaker 1: and wrapped up in the purpose of her errand and
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Speaker 1: the necessities that suggested it, she was less quick of
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Speaker 1: observation than she might have been if her mind had
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Speaker 1: been at ease, she had got into Marlborough Street before
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Speaker 1: the full conviction forced itself upon her. That there was
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Speaker 1: a restless, oppressive sense of irritation abroad among the people,
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Speaker 1: a thunderous atmosphere morally as well as physically around her.
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Speaker 1: From every narrow lane opening out on Marlborough Street came
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Speaker 1: up a low, distant roar, as of myriads of fierce,
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Speaker 1: indignant voices. The inhabitants of each poor, squalid dwelling were
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Speaker 1: gathered round the doors and windows, if indeed they were
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Speaker 1: not actually standing in the middle of the narrow ways,
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Speaker 1: all with looks intent towards one point. Marlborough Street itself
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Speaker 1: was the focus of all those human eyes that betrayed
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Speaker 1: intensest interest of various kinds, some fierce with anger, some
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Speaker 1: lowering with relentless threats, some dilated with fear or imploring entreaty.
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Speaker 1: And as Margaret reached the small side entrance by the
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Speaker 1: folding doors in the great dead wall of Marlborough mill
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Speaker 1: Yard and waited the porter's answer to the bell, she
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Speaker 1: looked round and heard the first long, far off roll
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Speaker 1: of the tempest, saw the first slow surging wave of
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Speaker 1: the dark crowd come with its threatening crest, tumble over
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Speaker 1: and retreat at the far end of the street, which
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Speaker 1: a moment ago seemed so full of repressed noise, but
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Speaker 1: which now was ominously still. All these circumstances forced themselves
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Speaker 1: on Margaret's notice, but did not sink down into her
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Speaker 1: preoccupied heart. She did not know what they meant, what
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Speaker 1: was their deep significance. While she did know did feel
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Speaker 1: the keen sharp pressure of the knife that was soon
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Speaker 1: to stab her through and through by leaving her motherless.
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Speaker 1: She was trying to realize that in order that when
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Speaker 1: it came, she might be ready to comfort her father.
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Speaker 1: The porter opened the door cautiously, not nearly wide enough
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Speaker 1: to admit her. It's you, is it, ma'am, said he,
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Speaker 1: drawing a long breath and widening the entrance, but still
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Speaker 1: not opening it fully. Margaret went in. He hastily bolted
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Speaker 1: it behind her. The folk girl coming up here, I,
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Speaker 1: reckon asked he. I don't know. Something unusual seemed going on,
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Speaker 1: but this street is quite empty. I think. She went
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Speaker 1: across the yard and up the steps to the house door.
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Speaker 1: There was no near sound, no steam engine at work
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Speaker 1: with beat and pant no click of machinery or mingling
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Speaker 1: and clashing of many sharp voices, but far away, the
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Speaker 1: ominous gathering roar, deep, clamoring. End of Chapter twenty one