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038 - Ch 38 - Promises Fulfilled · North and South (version 2)

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